Registerning a Kindle

[AnOther]

[quote user="sid"]I thought I had read warnings about the current in these things, some being too "strong", and also something about the pins which are connected so that the Kindle "knows" that it's a genuine Kindle charger, but we'll soon find out! [/quote]

Total cobblers to both Sid !

As I said earlier USB is USB and there can be no such thing as a charger which is 'too strong' nor a 'Kindle' or 'Kindle aware' charger.

Below is exactly what was supplied with my OH's Kindle and although the photo was actually lifted from Argos it is a generic mass produced unit and mine has Amazon printed on it so if you want the definition of a 'Kindle' charger this is about as close as it can get.

[img]http://www.argos.co.uk/wcsstore/argos/images/383-5010404SPA76UC1101759M.jpg[/img]

The only differences you will find with USB chargers will be in the amount of current they are designed to supply, typically this will be either 500mA or 1A, the one pictured is 500mA.

Importantly the amount of current a device will try to draw from a charger is determined by the device, not the charger. If the device is designed for 500mA but you plug it into a 1A charger it will still only draw 500mA, the charger doesn't magically 'push' a 1A 2x overload into it.

In short then any device which is designed to charge via USB can be plugged into any USB port you can find and that's really all there is to it [;-)]

[woolybanana]

Show off!

[Judith]

Mary,

Sorry, been so busy downloading free books, I've only just seen this.  This might help you.

I bought my kindle via the UK site, and had it sent to my sister's in the UK, which is an alternative address for me on Amazon.  My account was at that moment still "attached" to the French addresss. My sister brought is over, and like you, initially I could not obtain books, even freeies, from the UK site, so I changed my address over to the UK one, and then I can get books from the UK site.  Now the French site won't let me buy - which suits me for the moment.  Technically by doing this I am telling a white lie but so far it is OK, and if they ever suss it I will have so many freebies to read (only bought one e-book so far), I will not worry too much. 

I only download to the kindle by "accident" in so far as I always download to the computer and download to the kindle via USB.  Thus I have an automatic backup of all my e-books whether obtained from Kindle or not.  Look a the kindle users forum on Amazon - there you will find loads of freebies listed every day, along with a continuing and repetitive questions and replies .....  but useful if only for the freebies lists.

I have been unable to get my wifi to work, so glad I bought the 3G version.  It's still much easier and faster to download via computer

[sid]

Thanks ANO !  [;-)]

 

[woolybanana]

"I have been unable to get my wifi to work, so glad I bought the 3G version.  It's still much easier and faster to download via computer"

Judith, surely your 3G is the fastest way to download?

[mary]

Thanks Judith, but if you are downloading to your computer, does amazon not pick up your IP address here in France.

My amazon address is registetred to the Uk but when I go into to look at books on amazon Uk, it states it's only for users in the Uk and tells me to go to Amazon.com and books are in dollars.

I haven't got the Kindle as yet, just thinking about problems I may have or have heard about, but just wanted to confrim before I buy.

A bit confused on how some of you can buy and some can't from a UK site unless you put up the expatshield.

[JSKS]

[quote user="mary"]A bit confused on how some of you can buy and some can't from a UK site unless you put up the expatshield.[/quote]

A few reasons:

1.  If a UK reg Kindle uses the 3g (effectively mobile phone signal) connection then .co.uk seems to accept orders without problem.

2.  Using a PC with Expat Shield to make the order but have the book 'delivered' to the Kindle via wifi seems to work.

3.  Some people just don't get picked up as being outside UK - there appears to be no consistency.

4.  Amazon are required under the terms of their agreements with the publishers not to sell books licensed for sale in the UK outside UK.  This is why they divert persistent overseas orderers to the site appropriate to their location.  Were they not to do this they would be open to action from the publishers.  They only way they can assess this is by their software noting the IP location of the ordering device.

[Gardengirl]

It's a strange business. My Kindle was bought and is registered in UK, but was first used in France, where I downloaded a number of books - it was a Christmas present, so enjoyed finding out how to do everything with it that day (haven't managed 'everything' yet though!)

Some books are bought using my Kindle in UK and some in France; I've never had a message telling me I can't buy in one or other, and prices are always in £, unless they're free of course, and I've a lot of those!  [:D]

 

[Richardbk]

"when I look at books on amazon Uk, it states it's only for users in the Uk and tells me to go to Amazon.com and books are in dollars"

Not for me. I can log into to .co.uk and get uk books in pounds delivered to the UK or France. I can log into .fr can buy books in euros and get them delivered to France or the UK. I am using a French IP address, but I also have the ability to use a UK IP address. For me there is no difference in the choice of books or delivery proposed.

[JSKS]

[quote user="Richardbk"]"when I look at books on amazon Uk, it states it's only for users in the Uk and tells me to go to Amazon.com and books are in dollars"

Not for me. I can log into to .co.uk and get uk books in pounds delivered to the UK or France. I can log into .fr can buy books in euros and get them delivered to France or the UK. I am using a French IP address, but I also have the ability to use a UK IP address. For me there is no difference in the choice of books or delivery proposed.[/quote]

You will, however, se a difference in prices.

[CBC65]

I think the OP was referring to when trying to Kindle books from France on .co.uk, not paper books - an experience I've had too.  I could look at the ebooks, but once I tried to buy them I was politely pointed in the direction of .com ......

[Judith]

[quote user="mary"]Thanks Judith, but if you are downloading to your computer, does amazon not pick up your IP address here in France.

My amazon address is registetred to the Uk but when I go into to look at books on amazon Uk, it states it's only for users in the Uk and tells me to go to Amazon.com and books are in dollars.

I haven't got the Kindle as yet, just thinking about problems I may have or have heard about, but just wanted to confrim before I buy.

A bit confused on how some of you can buy and some can't from a UK site unless you put up the expatshield.[/quote]

Mary, well it doesn't seem to.  I think it must be because I registered it to the UK address, to where is was also delivered. 

Until I changed the address back to the UK, it was delivered to the UK address but as I'd changed my amazon account to show the French address, until I said, use the uk as default (it seems to let you have two address , or more) I too was redirected to the US (this was before the French site came online).

I agree, it is confusing and annoying, and though I understand the reasons behind it - as a retired professional librarian, I do find it irritating to put so many obstacles in the way of helping people read.

If it helps, I was very skeptical about a Kindle, but since I've got it I've hardly read any ordinary books (but that is because I can change the print size and it is SO much easier to read with larger print these days.)  When my cataracts get dealt with maybe I can return to my large stock of waiting books in my "library shelves".

[Judith]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

"I have been unable to get my wifi to work, so glad I bought the 3G version.  It's still much easier and faster to download via computer"

Judith, surely your 3G is the fastest way to download?

[/quote]

Wooly - no - really it isn't, and as I say, I have the added advantage of a backup of my own ....

Since I would find using the Kindle for searching amazon very tedious - and too small - see my reply to Mary above- it is far easier to use my wonderful desktop on which I can have colour and a large screen, to search, download, and then copy across, to read them.

[woolybanana]

Oh, I see. Well, why do it that way if you have a 3G model? You can simply order on your Amazon site and it comes onto the kindle through the ether when you turn on the 3G.

[Judith]

Wooly - it still takes longer, and we cannot always get 3G either - that's for when I am travelling - it is just so much easier via the computer which I read so much more easily to pick and choose .....

[cooperlola]

I get that it's easier to choose via the computer but it still downloads more quickly via 3g (this is the way I do it) once you've made your selections.  You can still access your archive via the computer if you want to read anything on your pc, laptop or phone.

[JSKS]

[quote user="cooperlola"]I get that it's easier to choose via the computer but it still downloads more quickly via 3g (this is the way I do it) once you've made your selections.  You can still access your archive via the computer if you want to read anything on your pc, laptop or phone.[/quote]

It takes about 15-20 secs to download by wifi.  You'd have to be in some hurry to need it faster!

[AnOther]

You cannot make a blanket statement that 3g is faster than WiFi - or vice-versa.

The speed of downloading anything is dependent on the speed of your internet connection and it's futile comparing 3g to WiFi without knowing the underlying speed of the ADSL connection that  WiFi is derived from.

The real world maximum for 3g is about 7mb and in practice with something around half that, or less, being typical.

WiFi itself, which remember is just the wireless connection between your device and the router, can connect to that router at potential speeds of anything from a couple of mb to 300 but can never actually transfer a download at a speed higher than it's ADSL connection

Given the above then WiFi over an ADSL connection of around 3-4mb can generally be expected to match 3g but anything above that will beat it.

[Judith]

I have a fast adsl connection - I have slow 3G and no wifi - I download (usually) several ?10, ?15 free books per day - still quicker to do it via the usb cable and computer - takes usually 2-3 secs to download each book initially (After I have spent time examining the details, reviews etc) simple to carry on to order it .... and 1 sec to download all via USB.  No argument as far as I am concerned!!