Information on Kindle, svp

[woolybanana]

If you have a Kindle with wifi (ie not 3G) which is registered in UK, can you download books etd from Amazon UK if the Kindle is used in, say, France? Info please.

[Russethouse]

Worth doing a search on this Wooly as there was a VERY long thread about Kindles, but I think it may depend on where the kindle is registered to some extent

[YCCMB]

I've downloaded books for my Kindle via Wifi in other countries. My Kindle is registered to a UK account.

[woolybanana]

Yes, it is only the 3G element which worries me. Is is an essential feature or not?

I see there is a Kindle Fire on offer and was wondering whether to get that as a replacement for mine which is 'uggered.

[Gardengirl]

Mine is registered in UK and I seem to mostly download in France without any problems thus far - almost 2 years.

I don't actually NEED 3G, but I find it very useful when I'm lying back somewhere away from the computer and suddenly decide to download a book.

[YCCMB]

I'm not sure what you're worried about, Woolly. The advantage (as I understand it) of 3G is that you've effectively got a free internet connection wherever you may roam. The downside on newer versions, from what I gather, is that the tradeoff for the "free" 3G is that your Kindle will now come with onscreen adverts. You can apparently pay a small premium not to have them.

The other downside (again, someone will correct me if I have got the wrong end of the stick) is that the Kindle Fire, with its lovely colour screen and things, is a great tablet, but a less great e-book reader, if you have been used to the "ink" technology of the B&W Kindle screen. This isn't a feature of the Fire, and means that things like reading your Kindle in bright sunlight are severely compromised, although I assume there's a vast improvement when reading in dark conditions, as I think the screen is backlit like a normal tablet.

If you want a tablet with a free 3G connection and the adverts and Kindle ink screen are not deal breakers for you, then the Fire is a lot of tablet for a small price. If you just want to read books, and you have a Wifi connection, then an ordinary Kindle e-reader should suit you fine. You pays your money...

[AnOther]

Truth is you need neither WiFi nor 3G to put books on a Kindle. You can do it via a PC with the USB charging lead.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200493090

I have yet to download anything directly to mine, it's all on my PC and I copy across what I want when I want it.

For people who do not live globe trotting lived the wireless connectivity is little more than a gimmick.

[Gardengirl]

I agree, AnOther - it's not strictly necessary. But I really don't think it's just a gimmick. Last week, laid up in bed and unable to get up, I could just download and read within 2 minutes. If I changed to some other method, I'd really miss being able to download as and when I wanted. What you've never had, you'd never miss, but .....................................

[idun]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Yes, it is only the 3G element which worries me. Is is an essential feature or not? I see there is a Kindle Fire on offer and was wondering whether to get that as a replacement for mine which is 'uggered.[/quote]

 

'uggered'?

 

The BBC consumer program Watchdog had quite a bit on about Kindles breaking down a few weeks ago. If yours is still under guarantee, then maybe you should look on the Watchdog web site and see what was said and what Kindle will do about it.

 

I have been put off buying a Kindle after watching Watchdog.  

[AnOther]

OK, a possibly useful gimmick in some circumstances then [:D]

[woolybanana]

The first letter is the second letter of the alphabet, or maybe the third, idun.

Mine had a computer dropped on it which had made the screen go nuts, 'an't load, 'an't charge, 'an't read etc. Seems really 'uggered to me. But I'll fone tomorrow and see if I can get one cheap.

[suein56]

[quote user="woolybanana"]But I'll fone tomorrow and see if I can get one cheap.[/quote]

Amazon's Black Friday promotion - lasts till Monday night - has their Kindle Fire at £99 for the version which has (small) adverts and £109 for the version without adverts.

Sue

[idun]

[quote user="woolybanana"]

The first letter is the second letter of the alphabet, or maybe the third, idun.

Mine had a computer dropped on it which had made the screen go nuts, 'an't load, 'an't charge, 'an't read etc. Seems really 'uggered to me. But I'll fone tomorrow and see if I can get one cheap.

[/quote]

 

That is rather sweet thinking I didn't know what 'uggered' was[:)]. I questioned it being 'uggered' because it doesn't feel like two minutes since you were asking about buying a Kindle, never mind having one and it now being 'uggered'.

[Russethouse]

I've had a kindle for about 18 months now and had a cover with an integral light replaced free of charge.

No problems with the kindle otherwise

Ps I think it's a Nook with integral light for reading in bed.

[andrew44]

Kindle Paperwhite -available to order in December.

http://www.amazon.fr/dp/B007OZO03M/ref=sa_menu_kdpcwin4

@+

Andrew 44

[YCCMB]

Two small things:

1. I don't think Kindles come without Wifi, so it's really not as if we're discussing the Wifi element as something we can decide not to purchase. Whether we then opt to use it or not is another matter. When I'm travelling, I don't always cart a laptop along for the ride, so the Wifi then comes into its own.

2. Woolly, ask Amazon. Mr Betty's kindle fell off the table (ably assisted by an accidental shove from Mr Betty) and when he rang Amazon to complain that such a small fall - and his Kindle has a fairly robust case - had sent the screen all stripey, they said that although his Kindle was out of warranty, they would sell him a new one for £30-ish. Which they did, and it arrived within a couple of days. Of course, the caveat was that he got a like-for-like replacement, so if you don't want to upgrade and are happy with that, it's worth asking Amazon what they can do.

[woolybanana]

I shall be on the fone tomorrow morning, like a ferret down a rabbit hole

[Gardener]

I was looking at this offer and tried to order one but the Amazon UK kindle can't be shipped to France and the offer expires tomorrow.

I have had a promotion email promising big discounts on amazon fr starting tomorrow, so I'm going to take a chance and hope they will be reduced here too.

[NormanH]

Can some one explain the advantages of a Kindle?

I don't mean the basic  business of "books versus reading a text on-line", I mean a Kindle device as as opposed to reading an ebook on my laptop.

[Russethouse]

Size, its compact,  the quality of the light (not glary in any way)

Sharing books across several devices.

[woolybanana]

Slip it into your pocket. Read discreetly.

In bed, so light to hold, none of that page bending business.

[Gardengirl]

Small size, light to hold, no glare if reading in bright sunshine.

[Rabbie]

The ability to download free copies of many classic books

[allanb]

[quote user="Russethouse"]Worth doing a search on this Wooly as there was a VERY long thread about Kindles, but I think it may depend on where the kindle is registered to some extent…[/quote]Also because Amazon changes its policy from time to time.

I have a Kindle bought in the US, and I have accounts with both Amazon.com and Amazon.fr, both showing my French address.  When I first got it there were some restrictions about buying, depending on residence, but now I can buy and download from either of them.  In fact when I log onto Amazon.com, the system obviously detects my French e-mail address, and once in a while it says "Are you buying from France?  Would you rather get prices in euros and pay in euros? If so…" and then it tells me how to do it.

Technically I think what I'm doing is re-registering the Kindle each time.  But the system makes it very quick and easy.

[AnOther]

[quote user="NormanH"]Can some one explain the advantages of a Kindle?[/quote]You never lose your place like you do falling asleep and dropping your book for one !

I think you're 'avin a larf anyway Norm because if the merits of a Kindle -v- a laptop for reading a book anytime anywhere are not blindingly obvious then I doubt anybody will  possibly be able to explain them to you !