Anyone got a Kindle? 3G or not?

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Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 8:44 am

I'm going abroad for a few months soon and have decided to invest in an e-reader instead of lugging books around. I've plumped for the Kindle but am wondering if it's worth paying the extra for the 3G version?

I can load it up with plenty of reading material before I go, but you never know. I believe there is limited access to news and current affairs sites too which might be of some use. Been eyeing these things up for a while since I got back into reading the classics and there are thousands of free titles. available

If you have one, how do you find it? I'll be putting an order in before the end of the week.

Ta for any opinions. Wink

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 1:21 pm

We have two 3G units, both of the older generation, so they didn't work on a recent trip to England. You'll want the new graphite model, which works globally.

bottom line:

My wife has become an avid reader. Prepare to purchase a second Kindle, and prepare for large monthly Amazon fees.

I purchase only free books, of which there are many. I recommend everything by Mark Twain.

I've dropped mine twice. No harm the first time, but the second time I got dead pixels, which spread. I recommend a protective case and care.

I now have an iPad, an iMac, and a MacBook, all of which have access to the Kindle bookstore at the same price. 3G not required. You might consider an iPad instead of a Kindle, since it's marginally more expensive, but far more versatile.

In any case, good luck and enjoy!

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 2:16 pm

Thanks Pilgrim,

I'll get a cover at the same time then. Wink

I've been using my netbook (Eee PC) for reading free books, but though small, is not the best for prolonged reading. I like the extremely long battery life offered by the Kindle.

I have a large list of books lined up already. Very Happy

Though not the main reason for buying one, can you tell me what it's like as a browser? From what I've seen by watching youtube vids, it's possible to use Google so I can access BBC news and the like. Is it possible to read and send email? that would be simply stunning if it lets you do that.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 2:49 pm

windy, I have the K2i (Kindle 2nd generation, International/Global) and absolutely adore it!

I have asked Santa for the newer K3 graphite because I love how much smaller it is and the better screen resolution, even compared to my K2.

Like pilgrim, I would definitely recommend the 3G + wifi model. Though a bit more expensive than the wifi-only model, there were some issues on release with the wifi-only models and registration/connectivity with Amazon's servers. While it was usually more user-related than actual Kindle-related, I still like the idea of of lifetime free 3G once you own the Kindle.

Make sure you check out the coverage map for the 3G. The K3 uses AT&T (and their partners). http://client0.cellmaps.com/viewer.html?cov=1 However, unless you are in an area without any coverage, most of the time, even very limited coverage will work just find in downloading your Kindle books, if needed.

As far as the browsing --

The older Kindles did browse too, so in a pinch, I can get on the interwebs, if needed. I actually signed onto my gmail account and sent an email to a lad just last week when my home internet was down. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but it worked. However, the newer K3s do have a better browers and for the most part, if you keep your expectations low, you will be happy with it. If you expect it to be a netbook or iPad, you will be very disappointed.

This blog owner did a couple really good in-depth reviews of the K3 before release and has some videos and photos posted: http://ireaderreview.com/2010/08/22/kindle-3-review-videos-kindle-3-review-photos-exclusive/

Hope this helps. Very Happy

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 3:36 pm

Thanks Dora, You just sold it to me. Free G3 internet connection and email too. Shocked

I can read and bait lads at the same time. Two of my favourite hobbies. Laughing

I'm really only buying it for it's main purpose but am amazed it can handle email even if it means a bit of effort. I'm in the UK, but have checked our coverage map and it looks pretty good. I'm going to get one now.

I'll do a bit of a review for you when it arrives. Wink

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 4:13 pm

Cool, windy! I think you will enjoy it!

Sorry for being US-centric. In the UK (and some other places outside the US), the K3 with 3G +wifi ships with a Vodafone modem. The coverage map for them is almost the same with a few slight differences. I can barely tell the difference on first glance.

http://client0.cellmaps.com/viewer.html?cov=2&view=intl

Please tell me how you like the K3 when you get it. I sure hope Santa believes I was good this year! Laughing

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

I've been long considering a Kindle or similar myself - I can see the benefits, but so far I've not brought myself around to buying one.

Like Dora, I'll put it on my Christmas list I think - I hope they do Ayn Rand in e-book form!

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 5:36 pm

^^^ In the US, there is Antham, Atlas Shrugged, and The Fountainhead on Kindle. Book availability varies by your country of residence. Very Happy

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Thanks, Dora! Smile

I've researched some other titles I'm interested in, and I'm disappointed to find a few not available in the UK - yet when I change my country on Amazon's site, that makes them available to me - but will simply doing this allow me to buy the book or will the transaction be stopped when they find out I'm in the UK?

Also, is there a way around this, using an alternative to the Kindle store, but in a format still compatable with the Kindle?

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 5:58 pm

No excuses Craig,

You can use this free app for managing and converting e-books to any platform: Calibre

Very Happy

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Sold!

I'm amazed at how little this Kindle "3" is going for - I always had the view that e-readers were expensive per se.

Thanks for the link, Windy.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 6:08 pm

^ Heh!

From what I understand it's possible to add your own files to it and they should work no problems.

I get free e-books form here: Project Gutenberg at the moment.

Hopefully I'll receive mine before the end of the week.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 6:08 pm

windy, Calibre is excellent but will not remove DRM to change the format of an ebook. So an ebook purchased from another ebook seller (such as B&N online) can not be converted to a Kindle-friendly format. (Unless you strip the DRM yourself and that's a whole other discussion. Wink

)

So if the book is in a non-Kindle format, and without DRM, Calibre is perfect. I use Calibre mainly for organizing my Kindle books - changing the metadata and the such to what I want (title, author, series order, etc). I currently have 509 Kindle books on the Amazon/Kindle account that I share with my mom and daughter (we each have our own Kindles and share the books we purchase).

Craig, the answer to your question is easy if you follow the rules: Ebook availability is limited to your country of residence. I could explain the reasons for this, but it is a hotly debated issue amongst ebook reader owners and I try to stay away from the argument.

It is possible to change your country of residence on Amazon, but you can get caught (people have) and Amazon will slap your hands. Nothing too serious, just can be a pain.

The best possible scenario is if you have access to a US-billing address for your charge card. IF you have this, just add it to your account, make that your billing address for Amazon account, and avail yourself to the US ebooks, which there are many more of. However, you do need to keep in mind that there are actually books in the UK or other countries that we can't get in the US Kindle Store -- so it works both ways.

There are a few other ways that might work -- but can be a PITA unless you really are determined. Wink

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Quote:

There are a few other ways that might work -- but can be a PITA unless you really are determined.

Surely you know me by now, Dora - I'm nothing if not determined. Wink

I'm still mostly positive towards the Kindle, as for the few titles I can't get here, I suppose I could stretch to getting them as a physical copy should I want them that much.

I'll try as much as I can to get all of the titles I want in Kindle format (if and when I get one!), and when/if caught, I'll swallow my pride and make do like everyone else.

Thanks for the explaination, however it's slightly more complex than at face value. Sad

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 6:25 pm

Yes, I know, Craig. Some might call it bull-headedness too. Wink

Ok, my one tip for the titles you want to purchase from Amazon, but can't get because of the residency thingy:

Make any sense? If not, just PM me. Very Happy

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 9:03 pm

Just a warning about kindles:
http://xkcd.com/750/

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 9:16 pm

^

Doing some more reading, Kindle DRM is quite an issue. Though as you hint Dora, not insoluble. Wink

I'm wondering why they even bother?

Most of the books I want to read are freely available in .txt format so I shouldn't have any problems.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 9:40 pm

While I'm at it, here's a positive review:
http://xkcd.com/548

*** BANNED *** Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 2049

Think carefully if you want to read in bed. You need to buy another light or keep the regular one on until all hours thereby continuing to ruin your mates sleep which was the whole reason for buying the god damn thing in the first place.

Buy an Ipad Inventor

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 8:43 am

Come to think of it what is wrong with buying an actual Book ?

Laughing

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 9:46 am

There are loads of out of copyright books here.
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/
Mobipocket/prc format will run on the Kindle, and are better quality than the Gutenberg ones.
I have a Cybook Gen 3; a bit old with no WiFi or 3G. I don't find it a problem, but I may buy myself something better for Christmas.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 1:21 pm

Windy,

Dora's way ahead of me. She has the best advice. Yes, i have sent/received email with my MK1 model, but it was neither easy nor fun. I haven't tried browsing. As for real books, the Kindle books are cheaper, as you'd expect. And you can't beat free - there are no free real books. The need for a light hasn't been a problem, since most reading takes place during hours we are both awake. The 3G function is handy in that you can download a book wherever you are and whenever you feel the need, even in the ER late at night. I have yet to find a "dead" area where Whispernet doesn't reach, even though the signal strength may be low. And if you care about such things, it's common for strangers to observe you reading and strike up a conversation to inquire about the device.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 3:12 pm

Thanks,

The light won't be a problem for me. No different from reading a book anyway. I've not done too bad reading on my netbook for about a year, but for the reason I stated want to get as much reading matter in one place as I can. The Eee PC does get hot after an hour but still gets taken evrywhere.

I'm used to strangers telling me how small and cute it is. Shocked

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 3:20 pm

pilgrim, I don't find the light an issue either. I mean, when you read a DTB (dead tree book), you need a light source, right? Either the sun, a lamp, or a reading light. A Kindle is suppose to replicate reading a paper book, so it just makes sense you would need a light. Wink

And all the free books for any ebook reader can't be beat. And I am not talking about just the out-of-copyright books that are free. Amazon, B&N, and other ebook sellers offer many free books for their ereaders all the time. Some you might like, some you might not. It's all up to the publishers of those.

Out of the 509 books on my Kindle, all purchased from Amazon directly, over 200 are books that were offered for free at one time or another for Kindles by Amazon. None of those are out-of-copyright books.

In that way alone, my Kindle paid for itself. What book store can you go into and they are giving away their DTBs for you to read for free? Very Happy

Elite Baiter Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 1043

I'm glad I'm not the only person on Eater that loves my Kindle.

I got the Kindle 2 international version almost a year ago. I'd like to get the new one, and whilst it's pretty cheap, I can't justify spending the money on it.

I too would definitely get a case at the same time. There is a new one with a built in light powered by the kindle.

There are lots of handy tips out there, but my favourite is to search for -default in the kindle store. It brings most of the free and cheap books.

You can also download directly from Project Gutenberg if you pick a supported format (not .pdf). Saying that, a lot of the popular out of copyright books are now on the kindle store. Downloading form there gives you some added functionality, but means that your annotations and highlights are shown the Amazon.

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