Kindle 3G or not

[glynnffc]

I am sure this has been covered before ,but can't find it.
Is it worth the extra £40 for the 3G app on the Kindle?
I seem to remember some-one saying there was internet access included with the 3G, but if so how much and are the sites limited to Wiki as mentioned on the Amazon comparison page.

 

[duncan99210]

Kindle is not really an internet browser, although it does have limited use as such. However, if you want to buy books and subscribe to publications, the 3G version is much easier to use than having either to link to a pc or find a wifi signal. For £40 odd, I think it well worth it, just to have the instant access wherever, whenever.

 

[Jeannius]

We bought a 3g version in the U.S. Price was pretty much $1=1GBP(sorry no pound sign) Been using it in the Caribbean for the last 3 months and even though most of the time we can only get EDGE rather than 3g, it is excellent for getting weather forecasts from the web when we can't get WiFi. For me, the extra cost has already been worth it.

No limitations at the moment on which websites you can visit but the Browser is regarded as an 'experimental' feature so could be changed or removed in the future.

By the way... Although it it is cheaper to buy the Kindle in the states, books are actually cheaper on the Amazon.co.uk site.

 

[Caretta]

As someone else said the browser isn't great, but, in a pinch it's great to have and well worth the extra money. Recently I was in Greece and used it all the time to check my email. Just use mobile sites instead of full blown websites. No problems with freezing when using them. Look at kinstant.com, it'll help with the mobile sites.

 

[glynnffc]

Kindle

Thanks for the quick replies.
Seems like £40 isn't a lot to pay if I want a bit more weather info, the more I sail the more I'm fascinated by weather.

 

[Poignard]

I reckon it's worth the exra for 3g.

As well as downloading books it's easy to get weather forecasts and news (if you want it!).

 

[Fantasie 19]

When I buy one I'll go 3G as well but I'm holding off for the moment waiting for the Kindle II tablet.. should be out before Christmas....

http://www.handheld-ebook-reader.com/kindle-tablet.html

 

[Oliveoyl]

Free internet access to amazon to buy books (they're not daft, are they?) but some very annoying "features" for non-US, non-UK users. "Deal of the day" is not available outside the US, "experimental" internet, eg getting weather forecasts seems to be a no-no for us 2nd class EU residents (outside UK). I live a lot closer to the UK than the US, but am obliged to have my Kindle registered in the US. If I wasn't so addicted, I'd throw the thing overboard

 

[Elessar]

When I buy one I'll go 3G as well but I'm holding off for the moment waiting for the Kindle II tablet.. should be out before Christmas....

http://www.handheld-ebook-reader.com/kindle-tablet.html

NO!

if you want a reader buy a kindle. Black and white kindle.
if you want a tablet buy an ipad.

They will kill the kindle if it goes colour. Full stern ahead!!

 

[tennisgirl1]

We have two Kindles, which we use for books and newspapers. We don't really use it as a browser.

I think it is well worth the extra £40 and wish we had bought 3G versions. In Greece and Turkey this summer, we were buying the newspaper at £0 .99 a copy which we thought was wonderful compared to the out of date 3.50 euro newspapers we used to buy.

However we found logging on to wifi in cafes and marinas really difficult and on occasion my Kindle just froze in the process and I really thought I had broken it. This was the cause of much chagrin - all my books lost until I got home. I did manage to reboot the Kindle some time later, but got to be wary of logging on, in case it happened again.

 

[Roaring Girl]

NO!

if you want a reader buy a kindle. Black and white kindle.
if you want a tablet buy an ipad.

They will kill the kindle if it goes colour. Full stern ahead!!

I'd agree with this, but as I have a myfi with roaming (for biz reasons) I don't need the 3g as can use the myfi for wifi on the kindle. So it very much depends on what you want to be able to do. But a kindle is not a tablet and doesn't pretend to be.

 

[Conachair]

When I buy one I'll go 3G as well but I'm holding off for the moment waiting for the Kindle II tablet.. should be out before Christmas....

http://www.handheld-ebook-reader.com/kindle-tablet.html

If the battery lasts a month I might be interested too

Though not much to be gained by colour really.

love my kindle! 3G is great, you can go a long time just reading free samples

 

[owen-cox]

Yess Yess Yes.

I have a kindle 3g and it is fantastic my fiancee has a non 3g and it makes it a lot less convenient when travelling. Downloading can only be done when on wifi and it is often not easy to connect I found in greece. the browser is fine for a bit of info on an area and also weather forecasts and being free is a great advantage. Dont get the new colour one as it doesnt have 3G available and to me I find being able to download books anywhere for free is great. being able to look at the BBC news website for free even when roaming is also handy when off the beaten track. I find there is nothing better for reading in the sun not even a paper book it just doesnt seem as easy to read a book as a kindle. it is not the same inside though and a light of some type would be very handy. I use Ipad 2 indoors and kindle outdoors. with the kindle app on ipad 2 it syncs to my last page read with the 3g which would not happen if it was only wifi unless connected.

All in all well worth £40.

 

[gibo993]

Free internet access to amazon to buy books (they're not daft, are they?) but some very annoying "features" for non-US, non-UK users. "Deal of the day" is not available outside the US, "experimental" internet, eg getting weather forecasts seems to be a no-no for us 2nd class EU residents (outside UK). I live a lot closer to the UK than the US, but am obliged to have my Kindle registered in the US. If I wasn't so addicted, I'd throw the thing overboard

They have changed the rules on this and you can now register you'e kindle on the UK site, pretty sure the browser will never be taken off, its just experimental so you do no expect too much from it, but it works to read news sites and weather and free all over the world (as long as you can get a 3G signal) well worth the money, also look out for refurb'd units I got mine from Amazon for £90 and it is brand new but sold as re'furbed, (useally means returned without being opened and you still get the same warranty)

 

[glynnffc]

Kindle

Thanks for all the replies.
It seems 3G is the way to go.
Interesting to see the launch of a cheaper Kindle this week, but with only half the memory and no 3G I'll still buy the 3G.
John Lewis are offering £10 voucher if you spend over £50 so this might be where I buy from.

 

[Poignard]

Thanks for all the replies.
It seems 3G is the way to go.
Interesting to see the launch of a cheaper Kindle this week, but with only half the memory and no 3G I'll still buy the 3G.
John Lewis are offering £10 voucher if you spend over £50 so this might be where I buy from.

Use a new 'Capital One World Mastercard' to pay for it and you get 5% cashback!

 

[Fantasie 19]

Thanks for all the replies.
It seems 3G is the way to go.
Interesting to see the launch of a cheaper Kindle this week, but with only half the memory and no 3G I'll still buy the 3G.
John Lewis are offering £10 voucher if you spend over £50 so this might be where I buy from.

John Lewis also offer longer guarantees than most....

 

[Caretta]

The new kindles are out they are called Kindle Touch and Amazon is taking pre-orders they don't ship until November, two models, one with only wifi and one with wifi and 3g and then there's the Kindle Fire which is more like a tablet, for reading it's not as good, but, you can stream videos from Amazon and use apps from Amazon among other things and it's has color. Sorry, but, right now I understand the new devices are only available for the US customers. The prices are quite reasonable. They have also come out with a very basic kindle..no 3G, less memory, but, who really needs to keep 3,000 books stored on a Kindle, no keyboard....good for "reading", that's selling for $79 here in the US.

 

[Fantasie 19]

They have also come out with a very basic kindle..no 3G, less memory, but, who really needs to keep 3,000 books stored on a Kindle, no keyboard....good for "reading", that's selling for $79 here in the US.

Launched in the UK today as I got the announcement when I went to Amazon today - £89, Wifi only, no keyboard...

....the current Mrs Fantasie 19's Christmas present sorted if I'm not mistaken....

 

[Caretta]

Launched in the UK today as I got the announcement when I went to Amazon today - £89, Wifi only, no keyboard...

....the current Mrs Fantasie 19's Christmas present sorted if I'm not mistaken....

WOO HOO! Get her a cover for it. People here are saying it's much smaller than the K3 and feels better in the hand with a cover. Great gift!