Amazon Kindle

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#65286 1-Aug-2010 21:10

Saw this article this morning before work and it got me thinking: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=8776

I started doing a bit of research and actually really like the look of the new Kindle. I'm hoping to place an order for the 3G and Wi-Fi unit in the near future.

What do others here think of the device?

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#361209 1-Aug-2010 21:49

I am very keen on that device - even more because a book that costs US$11 on Kindle, costs $25 on Whitcoulls ebooks and $43 on paper.

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#361240 1-Aug-2010 22:37

Very keen, especially as I like to read a fair bit of American non-fiction which is pretty hard to get hold of here.

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#361362 2-Aug-2010 09:34

Will this enable us to read books on the Kindle before they are available on New Zealand shelves? I used to work in a book store and books used to take forever to reach us. We constantly had customers complain that Amazon was faster than we were.

From what I've read, it has a built in 3G/EGDE/GPRS chip so it can roam on these networks worldwide (over 100 or so) and the data used is 'free' - built into the cost of the book.

Will the access to Wikipedia also be 'free'? I think that would be pretty cool.

I'm definitely going to test out the Whispersync feature. Should have Desire, laptop and Kindle to play with when it arrives.

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#361365 2-Aug-2010 09:41

To test an account I have installed Kindle for PC on my laptop and bought a book that just arrived in New Zealand, The Rembrandt Affair. This book was released a week ago in the U.S. as well.

It was available for puchase and downloaded to my PC in seconds - at half of the price of the paperback at Whitcoulls and $10 less than the Kobo reader.

Yep, Kindle here I come...

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#361366 2-Aug-2010 09:42

1080p: Will this enable us to read books on the Kindle before they are available on New Zealand shelves? I used to work in a book store and books used to take forever to reach us. We constantly had customers complain that Amazon was faster than we were.

From what I've read, it has a built in 3G/EGDE/GPRS chip so it can roam on these networks worldwide (over 100 or so) and the data used is 'free' - built into the cost of the book.

Will the access to Wikipedia also be 'free'? I think that would be pretty cool.

I'm definitely going to test out the Whispersync feature. Should have Desire, laptop and Kindle to play with when it arrives.

Yeah seriously interested in one too!!!

had a chat to amazon help about it, the Wikipedia access will remain free, no Sim card is required, the internet access to text based webpages is still free but will be going to a paid server. Not sure how the account stuff works, I'm guessing you create a kindle sign in or use your amazon again

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

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#361367 2-Aug-2010 09:43

You just use your Amazon account...

vinnieg

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#361369 2-Aug-2010 09:44

freitasm: To test an account I have installed Kindle for PC on my laptop and bought a book that just arrived in New Zealand, The Rembrandt Affair. This book was released a week ago in the U.S. as well.

It was available for puchase and downloaded to my PC in seconds - at half of the price of the paperback at Whitcoulls and $10 less than the Kobo reader.

Yep, Kindle here I come...

The Kindle Edition CCNA guide is $11.95 $US vs $79.95 in Whitcoulls as well!

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

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miguelwrang

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#361371 2-Aug-2010 09:49

I would be all over one if they didn't have region restrictions for store. My holy grail for ebooks is Infinite Jest and that isn't available on the Asia pacific kindle store but is on the US one. I suspect this will mean we get delayed releases compared to the US as well.

The other thing that bothers me is DRM. Will the books I purchase on the whitcoulls store be able to be used on this? Or from iBooks?

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#361666 2-Aug-2010 15:37

Yeah regional restrictions on digital distribution of books and games make no sense and make me sad in the pants.

1080p

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#361674 2-Aug-2010 15:45

Well the sense for regional restriction of books is the same for any regional content restriction: licensing.

The distributors need to obtain the right to deliver e-books to different parts of the globe.

I agree that this kind of restriction is frustrating to, well, pretty much everyone but the man must always be paid...

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zhuyan

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#362683 3-Aug-2010 22:17

When Amazon sent me an email about a month ago advising the avalibility of Kindle DX worldwide I was over excited and rushed to its site to place my order only to find they still wouldn't ship to NZ; what's more confusing is that at the same time they do ship to countries including Albania, the Central African Republic, and Mongolia.

I simply don't get it!!!

Anyway this time they have released the third generation of Kindle, a smaller version but with an option of both Wifi and 3G, and with longer battery life. If one compares the latest kindle to all previous models in both features/function and pricing, the message is obvious: this is to help amazon maintain its market share of e-books, which are threatened by Apple's new iPad.

I went to Dick Smith on iPad's launching day in NZ and had a play with it. It took me less than 2 minutes to make a decision not to buy iPad. It is no more than an expanded iPhone and offers no new features other than those already offered with iPhone.

If all you need is a simple and easy-to-use device for ebooks, I would strongly recommend the latest Kindle 6". With black-white e-ink your eyes wouldn't feel as much stressed as when you keep looking at a color screen such as that of iPad. And from resource point of view, Apple's ibooks store is still far from a match when put against Amazon's kindle shop.

The 3G+Wifi version of the new kindle is selling for US$189 and plus postage it comes to just over US$200. I have already pre-ordered it and are waiting for it to be shipped on 27 Aug.

With Kindle management via amaozn, you could sync all your ebooks among your kindle, iphone, PC and mac; you could even resume reading any book one one device from the place you paused while reading from another device.

with 4G storage, it means you could save and carry about 3500 ebooks with you wherever you go. And you pay only the ebook you buy, no 3g contract nor monthly bills on wireless transfer.

And all these add up to US$200, delivered to your doorstep.

zhuyan

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#362684 3-Aug-2010 22:21

Forget to mention that the new kindle also has a built in web browser! You could access wikipedia with ease using the built-in web browser, though it is still called an "experimental feature"

mort

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#365835 10-Aug-2010 12:59

The Kindle looks great but i'm confused about how the free data thing works for Wi-Fi and 3G

Do Amazon have deals with Voda or Telecom to build in the cost of 3G data?
does it have a SIM?
do you need a Whispernet account for WiFi?

I looked at the Amazon page but couldn't work out what was applicable in the US vs NZ. The coverage maps looks like a Voda map - so will it only work on Voda?

hope someone can enlighten me.

Cheers

kyhwana2

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#365838 10-Aug-2010 13:13

I pre-ordered the wifi version. (I thought about the 3G, but decided against it. Less money spent if I don't actually use it, and I have an android phone that'll do wifi tethering and i'll have wifi where I figure i'll use it most (the local craft beer pub ;))
Said it'll be shipping on/around the 8th of september :P

zhuyan

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#365872 10-Aug-2010 14:25

In my understanding, you wouldn't need any SIM card with Kindle to be able to use the free 3G transfer when you buy books; obviously Amazon has a deal with the local wireless network service provider (in NZ case it's Vodafone) to pay them the cost of the data involved for the wireless delivery of e-books from Amazon web server to Kindle. I think Kindle must have something built in to receive wireless transfer, without requiring a SIM card of any sort.

As for wifi, if you use any wifi modem or router at home or workplace, then it is just a matter of joining the network by inputting the reuqired password, just like what one does with their wifi-enbaled cellphone.

Hope this helps

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