Kindle questions.

[trekkiedane]

I've been trying to understand what's been written about the Kindle-device (especially now that I've fallen for the Paperwhite model), but now I have more questions than before

Does the device come with an INTERNATIONAL power supply? -Afaik there's 110 Volts AC in US outlets, so I'm pretty sure that if I plug one of those into my European, 230 Volt AC, outlet I'll burn down the house!

Sure Wi-Fi is probably handy -but does that mean there's no way to just use an USB-cable?

Am I able to store books on my own private external HD-drive/file server?

If it has Wi-Fi, does that mean I can be sitting anywhere and accessing books from my own external HD-drive/file server or is it just a door into the Amazon store?

Why can't I order the device from Amazon in UK?

I'll probably have more questions later... the more I read about it the less answers I find and the more questions I have

 

[R. Star]

I've been trying to understand what's been written about the Kindle-device (especially now that I've fallen for the Paperwhite model), but now I have more questions than before

Does the device come with an INTERNATIONAL power supply? -Afaik there's 110 Volts AC in US outlets, so I'm pretty sure that if I plug one of those into my European, 230 Volt AC, outlet I'll burn down the house!

Sure Wi-Fi is probably handy -but does that mean there's no way to just use an USB-cable?

Am I able to store books on my own private external HD-drive/file server?

If it has Wi-Fi, does that mean I can be sitting anywhere and accessing books from my own external HD-drive/file server or is it just a door into the Amazon store?

Why can't I order the device from Amazon in UK?

I'll probably have more questions later... the more I read about it the less answers I find and the more questions I have

I can't claim to be an expert in power supplies, but the one they provide you is a standard US outlet with a USB port you plug the cord to. This provides both a USB connection to the computer you can pull out of the power outlet along with recharging, which with the basic model is maybe a once every week or two thing. I would have to imagine you could buy a European plugin for the USB cord though. Might want to ask around more though.

When you buy the books you can DL them on any storage device you have pretty much. A kindle app for a phone, your computer along with the kindle device itself. You have electronic backup for everything you buy if your kindle bites the dust.

As for why you can't buy it from amazon in the UK? You got me... seems they're missing out on a lot of business if they won't ship there.

I've had a kindle for about a year and a half now and I'm VERY happy with it.

 

[Brendan Moody]

The Kindle doesn't automatically include any traditional power adapter; you have to use the included USB cable to charge, or buy an adapter separately.

You can use the USB connection to moves titles on, and I believe technically you can copy them off as well, although anything bought direct from Amazon is also backed up by them and will probably only work if transferred through their processes.

Wi-Fi is indeed just a door into the store.

Many Kindle-related purchases are restricted by region; whatever country Amazon associates your account with (I think by credit card billing address) is the one it regards as your home. You can change or work around that as necessary in a couple ways you can find more about by Googling. If you're stuck buying from the US store for some reason, it does sell UK power adapters that will work in 230-volt outlets. Other regional stores may as well.

 

[trekkiedane]

Thanks a lot

If the power supply is just an USB-power supply I could use the one from my phone so that's one worry off my mind..

I'm thinking the reason It's not on the UK site is because it's not even shipping yet

I am however relieved that I, apparently, can read all of my downloaded public domain-books and exchange those with others.

Now I want one even more (may have to wait till it's available in the EU -the customs I have to pay for importing from a non-EU country would almost double the price )

 

[Kemaiku]

The Kindle doesn't automatically include any traditional power adapter.

In the UK, at least with the first three generations of Kindle (not sure about the 4G, Touch and Fire) come with the USB connection lead and a wall plug with the USB connection port.

Mine had the lead and plug right out of the box.

 

[trekkiedane]

The Kindle doesn't automatically include any traditional power adapter.

In the UK, at least with the first three generations of Kindle (not sure about the 4G, Touch and Fire) come with the USB connection lead and a wall plug with the USB connection port.

Mine had the lead and plug right out of the box.

The "Add Kindle Accessories"-box on the right hand side of the page has a power supply as the first item, so it did make me wonder!

 

[R. Star]

The Kindle doesn't automatically include any traditional power adapter.

In the UK, at least with the first three generations of Kindle (not sure about the 4G, Touch and Fire) come with the USB connection lead and a wall plug with the USB connection port.

Mine had the lead and plug right out of the box.

As did mine. If amazon won't ship to the UK, I would imagine you could get one off ebay easy enough. Though you'd probably know better than I the costs/procedures from importing something from the States.

 

[Brendan Moody]

I was about to say that I'm not sure a phone USB cord would work, but I've just tried mine and it works fine, so never mind that.

I know past versions of the Kindle had wall plugs included in the original purchase, but I don't believe any current ones do. Edit: no, I'm wrong. The Keyboard model still has a wall adapter in the box, as does the Fire. The Paperwhite won't, though.

Yeah, for some reason the Paperwhite is going to be US-exclusive for a while. I really don't see the logic of it, but I guess Amazon has done the same thing with other devices in the past.

 

[trekkiedane]

I was about to say that I'm not sure a phone USB cord would work, but I've just tried mine and it works fine, so never mind that.

USB-voltages are pretty well defined and a Kindle shouldn't use higher currents than a phone, not really anyway, so I'm confident that'll work

If amazon won't ship to the UK,

From the UK is my problem! -ALL Kindles in Denmark are bought in the UK (or US) -you can't get 'em here

 

[Brendan Moody]

I was thinking more that Amazon might have made the ports an odd shape to prevent that sort of thing, but obviously not. Maybe that would have been illegal or impractical anyway; I know nothing about USB technology.

 

[trekkiedane]

^Oh... Right! -they' could have. I HATE it when that sort of thing happens, it's so 19-hundreds

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I don't think they're selling the Paperwhite in the UK, nor the larger 8.9" screen Fire.

 

[Brendan Moody]

^Not at the moment, no; both are limited to the US. But unless they flop (which seems unlikely), I'm sure both will go worldwide eventually. The guess I saw on one tech news site was sometime next year.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Well it's taken this long for them to release the Fire here and since the the Keyboard 3G came out there have been no newer versions with 3G connections.

 

[Brendan Moody]

That's still less than a year between the US and UK launches of the Fire. Other than the Fire, the only 3G Kindle anywhere since the Keyboard 3G is the Touch 3G, which did come out in the UK, in April, about six months after its US release.

 

[BennyRussel]

I was thinking more that Amazon might have made the ports an odd shape to prevent that sort of thing, but obviously not. Maybe that would have been illegal or impractical anyway; I know nothing about USB technology.

There was a real consumer backlash against the "funky" USB ports on phones and devices. I think that era has gone by the wayside.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

That's still less than a year between the US and UK launches of the Fire. Other than the Fire, the only 3G Kindle anywhere since the Keyboard 3G is the Touch 3G, which did come out in the UK, in April, about six months after its US release.

Is the Touch 3G out here? I can't find it on the website. The only 3G one I can find on the site is the keyboard edition.

 

[Brendan Moody]

The 3G Touch was released worldwide in April. It's currently showing as "unavailable" on the UK website, though, and also on the US one. (Actually, both versions of the Touch are showing unavailable in the US.) Since the Paperwhite is replacing the Touch, it looks like Amazon isn't much interested in selling the latter anymore. I hope they'll at least keep the Wi-Fi Touch available in the UK until they roll the Paperwhite out there.

 

[Gaith]

Kindle Keyboards forever! I don't wanna have to touch my Kindle screen.

 

[Brendan Moody]

I don't like touching the screen either, which is why when I bought mine I went with the cheapest model, the basic fourth generation Kindle. I hope there's always a cheap non-touch model.