Buying a kindle for Australia and recharging in Europe

omar504 · 01-08-2011, 06:42 PM

Greetings
I'm in Australia and I'm thinking of getting a kindle. I've noticed that some people have had trouble recharging from the power point using other brands of rechargers.My questions are:
1.would it bewise to get the optional power adapter from amazon ($9.99) so that I can be sure it will recharge from power point in Oz
2.I'm going to europe in may and think it would be wise to get the europe adapter-also from Amazon so that I can be sure I will be able to recharge. The main point of buying the kindle is having it for europe but if I can't recharge it there wouldn't be much point!
Has anyone with the international kindle used the amazon adapters?

Pushka · 01-08-2011, 06:57 PM

The Kindle 3 has far less issues than the Kindle 2 when charging. Most USB's charge the Kindle 3. I have the Amazon adaptor for the Kindle 3 and which also charges the kindle 2. So get one if you want to, they are quite cute. But there are many generic USB's that will do the job now, and if you get an international USB charger, it will charge the kindle (and other items) anywhere.

DDHarriman · 01-08-2011, 07:32 PM

Hello

Your kindle charges via an usb to micro usb cable. It comes with one so you can:

1 - in the normal usb side of the cable you can put any usb to wall/car charger you want and it will charge from a wall plug or car cigarette plug;

2 - or just connect it to a powered usb port - normal computer, usb hub, etc… - and you can charge it too.

So… even in Europe, with a usb to micro usb cable with you and a computer with at least a usb port in the neighbourhood and you will have no problems maintaining your kindle charged.

Best regards,

omar504 · 01-08-2011, 08:05 PM

Thanks for the replies. The reason I was thinking of getting the amazon USB to power outlet for europe is that it will save me the hassle of taking the adapter plug that I already have as it's pretty hefty

LaurieGator · 01-08-2011, 08:11 PM

When I took my Kindle to Germany, I just got an adapter plug (US to German) and it recharged just fine :-)

Tiersten · 01-08-2011, 08:19 PM

The charger I received with my UK Kindle is a multivoltage one that works everywhere in the world. All you need is a light/small plug adapter that just make it physically possible to plug in and not the big chunky voltage transformers which actually alter the voltage.

The issue however is that I'm not sure that you do actually get a bundled charger with your Kindle if you order it to Australia. Not all regions have it bundled. Some don't and you're expected to buy your own charger or charge it from a computer.

omar504 · 01-08-2011, 08:30 PM

I've just checked the Amazon Int.kindle and it says you get:
USB 2.0 cable
(for connection to a Kindle power adapter or to connect to a computer.)

So it sounds like you don't get the adapter to plug into the wall....they offer a special price for the adapter and you choose US,UK,Europ or Oz...so looks like I would need one,or a 'generic' one bought locally.
needless to say I'm not tech savvy so thanks for the responses!

Tiersten · 01-08-2011, 09:11 PM

You should be good with any generic USB chargers that give you 5V at 500+mA. You want it to be 5V but the current (500mA) the charger provides can be higher since that just means the charger is capable of providing it. The Kindle will draw as much current as it needs so higher current capacity on the charger is fine and in certain devices, will actually mean the battery charges faster because the device can draw more power during charging.

500mA is what is provided by a computer USB port which is a listed charging method in the Kindle manual. The UK Kindle charger supplies 0.85A aka 850mA for a slightly faster charge.

FF2 · 01-08-2011, 10:39 PM

I don't know the Aussie power plug shape and size but the US one is quite small. And European adapter plugs for the US one are pretty common, although you may need different ones in Northern and Southern Europe (Italy and German I believe use different). So getting a US plug and then an adapter for use at home in Australia and then a European adapter should not set you back much. But if the Aussie plug is small/simple then that could be the way to go.

Bricorn · 01-09-2011, 02:21 PM

If you're going to have access to any type of computer. just take the USB lead and re-charge from that. No need for any adaptor, anywhere.

When I go on holiday, I take a laptop, mobile phone, digital camera and Kindle, but the only power supply I take is for the laptop, all the rest can re-charge from that via USB. I've got small, light, cables for each of them - saves greatly on weight in my carry-on.

01-08-2011, 06:42 PM	#1
omar504 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: Kindle	Buying a kindle for Australia and recharging in Europe Greetings I'm in Australia and I'm thinking of getting a kindle. I've noticed that some people have had trouble recharging from the power point using other brands of rechargers.My questions are: 1.would it bewise to get the optional power adapter from amazon ($9.99) so that I can be sure it will recharge from power point in Oz 2.I'm going to europe in may and think it would be wise to get the europe adapter-also from Amazon so that I can be sure I will be able to recharge. The main point of buying the kindle is having it for europe but if I can't recharge it there wouldn't be much point! Has anyone with the international kindle used the amazon adapters?

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01-08-2011, 06:57 PM	#2
Pushka Wizard Posts: 1,119 Karma: 1019140 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Device: kindle, Ipad, Iphone, Nexus and PPW	The Kindle 3 has far less issues than the Kindle 2 when charging. Most USB's charge the Kindle 3. I have the Amazon adaptor for the Kindle 3 and which also charges the kindle 2. So get one if you want to, they are quite cute. But there are many generic USB's that will do the job now, and if you get an international USB charger, it will charge the kindle (and other items) anywhere.

01-08-2011, 07:32 PM	#3
DDHarriman Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 4380 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Almada, Portugal Device: Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS 505, Kindle DXG and Samsung Galaxy Note	Hello Your kindle charges via an usb to micro usb cable. It comes with one so you can: 1 - in the normal usb side of the cable you can put any usb to wall/car charger you want and it will charge from a wall plug or car cigarette plug; 2 - or just connect it to a powered usb port - normal computer, usb hub, etc… - and you can charge it too. So… even in Europe, with a usb to micro usb cable with you and a computer with at least a usb port in the neighbourhood and you will have no problems maintaining your kindle charged. Best regards,

01-08-2011, 08:05 PM	#4
omar504 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: Kindle	Thanks for the replies. The reason I was thinking of getting the amazon USB to power outlet for europe is that it will save me the hassle of taking the adapter plug that I already have as it's pretty hefty

01-08-2011, 08:11 PM	#5
LaurieGator Crazy Cat Lady Posts: 96 Karma: 13662 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Arizona Device: Kindle 2i, Nook Color (Rooted)	When I took my Kindle to Germany, I just got an adapter plug (US to German) and it recharged just fine :-)

01-08-2011, 08:19 PM	#6
Tiersten Guru Posts: 987 Karma: 8641 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3G+WiFi	The charger I received with my UK Kindle is a multivoltage one that works everywhere in the world. All you need is a light/small plug adapter that just make it physically possible to plug in and not the big chunky voltage transformers which actually alter the voltage. The issue however is that I'm not sure that you do actually get a bundled charger with your Kindle if you order it to Australia. Not all regions have it bundled. Some don't and you're expected to buy your own charger or charge it from a computer.

01-08-2011, 08:30 PM	#7
omar504 Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Melbourne Device: Kindle	I've just checked the Amazon Int.kindle and it says you get: USB 2.0 cable (for connection to a Kindle power adapter or to connect to a computer.) So it sounds like you don't get the adapter to plug into the wall....they offer a special price for the adapter and you choose US,UK,Europ or Oz...so looks like I would need one,or a 'generic' one bought locally. needless to say I'm not tech savvy so thanks for the responses!

01-08-2011, 09:11 PM	#8
Tiersten Guru Posts: 987 Karma: 8641 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3G+WiFi	You should be good with any generic USB chargers that give you 5V at 500+mA. You want it to be 5V but the current (500mA) the charger provides can be higher since that just means the charger is capable of providing it. The Kindle will draw as much current as it needs so higher current capacity on the charger is fine and in certain devices, will actually mean the battery charges faster because the device can draw more power during charging. 500mA is what is provided by a computer USB port which is a listed charging method in the Kindle manual. The UK Kindle charger supplies 0.85A aka 850mA for a slightly faster charge.

01-08-2011, 10:39 PM	#9
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	I don't know the Aussie power plug shape and size but the US one is quite small. And European adapter plugs for the US one are pretty common, although you may need different ones in Northern and Southern Europe (Italy and German I believe use different). So getting a US plug and then an adapter for use at home in Australia and then a European adapter should not set you back much. But if the Aussie plug is small/simple then that could be the way to go.

01-09-2011, 02:21 PM	#10
Bricorn Addict Posts: 289 Karma: 7788748 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Fun Town, Thailand Device: Kindle DXG	If you're going to have access to any type of computer. just take the USB lead and re-charge from that. No need for any adaptor, anywhere. When I go on holiday, I take a laptop, mobile phone, digital camera and Kindle, but the only power supply I take is for the laptop, all the rest can re-charge from that via USB. I've got small, light, cables for each of them - saves greatly on weight in my carry-on.

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