Yes, but does this mean we no longer need to use gift certificates?

[Grumpyreader]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

After several attempts Amazon service finally gave me some straight answers. You can only register the international Kindle 2 to a foreign account.

I thought the international Kindle market had two arms:

1. International residents who are permanently outside the US; and
2. US residents who spend a long time outside the US

I can understand the first group being required to have an international address but surely the second group will be very annoyed if they have to have an international address, as this would prevent them accessing US only content.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Grumpyreader

I thought the international Kindle market had two arms:

1. International residents who are permanently outside the US; and
2. US residents who spend a long time outside the US

I can understand the first group being required to have an international address but surely the second group will be very annoyed if they have to have an international address, as this would prevent them accessing US only content.

This was my understanding as well. If you fake a US address with the International Kindle, I would imagine you have to pay the $2 downloading fee and the extra $5 weekly fee if you have subscriptions. I don't see them mentioning samples specifically in the list of fees so I hope that means they're still free. It doesn't seem you pay VAT so I suppose the $2 may be a wash.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Grumpyreader

I thought the international Kindle market had two arms:

1. International residents who are permanently outside the US; and
2. US residents who spend a long time outside the US

I can understand the first group being required to have an international address but surely the second group will be very annoyed if they have to have an international address, as this would prevent them accessing US only content.

Sorry, mea culpa. I must rephrase it. You can only register the international Kindle to a foreign account, not the US Kindle or the DX. US residents who spend a long time outside the US are not bound by regional restrictions, at least if you still have a US credit card and a US billing address. But you can register an international Kindle to a US address. Though I recommend you download via computer then. Otherwise you will get hit with the 1.99 surcharge per book, since you are not in the US.

[Grumpyreader]

Thanks for clearing up the confusion.

Obviously this is all slightly abstract at the moment until we get our sticky little paws on the international Kindle (I refuse to shorten it to "IK" which sounds like something you take for gastro-intestinal issues).

Once I do, I'll try both the US/gift certificate and non-US/credit card routes and see if I can run both simultaneously. Subject to any ineptitude this should work, fingers crossed.

Having searched around on Amazon.com, there seem to be some books that it's still worth buying the US versions of, either because they're geographically restricted or because the cost difference is more than $1.99.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by Grumpyreader

Once I do, I'll try both the US/gift certificate and non-US/credit card routes and see if I can run both simultaneously. Subject to any ineptitude this should work, fingers crossed.

Please let us know how you get on. My original post was aimed at users of the original (US) Kindle, but any information about the international one will also be welcome.

Personally, I'm not too bothered about minor price differences. My main concern is whether I'll be allowed to buy the titles I want.

[Marauder]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You DON'T need a transformer - it's a "universal" 100-240v power supply. All you need is a plug adaptor.

Actually, you should just need a power plug to USB adapter since the would then dumping out the standard 5V USB bus power that the Kindle's USB cable would grab and charge with. I know I have a boatload of Main -> USB power adapters both device branded (Amazon, Apple, etc) as well as generic (Belkin, Griffen, etc. as well as generic adapters that shipped with imported electronics) and they all talk the same. Per spec, they can pull a maximum of 5.25V @ 1.8A.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#Power

As long as you have a UK Mains -> USB power adapter, you should be all set.

[Grumpyreader]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Please let us know how you get on. My original post was aimed at users of the original (US) Kindle, but any information about the international one will also be welcome.

Personally, I'm not too bothered about minor price differences. My main concern is whether I'll be allowed to buy the titles I want.

Well, I managed to deregister from my non-US account and register the international kindle with a US generated account no problem. I used an IP shield, added a gift certificate and...got the standard "are you travelling? Contact Amazon or change your country" message.

This was even though I'd put a US address in and specified that my location was the US in Manage My Kindle.

Any ideas?

[Grumpyreader]

Originally Posted by Grumpyreader

Well, I managed to deregister from my non-US account and register the international kindle with a US generated account no problem. I used an IP shield, added a gift certificate and...got the standard "are you travelling? Contact Amazon or change your country" message.

This was even though I'd put a US address in and specified that my location was the US in Manage My Kindle.

Any ideas?

Update: using hidemyass rather than an alternative VPN, I get the following message:

"we are unable to complete your purchase.
Due to copyright restrictions, the Kindle title you're trying to purchase is not available in your country (United States). Did you recently move to a new country?
You can easily update your country for your Amazon account."

So, they think I'm a US resident and I can't buy a book available to US residents? Now I'm confused.

[Mike L]

I don't know why this is happening to you, GrumpyReader. So far, I have kept my original US-registered account, and have had no problems. I've been able to buy books that have the geographic restrictions, and without paying the extra wireless fee or VAT. And that's without trying to hide my IP address.

Have you tried changing your country on the Manage Your Kindle page?

[Grumpyreader]

Originally Posted by Mike L

I don't know why this is happening to you, GrumpyReader. So far, I have kept my original US-registered account, and have had no problems. I've been able to buy books that have the geographic restrictions, and without paying the extra wireless fee or VAT. And that's without trying to hide my IP address.

Have you tried changing your country on the Manage Your Kindle page?

I haven't had to change it as, once I'd input my US address into my payment options, it automatically set my country as the US. It acknowledges that I'm in the US in the your-book-is-geographically-restricted-in-your-country (United States) message. I'm stumped.

UPDATE:- Eureka! All of a sudden it's working! I've bought one US-only book and have pre-ordered another. The problem seemed to be, as Mike L suggested very cleverly, my country in Manage Your Kindle. Although on the face of it it said I was resident in the US, when I clicked on "edit" no address was given (although my US address was in the drop down menu). Once I'd chosen my US address and updated, I could then purchase US-only books. HOWEVER, I do have to keep adding my address each time I log in - for some reason it gets deleted each time I log out.

I didn't even have to hide my ISP.

Hurrah! Many thanks for everyone's assistance and fingers crossed it keeps working.

[Mike L]

Glad to hear you're back in the frame, GrumpyReader. What you are now seeing is very similar to my own experience, except that (so far) I haven't needed to add my address each time I log in.

Let's hope it keeps working.

[Pushka]

This is what I have done. I live in Australia but visit the US. I have my International kindle registered to my initial account, which started ( a couple of years ago) with an Australian address. Then I simply added a US mail address to that account (it is a US Mail deliver address so it is real), and have assigned the 'click 1 to buy' to that US address. Then I purchased myself a gift certificate. And now I have been able to purchase books from the US site. My preference is to download them to my PC and transfer them that way, rather than wirelessly direct to the kindle.

So, no need to deregister/re-register your kindle to another account - just add the US address as the default billing and mailing address. I dont use my credit card (havent tried that yet) but the gift certificate works well.

[RobbieClarken]

Originally Posted by Pushka

This is what I have done. I live in Australia but visit the US. I have my International kindle registered to my initial account, which started ( a couple of years ago) with an Australian address. Then I simply added a US mail address to that account (it is a US Mail deliver address so it is real), and have assigned the 'click 1 to buy' to that US address. Then I purchased myself a gift certificate. And now I have been able to purchase books from the US site. My preference is to download them to my PC and transfer them that way, rather than wirelessly direct to the kindle.

So, no need to deregister/re-register your kindle to another account - just add the US address as the default billing and mailing address. I dont use my credit card (havent tried that yet) but the gift certificate works well.

Do you have a Billing Method listed under "Your Default 1-Click Payment Method" on the "Manage Your Kindle" page? As I understand it, you must use a credit card for 1-Click purchases. So I suspect your gift certificate method means you can't buy books from the Kindle over Whispernet (since this uses 1-Click) - is this correct?

[Pushka]

Hi Robbie, I buy using a gift certificate that I bought myself and which is emailed by Amazon to my email account - Amazon uses any gift certificate balance before using a credit card. I have downloaded 1 book by mistake direct to my kindle - and that arrived through whispernet but cost an additional $1.99US I believe. But my preference is to select "send to my PC" - it then asks which kindle I will be sending it to (which is mine) and then a Save screen comes up which you select where you want to save it on your PC and it arrives immediately.

I buy using Click-1, which is linked to my US address. I tend to have my wireless off. I will just go check how I have the click1 set up with regards to credit cards.

OK, in the payment section of Click1 - I can see both of the credit cards I use, but neither are selected. Because Amazon looks to see if you have a Gift voucher first, it 'sees' that I have a credit balance, and so that is deducted and the transaction is finalised. So you can set it up perfectly (for the moment) by giving yourself gift vouchers, registering your US address; making that the default 'click1' billing and delivery address, buying your book (direct to kindle or via PC - your preference) and voila. One advantage of saving it to your laptop is that you have a backup copy.

[andystar70]

Hey folks, new user here. Thanks for this - it has been really helpful and helped me decide to buy a Kindle. I am in Australia but I want access to the wider range of books. I have a US address (my folks are there) so I can set up a US account to send gift certificates to easily.

Really glad to find this forum! My Kindle is meant to arrive Friday and I can't wait!

Andy