How Will Kindle Work in Africa?

Diso · 01-28-2009, 01:25 AM

One quick question please. I have just read in the home page that amazon will be releasing its kindle 2.0 early next month. I have been wondering how the kindle will be useful to people in Africa since it is not sold outside the United States. Even if one purchases it here (yeah, I am presently here in the states) and takes it to his country, he cannot download anything from amazon.com because they use "whispernet" instead of Internet. Is there a way out?

wallcraft · 01-28-2009, 02:14 AM

Kindle Store ebooks can be downloaded over the Internet to your PC and then transferred to the Kindle via USB.

In principle you need a US credit card with a valid US home address to buy a Kindle and Kindle ebooks. However, it is possible to buy Kindles as gifts, so there are work arounds for buying a Kindle and (once the Kindle is added to your account) you can buy Kindle ebooks with Amazon gift cards provided no non-US credit cards are on the account.

hanasea · 01-28-2009, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

In principle you need a US credit card with a valid US home address to buy a Kindle and Kindle ebooks. However, it is possible to buy Kindles as gifts, so there are work arounds for buying a Kindle and (once the Kindle is added to your account) you can buy Kindle ebooks with Amazon gift cards provided no non-US credit cards are on the account.

Since you stay at states now, you can make a American-bank-account and debit card. Store a little money at that account, and use that card for buying.

:-)

I'm live in Korea, and waiting for Kindle, and going to use gift card and non-credit card option. I think, for paying both way will be fine with you =D

And Your original question- wallcraft's answer is right

pilotbob · 01-28-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diso

I have just read in the home page that amazon will be releasing its kindle 2.0 early next month.

Just to keep this a little real. Amazon has scheduled a press event on Feb 9th. There is speculation as to what they will announce. But it isn't a certainty that it will be Kindle 2.0. But, Feb 9th is not so far away so we will know soon enough.

That said, yes the Kindle can be used out side of the US. You will not be able to use the Wireless feature though. If you want to buy Kindle books you will need a second amazon account separate from the one your non-US credit card is registered. You can buy gift cards from your main account and apply them to your Kindle account to buy Kindle books if wanted.

That said, there are many other sources for books that you can use on the Kindle other than Amazon. See the Wiki.

BOb

mgterry · 01-29-2009, 09:14 PM

I have found web pages with free ebooks. Download them on to your computer then load them onto the Kindle. Some will ask for a small donation...but you don't have to. Also found one where you can download 4 books a week for free. Cannot remember the pages...I searched for "free kindle ebooks"

lilac_jive · 01-29-2009, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgterry

I have found web pages with free ebooks. Download them on to your computer then load them onto the Kindle. Some will ask for a small donation...but you don't have to. Also found one where you can download 4 books a week for free. Cannot remember the pages...I searched for "free kindle ebooks"

And we have about 8,000 here, and don't ask for donations

desertgrandma · 01-29-2009, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgterry

I have found web pages with free ebooks. Download them on to your computer then load them onto the Kindle. Some will ask for a small donation...but you don't have to. Also found one where you can download 4 books a week for free. Cannot remember the pages...I searched for "free kindle ebooks"

mgterry, are you talking about public domain books, or sites that offer free books illegally?

S.Canton · 01-30-2009, 12:14 AM

Lots of good advice. I have relates overseas who are voracious readers and have been wanting a Kindle for some time. I'll have to forward this thread to them.

Diso · 01-30-2009, 03:51 PM

Thank you all for the good advice. I have asked the question because I am considering buying either a sony 505 or a knidle. Now that amazon is releasing its 2.0 version, I will wait until then to decide. But all the same, thank you so much for your help.

Its my pleasure.

RickyMaveety · 01-30-2009, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diso

One quick question please. I have just read in the home page that amazon will be releasing its kindle 2.0 early next month. I have been wondering how the kindle will be useful to people in Africa since it is not sold outside the United States. Even if one purchases it here (yeah, I am presently here in the states) and takes it to his country, he cannot download anything from amazon.com because they use "whispernet" instead of Internet. Is there a way out?

Whispernet is not "instead" of internet .... it is Whispernet AND/OR internet. You always have the option to download books to your computer and then drag and drop them into the Kindle when it is connected to that computer.

They made it that way so that Kindle owners who are traveling still have a method via which they can purchase new books.

While you are here in the states, I would suggest you purchase your Kindle with whatever credit card you have now, which I would assume has a US billing address. Set up the Kindle account with that as well.

You might want to call Amazon and check, but .... let's say you move to Africa in two years, and you change the billing address on your credit card to your new African billing address. I don't believe that Amazon will then cut off your account. As mentioned .... check on that point, but it wouldn't make sense for them to sell something to a person who is actually living here in the States, and then try to take it away from them (figuratively if not literally) just because they moved.

I rather doubt that the Mark II will be coming out on 2/9. That would be incredibly bad PR on Amazon's part. I would look for them to start generating hype for it sometime around late summer or early fall, if they do anything at all this year.

The idea (for savvy companies) is to announce something not too long before Christmas (and certainly not this soon after), so that they can ride the wave through the holidays.

CTH · 02-05-2009, 04:20 PM

That is only true if they have the new version done before christmas otherwise they should shut up so people will buy the old one for christmas gift... But I dont think it will be released on monday either but perhaps presented then and availability perhaps in late march or so.

They could very well had aimed for a chrismas relase but missed then they would be very stupid to wait until next christmas to release it...

Kindleist · 02-05-2009, 11:15 PM

The only barrier I can see is cost, the Kindle is too expensive right now. The $100 laptop would be a better idea I think since you can do a lot more with it.

Diso · 02-06-2009, 02:37 AM

Thanks a lot for all the 'Kindly' advice.

As I mentioned before, I was considering either a sony or a kindle. Last Monday I visited the Sony store to have a look and couldn't leave without the PRS505 reader.

I found it just as I have anticipated. A very friendly companion. I have suffered serious eye strains whenever I read on the PC for extended periods. Now I can't differentiate between reading on paper and reading on my lovely Sony. More than twice, I caught myself trying to flip a page with my hand, only to discover that I was using an electronic device.

lilac_jive · 02-06-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diso

Thanks a lot for all the 'Kindly' advice.

As I mentioned before, I was considering either a sony or a kindle. Last Monday I visited the Sony store to have a look and couldn't leave without the PRS505 reader.

I found it just as I have anticipated. A very friendly companion. I have suffered serious eye strains whenever I read on the PC for extended periods. Now I can't differentiate between reading on paper and reading on my lovely Sony. More than twice, I caught myself trying to flip a page with my hand, only to discover that I was using an electronic device.

Isn't it awesome? I hope you love it more and more everyday like I do

Over · 02-06-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diso

One quick question please. I have just read in the home page that amazon will be releasing its kindle 2.0 early next month. I have been wondering how the kindle will be useful to people in Africa since it is not sold outside the United States. Even if one purchases it here (yeah, I am presently here in the states) and takes it to his country, he cannot download anything from amazon.com because they use "whispernet" instead of Internet. Is there a way out?

Have you considered the Cybook? It would make your life simpler when buying books.

01-28-2009, 01:25 AM	#1
Diso Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Sony PRS505	How Will Kindle Work in Africa? One quick question please. I have just read in the home page that amazon will be releasing its kindle 2.0 early next month. I have been wondering how the kindle will be useful to people in Africa since it is not sold outside the United States. Even if one purchases it here (yeah, I am presently here in the states) and takes it to his country, he cannot download anything from amazon.com because they use "whispernet" instead of Internet. Is there a way out?

01-29-2009, 09:14 PM	#5
mgterry Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Amazon kindle	Whispernet vs Internet I have found web pages with free ebooks. Download them on to your computer then load them onto the Kindle. Some will ask for a small donation...but you don't have to. Also found one where you can download 4 books a week for free. Cannot remember the pages...I searched for "free kindle ebooks"

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Kindle for PC won't work	vermontcathy	Amazon Kindle	7	10-06-2010 01:15 PM
Kindle at Work	BrianG	Calibre	4	02-05-2010 06:34 AM
Does Safari work on the Kindle?	cyan	Amazon Kindle	11	01-26-2010 10:47 PM
Kindle in South Africa?	Argel	News	2	04-11-2009 02:18 PM
Kindle - html to Kindle format - do links to anchors work?	Rasczak	Kindle Formats	20	12-08-2008 03:20 PM

01-28-2009, 02:14 AM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Kindle Store ebooks can be downloaded over the Internet to your PC and then transferred to the Kindle via USB. In principle you need a US credit card with a valid US home address to buy a Kindle and Kindle ebooks. However, it is possible to buy Kindles as gifts, so there are work arounds for buying a Kindle and (once the Kindle is added to your account) you can buy Kindle ebooks with Amazon gift cards provided no non-US credit cards are on the account.

01-30-2009, 12:14 AM	#8
S.Canton Groupie Posts: 174 Karma: 12 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Kindle 2	Lots of good advice. I have relates overseas who are voracious readers and have been wanting a Kindle for some time. I'll have to forward this thread to them.

01-30-2009, 03:51 PM	#9
Diso Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Sony PRS505	Thank you all for the good advice. I have asked the question because I am considering buying either a sony 505 or a knidle. Now that amazon is releasing its 2.0 version, I will wait until then to decide. But all the same, thank you so much for your help. Its my pleasure.

02-05-2009, 04:20 PM	#11
CTH Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1000153 Join Date: Jan 2007	That is only true if they have the new version done before christmas otherwise they should shut up so people will buy the old one for christmas gift... But I dont think it will be released on monday either but perhaps presented then and availability perhaps in late march or so. They could very well had aimed for a chrismas relase but missed then they would be very stupid to wait until next christmas to release it...

02-05-2009, 11:15 PM	#12
Kindleist Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle	The only barrier I can see is cost, the Kindle is too expensive right now. The $100 laptop would be a better idea I think since you can do a lot more with it.

02-06-2009, 02:37 AM	#13
Diso Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Sony PRS505	Thanks a lot for all the 'Kindly' advice. As I mentioned before, I was considering either a sony or a kindle. Last Monday I visited the Sony store to have a look and couldn't leave without the PRS505 reader. I found it just as I have anticipated. A very friendly companion. I have suffered serious eye strains whenever I read on the PC for extended periods. Now I can't differentiate between reading on paper and reading on my lovely Sony. More than twice, I caught myself trying to flip a page with my hand, only to discover that I was using an electronic device.