Coming on holiday to america, Mum wants a Kindle. have Qs

[grechzoo]

Coming to Austin this week. firstly im not even sure if ordering off the web to a hotel will work. if not then that will settle that , but if i can get some kind of delivery sorted out then my mum will deffo want a kindle. its the best value for us, and it seems the kindle will actually never come to the UK at this rate .

okay here are the Qs

1:
Obv using the kindle in the uk pretty much means buying from the kindle store itself is not a good idea, because they will work out very expensive. So that means buying from sites like fictionwise, and wherever else. so basically: is the kindle compatible with most ebook formats? is it easy top transfer them over? like an mp3 player almost. or is it designed to only be used with the amazon store?

2:
any sites like fictionwise? that dont geographically restrict. i know there is a way to subvert the system per say and make fictionwise work, but still im hoping for a great selection with good price. i mean i understand its a new market. but the prices of ebooks on UK sites are horrenous. almost more than in retail book stores. and at least 1.5x more than on online book stores.

3:
anyone in the same position as me? how are you finding it? is it worth the money even with the extra charges on the amazon store and the limited ebook sites for the uk (as well as the price)

one of the main reason for my mum getting one is simply the size and convenience. nothing beats paper, but she loves fantasy books, and she struggles holding 900 page hardbacks (even thick paper backs give he wrist pains after about an hour.)

hope you guys can help

[brakeb]

Originally Posted by grechzoo

Coming to Austin this week. firstly im not even sure if ordering off the web to a hotel will work. if not then that will settle that , but if i can get some kind of delivery sorted out then my mum will deffo want a kindle. its the best value for us, and it seems the kindle will actually never come to the UK at this rate .

okay here are the Qs

Austin is nice, you're going to love it. It's going to be warm... 30C all week... 20-22C at night, with lots of humidity.

Originally Posted by grechzoo

1:
Obv using the kindle in the uk pretty much means buying from the kindle store itself is not a good idea, because they will work out very expensive. So that means buying from sites like fictionwise, and wherever else. so basically: is the kindle compatible with most ebook formats? is it easy top transfer them over? like an mp3 player almost. or is it designed to only be used with the amazon store?

If you have a US kindle, you should be able to buy it and send it to the hotel. Just call where you are staying and tell them that you are having a package shipped there. As to formats, look on amazon.com at the K2 or US. You can buy the books from amazon.com through a US proxy, and drop them onto your computer for transfer to your kindle...

You might also try a service like the Fedex Store, or Mailboxes etc. They do take postal packages, but you might have to pay a little. I'd order it while you are here, use 2 day or overnight post...

The other option (and it's extremely risky) is to find someone on the boards here who lives in Austin, who might be willing to hold it for pickup. That would be a last resort kinda thing though... I do live in Northwest Austin (Steiner Ranch), but if you are desperate enough, I guess that would be an option.

[susan_cassidy]

Most current books are going to have DRM, and the only DRM books that you can read on the Kindle are from Amazon.

You can only buy Multiformat books from Fictionwise to use on the Kindle (download the mobipocket version). Do NOT buy Secure Mobipocket, unless you are going to remove the DRM, and know how to. The PID for the Kindle will not work on most sites that sell Secure Mobipocket format, anyway.

[grechzoo]

thats US proxy to download kindle books on amazon.com sounds perfect actually. totally makes it worth it. have a lot of people done this with zero trouble? do amazon not care about the card and billing address or anything?

if the US proxy thing works then it would be perfect really.

and thanks for the kind offer. ill run it by my mum and she what she wants to do.

and thanks for the drm and format advice susan

yeah Austin was my fvaourite holiday by a mile and im very excited to go back. barton springs did give me a cold though but i think i will do it again seeing as how its 30C

[vampmiller]

some Target stores are now selling Kindles. And supposedly some BestBuys soon - not sure how to find this out as neither list the Kindle on their sites.

But Amazon will ship Kindles outside the US now.

[grechzoo]

yeah they do ship outside the US, but the import tax they charge on top makes it not worth it. its like another £60 or something last time i checked. so thats about 10 books worth of saving if i get it in america.

will deffo check out the targets then, thanks

again if anyone can chime in from abroad if they have had easy success in buying books from the amazon kindle store online using a US proxy? as bypassing the international tarriff when buying books will make the kindle more than worth.

[brakeb]

Originally Posted by grechzoo

thats US proxy to download kindle books on amazon.com sounds perfect actually. totally makes it worth it. have a lot of people done this with zero trouble? do amazon not care about the card and billing address or anything?

if the US proxy thing works then it would be perfect really.

and thanks for the kind offer. ill run it by my mum and she what she wants to do.

and thanks for the drm and format advice susan

yeah Austin was my fvaourite holiday by a mile and im very excited to go back. barton springs did give me a cold though but i think i will do it again seeing as how its 30C

you could get an amazon.com visa, and then load up on gift cards... yea, it might cause issues because your CC is not in the US...

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by grechzoo

yeah they do ship outside the US, but the import tax they charge on top makes it not worth it. its like another £60 or something last time i checked. so thats about 10 books worth of saving if i get it in america.

Sorry to disappoint you, but you'll stil have to pay the £60 when you bring the Kindle back to your own country. You can't avoid it simply by picking up the Kindle while you're in the US.

[grechzoo]

sorry can you explain what you mean?

[brakeb]

Originally Posted by grechzoo

how come? can you explain it?

so basically its in my suitcase.........with my clothes and stuff.....somehow they spot it in the bag in my home airport, open it, and then ask for £60 off me before i get in the car and go home???

They'd have to have a good reason to search you and ask if you'd like to declare. I think you'd be better off carrying it with you... Our Transportation Security Agency people here at the airports are paid at minimum-wage, and your new sparkly would probably not make it on the plane with you...

UK customs probably ask if you had a good holiday, and as long as you don't mention the kindle, you'll be fine.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by grechzoo

so basically its in my suitcase.........with my clothes and stuff.....somehow they spot it in the bag in my home airport, open it, and then ask for £60 off me before i get in the car and go home???

If you are seriously suggesting that you are going to smuggle something through customs ... well, I would strongly advise you not to do that. The penalties far outweigh anything you are likely to save.

[grechzoo]

i had no idea it was considered smuggling. intial post edited

fair enough

[vampmiller]

Seriously? Smuggling? If you toss the packaging and just carry the Kindle how does customs know you bought it in the US? If anyone asked where you got the Kindle from, you had it sent by Amazon to the UK and you travel with it - that's what it's for...

[grechzoo]

exactly, but i guess Mike is just saying its technically smuggling and it is of course illegal.......

and yeah dont worry ill still be getting a kindle, but for legal reasons i wont bother talking about this particular subject anymore




Okay, i knwo its been asked, but not totally confirmed. i just wanted to follow up and maybe get some uk kindle or even sony reader owners in on this.

Q: what are my options for buying books, that aren't overpriced like they are on most british ebooks stores. i know fictionwise and using a US proxy for amazon have been suggested, however both seem to have strict geo restriction which may stop me from haveing success with a CC billing address based in the uk.

has anyone got either of these two options working for them, or are there other similarv value options?

[vampmiller]

If you're not absolutely sold on the Kindle yet, also take a look at any B&N store and iPad. I own all four ereaders and use the iPad and Nook most of all.