Paperwhite 3G, or not 3G, that is the question...

Mookie · 09-05-2013, 09:28 PM

Good day all,

If this topic has been raised before please forgive me. I couldn't find a similar thread using search.

I realize that everyone has differing needs and rationale for the configuration of their Kindle. I have been using a Paperwhite 3G since they were released last year and when available, I have generally always had a 3G ereader of some sort.

I am not an extensive traveler and am rarely out of WiFi coverage, but the 3G was nice to have on those rare occasions when I wanted to purchase a new book or sync across devices. Twice in the last year I have been on 17+ hour train trips and it was a benefit.

But now that I am retired, the price differential for 3G may be a luxury that I could do without without much inconvenience.

Over the years of owning many readers, I tend to load them up with quite a number of unread titles and have only been without a title to read after finishing my current book once or twice.

I guess this is more of a way to convince myself that I don't need 3G but I'm on the fence.

Has anyone else reached this impasse and if so what were the highest threshold priorities that swayed you either way.

3G, or not 3G, that is the question...

TimW · 09-05-2013, 09:41 PM

In your situation, I see no reason to do it. My daughter and I picked up a K3/KK apiece last year before they ran out of stock. We got the 3G models so they could be used to look up bits of info like "Where's the cheapest gas in the next 50 miles?" You can't use the newer models for looking up info like that...so I really don't see the point. Buying a book will wait until the next hotspot.

krazy4katz · 09-05-2013, 10:21 PM

I have a K3 (KK) 3G. If you can afford it, I think the 3G is nice. You never have to think about where you are (or hardly ever have to think about it) to download a book. That said, I probably always have more books than I need on my kindle to read if I am not within reach of a wifi spot. On the other hand, if someone mentions a book to me, I can immediately download a sample so that I don't forget and don't have to write it down. Clearly a luxury, but if you can afford it....why not?

Haesslich · 09-05-2013, 10:27 PM

It's convenient, but if the $60 premium seems a hassle... I'd go with the wifi only version, as if you perceive it to be one, then it IS one.

I've owned quite a few Wifi readers... but ultimately talked myself into 3G. With your scenario, and knowing that you'll need to watch expenses more, I'd go without the 3G, to avoid temptation (I've noticed an increase in impulse buying) and possible charges if you're delivering books to your Kindle via Send To Kindle.

krazy4katz · 09-05-2013, 10:33 PM

Hi Haesslich,
It's interesting that you say impulse buying increases. I have seen a number of other posts that say the same thing. With me, impulse buying went down when I got a kindle because I only needed to buy a book exactly at the time I planned to read it. Of course the caveat to that is the Kindle daily deals. I have to watch myself with those.

Haesslich · 09-05-2013, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krazy4katz

Hi Haesslich,
It's interesting that you say impulse buying increases. I have seen a number of other posts that say the same thing. With me, impulse buying went down when I got a kindle because I only needed to buy a book exactly at the time I planned to read it. Of course the caveat to that is the Kindle daily deals. I have to watch myself with those.

Not having to wait to get to a hotspot means I'm spending more. If I'm thinking "I haven't read that yet" and see it's selling for half the price of the paperback...

Jdschi · 09-06-2013, 05:09 AM

I faced the same question when I bought my Kindle last year and after much to and fro decided for the 3G version because it felt more luxurious and I talked myself into it reasoning I could use the 3G feature more when traveling abroad (it's not of much use here in Germany outside of buying books). Since then, I have used the 3G feature exactly ONCE: I was in public transport, had just finished one book and decided to get the next in the series. Without 3G, I would have been like 10 minutes without THIS book (I could have read any other though)...

And yes, I think this was an impulse buy - if I remember correctly my thought process was like this: "Oh, hm, this is the last page in this book. Should I get the next one in the series? Hey, I have never used this 3G feature I paid so much for... let's buy the next book while sitting in the train, that'd be cool!".

As you can see I don't think the price premium is worth it. At all. When pre-ordering the newest Kindle a couple of days ago, I didn't even need to think about it.
Yes, it is nice to have. But - for me - it wasn't worth the price (almost 50% more!).
Since you say that you are rarely out of WiFi coverage and don't travel much, I don't think it would inconvenience you much if you saved the money (how many books could you buy with 60$

) and got the Wi-fi only one.

hapmas77 · 09-06-2013, 06:05 AM

Buy the WI-FI one. If you have smartphone, you can use it to buy books, or to occasionally use its wi-fi tether to do so from your kindle.

Saturday · 09-07-2013, 04:16 AM

I've always bought the 3G models and expect I always will; for me, the ability to buy any book I want without worrying about location or wi-fi availability is invaluable. However, I travel a lot. If you're not a big traveller, then I think a wi-fi model would be quite adequate, especially if you live in an area where public transport has wi-fi.

doctorow · 09-07-2013, 05:59 AM

I'd go without 3G if you don't need it much. Less radiation exposure unless you always remember to turn it off.

ucfgrad93 · 09-07-2013, 10:00 AM

While my current Kindle has 3G, I have only used it a couple of times. My next Kindle will be wifi only.

GoSharks · 09-07-2013, 10:27 AM

My first was a 3G international.....never used the 3G. Now with all of Amazon's restrictions it would be even less useful so have only purchased wifi's and never looked back. E-reader and a smartphone and I'm good to go!!

TimW · 09-07-2013, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoSharks

My first was a 3G international.....never used the 3G. Now with all of Amazon's restrictions it would be even less useful so have only purchased wifi's and never looked back. E-reader and a smartphone and I'm good to go!!

My first reader was also a K2i. I didn't use the 3G much, but not by choice. AT&T had dreadful reception at the time and I had to go out into my yard for a tiny bit of EDGE reception. I nearly had to climb a tree to download a book.

Since the K2 had no Wi-Fi, my only other recourse was transferring by USB. Sadly, that was before I discovered the wonder that is Calibre.

tomsem · 09-07-2013, 11:42 AM

If I had a smartphone and was paying for a data plan, I would not bother with 3g, and might not take my Kindle everywhere as I do.

But as it is, I take my 3G Kindle everywhere. I love being able to do wikipedia lookups from nearly anywhere. For me access to Kindle Store and my library is a secondary benefit, though while I'm out and about, I will often hear of a book that sounds interesting and like to add it to my Wish List right away so I don't forget about it, or want to read book description or reviews or Shelfari summary for a book I've already purchased. Sure, there are free wifi access points but they are not always convenient.

But $70 is a steep premium for the feature. If you plan to use it for more than a couple of years, though, it is not that significant and you may find over time that you will use 3G more than you might think. And resale value will be higher for 3G models as there are people who need that feature.

And there are sometimes deals on 3g models that eliminate the premium entirely. I got my Kindle Touch 3G new for $109 last year (long before PW came out) and last week Radio Shack was selling some KT3G's for under $50. Then it is a no brainer to choose 3G.

krazy4katz · 09-07-2013, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hapmas77

Buy the WI-FI one. If you have smartphone, you can use it to buy books, or to occasionally use its wi-fi tether to do so from your kindle.

So, I have never tethered anything. I have an iPhone 5. How would that work?

Thanks,

k4k

09-05-2013, 09:28 PM	#1
Mookie Major Major Posts: 52 Karma: 184386 Join Date: Feb 2007 Device: Kindle PW	Paperwhite 3G, or not 3G, that is the question... Good day all, If this topic has been raised before please forgive me. I couldn't find a similar thread using search. I realize that everyone has differing needs and rationale for the configuration of their Kindle. I have been using a Paperwhite 3G since they were released last year and when available, I have generally always had a 3G ereader of some sort. I am not an extensive traveler and am rarely out of WiFi coverage, but the 3G was nice to have on those rare occasions when I wanted to purchase a new book or sync across devices. Twice in the last year I have been on 17+ hour train trips and it was a benefit. But now that I am retired, the price differential for 3G may be a luxury that I could do without without much inconvenience. Over the years of owning many readers, I tend to load them up with quite a number of unread titles and have only been without a title to read after finishing my current book once or twice. I guess this is more of a way to convince myself that I don't need 3G but I'm on the fence. Has anyone else reached this impasse and if so what were the highest threshold priorities that swayed you either way. 3G, or not 3G, that is the question... Last edited by Mookie; 09-05-2013 at 09:30 PM.

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09-05-2013, 09:41 PM	#2
TimW Wizard Posts: 1,022 Karma: 6824104 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southeastern Kentucky Device: KK3G, KPW1, Sony PRST1, Sony PRS350, iPod Touch 5G	In your situation, I see no reason to do it. My daughter and I picked up a K3/KK apiece last year before they ran out of stock. We got the 3G models so they could be used to look up bits of info like "Where's the cheapest gas in the next 50 miles?" You can't use the newer models for looking up info like that...so I really don't see the point. Buying a book will wait until the next hotspot.

09-05-2013, 10:21 PM	#3
krazy4katz Addict Posts: 367 Karma: 1552656 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: [Kindle 1, Kindle 3 (KK)], Kindle Voyage, iPad Pro	I have a K3 (KK) 3G. If you can afford it, I think the 3G is nice. You never have to think about where you are (or hardly ever have to think about it) to download a book. That said, I probably always have more books than I need on my kindle to read if I am not within reach of a wifi spot. On the other hand, if someone mentions a book to me, I can immediately download a sample so that I don't forget and don't have to write it down. Clearly a luxury, but if you can afford it....why not?

09-05-2013, 10:27 PM	#4
Haesslich Fanatic Posts: 544 Karma: 1138182 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Kobo Touch,Glo,Mini,Aura/HD/One,H20, Sony PRS-300/600, Kindle 3-PW	It's convenient, but if the $60 premium seems a hassle... I'd go with the wifi only version, as if you perceive it to be one, then it IS one. I've owned quite a few Wifi readers... but ultimately talked myself into 3G. With your scenario, and knowing that you'll need to watch expenses more, I'd go without the 3G, to avoid temptation (I've noticed an increase in impulse buying) and possible charges if you're delivering books to your Kindle via Send To Kindle.

09-05-2013, 10:33 PM	#5
krazy4katz Addict Posts: 367 Karma: 1552656 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: [Kindle 1, Kindle 3 (KK)], Kindle Voyage, iPad Pro	Hi Haesslich, It's interesting that you say impulse buying increases. I have seen a number of other posts that say the same thing. With me, impulse buying went down when I got a kindle because I only needed to buy a book exactly at the time I planned to read it. Of course the caveat to that is the Kindle daily deals. I have to watch myself with those.

09-06-2013, 05:09 AM	#7
Jdschi Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 109342 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Germany Device: Nexus 7.2, PW2	I faced the same question when I bought my Kindle last year and after much to and fro decided for the 3G version because it felt more luxurious and I talked myself into it reasoning I could use the 3G feature more when traveling abroad (it's not of much use here in Germany outside of buying books). Since then, I have used the 3G feature exactly ONCE: I was in public transport, had just finished one book and decided to get the next in the series. Without 3G, I would have been like 10 minutes without THIS book (I could have read any other though)... And yes, I think this was an impulse buy - if I remember correctly my thought process was like this: "Oh, hm, this is the last page in this book. Should I get the next one in the series? Hey, I have never used this 3G feature I paid so much for... let's buy the next book while sitting in the train, that'd be cool!". As you can see I don't think the price premium is worth it. At all. When pre-ordering the newest Kindle a couple of days ago, I didn't even need to think about it. Yes, it is nice to have. But - for me - it wasn't worth the price (almost 50% more!). Since you say that you are rarely out of WiFi coverage and don't travel much, I don't think it would inconvenience you much if you saved the money (how many books could you buy with 60$ ) and got the Wi-fi only one.

09-06-2013, 06:05 AM	#8
hapmas77 Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 691140 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Device: iPad Mini 2, Galaxy Tab S2 9.7, Kindle PW	Buy the WI-FI one. If you have smartphone, you can use it to buy books, or to occasionally use its wi-fi tether to do so from your kindle.

09-07-2013, 04:16 AM	#9
Saturday Member Posts: 21 Karma: 489132 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle Voyage (3G)	I've always bought the 3G models and expect I always will; for me, the ability to buy any book I want without worrying about location or wi-fi availability is invaluable. However, I travel a lot. If you're not a big traveller, then I think a wi-fi model would be quite adequate, especially if you live in an area where public transport has wi-fi.

09-07-2013, 05:59 AM	#10
doctorow Guru Posts: 914 Karma: 3410461 Join Date: May 2004 Device: Kindle Touch	I'd go without 3G if you don't need it much. Less radiation exposure unless you always remember to turn it off.

09-07-2013, 10:00 AM	#11
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,360 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	While my current Kindle has 3G, I have only used it a couple of times. My next Kindle will be wifi only.

09-07-2013, 10:27 AM	#12
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	My first was a 3G international.....never used the 3G. Now with all of Amazon's restrictions it would be even less useful so have only purchased wifi's and never looked back. E-reader and a smartphone and I'm good to go!!

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09-07-2013, 11:42 AM	#14
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,477 Karma: 26425959 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	If I had a smartphone and was paying for a data plan, I would not bother with 3g, and might not take my Kindle everywhere as I do. But as it is, I take my 3G Kindle everywhere. I love being able to do wikipedia lookups from nearly anywhere. For me access to Kindle Store and my library is a secondary benefit, though while I'm out and about, I will often hear of a book that sounds interesting and like to add it to my Wish List right away so I don't forget about it, or want to read book description or reviews or Shelfari summary for a book I've already purchased. Sure, there are free wifi access points but they are not always convenient. But $70 is a steep premium for the feature. If you plan to use it for more than a couple of years, though, it is not that significant and you may find over time that you will use 3G more than you might think. And resale value will be higher for 3G models as there are people who need that feature. And there are sometimes deals on 3g models that eliminate the premium entirely. I got my Kindle Touch 3G new for $109 last year (long before PW came out) and last week Radio Shack was selling some KT3G's for under $50. Then it is a no brainer to choose 3G.