How useful is WiFi/Browser?

[Shambler]

I'm debating whether or not to get the Kindle 3 WiFi version, or the Kindle 3 DX, and I'd like to know how useful the WiFi/browser actually is? (I wouldn't be using the 3G in DX)

I'm not bothered using the WiFi to get books (will probably just use USB), but I do read a lot of websites/forums and wonder how practical it is with that, and stuff like checking mail?

Any other good uses for the WiFi?


Basically, it just comes down to the tradeoff: Bigger screen + no internet, or smaller screen + internet.

[Tiersten]

I've used it a few times to look something up and check my email when I wasn't near my phone or computer. I wouldn't say it was absolutely essential but its handy to have. I've got 3G access here though so the DX would have worked the same for me.

The browser itself is pretty decent. It has worked on all the sites I've tested it with and the javascript support is good enough to work with gmail and Google Voice.

[carld]

I'd wait until after the firmware update that's in the works. It should make the browser more stable, as right now it can be a little flaky, though I've had good luck with it, mostly. So far it works with all the websites I've tried, which is a big step up from the old browser. The only big drawback I've found is that it doesn't save your login information for some sites, so you have to enter your user name and password every time.

I've found sending web pages to my Kindle from Instapaper to be pretty handy. A lot of people set up Calibre as a content server via wi-fi, that would be potentially useful. Also the ability to send documents to your kindle via wi-fi, free of charge, is nice.

I haven't taken my K3 out and about yet to try the browser in different areas, and I certainly wouldn't want to use it as my main web access. But, for what it is it works pretty well. Hopefully the coming update will make it more stable.

[tomsem]

It works pretty well, particularly over a fast wifi connection. Much better than the K2 browser. Not terribly nimble, but I'm satisfied with the level of functionality it provides.

[Zerodime]

Lol, for fun and giggles i ran the ACID3 Test on the kindle3....came out 99%!

So it can at least do really well on JavaScript

[TheKindleWorm]

Personally I find the browser very useful. The mobile version of gmail works very well for me and I check my emails and write new ones on it just fine. Our electricity was off all day today so that meant no wifi and the 3G on the Kindle came in so handy as I could browse my fav sites - some work better than others and mobile sites are the best option where poss.

But yes I find the web browser very useful. Also like buying books that way and getting instant delivery. For some people it may not be such a big deal.

[ST889]

Does the Kindle 3 work well with forums? It will be really good it it did as I spend a lot of time on forums and don't like reading on the laptop due to eye strain.

[shanghaichica]

I think it's good for reading newspapers and wikipedia articles. For more generalised surfing I'd prefer to use my iPhone, but it's definitely a good addition.

[carld]

Originally Posted by ST889

Does the Kindle 3 work well with forums? It will be really good it it did as I spend a lot of time on forums and don't like reading on the laptop due to eye strain.

Depends on the forum. It works well for forums with mobile versions like here at MR. The more graphic laden and complex, like some RPG forums, the more likely it is to be a poor experience.

[ST889]

Originally Posted by carld

Depends on the forum. It works well for forums with mobile versions like here at MR. The more graphic laden and complex, like some RPG forums, the more likely it is to be a poor experience.

thanks, i don't think i use complex graphic forums. How does it work for a forum like this one http://forums.thedigitalfix.co.uk/forums/index.php ? Most of the forums i visit have this layout. I don't think it has a mobile version.

[carld]

Here are a few screenshots of that Forum set up in various ways. I also found that you can hit Article mode on any post and the Kindle will show you just the text for that post, could be handy. Links to Imageshack.

[desertblues]

I have 3G, because I plan to travel a lot and would like to order some books on the go. The Kindle-browser is slow, but it works. There are several bookmarks preprogrammed, like google, amazon, facebook, yahoo. The search on Google g.e. works, but to read it in actual size one has to choose for ' landscape'. Even then it is not possible to read the whole section at once.
I also have an iPad, with a Mifi 2325 for travelling. When I'm abroad that connection also is slow, perhaps due to my prepaid card (0,99 cent for 50 mb), but it works a lot better. On the whole; to read forums and to react, I prefer the iPad with its 9,7 inch screen and color.

[ST889]

Originally Posted by carld

Here are a few screenshots of that Forum set up in various ways. I also found that you can hit Article mode on any post and the Kindle will show you just the text for that post, could be handy. Links to Imageshack.

Those look not bad at all. Very readable in both orientations but I guess it's not totally representative as I am looking at them on my laptop 15" screen so the text would be a lot smaller on the actually 6" screen.

now if the speed on the wifi is acceptable then I can hopefully do away with forum browsing on a lcd screen!

Thanks for those, carld, really appreciate that.

[Tiersten]

Originally Posted by ST889

now if the speed on the wifi is acceptable then I can hopefully do away with forum browsing on a lcd screen!

The navigation is slightly annoying because you have to use the little 5 way to move around though but its workable. Same again for scrolling around a page.

If Article mode works on a page then it generally makes it significantly easier to read although pressing Back doesn't take you back to Article mode annoyingly.

[ST889]

Originally Posted by desertblues

On the whole; to read forums and to react, I prefer the iPad with its 9,7 inch screen and color.

But do you get eye strain when looking at a backlit screen for a prolonged period? And in the long term healthwise, i suspect that reading from an eink screen will be better than reading from lcd.