Internet connectivity

Francesco · 08-18-2010, 11:30 PM

I never thought I would consider buying a Kindle, but somehow now I'm salivating for a K3. Don't know if I'll get one, though... I usually ponder my purchases very carefully... Anyway! What I want to ask is this: what are the possibilities with 3G? I think I'd rather buy the non 3G version, since I've read quite a few posts saying that people have whispernet off most of the time... why is that?
Besides buying books through Amazon, what other things can you do with whispernet? And in more general terms, what do you do with internet connectivity? Can you, for example, download books from archive.org without a computer? What about instapaper.com?

Ervserver · 08-19-2010, 12:24 AM

we keep whispernet turned off because it is a drain on the battery when turned on all the time. We turn it on when we are buying books and/or expecting a software update

rlparker · 08-19-2010, 11:19 AM

My battery indicator drops like a rock when I turn on the antenna. I don't know about archive.org or instapaper.com; never tried 'em. I'm assuming that whatever you can do with 3G you can do with WiFi instead.

poohbear_nc · 08-19-2010, 11:55 AM

With the promised increase in the K3's battery life, and the new web browser, it's unknown if its behavior with either 3G or Wifi turned on will differ from current experiences with the KDXG or K2 - now having 3G on is a huge battery drain.

TomF · 08-20-2010, 02:02 AM

Amazon states that for the Kindle Wi-Fi the battery will last three weeks with Whispernet on whereas the 3G model will last only 10 days with Whispernet on (includes both Wi-Fi and 3G). They both last up to a month with Whispernet off.

3G takes significantly more power than Wi-Fi which results slightly less than half the battery life. It's too bad that there isn't a way to turn off 3G while leaving Wi-Fi on.

SamuraiXSendai · 08-20-2010, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomF;

Amazon states that for the Kindle Wi-Fi the battery will last three weeks with Whispernet on whereas the 3G model will last only 10 days with Whispernet on (includes both Wi-Fi and 3G). They both last up to a month with Whispernet off.

3G takes significantly more power than Wi-Fi which results slightly less than half the battery life. It's too bad that there isn't a way to turn off 3G while leaving Wi-Fi on.

Good point

luqmaninbmore · 08-20-2010, 05:46 AM

You can use the internet connectivity to download books directly to the kindle from websites such as archive.org, feedbooks.com, and, of course, mobileread. You can also use it to check email, twitter, facebook, to access google maps, send text messages, and read blogs and forums.

norti · 08-20-2010, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomF

3G takes significantly more power than Wi-Fi which results slightly less than half the battery life. It's too bad that there isn't a way to turn off 3G while leaving Wi-Fi on.

From the Kindle 3 manual:
Your Kindle automatically turns 3G coverage off when you connect using Wi-Fi. If you disconnect from a Wi-Fi network or if you move out of Wi-Fi range, Kindle automatically switches back to 3G coverage.

HarryT · 08-20-2010, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

You can also use it to check email, twitter, facebook, to access google maps, send text messages, and read blogs and forums.

You can do, but it's a bit of a painful experience. Text only web sites work reasonably well, but anything more complex really doesn't work. It's extremely slow, too. Perhaps the new browser in the K3 will perform better.

I honestly couldn't recommend buying a Kindle on the basis of it giving you "free" internet connectivity; I think you'd be disappointed.

TomF · 08-20-2010, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norti

From the Kindle 3 manual:
Your Kindle automatically turns 3G coverage off when you connect using Wi-Fi. If you disconnect from a Wi-Fi network or if you move out of Wi-Fi range, Kindle automatically switches back to 3G coverage.

Thanks for posting that! I have read this section of the new manual several times but I guess I just didn't retain the fact that 3G is actually turned off when using Wi-Fi. I thought that it just used the Wi-Fi connection instead of 3G. I guess I was focused on the part in the manual that says when you turn Whispernet off your are turning off both Wi-Fi and 3G and there didn't appear to be any way to turn off just 3G.

If 3G actually does get turned off if the K3 is connected to a Wi-Fi network that might mean that if I left Whispernet on and my K3 was connected to my home wireless network the entire time that the battery should last up to three weeks just like the Wi-Fi model.

The reduced battery life for the 3G+Wi-Fi must be due to the fact that if you aren't actually connected to a Wi-Fi network the 3G is still on and using more battery power.

08-18-2010, 11:30 PM	#1
Francesco Aficionado Posts: 391 Karma: 710 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Denver, CO, USA Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Touch	Internet connectivity I never thought I would consider buying a Kindle, but somehow now I'm salivating for a K3. Don't know if I'll get one, though... I usually ponder my purchases very carefully... Anyway! What I want to ask is this: what are the possibilities with 3G? I think I'd rather buy the non 3G version, since I've read quite a few posts saying that people have whispernet off most of the time... why is that? Besides buying books through Amazon, what other things can you do with whispernet? And in more general terms, what do you do with internet connectivity? Can you, for example, download books from archive.org without a computer? What about instapaper.com?

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08-19-2010, 12:24 AM	#2
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	we keep whispernet turned off because it is a drain on the battery when turned on all the time. We turn it on when we are buying books and/or expecting a software update

08-19-2010, 11:19 AM	#3
rlparker Ars longa Posts: 1,179 Karma: 17404 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: north carolina, usa Device: Kindle K1, K3 wifi	My battery indicator drops like a rock when I turn on the antenna. I don't know about archive.org or instapaper.com; never tried 'em. I'm assuming that whatever you can do with 3G you can do with WiFi instead.

08-19-2010, 11:55 AM	#4
poohbear_nc Now what? Posts: 58,839 Karma: 135181808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	With the promised increase in the K3's battery life, and the new web browser, it's unknown if its behavior with either 3G or Wifi turned on will differ from current experiences with the KDXG or K2 - now having 3G on is a huge battery drain.

08-20-2010, 02:02 AM	#5
TomF Kindle Enthusiast Posts: 243 Karma: 1818 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Device: Kindle 3G Graphite, Kindle Fire	Amazon states that for the Kindle Wi-Fi the battery will last three weeks with Whispernet on whereas the 3G model will last only 10 days with Whispernet on (includes both Wi-Fi and 3G). They both last up to a month with Whispernet off. 3G takes significantly more power than Wi-Fi which results slightly less than half the battery life. It's too bad that there isn't a way to turn off 3G while leaving Wi-Fi on.

08-20-2010, 05:46 AM	#7
luqmaninbmore Da'i Posts: 1,144 Karma: 1217499 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Baltimore Device: Toshiba Thrive, Kobo Touch, Kindle 1, Aluratek Libre, T-Mobile Comet	You can use the internet connectivity to download books directly to the kindle from websites such as archive.org, feedbooks.com, and, of course, mobileread. You can also use it to check email, twitter, facebook, to access google maps, send text messages, and read blogs and forums.

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