copy of post sent to 'introductions' forum this morning

janeb · 12-31-2010, 05:40 PM

This is a copy of a post that I sent this morning - advice from my one reply. Hope to hear from Kindle users. Thanks
janeb

Hello all
I am thinking of buying an e reader and with all the usual apologies for repeating questions that I'm sure have been well and truly discussed, my major decision will be based on the 'free' download capability of the Kindle 3g in Brisbane Australia and the availability of books in Australia. I've been looking at the Kindle library and it seems extensive, but have read a few posts indicating that not all books are available in Australia. In addition, as I live in a tower, I have expensive and patchy wi-fi at home and so don't want to be using it for book downloads.
So 1) can I really download without using my own wifi; 2) if a book appears in the Kindle library, can I assume that I can get it; and 3) just as an aside, can I transfer my iPod audio books to my Kindle (or whichever one I choose) so that I can take just one gadget with me when I travel?
I think that's all the questions that I have for now. I'm grateful for any advice (not too high-tech please!) and again my apologies for any repeated questions. I really have been searching so many sites for information that I am a little confused and just wanted some simple and direct answers. I suppose that I should add that I assume when the Kindle 3G is advertised as around $180 that there are no extra/hidden charges - given that the Aussie dollar is just over parity at present. Thanks in anticipation of your help
JaneB

kindlekitten · 12-31-2010, 08:36 PM

you will probably have to run the books from your ipod through calibre to put them on your kindle. I am not in Australia so do not know which of the public domain books here are public domain there. yes, that price is all you pay, keep in mind that there may be import fees associated with it. you should think about getting some sort of cover or sleeve if you leave your home with it

Alison C · 12-31-2010, 09:13 PM

Hi, janeb. You've come to the right place for advice. I joined this forum a couple of months ago when I was dithering about whether to buy an e-reader. Thanks to the brilliantly helpful community here, I am now the wildly happy owner of a Kindle 3 wifi, and wonder why I ever had doubts about it.

I'm in Australia too. The good news is that there are no extra import/customs duties to pay on your Kindle.

One point to note is that at checkout Amazon offers you the choice of paying in US $ or AU $. Go for US, because their exchange rate is much less favourable than the one you'll get from your credit card (and if you, like me, bank with the greedy ANZ they will still slug you with a 3% levy for an overseas transaction even if it's charged in AU $).

The only hidden cost is the power charge cable: US customers get the power cable as part of the Kindle price, overseas customers don't. When I ordered mine, they were doing a special offer knocking $10 off the power charge cable if you ordered it at the same time, so that was worth doing.

I can't answer your question about which books are available here, because for some quirky reason Amazon define me as a UK customer, even though I've lived in Oz for 5 years. I'm not complaining, though! There isn't an Australia storefront listing only books available here, but someone on this forum told me that if you click on an individual book in the US Kindle store, it will say "not available" if you aren't able to buy it.

I bought the wifi version, not 3G, but I know a woman in Surfers' Paradise who has the 3G and has had no problems with downloading books.

Hope those are simple and direct answers, even if longwinded!

Alison

wvcherrybomb · 12-31-2010, 09:13 PM

There are no hidden charges with 3G. It's completely free and you can it use to to surf the internet in addition to downloading books with Kindle's built-in browser.

The only charge ever is for emailing docs to your Kindle yourself. You can avoid this by only using the @free.kindle.com email address instead of your regular @kindle.com email address when you are connected to wifi.

You can also set the document charge limit to zero in the "Manage Your Kindle" section of your Amazon account. I attached a screen shot.

Additionally, there are no worries about anyone emailing your Kindle documents as you must enter approved email address to receive from. This is also located in the "Manage Your Kindle" section. Amazon makes it all very user friendly.

janeb · 12-31-2010, 09:53 PM

This is great - thanks. Looks like I found the right board for advice. I'll go with getting the power cable when I order. (I guess otherwise you have to use your computer?) It all sounds like fun and now I can't wait to get it. I'll be back with more questions when it arrives ---- so now to Amazon to order mine! Thanks again
janeb

lene1949 · 01-01-2011, 02:40 AM

Amazon used to charge an extra $2 for books - apparently a whispernet fee - but this is no longer applicable for Australia... so the 3g is absolutely free.

janeb · 01-01-2011, 05:08 PM

Well - despite all my fears about self-erasing keys, I just placed my order for the 3G and now have to wait until end January/early February - sigh. I can't wait to play with it! Will post questions/comments as I progress. I may need some help with this DRM stuff. I'll let you know.
Thanks again to all those patient folk who took the time to answer my questions on all 3 forums (or should that be fora)
regards
janeb

Alison C · 01-01-2011, 10:04 PM

Congratulations, janeb - it'll be worth the wait.

Alison

janeb · 01-02-2011, 08:32 PM

Hi Alison
Thanks for the tip about the rotten exchange rate. Given that the AUD is currently above parity, I couldn't believe the rate that was offered. Even the bank charges (sigh) cannot be that bad. Thanks again. I don't suppose that you have any good ideas about the least expensive way to download books? I notice some books that I'd like that cost between $10 and $15 - but with bank charges for every foreign transaction, that will make them each more expensive than that. Any ideas? Thanks again for your help
j

Alison C · 01-03-2011, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Thanks for the tip about the rotten exchange rate.

No worries, janeb - glad you avoided that criminal exchange rate.

Quote:

I don't suppose that you have any good ideas about the least expensive way to download books?

I don't think Amazon take Paypal, do they? - with Strawberrynet I use Paypal and take the payment from my bank account, which avoids the 3% ANZ levy. As I mentioned earlier, Amazon treat me as UK-based, which means I just use my UK credit card on the UK site, so no currency-related expenses there.

To be honest, I think your best bet is to concentrate on (a) the strength of the Aussie dollar and (b) the horrible prices charged for books over here, and the combined effect will make your Amazon downloads seem very cheap by comparison, even with bank charges! Where in Australia could you buy a book for $10?!

I guess you know already that you can start stocking up with e-books so you're ready to roll as soon as your Kindle arrives? Happy shopping!

Alison

12-31-2010, 05:40 PM	#1
janeb Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: kindle 3G	copy of post sent to 'introductions' forum this morning This is a copy of a post that I sent this morning - advice from my one reply. Hope to hear from Kindle users. Thanks janeb Hello all I am thinking of buying an e reader and with all the usual apologies for repeating questions that I'm sure have been well and truly discussed, my major decision will be based on the 'free' download capability of the Kindle 3g in Brisbane Australia and the availability of books in Australia. I've been looking at the Kindle library and it seems extensive, but have read a few posts indicating that not all books are available in Australia. In addition, as I live in a tower, I have expensive and patchy wi-fi at home and so don't want to be using it for book downloads. So 1) can I really download without using my own wifi; 2) if a book appears in the Kindle library, can I assume that I can get it; and 3) just as an aside, can I transfer my iPod audio books to my Kindle (or whichever one I choose) so that I can take just one gadget with me when I travel? I think that's all the questions that I have for now. I'm grateful for any advice (not too high-tech please!) and again my apologies for any repeated questions. I really have been searching so many sites for information that I am a little confused and just wanted some simple and direct answers. I suppose that I should add that I assume when the Kindle 3G is advertised as around $180 that there are no extra/hidden charges - given that the Aussie dollar is just over parity at present. Thanks in anticipation of your help JaneB

12-31-2010, 09:13 PM	#4
wvcherrybomb Sharp Shootin' Grandma Posts: 847 Karma: 1123940 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Sunny Florida Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Fire, Literati (has been adopted by my daughter)	There are no hidden charges with 3G. It's completely free and you can it use to to surf the internet in addition to downloading books with Kindle's built-in browser. The only charge ever is for emailing docs to your Kindle yourself. You can avoid this by only using the @free.kindle.com email address instead of your regular @kindle.com email address when you are connected to wifi. You can also set the document charge limit to zero in the "Manage Your Kindle" section of your Amazon account. I attached a screen shot. Additionally, there are no worries about anyone emailing your Kindle documents as you must enter approved email address to receive from. This is also located in the "Manage Your Kindle" section. Amazon makes it all very user friendly. Attached Thumbnails

12-31-2010, 09:53 PM	#5
janeb Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: kindle 3G	thanks for all this information This is great - thanks. Looks like I found the right board for advice. I'll go with getting the power cable when I order. (I guess otherwise you have to use your computer?) It all sounds like fun and now I can't wait to get it. I'll be back with more questions when it arrives ---- so now to Amazon to order mine! Thanks again janeb

01-01-2011, 05:08 PM	#7
janeb Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: kindle 3G	Yippee - I just ordered Well - despite all my fears about self-erasing keys, I just placed my order for the 3G and now have to wait until end January/early February - sigh. I can't wait to play with it! Will post questions/comments as I progress. I may need some help with this DRM stuff. I'll let you know. Thanks again to all those patient folk who took the time to answer my questions on all 3 forums (or should that be fora) regards janeb

01-02-2011, 08:32 PM	#9
janeb Member Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: kindle 3G	exchange rate Hi Alison Thanks for the tip about the rotten exchange rate. Given that the AUD is currently above parity, I couldn't believe the rate that was offered. Even the bank charges (sigh) cannot be that bad. Thanks again. I don't suppose that you have any good ideas about the least expensive way to download books? I notice some books that I'd like that cost between $10 and $15 - but with bank charges for every foreign transaction, that will make them each more expensive than that. Any ideas? Thanks again for your help j

12-31-2010, 08:36 PM	#2
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	you will probably have to run the books from your ipod through calibre to put them on your kindle. I am not in Australia so do not know which of the public domain books here are public domain there. yes, that price is all you pay, keep in mind that there may be import fees associated with it. you should think about getting some sort of cover or sleeve if you leave your home with it

12-31-2010, 09:13 PM	#3
Alison C Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 5714 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Somerset, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite wifi	Hi, janeb. You've come to the right place for advice. I joined this forum a couple of months ago when I was dithering about whether to buy an e-reader. Thanks to the brilliantly helpful community here, I am now the wildly happy owner of a Kindle 3 wifi, and wonder why I ever had doubts about it. I'm in Australia too. The good news is that there are no extra import/customs duties to pay on your Kindle. One point to note is that at checkout Amazon offers you the choice of paying in US $ or AU $. Go for US, because their exchange rate is much less favourable than the one you'll get from your credit card (and if you, like me, bank with the greedy ANZ they will still slug you with a 3% levy for an overseas transaction even if it's charged in AU $). The only hidden cost is the power charge cable: US customers get the power cable as part of the Kindle price, overseas customers don't. When I ordered mine, they were doing a special offer knocking $10 off the power charge cable if you ordered it at the same time, so that was worth doing. I can't answer your question about which books are available here, because for some quirky reason Amazon define me as a UK customer, even though I've lived in Oz for 5 years. I'm not complaining, though! There isn't an Australia storefront listing only books available here, but someone on this forum told me that if you click on an individual book in the US Kindle store, it will say "not available" if you aren't able to buy it. I bought the wifi version, not 3G, but I know a woman in Surfers' Paradise who has the 3G and has had no problems with downloading books. Hope those are simple and direct answers, even if longwinded! Alison

01-01-2011, 02:40 AM	#6
lene1949 Wizard Posts: 1,952 Karma: 213930 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Middelfart, Denmark Device: Kindle paper white	Amazon used to charge an extra $2 for books - apparently a whispernet fee - but this is no longer applicable for Australia... so the 3g is absolutely free.

01-01-2011, 10:04 PM	#8
Alison C Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 5714 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Somerset, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite wifi	Congratulations, janeb - it'll be worth the wait. Alison

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