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#1 |
Junior Member
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Karma: 10
Join Date: Dec 2011
Device: none
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kindle use in Great Britain
We are planning to spend a few weeks in the UK in April or May and thought a kindle might be a good replacement for a somewhat bulky laptop. While I read a lot I prefer conventional books but can see the appeal of kindles and nooks. We would like to use it to access the internet to find B&Bs to stay at, get ideas of things to see and perhaps check on email. Would this be doable or practicable? We are also taking a car type gps as we plan on driving. I'm sure that kindle use in the UK is popular as here but would a unit purchased here work there? We also plan on getting a throw away cell phone to use while there. Any help would be appreciated, Gerry
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#2 | ||
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 43514536
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: near Philadelphia USA
Device: Kindle Kids Edition, Fire HD 10 (11th generation)
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Quote:
If so, get the Kindle Keyboard 3G, purchased in the US. Or you could try buying a like-new condition Kindle 2nd generation. As for email, yes. I use the mobile version of Google's email (m.gmail.com). B&B? Only if you are extremely patient. The eInk browser is poorly suited to most such web sites, especially if you want to make reservations on the site. Our son the traveler will email us from his Kindle Keyboard 3G, asking us to help him with reservations. Things to see? Yes, maybe, if patient. The trick would be to identify the web sites you will be using before you leave, and transform them with various web site tools such as www.google.com/gwt/n and www.readingthenet.com. Then you have several ways to get the created web links onto the device that I or someone else could explain to you if interested. If your eyes are rolling right now, then I guess you have one answer to your question, and if it sounds like an interesting challenge, you have another. Quote:
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#3 |
Resident Curmudgeon
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
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I've seen web browsing on a Sony PRS-T1 and it's not nearly as good as browsing on a computer. But it can be done. I would expect browsing on a Kindle to be similar for the touch model and not as good for the others.
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#4 |
reader
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Karma: 5183568
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Mississippi, USA
Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD
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I don't think web browser on EInk Kindles is good enough for what you want.
The Kindle Fire's browser is good enough, but you need WiFi access to use it. |
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#5 |
eBook Enthusiast
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Karma: 93383099
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
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#6 | |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 43514536
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: near Philadelphia USA
Device: Kindle Kids Edition, Fire HD 10 (11th generation)
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Quote:
There's one plus of using the 3G browser while traveling I didn't mention. My family uses it fairly often. Suppose you want to go somewhere and cannot quickly find it as a GPS point of interest. Then we go, on the Kindle, to plain old www.google.com and use search terms such as: manchester art gallery address Usually you can find the address you need right in the first page of google results, without having to go into any further web site. Since google response time is fast, this often, not always, works nicely. |
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#7 |
Addict
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Karma: 1001201
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: UK
Device: Kindle 3 Keyboard, Surface Tablet, Android Smartphone, Laptop, Netbook
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If you have a Kindle Keyboard 3G it will work over here and you can browse the internet without all the data roaming charges.
Whilst the internet browser is not the best and can be slow to navigate I have used it aboard to book hire cars and tickets with no issues, only slightly slower than using a mobile phone. You'll be able to find many places to use the internet without a kindle though if you are frustrated with the kindle - though these often charge - £1 per hour is a standard rate around here. I personally find no problems with the internet browsing even for things like Facebook - although you will not be able to view flash based websites. I would say if you think you would get use out of the Kindle as an e-reader (it's perfect for travelling without loads of heavy books) then get it and use the internet facilities as well. If you just want internet then bring your laptop and look for places with free wi-fi (mcdonalds, starbucks etc.) |
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#8 | |
Guru
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York, NY
Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2
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Quote:
Same with books...if you go to England and photocopy "1984" and bring back the pages to the US, is that breaking US copyright law? if not, I'd like to travel to Canada and download a couple gigs of books. Last edited by markbot; 01-07-2012 at 11:19 AM. |
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#9 | |
Wizard
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, UK
Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G, Kindle Fire 2, NOOK ST, Kindle HDX, Fire 7"
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Quote:
There are books which are out of copyright in the UK but not in the US (and of course vice-versa) but "1984" isn't one of them. Gerge Orwell died in 1950 and the UK is Life+70 so it's still or again in copyright there. You don't really have to travel, MR's downloads section has "out of copyright in Canada" books and similar for Gutenberg Australia. Even if the site notices you are in the US and forbids the download a friend resident elswhere could do it and email it to you. The copyright owner could, I understand, take legal action to forbid the import of infringing copies but they are unlikely to bother. Equally, if you bring back a digital copy, reading it in the US involves a copy (internal to the hardware) so is technically an infringment too. |
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#10 | |||
eBook Enthusiast
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Karma: 93383099
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
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Quote:
Quote:
1. It's called "Nineteen Eighty-four", not "1984". 2. It's very much still under UK copyright protection. It will enter the UK public domain on 1st Jan, 2021. Quote:
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#11 |
Member
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Karma: 10
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kindle 3
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I'd be inclined to buy a cheap android phone on the three network in the uk and get the 'all-you-can-eat' SIM with it.
This would last a month and give you 3g coverage plus wifi when available Galaxy mini for £69.99 + £10/15 for the SIM |
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#12 | |
Member Retired
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Device: Nook STR (rooted) & Sony T2
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Quote:
Back on topic: If a US 3G KK will allow 3G access in the UK, then it might work for you, though obviously the browsing will be horrible compared to a touch device. But doable I guess. |
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