kindle use in Great Britain

[G T Roach]

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

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by G T Roach

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?

I am going to answer with the idea that you will want to be able to access the internet from anywhere, not just where you have WiFi access.

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.

I'm sure that kindle use in the UK is popular as here but would a unit purchased here work there?

3G service purchased there will only work for Wikipedia. (Same is true for 3G Touch purchased here.)

[JSWolf]

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.

[wallcraft]

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.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

3G service purchased there will only work for Wikipedia. (Same is true for 3G Touch purchased here.)

This is incorrect. The K3 has unrestricted Internet access in the UK.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by HarryT

This is incorrect. The K3 has unrestricted Internet access in the UK.

Thanks for the correction.

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.

[Tome Keeper]

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.)

[markbot]

Originally Posted by G T Roach

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

If you go to the UK and download a bunch of out of copyright books (in the UK) from the Internet but then travel back to the US where those books are still in copyright, are you breaking US copyright law?

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.

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by markbot

If you go to the UK and download a bunch of out of copyright books (in the UK) from the Internet but then travel back to the US where those books are still in copyright, are you breaking US copyright law?

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.

IANL

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.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by markbot

If you go to the UK and download a bunch of out of copyright books (in the UK) from the Internet but then travel back to the US where those books are still in copyright, are you breaking US copyright law?

No, that's entirely legal.

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 you're referring to Mr. Orwell's book, you should note that:

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.

if not, I'd like to travel to Canada and download a couple gigs of books.

Go for it. Entirely legal to do so.

[harold1066]

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

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, that's entirely legal.

If you're referring to Mr. Orwell's book, you should note that:

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.

Go for it. Entirely legal to do so.

I wonder what George Orwell would have thought of all this.

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.