I want a UK Kindle

Kumabjorn · 08-02-2012, 11:09 AM

My Kindle and Kindle apps are registered at the US Amazon today. Some books I would like ar not available from the US Amazon store, so I thought I'd buy a Kindle from the UK store, but no dice. They are only distributed in the UK.

Does anyone know if it is possible to download a UK Kindle app and that way get access to UK Kindle books? I've heard horror stories about people that have more than one Amazon account and having their accounts deleted. I'm not willing to take that risk.

geoffwood · 08-02-2012, 12:12 PM

You can switch your Amazon account to the UK, but then you can't get US books. I opened a UK Kobo account and buy my UK books through that, then remove the DRM and convert to MOBI,

Mike L · 08-02-2012, 12:44 PM

The Kindle for PC app is tied to the country from which you downloaded it, and you can only register it your account in that country. So, if you download it from Amazon.co.uk, you must register it to an account with Amazon.co..uk, and ditto with Amazon.com.

By the way, this is not at all obvious from the program itself. There's nothing in the user interface that tells you which country the app belongs to (as far as I know).

Now, once you have registered with a given country, you can purchase books from that country's Kindle store. But - not if there are territorial restrictions on the book in question. If the book isn't available for your country, you can't purchase it, regardless of whether you're using the app or a physical device.

For any given book, you can discover if there are restrictions by going to the book's page on the Amazon website (after logging into your account). If you see a note saying that pricing information is not available, then the book cannot be bought by purchasers in your country.

Buying a physical Kindle from the UK wouldn't help, even if you could. Unlike with the Kindle for PC software, the Kindle is not tied to any particular country. You could buy one in the US, and still register it to the Kindle UK store. But you'd still be up against the same geographic restrictions.

If the territorial restrictions don't apply to the book you want to buy, you could purchase it through the PC program, as per the above. But, remember, each copy is branded for a particular device, so you wouldn't be able to simply copy it to the physical Kindle (at least, now without making certain changes to it, which I understand we're not supposed to talk about here).

Please note that I am not an expert in this area. The above is based entirely on my personal experience as a "dual nationality" (UK and USA) Kindle user.

Mike

eskimo49 · 08-02-2012, 01:53 PM

You could try checking if it is available in some of the other online stores, like Lulu or Smashwords. Many of their e-books are available in multi formats including one that can be read on the Kindle (Mobi).

You normally have to transfer these files direct from you pc into your Kindle as you are not buying it from Amazon, so won't transfer via WiFi.

WhichP · 08-04-2012, 07:33 AM

It is very frustrating not being able to have access to the books you want. Some amazon pages allow you to email the publisher/author and request that they make the book avaliable in your region. I would suggest doing that but you may have to wait a long, long time for them to come through.

Robmonster · 08-07-2012, 06:46 AM

I do this in reverse all the time, i.e. use my UK kindle to buy books only available at the US site.

It's simple, and is unofficially sanctioned by the Kindle support people as they advised me to do it in the first place!

You first need to add a UK based address to your main Amazon account, just add it as an alternate address. Any address will do, nothing will get physically sent there.

Once done go to your Manage My Kindle page, one of the options on the left hand menu says something like Update Country. Select the new address you just added. You will be asked to confirm the switch. Once done you can browse the UK site and by whichever books you need. Once bought turn on your Kindle to download the books.

Once downloaded you can update your country back to the US again and go back to normal. The book will stay on your device. If you ever need to redownload it I think you need to swap back to the UK again.

As I said, I do this in order to purchase Kindle Active books, which for some reason are not available outside of the US.

R

Kumabjorn · 08-07-2012, 06:52 AM

That was surprisingly easy, but I was (originally) thinking of a physical Kindle device, but discovered that the UK Amazon store doesn't ship those outside the UK.

Robmonster · 08-07-2012, 06:54 AM

Glad it helped. I don't believe there is any physical difference between a Kindle sold from Amazon UK and one sold from Amazon US.

Kumabjorn · 08-07-2012, 07:12 AM

Except that it will be registered with the UK store.

Robmonster · 08-07-2012, 07:15 AM

...which you can change by the above mentioned process.

Mike L · 08-07-2012, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robmonster

I don't believe there is any physical difference between a Kindle sold from Amazon UK and one sold from Amazon US.

That is correct. You can register a Kindle bought in one country in the Kindle store of another country. There is no difference in the actual device. The Kindle store doesn't know or care where you bought it.

Mike

08-02-2012, 11:09 AM	#1
Kumabjorn Basculocolpic Posts: 4,356 Karma: 20181319 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Kindle 4SO, Kindle for Android, Sony PRS-350 and PRS-T1	I want a UK Kindle My Kindle and Kindle apps are registered at the US Amazon today. Some books I would like ar not available from the US Amazon store, so I thought I'd buy a Kindle from the UK store, but no dice. They are only distributed in the UK. Does anyone know if it is possible to download a UK Kindle app and that way get access to UK Kindle books? I've heard horror stories about people that have more than one Amazon account and having their accounts deleted. I'm not willing to take that risk.

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08-02-2012, 12:12 PM	#2
geoffwood Addict Posts: 244 Karma: 1105690 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: K4NT+K4T+PRST1	You can switch your Amazon account to the UK, but then you can't get US books. I opened a UK Kobo account and buy my UK books through that, then remove the DRM and convert to MOBI,

08-02-2012, 12:44 PM	#3
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	The Kindle for PC app is tied to the country from which you downloaded it, and you can only register it your account in that country. So, if you download it from Amazon.co.uk, you must register it to an account with Amazon.co..uk, and ditto with Amazon.com. By the way, this is not at all obvious from the program itself. There's nothing in the user interface that tells you which country the app belongs to (as far as I know). Now, once you have registered with a given country, you can purchase books from that country's Kindle store. But - not if there are territorial restrictions on the book in question. If the book isn't available for your country, you can't purchase it, regardless of whether you're using the app or a physical device. For any given book, you can discover if there are restrictions by going to the book's page on the Amazon website (after logging into your account). If you see a note saying that pricing information is not available, then the book cannot be bought by purchasers in your country. Buying a physical Kindle from the UK wouldn't help, even if you could. Unlike with the Kindle for PC software, the Kindle is not tied to any particular country. You could buy one in the US, and still register it to the Kindle UK store. But you'd still be up against the same geographic restrictions. If the territorial restrictions don't apply to the book you want to buy, you could purchase it through the PC program, as per the above. But, remember, each copy is branded for a particular device, so you wouldn't be able to simply copy it to the physical Kindle (at least, now without making certain changes to it, which I understand we're not supposed to talk about here). Please note that I am not an expert in this area. The above is based entirely on my personal experience as a "dual nationality" (UK and USA) Kindle user. Mike

08-02-2012, 01:53 PM	#4
eskimo49 Addict Posts: 263 Karma: 1492476 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Scotland Device: Kindle	You could try checking if it is available in some of the other online stores, like Lulu or Smashwords. Many of their e-books are available in multi formats including one that can be read on the Kindle (Mobi). You normally have to transfer these files direct from you pc into your Kindle as you are not buying it from Amazon, so won't transfer via WiFi.

08-04-2012, 07:33 AM	#5
WhichP Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 441390 Join Date: Aug 2012 Device: Kindle	It is very frustrating not being able to have access to the books you want. Some amazon pages allow you to email the publisher/author and request that they make the book avaliable in your region. I would suggest doing that but you may have to wait a long, long time for them to come through.

08-07-2012, 06:46 AM	#6
Robmonster Wizard! Posts: 250 Karma: 548228 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Paperwhite, Voyage + Oasis2	I do this in reverse all the time, i.e. use my UK kindle to buy books only available at the US site. It's simple, and is unofficially sanctioned by the Kindle support people as they advised me to do it in the first place! You first need to add a UK based address to your main Amazon account, just add it as an alternate address. Any address will do, nothing will get physically sent there. Once done go to your Manage My Kindle page, one of the options on the left hand menu says something like Update Country. Select the new address you just added. You will be asked to confirm the switch. Once done you can browse the UK site and by whichever books you need. Once bought turn on your Kindle to download the books. Once downloaded you can update your country back to the US again and go back to normal. The book will stay on your device. If you ever need to redownload it I think you need to swap back to the UK again. As I said, I do this in order to purchase Kindle Active books, which for some reason are not available outside of the US. R

08-07-2012, 06:52 AM	#7
Kumabjorn Basculocolpic Posts: 4,356 Karma: 20181319 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Kindle 4SO, Kindle for Android, Sony PRS-350 and PRS-T1	That was surprisingly easy, but I was (originally) thinking of a physical Kindle device, but discovered that the UK Amazon store doesn't ship those outside the UK.

08-07-2012, 06:54 AM	#8
Robmonster Wizard! Posts: 250 Karma: 548228 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Paperwhite, Voyage + Oasis2	Glad it helped. I don't believe there is any physical difference between a Kindle sold from Amazon UK and one sold from Amazon US.

08-07-2012, 07:12 AM	#9
Kumabjorn Basculocolpic Posts: 4,356 Karma: 20181319 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Kindle 4SO, Kindle for Android, Sony PRS-350 and PRS-T1	Except that it will be registered with the UK store.

08-07-2012, 07:15 AM	#10
Robmonster Wizard! Posts: 250 Karma: 548228 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Paperwhite, Voyage + Oasis2	...which you can change by the above mentioned process.

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