kindle web browsing

jcgam69 · 05-21-2009, 01:16 PM

I'm trying to decide if I want to buy a kindle or a sony reader. One of the features of the kindle I like is free internet access. How good is the web browsing experience on the kindle? Is it fast or slow generally? Can you read text on sites that have a lot of graphics? Or do you find yourself not using it at all? Thanks

JBNY · 05-21-2009, 01:48 PM

It's awful. Very slow, to the point I try never to use it unless I really have to. Doing a Wikipedia search takes close to 45 seconds to bring up the page.

dmaul1114 · 05-21-2009, 01:55 PM

Yeah, it's pretty useless so don't let that sway you at all.

The Wireless is great for getting content on the kindle, but the browsing is worthless.

Sporadic · 05-21-2009, 03:57 PM

It's not that great.

I can Twitter from it pretty easily or read news from mobile sites (like mobile Yahoo) but that's it.

Like dmaul1114 said, the wireless is fantastic for the Kindle store and downloading/redownloading books. Redownloading books is the coolest because if you have to clear some space, the book (if you bought it from Amazon) is always available and is only a click/40 seconds away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBNY

It's awful. Very slow, to the point I try never to use it unless I really have to. Doing a Wikipedia search takes close to 45 seconds to bring up the page.

The speed depends on where you are at. Mine is never that slow.

- edit Here's a picture of Twitter on my Kindle 1

dmaul1114 · 05-21-2009, 04:40 PM

He may have been counting the time of going through the menu, opening the browser, and opening wikipedia etc.

That does take a long time. Especially if you're in a book since you have to load the home screen, then hit menu, then experimental and then browser, then wikipedia link, wait for it to load, type your search in and have it come up.

The last part isn't that slow if you're on at 3G speed rather than 1x. But the Kindle is very slow going from screen to screen. At least the K1, maybe the K2 is a bit faster.

Slow_hand · 05-21-2009, 05:24 PM

It's ok with mobile designed sites. I frequently check the New York Times, Ars Technica, etc. For sites with more than text it's more trouble than it's worth.

emellaich · 05-22-2009, 01:06 PM

If you think the Kindle is an ebook reader, then you will be amazed that you can also access the web when you really need it.

If you think the Kindle is a web browser, you will be really, really disappointed.

demoric · 05-22-2009, 01:29 PM

I use it to check out my ebay sales, and it works well... a little slow but well enough.
I agree that if the sites are designed for mobile content then it's reasonable to use it. Other than that though it's just a poor browser, but it will do in a pinch.

krisk · 05-22-2009, 03:06 PM

as far as web browsing goes I figure that if I am off in the woods backpacking with my trusty kindle at my side and some emergency occurs it is functional enough for me to contact help. it certainly is not a chat room device.

JBNY · 05-23-2009, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sporadic

It's not that great.

The speed depends on where you are at. Mine is never that slow.

I get all bars on my wireless most times. It's still painfully slow. My blackberry Bold can pull down the same page in 3-5 seconds that my kindle takes 30-45.

kamm · 05-27-2009, 04:00 PM

If you want to read things it's prefect (provided you are my kind, not bothered by the lynx-like browser.

)

infosprt · 07-30-2010, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kamm

If you want to read things it's prefect (provided you are my kind, not bothered by the lynx-like browser.

)

I think the Webkit browser on Kindle 3 is going to change all of that. But, with a good browser sooner or later you will have to start paying for web browsing. I wonder if they will update the Kindle 2 with the Webkit browser.

matt314159 · 07-30-2010, 06:47 PM

I just wonder how much better it will be, though. I guess I really only want it for checking in on facebook, my gmail, and a couple forums...and maybe a blog or two, so I guess it should do okay for that kind of thing.

JaneD · 07-30-2010, 06:55 PM

The Webkit browser is really intriguing to me. I can't wait to hear how much better it is than the K2/DX browser, which is almost unuseable for me.

infosprt · 07-30-2010, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt314159

I just wonder how much better it will be, though. I guess I really only want it for checking in on facebook, my gmail, and a couple forums...and maybe a blog or two, so I guess it should do okay for that kind of thing.

From a pic in the Kindle 3 User's Guide the browser looks pretty good.

05-21-2009, 01:16 PM	#1
jcgam69 Member Posts: 21 Karma: 28 Join Date: May 2009 Device: DX	kindle web browsing I'm trying to decide if I want to buy a kindle or a sony reader. One of the features of the kindle I like is free internet access. How good is the web browsing experience on the kindle? Is it fast or slow generally? Can you read text on sites that have a lot of graphics? Or do you find yourself not using it at all? Thanks

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05-21-2009, 01:48 PM	#2
JBNY Member Posts: 21 Karma: 12 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindel, iPad	It's awful. Very slow, to the point I try never to use it unless I really have to. Doing a Wikipedia search takes close to 45 seconds to bring up the page.

05-21-2009, 01:55 PM	#3
dmaul1114 Wizard Posts: 2,300 Karma: 1121709 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 1	Yeah, it's pretty useless so don't let that sway you at all. The Wireless is great for getting content on the kindle, but the browsing is worthless.

05-21-2009, 04:40 PM	#5
dmaul1114 Wizard Posts: 2,300 Karma: 1121709 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 1	He may have been counting the time of going through the menu, opening the browser, and opening wikipedia etc. That does take a long time. Especially if you're in a book since you have to load the home screen, then hit menu, then experimental and then browser, then wikipedia link, wait for it to load, type your search in and have it come up. The last part isn't that slow if you're on at 3G speed rather than 1x. But the Kindle is very slow going from screen to screen. At least the K1, maybe the K2 is a bit faster.

05-21-2009, 05:24 PM	#6
Slow_hand Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 326 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore Device: Amazon Kindle 2	It's ok with mobile designed sites. I frequently check the New York Times, Ars Technica, etc. For sites with more than text it's more trouble than it's worth.

05-22-2009, 01:06 PM	#7
emellaich Wizard Posts: 1,101 Karma: 4388403 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis	If you think the Kindle is an ebook reader, then you will be amazed that you can also access the web when you really need it. If you think the Kindle is a web browser, you will be really, really disappointed.

05-22-2009, 01:29 PM	#8
demoric Kindle 2 User Posts: 98 Karma: 496 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: S.E. Kansas Device: Kindle 2	I use it to check out my ebay sales, and it works well... a little slow but well enough. I agree that if the sites are designed for mobile content then it's reasonable to use it. Other than that though it's just a poor browser, but it will do in a pinch.

05-22-2009, 03:06 PM	#9
krisk Wizard Posts: 2,148 Karma: 8229 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: on the road again Device: kindle	as far as web browsing goes I figure that if I am off in the woods backpacking with my trusty kindle at my side and some emergency occurs it is functional enough for me to contact help. it certainly is not a chat room device.

05-27-2009, 04:00 PM	#11
kamm Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 134 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Kindle: Amazon's Original Wireless Reading Device (1st generation)	If you want to read things it's prefect (provided you are my kind, not bothered by the lynx-like browser. )

07-30-2010, 06:47 PM	#13
matt314159 Groupie Posts: 198 Karma: 1000 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: High Desert, SoCal Device: KSO, NookColor (CM7.1), Samsung Mesmerize	I just wonder how much better it will be, though. I guess I really only want it for checking in on facebook, my gmail, and a couple forums...and maybe a blog or two, so I guess it should do okay for that kind of thing.

07-30-2010, 06:55 PM	#14
JaneD Addict Posts: 324 Karma: 1057749 Join Date: May 2010 Location: LA, CA Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2013	The Webkit browser is really intriguing to me. I can't wait to hear how much better it is than the K2/DX browser, which is almost unuseable for me.

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