Amazon Whispernet - What is it?

Nate the great · 10-05-2007, 06:10 PM

All we know at present is that somehow this is what is used to download content to the Kindle.

I have found evidence in the Google Cache that we might be able to get a Kindle subscription to the Washington Post or the NYTimes. I think we already knew that.

If anyone finds anything more, please post it!

Nate the great · 10-05-2007, 06:26 PM

BTW, credit for this find goes to member leandroide.

NatCh · 10-05-2007, 06:28 PM

Dunno, but when I do a search for "Amazon Whispernet" on google, I'm getting a hit on www.samazon.co.uk on the URL

When I follow the hits there's no mention of whispernet on the linked pages, but they're definitely on the www.samazon.co.uk server. Wonder if that mean's anything to anyone?

Here's the full URL http://www.samazon.co.uk/tag/tag2

Nate the great · 10-05-2007, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Dunno, but when I do a search for "Amazon Whispernet" on google, I'm getting a hit on www.samazon.co.uk on the URL

When I follow the hits there's no mention of whispernet on the linked pages, but they're definitely on the www.samazon.co.uk server. Wonder if that mean's anything to anyone?

Here's the full URL http://www.samazon.co.uk/tag/tag2

Go back to that page. Hover your cursor over the WashPost thumbnail. Look at what it says.

Then do a little dance for joy, because it was posted on amazon.co.uk !!!!!!!!!!!

NatCh · 10-05-2007, 07:35 PM

Ah, yes, so I see! And yeah, that's what I thought the .co.uk implied.

BKeeper · 10-05-2007, 08:19 PM

I'd like to think this means EU distribution. But since it's just washPost
that's easy. I mean it's not like a book or something..

At least we know the hardware will be available in Europe.

(I know some would like to discus if that qualifies as Europe at all...)

Anyway, the kindle just got very very interesting.

(but ohh they could still screw with the design)

Thanks guys, great catch!

NatCh · 10-06-2007, 03:33 PM

I'd say that the fact that any of it is available in Europe strongly suggests that at least a good percentage of material will be. Otherwise, what would be the point in deploying the hardware at all? Add to that the fact that Mobipocket (a French subsidiary of Amazon) is the likely source of Kindle's base offerings, and it makes me think Europe isn't going to get left out of this one. That's going to be a tough shot for Sony, there, but they've had a year to pull their finger out on this one, so it shouldn't exactly be a shock to them.

This also implies that the wireless isn't EVDO, doesn't it? I was thinking that EVDO wasn't implemented in the EU. That seems to corroborate the WiFi rumor we heard earlier.

Nate the great · 10-06-2007, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I'd say that the fact that any of it is available in Europe strongly suggests that at least a good percentage of material will be. Otherwise, what would be the point in deploying the hardware at all? Add to that the fact that Mobipocket (a French subsidiary of Amazon) is the likely source of Kindle's base offerings, and it makes me think Europe isn't going to get left out of this one. That's going to be a tough shot for Sony, there, but they've had a year to pull their finger out on this one, so it shouldn't exactly be a shock to them.

This also implies that the wireless isn't EVDO, doesn't it? I was thinking that EVDO wasn't implemented in the EU. That seems to corroborate the WiFi rumor we heard earlier.

Fact: The ebooks are described as "Kindle Edition".
My conclusion: They might not be Mobipocket. If they are, they will likely not work on any device other than the one Kindle you own.

Fact: The ebooks are "automatically delivered by Amazon Whispernet".
My conclusion: The Kindle is more likely to have EVDO than Wifi.

Fact: There are no Google Cached pages on Amazon.co.uk that show "kindle edition".(There was one, but it was not a listing; it was a collection page of stuff some trainee or tester grabbed at random.)
My conclusion: It might not be available in the UK.

These are just my WAGs. I make no guarantee about the accuracy of the WAGs.

NatCh · 10-06-2007, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Fact: The ebooks are described as "Kindle Edition".
My conclusion: They might not be Mobipocket. If they are, they will likely not work on any device other than the one Kindle you own.

I acknowledge that possibility, but I really don't think they'd bring out another format ... why bother buying Mobi in the first place if they're gonna do that?

NatCh · 10-06-2007, 04:17 PM

In any case, the fact that they do own mobi means they also own distribution rights in Europe -- what possible reason could they have for ignoring a market that they have rights to?

Hadrien · 10-06-2007, 05:39 PM

Quote:

They also say Amazon will pack some free offerings onto the device, like reference books, and offer customers a choice of subscriptions to feeds from major newspapers like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the French newspaper Le Monde.

This quote is from the NY Times article. Why would they offer a subscription for Le Monde, if the device is not available in France (and Europe in general) ?

Nate the great · 10-06-2007, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadrien

This quote is from the NY Times article. Why would they offer a subscription for Le Monde, if the device is not available in France (and Europe in general) ?

I think they mean Les Echoes, which has said that it will be available on the Kindle. But you are right, I goofed.

CommanderROR · 10-06-2007, 06:56 PM

I was sprt of counting on it not being available in the EU...if they DO offer it here I'll be in real trouble because I know I'll want it and I also know I can't really afford it anytime soon...maybe I should start asking for donations or see whether I have some stuff around that I can sell...

I think it would be a great business move for Amazon to offer the Kindle and all ebooks worldwide. Amazon.de has not shown any signs of that, but since it's e-content it might be that EU customers will then just have to go to amazon.com to order ebooks for the Kindle...which would be cool for some europeans since the $ to € rate is very favourable...

Nate the great · 10-07-2007, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Fact: The ebooks are described as "Kindle Edition".
My conclusion: They might not be Mobipocket. If they are, they will likely not work on any device other than the one Kindle you own.

I think the "kindle edition" is the AZW file format. I got this from the manual.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Nate the great · 10-08-2007, 07:28 AM

Some now say "available for pre-order" !

10-05-2007, 06:10 PM	#1
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	Amazon Whispernet - What is it? All we know at present is that somehow this is what is used to download content to the Kindle. I have found evidence in the Google Cache that we might be able to get a Kindle subscription to the Washington Post or the NYTimes. I think we already knew that. If anyone finds anything more, please post it! Last edited by Nate the great; 10-05-2007 at 06:14 PM.

10-08-2007, 07:28 AM	#15
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	More Kindle edition hints show up in the Google Cache Some now say "available for pre-order" !

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10-05-2007, 06:26 PM	#2
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	BTW, credit for this find goes to member leandroide.

10-05-2007, 06:28 PM	#3
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Dunno, but when I do a search for "Amazon Whispernet" on google, I'm getting a hit on www.samazon.co.uk on the URL When I follow the hits there's no mention of whispernet on the linked pages, but they're definitely on the www.samazon.co.uk server. Wonder if that mean's anything to anyone? Here's the full URL http://www.samazon.co.uk/tag/tag2

10-05-2007, 07:35 PM	#5
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Ah, yes, so I see! And yeah, that's what I thought the .co.uk implied.

10-05-2007, 08:19 PM	#6
BKeeper Groupie Posts: 186 Karma: 728 Join Date: Jul 2006 Device: Kindle PW	I'd like to think this means EU distribution. But since it's just washPost that's easy. I mean it's not like a book or something.. At least we know the hardware will be available in Europe. (I know some would like to discus if that qualifies as Europe at all...) Anyway, the kindle just got very very interesting. (but ohh they could still screw with the design) Thanks guys, great catch!

10-06-2007, 03:33 PM	#7
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I'd say that the fact that any of it is available in Europe strongly suggests that at least a good percentage of material will be. Otherwise, what would be the point in deploying the hardware at all? Add to that the fact that Mobipocket (a French subsidiary of Amazon) is the likely source of Kindle's base offerings, and it makes me think Europe isn't going to get left out of this one. That's going to be a tough shot for Sony, there, but they've had a year to pull their finger out on this one, so it shouldn't exactly be a shock to them. This also implies that the wireless isn't EVDO, doesn't it? I was thinking that EVDO wasn't implemented in the EU. That seems to corroborate the WiFi rumor we heard earlier.

10-06-2007, 04:17 PM	#10
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	In any case, the fact that they do own mobi means they also own distribution rights in Europe -- what possible reason could they have for ignoring a market that they have rights to?

10-06-2007, 06:56 PM	#13
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	I was sprt of counting on it not being available in the EU...if they DO offer it here I'll be in real trouble because I know I'll want it and I also know I can't really afford it anytime soon...maybe I should start asking for donations or see whether I have some stuff around that I can sell... I think it would be a great business move for Amazon to offer the Kindle and all ebooks worldwide. Amazon.de has not shown any signs of that, but since it's e-content it might be that EU customers will then just have to go to amazon.com to order ebooks for the Kindle...which would be cool for some europeans since the $ to € rate is very favourable...