@kindle.com vs @free.kindle.com

[kindle79]

Originally Posted by matt314159

*edit*...thanks tom, that saves me the trouble. I was typing this around the same time you were making your post. See, I'm one of those guys who doesn't like to read the manual.

Seems I am as well thanks for the post, learned valuable info here!

[matt314159]

Originally Posted by superstitious

So I am confused. If you have the K3 wifi version, it seems it doesn't matter where I send my documents because Amazon won't charge if you are using wifi and not 3g, correct? Also, what's the difference between kindle.com and free.kindle.com?

First part is 100% correct, the kindle wifi doesn't have a 3g chipset so it doesn't ever download via the cell towers. Either email address will work fine.

If you have a Wifi+3G, and you send it to the @free.kindle.com, it will only download once you're in range of Wifi. If you're out and about, you won't get the delivery.

If you have the WIfi+3G and you send it to the @kindle.com addy, it will download via Wifi if you're in range, for free, or via the cellular connection if you're away from wifi, in which case it charges you.

There's more confusion now than there was with the k2.
Before, the @free.kindle.com just converted the file and emailed it to you to transfer to your kindle via USB cable. the @kindle.com used the cellular connection and charged you.

With the advent of the wifi versions, they've adjusted things since the data has been offloaded from the cell towers, and since it costs amazon virtually nothing to send something to your kindle via wifi, they pass the savings on to you. If you want to be sure the delivery is free, you can send it via @free.amazon.com, or you can go in and set your document spending limit to $0.00, which will roll documents sent to the @amazon.com over to the @free automatically if it can't deliver via wifi.

[/confusion]
[Begin Uber-Confusion]

[jgumphress]

You know, if you download the free MobiPocket reader to your PC you can convert your docs and anything else youself without having to send them to Amazon. I use it for free ebooks off of the internet and my Microsoft docs. It works realy great and fast. Then just drop your new books into Kindle through USB.

[chilady1]

At first, I had set up my account to go to email@kindle.com and set my limit on Manage your Kindle to $0.00. Everytime I sent something via Calibre, I kept getting messages from Amazon saying I had exceeded my spending limit and they sent the document through my email@free.kindle.com account. Went back into Calibre and changed the email address to email@free.kindle.com - no more emails.

[emalvick]

I was just going to say exactly what Chilady1 said. I had set Calibre to send to my @Kindle.com email, but I was getting notices each time I sent something that I had gone over my limit (which was $0.00).

This was coming up even though my Kindle was on a Wi-fi connection. Now I did receive the document through the Wi-fi, but the message I received suggests that I would have been charged if I had a higher limit. For now, I set Calibre to go to the @free.kindle.com just to eliminate that notice about going over the limit, but I think I'll test things this evening by not using the free address and setting a higher limit just to see whether I get charged even though I am using Wi-fi.

[superstitious]

Originally Posted by matt314159

First part is 100% correct, the kindle wifi doesn't have a 3g chipset so it doesn't ever download via the cell towers. Either email address will work fine.

If you have a Wifi+3G, and you send it to the @free.kindle.com, it will only download once you're in range of Wifi. If you're out and about, you won't get the delivery.

If you have the WIfi+3G and you send it to the @kindle.com addy, it will download via Wifi if you're in range, for free, or via the cellular connection if you're away from wifi, in which case it charges you.

There's more confusion now than there was with the k2.
Before, the @free.kindle.com just converted the file and emailed it to you to transfer to your kindle via USB cable. the @kindle.com used the cellular connection and charged you.

With the advent of the wifi versions, they've adjusted things since the data has been offloaded from the cell towers, and since it costs amazon virtually nothing to send something to your kindle via wifi, they pass the savings on to you. If you want to be sure the delivery is free, you can send it via @free.amazon.com, or you can go in and set your document spending limit to $0.00, which will roll documents sent to the @amazon.com over to the @free automatically if it can't deliver via wifi.

[/confusion]
[Begin Uber-Confusion]

Thanks for the clarification Matt. So in my case it doesn't matter. I am not going to be doing that often anyway. I'd just like to try the "convert" option on some of the pdf files that I have on my computer.

[volwrath]

Ive been using the @kindle.com method on my wifi only K3because I dont want any document emailed back to me.

[chilady1]

Originally Posted by volwrath

Ive been using the @kindle.com method on my wifi only K3because I dont want any document emailed back to me.

How do you ensure you are totally on the WiFi option, all I know is when I turn on the wireless, WiFi pops up automatically when I am home.

[Sischa]

Originally Posted by chilady1

How do you ensure you are totally on the WiFi option, all I know is when I turn on the wireless, WiFi pops up automatically when I am home.

I think he has the WiFi only K3?

For a WiFi + 3G Kindle it would be the safest thing to do to mail the document to the @free.kindle.com mail addy.

Cause if you are on WiFi it goes there for free if you are on 3G it won't be delivered and not charged.

[matt314159]

Originally Posted by chilady1

How do you ensure you are totally on the WiFi option, all I know is when I turn on the wireless, WiFi pops up automatically when I am home.

if you're home within range, and your icon is showing wifi, then you're 100% on the wifi and not the 3g.

some things you can do to ensure you're never charged are set your spending limit to zero or just always use the @free.kindle.com address.

[chilady1]

Originally Posted by matt314159

if you're home within range, and your icon is showing wifi, then you're 100% on the wifi and not the 3g.

some things you can do to ensure you're never charged are set your spending limit to zero or just always use the @free.kindle.com address.

So that is working correctly, I do see my wifi icon on - not the 3G, but even this morning, I had a newsfeed download from Calibre and I still got a message from Amazon about items waiting for me, it went on to say these items can be sent over wifi free of charge. I was home and the wifi was on, I would love to have those messages stop.

[matt314159]

yeah, seems like every time I send a doc to myself, I get the same message, downloaded like, *at the same time* as my converted document is downloaded. seems utterly redundant to me.

Honestly, I'm in love with the kindle hardware, but the software feels like it's still in beta mode.

[dfl]

Group,

Thanks for the interesting discussion.

However, I am a bit confused as to the process by which a PDF that I send as an attachment to my free.kindle.com account actually ends up being transmitted to my Kindle via my in-home wifi access point.

In other words, how is Amazon able to remotely access my in-home wifi and transmit a document to my Kindle?

Thanks,

David

[Tiersten]

Originally Posted by dfl

In other words, how is Amazon able to remotely access my in-home wifi and transmit a document to my Kindle?

The Kindle periodically connects to Amazon to check for new items. This includes firmware updates, store purchases and items you've sent for conversion.

[matt314159]

I think it's got to be something akin to the way my push email works on my cell phone through wifi or 3g...they establish a line of communication between each other and the server lets the device know when it has something new to download.