Rethinking 3G Purchase... - Page 2

abookreader · 11-30-2010, 09:46 AM

I also have the lighted cover and not a clue what the "reboot issue" might be.

Love my lighted cover though - good choice!

TheKindleWorm · 11-30-2010, 10:28 AM

It seems from reading across many kindle forums that there is a link between a *minority* of Kindles and also the hinged covers which may be causing some rebooting issues.

I have the lighted cover and no issues - and I suspect most people who have the cover have no issues whatsoever else the reviews on Amazon would be inundated with complaints.

If you happen to have a hinged cover and a Kindle which randomly reboots after applying the latest Amazon firmware, then remove the cover and see if the problems still occur. If they do then you need to contact Amazon re a replacement Kindle.

speedlever · 11-30-2010, 07:18 PM

I'd worry more about cracking the K3 with the hinged cover. Get some of those Smak-dab clips to secure it.

smith3532 · 11-30-2010, 11:46 PM

I went back and forth about the 3G/WiFi issue, too, and decided on the 3G version after looking at the long-term cost. Assuming the Kindle has a useful life of 3 years, the $50 extra cost is $17 per year, or about $1.50 per month, or 5 cents per day. And if you resell it, you'll probably recoup most of that cost. At least, that's been true of most other personal electronic devices. Free lifetime world-wide 3G coverage goes with the device, not the user, and that's a heck of a deal anywhere, any time -- I've read that Amazon actually loses money on it (but makes it up in book sales).

So, even if the 3G feature only gets used a few times a year, it still seems worth it.

At least, that's what I tell myself.

speedlever · 12-01-2010, 06:47 AM

I was also conflicted whether or not to spend the extra $50 on 3G and decided since we have wifi most every place we tend to congregate, it wasn't worth it.

When will you need it? Mainly to d/l books, right? And who knows what the market will look like in 2 or 3 years when the K6, Nook 6, Sony PRS-xxxx is out. It may be time for an upgrade at that point and then you'll have a better idea of what you need/want.

FF2 · 12-01-2010, 10:51 AM

I will possibly be sorry I went for the wifi only when it is the end/beginning of a month and arcadata posts a slew of new free kindle books and I don't have wifi available!!!! (hmm, I will have to see how mobileread shows up on my Blackberry for such times)

Like others I went the cheaper route because I have wifi at home and at work and it is generally available and I could apply that $50 dollars to either books or the lighted cover - I went for the lighted cover on initial order.

I will admit I was somewhat jealous when my friend who just got the DXG was driving up to the snowy pass and using his 3g to get pass info and snow info outside of wifi range.

speedlever · 12-01-2010, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FF2

snip

I will admit I was somewhat jealous when my friend who just got the DXG was driving up to the snowy pass and using his 3g to get pass info and snow info outside of wifi range.

My K3 is enroute... but can you do that on a Kindle? I'm just buying it to read. I think.

OakIris · 12-01-2010, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedlever

I'd worry more about cracking the K3 with the hinged cover. Get some of those Smak-dab clips to secure it.

I believe this was a problem with the 2nd generation Kindle cover, not with the K3 cover - the K3 cover was supposedly redesigned to eliminate the problem. Still, every thing that will add to the security of the Kindle is a good thing!

I went with the WiFi version because the price was better for me - of course I then proceeded to buy an Oberon cover, with cost more than the $50 saved by buying the WiFi version.

I don't travel - not by choice but because I don't have the $$ or the time to do so - so didn't feel the need for 3G capabilities. Besides, I don't use my Kindle for surfing the Web, don't have any magazine or newspaper subscriptions for it that I might need to get "on the fly" when not at home. I have excellent WiFi service at home for downloading books from Amazon, which is all I use the WiFi for. I am never far from a computer if I need to do some non-book searching/surfing on the Web.

Now, that said, if I traveled, or if I had the money for it, a Kindle WiFi + 3G would be a no-brainer. It enhances the capabilities of the Kindle, and I bet if my Kindle had 3G I would use it at work or while I was out and about, as I don't have an iPhone or a smart phone of any sort. I think you made the right choice, JerryinOCMD.

Holly

HarryT · 12-01-2010, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curstpriest

its 50$ for free internet forever, that is nothing imo.

It's certainly not "free internet forever". All that Amazon guarantee will continue to remain "free" is the use of the Kindle to buy books from their online store. Any other use of the browser is "experimental" and absolutely not guaranteed to remain free.

FF2 · 12-01-2010, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedlever

My K3 is enroute... but can you do that on a Kindle? I'm just buying it to read. I think.

Yes, you can browse the web - I can do it using wifi. The 3g can do it from wherever you get the cell service. The Browser is not full-featured and is somewhat slow.

FF2 · 12-01-2010, 12:41 PM

To answer my own question posed about getting the free books via Blackberry. Interesting. I could log onto Mobileread. I could click on a link to the free book and get to the Amazon site and could log on and the book was Free BUT:

Amazon "you cannot purchase this item from Mobile Amazon - place on wishlist and purchase from computer later" was the message. Well, the wishlish does not hold prices from what I've seen in other purchases so the free book might not be free when I get to a computer later. I wonder why they limit it.

speedlever · 12-01-2010, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OakIris

I believe this was a problem with the 2nd generation Kindle cover, not with the K3 cover - the K3 cover was supposedly redesigned to eliminate the problem. Still, every thing that will add to the security of the Kindle is a good thing!

snip

I've heard that too but have not been able to confirm it. I did read that someone managed to break their new K3 (or the poster said her husband did) by trying to open it from the back. I think that poster moved to a different style case after that.

So I figure better safe than sorry!

r--t*nix · 12-01-2010, 01:17 PM

i personally love the 3g on the kindle 3. i am always traveling between school and home and just going around town. i hate having to search for a hot spot to plugin to just to check my mail or search something on the web or read the current news (which i am addicted to).

i also use my kindle in church to look up the passages and search for historical context from different perspectives. and http://m.blb.org/ is great help for this.

i would never go back from the 3g decision i love it. i probably end up using the web browser more than actually using it to read my textbooks which is why i got it. though still wish that they allowed me to listen to an audio book and surf the web (which i emailed amazon suggesting hoping they add the functionality for that).

speedlever · 12-01-2010, 08:09 PM

That's an interesting perspective. I still have one that hasn't shipped. Am tempted to see if I can change the order... that 3G may be more worthy than I thought.

Edit: too late.. it's already in the queue for shipping and can't be changed.

Oh well. No biggee.

We'll see what the K5 or K6 brings to the table in a few years.

Bic · 12-01-2010, 08:41 PM

I find WiFi faster, and I can always use my smart phone when I need 3G with my Kindle for Android app.

12-01-2010, 08:09 PM	#29
speedlever Fanatic Posts: 592 Karma: 138200 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: NC, USA Device: PW2014, PW2012, iPad Pro	That's an interesting perspective. I still have one that hasn't shipped. Am tempted to see if I can change the order... that 3G may be more worthy than I thought. Edit: too late.. it's already in the queue for shipping and can't be changed. Oh well. No biggee. We'll see what the K5 or K6 brings to the table in a few years. Last edited by speedlever; 12-01-2010 at 08:44 PM.

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11-30-2010, 09:46 AM	#16
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	I also have the lighted cover and not a clue what the "reboot issue" might be. Love my lighted cover though - good choice!

11-30-2010, 10:28 AM	#17
TheKindleWorm Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 177868 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: East Anglia UK Device: Kindle 3G, iPhone 3G, iPod 4G, PB 360, Sony 600 sold, Kindle 2i sold	It seems from reading across many kindle forums that there is a link between a minority of Kindles and also the hinged covers which may be causing some rebooting issues. I have the lighted cover and no issues - and I suspect most people who have the cover have no issues whatsoever else the reviews on Amazon would be inundated with complaints. If you happen to have a hinged cover and a Kindle which randomly reboots after applying the latest Amazon firmware, then remove the cover and see if the problems still occur. If they do then you need to contact Amazon re a replacement Kindle.

11-30-2010, 07:18 PM	#18
speedlever Fanatic Posts: 592 Karma: 138200 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: NC, USA Device: PW2014, PW2012, iPad Pro	I'd worry more about cracking the K3 with the hinged cover. Get some of those Smak-dab clips to secure it.

11-30-2010, 11:46 PM	#19
smith3532 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: kindle	I went back and forth about the 3G/WiFi issue, too, and decided on the 3G version after looking at the long-term cost. Assuming the Kindle has a useful life of 3 years, the $50 extra cost is $17 per year, or about $1.50 per month, or 5 cents per day. And if you resell it, you'll probably recoup most of that cost. At least, that's been true of most other personal electronic devices. Free lifetime world-wide 3G coverage goes with the device, not the user, and that's a heck of a deal anywhere, any time -- I've read that Amazon actually loses money on it (but makes it up in book sales). So, even if the 3G feature only gets used a few times a year, it still seems worth it. At least, that's what I tell myself.

12-01-2010, 06:47 AM	#20
speedlever Fanatic Posts: 592 Karma: 138200 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: NC, USA Device: PW2014, PW2012, iPad Pro	I was also conflicted whether or not to spend the extra $50 on 3G and decided since we have wifi most every place we tend to congregate, it wasn't worth it. When will you need it? Mainly to d/l books, right? And who knows what the market will look like in 2 or 3 years when the K6, Nook 6, Sony PRS-xxxx is out. It may be time for an upgrade at that point and then you'll have a better idea of what you need/want.

12-01-2010, 10:51 AM	#21
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	I will possibly be sorry I went for the wifi only when it is the end/beginning of a month and arcadata posts a slew of new free kindle books and I don't have wifi available!!!! (hmm, I will have to see how mobileread shows up on my Blackberry for such times) Like others I went the cheaper route because I have wifi at home and at work and it is generally available and I could apply that $50 dollars to either books or the lighted cover - I went for the lighted cover on initial order. I will admit I was somewhat jealous when my friend who just got the DXG was driving up to the snowy pass and using his 3g to get pass info and snow info outside of wifi range.

12-01-2010, 12:41 PM	#26
FF2 Wizard Posts: 1,105 Karma: 1025784 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: WiFi Kindle3	To answer my own question posed about getting the free books via Blackberry. Interesting. I could log onto Mobileread. I could click on a link to the free book and get to the Amazon site and could log on and the book was Free BUT: Amazon "you cannot purchase this item from Mobile Amazon - place on wishlist and purchase from computer later" was the message. Well, the wishlish does not hold prices from what I've seen in other purchases so the free book might not be free when I get to a computer later. I wonder why they limit it.

12-01-2010, 01:17 PM	#28
r--t*nix Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 112 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: kindle 3	i personally love the 3g on the kindle 3. i am always traveling between school and home and just going around town. i hate having to search for a hot spot to plugin to just to check my mail or search something on the web or read the current news (which i am addicted to). i also use my kindle in church to look up the passages and search for historical context from different perspectives. and http://m.blb.org/ is great help for this. i would never go back from the 3g decision i love it. i probably end up using the web browser more than actually using it to read my textbooks which is why i got it. though still wish that they allowed me to listen to an audio book and surf the web (which i emailed amazon suggesting hoping they add the functionality for that).

12-01-2010, 08:41 PM	#30
Bic Connoisseur Posts: 71 Karma: 2340 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kindle or Sony	I find WiFi faster, and I can always use my smart phone when I need 3G with my Kindle for Android app.

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