Will some patient person explain a few things to me?

Lynn in Ohio · 12-04-2010, 05:41 PM

I feel dumb asking this. I am not a wireless user. I work from home and really don't even need a notebook computer let alone wireless connectivity. I downloaded Kindle PC as a test and really like it. So now I'm thinking about a Kindle. Why do you want a Kindle if you don't want connectivity? someone asks. Because I'd like to read books all over the house, but I don't need to dow load them there.

So, I don't have wireless at home and I would seldom be anywhere I did. My thought was simply that I would download to my PC and transfer from there. So my questions are:

1. Can I transfer any book I buy for Kindle PC to my Kindle by usb?

2. I assume I can keep it on the PC as well?

3. The only real use I can think of for the wireless is the auto synch. But how much of an additional investment would I be talking about to get the wireless connection?

4. Is there anything I should be asking but haven't?

Thanks much in advance!

kevinp · 12-04-2010, 05:52 PM

When you installed the Kindle4PC program, it had you sign up for an Amazon account. You wouldn't be able to download books to your PC without doing that.

If you bought a Kindle, you would register it to that same Amazon account. You can choose to download books to your PC or your Kindle. You can download to your PC and then copy them onto your Kindle through the USB cable.

There is no extra cost involved with using the wireless on the Kindle. You obviously need access to a wireless network either at home or the coffee shop where you might want to do a little reading.

I mainly use the wireless to synchronize which page I'm on. At work, riding in the back of a truck in the middle of the night, I read my books on my Android phone. When I get back to the station, I can turn on my Kindle and be at the same page as my phone. (Works with the PC program too).

As you can see by the number of viewers of this forum, Kindle is the most popular ereader out there. I'm very happy with mine, as are most people here. I think you'll like yours too if you decide to get one. Hope I answered your questions.

wallcraft · 12-04-2010, 06:06 PM

Almost all Kindle books are licenced for use on up to 6 devices and apps. So you can buy once and use on both K4PC and K3.

If you don't have WiFi at home, then on a WiFI-only K3 you would download the file to your laptop and then transfer it over to your Kindle via USB. Note that the K4PC ebook file won't work on a K3, because each DRMed Kindle ebook file is locked to exactly one device, so you would download another copy of the same ebook for your K3.

If you do have WiFi at home (connected to the internet, e.g. via cable modem or DSL), then you can download to a K3 directly if you want (or use USB). You will then be able to sync reading between K4PC and K3 via WiFi (both talk to Amazon's servers to do the syncing).

Buying a 3G K3 would allow sync and download at home even if you don't have WiFi. If you have high speed internet at home, I think buying a WiFi router would be a better purchase than 3G on the Kindle. The router would only work in your home, but can be used for more than just the Kindle.

Lynn in Ohio · 12-04-2010, 06:21 PM

Thanks kevinp! Wallcraft, a few more Qs:

Obviously I know nothing about wireless other than it's out there and other people use it. I do have a high speed connection and by provider has a wireless package, but I never saw a need for it. The wireless router would not require any costs other than buying it? Might be worth it just for the synch.

But in the absence of that, you mean I can download a book to my PC I have already bought and downloaded (at no extra cost) but have this one registered to the K3? So then I can transfer THAT one and it will work? How far from the house would the wireless router work? A studio 50-100 feet away for example?

jj2me · 12-04-2010, 06:49 PM

When you buy a book from Amazon now, it delivers it to your Kindle for PC by default, since you don't have a Kindle. Once you get a Kindle, they'll change that setting to deliver the book directly to your Kindle, presuming (perhaps incorrectly in your case of not having wireless) that you'll be in wireless range (or 3G if you were to buy that) at some time and will turn on wireless on your Kindle. If you're not going wireless (nor 3G), you can change that setting back to deliver books to your Kindle for PC app by default, and sideload via USB.

Another solution, other than buying and setting up a home wireless router, is to buy the 3G Kindle for $50 more. That way, the books appear on your Kindle whenever you turn on wireless (the Kindle calls it "turn on wireless," and tries wi-fi first, and it it can't find your home wireless connection, it'll deliver the book instead via AT&T's 3G cell network). Of course, an extra advantage to 3G is that it's available most places, whereas wireless is mostly accessible in your home and some free hotspots. Also, there's no setup whatsoever as to choosing which wireless network to use: hotspot or home.

Wireless or 3G allow you to buy books directly from your Kindle--no need to always use the computer.

If you have the book delivered to your Kindle, it's not delivered to your PC app, and vice versa. On the devices/apps you have that don't get the delivery automatically, it's always available by fetching from the archived list. In other words, Amazon wants to send the new book to just one place, but gives you the option to manually fetch to other places.

Lynn in Ohio · 12-04-2010, 06:57 PM

jj2me, Very thorough, thanks! So this 3G - there's no service I have to buy beyond the initial extra $50 purchase price? And it also works for synch? Might be worth it. I need to check and see if I have 3G service at my home which is out in the country. We don't, for example, have cable, DSL or natural gas. When we first moved here, we didn't have gravity!

wallcraft · 12-04-2010, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn in Ohio

But in the absence of that, you mean I can download a book to my PC I have already bought and downloaded (at no extra cost) but have this one registered to the K3? So then I can transfer THAT one and it will work?

Yes. If you go to your "Manage Your Kindle" page, you have to option to download each ebook to your computer and if you have multiple devices registered it will ask which one you want to target.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn in Ohio

How far from the house would the wireless router work? A studio 50-100 feet away for example?

I don't think most routers would reach a Kindle 3 in your studio (some might, depending on factors like where the router is located and what is between it and the studio), but if you added a long range USB adapator, e.g. Alfa 1000mW 1W 802.11b/g USB Wireless WiFi Network Adapter, to your laptop it probably would connect between the studio and a router in your home.

High speed internet providers often offer WiFi service (I use a AT&T router for example), but if you already have service it is typically easiest to buy a router. At one time providers tried to prevent this, but I don't think they do any more. If you get your own, you can try to get one with longer range - at a minimum get one with the ability to add a better antenna.

desertgrandma · 12-04-2010, 07:03 PM

Lynn, go here, and look at the wireless coverage map. YOu enter you zip and it tells you if there is coverage in your area.

Scroll down to the pic of the Kindle on the right, and look to your left for the link.

DiapDealer · 12-04-2010, 07:06 PM

Quote:

But in the absence of that, you mean I can download a book to my PC I have already bought and downloaded (at no extra cost) but have this one registered to the K3? So then I can transfer THAT one and it will work?

You have the gist of it.

You have options when downloading from your Amazon "Manage your Kindle" page:
Deliver to Kindle
Deliver to Kindle 4 (PC/Mac/Blackberry/Android...etc)
OR
Transfer via Computer

Only files downloaded using the "Transfer via Computer" option can be sideloaded via usb to your Kindle. You can re-download any previous purchases you have made at any time using this method.

Quote:

We don't, for example, have cable, DSL or natural gas. When we first moved here, we didn't have gravity!

Hey now... go easy on Ohio.

jj2me · 12-04-2010, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Buying a 3G K3 would allow sync and download at home even if you don't have WiFi. If you have high speed internet at home, I think buying a WiFi router would be a better purchase than 3G on the Kindle. The router would only work in your home, but can be used for more than just the Kindle.

Just a small point to add to what wallcraft said about wi-fi, and only if you think you'll be subscribing to free newspapers and magazines that Calibre offers:

You can set up Calibre to deliver subscribed periodicals directly to your Kindle for free over wireless (wi-fi), whereas if you don't have wireless and have them delivered directly over 3G, Amazon will charge you for that delivery. (You can always sideload Calibre periodicals via USB--it's just not as effortless as starting Calibre, turning on wireless on your Kindle, and waiting a few minutes for your magazines and newspapers for the day to magically appear on your Kindle.)

emellaich · 12-04-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jj2me

If you're not going wireless (nor 3G), you can change that setting back to deliver books to your Kindle for PC app by default, and sideload via USB.

I think there is a step missing here. You can accomplish the same thing, but not just like it is described. I am not the first one in this thread to explain this, but in case all of the help has your head spinning, I wanted to clarify.

Most Kindle books are encrypted. When you download a book to Kindle for PC it will only work on your Kindle for PC app, and if you copy it to your Kindle it will not work. It is easy to fix.

You just need to go back to Amazon, log onto your account and "Transfer to Computer" as DialDepp said. This copy will be encrypted for your Kindle and can then be copied to your Kindle using USB.

Some folks have figured out how to remove encryption so that they can copy over books that were originally downloaded for K4PC. However, this is probably illegal and definitely requires you to be more technically adventuresome. Furthermore, its not necessary as you can just download for free a copy using the steps above.

Lynn in Ohio · 12-04-2010, 09:18 PM

I found a 3G coverage map and my location is inside coverage though close to its edge. I'm thinking that's the way I might go. many thanks to everyone for all the help!

desertgrandma · 12-04-2010, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn in Ohio

I found a 3G coverage map and my location is inside coverage though close to its edge. I'm thinking that's the way I might go. many thanks to everyone for all the help!

Just remember.....you have 30 days to play with your K3. If you are unsatified, you can return it and just pay return shipping.

You can call Kindle CS any time by going here, clicking on the "contact us" button, signing into your account, and choosing the "call me" option. They'll call you back almost immediately.

You can also download the users guide in pdf to your computer, and be an expert by the time it arrives.

Good luck.

Josieb1 · 12-05-2010, 01:37 AM

I think you will need to connect any kindle you buy using wifi or 3G at least once in order to set up collections. In your situation I would buy the 3G unless you plan on installing wifi as it may be easier to find a 3G connection than a local wifi hotspot.

duckeedoug · 12-05-2010, 02:09 AM

Don't forget you can get free WiFi at most if not all Starbucks, McDonald, Barns & Noble and perhaps some other Coffee shops that I have not mentioned. So even if you didn't upgrade to the 3G you can still have access relatively easily without a great expense on your part. I sprung the extra $50 for the peace of mind of having 3G, although I have WiFi wherever I go the 3G gives me perhaps a much needed option for the future.

12-04-2010, 05:41 PM	#1
Lynn in Ohio Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle 3	Will some patient person explain a few things to me? I feel dumb asking this. I am not a wireless user. I work from home and really don't even need a notebook computer let alone wireless connectivity. I downloaded Kindle PC as a test and really like it. So now I'm thinking about a Kindle. Why do you want a Kindle if you don't want connectivity? someone asks. Because I'd like to read books all over the house, but I don't need to dow load them there. So, I don't have wireless at home and I would seldom be anywhere I did. My thought was simply that I would download to my PC and transfer from there. So my questions are: 1. Can I transfer any book I buy for Kindle PC to my Kindle by usb? 2. I assume I can keep it on the PC as well? 3. The only real use I can think of for the wireless is the auto synch. But how much of an additional investment would I be talking about to get the wireless connection? 4. Is there anything I should be asking but haven't? Thanks much in advance!

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12-04-2010, 05:52 PM	#2
kevinp Fanatic Posts: 579 Karma: 3549018 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Michigan Device: Kindle Scribe, Kindle PW (10th & 11th gen); Fire HD 10	When you installed the Kindle4PC program, it had you sign up for an Amazon account. You wouldn't be able to download books to your PC without doing that. If you bought a Kindle, you would register it to that same Amazon account. You can choose to download books to your PC or your Kindle. You can download to your PC and then copy them onto your Kindle through the USB cable. There is no extra cost involved with using the wireless on the Kindle. You obviously need access to a wireless network either at home or the coffee shop where you might want to do a little reading. I mainly use the wireless to synchronize which page I'm on. At work, riding in the back of a truck in the middle of the night, I read my books on my Android phone. When I get back to the station, I can turn on my Kindle and be at the same page as my phone. (Works with the PC program too). As you can see by the number of viewers of this forum, Kindle is the most popular ereader out there. I'm very happy with mine, as are most people here. I think you'll like yours too if you decide to get one. Hope I answered your questions.

12-04-2010, 06:06 PM	#3
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Almost all Kindle books are licenced for use on up to 6 devices and apps. So you can buy once and use on both K4PC and K3. If you don't have WiFi at home, then on a WiFI-only K3 you would download the file to your laptop and then transfer it over to your Kindle via USB. Note that the K4PC ebook file won't work on a K3, because each DRMed Kindle ebook file is locked to exactly one device, so you would download another copy of the same ebook for your K3. If you do have WiFi at home (connected to the internet, e.g. via cable modem or DSL), then you can download to a K3 directly if you want (or use USB). You will then be able to sync reading between K4PC and K3 via WiFi (both talk to Amazon's servers to do the syncing). Buying a 3G K3 would allow sync and download at home even if you don't have WiFi. If you have high speed internet at home, I think buying a WiFi router would be a better purchase than 3G on the Kindle. The router would only work in your home, but can be used for more than just the Kindle.

12-04-2010, 06:21 PM	#4
Lynn in Ohio Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle 3	Thanks kevinp! Wallcraft, a few more Qs: Obviously I know nothing about wireless other than it's out there and other people use it. I do have a high speed connection and by provider has a wireless package, but I never saw a need for it. The wireless router would not require any costs other than buying it? Might be worth it just for the synch. But in the absence of that, you mean I can download a book to my PC I have already bought and downloaded (at no extra cost) but have this one registered to the K3? So then I can transfer THAT one and it will work? How far from the house would the wireless router work? A studio 50-100 feet away for example?

12-04-2010, 06:49 PM	#5
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	When you buy a book from Amazon now, it delivers it to your Kindle for PC by default, since you don't have a Kindle. Once you get a Kindle, they'll change that setting to deliver the book directly to your Kindle, presuming (perhaps incorrectly in your case of not having wireless) that you'll be in wireless range (or 3G if you were to buy that) at some time and will turn on wireless on your Kindle. If you're not going wireless (nor 3G), you can change that setting back to deliver books to your Kindle for PC app by default, and sideload via USB. Another solution, other than buying and setting up a home wireless router, is to buy the 3G Kindle for $50 more. That way, the books appear on your Kindle whenever you turn on wireless (the Kindle calls it "turn on wireless," and tries wi-fi first, and it it can't find your home wireless connection, it'll deliver the book instead via AT&T's 3G cell network). Of course, an extra advantage to 3G is that it's available most places, whereas wireless is mostly accessible in your home and some free hotspots. Also, there's no setup whatsoever as to choosing which wireless network to use: hotspot or home. Wireless or 3G allow you to buy books directly from your Kindle--no need to always use the computer. If you have the book delivered to your Kindle, it's not delivered to your PC app, and vice versa. On the devices/apps you have that don't get the delivery automatically, it's always available by fetching from the archived list. In other words, Amazon wants to send the new book to just one place, but gives you the option to manually fetch to other places.

12-04-2010, 06:57 PM	#6
Lynn in Ohio Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle 3	jj2me, Very thorough, thanks! So this 3G - there's no service I have to buy beyond the initial extra $50 purchase price? And it also works for synch? Might be worth it. I need to check and see if I have 3G service at my home which is out in the country. We don't, for example, have cable, DSL or natural gas. When we first moved here, we didn't have gravity!

12-04-2010, 07:03 PM	#8
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Lynn, go here, and look at the wireless coverage map. YOu enter you zip and it tells you if there is coverage in your area. Scroll down to the pic of the Kindle on the right, and look to your left for the link.

12-04-2010, 09:18 PM	#12
Lynn in Ohio Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle 3	I found a 3G coverage map and my location is inside coverage though close to its edge. I'm thinking that's the way I might go. many thanks to everyone for all the help!

12-05-2010, 01:37 AM	#14
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,013 Karma: 18018738 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kobo Forma, Libra2, Clara 2e, Kindle PW SE & Kindle 2022	I think you will need to connect any kindle you buy using wifi or 3G at least once in order to set up collections. In your situation I would buy the 3G unless you plan on installing wifi as it may be easier to find a 3G connection than a local wifi hotspot.

12-05-2010, 02:09 AM	#15
duckeedoug Zealot Posts: 122 Karma: 160 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony PRS 505	Don't forget you can get free WiFi at most if not all Starbucks, McDonald, Barns & Noble and perhaps some other Coffee shops that I have not mentioned. So even if you didn't upgrade to the 3G you can still have access relatively easily without a great expense on your part. I sprung the extra $50 for the peace of mind of having 3G, although I have WiFi wherever I go the 3G gives me perhaps a much needed option for the future.

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