Help me Decide, US mum buying for AU daughter

dizeedoo · 11-17-2010, 10:05 PM

Hi,
Brand new member.
I was just reading reviews on the Kindle 3.
I live in America and my daughter is in Australia, but I think she'd love the Kindle 3 (w/3G) for Christmas.

But, as I read reviews, I found this site and lots of people complaining that not all the Kindle Store titles can be bought if you are in Australia
Am I right in assuming this...
That if I buy the kindle here, and she registers it with our home (USA) address she can use Kindle Store gift cards to make her purchases and it will all be okay for her to buy any title that is available in the US.

Or, am I over simplifying this and it'll be continually frustrating for her to see books she can't buy or has to do a lot of searching to be able to buy?

I'd also love to hear any good reviews on what she (23-yo) might love about having a Kindle.

Thanks heaps... Di.

ofey · 11-17-2010, 10:31 PM

What titles can't she buy in Australia? I live here in Melbourne and I don't seem to find anything that I cannot buy?

foghat · 11-17-2010, 10:34 PM

I live in Canada. I have both my actual canadian address and a valid (though not mine) US address on my account.

If I set my US address to be my default address, then I can buy from the US store using my canadian credit card with no problems. The trick is, as far as I can tell, when you buy from the US store and do not live in the US, do not use the whispernet to load your books.

I personally download to kindle for pc, remove the drm and then load onto my kindle. If you don't want to deal with drm removal, I suspect that pluging the kindle into your pc and selecting the transfer via computer option will work just as well.

So, the wifi model might be a better choice if you think your daughter will be buying mainly from the US store.

Also keep in mind that, at least in Canada, often if the title is available in both stores, the Canadian store is cheaper - not sure if that would hold true for Australia as well.

Leep · 11-17-2010, 10:35 PM

Welcome Di:

If your daughter is a book fanatic, I think she will love the Kindle. It's very easy to read and she can throw it in her handbag or backpack and always have a selection of books at the ready. Tell her to join us here at Mobileread for tips and tricks for getting the most out of her Kindle.

I believe that your idea of registering the Kindle in the U.S might not work with the 3G service since the international Kindle is set up for different cell service. You might want to reconsider the wifi only version where she would add her ebooks via the internet or via usb connection to her computer. This should make her physical location a non-issue and allow her to keep her kindle registered in the U.S. and use gift certificates to purchase Amazon ebooks.

I'm sure that some of our Aussie members will comment on this and share their experiences as well.

cheers

desertgrandma · 11-17-2010, 10:46 PM

Welcome to MobileRead, dizeedoo.

curstpriest · 11-18-2010, 01:38 AM

You can buy it in the US and register it there and ship it to her in AUS and it should work fine.. Can use the US store with US prices (should be cheaper too)

Just make sure wireless coverage is in the area.. They have a chart
If 3g isn't available, I think it falls back to EDGE or something, check up on that to make sure there will be coverage, otherwise just get the wifi version.

Regardless, using non-US bookstore will cost more I think..

You can use gift cards or credit card to access US store if that is an issue as well, and refill the gift cards periodically, I know a few people who do this.

Figlilly · 11-18-2010, 03:23 AM

I am an Australian user. There are some books that are geographically restricted - and that is annoying - but there are a lot that are available too. The prices are not that different at the moment because our $ is almost on par with the US $. I think it would be a wonderful gift for your daughter.

Pushka · 11-18-2010, 04:22 AM

An Aussie here too. Currently the Aus kindle is unavailable for 7 weeks. I have a US kindle I bought in the States this month. It works fine here and the whispernet seems better than the k3 Australian model. There are many books that simply aren't available here and are more expensive anyway than if bought from someone with a USA address.

walleeva · 11-18-2010, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pushka

An Aussie here too. Currently the Aus kindle is unavailable for 7 weeks. I have a US kindle I bought in the States this month. It works fine here and the whispernet seems better than the k3 Australian model. There are many books that simply aren't available here and are more expensive anyway than if bought from someone with a USA address.

@Pushka: I'm also from Australia. Do you mean that we can use a US K3 version in Australia? And the 3G and everything still works welll???. If so I may consider buying an US Kindle because at the moment while the US K3 is still in stock to be shipped, the international versions are expected to ship in 7 to 9 weeks !!!!. I got my Au K3 and now when I want to buy one for my sister for her B-Day, I can't. It's such a shame, just one week ago it's still available and now delayed to more than 2 months

neilmarr · 11-18-2010, 08:19 AM

Good to have your new company, Di, and good luck with your eventual choice of device for your daughter in Oz.

I've just been swapping emails with en experienced ebook reader Down Under and many ebook stores have geographical restrictions on titles. It would seem that Amazon's Kindle store is no worse or better than others in this respect.

Something to bear in mind, though, is that Kindle uses only the Amazon-owned Mobi ebook format for its books, whereas industry standard elsewhere tends to be ePub. If your daughter buys an ePub book carrying DRM, it will not convert for Kindle use without first, ilegally, stripping the DRM padlock.

Very best wishes. Neil

ProfCrash · 11-18-2010, 12:39 PM

As long as your daughter has a valid US Credit Card and address she will be able to buy books from the US store.

The legality of stripping DRM is very much up in the air. There are some folks who say it violates the term of service. There are others who say that as long as the ebook is used for their own use, they can do with it what they want. This includes removing the DRM and converting a file. What is illegal is mass marketing or giving away the authors work.

It ends up being a grey area, in my opinion, and each person should do what they feel is right.

foghat · 11-18-2010, 02:42 PM

^ Don't think amazon cares where your credit card is from. I use my canadian one to buy from the US store no problem.

Pushka · 11-18-2010, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walleeva

@Pushka: I'm also from Australia. Do you mean that we can use a US K3 version in Australia? And the 3G and everything still works welll???. If so I may consider buying an US Kindle because at the moment while the US K3 is still in stock to be shipped, the international versions are expected to ship in 7 to 9 weeks !!!!. I got my Au K3 and now when I want to buy one for my sister for her B-Day, I can't. It's such a shame, just one week ago it's still available and now delayed to more than 2 months

My US kindle works fine here in Australia, whispernet is actually better than my K3International as it doesnt use Vodafone! The only difference I have seen is that as it thinks I live in the US, if I wanted any subscriptions I may have if in the US (and I dont) then if I download them then I will pay for that. But downloading books from Amazon is free. Amazon wont ship the US kindle to an International address - it can only be shipped within USA.

I dont have a USA credit card, but I do have a valid USA address. And Amazon have now shipped two kindles to me to USA addresses, so think I am pretty safe from getting any nasty emails. But I was able to buy US books before they shipped to that address anyway.

littleandyc · 12-11-2010, 11:18 PM

@pushka - thanks for posting - i have been reading a number of threads about the kindle3g and whether it can be used in australia. i have a friend in america coming over to australia in the new year and was looking to purchase a kindle3g from there and having them bring it over.

you say that whispernet and the 3g functions on the US version of the kindle work fine in australia. have you tried the experimental browser on the kindle and does that work in australia? also have is there any problem with changing the registration address of the kindle to an australian address/

thanks in advance

Pushka · 12-12-2010, 12:33 AM

Yes, the experimental browser on the US model works fine in Australia and with no extra charges..

11-17-2010, 10:05 PM	#1
dizeedoo Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 178 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 3	Help me Decide, US mum buying for AU daughter Hi, Brand new member. I was just reading reviews on the Kindle 3. I live in America and my daughter is in Australia, but I think she'd love the Kindle 3 (w/3G) for Christmas. But, as I read reviews, I found this site and lots of people complaining that not all the Kindle Store titles can be bought if you are in Australia Am I right in assuming this... That if I buy the kindle here, and she registers it with our home (USA) address she can use Kindle Store gift cards to make her purchases and it will all be okay for her to buy any title that is available in the US. Or, am I over simplifying this and it'll be continually frustrating for her to see books she can't buy or has to do a lot of searching to be able to buy? I'd also love to hear any good reviews on what she (23-yo) might love about having a Kindle. Thanks heaps... Di.

11-18-2010, 01:38 AM	#6
curstpriest Confused Posts: 402 Karma: 5538 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Bay Area Device: Kindle DXG	You can buy it in the US and register it there and ship it to her in AUS and it should work fine.. Can use the US store with US prices (should be cheaper too) Just make sure wireless coverage is in the area.. They have a chart If 3g isn't available, I think it falls back to EDGE or something, check up on that to make sure there will be coverage, otherwise just get the wifi version. Regardless, using non-US bookstore will cost more I think.. You can use gift cards or credit card to access US store if that is an issue as well, and refill the gift cards periodically, I know a few people who do this. Last edited by curstpriest; 11-18-2010 at 01:40 AM.

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11-17-2010, 10:31 PM	#2
ofey Kindle3 Noob Posts: 12 Karma: 28 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle 3	What titles can't she buy in Australia? I live here in Melbourne and I don't seem to find anything that I cannot buy?

11-17-2010, 10:34 PM	#3
foghat Evangelist Posts: 464 Karma: 1006520 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: Kindle PW3	I live in Canada. I have both my actual canadian address and a valid (though not mine) US address on my account. If I set my US address to be my default address, then I can buy from the US store using my canadian credit card with no problems. The trick is, as far as I can tell, when you buy from the US store and do not live in the US, do not use the whispernet to load your books. I personally download to kindle for pc, remove the drm and then load onto my kindle. If you don't want to deal with drm removal, I suspect that pluging the kindle into your pc and selecting the transfer via computer option will work just as well. So, the wifi model might be a better choice if you think your daughter will be buying mainly from the US store. Also keep in mind that, at least in Canada, often if the title is available in both stores, the Canadian store is cheaper - not sure if that would hold true for Australia as well.

11-17-2010, 10:35 PM	#4
Leep Guru Posts: 739 Karma: 1018859 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Near Seattle Device: kindle1, K3, K3G (thanks MR), iTouch, Kindle Touch	Welcome Di: If your daughter is a book fanatic, I think she will love the Kindle. It's very easy to read and she can throw it in her handbag or backpack and always have a selection of books at the ready. Tell her to join us here at Mobileread for tips and tricks for getting the most out of her Kindle. I believe that your idea of registering the Kindle in the U.S might not work with the 3G service since the international Kindle is set up for different cell service. You might want to reconsider the wifi only version where she would add her ebooks via the internet or via usb connection to her computer. This should make her physical location a non-issue and allow her to keep her kindle registered in the U.S. and use gift certificates to purchase Amazon ebooks. I'm sure that some of our Aussie members will comment on this and share their experiences as well. cheers

11-17-2010, 10:46 PM	#5
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Welcome to MobileRead, dizeedoo.

11-18-2010, 03:23 AM	#7
Figlilly Zealot Posts: 122 Karma: 2514066 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Oasis 2&3, Paperwhites, Kindle Touch, Kobo Clara, IPad Air2	I am an Australian user. There are some books that are geographically restricted - and that is annoying - but there are a lot that are available too. The prices are not that different at the moment because our $ is almost on par with the US $. I think it would be a wonderful gift for your daughter.

11-18-2010, 04:22 AM	#8
Pushka Wizard Posts: 1,119 Karma: 1019140 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Device: kindle, Ipad, Iphone, Nexus and PPW	An Aussie here too. Currently the Aus kindle is unavailable for 7 weeks. I have a US kindle I bought in the States this month. It works fine here and the whispernet seems better than the k3 Australian model. There are many books that simply aren't available here and are more expensive anyway than if bought from someone with a USA address.

11-18-2010, 08:19 AM	#10
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Good to have your new company, Di, and good luck with your eventual choice of device for your daughter in Oz. I've just been swapping emails with en experienced ebook reader Down Under and many ebook stores have geographical restrictions on titles. It would seem that Amazon's Kindle store is no worse or better than others in this respect. Something to bear in mind, though, is that Kindle uses only the Amazon-owned Mobi ebook format for its books, whereas industry standard elsewhere tends to be ePub. If your daughter buys an ePub book carrying DRM, it will not convert for Kindle use without first, ilegally, stripping the DRM padlock. Very best wishes. Neil

11-18-2010, 12:39 PM	#11
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	As long as your daughter has a valid US Credit Card and address she will be able to buy books from the US store. The legality of stripping DRM is very much up in the air. There are some folks who say it violates the term of service. There are others who say that as long as the ebook is used for their own use, they can do with it what they want. This includes removing the DRM and converting a file. What is illegal is mass marketing or giving away the authors work. It ends up being a grey area, in my opinion, and each person should do what they feel is right.

11-18-2010, 02:42 PM	#12
foghat Evangelist Posts: 464 Karma: 1006520 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: Kindle PW3	^ Don't think amazon cares where your credit card is from. I use my canadian one to buy from the US store no problem.

12-11-2010, 11:18 PM	#14
littleandyc Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: none	@pushka - thanks for posting - i have been reading a number of threads about the kindle3g and whether it can be used in australia. i have a friend in america coming over to australia in the new year and was looking to purchase a kindle3g from there and having them bring it over. you say that whispernet and the 3g functions on the US version of the kindle work fine in australia. have you tried the experimental browser on the kindle and does that work in australia? also have is there any problem with changing the registration address of the kindle to an australian address/ thanks in advance

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12-12-2010, 12:33 AM	#15
Pushka Wizard Posts: 1,119 Karma: 1019140 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Device: kindle, Ipad, Iphone, Nexus and PPW	Yes, the experimental browser on the US model works fine in Australia and with no extra charges..