There are two versions of the Kindles. The one that wants to display special offers on a screen saver when I am not reading. And one that comes with out special offers. It’s almost thirty dollars avoid offers…
One… are the offers intrusive? If I were to my the US version with special offers and use it in Taiwan, what will happen. Will I get speical offers, with it freeze up because I’m using it out of the area, like the addware use to do? Help me soon I want to buy.
Though we have no real need (the other devices tend to be always used by someone and I never get a turn), we thought of buying one based on the price, but the reviews I have read thus far are fairly negative. And it’s hard to form your own initial opinion when you can never try the device in person. We love the kindle but (based on what I’ve read) with it’s small low quality screen and sluggish performance I’m not sure the Fire would get as much use in our household as our kindle and iPad.
Currently they seem to be only offering the no-ads version for shipment to Taiwan.
The main drawbacks with the non-touch Kindle are that is has no audio support at all, the battery life is shorter (but still quite long), and I’m worried that the on-screen keyboard will be hard to use with just the 5-way pointer. If you don’t care about audiobooks it is still a decent choice though.
Though we have no real need (the other devices tend to be always used by someone and I never get a turn), we thought of buying one based on the price, but the reviews I have read thus far are fairly negative. And it’s hard to form your own initial opinion when you can never try the device in person.[/quote]
Sounds like some may have shipped without the latest software, but reviews like this suggest waiting a bit would be a good idea.
[quote=“Marco Arment”]I expected the Kindle Fire to be good for books, great for magazines and newspapers, great for video, and good for apps and games.
In practice, it’s none of these. Granted, I’ve only spent two days with it, so I can’t share any long-term impressions. But I’m honestly unlikely to have any, because this isn’t a device that makes me want to use it more. And that’s fatal.
[…]
It’s not an iPad competitor or alternative. It’s not the same kind of device at all. And, whatever it is, it’s a bad version of it.
[…] Goes on to give a detailed review, ends with…
[…]
But that’s just about all I can say for it. It’s a bad game player, a bad app platform, a bad web browser, a bad video player, and, most disappointingly, a bad Kindle.
If I didn’t need the Fire for Instapaper testing, I’d return it.[/quote]
OK, I’m buying… the Kindle Touch. Thanks to chat, I just called Amazon and told them my Dad bought me a Kindle, the add supported version and I was afraid it would not work. He said that it will work outside of the states and that I just could not take advantage of the special offers. I could buy books normally too.
It took him a while to get back so, I think he did research.
I’ve got a ‘no-ads’ Touch 3G arriving at a US delivery address December 2 which will then be forwarded to me here in TW. My chief concern is whether the work around for those who want Amazon US Kindle content without a US credit card still works. I heard there is or at least was a gift card work around where you could use a disposable email address and a non US CC to buy yourself Amazon gift certificates to create and top up a crafty US Amazon account and that as long as you stay within your account balance, Amazon in none the wiser due in part to the global 3G. Evidently prices and range of books available is considerably better via Amazon US.
Does anyone use this work around for Amazon? I use a similar work around to get US iTunes content, so hopefully it’ll work with Amazon too.
[quote=“plasmatron”]I’ve got a ‘no-ads’ Touch 3G arriving at a US delivery address December 2 which will then be forwarded to me here in TW. My chief concern is whether the work around for those who want Amazon US Kindle content without a US credit card still works. I heard there is or at least was a gift card work around where you could use a disposable email address and a non US CC to buy yourself Amazon gift certificates to create and top up a crafty US Amazon account and that as long as you stay within your account balance, Amazon in none the wiser due in part to the global 3G. Evidently prices and range of books available is considerably better via Amazon US.
Does anyone use this work around for Amazon? I use a similar work around to get US iTunes content, so hopefully it’ll work with Amazon too.[/quote]Do you have a UK credit card? There’s a good wide range of books in the UK Kindle store.
Btw, have other people noticed that book prices can vary sometimes from day to day? I was looking to buy a book the other day, and checked it out on my kindle only to discover it was currently going for $.99. NT30. Okay. Click.
Two days later it was up to US$6.
This is not a self-published tome but a book from a major kid’s author.
Anyway, I’m going to keep my eyes open for my sales like this.
Do you know any good resources for finding out about these kinds of sales? I’ve noticed the same thing, but haven’t yet found a good way to follow prices.
Prices seem to be tracking publication price more than they used to - when a book’s published, the Kindle edition will be cheaper but not that much cheaper than the hardcover; then a year later, when the paperback comes out, the price drops accordingly. But that doesn’t explain sudden drops like the one you write about.
I’ve also heard that your cookies can affect the prices displayed, although I don’t know how true that is.
[quote=“plasmatron”]I’ve got a ‘no-ads’ Touch 3G arriving at a US delivery address December 2 which will then be forwarded to me here in TW. My chief concern is whether the work around for those who want Amazon US Kindle content without a US credit card still works. I heard there is or at least was a gift card work around where you could use a disposable email address and a non US CC to buy yourself Amazon gift certificates to create and top up a crafty US Amazon account and that as long as you stay within your account balance, Amazon in none the wiser due in part to the global 3G. Evidently prices and range of books available is considerably better via Amazon US.
Does anyone use this work around for Amazon? I use a similar work around to get US iTunes content, so hopefully it’ll work with Amazon too.[/quote]
Yeah, I did not think about that. I only have a Taiwanese credit card. I better get my credit union to get me an American secured Card or something…
How many times do you hit regional problems for mainstream books though? I plan on using my US Public Library for most of my reading but… there are some interesting titles I may want to buy.
How often is this a problem? What kind of books? What are the work arounds short of getting a US credit card. How about a US bank account number?
In the US your ATM card usually doubles as a check card which works exactly the same as a credit card in most cases.[/quote]
Wow, really? Great! I’ll just ask them for a replacement ATM card. No need too apply for credit.
So,the Check card would look like a Master Card or something like that, I can use that to activate me as a US customer with Amazon. Should I trust that though? On line That is? I would like to put a spending limit on it. That there account is where I stashed what little savings I have in the states… I’ll talk to them. Thanks for the tip.
I’m in the market for a 2nd hand kindle wifi/3G version having busted my own recently. So anybody who has upgraded or have one lying around not doing much let me know how much you would like for it, thanks.
[quote=“Mucha Man”] $.99. It’s free basically.[/quote]There’s always the alternative cost of the time spent. I have better things to do than read books that are meh.
MY Kindle is on its Way!!! But, it is being shipped regular, non insured mail along with a traditional Book. My Dad declared on the customs from “Kindle and Book”.
He kept the customs declaration number just in case I may need it, but there was no registration nor insurance? Would they stop it? I’ve had other gizmos and software sent to me with no problem but I think they are on the look out for kindles. Is there anything I should do? How long would they take before they contact me? Do you think it would just slip through? Is there a way I could “head the package off at the pass” it should hit Taiwan in a week.
I think that bland books have a harder time than ever in the digital era.