Help! New kindles??

[ExPirateShopGirl]

In the new Kindles (including Touch 3G and Fire) the 3G connection cannot be used to browse the web as it can in the current keyboard 3G model.

I'm with you... I agree the answers have been conflicting and that is very confusing.

I think the jist of it is that there are NEW Kindles coming... and no, not just the Fire. So you have folks talking about the old Kindles (which they know) and different folks talking about the new kindles, which you can pre-order now, but won't be available until Nov.

I highly suggest the OP look them up on the Amazon site. They have a handy-dandy chart there. (Compare them side-by-side!)

I myself have preordered the NEW Kindle Touch with 3G. It will be $159. It has the experimental browser, but rather than trying to navigate by keyboard, you can navigate by touch screen. A virtual keyboard pops up for when you need to type.

We are getting the 3G, because wifi isn't available everywhere. It is a gift for my 11yr old dd (shh!) Homework is on the Edmodo website, textbooks are found on her teacher's website. When we have to do homework "on the fly" (at the church Wed night, dance on Tuesdays, drill team Thursdays) there is not wifi available. She should be able to access it over 3G... and use the touch screen to navigate.

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

The other poster is planning on using it for internet for her daughter, I really meant that for her (descovy), I hope she realizes she can't-according to my recent search and comments made here

Sorry expirateshopgirl, we posted about the same time, but you made the point I was trying to make

 

[vicki_c]

The other poster is planning on using it for internet for her daughter, I really meant that for her (descovy), I hope she realizes she can't-according to my recent search and comments made here

Sorry expirateshopgirl, we posted about the same time, but you made the point I was trying to make

Ah, I see that now - yep, I guess that might be a problem then (I read it, but somehow it still wasn't sinking in)!

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

Yeah, and really I don't think Amazon makes that clear, although Im no expert on this kind of jargon,lol, which is what brought me here to begin with.
Too bad, really,that the 3G isn't the same on the new ones, that's probably what I would have went with. And as far as I can tell there is no ipod touch 3G either, which brings me back to, the kindle keyboard 3G being the only device with 3g worth having without a subscription. I think.

 

[nowellsl]

It's kindof conflicting, according to the comparison chart on Amazon, the new touch 3g has the experimental web browser - it has the same wording as the keyboard 3g, which also says experimental web browser. I'm curious where the info is coming from that says they are different!?

 

[Jamie25UGA]

It's kindof conflicting, according to the comparison chart on Amazon, the new touch 3g has the experimental web browser - it has the same wording as the keyboard 3g, which also says experimental web browser. I'm curious where the info is coming from that says they are different!?

The thing that's different is the newer Kindles that will have 3G, the experimental web browser will only work via wi-fi even if the device has 3G to get books. If you were on vacation and couldn't get to wi-fi you could use 3G to buy a book but you can't use the 3G to check e-mail and browse the web. I think they've changed the wording on the 3G touch's website to mention "web browsing via wi-fi only" or something to that effect.



Really, the kindle isn't all that great if you're wanting it to do things on the internet. Even using my own wi-fi connection which is pretty fast, on the Kindle things are very slow going as the device wasn't made for web browsing really. The iPod touch is much faster, but there is NO 3G so you HAVE to have a w-fi connection either at home with your own internet, or out at starbucks or something.

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

I just want to be able to check email, or maybe make sure there are no tornadoes in the area we are driving thru, stuff like that. Maybe in Disney World be able to pull up times the park opens or something similar. Things that just take a minute. Would it be Ok for that?

 

[nowellsl]

Really, the kindle isn't all that great if you're wanting it to do things on the internet. Even using my own wi-fi connection which is pretty fast, on the Kindle things are very slow going as the device wasn't made for web browsing really. The iPod touch is much faster, but there is NO 3G so you HAVE to have a w-fi connection either at home with your own internet, or out at starbucks or something.

Yeah, I agree. I've tried mine on my wi-fi connection and on the 3g and I'll take my phone any day! Thanks for the explanation, I only looked at the comparison chart and it's hard to tell there's a difference by looking at that.

 

[Jeanne B]

One important difference with the Fire is that it doesn't have the e-ink display. I've never owned a kindle but I've read that the e-ink display isn't tiring on your eyes, unlike staring at a computer screen for any length of time which is what the Fire would be like, and I'm not sure how it will be for reading outside.

Personally, I'm leaning towards the Touch since I want it primarily as an e-reader (I have my netbook and iphone for the other stuff) so the e-ink display is more important to me than the features of the Fire, and it's half the price.

 

[Jamie25UGA]

I just want to be able to check email, or maybe make sure there are no tornadoes in the area we are driving thru, stuff like that. Maybe in Disney World be able to pull up times the park opens or something similar. Things that just take a minute. Would it be Ok for that?

If the Kindle is really what you're considering you need to know that "things that will just take a minute" will NEVER just take a minute on a Kindle regardless if you're using wi-fi or 3G. The kindle was made as a great reading device with the added surprise bonus of being able to use a veryyy basic internet browser.

As for doing things on the go you'd be better off with the 3G so you don't have to constantly stop and find free wi-fi. You don't pay a monthly fee for 3G on the Kindle and if you went that route you'd have to get the older model (the 3G Kindle KEYBOARD) to have 3G for internet browsing as the newer Kindles don't get free internet browsing.

I was without power for 3 hours one night and a neighbor said they saw a ton of cop cars by the entrance to the neighborhood so I went on my Kindle with 3G (since wi-fi was out with the power) and went to the newspaper website to see if they were reporting anything that would result in a ton of cop cars in my area and it was really slow going with the internet. I got so annoyed with it and gave up because the news and newspaper websites had so much on it that it was taking so long for the Kindle to load.

At Disney you'd most likely need 3G because wi-fi isn't readily available for free. Knowing how slow going internet is on the Kindle I personally wouldn't ever venture to use it to find out what time the parks open because the Disney site is loaded with a lot that will make everything slower.

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

Is it possible it's regional on how fast it is? If you look further back in the thread 2 others say this same device is not slow.... just trying to decide, not doubting anyone

 

[nowellsl]

Is it possible it's regional on how fast it is? If you look further back in the thread 2 others say this same device is not slow.... just trying to decide, not doubting anyone

I think it has more to do with what you're trying to use it for. Buying books is super easy, waiting for facebook to load, not so much.

 

[vicki_c]

One important difference with the Fire is that it doesn't have the e-ink display. I've never owned a kindle but I've read that the e-ink display isn't tiring on your eyes, unlike staring at a computer screen for any length of time which is what the Fire would be like, and I'm not sure how it will be for reading outside.

Personally, I'm leaning towards the Touch since I want it primarily as an e-reader (I have my netbook and iphone for the other stuff) so the e-ink display is more important to me than the features of the Fire, and it's half the price.

That is why I didn't order the Fire (it's a gift for DH) but the Kindle Touch. I have an iPad and while I love it in every way possible, it is a challenge outside due to the glare. Although I think he would love the Fire as a cheaper iPad, I'm really buying it for him as a reader, so I'd rather have the e-ink. Since we already have Kindles, I'm familiar with the difference.

 

[cats mom]

I myself have preordered the NEW Kindle Touch with 3G. It will be $159. It has the experimental browser, but rather than trying to navigate by keyboard, you can navigate by touch screen. A virtual keyboard pops up for when you need to type.

We are getting the 3G, because wifi isn't available everywhere. It is a gift for my 11yr old dd (shh!) Homework is on the Edmodo website, textbooks are found on her teacher's website. When we have to do homework "on the fly" (at the church Wed night, dance on Tuesdays, drill team Thursdays) there is not wifi available. She should be able to access it over 3G... and use the touch screen to navigate.

I hope descovy checks back in and finds out that the above plan won't work before the new kindle touch ships.

It's kindof conflicting, according to the comparison chart on Amazon, the new touch 3g has the experimental web browser - it has the same wording as the keyboard 3g, which also says experimental web browser. I'm curious where the info is coming from that says they are different!?

You have to delve into the fine print:

"Kindle Touch 3G enables you to connect to the Kindle Store and access Wikipedia - all over 3G or Wi-Fi. Experimental web browsing on other websites is only available over Wi-Fi."

I just want to be able to check email, or maybe make sure there are no tornadoes in the area we are driving thru, stuff like that. Maybe in Disney World be able to pull up times the park opens or something similar. Things that just take a minute. Would it be Ok for that?

As has been mentioned, the browser is clunky, so it's an in a pinch kind of thing for me, but I have used my 3G kindle keyboard for those kinds of things. In fact just last night I looked up the address of a restaurant we wanted to stop at that my GPS couldn't find. Worked great for that.

 

[buzz5985]

Just wanted to throw out that if you plan on renting books from the library on your kindle - you can only do it via wi-fi. Should I say - as of today?? That could change in the future. I now download the book to my computer then transfer to the kindle. It is very fast - whole process is less than 1 minute.

Janis

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

As has been mentioned, the browser is clunky, so it's an in a pinch kind of thing for me, but I have used my 3G kindle keyboard for those kinds of things. In fact just last night I looked up the address of a restaurant we wanted to stop at that my GPS couldn't find. Worked great for that.

I have used the browsers on both my 2nd generation Kindle and my 3rd generation Kindle all over the world. In fact, it's the most reliable internet connection I had in southern and central baja Mexico. Go figure.

 

[nowellsl]

You have to delve into the fine print:

"Kindle Touch 3G enables you to connect to the Kindle Store and access Wikipedia - all over 3G or Wi-Fi. Experimental web browsing on other websites is only available over Wi-Fi."

Yes, I was only looking at the comparision chart. I figure I'll keep the keyboard 3g and get the Kindle Fire - Best of both worlds I think you can share things between the two also, if they're both on the same account

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

I have used the browsers on both my 2nd generation Kindle and my 3rd generation Kindle all over the world. In fact, it's the most reliable internet connection I had in southern and central baja Mexico. Go figure.

I found an article supporting this, says that if you plan on going out of the country this is the thing to have

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

Just wanted to throw out that if you plan on renting books from the library on your kindle - you can only do it via wi-fi. Should I say - as of today?? That could change in the future. I now download the book to my computer then transfer to the kindle. It is very fast - whole process is less than 1 minute.

Janis

Only wifi, meaning not 3g? I do have wifi at home, we have it because our tv is internet capable(probably not right term, but u know what I mean) But of course at home I could also download to the pc, as you do, But out and about I would need to be in a hotspot, right?

I think Ive decided to go ahead and get the keyboard one. I looked up several different you tube videos showing the speed of the internet, and I can live with it for what I am using it for. This isn't going to be an everyday thing,I'm a stay at home mom, and so my pc is great for me almost all of the time, because I'm home most all of the time,and I'm not used to having anything portable like most of you, and will go to it only when I need it, like road trips for instance. I think I will like having a kindle too, I'm an avid reader, but obviously very frugal, so I never saw the sense in buying one when I have the library,lol

I have some Amazon money saved up, and this will cost less than $100 for me, and with no extra bill coming every month for a subscription, I am sold. thanks to all for your help!

 

[nunzia]

more confusion..for me anyway...I was thinking of getting one for my Mom..she is totally computer illiterate, and has no wifi close by as far as I know. I expressed all this to my friend who has a Kindle and she has a connection all the time and as far as I can see on her Kindle it is just wi-fi..I couldn't find where you look to see what version the thing is, but I did look at the Kindle store and was connected while driving all over town. She also insists her Kindle has to be a cheap version, since she got it for free from a drug company (they own a vet business). It is not a touch and has no keyboard, just little buttons on the bottom..I'm really confused..enough so that I will probably just not get one for my Mom..plus I think she'd balk at having an Amazon account with her CC and then I can see the issues of her not knowing what she wanted to get and then thinking the books were too expensive..so never mind on that..but I think I'll still get my daughter one for Christmas.
I just can't figure out what version my friend has that provides connection everywhere at any time but is clearly a lower end model or one that was issued before the Touch.