Hi I really have no idea on kindles, I am getting one of these for my birthday, however we will be on holiday at the time, how easy is it to get books downloaded onto a kindle whilst away. In simple terms, will I need Internet access, and what do I need to do as soon as I open it from the box, registring, etc Many thanks
Kindles - how simple to get started?
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Originally Posted by millie09:
“Hi I really have no idea on kindles, I am getting one of these for my birthday, however we will be on holiday at the time, how easy is it to get books downloaded onto a kindle whilst away. In simple terms, will I need Internet access, and what do I need to do as soon as I open it from the box, registring, etc Many thanks”
“Hi I really have no idea on kindles, I am getting one of these for my birthday, however we will be on holiday at the time, how easy is it to get books downloaded onto a kindle whilst away. In simple terms, will I need Internet access, and what do I need to do as soon as I open it from the box, registring, etc Many thanks”
they are pretty simple to set up but it will depend on which model you get. If you have a 3G model then you wont even need wifi.
Kindles are very easy to use, but a few things you need to do:
1. Create an Amazon account for yourself if you don't already have one.
2. Once you receive the Kindle charge it up fully before you start messing with it. If you're getting a "new" style Kindle (i.e. the one without the keyboard) note that the Kindle doesn't come with a charger, just a USB lead you can charge it with from your PC, or a compatible charger (the one for my mobile phone works OK for me, but may not for you.) Maybe consider buying a charger for the Kindle from Amazon or a Kindle stockist.
3. Once charged, take your Kindle to a wifi hotspot. Turn wifi on on the Kindle. Connect to the wifi hotspot and register the Kindle (simple process). There may also be a software update for the Kindle.
4. The Kindle has a user guide pre-installed on it. Read it - all of it. It will get you used to operating the Kindle, plus it will get you used to reading from it.
5. If you have the Kindle with the keyboard you also have 3G which will work globally so you can buy books directly from Amazon wherever you are, providing you can pick up a 3G signal. If you have one of the newer Kindles without a keyboard you can only download via wifi or via a computer with your USB cable.
Ultimately the Kindle is very easy to use. My 81 year-old father in law has one and is regularly downloading books for himself via 3G, as does my 67 year-old father.
1. Create an Amazon account for yourself if you don't already have one.
2. Once you receive the Kindle charge it up fully before you start messing with it. If you're getting a "new" style Kindle (i.e. the one without the keyboard) note that the Kindle doesn't come with a charger, just a USB lead you can charge it with from your PC, or a compatible charger (the one for my mobile phone works OK for me, but may not for you.) Maybe consider buying a charger for the Kindle from Amazon or a Kindle stockist.
3. Once charged, take your Kindle to a wifi hotspot. Turn wifi on on the Kindle. Connect to the wifi hotspot and register the Kindle (simple process). There may also be a software update for the Kindle.
4. The Kindle has a user guide pre-installed on it. Read it - all of it. It will get you used to operating the Kindle, plus it will get you used to reading from it.
5. If you have the Kindle with the keyboard you also have 3G which will work globally so you can buy books directly from Amazon wherever you are, providing you can pick up a 3G signal. If you have one of the newer Kindles without a keyboard you can only download via wifi or via a computer with your USB cable.
Ultimately the Kindle is very easy to use. My 81 year-old father in law has one and is regularly downloading books for himself via 3G, as does my 67 year-old father.
Kindle is possibly the easiest technology ever to get started with. If you order one through your Amazon account it will arrive pre-configured and will even know your name when you turn it on.
Kindle manuals (in Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF and some other formats) can be downloaded from http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200317150
Originally Posted by millie09:
“many thanks all, especially Nasalhair for the step by step instructions ,”
“many thanks all, especially Nasalhair for the step by step instructions ,”
He is a legend
Originally Posted by Nasalhair:
“5. If you have the Kindle with the keyboard you also have 3G”
“5. If you have the Kindle with the keyboard you also have 3G”
Not necessarily true. My keyboard Kindle is the Wi-fi only version.
And get a hold of Calibre Book Manager - much better than buying books through amazon - you buy books off e-bay for a fraction of the amazon price. You simply e-mail the books to your kindle
very easy.
for full 3g functionality u need to open an amazon account. means supplying a valid email address & credit card number. can be done on the kindle itself if u want. u dont have to buy anything.
i browse a lot on the free 3g ! works best if you switch javascript off unless needed, and use the mobilised versions of websites via kinstant. however, standard webpages DO load!
if a webpage is tricky the kindle sometimes crashes, but restarting is very very easy.
oh, u can also read books on it i believe.
posting this on my kindle, sitting in park ......
for full 3g functionality u need to open an amazon account. means supplying a valid email address & credit card number. can be done on the kindle itself if u want. u dont have to buy anything.
i browse a lot on the free 3g ! works best if you switch javascript off unless needed, and use the mobilised versions of websites via kinstant. however, standard webpages DO load!
if a webpage is tricky the kindle sometimes crashes, but restarting is very very easy.
oh, u can also read books on it i believe.
posting this on my kindle, sitting in park ......
menu system v easy to use.
nothing fiddly. all straighforward
connects to pc by either usb or wi fi.
lots of books for free. if you dont want latest bestsellers.
calibre on pc will covert other ebook formats to mobi for kindle. freeware.
nothing fiddly. all straighforward
connects to pc by either usb or wi fi.
lots of books for free. if you dont want latest bestsellers.
calibre on pc will covert other ebook formats to mobi for kindle. freeware.
when you register u get the user guide actually on the device. but also download "kindle keyboard shortcuts". as a mobi ebook in the usual way. excellent reference. useful when u forget how to do something ......
webbrowser does NOT allow multiple windows! so many links wont work. way round this is to view sites by entering url into kinstant.com (and bookmark page, takes u straight there next time). then links DO work without multiple windows .....
..... using 3g eats up battery very quickly. maybe 10 hours about same as ipad.
battery lasts a lot longer on wi fi only.
if no wireless youll get much closer to the legendary 1 month battery use.
not a problem. recharging is quick using the supplied usb plug.
battery lasts a lot longer on wi fi only.
if no wireless youll get much closer to the legendary 1 month battery use.
not a problem. recharging is quick using the supplied usb plug.
Plenty of good advice above. The Kindle is good, solid kit. Easy to use. The screen is excellent for reading, better than some quite expensive laptops. One click makes purchasing books simple... maybe too much so !!!!! I have 20+ unread books awaiting a read one day !! The browser included is good for Amazon but don't confuse it for a tablet. I've not bought a 'real' book since....
.... not forgetting text to speech! turn the lights out and let it read aloud.
my k keyboard also has mp3 player. basic but nice to have.
theres also background music. transfer mp3 files to music folder. you can play them at same time as reading a book ....
my k keyboard also has mp3 player. basic but nice to have.
theres also background music. transfer mp3 files to music folder. you can play them at same time as reading a book ....
as said, brower IS limited. partly the special implementation on kindle. partly policy of restricting what you can download.
always do 1st browse of a website via kinstant and bookmark it. then u either get the mobile site, or via google's conversion service if there isnt one.
webpages then download much quicker and with reduced image resolutiom. if you want the full webpage instead you can always go to that.
via kinstant means javascript on, put the url in box, go there, then bookmark page. next time just select saved bookmark.
currently i'm on DS full webpage - needed for login - but javascript OFF.
sounds horribly fiddly ,but quite quick and easy via selectable menus.
one thing kindle doesnt have is built in notepad app. but you can always use online zoho writer. or buy the notepad app from amazon .......
always do 1st browse of a website via kinstant and bookmark it. then u either get the mobile site, or via google's conversion service if there isnt one.
webpages then download much quicker and with reduced image resolutiom. if you want the full webpage instead you can always go to that.
via kinstant means javascript on, put the url in box, go there, then bookmark page. next time just select saved bookmark.
currently i'm on DS full webpage - needed for login - but javascript OFF.
sounds horribly fiddly ,but quite quick and easy via selectable menus.
one thing kindle doesnt have is built in notepad app. but you can always use online zoho writer. or buy the notepad app from amazon .......
browser has no pdf reader. but google reader converts online to html. normally just click on google cached version to get that.
because amazon wont let a kindle download a pdf file directly via 3g or wi fi.
of course u can directly read pdf files actually put on the kindle.
get round this using amazons file conversion service. or use an online web file converter to change pdf to mobi.
because amazon wont let a kindle download a pdf file directly via 3g or wi fi.
of course u can directly read pdf files actually put on the kindle.
get round this using amazons file conversion service. or use an online web file converter to change pdf to mobi.
some websites use browser autodetect. if i read the guardian via saved kinstant bookmark, it will do that for maybe 3 pages, then suddenly change to m.guardian with narrow pages designed for mobile phones .....
Originally Posted by JeffG1:
“Not necessarily true. My keyboard Kindle is the Wi-fi only version.”
“Not necessarily true. My keyboard Kindle is the Wi-fi only version.”
The OP was asking how easy it is to get started with a Kindle, so it is safe to assume they are considering buying a Kindle. If you buy a Kindle today the only keyboard model you can buy from Amazon is the one with wifi and 3G. If you bought one before the Kindle 4 you could buy either the wifi only or the wifi & 3G keyboard models, but now you can only buy the Kindle 4 or the wifi & 3G Kindle 3 with keyboard.
go 3g keyboard. not much more than touch 3g and well worth it.
apparently the touch has slightly upgraded pdf reader that shows chapter headings, keyboard doesnt, but not very useful in my opinion.
the 3g is actually gprs/edge/3g ..... you get the fastest connection available at your location. this is EVDO (google that) and automatic. very neat and nice. for example, on a train going out of 3g range the display info will change from 3g to edge to gprs. slower of course. another good reeason to use mobilised websites via kinstant with far less data transfer.
theres also an option to change from vodaphone to a different mobile providor. never heard of anyone doing that. vodaphone probably has best uk mobile coverage.
apparently the touch has slightly upgraded pdf reader that shows chapter headings, keyboard doesnt, but not very useful in my opinion.
the 3g is actually gprs/edge/3g ..... you get the fastest connection available at your location. this is EVDO (google that) and automatic. very neat and nice. for example, on a train going out of 3g range the display info will change from 3g to edge to gprs. slower of course. another good reeason to use mobilised websites via kinstant with far less data transfer.
theres also an option to change from vodaphone to a different mobile providor. never heard of anyone doing that. vodaphone probably has best uk mobile coverage.
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