Posted on 11/11/2011 2:28:06 PM PST by Signalman
I'm looking to purchase a Kindle Touch E-Reader from Amazon. The Kindle Touch ($99.00) has Wi-Fi connectivity and the Kindle Touch 3G ($149.00) has Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. Otherwise, they're pretty much the same as far as screen size, battery life, and other features.
I'm not familiar with the advantages/disadvantages of Wi-Fi vs. 3G and am wondering if the 3G model is worth the extra $50.00. Does anyone have any advice re: this matter? Thanks.
Hey Signalman,
If you want to connect to the internet via a cellular network, then you need the 3G. Basically, this is a feature you would need if you wish to connect to the internet and don’t have access to WiFi. You will have to get a 3G account through Verizon, AT&T, etc.
All in all, if you have WiFi where you are going to use the device most, I wouldn’t waste the extra money on 3G. I hope this helps.
My wife has a Kendal - We took it on our last road trip vacation. The advantage of 3G over wi fi is you can down load books on the run - we were in the middle of know where and she could down load a new book
With Wi-Fi you need to be near a router. Either your wireless router at home or a public one.
3G as I understand it uses cell phone towers.
I would pay the extra $50 is you expect to travel with the Kendal
The key is where you want to use it. If you are going to load books only at your home or, say Starbucks, where you can piggyback on their free WiFi, then you don’t need the 3G connectivity. However, if you don’t have a WiFi at home, or want the ability to download anywhere, go with the 3G version and use your phone plan. BTW, some recent phones have the capability to create a WiFi hot spot, but that might cost you more than connecting your kindle to your plan. Check with your provider. Good luck.
Get the 3G. It’s quick, easy, free with Amazon account and available anywhere. They say you can download a book in 1 minute. Don’t believe them. 25 seconds tops.
We did not have to get an account with anyone. It came with the Kindle
Thanks everyone for the quick responses. In my case, I would probably download everything while in my home. So if I have Wi-fi available, I would probably get the non-3G model.
How can I determine if I have Wi-Fi connectivity available where I live?
We have the 3g/wifi model which my wife finds is well worth the price in that several times she was able to download materials she needed when there was no wifi in place, say like traveling in a car. There is no monthly charge for the
3g as it instantly connects with Amazon’s ordering dept. The wifi and 3g are also easily turned off to conserve battery power.
Unfortunately the new Kindle Fire that is coming out is wifi only. The Fire will allow color content and videos including the ability to upload ones own pictures. So while it was tempting for us to purchase it, we are holding out to see if a 3g model will appear on the horizon. I suspect it has to do with battery capacities which is why 3g wasn’t being offered with the new Fire model.
Technically, this is incorrect. The Kindle 3G model always has a connection to 3G through “Whispernet”, which I believe is a contract between Amazon and AT&T that allows Kindle 3G models to use AT&T’s network without a contract.
In the last model of the Kindle (now called “Kindle Keyboard”), you could use the web over Whispernet. They got rid of this ability in the Kindle Touch, which means the only real benefit of the 3G model is that you can download books from anywhere you can get a cell signal, not just places you have WiFi access.
I have a Kindle Keyboard 3G that I’ve had since they launched last year, and I’m getting the Touch WiFi now. I’d say without the web capability over 3G, the 3G model is not worth it.
“is a contract between Amazon and AT&T that allows Kindle 3G models to use AT&T’s network without a contract.”
I was not aware of this!!! Sorry about that! This is actually really cool!
How do you connect to the internet now where you live? If you can connect wirelessly as in the use of a portable lap top or netbook without a wired connection, then you’ll be able to connect wirelessly with your kindle. You’ll just have to know any passwords you are using right now.
Ordinarily you would have Inernet service to your house with a WiFi router, and you would connect through your router.
The fact that you are asking the question leads me to believe that you are not paying for Internet service and think that WiFi is just available out there.
That used to be the case, but nowadays most of your neighbors probably have their routers locked down with a password.
Unless you know the secret.
:]
My advice: Spend even an extra $50 ($199 total) and get the Kindle Fire. It will do so much more, even play movies that Apple’s IPAD won’t play. And it’s a color touch screen.
I’m connecting to the I-net via Verizon FIOS using their router, which does have wireless capability but my computer is connected via a physical line. But, I can plug the Kindle into a USB port on my computer and download via this connection. Is that correct?
If the wireless is turned on and you have a password to the router, your kindle would connect thru the wireless router directly via “wifi”. You can’t connect directly via a wire to to the computer. Now what you can do is get a ether net to wireless adaptor which would connect to one of the other router ports and creat an instant wifi hotspot. Your Kindle connects to the wireless adaptor which connects to the router via wire so you can get away from having to know the main router’s wireless access codes.
OK, thanks, that explains it well.
Rosewill RNX-GX4 Wireless-G Broadband Router $19.99
It is a pretty cool router, actually. You can upgrade it to an industrial-strength router with open source DD-WRT firmware.
You'll probably spend half that much just getting the cable you need to hard-wire it to your PC.
Wired is faster, which is why your PC is connected that way.
Since you already have a WiFi router, you are in business. It shouldn't take that long to figure out how to connect once you have the Kindle.
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