Now, you have the Kindle by following the guide of buying Kindle 2 from outside US. There are couple of things you need to know on using Kindle in your homestead.
- Don’t charge your Kindle with your home power supply – unless at home you have the same voltage and US two-pronge plug. Instead, use the USB cable and charge it with your computer.
- Amazon use Whispernet to send the book to your Kindle, and it consumes lots of battery power of your Kindle as it needs to search / connect to Whispernet constantly. But since there is no Whispernet outside US, you shall switch off the Whispernet (from the Kindle menu) as soon as you get your hands on it.
- With your Kindle account, you need to set up a Kindle email address such as xxxx.xxxx@kindle.com. You can send files to that account and Amazon.com will convert the files for Kindle reading.
- On the other hand, Amazon will send the converted file to your Kindle directly via Whispernet. Since you don’t have Whispernet in your country. What you need to do is to send the files to a different address – xxxx.xxxx@free.kindle.com. Amazon will then convert the file and send you an email with a link to the converted file. You can then save the converted file and transfer to your Kindle.
- Kindle is beautiful, but make sure you buy a cover to protect it.
- Register to www.mobileread.com, it provides lots of support to mobile readers like us … outside Amazon.com.
Update : Since the screen saver picture also consumes power, therefore switch off your Kindle, instead of turning it to sleep mode before you go to bed. That will make your Kindle battery last for two, three weeks; instead of just a few days.
Update 2 : Kindle 3 is now available, great product !!
Update 3 : As you may aware, you can register your Kindle thru the “Manage your Kindle” in Amazon website, but not registering it using Whispernet … but here is a trick – create your own reginfo file and copy to your Kindle (for expert only … I warn you first).
M.Y. Lessons Learnt 
Hi Micheal, thanks for the info. I live in singapore and am going to get the kindle global with a new amazon account. Can my friend in the US share the same account and use a US version kindle in order for us to access the same archive of kindle books?
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Hi Jimmy,
Glad you found the information useful.
About your question, yes you can always share your account with your friend (but note that your friend will be able to buy stuff on behalf of you). And for sharing books, my understanding is you can, but the Kindle(s) have to be registered under your account. In other words, your friend will need to deregister his / her Kindle from Amazon first, and then you register that Kindle to your account. Afterward, you can share the books (by downloading to different Kindles) … and there is also a limit – up to six devices can share the eBook (including your Kindle for PC, Kindle for iPhone etc.)
Hope it helps.
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Kindle global is available in Ethiopia and andora but not in singapore…. WTF
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There is no international or US version of the kindle anymore. Only the global wireless which works internationally or in the US.
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That’s true Jimmy. But since there are still some differences in ebook availability and pricing (between US and non-US), so some tricks are still useful.
Enjoy your Kindle !!
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Hi, may I know how to buy a Kindle if I am living in Singapore? Do I have to go to the USA to buy? Can I buy it online? Or can I buy it in Singapore?
Any information would be useful.
Thank you!
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Hi Sharon,
There are many ways to do it. If you have US address / credit card, you can buy it, ship to the US address then ship again to Singapore. You can also ask your friend to do it for you. Lastly, you can buy the Kindle thru some websites like VPost.com and they will buy the Kindle for you in US, then ship to Singapore.
If you somehow will travel to USA, you can go to retail store “Target” to get one. Information is here.
Of course, you can also wait till Amazon launch the product in Singapore.
Hope it helps.
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Hi Jimmy!
Can you further explain point 3 & 4? What’s the different between those two email addresses? Sorry! A lil bit slow here!
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Hi,
Check out the domains of the two email addresses – one is @kindle.com, one is @free.kindle.com. For first one, Kindle will convert the file and then send to your Kindle via Whispernet. In the second case, Amazon will convert the file and then send to you via email (instead of Whispernet) – and you need to transfer the converted file to your Kindle via USB cable.
Hope it helps.
Michael
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Hi Michael,
I’m in Australia and purchased my Kindle using a mail forwarding service in the US. Unfortunately the mail forwarded registered the Kindle to her Amazon account. As I’m not in the US I can’t connect with Whispernet to deregister it from her account and re-register to mine. Is there anything I can do?
Thank you!
Emma
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Hi Emma,
In that case, you need to contact that company to login to Amazon and deregister your Kindle. On the other hand, if your Kindle is the International edition, it shall support Whispernet even in Australia. Have you turned on the wireless connection and tried ?
Hope it helps.
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Hello Michael,
how do i deregister & register my kindle without whispernet? I have already done it on my amazon…just unable to change it in the kindle.
Thanx.
Khairul
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Hi Khariul,
Without the access to Whispernet, you cannot deregister the Kindle from the device. However, since you’ve already register the Kindle to your Amazon account, I believe you still can buy books via the web, then transfer to your Kindle via USB.
Hope it helps.
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Hi Michael,
I’m traveling to Hong Kong in November, and thinking about buying a Kindle 3G for internet access. The Amazon website says it will only access internet through wifi, and 3G is for downloading books, only. Is this your experience?
Thanks,
Russ
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Hi Russ,
Don’t think that’s what Amazon website says. According to this : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002Y27P3M/ref=kindlesu-1#Wifior3G, Wi-Fi version is useful if you can easily get access to Wi-Fi spot at home, cafe etc, if not 3G is the preferred version as it can access the Internet anytime, anywhere.
Both Wi-Fi and 3G can be used to access the net, download books, check GMail etc. and the beauty of 3G version is you can do it anywhere – without paying extra 3G charges.
Please also check my other blog post for tips in connecting to 3G network in Hong Kong.
Hope it helps.
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Thanks Michael,
So even if I buy my Kindle 3 in the U.S., you think I’ll be able to access the 3G network to use the web browser?
Thanks,
Russ
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Hi Russ,
Yes I think so. Here is the line from Amazon website : “The added convenience of 3G enables you to download ebooks anytime, anywhere, while on the go—without having to find a Wi-Fi hotspot connection. With wireless coverage in over 100 countries and territories, Kindle 3G is a great option for travelers.“.
Hope it helps.
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Hi Michael,
I live in India and visiting US on work; I want to buy a kindle but confused as to which one to buy. On the Amazon website, there are quite a few versions of kindle listed and their prices range from 139 USD to 379 USD. I want one which I can connect and use from India and obviously is cost effective. I would really appreciate ay help.
Thanks,
Vijay
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Hi Vijay,
There are many different size, colors and configurations to choose from … have you checked out my other blog post about which Kindle to buy ?
Hope this help.
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Hi Michael,
I have a very frustrating issue. The Kindle 2 I have was a gift from a friend. The unit was purchased in Australia maybe 18 months ago but for some reason it is the US version. I now live in Switzerland and have been trying to update it using the download (it is currently ver 2.0.3) so that i can at least view PDF’s. Despite contacting them numerous times Amazon could only tell me that it will not update unless it is in the US using the whispernet and that i could always sell it and get an international model (not very helpfull!). I have tried downloading the 2.5 update but my kindle does not see the update and will not make the “Update your Kindle” option valid. Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks,
Frustrated Andy!
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Hi Andy,
I can tell it is a frustrated experience, but there is one reason why the “Update your Kindle” option is not shown in your Kindle even you have the 2.5 update downloaded. It is rather simple, most of these updates (if not all) are “incremental” updates. So to update to 2.5, you first need to update the previous version first, and the previous-previous version first etc. etc.
Check out my other blog post on how to manually upgrade the Kindle from 2.3.2 to 2.5. But in your case, you need to search around and download the previous versions to upgrade your Kindle first from 2.0.3 to 2.3.2, with the same stupid reason.
Hope it helps and good luck !!
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im from singapore and i bought the kindle 2nd generation. ive read the tips that u gave ..the 3 and 4. im kinda lost here and i dont really get it. would u mind explaining it to me in detail? :s
where do i go to create those email accounts?
thanks!
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Hi Iza,
The steps 3 and 4 basically tell you how to send documents (in some formats) to Amazon then convert to Kindle format. And you need to set up the address(s) in your Amazon account.
Hope it helps.
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Hi Michael,
I am fascinated by the Kindle, and quite keen to lay my hands on it though I already own an iPhone and iPad. I live in Singapore, and I have seen some forum replies that we cannot download books from the Kindle store.
What’s your advice on this issue?
Looking at the Wireless Kindle $139 model….
Regards
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Hi Calvin,
Yes Kindle is a good ereader device if you like to read a lot … and since Kindle is not yet officially available in Singapore, it’s not that easy to register the device and buy eBooks. The only way I know so far is to get the device and buy the eBooks like an US Citizen (but somehow it’s used outside US). That’s why I explored and blogged those approach – get the Kindle thru Onenow or VPost, use the US address to register the account, and use AMEX credit card to buy eBooks.
Of course the device is now official available in HK, I don’t need to use these approaches. However, I do hope those still works for you and enjoy !!
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Hi Michael,
I am from Singapore and I am intending to purchase a Kindle via Vpost.
However, even after reading your blog posts and the threads on mobilereader.com, I still cannot be sure whether I can download US kindle books when I am not located in the US.
I read in one of your blog posts that amazon now checks the ip address, is it safe to say that if I can get a proxy/vpn in the US, I will be able to buy the US kindle books?
This is very critical for me since most of the books I want to buy are only available on the US store.
Thank you in advance.
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Hi,
If you can get a proxy / VPN in US, then of course you have no problem to buy ebooks … provided you also have credit card with US address.
Hope it helps !!
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Hi Michael,
Thanks for the quick reply.
I do not have a credit card with a US address, is there any other workaround?
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As in my blog post(s), I used an AMEX card as AMEX payment gateway did not check billing address …
Hope it helps.
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I have an IPad with Amazon Kindle Application installed. Wondering can I buy ebooks from Amazon US since I’m not living within their ‘International’ zones? As most of the books I like to purchase are from US site only. Thanks for your advices.
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Hi Synaesthesia,
The same principle applies as iPad is only the channel / window of the ebook. I have no problem to read the ebooks, purchased with this method, in my iPad …
Hope it helps.
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Hello. I faced a problem which amazon’s customer service failed to solve. I have Kindle DX 1st edition. I live outside of USA, thus don’t need wireless service on it. One of these days i tried to upgrade DX software and followed all instructions from Amazon for that. But i fail to end upgrade because it asks em to register and i can not do that because of no wispernet coverage…How can i register my Kindle DX and end upgrade.
Thank you,
Khalid
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Hi Khalid,
Well, do you have an Amazon account ? If yes, you can register the Kindle to your Amazon account. For upgrade the software, you need to do it manually however, because you cannot use the Whispernet … please refer to this post about how to do it manually, in essence, you need to upgrade version by version …
Hope this helps.
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