Thursday, October 22, 2009

Wikipedia for int'l customers w wireless?

JBernard mentioned (comments of release blog-article I think) that she is in Portugal and can access the Wikipedia.

Others report at Twitter that Amazon have enabled the web-browser where it was disabled (Europe etc) for Wikipedia. I don't know that this is true but it's being reported. Engadget mentioned it also.
  The $20 credit or refund being given Kindle International users may be a response to B&N's 'Nook.'

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Posted by Unknown at 10/22/2009 - To Mail this:
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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 24, 2009 at 7:29:00 AM PDT

    For me in germany wikipedia is working, too. But only in english. The german version is not available. Greetings from germany, Markus

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownOctober 24, 2009 at 4:20:00 PM PDT

    Markus, thanks very much for taking the time to send this confirmation though your access is only to the English version of Wikipedia.

    I just checked and see that European countries and likely other ones have Wikipedia access for free though they can't browse the web in a general way. That will still be something that (for now) other e-readers are not offering.

    Thanks again,

    - Andrys

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jennifer H.October 29, 2009 at 10:31:00 PM PDT

    I have an international Kindle. It is registared in the USA, and was shipped to a US address (APO) however, I live in Germany. One Day1 of package opening, I just: googled, checked my gmail and updated my facebook status from it all via their mobile sites! I wasn't expecting the basic web function to work here in Germany but it is! I tried to check if this has happened to anyone else... don't see any info on the web yet. Do I hush about it before Amazon finds out?

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 31, 2009 at 9:23:00 AM PDT

    Jennifer,

    If you registered it in the U.S. and it was shipped to a valid US address, then you are registered for the U.S. and you have the regular usage rights of an American customer.

    I think that if you try to buy a Kindle book it may see you as a U.S. customer travelling and either allow the purchase or allow it with Amazon gift-certificates that you buy for your account.

    Re your googling, eventually they will notice that the account is web-browsing where you are and that's highly unusual. And probably very costly to Amazon. They charge U.S. customers an extra $2 to download a book when they are in other countries, to make up for that. And magazines/newspapers cost an additional $5/week for U.S. customers travelling or living abroad. So eventually they will see the situation. I have no advice on this. Enjoy it while you can. Final pricing won't be very different.

    But what you describe is what U.S. customers do have with web browsing and it has always amazed me how many people don't use the capabilities you did or they feel they are too slow to use. When out of the house it can be helpful.

    I would not draw attention to it though! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jennifer H.November 2, 2009 at 3:40:00 AM PST

    FYI the "Important Reminder About International Delivery Fees" article that was delivered to my Kindle says: "There is no charge for wirelessly browsing the Kindle store or using the experimental web browser while traveling internationally."
    I assume this means Amazon expected the browser would get used and that they are not opposed to it.

    I am in fact, an American US user (I use a USA Amazon account and have a US credit card), who is for Amazon's purposes "traveling internationally" ... I was aware I would be charged the extra "roaming fee" of $2 (per book) delivery charge ($5 for weekly subscriptions) beforehand. I just didn't know I'd be able to use the basic web feature while abroad! I think this was a last minute change by Amazon.

    By the way, the speed of the web browser is what I would call "fast"! Checking my gmail is faster than on my husband's PDA!

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownNovember 2, 2009 at 10:41:00 AM PST

    Jennifer,
    Then you are all set up! That's terrific to know. The AT&T partners in Germany may be providing faster Kindle web access than Sprint does or has in the U.S.

    Thanks for letting us know!
    The basic Wikipedia should work well for Kindle owners in Germany then, too.

    I wish I were traveling in a country that has the Kindle, much less the Kindle wireless, but Egypt doesn't nor does the next place I'll be.
    - Andrys

    ReplyDelete

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