We can't say that we never saw
this day coming, but we definitely didn't it see it coming today. After months of forcing us to twiddle our thumbs (and a good bit of
pressure from other
e-reader players), Amazon has finally taken the
Kindle international. Aside from being able to wirelessly download content in over 100 countries and territories, the 6-inch device is the same as it ever was. The $279 price tag on the Kindle U.S. & International Wireless now represents a $20 premium over the standard Kindle, which simultaneously fell from $299 to $259 in price and picked up a new label ("Kindle U.S. Wireless"). The extra Jackson is evidently there to cover the inevitable roaming charges that'll occur when downloading new content overseas, but given AT&T's extensive global roaming footprint (yeah, the global reader is tied to AT&T, not
Sprint), you should be covered in most every nation fit to visit. Feel free to place your pre-order now, and get ready for a new life as a globetrotting digital bookworm come October 19th.
Update: Just saw this in the
fine print: "When traveling abroad, you can download books wirelessly from the Kindle Store or your Archived Items for a fee of $1.99."
[Thanks, Tom]
Read - Kindle goes international
Read - US Kindle falls to $259
posted October 7th 2009 12:29AM
Simple math says that international "Bestseller" readers are going to pay 40% more (at a minimum) than USA "Bestseller" readers---for the same Kindle-version books (including the $1.99 surcharge).
Wow...
I'd rather have wi-fi than whispernet.
So, now that this has been announced, I'm REALLY not regretting upgrading to the PRS-600 - better features, better build, , open-source books, and no obscene $1.99 data tax for every wireless download. I MIGHT consider the DX for the form-factor if they release an international version before the plastic logic reader comes out (predicted Q1 '10 for the US, 'some time in '11' for the UK - from a British company!)...
I have had a Kindle 1.0 since it first came out. I no longer buy books from Amazon. Even at $9.99 a book, it gets expensive, and the books I want, are usually much more expensive. I primarily download books from Gutenberg.org and then email them to my Kindle (emailing involves using my Kindle's email address, and then it gets send to teh device wirelessly). That costs a few cents, but is worth it because then I do not have to screw around with the cables. I also use it to read PDF files from various professional articles I get online. The prices of books in the Kindle store are ridiculously expensive if you are going to read mnay books. Gutneberg.org may only have old stuff but it is cheap (zero cost!) Until downloaded books are cheaper, the Kindle is not worth it for most people.
I wonder if this means Amazon will also make the iphone app for the kindle available internationally? I'd be very happy if that were the case - it's currently blocked here in Oz.
As a side note: this move effectively makes Amazon a bookseller in all the markets where they previously weren't - again - in Oz there is no local Amazon site, whereas with digital goods that could now change.
No availability in Singapore? We are all waiting for the Kindle 2 since ages ago!!! That's not being international!!!
WTF... Kindle includes a 1-year limited warranty.
You stupid stupid Amazon, EU will fuck you till you give us 2 years
Not true. Any company is free to chose the length of warranty they provide for their products, even in the EU. Toshiba doesn't provide any warranty on their LCD-TVs, and all Apple products only have a 1 year warranty as well.
Yeah but then store has to provide warranty even if company don't provide any, that's why I hate Canon
Hmm, I don't see any mention of the Kindle DX internationally?
International Kindle DX coming in 2010.
I think this is a really awkward way of selling these to people outside the States with all the roaming fees added to book purchases and that, plus shipping to the UK, for example will attract more awkwardness with the paying VAT and customs duties on top of the price.
I think I'll wait until they sort out a Amazon UK version and UK SIM cards are plugged into the things so there won't be roaming fees, and prices are in sterling so you're not flicking to a currency converter all the time.
I quote from details on another EU country's info page:
"Free Wireless: Free 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle. No monthly fees, service plans, or hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. For non-U.S. customers, there are also no additional charges for wireless delivery outside your home country."
And
"Your international shipment is subject to customs duties, import taxes and other fees levied by the destination country. We will show you these fees upon checkout"
And
"You can transfer personal documents to your Kindle via USB for free at anytime. Service fees for transferring personal documents via Whispernet are currently $.99 per megabyte"
Frankly I don't think this will be too big in the EU, people are more protective of their purse.
But on the other hand, with hundreds of million of users (I saw russia on their map too) even 1% might be worth their while.
Still, I would not worry if I were an european e-book reader manufacturer/seller, I don't see this impacting on their sales, in fact the advertisement and buzz might boost sales for the competition when people start to browse for e-book readers and prefer an open format where they actually own content and end up buying the bookeen cybook or sony or something
so, is south africa on the list of 100 countries
yeah great but still not in Canada, come on Amazon do something about your friends up North
I'm confused about the 1.99 charge. The full text on the main page reads:
For U.S. customers traveling abroad, a $1.99 fee currently applies when downloading books or single issues of periodicals wirelessly from your Archived Items or the Kindle store while roaming internationally. For details on periodicals and personal documents, click here. To avoid any fees, you can always download books, periodicals, and personal documents via your computer and transfer to your Kindle using USB.
If you check the wireless coverage for individual countries, there is no mention of a charge for transferring books, only the .99/MB for personal documents.
So are "non-U.S." customers charged the $1.99 or is that why the international version costs $20 more?
"Free Wireless: Free 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle. No monthly fees, service plans, or hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. For non-U.S. customers, there are also no additional charges for wireless delivery outside your home country."
So yeah the US folks have to pay it seems.
Screw Amazon and the Kindle, we in Canada need our own online book-megastore (Amazon.ca blows) and E-Reader. I vote for Tim Horton's to get in on this
Be glad your laws protect you from exploitation and buying stuff then not owning it, which is probably the thing that stops it I'm guessing?
Since when did clicking on strange looking links become okay?
After so many years of challenging access to english books now a solution is at hand. Even if I have to admit that the Kindle is not the optimal and ultimate device for me it's time to order one.
http://blog.perstechlife.com/2009/10/07/international-kindle-yes-i-can/ Edit international-kindle-yes-i-can View Post Get Shortlink
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PersTechLife
Yes, there is a lot of unhappiness here in this thread, but I still think Amazon is making some good progress though. If the PUBLISHERS manage to work out their differences (READ: GREED) and agree to sell books internationally and just make whatever money they can, Canadians, New Zealanders and Singaporeans won't have to be left out of the list. But noooo-sir-reee, they need to meticulously calculate how much people in each country is willing to pay, negotiate deals with publishers who think eBooks encourage piracy and claim that paper books are the best way ever to read books (J K Rowling?). Let's forget about the environment yeah and just keep cutting down trees and burning those fossil fuels...
On a more positive note, I do hope Amazon keeps trying to throw more countries in the list soon. :)
Man, I just got one the other day. FML.
Yeah, I just got one last week as well (refurb K2 for 219$), but probably wouldn't have gone for the intl. version anyway, since Sprint works in the DC underground train system, but AT&T does not.
If you still have the packaging though, might be worth trying to return.
I've you've never heard of XKCD, you need to hand in your geek card.
WHAT THE F***! URUGUAY IS GETTING THE KINDLE, AND I ALREADY ORDERED A SONY PRS-300!
I'd go with the sony anyway.
It's a closed ebook party without the possibility to read simple pdf files. No thanks!
Kudos to Kindles!
But I believe that in spite of this giant going international, there still be room for other, alternative devices (not Sony). Just because Kindles are not very good with different languages, except English.
For those of you who struggled with DHL International like me here's a sign of life. DHL Germany wanted to charge me a whopping 66€ on top of the 300 something $ Amazon charged me. Included where 57$ Import Tax and Duties. Thing is DHL can't read! I had to go thru 3 Callcenter Agents 'til I found a decent one that was able to interpret the incoterms DDP means I have free way and no addtl. Fees apply. Now they have to change the bill and hopefully I can open the box some time this week.
Just so you know, when you have paid the deposit, don't let DHL fool you, call them and insist they check the Bill.
Well, if you have troubles having your products shipped to you from the US, you can try www.shipito.com. I use this company that receives and ships your orders anywhere you want which is pretty convenient.