Is 3G really necessary?

[Seamonkey]

I like having it.. sure, I have wifi at home, but sometimes when I'm upstairs, not always, the kindle will flip to 3G and of course when I'm out and about it just sticks to 3G and while there is wifi many places, I seem to be in other places and if they have free wifi it often requres signing in.. 3G is just easier and faster.

Agile, without a home wifi presence, I would definitely want 3G.  Having to connect to a computer to order from Amazon is just a PITA.. and I often want to click over to read descriptions when I'm deciding what book to read next, or I finish a book and want to see if that author has other books available, or I'm reading a blog and read about a book of interest, I want to quickly check Amazon..

It isn't totally necessary, but once you have it and use it, you don't want to go without it.

 

[CS]

I used to be a major proponent of 3G. Even up to last year, I was recommending it to people. But I took a good, long look at my own Kindle usage and realized I took advantage of the 3G functionality very few times outside the house. So, when the $79 wi-fi-only Kindle landed, I opted for that model after using a K1 for years. No regrets whatsoever. The wi-fi is blazing fast and I'm in love with my new baby.

[Lursa (aka 9MMare)]

Because I only use my K3 for reading books, I have found that just wireless is fine for me. I use 3G on my phone all the time for things, but my Kindle is just for reading.

So wireless, which I have at home, is just fine. I download things in the evening when I go online and visit....this forum! Among other sites 

My K3 holds so many (unread) books that there are plenty to choose from when traveling. I dont need to be able to download more 'spur of the moment,' altho I might be bummed if I cant grab a Kindle Deal of the Day while away from home, but that hasnt happened yet 

[ellenoc]

Believe it or not "getting a router" won't do it for everybody. I'm rural and my internet is dial up. Could I manage by downloading to the computer, hooking the Kindle up and transferring that way? Yes, but it would kill a lot of what makes a Kindle a Kindle. So 3G for me for the foreseeable future. I never ever used wifi on my 3G Kindle until recently when I tried downloading a library book and took the Kindle to the library afterwards and used their wifi just to see how it worked with library checkouts. It would be neat.

[monkeygirl351]

I have a kindle with 3G and found that I wouldn't miss it if it wasn't there. I download all my books to my computer to import to calibre before they go on my kindle anyways, that way everything is backed up as I go along. I usually browse the amazon store on my pc or iPad and send the samples through wifi as I am at home when I do that. Honestly, there is wifi in so many places that 3G isn't even really neccesary for it. That being said I do have a 3G iPad, but use it for alot of other things like navigation and such. I can't even remember the last time I turned 3G on on my kindle.

[history_lover]

Believe it or not "getting a router" won't do it for everybody. I'm rural and my internet is dial up.

You can get wireless with dial up: http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/wireless/f/wlansharedialup.htm

[drenee]

Whatever you do, before you decide on 3G, make sure you check the 3G coverage area map for your location:

http://client0.cellmaps.com/viewer.html?cov=1

Thank you for this link.  Question.  Are some of the Kindles AT&T and some Sprint?  If so, how do we know which is which?  I seem to remember they switched at some point, but I can't remember when. 
deb

[robertk328]

I like the 3G because:

1) I can download books, samples, etc. anywhere without being in a wifi zone
2) I read on my iPhone or iPad at times, and the 3G means the Kindle (my primary reading device) will always be sync'd whether I'm home or not. I'll sometimes sneak in a few pages here and there on my iPhone, and when turning the Kindle on it knows I'm a few pages up and will ask to go to that spot.

robert

[Leslie]

Thank you for this link.  Question.  Are some of the Kindles AT&T and some Sprint?  If so, how do we know which is which?  I seem to remember they switched at some point, but I can't remember when. 
deb

I believe they switched when the K2 came out as the international version. The original K1s had Sprint, and the first generation of K2s.

L

[drenee]

Thank you.  I have AT&T as my cell phone provider and I get spotty service at home.  But recently my K2 gets all five bars and downloads perfectly.  Previously I had to drive up to the top of the road to download a book or hook up to my computer.  Just trying to figure out why my K is getting such great service.
deb

[mooshie78]

Thank you.  I have AT&T as my cell phone provider and I get spotty service at home.  But recently my K2 gets all five bars and downloads perfectly.  Previously I had to drive up to the top of the road to download a book or hook up to my computer.  Just trying to figure out why my K is getting such great service.
deb

They probably amped up the data signal in your area, put up a new tower or something.  I run into some place where I only have a bar or two of 1x voice signal on my verizon phone, but have 3 or 4 bars of EV data signal.  Not an issue at home since I live in a big city and get 4 bars of both.  But run into it in rural areas like my parents place etc.

[drenee]

So I must have Sprint on my K2 then.   It's nice to be able to use the Whispernet at the new place of abode. 
deb

[PhillyGuy]

3G is an awesome bargain if you want what it is good for. But it doesn't have, for me, anything to do with reading books.

This summer, our youngest backpacked through Eastern Europe and kept in touch with m.gmail.com, which seemed to work everywhere. If I remember right, if you buy your Kindle 3 AKA Keyboard 3G in the US or UK, you get free internet in about 100 countries. If bought elsewhere, free full internet extends to a mere 60 countries. Amazon puts the cell phone companies, who charge for service by the month and then hassle you for more money if you cross an international border, to shame.

I used to check the news on twp.com (Washington Post mobile site) during my morning transit commute. Sometimes I still do, but now I've subscribed to the New York Times latest news blog. $1.99 a month for what amounts to a continuously updated front page. Without 3G news would of course be stale. When it comes to books, I feel no similar urgency.

Note that you can't expect to use the same web site that's optimized for a PC on the Kindle.

[Seamonkey]

The NY Times Latest News Blog is one of the best things (other than books) for my Kindle!