Travel Technology - Amazon Fire wi-fi 3G vs Nook?

Wondering if either of these e-readers has decent internet access, or is it abbreviated like with cell phone (mobile) Google, etc?

Also, Amazon says their Fire 3G operates all over the world. Is this 3G for downloading books and movies only, or can it also be used for internet access so I can check my email, flight details, read the FT forum, book hotels while traveling, etc.

In other words, will it do almost what my netbook does, except store massive amounts of data and give me the keyboard?

Or does it work as just a big oversized cell phone? In which case I can bring a non-active smartphone with me and just hook into wi-fi wherever I am able.

Heading to Central America for a month in July, will be in Nica, Honduras, and Guate.

...Amazon says their Fire 3G operates all over the world.

To my knowledge there is no Fire 3G. The Fire is Wi-Fi only. Other Kindle models, with the E-Ink display, do have 3G. Scroll down for a comparison chart:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051QVESA/ref=sv_kinh_0

Amazon blocked full internet on the Fire , you can still get 3G on the B+W screen Kindle Keyboard which I bought last week......

Yes it works , but its like dial-up speeds or slower !
and it will not connect to many mobile websites like an iPhone or Android will,
It can get to Google maps so you can get directions ,

The keyboard is very small and I am sure after a few months of regular heavy use you will not be able to see the letters on the keyboard,

As a computer its a joke , as an email reader its OK ,
I am glad I got it but I only needed it for International 3G access to my email .

Soarer

Amazon blocked full internet on the Fire , you can still get 3G on the B+W screen Kindle Keyboard which I bought last week......

Yes it works , but its like dial-up speeds or slower !
and it will not connect to many mobile websites like an iPhone or Android will,
It can get to Google maps so you can get directions ,

The keyboard is very small and I am sure after a few months of regular heavy use you will not be able to see the letters on the keyboard,

As a computer its a joke , as an email reader its OK ,
I am glad I got it but I only needed it for International 3G access to my email .

Soarer

I'm not sure what you're talking about.

My dad has a Kindle Fire, and he can surf the full web just fine.

I have a Kindle 3G and, while it comes with a web browser, it's pretty limited. You buy the Kindle to read books, not for web surfing or email.

The Fire is a wifi only device. Like any other tablet, it has full internet access when you are connected to wifi.

The 3G e-ink Kindles really aren't for web surfing. It's very slow and awkward. Only get an e-ink Kindle if you plan to read books. For that, it's awesome.

I'm not sure what you're talking about.

My dad has a Kindle Fire, and he can surf the full web just fine.

I have a Kindle 3G and, while it comes with a web browser, it's pretty limited. You buy the Kindle to read books, not for web surfing or email.

I do not believe you can surf the web on 3G with a Kindle Fire , you can download books on 3G and get to Wikipedia on 3G but you have to use WiFi to surf the web, Amazon could not afford to give FREE 3G worldwide web surfing away for buying a $200 Kindle Fire that is fast and have a touch screen.!

The Kindle 3G keyboard is what I have , a great e-reader , an OK way to check your email and other small things on 3G almost anywhere in the world that there is a 3G signal , l

Soarer

I do not believe you can surf the web on 3G with a Kindle Fire , you can download books on 3G and get to Wikipedia on 3G but you have to use WiFi to surf the web, Amazon could not afford to give FREE 3G worldwide web surfing away for buying a $200 Kindle Fire that is fast and have a touch screen.!

The Kindle 3G keyboard is what I have , a great e-reader , an OK way to check your email and other small things on 3G almost anywhere in the world that there is a 3G signal , l

Soarer

There is no 3g on a kindle fire, at all. NONE. Not even for books or wiki.

The following devices are WiFi only, no 3G at all
Kindle, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, and Kindle Fire.

The following devices are 3G only, no Wifi
Kindle DX

The following devices are both 3G and Wifi
Kindle Touch 3G, Kindle Keyboard 3G

Note that the Wifi only and the Wifi 3G Keyboard device both cost the same, not sure why they would sell a WiFi only one.

Wondering if either of these e-readers has decent internet access, or is it abbreviated like with cell phone (mobile) Google, etc?

Also, Amazon says their Fire 3G operates all over the world. Is this 3G for downloading books and movies only, or can it also be used for internet access so I can check my email, flight details, read the FT forum, book hotels while traveling, etc.

In other words, will it do almost what my netbook does, except store massive amounts of data and give me the keyboard?

Or does it work as just a big oversized cell phone? In which case I can bring a non-active smartphone with me and just hook into wi-fi wherever I am able.

Heading to Central America for a month in July, will be in Nica, Honduras, and Guate.


I don't own the Nook so I can't speak about the Nook but I have owned a few Kindles and an iPad. Here are my thoughts.

If I wanted to just read with the convenience of downloading a book via 3G I would buy the Kindle Touch 3G (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005890G8O/ref=sr_tc_sc_2_5?&pf_rd_r=F8FE87D06D8C4FCD9A5A&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=kindle&pf_rd_p=1343222302&pf_rd_s=structured-results-2&qid=1339470562&sr=1-2-tc) or the Kindle Keyboard 3G (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HZYA6E/ref=famstripe_kk3g). I have owned them both and they worked great, still work great, my friends that I gave them away to both love them.

If I wanted to use my device for mostly reading, Netflix and the convenience of having Internet available I would buy the Kindle Fire (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051VVOB2/ref=famstripe_kf). The Kindle Fire is small and it does what it says it does in the Amazon description. I personally find the web browser a little clunky and slow but it works and most websites load normally and are easy to read and use. The Kindle Fire is not 3G, you would need wireless internet access.

If I wanted to use my device for mostly Internet, watching movies, watching Netflix, using different apps, listening to music and some reading and money isn't the issue, I would buy the iPad 3rd generation (http://store.apple.com/us/buy/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad/new_ipad). The iPad is 3G at a greater expense and a data plan or just WiFi.

I like my Kindle Fire, before I got the iPad I loved it, took it everywhere, used it all the time. Now since purchasing the iPad I rarely take the KF on trips, I just use it at home to read.

If you want something that does a lot at a low price the Kindle Fire is a great choice.

Wondering if either of these e-readers has decent internet access, or is it abbreviated like with cell phone (mobile) Google, etc?

Also, Amazon says their Fire 3G operates all over the world. Is this 3G for downloading books and movies only, or can it also be used for internet access so I can check my email, flight details, read the FT forum, book hotels while traveling, etc.

In other words, will it do almost what my netbook does, except store massive amounts of data and give me the keyboard?

Or does it work as just a big oversized cell phone? In which case I can bring a non-active smartphone with me and just hook into wi-fi wherever I am able.

Heading to Central America for a month in July, will be in Nica, Honduras, and Guate.

I have a Nook Color that I have modified using CyanogenMod 7. Fine e-reader, reasonable internet device with the modification, which allows access not just to B&N but to most of the Amazon bookstore as well. The modification is not difficult, but of course, "difficult" is in the eye of the beholder. If you don't like playing around with your devices, then this mod may not be for you; on the other hand, I've found it one of the easier modifications to do. Just download the files from http://www.cyanogenmod.com for the Nook onto a microSD card, follow the directions exactly, and you'll have a device that can handle most tasks thrown at it, including the ability to make reservations at hotels, download maps, and generally surf the internet.

One of the major advantages of a 7-inch device over a 10-inch device when traveling is portability. I found that I could slide the Nook into a pants or rain jacket pocket where an iPad would have never fit. For content creation, a netbook is required, at minimum; but, if you're strictly talking about internet access and book reading, a 7-inch device will address most needs, especially where space is a concern.

The following devices are WiFi only, no 3G at all
Kindle, Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, and Kindle Fire.

The following devices are 3G only, no Wifi
Kindle DX

The following devices are both 3G and Wifi
Kindle Touch 3D, Kindle Keyboard 3G

Note that the Wifi only and the Wifi 3G Keyboard device both cost the same, not sure why they would sell a WiFi only one.


There is a Kindle Touch 3G as well. I have one, in fact. :)