iPhone + Kindle Question

[thinkpatience]

Quick question.

I want to get my girlfriend a Kindle (Wi-Fi Only) for Christmas and she has an iPhone 3GS. Does anyone know how the iPhone syncs (iPhone) purchased books to the kindle via the kindle app? Does the Kindle require internet access for the sync to happen, or is it like bluetooth, allowing her to sync it without being around Wi-Fi?

I don't want to spend the extra 60 or so dollars on the 3G version of the Kindle if she can just buy books on the iPhone Kindle App, and transfer them over to the Kindle via "Whispersync" on the go. Seems like a waste of money if you're already paying for the 3G on the iPhone.

Being an Apple fanboy I'd prefer to just get her an iPad, but she rather have a Kindle. Anyways a new version of iPad should be coming out soon, so I'm happy to save the money and just get one for myself

Any help would be great, thanks!

 

[vistadude]

The kindle does need wifi to sync, but incase there's not wifi, she could always find the location with her 3gs and skip forward on the kindle. But to be honest, if she has a kindle, i doubt she would use the iphone app very often since the kindle screen is so much easier to read on and the battery is pretty much unlimited.

 

[thinkpatience]

Thanks for the info,
Yeah I don't think she wants to read on the iPhone, I just mean for purchasing books on the go (Train or car trips). If she could just purchase them through the kindle app and swap them over to the kindle via a bluetooth like connection it would be nice (Thats what I wasn't sure about). I just don't know anything about the kindle, then again... how often does one need to purchase a book away from home anyways I guess I'll just get the wifi version and spend that extra $60 on a giftcard for kindle books.

Thanks again.

 

[IrishVixen]

The Kindle requires a wifi connection to the Internet to download books. If she buys them on the phone while away from home, she'll have to wait until she's on a wifi network to download them to the Kindle. How often do you need to download books outside the house? If you travel, possibly quite a bit. If not, probably not very often. I only ever do it in airports; Internet on the Kindle is OK, but the iPhone is way better for random surfing needs, so the only way I'd use the Kindle's 3G for that would be if the iPhone was dead.

(And for the next question that always comes up, you can't tether the Kindle to the iPhone; it doesn't recognize ad hoc wifi networks, which is all the JB iPhone wifi apps create, and the Kindle doesn't have Bluetooth so native tethering is out.)

Amazon has a 30 day return policy on Kindles. Get her the wifi version and she can pay to upgrade it herself if she decides she has to have 3G.

 

[iBaloney]

just get her the ipad. the kindle app is pretty rad and has a bigger library than ibooks.

 

[sharpycl]

I have a kindle (gen 2) and an iPhone. She would need a wi fi connection in order to sync her books to her kindle if she bought the books on her iPhone.

Since I have the 2nd gen kindle I have the 3G version and I must say it is pretty handy to have if you're on the go often. Otherwise then the wi fi only model is just for her.

If she is a heavy reader the iPad as a reading device wouldn't be a very good option for her. The kindle has a LOONNNGGG battery life, easier to read, and VERY lightweight. She can read for hours without over stressing her eyes (just like a book).

 

[shakeman0]

If you are getting her a Kindle, personally I would go ahead and get the 3G model. Its only like $40-$50 more and there's no monthly fee.

 

[pdqgp]

My wife has both the Kindle 2 and the new v3 (black) with 3G access on both.

Believe me, the iPad can try to be a book reader, but the screen on the latest kindle is about as good as I've ever seen. even in low light, reading is easy and fatigue free. The iPad screen is very nice, but not at all even close to a Kindle for long term or heavy readers.