I want a kindle! But I'm in Canada :(

robotbebop

So I want to get a kindle. Gonna save up. I'm just looking for some experiences that other Canadian owners have had.

How much am I going to get nailed for in customs?
Is the book selection any different?
How does the wireless work? I'm just curious how they swing that especially in Canada.

Also, I did google a bit but I might just suck: can you buy a kindle at retail at all? I mainly want to avoid customs and shipping.

Thanks!

admanb

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robotbebop

admanb wrote: »

?

Uhm... thanks? I've looked at the product page already

It doesn't answer my questions about customs. Just that they will be applied.

etdragon

Kindle is not sold anywhere at retail only by Amazon so you are sorta stuck on the customs and whatnot. Apparently if you put the item in your amazon cart it will show you what you will pay in customs.

Not sure on the book selection and it seems from the product page that the wireless works much like it does in the US in that it'll just work and you'll be able to get books wirelessly without paying any additional fees.

robotbebop

etdragon wrote: »

Kindle is not sold anywhere at retail only by Amazon so you are sorta stuck on the customs and whatnot. Apparently if you put the item in your amazon cart it will show you what you will pay in customs.

Not sure on the book selection and it seems from the product page that the wireless works much like it does in the US in that it'll just work and you'll be able to get books wirelessly without paying any additional fees.

I'll have to try the cart thing; I did it quickly at work but I didn't look too hard.

I'm not really concerned about wireless. I'm just really very curious about how they pulled that off. Especially here where wireless companies are supreme dicks about that kind of thing; also, you'd think the CRTC would have something to say.

Foomy

I'm canadian and own a kindle 2

the wireless works just fine anywhere theres a telus 3g network(thats who they made an agreement with, amazon is basically paying the cell-phone bills of any kindle users for you), so pretty much everywhere theres people. though you can't access anything but wikipedia on the experimental web browser. and theres no extra charges or anything on book purchases.
I don't think there was any customs when I bought it, but don't quote me on it.
book selection seems the same as in the us, at least I haven't run across anything that I couldn't buy.
it'll show all the prices in us funds, and charge as such to your cc, so you will get hit with currency conversion charges if your cc does that.

ummm ya thats bout all I can think of, theres not really any changes except the web browser from the us version I can think of.

shutz

I live in Canada. Last March, I ordered a Kindle for a gift. It was a WiFi-only model, so I can't say anything about the 3G stuff, but here is how things worked out, money-wise:

The Kindle itself was 139$
Shipping and handling was 20.98$
Import Fees Deposit (which I believe was refunded later... although I can't find a confirmation right now) was 16.68$
for a grand total of 176.66$

Since this went through Amazon.com (even though I reached the kindle.com site from the amazon.ca site!) I believe this was US$, but with CA$ at or near parity, that doesn't make much of a difference.

Once I got the Kindle, I went back to the kindle site, and "bought" about a hundred of the free ebooks that are offered, trying to choose what the target of the gift might be most interested in. After setting up the wifi on the Kindle to connect with my router (which was simpler than most wifi configs I've had to do in the past -- simpler than setting up wifi on a Wii, for example) the books downloaded automatically to the Kindle as I bought them.

Remember to shut wireless off when you're not using the Kindle, otherwise the battery will drain surprisingly quickly, and then it can take a while to charge it and get the Kindle working again.

Daenris

etdragon wrote:

Kindle is not sold anywhere at retail only by Amazon so you are sorta stuck on the customs and whatnot. Apparently if you put the item in your amazon cart it will show you what you will pay in customs.

Actually, I believe The Source sells the kindle in Canada, so you should be able to just walk in and pick one up.

ihmmy

Have you looked at the Kobo at all? I ask only because I recently got one and I lurvs it, I really liked being able to test out the model beforehand too (at Indigo, Futureshop, Best Buy, etc.)

El Mucho

I am in Canada and I got a kindle as an x-mas gift and it was purchased at Staples.

admanb

Guys I suspect the OP has already gotten his Kindle.

shutz

ummm, looks like someone necroposted something, and then had his post deleted. Or else there was a glitch in the forum software. Because as it stands now, I only see a post from March 2010, and then my own post... and I'm positive that I saw this thread on the first page of H/A less than 24 hours ago.

wonderpug

When this first got bumped there was a post from someone named something like "CanadaKindles" with the post here being his one and only post.