Friday, September 7, 2012

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite in Singapore

If you want to read more about the previous Kindle Touch (with 400 comments!), click here.

1) Updates
  • 16 September 2013: With the arrival of the new 2013 model, this blog entry will no longer be updated. All updates will be found here instead.
  • 7 September: Amended bullet point 5 of the 'how to buy ebooks' section based on new information.
  • 6 September: Software Update 5.3.8 released.
  • 3 September: New Kindle Paperwhite announced with better contrast. Name unchanged. 
  • 5th August 2013: I just opened a new online shop sgkindleshop.com. Get the Paperwhite at S$199 with free 2-day delivery! Plus management of your new account so that purchasing of books can be more easily done. :)
  • 10th April: I'll be hiking in Australia for 2 months so may not answer questions that quickly.
  • 28th February: New Kindle Paperwhite ads just got released last week. 
  • 14th October: I just received the Kindle Paperwhite and Leather Cover. It's plainly the best Kindle ever made. There seems to some reviews which mention defective screens, hopefully that's just a minority of the huge amounts of Kindles sold. Mine looks gorgeous! It took 11 days from the package leaving Amazon to reaching Comgateway to reaching my house. The shipping was USD17. Total cost is around S$215 including shipping via Comgateway (or S$165 if you don't buy the cover, which is not recommended.)
2) Some Kindle ebooks I bought
3) Kindle Paperwhite
4) Kindle Leather Cover
5) Calibre integration
6) How to buy a Kindle in Singapore
7) How to buy Kindle ebooks in Singapore



      ----------------------------
      2) Some Kindle books I've bought to be read on the E Ink Kindle and Kindle for iPad.


      __________________________________
      Every year at this time, I worry that E Ink e-readers will be gone, taken over by the attractiveness of LCD screens found on tablets. Last year, Amazon launched the Kindle Fire, a fork in the Kindle brand that threatened to do away with the E Ink version if it didn't do as well as expected. It now seems that that's not happening at all. Amazon does have a long-term investment in E Ink e-readers for one simple reason: it provides the best reading experience and looks just like a book. So today, we have a new model, the 5th generation Kindle Paperwhite!

      I bought the Kindle Paperwhite (the version without 3G and with Special Offers) and also got a Leather Cover. It took 11 days from the package leaving Amazon to reaching Comgateway to reaching my house. The shipping was USD17. Total cost is around S$215 including shipping via Comgateway (or S$165 if you don't buy the cover, which is not recommended.)
      There are two groups of people who may be interested in this device. Those who have never had a Kindle before, and those who have. For the former group, just get the new Paperwhite. It's basically a no-brainer. If you want an E Ink reader, this is as good as it gets. It's light, the user interface is not bad and it has gone through many versions; this is the best yet. For those who have the Kindle Touch or another older version, there are a few reasons why the Paperwhite is a compelling upgrade. Firstly, we're talking about the best lighted screen that exists. I've compared the Paperwhite's screen with its brightness adjusted equal to an iPad's screen in pitch darkness. The Paperwhite's screen can be very dim and very bright, very similar to an iPad's. However, the feature that makes it 'better' than the conventional LCD screen is that it can be read very well in bright sunlight also. No other screen does as well in two kinds of light conditions. Hence the continual attraction of E Ink devices. Next, the resolution of the Paperwhite has increased to 758x1024 pixels at 212dpi. The Touch's is 600x800. What this means is that the fonts are now more crisp than ever. For all intents and purposes, it is a Retina display. (The Retina Macbook Pro has a resolution of 220ppi.) Just look at the picture below, this is with the light turned on a little. I cannot tell it's not a piece of paper.
      Thirdly, the term paper white is achieved (or at least close to what we mean by white) by the ingenious technology found in the light dispersion system that allows the screen to be evenly lit. Now we may ask ourselves what the big deal is. For example, aren't all LCD screens perfectly lit? There lies one big difference between the two technologies. LCD screens give off light, so each pixel is a point of light, very loosely speaking. E Ink screens cannot be lit in the same way, since they're opaque. (The pages of a paper book cannot light up by itself.) So light has to shine on the screen, and reflected into our eyes. The result is objectively not perfectly evenly light, but it's darn close. So close that it does not detract from the experience at all, unless you're very picky. The dictionary's interface has changed a little too. Holding your finger to a word for 2s will make the definitions window pop up. If you want to view the full entry, tap 'More'. To go back to the book, press 'back'.
      Another interesting new feature tells you how much time you'll need to spend finishing the book. It's found at the bottom left corner, and it's pretty accurate from my experience reading it.
      Kindle Leather Cover Apart from the Kindle, you need to buy some sort of casing. A screen protector is not needed, but a case is quite essential. You don't want to drop the Kindle without protection as the screen will mostly likely break. The official Leather Cover is not cheap, but it's really, really good. It has a rubber chassis that wraps the Kindle very tightly. The corners are protected if the reader is dropped to the ground. There's a magnet on the cover so that when you close it, the Kindle switches off automatically, and vice versa. The build quality is also very good, better than the Touch's official case.
      Calibre integration Calibre is an ebook management software that extends the potential of a Kindle quite a bit. It has many 'recipes' that are able to pull content from major websites and then automically transfer the material to the Kindle automatically via email. In the previous version, Chinese characters were not totally able to be displayed. In the Paperwhite, it seems that most if not all characters can be displayed.
      News from zaobao.com
      With the included dictionary
      Content from The West Australian
      Content from Today Online
      Content from Psychology Today
      How to buy a Kindle in Singapore
      • Create an Amazon account if you don't already have one.
      • Go to the Kindle page and buy yourself a Kindle. It will be automatically linked to your Amazon account. I prefer the WiFi-only version rather than the 3G+WiFi version. The added 3G may not be really necessary because worldwide surfing isn't guaranteed even though it does work in many places. Also, additional costs will be incurred for the transfer of documents if 3G (AT&T roaming) is used when there is no WiFi.
      • Ship it to a third party mail forwarder. Borderlinx (Citibank credit card required, go to 'get a virtual address') and Comgateway (go to 'get my US address') are excellent. They both use DHL.
      • When you get your Kindle, you need to register it if it hasn't already been registered. After connecting to wifi at home>settings, register it by filling in your Amazon username and password at "home>settings>register".
      Some preparatory steps to take before buying books from the Amazon US store
      • Because Amazon doesn't officially support Kindles in Singapore, there were instances where buyers were found to be not from 'authorised countries' and were asked to provide proof of US residency before they could buy books again. To be safe, use a vpn described below.
      • Firstly, do not buy Amazon ebooks directly from your Kindle device or Kindle apps, not even free books.
      • Buy a gift card with your local credit card, say USD50. Use the correct, local billing address for this purchase. Email the gift card to your email address. When you receive it in the mail, apply the gift amount to your Amazon account.
      • Go to your account, 'manage payment options', and erase your credit card info if you have any credit cards associated with Amazon.com . (Do this also whenever you buy something at Amazon using your local credit card.)
      • You need to buy books using your Internet browser on your computer with a VPN installed. Functionally, using a VPN is the equivalent of me giving you an airplane ticket to travel with your Kindle to the US. Use a VPN such as AlwaysVPN to make yourself situated in the US, in spirit. You may turn it off later when you're done purchasing. Click here to download some instructions. The cheapest Alwaysvpn package can last you for years. Do not use Hotspot Shield; it's known not to work sometimes.
      • Exit your Internet browser.
      • Switch on your VPN. Open your browser.
      • Go to Manage your Kindle at the Kindle product page.
      • Go to 'country settings'. Change your country to US if it's showing another country. Use any US address.
      • Switch off the VPN.
      How to buy e-books from the Amazon US store
      • Do not buy e-books (even if the books are free) with the Kindle device.
      • Ensure that you have sufficient funds in your account. If not, buy more gift cards and apply them to your account.
      • Exit your Internet browser.
      • Switch on your VPN, and check that it's working by going to http://www.whatismyipaddress.com . It needs to show a US IP address.
      • Go to Amazon. Find your book and click 'buy now with 1-click', 'deliver to your Kindle'. If you choose to wirelessly send it to your Kindle, you should receive the book in a few seconds. You can also choose to download the file and transfer it to your Kindle using USB. If asked for the billing address, use any US address. Note that this address will not be used because funds will originate from your gift card balance. New: Copy or do a screenshot of this information (the US billing address and telephone number that you used.) You may be asked for it in the future.
      • Switch off the VPN.

      343 comments:

      1 – 200 of 343   Newer›   Newest»
      Anonymous said...

      Thanks for the info. I just placed order for my gf. I used vpost.

      Karin said...

      Hihi, just a quick noob question, what's the reason that one should not buy Amazon ebooks directly from Kindle device/Kindle apps?

      Thanks!

      Anonymous said...

      > Also, additional costs will be incurred for the transfer of documents if 3G (AT&T roaming) is used when there is no WiFi.

      Question... how will Amazon bill you for the 3G data transfer if you do this?

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, if you could provide us with the shipping cost later, that will be great!


      Karin, SG is not a 'recognised' place that Amazon provides books for, so the vpn is to make it look as if the user is located in the US.

      Anon, I've no idea. The info comes from http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200767340#fees

      This is applicable only for personal docs, and not the books already bought from amazon.

      Evon said...

      Hi everyone,

      For those looking to ship Kindle Paperwhite and the leather cover to Singapore, I just had a chat with Amazon's customer service.

      Here are details of the shipping weight and dimensions of both items, so you can calculate the relevant mail forwarding fees by Comgateway, Borderlinx or Vpost.

      Kindle Paperwhite
      Package shipping dimensions : 9.53"x6.77"X1.26"
      Shipping weight: 0.96 pounds

      Kindle Paperwhite leather cover
      Package shipping dimensions: 1.5"x1.5"x1.5"
      Shipping weight: 0.35 pounds.

      jeffyen said...

      Good stuff Evon :)

      YSL said...

      Hi Jeff,

      If we always only want to download the books from Amazon to computer and then transfer via USB to Kindle, do we still need a VPN to purchase books?

      Ansel

      jeffyen said...

      The best thing to do is still use a vpn. However, many have been able to 'get away with it' without using the vpn.

      The best practice is just to buy the book and then wirelessly 'direct it to the kindle device'. There's no reason to use the USB file transfer method.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff,
      what do you do with your older kindles?

      jeffyen said...

      Most of the earlier units malfunction (screen became old, or break as I dropped it) just in time. I'll have a good copy of the Touch when the PW arrives though; will just keep it as a backup.

      Steven said...

      i am interested in Kindle Paperwhite.

      Steven said...

      how much you pay for it with the cover?

      jeffyen said...

      The Kindle plus cover cost US$158.99 . I estimate total shipping to be around S$30.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff,
      So just to clarify. Even for free books, the best practice is still to buy using your PC and direct it to kindle using wifi. Right?

      Nur said...

      Hi Jeff,

      Thank so much for your blog! Was thinking about buying a new kindle since my old one broke down recently. May i know if the kindle with the ads option would work in Singapore.

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, yes, it's best to use a vpn. However, lately, there have been much fewer cases of people getting found out.

      Nur, yes, the ads version is the one I recommend.

      May said...

      Hei Jeff,

      Thank you for all the information! Could I ask why you recommend the ads version Paperwhite? I am really interested in getting one, but still unsure as to which!

      Thanks!

      jeffyen said...

      May, I recommend the non-3G, ads version because it's the cheapest. The ads are totally non intrusive so they are not a problem at all. In fact, they can come in useful sometimes if you want to take advantage of any special offers that sometimes appear.

      Anonymous said...

      i think i found a singapore site to sell kindle white wifi for S$159 only, with $5 dollar shipping fee total S$164 only.

      Ebook Reader Singapore

      jar said...

      i bought the kindle fire hd in dubai and i didn't have any trouble buying and downloading books with my SG credit, address and IP address. however, i couldn't get around the geo filter for the amazon app store, it has rather frustrating. tried the vpn method, the entropay method and so on but they still manage to sniff out my actual ip address. any tips?

      jeffyen said...

      jar, I'm not sure how to circumvent the restrictions on the apps...

      Anonymous said...

      I just placed my order for Kindle paperwhite yesterday! I can't wait for it to arrive. Where can I download free e-books on my Kindle?

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, you can look at Amazon's ebook section. There's a best seller list for paid and free books.

      And this too.

      http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_355831402_54?ie=UTF8&node=2245146011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-1&pf_rd_r=0338K95WVWQ9C08TF3P5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1403697502&pf_rd_i=1286228011

      Ron said...

      Jeff, really looking forward to your review on Paperwhite. I have the Touch, and I'm hesitant about getting the Paperwhite due to the lack of Text-to-Speech function (no audio output). I can still live with the apparent decrease in storage space, because 2GB is still far more than what I need. Keen to see what you think about it.

      Anonymous said...

      Wow...glad I read this.

      Looks like the Kindle is more trouble than it's worth.

      Won't be getting one.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi all, I just got my Kindle Paperwhite today. I just got the kindle w/o the cover. I had it shipped to me using Borderlinx and it cost me about S$18 for the shipping. I am quite impressed by the speed. It was delivered by Amazon to Borderlinx on Friday and I got it today around noon.

      I like the Kindle Paperwhite a lot more than the Touch. My Kindle keyboard died about 3 months ago and so I ordered the Touch. When Amazon announced the Paperwhite, I pre-ordered it. After a couple of hours with it, I am glad to say that it is a great device.

      Chloe Y said...

      I paid SGD25.23 for vPost shipping of my Kindle Paperwhite and the cover. It was consolidated by Amazon. Just received it and I'm using the Cloud via wifi to sync my books between my Kindle Touch and Kindle Paperwhite. Sure hope there won't be any suspension of accounts using this method vs USB downloading my Kindle books!

      jeffyen said...

      Nice Chloe, looks like CGW/BL/Vpost has quite similar shipping costs.

      Anonymous said...

      I'm a new Kindle user.. quick question: if I use VPN to purchase ebooks off Amazon, do I still need to buy and apply the gift cards to my account? Or can I just use my credit card directly through VPN connection?

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, yes you do because if you use a credit card, you'll need to fill in your local billing address, which is not what we want.

      bluress said...

      Hi Jeff
      Can u advice me how to sync the difference bookmarks across the kindle 3 and paperwhite. I enables the wifi setting and connects both devices to the same network. I chooses the sync option and yet the bookmarks on my kindle 3 does not appears on the paperwhite kindle.

      Did i does something wrong ?

      jeffyen said...

      bluress, set Annotations Backup to ON. (manual, page 16)

      Jason said...

      my review on the kindle black
      http://buykindleinsingapore.blogspot.hk/2012/10/amazon-kindle-black-review-in-singapore.html

      ST said...

      Hi Jeff,
      Was really tempted to buy the Kindle Paperwhite when it was launch. Decided to do it after reading your blog.
      Like to check with you, what address should i key in for the credit card billing address at amazon.com. Local SG address or comgateway delivery address?
      Thanks

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff,
      I received my kindle yesterday, using borderlin. It is damaged, the kinder is bent, and I can't on it. Screen looks cracked. Can I file a claim to any company? I read on borderlinx web it say insurance can claim from axa, wonder if you know.

      Thanks,
      Shawn

      jeffyen said...

      BT, if you're using your sg credit card to buy the Kindle itself, you need to fill in the correct details incluing the correct, local, billing address.

      Follow the blog instructions clearly subsequently also...

      Shawn, that is indeed bad news. Could you send a picture of the damage and email me at jeffreyyen@gmail.com ? I'm just curious, this sort of thing seldom happens.

      You can of course go through the claim process with Bordelinx. Take pictures to document the damage...

      https://www.borderlinx.com/pages/faq/insured-purchases-against

      Stefanie said...

      Hi Jeff,
      Thanks much for the infos, gonna get my 1st kindle coz the paperwhite display worth it.
      Just wonder if we can buy e-books from other website like skoob or ilovebooks coz it seems like they don't support kindle based on their website FAQs. Can we use Calibre to convert the e-books?
      And if i get the special offer kindle and don't like the offer, we can still pay the extra USD20 using sg credit card?

      Thanks.

      jeffyen said...

      Stefanie, to do that sort of thing, some people seem to use Calibre and a plug-in that defeats the DRM. I haven't tried it before though, not too sure about this.

      I'm not sure if you can pay $20, but the ads version is really quite good and doesn't affect the reading experience at all.

      thelittledrömer said...

      Hi

      Is the cover that you have on for paperwhite hard to remove? I"ve read some reviews that it is.

      If i'm just buying the cover, i still have to go thru vpost etc rite?

      jeffyen said...

      It can be hard to remove, but I guess it's intentional. The rubber fits the Kindle like a glove. You're not supposed to be remove it on a regular basis anyway; just leave it on.

      You can try shipping it to Singapore. Amazon will indicate if that's possible. If not, use the usual BL/CGW/Vpost.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff,

      Is it possible if I just buy to other online stores like Expansys or eBay and use my Amazon account to buy books (with Gift Cards)? Can this work or do I really have to buy the Kindle from Amazon only.

      I'll appreciate your reply.

      Thanks,
      Edward

      jeffyen said...

      Edward, you don't need to buy direct from Amazon. I would, just because it can be a little cheaper.

      the gp tutor said...

      Hey Jeff, I have a question for you and am very keen to hear your take on it. Do you think it is worthwhile (i.e. value for money) to get an Amazon Prime membership so we can acces the Kindle Owners Lending Library? Yes, we can only borrow and read one book at a time and we never get to own the book but the draw appears to be that I pay one flat fee annually and get to read as many titles as I like. Hmm, have you ever considered getting it? Why or why not?

      jeffyen said...

      gp tutor, from what I know, getting a Prime membership for the purpose of using the loan function may not work because you need to select the book to loan on the Kindle itself, using the kindle store. Your local IP address will be detected and the transaction may not work as intended. I'd be interested to see if anyone has been successful using this though.

      Anonymous said...

      Interested in getting one. Jeff do you have any idea how long is the wait and estimated days to arrival?

      Since i heard its out of stock..

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, my guess is as good as the time mentioned on the product page; currently 5-7 weeks wait. They just cannot produce enough to meet the demand...

      What you can do is just order first, sometimes the number is conservative and the actual waiting time can be less.

      Unknown said...

      Hi there..

      I stupidly got my account disabled because I purchased the free ebooks from Amazon. In this case, can I still use AlwaysVPN and then purchase from Amazon?

      Thanks a bunch!

      jeffyen said...

      Priscilla, yes, you can buy the cheapest package and follow the instructions on this blog entry...

      Anonymous said...

      Jeff, should I register my paper white? What benefits does it give? I don't plan on purchasing books from the store since I will be transferring my own .mobi for reading..

      To use the send to kindle function, do I need to register? Any implications for registering?

      In Singapore btw..

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, if you don't already have dictionaries in your Kindle, registration will allow you to get a few of them. Other than that, you don't need to register.

      There are no implications to registering, only benefits like better integration with your amazon account.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi,

      when I register my account on the kindle ( when logging into amazon to buy the kindle), can i use a xxx.yahoo.com.sg email address or i'd be better off using xxx.gmail.com?

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff and everybody, I have found an alternative to using VPN, and that is to use Tor.
      It is free, you don't have to buy bandwidth.

      I followed the instructions on http://openpandora.blogspot.sg/2007/06/complete-guide-for-using-openpandora.html to configure Tor and I can listen to Pandora as well as buy books and music from Amazon. To configure for more than one website, you need to modify the file tor.pac to (just add one more host)

      function FindProxyForURL(url, host)
      {
      if (shExpMatch(host, "www.pandora.com") || shExpMatch(host, "www.amazon.com")) return "SOCKS 127.0.0.1:9050";
      return "DIRECT";
      }

      Parh Jin

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff,

      How did you order the kindle and the leather cover and have Amazon shipped them together? Given that there is a wait time for the Kindle at the moment?

      Appreciate some advise on how to.. thanks!

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, I don't think the email address matters, but I guess the one without the .sg is better from a 'social engineering' point of view.

      Parh Jin, that is very interesting information! Tor is a bit too technical for me but this looks like a good starting point for exploration lol

      Anon, I ordered in the first few hours after the new products are announced. So I was early in the queue. Just order now together and let the pieces fall into place by themselves.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff - thanks for your good advice, but stumbled on it a tad late!

      I am at risk of having my account disabled (got that warning email from Amazon). What can I do now? Can I proceed to your step on "Some Preparatory Steps..." I hope it's not too late for me. Any advice is much appreciated.

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, yes you can start from there and use a vpn from now on.

      Anonymous said...

      Thank you!

      ST said...

      Hi all,
      I ordered my Kindle Paperwhite on 25 Oct and Amazon gave me an expected delivery date of 1st-15th Dec.
      But to my surprise, they have delivered it last week and i just received it today at my CGW address.
      Will be receiving it in SG at the end of this mth.

      Michiamochiam said...

      Hi

      just received my Kindle Paperwhite and have downloaded a book.

      Thanks Jeff for the instructions. it works.

      jeffyen said...

      ST, that's good news for everyone lol

      metta said...

      Jeff,

      thanks for the detailed instuctions. Does the kindle whote comes with a charger ready to be used in Singapore? Or do we need to order also the power adaptor? Thanks.

      jeffyen said...

      metta, it doesn't come with a charger but that's actually a good thing as shipping weight is reduced. A USB cable is included so you can charge it using any computer or an existing usb charger that you have.

      metta said...

      Jeff,
      thanks for your prompt reply. I have signed up for an account with vpost and always vpn. Ready to go online to buy kindle. Do I need to use vpn to buy the kindle too?

      sk said...

      Hello Jeff,

      chance upon your blog and i must say it is really informative!

      i am actually thinking of getting a kindle paperwhite but worried about whether i will be able to purchase e books from amazon japan which just open its kindle book store not so long ago. (i am a avid reader of japanese books).

      do you think i will be able to do so? or will a japan version of kindle paper white be required?

      Anonymous said...

      Wonderful entry! You tempt me with Paperwhite... But I shall get my money's worth out of my Kindle Touch before I upgrade. To-date my most value for money gadget purchase. The cover is excellent, can't leave home without it. I have read so many classics I could find, I don't think I have read in the past ten years as much as I read recently since I got my beloved Touch.

      I do have some reflection issues on the Kindle Touch screen when I read under the light in a moving train. Do you experience the same? Does Paperwhite reflect less light?

      Ani

      jeffyen said...

      sk, I don't think that is easily done as the .jp site uses a different username/password combination. However, if you don't mind logging off/re-reregistering, that may work. I just think it's too much of a hassle unless you stick to Japanese amazon site.

      Ani, I cannot compare the two as I've sold my Touch. Just move the angle of reflection to eliminate the light?

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff, I'm contemplating to get the Paperwhite for my dad. As he reads lotsa pdf on laptop, I am wondering how easy is it to read and navigate pdf on the Paperwhite? Can you kindly share?

      Thanks in advance.
      Jean

      jeffyen said...

      Jean, if the primary reading materials are pdfs, I'd highly recommend a full-size iPad instead.

      Reading pdfs on a kindle is certainly doable; navigating is not optimal, however, especially if the pdfs have complex layouts and graphics.

      Jean said...

      Hi Jeff, thanks for your inputs. I'm considering Kindle primarily cos I reckon it's better for the eyes to read the Kindle compared to laptop screen? Cos my dad reads alot on laptop.

      The pdfs he reads don't really have complex layout, just text only.

      Does Kindle Paperwhite works on pinching to expand or reduce pdf size? Can a pdf fit nicely to screen in either landscape or portrait mode? Sorry for so many questions!

      jeffyen said...

      Jean, you can send me a few samples and I can help you take a look. jeffreyyen@gmail.com

      Haven't really tested out pdfs yet on the PW.

      ping said...

      A tip: for a text-heavy PDFs, Amazon's Kindle Personal Documents Service does a very very decent job of converting them to the Kindle format (azw).

      I use this all the time. It is very convenient, works well and all for the excellent price of $0.

      Details at:
      https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_pdoc_main_short_us?nodeId=200767340

      Stefanie said...

      Followed the instruction and it's really helpful.
      Ordered the kindle on 29 Oct, they said gonna deliver in Dec 10-21 but apparently they sent it on Nov 9 to Comgateway.
      Anyway I use a free VPN account from http://us.newfreevpn.com/ setting it using my iphone and voila, my first kindle book reached safely.
      thanks a lot :) enjoying my new kindle

      Clarence said...

      Hi Jeff

      So we are unable to pay using like the USD 100 gift card, and then top up the remainder amount through our credit cards?

      Clarence

      jeffyen said...

      Clarence, if you're refering to buying a Kindle, yes you can do that.

      You can choose the amount of gift cards to buy, doesn't need to be just $100.

      WS said...

      Hi Jeff.

      Thanks for sharing!

      I got my Kindle touch at the States earlier this year while I was visiting friends. I have been getting ebooks/ free ebooks from amazon store at States and at Singapore... so far no issue. I actually thought that its funny if they ever disabled our accounts temporarily because...after all, the kindle device is meant for user to download books anywhere in the world. :\

      I am planning to get Kindle Paperwhite but after reading the reviews at amazon, i learnt some buyers unluckily got paperwhite with faulty lights - describing as colours hues appearing.. .I am afraid that when my kindle paperwhite arrives, it would be such case and returning it is a pain from Singapore!

      [i once got my kindle touch replaced by amazon cos of faulty menu button and it was under warranty. great customer service but i went through pains to get it replaced 'cos i am in Singapore. dont want to go through this again!!]

      Any assurance/ advice, Kindle guru? Thanks!

      jeffyen said...

      WS, sure it's a risk for any buyer. I don't really find this to be a big issue. Here's some info.

      http://www.amazon.com/forum/kindle/ref=cm_cd_tfp_ef_tft_tp?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdThread=Tx23GF2YYOTMHDG

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff. Would you be able to share whether we can use amazon prime if we are using kindle fire in malaysia? TQ!

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, if you're talking about getting the free videos/books, I don't think it's safe to do so because you need to request for them on the kindle itself, without a vpn.

      If you're talking about getting Prime for the 2-day free shipping, sure. :)

      CTS said...

      Hi Jeff,
      Thanks for the elaborate information on the paperwhite. I was wondering if comgateway allows consolidating of the leather case and the paperwhite into one package before shipping? My leather case has arrived and I'm currently waiting for my paperwhite to arrive at the US address.

      jeffyen said...

      Carene, yes cgw does allow consolidation. Make sure the total cost is below S$370 thereabouts (to account for the shipping costs) so that GST can be avoided.

      In your case however, can you check your amazon order whether the PW was actually been shipped and delivered? Maybe both items have already reached cgw, and they can be in a single box (like mine shown in the pictures above.)

      CTS said...

      Hi Jeff,
      Well my PW will be shipped to the US address around Dec 27th to the 31st. So I think I'll have to wait for the PW before shipping both items to Singapore. Thanks BTW! :D

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff,

      Would you know whether we can use Calibre to convert ebooks borrowed from Singapore's National Library into a format which makes them readable in the Kindle Paperwhite (PW)?

      Also, from your experience, can Calibre convert ALL (without exception) epub format ebooks into mobi or other format that's readable on the PW?

      Thanks!

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, books from the NLB cannot be converted; they are DRMed. Not that that's a huge loss unless you can find books you like from the library.

      Calibre can convert all epub books that are NOT DRMed. Otherwise, the process involves the dark arts which is not in the scope of this blog entry.

      Anonymous said...

      Thanks for clarifying Jeff. Much appreciated!

      Actually, I'm tossing between the Kindle PW and BN Nook ST with Glowlight. I admit I'm more of a "cheapo" who does not want to spend money on ebooks, so it seems the Nook option would be a better one for me.

      Thanks too for your very informative blog on the PW, and for answering my questions so promptly. It's much appreciated! :)

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff, would like to ask how long did comgateway take to deliver the paperwhite?

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, it will take about 5-6 days.

      The bottleneck is the time it takes for cgw to acknowledge the package once it reaches its offices, and to then send for DHL to pick up the package.

      Once DHL has the package, the thing will run like clockwork: 4 days to the package at your door.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff,

      With regard to the regional restrictions, can I conclude that I just NEED to use the VPN to click "buy now with 1-click" and other that that, logging in using the kindle account, viewing Amazon website, browsing ebooks or even buying gift card without the VPN would be fine?
      Is registering the kindle as tricky as buying eBooks? Don't you have instructions on registering?

      Thanks.

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, correct with regards to the use of the VPN.

      Registration doesn't need any instructions as it's a one-time thing and can be done without any precautions; takes about 30s.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi,
      I would like to enquire if it's possible to purchase the Kindle Paperwhite with OCBC Debit Card?

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, I don't see why not. Just try and see and use your correct local billing address.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi, I found out that my work's IP address is set by default to a US IP (yay), so I set up an amazon account for just Kindle ebooks purchases, and so far things look ok. I don't get the "unavailable to Asia & Pacific" message like I see when using my regular amazon account (which has a Singapore credit card/billing/mailing address registered to it from before). However, yesterday night, I stupidly accessed the Kindle account from my home (SG IP) and I saw the unavailable message when browsing ebooks. Today, I went back to work and browsed, and the message is gone. Am I at risk of being discovered and have my account shut down?

      Geok said...

      Hi Jeff, thanks for the instructions given for purchasing ebooks for Kindle in Singapore. I purchased using VPN but not sure why the book is not sent via wifi to my kindle?

      Any advise why? VPN location is in US.

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, there's no problem browsing the store. Just that when you buy books, it's best to use the vpn. I suspect your 'country settings' at 'manage your kindle' does not contain a US address? It should.

      Geok, when you buy the book, there's a list of devices you can choose to send your book to. It's ok, you can go to 'manageyourkindle' and push the book yourself.

      Anonymous said...

      I went to my country settings and input my US friend's address and telephone number. Now it shows as United States. Is that good now?

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, that's fine for a start. To be safe, use a vpn like alwaysvpn to buy books.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi jeff, am planning to order one today. Amazon states
      "In Stock.
      Ships from and sold by Amazon Digital Services.
      Want it delivered Thursday, December 20? Order it in the next 12 hours and 6 minutes, and choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details "

      When will said item arrive at cgw?
      Thereafter it will take 4 business days to singapore right? Is it correct to say it will arrive roughly on the 28th Dec?

      Thanks, appreciate your help!

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, it is hard to say when it will arrive. It will most definitely reach Singapore after the new year if you order now.

      Amazon is quite fast (unless the queue for the PW happens again), but there are so many variables at this busy time that all bets are off.

      ping said...

      FWIW, I place my order on the 19th, it shipped about 5 hours later, ETA to the Borderlinx address is 24th. I dug out my original order emails for the K3 almost exactly 2 years ago, it took 2 days between the order and the shipout.

      That said, the Borderlinx hub is closed on the weekends + 25th/26th/1st. I will be surprised if I can get it by the 31st.

      For anyone who's using Borderlinx, the code XPRES15 will take 15% off, valid till 31 Dec.

      unique ice said...

      Hi Jeffery

      After reading your blog, i had finally ordered my first kindle. Just received my kindle yesterday. Was so eager yo test out the e-reader... sad to says... i am still unable to read any nooks.

      . Drag & drop some mobi format ebooks from my pc to kindle. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate them on kindle.

      Is there a specific folder in kindle to drop those ebooks?

      KW said...

      Hi Jeffrey,
      Have a question to ask. Do you know of any converter that can remove the DRM from an ebook ? Previously I used iphone to buy ebooks from Kobo . Recently got a Kindle Paperwhite and wanted to move the ebooks to Kindle but was not able to as it was locked by DRM.
      Your blog recommended Calibre which I've used but it does not remove the DRM.

      Thanks

      Anonymous said...

      Many thanks Jeffrey! Really appreciate your post!! Followed the steps and had successfully purchased several books today!

      I had placed my order for PW on Nov 23, it arrived in SGP on 21st Dec.

      Blessed Xmas to you and family!

      jeffyen said...

      unique ice,

      I dropped a mobi book into /documents and was able to read it immediately. Have you registered your Kindle. Should be irrevelent to this issue but who knows...

      KW, I think Calibre has an add on that does that. This involves the dark arts already so I'm not certain about the details.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff!

      Thanks for your review.

      I have both the kindle keyboard (kindle 3) and my paperwhite just arrived recently.


      im not too used to the touch screen, but i admit its a lot better for highlighting notes.

      Maybe im just too used to my old kindle, but the paperwhite seems awkward to use for me. i just dont know where to hold the kindle for the paper white because of the small margins on the side.

      I realised that my kindle 3 was alot faster in page refreshing than my paperwhite... is it the case with you as well?

      Steven said...

      i am interested in paperwhite

      saw this website.

      Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (With Special Offers)


      http://www.expansys.com.sg/amazon-kindle-paperwhite-with-special-offers-237205/

      is this trust able?

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, the PW seems as fast as the Kindle 3. Perhaps it'll take awhile to index your books. I seem to remember that slows the device down.

      I have the official leather case so it's very easy to hold the margin, bottom left edge is held by the flesh below your thumb.

      Steven, Expansys has been around for a while. The only concern I have is that they may not have stock even though it's stated they do. You may wish to email and ask. The total cost including shipping quoted is S$188.58 .

      Steven said...

      http://www.gadgetreactor.com/2012/10/amazon-kindle-paperwhite-buying-it-in-singapore.html


      Sales for the Kindle Paperwhite has started and it is available in two versions: US$119 (with “special offers”) and US$139 (advertisement-free). The “special offers” are ads run by Amazon that would appear on the lock screen when the device is asleep and also across the bottom of the home screen. Irritating? Quite possibly, but it would cost you US$20 to get rid of the ads permanently. The ads you’ll see on the screensaver are meant to be non-intrusive and might in fact be relevant to your book purchases, so we do suggest to go for the cheaper option.


      special offers version is ok?

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, definitely OK, and it's the version I'd recommend for the same reasons mentioned. The ads don't appear in books at all.

      Steven said...

      that good

      http://www.novelhaven.com/kindlesale.php



      For a service fee, we will also be able to activate an Amazon account for you such that you can purchase ebooks easily and directly from Amazon using your local credit card without having to use a VPN or Amazon Gift Cards and the like (our members get 50% off this service fee).

      what is this????

      Expansys does not provide cover for purchase for paperwhote.

      how can i get locally?

      Anonymous said...

      OMG! I'm so happy to come across your blog. I need help! My account has been temporarily locked. Reason-I attempted to purchase with my local credit card. Is there any way I can do?

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, it is true that you can pay them a service fee, or you can do it yourself for free. Many people are buying books without a vpn and are not 'found out'. Some still are, hence the workflow that I describe.

      I do not know of any place that sells the official cover locally.

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, I'm not sure the reason for being 'locked' is due to the fact that you paid using your local credit card. Forward me the email you got at jeffreyyen@gmail.com

      Steven said...

      is it necessary to create 2 amazon acc?

      one for spore address to buy the gift card and the other acc with US address like vpost to buy ebook using the gift card.

      so all the books purchase will be under the other acc.

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, there's no need to have 2 amazon accounts.

      Steven said...

      Jeff,

      my existing acc last time i use it to play around and i have link it to

      i have book in my Kindle Library.
      - The New Oxford American Dictionary

      under Manage Your Devices
      - Registered Kindle Reading Apps
      Device Name
      Steven's Kindle for PC
      Steven's Kindle Cloud Reader

      - Your Kindle Account
      - Country Settings
      Singapore



      Should i use a new amazon acc or use my existing

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, just register your new Kindle to your existing amazon account. Then change the country settings to US. The instructions are in this blog entry...

      Steven said...

      after i email then ask for ready stock or not..

      they update on their website.

      Stock is not in local warehouse

      http://www.expansys.com.sg/amazon-kindle-paperwhite-with-special-offers-237205/

      http://www.expansys.com.sg/amazon-kindle-paperwhite-with-special-offers-237205/



      is it cheaper to order here or order from amazon as also can get cover.

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, that's what I expected. Just follow my instructions and order from amazon.com

      Expansys (and all other sellers) get their supplies from amazon.com too. There's no reason they can be cheaper than amazon.com, except in the shipping, which is matched by comgateway or Borderlinx.

      Steven said...
      This comment has been removed by the author.
      Steven said...

      do i need 2 amazon.com to order from them to play safe?

      which paperwhite cover is good? which one u purchase?

      last time i use vpost before. never try comgateway and Borderlinx.

      which is good and cheaper?

      someone mention have discount for below...

      For anyone who's using Borderlinx, the code XPRES15 will take 15% off, valid till 31 Dec.

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, get the official Kindle leather cover if you don't mind the price. It's the one in my review. Yes, just order from amazon.com

      I don't really like vpost so I now mostly use comgateway. It's too late now to use the code as your Kindle will most likely reach them after the new year.

      Steven said...

      anymore discount code for the shipping?

      i don't mind waiting for next promo.

      Steven said...

      vpost Credit Card Promotions

      http://www.vpost.com.sg/vpost/welcome?page=inc_creditcard_promos.html&option=4


      Anonymous said...

      Hi I am thinking of getting a Kindle for my dad. However he is not very tech savy and may have issues with the chanign of the VPN. If i have a US credit card, would I still need to go through the hassle of chaning VPN and usinng guft cards for purchase of books? Can I download free e-books in Singapore? Thanks.

      Steven said...

      Jeff,

      does yr PW have below issues?


      Has the quality of Paperwhites improved -color blobs?? shadows ??
      http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198104

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, regarding the promos, it's really quite irrelevant unless you compare the base prices of the competition.

      The quality of the PWs have always been normal. There are defective units of course but I think the majority of those who are unhappy have their expectations way too high/different. This is not an iPad LCD-type screen. It's an eink screen with light shining on it. So the screen looks different from what most are used to.

      Anon, I'd say he may have issues. Most people get away with not doing what I have written. You may wish to take that risk... (I cannot because I cannot afford any issue.)

      Steven said...

      Jeff,

      my colleague is going to US next month for business trip.

      i asking him to buy if he have the time.

      where can buy the PW directly in US?

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, at Best Buy and Staples.

      ping said...

      I managed to get my PW (ordered on the 19th) on the evening of 29th (Sat) with the express option from Borderlinx (it was just a difference of SGD4). *thumbs-up* to Borderlinx & DHL for the efficient service over the holiday period.

      A quick review from my perspective on some areas that Jeff didn't cover. I absolutely love the KPW, but there were some areas which could be improved.

      Accidental page turns. Because page turns are activated by touching fixed zones on the screen, I found it very easy to touch the screen and cause an accidental page turn. When I'm interrupted during reading, for example, to board the bus, my grip tends to shift slightly (to get a better hold) and my thumb will invariably end up on the screen surface. Naturally this causes a page turn. Sometimes in the two minutes it takes for me to board the bus and get a seat, I find myself a good 2 or 3 page turns away from my original page. The device actually supports page turns with swipes and I wish there was an option to use only 1 of the option (screen zones or gestures)

      Power button. The power button is very shallow and I find switching the device on/off a somewhat fiddly process. I suppose I may get used to this after some time, but compared to the slide switch on the K3, the KPW's power switch is harder to use.

      I know a smart cover/case will solve my 2 complaints, but I'm used to a "naked" Kindle (I've done so for 2 years with my K3) because I just love the weight of it. Depending on how I adapt to the KPW, I may cave and just get a smart cover off ebay. :(

      Incidentally, I lasted all of an hour with the ads. I didn't mind the book ads at all, but the fullscreen Olympus camera ads really irritated me and I shelled out the US$20 to turn the ads off (you can do so through the "Manage Your Kindle" page on the Amazon site, takes just 2 minutes). Absolutely no regrets there.

      Overall, the KPW is a really really nice reader, and being able to read at night without an external light source is just plain awesome. Love it!

      Steven said...

      http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Paperwhite-Touch-light/dp/B007OZNZG0

      quote from comments inside...
      for make the ads go away....

      Until Amazon gives us the option to disable these "recommendations" on the home screen, I've used parental controls to just disable the store completely on my Kindle. That does make the ads go away, but it's not really a convenient solution, because if I ever actually want to buy something on my Kindle, I'll need to type in a password and re-enable the store. I'll more likely use a different device for all purchases. This forced advertising, then, really backfires in my case because instead of enticing me to buy more books right on my Kindle, it's prompted me to shut the store down completely on the Kindle.

      jeffyen said...

      ping, thanks for the detailed review. I do find that a non-naked kindle paired with a good case to be a very good proposition. Protection aside, it actually makes the thing easier to hold because you can use your little fingers to 'catch the flap' instead of holding it with your thumb and forefinger. I'm refering to the official leather case though for this effect...

      Steven, I'm not making the ads go away because I actually like the ads. They are completely non intrusive and do not appear in the books at all.

      As for the recommendations, the latest firmware has solved this issue. They can be disabled at the settings page without needing to play around with the 'parental controls' settings.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff, I encountered a most puzzling thing. Amazon mp3 store seems to have some new magic to detect non-US status. This is what I did

      1) cleared ALL cookies in browser, Restart browser.
      2) start OpenVPN GUI, sign in to alwaysvpn with my account.
      3) verify with www.whatismyipaddress.com it shows me being in Los Angeles (once in New York also)
      4) bought many free kindle books no problem. My country setting is United States, I have gift card balance, my delivery address is a berderlinx US address.
      5) tried to buy the Free Music from Rising Stars of 2013.
      6) Amazon says they could not process my order because only available to US customers.
      7) checked ip address, STILL in US.

      what's happening? The only thing I can think of is they may have stored some file on the computer itself...

      rgds
      Parh Jin

      Steven said...

      Anon,

      maybe you want to try change yr computer time zone to US.

      some website they detect yr computer time.


      vpn like http://cyberghostvpn.com/
      will change the time zone for you automatically till the vpn disconnected.

      Adapt time zone automatically to server location: If activated, CyberGhost VPN automatically changes the system time when logging in to a server in a different time zone to the local time of the server location.

      Parh Jin said...

      Hi Steven, nope it doesn't work.

      I changed to the correct time zone matching the vpn location. Amazon mp3 store still says I'm not in the US.

      rgds
      Parh Jin

      Steven said...

      Anon,

      you try to use cyberghostvpn it has 1 GB Monthly free.

      jeffyen said...

      Parh Jin,

      It could be because of your billing address. The system seems to take the latest purchase you've done and use that billing address. Is it an imaginery US billing address while your gift card is being used? Check your account settings and see what credit card/billing address is on the system.

      Steven, the good thing about alwaysvpn is that you just have to pay a small fee to use their service forever, instead of the monthly fee charged by most other vpn providers.

      Steven said...

      jeff,

      cyberghostvpn is free 1gb traffic every mth...

      so if alwaysvpn close down.. yr remaining traffic also gone.

      jeffyen said...

      Ah I see Steven, you're right...

      Alwaysvpn will never close down... it'll ALWAYS be around!

      Steven said...

      in real life no such thing call never ...

      take singapore sim lim square shop for example..

      same shop change name boss same staff same.

      customer go back they say, u buy from old coy not under warrantly.

      we should not use the word never so easily.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi there Jeff!

      Stumbled upon ur blog & found it really helpful. :)
      I registered w a US address & everything was fine for about 3 weeks & I was buying books direct from the kindle store (oops...). Then I got an email from the amazon guys (see below). This does mean I've been caught using a SG IP address right?

      "Publishers grant eBook rights on a country by country basis. As a result availability of titles in the Kindle Store can vary based on your country of residence.

      Since you're browsing from a different country as that of your Country Setting(United States), your Kindle book purchases have been disallowed."

      So from here on, I just need to stop buying from the store & follow your method (buy using gift cards via amazon & transferring to my kindle - all using the US VPN) & they shouldn't disable my account right?

      Thanks in advance for the advice!

      -bonez-

      jeffyen said...

      bonez, correct!

      Anonymous said...

      Hi!
      Have anyone tried to use a Ipad using kindle application?
      Will it work?
      Will it check which country app store it is connected to? or can I have a'singapore' ipad with a US amazon account?
      Anyone tried?

      Parh Jin said...

      Hi Jeff, my billing address is my borderlinx address, so that should not be the problem. Now I exclusively use gift cards for purchase. In this way, I do not clutter up my credit card statement.
      I will try to use tor when I get the chance to see.


      Hi Anon, you will need to create a new US iTunes account. Nothing fancy needed, just need to select US when choosing the country. Then you can buy the free kindle app. Connect your ipad to the computer (don't auto sync, that may mess up things) and just drag the app over to your ipad in iTunes. (don't sync)
      iTunes allow you to log out and in of multiple accounts. It doesn't care about the device it is installing to, i.e. the same device can have apps from both SG and US accounts.
      (disclaimer: I found the instructions for iphone, but tried only on ipod touch, but it should work the same for ipad also)

      rgds
      PJ

      Parh Jin said...

      Anon, I recommend you sync with only one account, choose either your SG or US account as your main one. Depending on which is more convenient for you.

      jeffyen said...

      Parh Jin, I'm not sure what's happening. I just bought Susan Boyle's latest album, no issue...

      Parh Jin said...

      Still the same. But I haven't tried with another computer yet.

      Ronak said...

      Hi Jeff,

      Your blog and all the discussion in comments is really helpful.

      We 3 friends are planning to order KPW using ComgateWay. Could you please clear some of my doubts.

      Q1: Any idea which would be better option: ordering all 3 kindles from different accounts or all kindle from same account (from Comgateway shipping cost point of view)

      Q2: If I order from same account, can I un-link KPW from my account and re-register it to some other email account.

      Thanks a lot!

      Zidd said...

      Hi,

      I am intending to get a Kindle Paperwhite via your tutorial soon.

      Would you recommend to get the additional 2 year warranty as well? And do you have any experience as to how this would work from Singapore?

      Thanks!

      By the way, really helpful tutorial! (:

      jeffyen said...

      Ronak, what I suggest is to use one person's amazon account and order 3 Kindles. Then ship it to comgateway. There's no need to use comgateway 'buy it for me' service.

      When the 3 Kindles arrive at comgateway, you should probably ship it in 2 shipments because if all three are shipped together (i.e. tick the 3 items and ship together), you'll incur unnecessary GST.

      So tick 2 items, ship it, then tick the last one, and ship. US$300 is a safe figure for one shipment. Yes you can deregister and register again.


      Zidd, I don't really recommend it because technically the warranty is just for US residents. Just don't drop it and get a case like the official leather one.

      Ronak said...

      Thanks a lot Jeff. Much appreciated.

      Ronak said...

      One more doubt please Jeff,
      if you know, is there any limit on one shipment after which GST is incurred?

      I was reading this link, and it shows that Total Declared Value should be less than $200 (actually, I am a bit confused with this link)

      As I'll be ordering KPW + Cover, each set will be around 159 USD (318 USD for 2, which will be more than 200 USD)

      should I select 1 set each shipment?

      Thanks a lot!

      Ronak said...

      http://www.comgateway.com/2012/service-support-otherfeesdutiesitems.do?l=en&c=SG

      (Sorry, I missed the link in last comment)

      jeffyen said...

      Ronak, that was what I was talking about. The total cost of the goods, ie, its price, shipping and insurance must not be over S$400 to avoid unnecessary GST.

      The $200 number you saw was just a number plucked out of thin air, as an illustration. I use a product price of US$300 as my limit. If you add the conversion rate, estimated shipping fees and insurance, it should come close, but not above, S$400.

      Your analysis is correct. You'll ship 1 set per shipment.



      ping said...

      Jeff, please delete this if it's not appropriate.

      I have a posting on craigslist for a K3/Kindle Keyboard (no ads, wifi-only) for anyone who's comfortable with DIY tinkering. It has a failed battery but everything else is fully functional. The K3's battery died the day after the PW arrived, so I suspect it died from a broken heart. :) The K3 has a replaceable battery (see craigslist post for details). If anyone is interested, please drop me a note through craigslist.

      The post is at: http://singapore.craigslist.com.sg/ele/3528638496.html

      Thanks!

      Ronak said...

      Thanks a ton Jeff. You cleared all my doubts in best way.

      Cheers! :)

      Ronak said...

      A friend told me that KPW is cheaper on Amazon Japan site.. and when I checked.. it is actually cheaper...

      US: $119, Japan: 7980 Yen (approx: 92 USD)

      What do you suggest? Should I buy from US store or Japan store?
      Is there any difference in device from these two stores?

      Nik said...

      Thank you so much for sharing Jeff! Your detailed instructions really helped a lot! :D

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff, i found your blog and instructions really helpful.

      However, i do have a query. Suppose i follow all the instructions to a T (using VPN for purchases). In the event that my kindle is in airplane mode(no wifi) when i click "1 click purchase" & "send directly to my kindle". Will i be any trouble with amazon, if i switch on my kindle a few days later when i am connecting to a public wifi network in Singapore to download the books i purchased?

      thanks in advance!

      Puddy

      jeffyen said...

      Puddy, there will be no problem. Not because you are in airplane mode at that time (or vice versa) but because the check only happens (if it happens) at the moment of pressing 'buy'.

      Anonymous said...

      Thanks for replying! Your blog has really helped a lot!

      Puddy.

      Reve said...

      Hi Jeff

      I will be using US unlocked account to purchase something. Is there anything i should look out for? Can i use my vpost usa address as the delivery add?

      jeffyen said...

      Reve, what would you be using it for? Purchasing general Amazon products or kindle ebooks? Both of these do not need usunlocked. Only kindle magazines need it.

      Anonymous said...

      Dear Jeff,

      Help! Redirected my Comp's IP address to US, registered an amazon acc and bought a gift card as instructed. Unfortunately, i received an email stating my kindle acc may not match my country of residence and that i am required to send them a valid letter/bills with a US address! What did i do wrong?! Does this mean i no longer have access to the US books or is it still possible to buy them through the giftcards method using the same acc?

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, what vpn did you use?

      Forward me their email at jeffreyyen@gmail.com

      Reve said...

      Hi Jeff

      I wanted to use the US unlocked virtual card at kate spade website. therefore, i need to provide them a delivery address. Will vPost address do?

      jeffyen said...

      Reve, yes the delivery address can be vpost. The billing address has to be what usunlocked provided you.

      I prefer Comgateway instead of vpost...

      Steven said...

      vpost credit card promo extended

      http://www.vpost.com.sg/vpost/welcome?page=inc_creditcard_promos.html&option=4



      Get MORE Value with UOB Credit / Debit Cards!

      $20 Off First Shipment for New Customers
      Promo Period: 1 January to 31 March 2013
      Limited to the first 150 customers per month. No minimum shipping charge is required.

      10% Off USA, Europe and Japan Shipments
      Promo Period: 1 January to 31 March 2013
      A minimum shipping charge of $40 is required.

      what does it mean $20 Off First Shipment for New Customers?
      new vpost customer or first time use UOB on vpost?

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, it means a person who has never used vpost before and happens to have a UOB card.

      Then again, do expect 'we already have 150 people redeem this offer this month so no discount for you.'

      Reve said...

      Thanks Jeff and Steven.

      Jeff, another question: How long will it takes for US unlocked to load the value that i have purchased?

      jeffyen said...

      Reve, it'll take another day or two.

      Another possibly better thing to do may be to forgo usunlocked, and use comgateway's buyforme service. The 5% commission they charge is similar to what usunlocked charges for the deposit of funds.

      Reve said...

      Thanks Jeff. I will try it someday since i already deposit funds for my us unlocked account.

      Steven said...

      just received my KPW hand carry directly from US :P

      Steven said...

      tonight will be playing my new KPW

      my colleague bought KPW with special offer US$130 include local tax as purchase locally and hand carry to S'pore

      S'pore have sell KPW cover?

      Steven said...

      i bought many free kindle book from amazon..

      http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/ref=pd_dp_ts_kstore_1


      how to put non drm book into cloud?

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, you can email the email address given to you at manageyourkindle>personal documents settings.

      Steven said...

      it is still not classified as book.

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, I am not sure what you mean. You can email .mobi books to yourself using the Kindle's email address found at manageyourkindle.

      What is your source for the non-DRMed books?

      Steven said...

      for the books sync for notes bookmarks for sideloading books.. does it also sync?

      email to the files to the special email will be put under "personal documents" and not books. does this method sync for the notes and bookmarks?

      jeffyen said...

      Steven, I'm not sure about the bookmark sync as I don't use this feature.

      Maybe you can try transferring the book using the USB cable instead?

      Anonymous said...
      This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff, thank you for your very useful blog and sharing everything about using Kindle from Singapore.

      I think I am few of the lucky ones who is able to purchase eBooks directly from Amazon using a locally issued credit card without going through VPN. My Amazon account was created way before the 1st Kindle was launched, so may be why I've been able to skip detection; though I don't know how long it'll last.

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, lots of people are also successful like you. I haven't found the variables that will predict this outcome though.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi, can i skip the VPN thingy? I actually have kindle on my ipad and already bought a book. And downloaded some free books.

      I used a local credit card but use a US university address as the shipping address... haha..

      that should work fine too right?
      Cheers

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, yes you can skip it. Many/most people do not get caught for some reason.

      If you do, just continue with my workflow and you should be all right.

      The only thing they look at (if found out) is your ip address. Nothing else matters.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff

      Any idea whats the duration to reach Singapore if I order from amazon the kindle PW now. Also, just to check, the power adapter does not come with it right? Means we have to get it separately?

      -Joseph

      Anonymous said...

      Another question, when I purchase the kindle PW from amazon, is it ok if I key in my SG credit card? or I have to use the "VPN + purchase gift card" method?

      - Joseph

      jeffyen said...

      Joseph, it'll take around 10 days. You don't need to buy the power adapter. Just charge it using your laptop/computer USB or other power sources like iPhone charger. Just make sure the output is 5V.

      Yes it is OK to use your local credit card to get the Kindle.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff, I read online that we could borrow kindle books from NLB. I wonder if you have tried it out and whether we require the use of VPN.

      Thanks,
      K

      Anonymous said...

      heres a link to NLB,

      http://singapore.lib.overdrive.com/14881A62-80D9-4331-B3BE-EE3EF7D6152F/40/20/en/FAQKindleHelp.htm

      Pls advise.

      Thanks :)

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, as you can see from the link, Kindle books are not available from the library.

      The consolation is that you're not missing much. The NLB doesn't have many new ebooks. You can verify this by searching its catalogue.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeffyen
      I just got a WP when I was in Boston
      How do i use Calibre? I cannot seem to locate it from my kindle.
      Thanks

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, Calibre is not found in the Kindle. It is computer software found at http://calibre-ebook.com/

      Most people use the 'recipes' provided to download websites into the Kindle as a start. There are more advanced features but I don't use them.

      Anonymous said...

      hi jeff, do you know of any sites to get kindle ebooks for free?

      thanks

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, you can look at
      http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=2245146011

      Also, Amazon has 2 sets of bestsellers list; paid and free. Excellent free paid books that are published recenly can be found occasionally as well.

      Steven said...

      this person do review on Amazon free books or discount price.

      http://www.kindlebuffet.com


      pls check out.


      Kindle Buffet: Find and download the best free books, magazines and newspapers for your Kindle, iPhone, iPad or Android [Kindle Edition]

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff. I'm interested to buy after looking through the methods to get one in Singapore.

      So let's say after I got it, even when I want to get FREE books from Amazon, i still have to go through the process of switching on the VPN and stuffs? The things listed in item number 7.

      jeffyen said...

      Anon, yes, you don't *have* to follow my instructions, but that's what I've always done. :)

      While most people don't get 'found out', I was just emailing someone who was after just one try. You may choose to not follow the instructions until you get found out; that's quite all right.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff, I was just wondering if you have tried other case/sleeve other than the leather case? I'm actually more interested in getting a sleeve as I would enjoy holding the PW just by itself. Any recommendations from you?

      jeffyen said...

      Alicia, I haven't tried anything else. The reason why I recommend the case is that the Kindle will be most vulnerable when you're holding it. If you drop it at the right place the screen may break.

      I do feel that the PW with the official case is easier to hold than not having the case as your little fingers can grasp the cover as it is folded back.

      Anonymous said...

      Hi Jeff,

      I just got the Paperwhite - everything is great except I seem to have real problems with the battery life. My battery seems to only last for about 3 days with not more than 3 hours of reading per day. I'm not sure what's wrong - I'm in the 'Airplane' mode so wifi is off, and I'm using a pretty low setting for the light as well. I'm guessing this isn't exactly normal. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks so much.

      - Genevieve

      jeffyen said...

      Genevieve, that is indeed quite strange. Maybe you can drain the battery fully until it switches off by itself, then start charging. And leave it charging for an hour or so more even after the green LED comes on.

      Another possibility is that if you have a new Kindle, there is a one-time 'indexing' process that will take place and this uses up battery fast. The indexing doesn't takee too long though.

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