# Wanna buy a newer Kindle



## Pergamum (Mar 27, 2014)

Hello,

I have a kindle, but one of the first (small and with no backlighting...very hard to use at night in bed).

If I buy a newer Kindle, will all my old kindle books transfer over if I buy it on my same Amazon account? Just buy it and install all my books on the new advice? If it is that easy, I think I will buy a newer model.

Also, it looks like you can download movies on Kindle now as well?

What newer model would you recommend? I usually want to read it in bed (prop it on my chest). I'd love to watch a movie from it as well if this is a feature.


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## Pergamum (Mar 27, 2014)

I also listen to audiobooks with audible (Audiobooks Free Trial from Audible.com Online Digital Audiobook Store) and I want to be able to plug into my car radio/cd player and listen to audible books on long drives as well. How do I plug in my Kindle to listen to audible books on my car stereo system?


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## JP Wallace (Mar 27, 2014)

I would have thought so, it's your Amazon account that holds the books, so you can read them on any device that reads kindle format and can connect to Amazon, which of course any new Kindle will. The 'Fires' are the current versions and are what you're after if you want to watch movies etc. HD will do it so will HDX and so will all sizes. No idea how or if you can connect to Car audio though? I guess if you have an AUX socket in your car you could get some sort of cable, if not I don't know, I use a FM Transmitter for my iPod don't know if there is such a thing for Kindle.


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## JP Wallace (Mar 27, 2014)

Just checked ebay, you can get FM transmitters.


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## Logan (Mar 27, 2014)

Your books and such are all tied to your Amazon account, so once you sign in on your newer Kindle, you'll have instant access to everything you've previously purchased (this is true if you use Kindle app on iPad or iPhone or Android too). You can even buy a used Kindle and just register it to your Amazon account and have access to all your books, no need necessarily to buy it on the same Amazon account, you just need to register it to the same account.

The best Kindle for reading is the Paperwhite. Excellent display for reading with a frontlit screen for low-light or dark.

However, the Paperwhite does NOT allow you to watch movies or listen to audio (they removed the audio port after the Kindle Touch). A real "Kindle" uses e-ink, which is kind of like an etch and sketch: excellent for reading and can be read in bright sunlight, but very slow refresh rate. It is a niche product for reading, and it is excellent at it.

What you're talking about is probably the Kindle Fire, which is basically an Android-based tablet that has the Kindle App prominently featured on it. Since it is a tablet, it can do most everything Android tablets can do, including installing additional apps. This is inherently for multimedia but you could get close to the same experience on an iPad or Android tablet. Tablets are great for multimedia but not particularly for reading (though many people use them for this and like it). 

Paperwhite advantages:
- Best for reading
- Best for eye-strain
- Battery life measured in weeks

Kindle Fire advantages:
- Best for multimedia (video, audio, web browsing)
- Most versatile (can also be used for reading but not in sunlight)
- Battery life measured in hours

If you're thinking about a Kindle Fire, then you're really considering a tablet and might as well consider other tablet options too (they can all run the Kindle app). If you really just want the best reading device, Kindle Paperwhite is the way to go.

As for listening on the car stereo, lots of modern vehicles have an "aux" port that allows you to plug in iPods or tablets and play the audio over the car speakers. Or tape-deck adapters, or FM transmitters (not recommended). Is that what you mean?


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## Pergamum (Mar 27, 2014)

Yes, I'd like to load up the Kindle with my audio books and plug it into the car when I go on road trips. What does an "aux" port look like and can anyone link it from Amazon so I can buy one?


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## Leslie (Mar 27, 2014)

What does registering a new Kindle on Amazon consist of? Just email address and Amazon password? Nothing else? Does the name of the Kindle have to be the same? I'm in a similar predicament as Pergie, but my Kindle died since the screen was scrunched, so it's necessary, really necessary to get another. I appreciate all the input.


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## Logan (Mar 27, 2014)

An Aux port is the 3.5mm hole you plug headphones into. If your car radio has a hole, you can use a simple cable to plug in anything that has a headphone jack, essentially turning your vehicle into headphones for your tablet/iPod/laptop/walkman etc.

Mary, yes, basically all you'll need to do is sign in (register) on the Kindle device or on Amazon's webpage. Once you have done that you can change the name at amazon.com/myk to be "Mary's Kindle" or whatever you want to call it. The name of the Kindle does not need to be the same and it doesn't need to be the same kind of Kindle (you can have multiple Paperwhites, a Kindle Touch, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle Fire, etc. all on the same account).


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## reaganmarsh (Mar 27, 2014)

Hi Perg, 

My in-laws surprised me with a Kindle Fire HD last year for Christmas. I have enjoyed the audio feature for sermons and lectures. I like it as a reader, though I fully agree with the brother above who said that the e-ink is better for reading in terms of eye strain. 

The Fires do have a helpful option, though, in the reading app -- you are able to change the background from black text on a white page to what they call "Sephia," which is a tan/khaki background with black or brown text. That has been very helpful for my eyes. I additionally turn the auto backlight setting off to adjust screen brightness manually. 

There are various apps for movies and other things, though I don't really do much with those options. My wife uses Netflix sometimes on it with good success. Also, it's easy to use; I had never used an Android or a tablet before this one, and I was able to figure it out for the most part in about 30 minutes or so. Overall, I have really enjoyed my Kindle.

Some of our PB brethren have purchased inexpensive tablets at half the price of the Kindle (~$100). I don't know much about other tablets. Perhaps one or two of them will post about their experiences so you can have a good idea of the options and proper expectations.


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## SRoper (Mar 27, 2014)

Yes, you just enter your Amazon login info into the new Kindle and it will register with your account. You can then download any books registered to your account to your Kindle. None of this requires the use of a computer.

One gotcha is if you downloaded books from other sources than Amazon they will not be associated with your account unless you specifically uploaded them to your account.

The problem with your requirements is any one device is going to be a rather serious compromise. The readability of a Paperwhite Kindle is much superior to anything else, but all it does is display books. If you want movies you are looking for a tablet of which the Kindle Fire is a low-cost option. If you want audiobooks, any cheap mp3 player will do (Sansa makes perfectly good audio players).

The aux port is a 3.5mm phone connector or a mini-jack--it looks just like a headphone jack except it is a line-in on your car stereo. Many newer stereos have this feature. I believe you asked for car stereo options in a past thread, so I would look back at that. Your main options for getting audio from a device to your car speakers are as follows:

USB port: Only found on newer stereos. Only works with a device that has USB such as an iPod or other mp3 player. One advantage is you can just load up a cheap USB stick with your music or audio. In my opinion, it is the preferred solution and worth the trouble of replacing your car stereo, especially if your stereo does not have a phone connector.

Phone connector (mini-jack/aux port): Allows you to use a male to male mini-jack cable to connect to a device's headphone jack. This option and all the remaining options requires you to use the interface on the device itself to change tracks. It also requires you to use the device's battery. You will need plug the device into the cigarette lighter for longer trips. This option gives far better audio than the remaining options.

FM transmitter: This plugs into the headphone jack of your device and requires the use of the cigarette lighter for power. It transmits audio to your stereo on a set frequency.

Cassette adapter: This plugs into the headphone jack of your device and goes into your cassette player. Of course it is only an option if you have a cassette player. I find it gives poor results.


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## SRoper (Mar 27, 2014)

I guess since you already have a Kindle, the question is do you also want a tablet. I don't think you will want to get rid of the Kindle for reading.


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## Pergamum (Mar 27, 2014)

My current Kindle doesn't have backlighting, so I keep buying and losing those little lights that you hook into the kindle. I like to read in bed....so I want backlighting.


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## Logan (Mar 27, 2014)

You will be able to read in bed with both the Fire and the Paperwhite, the question is whether you want a multimedia tablet (which can be a reader but is like reading on a computer screen and shines light directly in your eyes for more eyestrain) or a device that is an excellent reader and excellent battery life but doesn't do anything else.

Comparison of the Fire and the Paperwhite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o9jKM6KPg4

Review of the Paperwhite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pyvN3WJZRw


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## Tripel (Mar 27, 2014)

Logan said:


> the question is whether you want a multimedia tablet (which can be a reader but is like reading on a computer screen and shines light directly in your eyes for more eyestrain) or a device that is an excellent reader and excellent battery life but doesn't do anything else.



Yep, you nailed it. 
There's often a lot of confusion in discussions about Kindles. In our age of do-it-all devices, we sometimes discount that some devices only aim to do one thing and do it very well. E-readers and tablets are two different categories of devices that should not be viewed as overlapping.

Tablets have a wide range of uses, but they are not intended to be reading devices (despite the fact that you _can_ read on them). Likewise, e-readers are not intended to be multi-use tablets. 

All that to say, for those of us who are big on technology, it makes sense to have both an e-reader and a tablet.


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## Nebrexan (Mar 27, 2014)

If you find an e-book in a Kindle-compatible format (like .mobi; Monergism has lots), you can e-mail it to your Amazon account. It will then be automatically downloaded to your Kindle and saved at Amazon so you can download it to other Kindles.


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## Scottish Lass (Mar 27, 2014)

If you're happy with your current Kindle (unlike Mary) except for the backlighting, they make covers with an integrated light for about $50. Tablets are great, but where will you use it most---indoors or out? I read on my tablet ( both web and Kindle app) in the dark every night while putting Grace to bed, and I just turn the backlighting all the way down (bonus: saves battery!).


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## Elizabeth (Mar 27, 2014)

I have that nice cover with the light, and it works very well. I think I've had it, along with my Kindle, for about 3.5 years now. Both still work as well as they did when I bought them. The cover is nicely protective, and also give the feeling of reading a 'real' book. The light is just right for reading in bed while not disturbing a sleeping spouse.


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## Pergamum (Mar 27, 2014)

I'm not so happy with my current Kindle (whether for valid reasons or simply due to human nature not being content)...the lighting problem annoys me since I read at night. I definitely want backlighting.


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## py3ak (Mar 27, 2014)

Pergamum said:


> I'm not so happy with my current Kindle (whether for valid reasons or simply due to human nature not being content)...the lighting problem annoys me since I read at night. I definitely want backlighting.



Have you tried with your laptop and the Kindle app?


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## Pergamum (Mar 27, 2014)

We have an ipad and we love to use the Kindle app on it. But I rarely use the ipad since it is the wifey's. The backlighting and ability to highlight sections of text is nice.


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## MTHall720 (Mar 27, 2014)

I love the Paper white. If you just want to read it is great. 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk


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## SRoper (Mar 27, 2014)

The reading experience on a Kindle Fire is going to be similar to the Kindle app on the iPad.

Technically the Kindle Paperwhite does not have a backlight it has a built in "frontlight."

Personally, I'd get the Kindle Paperwhite and be nice to your wife--maybe she'll let you watch movies on her iPad.


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## reaganmarsh (Mar 27, 2014)

SRoper said:


> Personally, I'd get the Kindle Paperwhite and be nice to your wife--maybe she'll let you watch movies on her iPad.



Ha ha!


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## johnny (Mar 28, 2014)

My experience with e-ink readers is that the small text is very hard to read, espeically if you are downloading pdf style docs 
To read these well on ebook readers you need to get the biggest size unit possible,
Otherwise even if you enlarge the font, the refresh rate is so slow that it makes the experience of reading pdfs extremely frustrating. Kindle used to make a DX version which was bigger, but they are deleting it from their stocks.


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## SRoper (Mar 28, 2014)

Kindle doesn't play nice with PDFs. One option is to convert the PDF to mobi first, but usually PDF files are formatted pretty poorly, and the conversion isn't so great.


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## ZackF (Mar 28, 2014)

I have a Kindle Fire HD, using it now, and am satisfied with it overall. Use it for reading and other tablet stuff. My wife has a "keyboard" model she uses as a reader and a Galaxy Tab for Facebook etc. My kindle is just Wi-Fi capable. If I need the internet while out and about I use my phone hotspot. Eye strain is definitely higher on a Fire or other tablet but adjusting brightness settling print size can help with that. I had an iPad 2 from a previous job. It was nice machine but I have found everything I need in other machines that cost much less.


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## NB3K (Apr 1, 2014)

Pergamum said:


> We have an ipad and we love to use the Kindle app on it. But I rarely use the ipad since it is the wifey's. The backlighting and ability to highlight sections of text is nice



Sounds like maybe you ought to get an ipad then.


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## kodos (Apr 1, 2014)

I got a Kindle Fire HDX (7 inch) because I don't have an Android device and needed one for dev work. I actually really like this thing. It was $230 (32Gig) and runs Logos almost as good as our iPad Air and is very comfortable to carry around. The Kindle app is really nice on this (obviously since its an Amazon device) . I really like it. If you want a rich app ecosystem then an iPad is a better choice. But for the price and user experience I can heartily recommend this for a new tablet user who isn't invested in either iOS or the Google Play ecosystems. The 16GB model was $199 the other day. 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk


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## Ask Mr. Religion (Apr 1, 2014)

I have a Chromebook Pixel and its 2560 x 1700 resolution has ruined me for using my Kindle Fire or my laptop workhorse machine (so I just remote access the laptop from the Pixel). These other devices just seem so primitive in rendering text now.

While I cannot store all my Kindle books locally on the Pixel (an Amazon limitation), I do have about 30 or so books at a time available locally when I do not have internet access (rare for me given my Pixel includes WiFi and LTE cellular modems).

If a Chromebook is too radical a departure from your usual work flow, the recommendation for an iPad with Retina Display resolution seems the right way to go.


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