You might want to reconsider your Amazon Kindle Touch 3G pre-order if you were hoping on getting unlimited free access to the internet as a whole like you were able to on the old Kindle 3G. Amazon user “Mom of 3” was reading the Kindle Touch 3G product description when she noticed the following line: “experimental web browsing is available via Wi-Fi.”
She posted her question as to what that line meant on the Amazon forums and that post gained community attention like wild Fire (sorry). Amazon finally released an official statement on Sunday to clarify what that line means:
We apologize for the confusion. Our new Kindle Touch 3G enables you to connect to the Kindle Store, download books and periodicals, and access Wikipedia – all over 3G or Wi-Fi. Experimental web browsing (outside of Wikipedia) on Kindle Touch 3G is only available over Wi-FI. Our Kindle Keyboard 3G will continue to offer experimental web browsing over 3G or Wi-Fi.
Is the $50 premium for the Touch 3G that attractive now that Amazon’s Whispersync is limited to just the Kindle Store and Wikipedia? For many users this news struck a nerve and prompted them to cancel their preorder and opt for the cheaper Wi-Fi only version. Others argue that the additional $50 is worth it because you don’t have to search for a Wi-Fi hotspot or wait until you get home to download new content off of the Kindle Store, and accessing the Store in other countries for free is also a convenience. There is no right or wrong answer as the purchase decision boils down to every persons opportunity cost. In Amazon’s defense, they are probably losing a ton of money on bandwidth from freeloaders which is what prompted them to impose this limit.
Source: PC Mag
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