Tech

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Back in October last year, I posted this blog post Seduced by Amazon’s much more for much less page buy Kindle Fire HD today. I have always been a gadget freak and that’s why, I was almost seduced by the Kindle Fire myself. ALMOST because I live outside the US and I do not have a US credit card.

I could and I can order one using a package forwarding account like Borderlinx (read this blog post about How to buy US only and UK only products from Amazon using Borderlinx). However, after spending a lot of time figuring out a (legal) way to be able to fully use the Kindle Fire, I have come to one and only conclusion: Purchasing and fully using the Kindle Fire are two different things when you live outside the US.

Why? Because the Amazon Digital Services have always been very clear about their policy on using the Kindle Fire outside the US:

If you’re traveling with Kindle Fire, you can access any content you’ve downloaded to your device or shop for new books and magazines anytime you like.

With a U.S. credit card, you’ll also be able to purchase new apps and music for Kindle Fire while you are abroad.

To purchase, download, or stream movies and TV shows, you must be physically present in the U.S. and have a U.S. billing address.

If I have understood this policy correctly, it means that when you live outside the US and you don’t have a US credit card then:

• You can purchase the Kindle Fire using a package forwarding account (read How to buy US only and UK only products from Amazon using Borderlinx).
• You can use the Kindle Fire to read Kindle ebooks/magazines, surfing the web and managing your email/calendar.
• You can not purchase apps, games and musics on the Kindle Fire.
• You can not purchase, download or stream movies and TV shows on the Kindle Fire.

As much as you want purchase the Kindle Fire, I really think that you should wait until Amazon offers the Kindle Fire for international shipping. In the meanwhile you should consider the following:

1. Purchasing a Kindle Paperwhite: If you love reading and you are looking a reading-only device, then the Kindle Paperwhite is the best and the most eye-friendly eReader out there. You can purchase and fully use the Kindle Paperwhite even when you live outside the US. Read How to buy Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon using Borderlinx.

2. Purchasing an iPad Mini: If you are looking for an all-in-one device and you want to fully use it, then the iPad Mini is the best choice because you can purchase the iPad Mini, even in your home country. Perhaps it is not the most eye-friendly device if you are a heavy reader but you can do so much more with it as you would with the Kindle Fire.

Making a choice is not always easy but again, you don’t have to choose because you can also indulge yourself by puchasing both the Kindle Paperwhite and the iPad Mini. By doing so, you’ll get the best features of both devices.

Bonus tips:

• Click here to read How to buy US only and UK only products from Amazon using Borderlinx
• Click here to order Kindle Fire HD 7″, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Wi-Fi
• Click here to order Kindle Paperwhite, 6″ High Resolution Display with Built-in Light, Wi-Fi
• Click here to order Apple iPad Mini MD528LL/A