Older Kindles losing store access in August

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

ETA: In regard to the K2US, didn’t Amazon already offer some kind of deal when they got rid of 3G? In which case, they may figure there’s no point to double-dipping. But I could be hallucinating.

It's possible. I admit I don't pay that close attention. But I'm fairly certain the 2nd generation international devices were 3G-only as well. If they already got rid of 3G, surely those devices were already cut off from accessing/browsing the store, no?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

It's possible. I admit I don't pay that close attention. But I'm fairly certain the 2nd generation international devices were 3G-only as well. If they already got rid of 3G, surely those devices were already cut off from accessing/browsing the store, no?

The International devices were 3G + WiFi, I believe.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Interesting that the K2US is left out of this list (considering that it's older than the International versions). The US-only version did use a different carrier for their 3G than the Internationals, so maybe that has something to do with it. *shrug*

3G is going away in the US but not in some other countries, so in the US it won't matter that the built in store access won't work since the device won't have wireless connectivity.

Originally Posted by issybird

ETA: In regard to the K2US, didn’t Amazon already offer some kind of deal when they got rid of 3G? In which case, they may figure there’s no point to double-dipping. But I could be hallucinating.

I don't recall that. Do you know approximately when that offer was made?

I also don't recall amazon explicitly dropping 3G, although the carriers seem to be well along in shutting down service.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by issybird

The International devices were 3G + WiFi, I believe.

I don't think there were ever any K2 or KDX models with wifi.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

The International devices were 3G + WiFi, I believe.

Originally Posted by j.p.s

I don't think there were ever any K2 or KDX models with wifi.

Pretty certain j.p.s. has the right of this. The 2nd generation internationals had no wifi. I don't think it came along until the 3rd generation of Kindles.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

I don't recall that. Do you know approximately when that offer was made?

I also don't recall amazon explicitly dropping 3G, although the carriers seem to be well along in shutting down service.

I’m you’re right that it was just that when carriers shut down 3G the devices would cease to be able to connect to Amazon. As for the offers, they differed. I know people posted about them here. Some got a free Kindle Oasis; others got a similar deal to the current one, a discount off a new device plus ebook credit. Sometime last summer?

[issybird]

Here’s the thread when the end of cellular service was discussed here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=340907

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

3G is going away in the US but not in some other countries, so in the US it won't matter that the built in store access won't work since the device won't have wireless connectivity.

That makes a bit of sense. At least for why the K2 Internationals are on the list for imminent store access removal, but are also lumped in with those devices that can still have content pushed to them via their 3G radios. There's a chance that in countries where 3G isn't being shut down, they might still function.

But it's also fair to say that US users of K2 Internationals can't hope to buy new content on other devices and push it to their 3G-only devices for very long. No 3G is no 3G.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

That makes a bit of sense. At least for why the K2 Internationals are on the list for imminent store access removal, but are also lumped in with those devices that can still have content pushed to them via their 3G radios. There's a chance that in countries where 3G isn't being shut down, they might still function.

But it's also fair to say that US users of K2 Internationals can't hope to buy new content on other devices and push it to their 3G-only devices for very long. No 3G is no 3G.

The US-users of K2 Internationals might be the double-dippers I invoked earlier, assuming they got the upgrade deal the other cellular devices got a year ago. This is when the date qualification for the current offer kicks in; if Amazon can see they’ve still been directly accessing Kindle content within the relevant time frame, they’re good for another offer. Because unlike all those whose registered devices hit the landfill long ago (tsk!) but whose devices were still listed on their account, there can be only a minuscule number of US-based International owners who were still active phoners-home in the last six months or whatever. For that matter, if they activated the offer last year they may be OOL this time anyway.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by issybird

Here’s the thread when the end of cellular service was discussed here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=340907

Thanks, so avoiding double dipping is a plausible motive for withoulding the offer.
(But I think it would be easy enough for them to check for someone trying to do so.)

[issybird]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Thanks, so avoiding double dipping is a plausible motive for withoulding the offer.

Or the Occam’s Razor explanation, that the K2US owners weren’t losing any functionality anyway. Obviously I was guessing on the fly and not thinking this through.

(But I think it would be easy enough for them to check for someone trying to do so.)

…and I suspect double-dippers didn’t get the email at that.

[Bikeridr]

I received the mail today. My Kindle 3 international was connected to wi-fi in March. Note that my version is wi-fi only, no 3G. When I bought it, the 3G version cost US$49 extra, so I chose the cheaper wi-fi only version.

[Tarana]

I have kindle keyboards and received the email. Waiting on Father's Day sale to stack the discount along with the ebook credit. I have not purchased anything through my kindles since at least 2014 and that was because my late brother did not have wifi (I have a keyboard with 3g).

[Canis_lupus]

Originally Posted by issybird

I suspect the emails have everything to do with when was the last time the device was connected to WiFi and interacted with Amazon in terms of downloading or reading status. In my case, it was the middle of February. So, six months? A year? Because from Amazon’s POV there’s no reason to offer a deal on a device that is moribund; being registered to your account is a necessary condition but not sufficient in itself.

It might be interesting to try to narrow down the date, which is why I cited my own. Just over three months from the date of the email.

Mine have not connected to WiFi or 3G in years (second generation Kindle, three Kindle Keyboards and two 5th generation and a DX). I did receive the e-mail.

[Badcatalex]

https://www.techradar.com/news/a-new...my-pc-any-more

This is interesting, are they referring to the recent UI change or are they referring to the rumored store UI change...? Or what?