Oooh just got my kindle <strokes> but can someone explain the email vs free email thing to me? And other questions.

[Bumperlicioso]

It's my birthday today (30 ) but have received from my lovely mum a kindle, my new baby (I've Christened it too, can you guess what I have called it?).

It's a 3g one, and I am a bit confused about how the kindle email and the free kindle email work. I've also downloaded calibre so I can convert files but no idea how to use it.

Also, can anyone give me tips on how to find free/cheap books?

Erm... no help here, I'm afraid, but I'll be waiting for someone more knowledgeable to come along because I want to know the same things!

Mine is not the 3g one so it doesn't apply to me, but it goes something like this.

If you email a document or book to the free address your kindle will download it next time it connects to your home wifi.

If you send it to the other email address it will still try to connect via wifii, but if you are out and about it will send it directly via 3g and there will be a small charge on your amazon account.

You can go to your amazon account - manage kindle section and put a limit on charges (£0 if you want) to avoid accidentally running up a bill, but it's quite cheap anyway.

You won't need to do that often anyway. You can use the built in browser to buy books from amazon (some old ones are free) or go to places like www.gutenberg.org which have millions of free books

Happy Birthday!

Amazon have a Top 100 listing of free books for the kindle. A lot of old classics and a variety of new books. I haven't bought many books yet.

One reason to email your kindle is to convert something. If you have a book or a file in the wrong format then emailing it will convert it if it's on the list of types amazon can deal with.

I prefer to use calibre on my PC to convert some books which are in the wrong format and then send them via the free email, but the Amazon conversion mostly works ok.

Mostly though these places have it in the kindle format in the first place or in Mobi which is just as good.

Some Kindle Info on Amazon

Thanks for the messages.

I've called it Felicity btw, Felicity Kindle

Arf!

Could someone please tell me what is meant by 'free kindle email address'. i.e where do I find out what it is?

Sorry please ignore me, the info I wanted is on onagar's link

I have another query - does my Kindle screen never go 'off'? I have switched off and got back to the 'picture' screen, but if I leave it overnight will that go blank eventually?

No, it stays on, even though the kindle's off. Clever, isn't it.
There's a number of different pictures, my favourite's the fish.

It does switch off completely. I also got one yesterday for my birthday (but I'm older than the OP!) and I was wondering about this so I looked on the user guide. Slide the power switch and hold it for 7 secs and it will turn off.

The case I ordered arrived today - lovely leathery with a light for reading :D