Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Amazon and the Kindle


For those of you who do not have an actual Kindle device (or you have one only to discover it doesn't really work for you in your territory – Africa being case in point in my experience) and you’re just dying to read the host of eBooks available from Amazon, there is a way to do so beyond a specialised device.

First you need create an Amazon account. It is quite a process, a bit to fill in online, but is also pretty painless. To use your account properly you will need to add a credit card. And this is where most of us get stuck. If you can, however, beg or borrow a friend or family member’s credit card and fill in the relevant details. Promise to buy only one tiny thing for 99c…because, friends, that is all it takes for your account to become interactive. Suddenly you can leave reviews on your favourite books and on all those freebies you come across, you can create a wish list, take part in the forums and so forth. If you have begged or borrowed the card, remember, buy only that one little thing!

Now you’re set, but you still need the means to read those eBooks in the Kindle Store. This is the easy part: download Kindle for PC (or Mac) for free from Amazon, install it on your computer…and you’re in. You are now a Kindle reader!

Go on then and browse for your 99c purchase and have it delivered to your Kindle for PC. And then go and browse all the great free reads as well and download what takes your fancy.

Note: in your Kindle Library the newest eBook you selected will be at the bottom with an arrow on it. Double click and the download to your library begins. And that’s it. Enjoy!


PS: if anyone has anything to add, please leave a comment!

No comments: