# Can Someone Explain to Me How Checking Out Books Via an Amazon Fire Works? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755 "2017-04-19T01:50:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/21 "2017-04-20T19:27:51Z")
The Fire appears to have a micro SD card slot for up to 200gb, so storage shouldn’t be a issue. A question for anyone who does have one: How is reading outside? Too much glare? I’ve got a Kindle paperwhite now that is great for outdoor reading. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/22 "2017-04-20T19:28:56Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > _The Complete Works of Shakespeare_ takes up about 5 megabytes of space. 8 gigabytes is plenty if most of it is for text. Right. If you’re going to be downloading games or other software, or videos, or music, you’d want to worry about space. Compared to such things, books don’t take up much space. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/23 "2017-04-20T19:31:47Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Alrighty, I’m slowly getting closer and closer to getting the Fire. Amazon has some purdy looking ones for 50 bucks, which sound just fine to me. > > The only thing about those is they are onoy 8GB in space. How much space to things take up? I’ll honestly be using it for books and…well…that’s pretty much it. It’s enough space for something like 6000 books. Although if you are only going to use it for books, I find the Kindle paperwhite to be easier on my eyes than the Fire and the charge lasts much longer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/24 "2017-04-20T20:40:06Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > The Fire appears to have a micro SD card slot for up to 200gb, so storage shouldn’t be a issue. > > A question for anyone who does have one: How is reading outside? Too much glare? > > I’ve got a Kindle paperwhite now that is great for outdoor reading. Oh! I forgot to ask about this. There’s a good chance I’ll be taking this to the beach (a manmade beach is still a beach, right?). I can stay under an umbrella, but I enjoy being in the sun too. Also I’m nixing the idea of a paperwhite because if I’m getting a tablet I might as well use it, plus a paperwhite is 50 bucks more and I can barely afford the fir as it is… ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/25 "2017-04-20T22:00:30Z")
The Fire is backlit like the paperwhite. I haven’t did much reading outside since I was gifted it (winter… Iowa) but the few times I’ve been in the car I haven’t had any trouble reading while riding. I can’t say how much space is used since I only have about 5 books bought and kept on it. The rest I read so quickly that they get returned daily. Which is why I am enjoying finding “series” of a book so I can at least have reading material of the same story for a day. I don’t think there are many (or any) Centennial or The Clan of the Cavebear length type of books: made into e-books, probably, but made as an ebook only they all seem pretty short. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/26 "2017-04-20T22:17:46Z")
> [@mistymage](#): > > The Fire is backlit like the paperwhite. No, the Fire is backlit like other tablets and smartphones (which means it may be hard to see in direct bright sunlight). The Paperwhite is [frontlit](http://gizmodo.com/5940965/what-is-a-frontlit-display), with a light that enables you to see the screen in dark/dim conditions but can be turned off when reading in bright light. ---
**Author:** ![Morelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Morelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morelin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/27 "2017-04-21T16:27:58Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Yes. At least for my library it prompts the format and for the mobi/azw3, it links me directly to the Amazon website and you can then have it sent to your Kindle or Fire. No need to ever step foot in a library. > > Pro-tip. If you haven’t finished the book by the time it’s due back, you can turn off the Wi-Fi and the book doesn’t expire until it’s synched back up again. That’s not true. I was away for 10 days, and 3 days in my book was due. I had turned off my Wi-Fi and had only spotty service in the backwoods of nowhere. The book disappeared 4 days into my trip. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/28 "2017-04-21T16:36:05Z")
> [@Morelin](#): > > That’s not true. I was away for 10 days, and 3 days in my book was due. I had turned off my Wi-Fi and had only spotty service in the backwoods of nowhere. The book disappeared 4 days into my trip. It’s true for me as I’ve done it on both my Kindle Oasis and my Fire. Neither have 3G so maybe that’s the difference for you? ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/29 "2017-04-21T16:52:53Z")
Mine does have 3G and I’ve also extended the checkout by leaving the Kindle in “airplane mode.” You can’t get anything new while it’s in that state, but the old books don’t disappear either (until it comes out of airplane mode). And still, no late fees. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/30 "2017-04-21T19:02:06Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Mine does have 3G and I’ve also extended the checkout by leaving the Kindle in “airplane mode.” You can’t get anything new while it’s in that state, but the old books don’t disappear either (until it comes out of airplane mode). > And still, no late fees. You can actually get new stuff on a Kindle with the wifi off or in airplane mode- you just have to download the book to a computer and transfer via USB. Don’t know if that will work for a Fire , though. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/31 "2017-04-22T02:03:57Z")
Alright, so in the interest of Straight Dope, I performed two experiments: 1. I just checked out from the library the book \*Theatre of Fear & Horror Expanded Edition: The Grisly Spectacle of the Grand Guignol of Paris, 1897-1962 \*by Mel Gordon. I turned on the Wi-Fi, downloaded the book to my Kindle Oasis. I then turned off the Wi-Fi. I went to Amazon and returned the book with my computer (checked it back in to the library). I went back to the Kindle Oasis and I was still able to read the book. Then I turned the Wi-Fi back on. Right after I turned the Wi-Fi on, the letter that the book was returned showed up on the Kindle and I was no longer able to read the book. 2. The second experiment will take longer. I checked out _Pothole Confidential My Life as Mayor of Minneapolis_ by R.T. Rybak, I logged both the Kindle Oasis and Fire onto the WiFi and they both downloaded the book. I turned off the WiFi on both, returned the book and was able to read on both of them. Now, the length of the check-out is 7 days. So, I’ll have to not log either onto WiFi for the next week and then check on Saturday to see if I’m still able to access the books on the devices. Will update you then! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/32 "2017-04-22T14:33:48Z")
If you’re really pressedfor cash and can wait a couple months, you can get all the Kindles ore Fires cheaper on Prime Day. The only reason I have a Fire is that I paid $33.33 for it, which seems to be their goto price reduction for it. Do note that the “large print” in the Kindle app is closer to normal print size. No one seems to get this right. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755/33 "2017-04-29T14:07:44Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > 1. The second experiment will take longer. I checked out _Pothole Confidential > My Life as Mayor of Minneapolis_ by R.T. Rybak, I logged both the Kindle Oasis and Fire onto the WiFi and they both downloaded the book. I turned off the WiFi on both, returned the book and was able to read on both of them. Now, the length of the check-out is 7 days. So, I’ll have to not log either onto WiFi for the next week and then check on Saturday to see if I’m still able to access the books on the devices. Will update you then! 2nd experiment is now complete. I received the email from the library that the digital loan for this book has now ended. I opened up both the Kindle Oasis and Fire and both of them still have the book available to read on them and neither had been connected to the internet since the book was originally loaded onto them. The book was accessible on both until I turned the WiFi back on, then I got the “kindle personal letter” and the book is removed. TL;DR: Book remains able to read on Kindle until/unless the WiFi is turned on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-explain-to-me-how-checking-out-books-via-an-amazon-fire-works/784755.md?page=1)