# Kindle Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713 "2012-08-26T13:58:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/1 "2012-08-26T13:58:33Z")
I fear my beloved Amazon Kindle (hardware) may have a problem. In fact, I fear I may have to ditch it as I cannot at the moment get new editions of the New York Times on it. It seems to be a hardware problem. So, if I buy an Apple iPad and install the Kindle (software) on it, will I still have all the files I currently have on my hardware Kindle? Gosh this is upsetting. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/2 "2012-08-26T14:38:54Z")
Just sign into Amazon, go to Your Account, Manage Your Kindle and Your Orders. They’re all there to download as much as you want it seems. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/3 "2012-08-26T14:58:05Z")
Yes. You can read them on your ipad, PC, mac, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/4 "2012-08-26T15:09:40Z")
I do not want to buy an iPad. I like my Kindle. Thank you all. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/5 "2012-08-26T16:16:59Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Yes. You can read them on your ipad, PC, mac, whatever. This is true for ebooks, but not necessarily for magazines or newspapers. When I go to Amazon’s page for The New York Times (Kindle edition) and click on “Available only on these devices,” it tells me that it’s only available on the various sorts of Kindle (and not Kindle apps for PC, iPad, etc.). Why? > [@](#): > > This publication is not available for some devices. The publisher may have opted out of making it available on certain devices, or the reading experience may not yet be optimized for this publication on those devices. To the OP: What exactly is wrong with your Kindle? Maybe we can help. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/6 "2012-08-27T01:51:11Z")
I suspect that the mini-USB port on the Kindle has finally been wiggled to the point that the connection is somehow broken. (But it is getting power from the USB, so some pins are working.) I plug the Kindle into the Mac via the USB/mini USB cable and the Kindle does not appear on the Mac. The Mac ports are fine, the Mac can see other things plugged into the USB ports. Or, it might be a broken cable. Next step is to go to the shop this weekend and get a new cable and see if that fixes it. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/7 "2012-08-27T02:41:17Z")
For what it’s worth, I had a Kindle cable (third party—not the one that came with the Kindle) go bad on me. I suspect a loose or broken wire inside the cable, because by unkinking it and stretching it out I managed to get it to work (i.e. connect to my computer, and stay connected). ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/8 "2012-08-27T02:43:11Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > I do not want to buy an iPad. I like my Kindle. > > Thank you all. Is there an obstacle preventing you from buying another Kindle? They are cheaper than ever. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/9 "2012-08-27T12:59:16Z")
I took the Kindle to the office. Using my office cable and my office computer, I got the same result, the computer cannot see the Kindle. As I see it, the only hope is establishing a WiFi connection (do Kindle DXs do that) or opening the thing up and taking a soldering iron to the USB connector. More likely I see an iPad in my future. Shipping a Kindle to Saudi Arabia is about $100 and a general pain in the butt. Still, it might be cheaper than an iPad. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/10 "2012-08-27T13:06:18Z")
Partial solution (and it makes me feel dumb). I turned on my wireless and it updated itself perfectly. I usually keep wireless off as it did not used to work here in Saudi Arabia. Now it seems to. As long as the USB works well enough to keep it charged, I am back in business. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/11 "2012-08-27T13:13:13Z")
The kindle USB isn’t proprietary. It’s micro USB. I think some phones use the same plug. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kindle-question/632713/12 "2012-08-27T13:29:10Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > The kindle USB isn’t proprietary. It’s micro USB. I think some phones use the same plug. This is true. I use the same cable and rechargers on my LG Eclypse droid phone as my Kindle 2gen. Glad to hear that the wireless is solving part of your problem, **Paul**.