Non-motoring > Kindle security issues?	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: sherlock47	Replies: 61

Fri 28 Oct 11 16:03   Kindle security issues? - sherlock47

Bored with fridges full of light bulbs:) Having generously given SWMBO a Kindle for her birthday and having made the mistake of tying it to my Amazon account, I now find that she downloads new titles on my account without having to use a (my) password. Whilst this does not make me over concerned, it does mean that if the Kindle was lost or stolen it would allow downloading of anything at my expense until I change passwords on the account. Or is it worse, can a user of the Kindle buy anything else or change the password? Is it possible to set a password on the Kindle - don't ask, user manual is already lost. PS I regard this a general issue, not technical and computing, and feel it will get more widespread viewing in this forum. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 16:20   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

I only use Kindle Reader on Mac and on the smartphone. Neither needs you to reenter a password for the account when purchasing. So if you lost this Kindle then someone could buy books on your account. More of an issue if it's a 3G Kindle I guess? So don't lose it :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 16:47   Kindle security issues? - CGNorwich

There is no way to password protect a Kindle but as has been said you could only buy books with it. Amazon send an email to the registered email address every time you make a purchase so you would know if anything untoward was going on. Obviously if you lost your Kindle you would re-register it asap. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 16:23   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

Dunno the answer - don't recall seeing a manual with my American market one though. Just had a look on the Amazon website can't really work out whether it can be done. It sends an e-mail to your account when you order something - I assume if you see anything odd you change your password. Hang on ! Don't you confirm your password when you order summat ? Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 16:29   Kindle security issues? - sherlock47

>>Hang on ! Don't you confirm your password when you order summat ?<< Apparently not! for EBooks. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 16:33   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

Sorry I was bit slow posting my reply and Rob's had appeared there in the meantime. No there is no password confirmation of course. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 17:06   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

For relatively low priced purchases, it would be annoying for genuine users to confirm with a password. Especially for the new cheap Kindle Reader which has no keyboard. If lost/stolen all you can do is deregister the device. At least you don't lose all your books. So PU, you bought yours from the US Store and use it without problems. The new Kindle at $79 vs £89 seems a bargain if you can get it. And I wonder if the Fire would work if you got one? I seem to recall you have an 'American' credit card which might make buying the Kindle Fire an option. Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 28 Oct 11 at 17:08 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 17:08   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

I buy my books at the WH Smiths at Heathrow mostly. They don't ask for a password. they just give you this kind of paper, kind of book like thing really, in exchange for some money. If you lose it, it doesn't compromise your security at all and when you've finished it you can give it to a charity shop and someone who needs help gets some. Works for me ! They do ask for your boarding card though which I do find a bit odd as you couldn't have got there without one or being nigh on strip searched all but a few minutes earlier, but I'm sure they have their reasons... Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 17:10   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

:-) but if you go away for 2 weeks then books are heavy. I get through lots in 2 weeks. And luggage allowance for the hold is often 15kg unless you pay more. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 17:14   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

What? Like on "charter" flights? Do they still do those? Gosh ! :-)) Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 17:19   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

Yes like on 'charter' flights run by the like of Thomas Cook or Thomson. :-) Don't tend to go further than say 4 - 4.5 hours flying time though. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 17:36   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

Joking aside, I went on a Thomson one a couple of years ago. The seats were not designed for humans. What's more the woman sitting next to me insisted on drinking beer and nudging me every time she thought of something "amusing" to say from 06.30 until we landed in Cyprus. She was so fat that bits of her abdomen flowed under the armrest and and settled on my lap. I found myself horrifically compelled to try to decipher the sections of stretched tattoos written on those errant body parts. Fortunately in some ways I was later distracted by the kind person in the seat in front who decided it was reasonable to fully recline their seat until it was ore or less touching my chin. This served if nothing else to conceal the view of the ink adorned human lava flow creeping across my left thigh. I suppose, if circumstances require or dictate, that I might consider doing it again but I'm not convinced it'll be in this lifetime... Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Fri 28 Oct 11 at 17:37 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 17:38   Kindle security issues? - Pat

I'd love to hear what she thought of you Humph:) Pat Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 17:45   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

I sincerely hope she had no opinion of me whatsoever. Any parts of her I may have touched were entirely her own doing however inadvertantly ! :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 17:37   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

WH Smths have bought there own version of the Kindle out now - apparently just as good and using the same tech. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 18:27   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

The reader they are selling is from Kobo: www.kobobooks.com/touch It's not a WH Smith reader - they are just pushing it. And their store for ebooks will not be the Kobo one. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 19:11   Kindle security issues? - Kevin

>There is no way to password protect a Kindle You can set a password on a Kindle, at least you can on my 3G model. Press "Home" -> "Menu" -> "Settings". Press the sidebar for next page. "Device Password" is the third option down. The User Guide is pre-loaded on the Kindle. Page through your book collection and it'll be there somewhere unless you've deleted it. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 19:12   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

Thanks Kevin - I never RTFM...! Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 19:47   Kindle security issues? - Fursty Ferret

It does have some fairly major issues which revolve around publishers and their 18th century attitude to commerce. Example: Steve Jobs biography - £11.99 in hardback; £12.50 on Kindle. So why would I want to pay more for something that costs less to produce, nothing to ship, and for which Amazon can instantly and without giving a reason revoke my ability to read? I love my Kindle, but situations like this make me loathe to recommend it. Edit: And just hit a similar issue trying to get Channel 4's 4oD service to work on the PS3. After 20 minutes of farting around I just downloaded the bleedin' episode from a torrent site which took less than 5 minutes. Last edited by: Fursty Ferret on Fri 28 Oct 11 at 19:49 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 20:03   Kindle security issues? - Kevin

>Example: Steve Jobs biography - £11.99 in hardback; £12.50 on Kindle. Part of that problem is because VAT is charged on e-books but not on dead-tree versions. Some publishers do in fact charge less for e-books, others don't. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 19:48   Kindle security issues? - sherlock47

>> Thanks Kevin - I never RTFM...! >> and that accounts for why I thought the manual was lost! Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 20:36   Kindle security issues? - sherlock47

Thanks Kevin I have now set up a (simplistic) password. Infuriates SWMBO, but gives me a little breathing space on my credit card account if it is lost to a casual finder. They should really offer the ability to set a password for purchase log-on, it would make much more sense for the owner. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 20:38   Kindle security issues? - Zero

Lock it in the fridge Oh you cant its full of lightbulbs Reply to this message | Report message       1

Fri 28 Oct 11 23:00   Kindle security issues? - Dave_

This alarms me slightly. Daughter no.2 would like a Kindle for Christmas, which I was planning to get - I didn't realise that she could rack up expenses with it. That's the reason why (unlike most of her friends' parents) I won't let her have a contract mobile. Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Fri 28 Oct 11 at 23:00 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 28 Oct 11 23:06   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

Dave, the whole point of a Kindle (for Amazon) is you can buy books easily. Get an alternative like a Sony. I transfer books to the Sony manually. It has no wifi or anything else. Getting my Kindle purchases onto it takes a few minutes mind. But I do tend to buy most ebooks on Amazon. But my eReader is not a Kindle. Our local library service is trying ebook loans.... Kindle of course cannot be supported. Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 28 Oct 11 at 23:06 Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 08:20   Kindle security issues? - Roger.

Hmmm... how do you return a "borrowed" ebook to the library? Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 12:07   Kindle security issues? - lancara

"Kindle of course cannot be supported." Wont be long: "Yesterday Amazon announced that Kindle books are now available from 11,000 public libraries across the US." ITWorld 22Sep11 Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 12:24   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

You don't need to return an ebook as the DRM will make sure it expires. In fact you have only two weeks and cannot renew. The deal for libraries is pretty poor - an ebook can only be lent a certain number of times before it would need to be purchased again. So won't last as long as a real book. Our local library (and many others) do not support Kindle because the books are in ePub format which the Kindles do not support. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 13:31   Kindle security issues? - Manatee

Herts libraries books are mostly epub, a few Mobipocket format. When checking them out, you can select 14 or 21days. They can't be renewed. It is possible to "return" them early. You are allowed up to three at one time. Mrs Dugong uses a Sony e-reader (I'm still on proper books). The Amazon strategy is about selling content, not hardware. They will lose money on every Kindle Fire they sell, but they are fighting to retain their share of book and film sales as the content goes digital. The competitor Amazon fears most is Apple/iTunes. Maybe we should fear both of them. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 15:31   Kindle security issues? - Roger.

Is it possible to strip out DRM from Kindle downloads? Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 16:18   Kindle security issues? - Zero

Yes Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 17:50   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

All very well, but you can't turn over the corner of the page on a Kindle can you to remember where you were? You can't tear a blank page out of the back either to write down the phone number of the hot totty you were sitting next to on the plane either can you eh ? Reply to this message | Report message       1

Sat 29 Oct 11 17:56   Kindle security issues? - Zero

>> All very well, but you can't turn over the corner of the page on a >> Kindle can you to remember where you were? you can. It remembers. you can put in many bookmarks. You can't tear a blank page out >> of the back either to write down the phone number of the hot totty you >> were sitting next to on the plane either can you eh ? Yes, it has a notepad. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 17:56   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

How much are they again? Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 17:57   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

It will also link seamlessly on to your iPad and iPhone and synch to exact page you were last reading ! Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 17:58   Kindle security issues? - Zero

Damn we almost had him hooked there PU, you just let him escape. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 17:59   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

You got that right ! Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 18:02   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

....and er..Blackberry and probably that Peanut Butter and Jelly stuff that runs Android. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 17:57   Kindle security issues? - CGNorwich

Don't need to - it automatically remembers where you were and opens on the correct page. You can add notes as well. Hot totty sitting next to you will be impressed by use of cutting edge technology Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 18:01   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

>> Hot totty sitting next to you will be impressed by use of cutting edge technology No she won't, she'd just think she'd sat next to some techno-nerd. :-) Edit - ...with a BMW Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Sat 29 Oct 11 at 18:02 Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 18:03   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

with winter tyres ! Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 18:05   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

...and Aldi wheeltrims. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 18:08   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

Lidl Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 18:09   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

Oh posh ones then? Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 18:10   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

Yes, I'd have gone to Netto but that's now an Asda - But Asda is a like a Halloween Flash Mob around here - all year. Last edited by: R.P. on Sat 29 Oct 11 at 18:10 Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 18:39   Kindle security issues? - CGNorwich

"she'd just think she'd sat next to some techno-nerd. " No no no, An irresistible combination of the technologically aware modern man who loves fine literature. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 18:58   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

How much are they again? Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 19:39   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

That reminds me now, and I should have mentioned this before. Download half a dozen free classics and make sure they appear at the top of the menus....can't go wrong ! Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 21:14   Kindle security issues? - Runfer D'Hills

...and, you don't need a charger cable for a book, who wants another ruddy charger cable eh? If a book gets seawater on it you simply leave it out in the sun to dry a bit, try that with your firewood thingy. If a book gets sand in it you just shake it out. If your dog chews the corner off your book you can still read most of it. Try satisfactorily fixing a wonky table leg with an electronic reading device ! Whole concept's flawed. Passing fad. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 22:22   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

And you can read a proper book whilst a plane is taking off or landing. Not allowed with an ebook or tablet or mobile phone :-) Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 22:27   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

Not had a problem with my e-book on scheduled or bucket and spade type flights. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 22:41   Kindle security issues? - CGNorwich

Seriously though there is one group of reader to whom the Kindle is an absolute blessing. My wife has difficulty reading normal print books due to problems with her eyesight but the Kindle, thanks to the ability to choose the print size, has given her back the ability to once more choose to read whatever she wants. Fantastic invention! Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 22:44   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

>> Not had a problem with my e-book on scheduled or bucket and spade type flights. But all electronics have to be off for take of landing. So that should include a Kindle. And by rights that means off and not just suspended. Will it make a difference to a plane? Doubt it but can you even turn off the 3G connection on a Kindle? Mobiles have to be in flight only mode. Again I know they won't cause problems but rules are rules. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 22:46   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

You can certainly turn it off on mine. Never really thought of it, usually too busy enjoying the process to read anyway. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 22:51   Kindle security issues? - rtj70

My Sony ereader is usually just off via the switch - but that's suspended. It has no wifi or 3G. But to really turn it off you have to use the menus. And then it takes a while to reboot. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 29 Oct 11 23:25   Kindle security issues? - Fursty Ferret

No one will mind so long as you're not actually reading the thing. Obviously this assumes you turn off the WiFi and 3G... Of course, having said that I've forgotten to do this on many occasions and since I'm still alive today, I shall assume the effect on the aircraft's systems is minimal Edit: So 1 in 1,000,000 is the official Airbus line. Last edited by: Fursty Ferret on Sat 29 Oct 11 at 23:26 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 30 Oct 11 08:23   Kindle security issues? - Bromptonaut

>> Edit: So 1 in 1,000,000 is the official Airbus line. Ahh, just twigged who you are/were!!! Was about to add 'AF' to the list of the dissapeared. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 30 Oct 11 10:04   Kindle security issues? - Fursty Ferret

D'oh. Incognito no more... Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 30 Oct 11 18:43   Kindle security issues? - Bromptonaut

Blandford Flyer might be a more appropriate brew? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 30 Oct 11 19:26   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

On a separate note - being an earlyish Kindler - mine has an Achilles heel at least in the UK - it takes power from an American style 110v plug - not much of a problem here as we have three shaver's points in the house between bathrooms but a bit hit and miss when on holiday. I take it that the UK versions have proper plugs. Another benefit of these (Mine's a 3G and WiFi) is the totally free internet access over the phone networks, clunky and basic it might be but it does work well on news sites and the such like. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 30 Oct 11 20:06   Kindle security issues? - Fursty Ferret

Well, it was either this or Bishop's Finger. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 30 Oct 11 20:07   Kindle security issues? - R.P.

Leave the Bishop's Finger out of it ! :-) Reply to this message | Report message