It's going to sound a little complicated if you don't use a kindle yourself.

You don't need to have wireless in your house for your kindle. You go onto the computer, buy your books from Amazon, then turn on the wireless on the kindle and Amazon sends them but it's on some sort of Amazon wireless. My computer is hardwired and I can assure you, this works. The gift cards would used on the computer, when she buys books.

You can also buy directly using your kindle--I've done that once or twice, and again, it works just fine--but I don't know about using a gc that way. I find that, at least for me, buying using the kindle is easier if you want a specific book. Browsing seems easier on the Amazon website on the computer. The kindle does have to be registered to an account on Amazon, of course.

Hope that helped and didn't complicate things. I don't know about the control issue--but it's easy to go to the AMazon website and find any kindle help you need. Also, if the parents are worried about her going nuts purchasing stuff--they could link the account to a prepaid credit card--that way when the money runs out, that's it. I have a friend who only uses ppcc's for any internet purchases, for safety's sake

Azzaela is correct about kindle, but the kindle Fire is also a tablet (internet connection needed)not just a reader. There is a price difference depending on the type of connection, I think. I also agree about going to Amazon page and reading the information there.

Right for the kindle Fire that is a tablet not just the plain ereader like the regular kindles so you would definitely need wireless to be able to connect to the internet and surf and do all the stuff you do on the computer.
The way Amazon does the account is that say her father would open an amazon account he MUST provide a credit card so that any purchases will be going on that card. Now if he gives the kindle fire to her it is set up on his account that he established for it. If she goes to the amazon store and picks out something she wants to buy and has the log on info for the account on the kindle fire she will be able to buy anything on amazon basically.
There have been many complaints of this happening when people have bought one as a gift and they came set up with the amazon account of the person that bought it!
I don't know how exactly he would have to handle that situation with her but know that it can and has been a problem for many there are pages of complaints dealing with it.

Do the GS that she has seen with their kindle fire live with her? if so and they are using theirs then she should be able to also.

The Dad should question someone about the wireless network in the house surely there is an adult that could say if it would be able to work.

You can also contact Amazon support and actually speak to someone about setting up the account and how it can be handled in a situation like this.

An example my brother in law bought his kindle and set up his account with amazon on his credit card. He bought my sister one and it is also set up on his account so anything she buys goes on his credit card but she can also share any of the books he has purchased that are in his amazon library at amazon. They gave their adult son a kindle also on the same account anything he buys goes on his Dad's credit card but he too can share all the books in their amazon library.
So there are good things and bad things here. They can all share the books they buy in the one amazon library but any thing anyone purchases using that account gets charged to my brother in laws credit card that is on file for that account.
I think amazon will now limit you to how many can be registered under one account.

My DGD who lives in Germany, got one while they were here in the states visiting. They bought and loaded lots of books and apps while they were here since that won't be possible while living over there. Now that they are on the Kindle Fire HD she can play them anywhere. Your M, who I assume you are talking about, could do the same if she has a place that did have wireless. You certainly wouldn't have to worry about unauthorized charges that way.

"There have been many complaints of this happening when people have bought one as a gift and they came set up with the amazon account of the person that bought it!
I don't know how exactly he would have to handle that situation with her but know that it can and has been a problem for many there are pages of complaints dealing with it."

When you purchase a Kindle or Kindle Fire from the Amazon web site, there is a little box that you can "checkmark" to indicate the Kindle/Kindle Fire will be a gift. If you do NOT designate it as a gift (even if it is delivered to another state), the device will be automatically registered to the Amazon account of the person who purchased it. However, if you DO designate it as a gift, it will NOT be preregistered (so nothing can be charged against the gift-giver's account), and it will also be packaged in a "plain" Amazon box -- it won't say "Kindle" or "Kindle Fire" on the outside of the box -- so the contents will be a surprise.

"I think amazon will now limit you to how many can be registered under one account."

I know that some book publishers limit the number of devices that can simultaneously have the book downloaded onto it, but I haven't seen anything where Amazon limits the number of devices that one person can have registered to their account. That's not saying that a limit doesn't exist -- I'm just saying that I haven't seen anything to that effect. I have four devices registered to my Amazon account: (1) Kindle 2nd Generation; (2) Kindle; (3) Kindle Fire; (4) Kindle PaperWhite. I also have the Kindle app on this computer (desktop) as well as my laptop and my tablet.

When buying a Kindle or a Kindle Fire, be sure to pay attention to the specifications -- does the device have wireless, 3G, or both. Some have wireless only, some have 3G only, and some have both. If you buy a device with wireless only, you will need to be in a wireless hotspot (either a wireless network in your home, or at a place like Starbucks, etc.) so that you can download books and other content. If the device has 3G only, you can be just about anywhere. If the device has both - that's even better.

Wow. Lots of infro!
Nope this DGD does not live in the same home as the DGS's. They are cousins, not brothers and sister.
She is in another state but only about 4 hours away.
Hmmmhmmm hmmm wireless, 3G or both is best. I better go do some reading so I know what to tell him!
Thank you very much!!
Julie, yep its for the divine Miss M!

This post was edited by nodakgal on Tue, Dec 4, 12 at 0:10