Amazon Limiting Kindle 3G Web Browsing?
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It was bound to happen. Devices such as the Kindle 3G do not come with a wireless contract which one has to pay for monthly. It was only a matter of time before Amazon imposed existing restrictions on how much browsing can be done on these devices. There are now reports at MobileRead that Amazon is imposing a bandwidth cap for some users.
I was using the browser when it popped up a message to say that I’d hit my 50 MB monthly limit of 3G Web access on my Kindle 3G. When I clicked the ‘OK’ button (which was my only choice, really), I got a second message saying that I’d have 24 hours of grace to continue to use 3G for Web browsing, but that after that I could use 3G only for visiting Amazon.com, Wikipedia, and the Kindle Store. Otherwise I will be obligated to use Wi-Fi.
explained user chamekke at MobileRead. Amazon may have not officially warned its customers about this bandwidth cap but the move is not surprising at all. This could bring the end of the Kindle 3 though. Many have been buying this device because of lack of restrictions on its wireless plan. Amazon has always had this cap even though it rarely imposed it:
The Experimental Web Browser is currently only available for some customers outside of the United States and may be limited to 50MB of browsing over 3G per month. This limit does not apply when customers are browsing over Wi-Fi.
Amazon was not going to offer free browsing forever. As the company gets ready to release Kindles with front-lit and color displays, the time seems to have come to close the door on the Kindle 3 and the abuse of its free internet service by some.
