Kindle Data Usage

[mptjelgin]

My broadband usage seems to be constantly rising, and I'm starting to look into why. My router allows me to look at usage by device, and I was stunned to see that my wife's Kindle used 16.7 GB (16.3 down, .4 up) in the month of January. She uses her Kindle primarily for reading books, though she does so some modest web browsing on it.

 

She doesn't watch TV, movies or videos on it. She does play a couple of games, but they work even with the wireless off so it would seem that they are not using data.

 

Any thoughts on where this rather remarkable amount is data is be used for?? And more importantly, other than shutting off the wireless (which we have done) how to identify applications that are consuming this data and disable them?

 

Thanks,

[AFchap]

Unless you deliberately download the books to your device, Kindle books are in your online library. That means that reading or browsing the books requires constant downloading. Don't know if that would explain it all, but likely a big chunk.

[skp51443]

Which Kindle? Sounds like it might be one of the Fire type that is closer to an Android tablet with the Kindle reader app added.

 

I don't have experience with the Kindle or Kindle Fire line so take this with a grain of salt. I use a Kindle app on my tablet for most of my reading.

 

 

A big user is downloading the books, once downloaded that won't be done again unless Amazon pushes a revised version.

 

Some Kindle devices come with "special offers" which are basically ads that are downloaded and shown when the system is idle, they eat some bandwidth.

 

There are irregular software updates so if you hit one of them you'll see a big chunk of data used.

 

When reading your current page is synced with Amazon so all your devices are kept in sync. You'll see your Kindle device syncing with Amazon from time to time, other times it happens invisibly.

 

When you finish a book the review process and the offers shown there take up downloaded data.

 

Any use of Collections also uses data.

 

 

 

If you are on a limited connection I'd use the Amazon Whisper-Sync for data transfer since it is included in the cost of the Kindle, no reason to eat up your metered connection.

 

If you can switch your Kindle into an off-line or Airplane mode you'll save data transfers as well as help battery life. It will have to be back on-line to get new books and sync but that one time operation will use less bytes than the incremental process it uses when on-line.

[SWharton]

I have a Kindle Paperwhite but keep the internet off all the time unless I am downloading a book. The Amazon Whispernet delivers the book to my Kindle so I have he entire book on the Kindle.

[mptjelgin]

This is a Kindle Fire HD 7" so it is something of a tablet. But she uses it 95% for reading books and otherwise a little e-mail checking, etc. Nothing that seems like it would consume the amount of data that I'm seeing.

 

I now have her leaving it in Airplane mode unless she actually needs to purchase or load a book.

 

I don't know what Whisper-Link is. If the only online connection we have is through our Air Card, how would Whisper-Link be able to transfer data without using our metered connection?

 

Thanks all for the information so far.

[TheDuke]

Books are usually 1 meg or so. I doubt if a book download is causing a problem.

Can you breakdown the day by day usage? That might help in solving the issue.

Also, could there be an issue with the info the router reports, maybe blaming the kindle instead of a computer?

[mptjelgin]

I understood that books were relatively small, so I agree that they shouldn't be causing the problem.

 

I can break down usage day-by-day and even hour-by-hour. The router report seems to be listing each device correctly (we have three laptops and the Kindle). What I am doing now (obsessively!) is checking usage hour by hour to verify that only the devices utilizing the internet are actually showing up in the report. With her Kindle in Airplane mode it has shown no activity in the past day. I'll have her turn it back on later today and see what the wireless usage looks like.

 

A solution to the problem might be to simply keep her device in Airplane Mode unless she is actively downloading a book. But I would still like to know what in the world that device is doing to use almost 17 GB of data in a single month!!

[chirakawa]

My Android phone tells me exactly what apps are using the data. Will the Kindle not do that?

[skp51443]

Whisper-Sync isn't available on the Fire line from what I can see, only on a couple of the Kindle readers.

 

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OQVZDJM?redirect=true&ref_=kin_comp_dk_kp_txt

 

 

Wi-Fi + free 3G

A model with Wi-Fi + free 3G is the easiest option because there is no wireless setup?you are ready to shop, purchase, and read right out of the box. Built-in free 3G connectivity uses the same wireless signals that cell phones use, but there are no monthly fees or commitments?Amazon pays for 3G wireless connectivity. The added convenience of 3G enables you to download books anytime, anywhere, without having to find a Wi-Fi hotspot connection. Your Kindle may use wireless connectivity to make other services available, such as wireless delivery of personal documents, which may require an additional charge. For more information, see Wireless Terms and Conditions

 

Since the Fire uses something very close to Android you might be able to find a data usage screen on it. On my Nexus it is under Settings and shows as "Data Usage" giving both the total and by-app usage. My device is showing 720 MB of data use over the last month, considering that I don't do anything with it, just use it as a fancy alarm clock that is a lot!