3G-only Kindles begin their long, slow death this year

Enlarge / 2007-era Kindles had a pretty good fourteen-year run-but we imagine there are some 2016-era Kindle Oasis (8th-gen) owners feeling pretty salty about their free 3G broadband going away right now. (credit: Mel Melcon via Getty Images / NineFiveSeven / Jim Salter)

This Wednesday, Amazon sent a notification email to customers who bought early Kindle e-readers. First- and second-generation Kindle and Kindle DX devices had no Wi-Fi support, relying solely on free 3G connectivity to reach Amazon-which is a real problem for those devices, since US mobile network operators will begin reclaiming 2G and 3G frequency bands for use with 4G and 5G this year.

If all else fails, you should still be able to download books to your older Kindle by connecting it to a PC via its charge cable. (credit: Jim Salter)

Owners of first- and second-generation Kindles should still be able to use the "Manage Your Content and Devices" page on Amazon to transfer books to Internet-orphaned Kindles via USB cable, but that's hardly convenient compared to the devices' original promise of freedom from wires and Wi-Fi passwords alike.

First-gen Kindle owners can get a free 10th-gen Kindle Oasis and cover, and second-gen Kindle and Kindle DX owners are eligible for $70 off a new Kindle Paperwhite or Kindle Oasis, plus $25 in e-book credits-but you'll need to use a promo code from the email Amazon sent in order to qualify. Without the promo code, Amazon only offers first-generation Kindle owners a $5.00 Amazon gift card.

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