"Kindel Fire. Do I want one?" Topic

They are out today…or was it yesterday? Anyway, looks like a strong competitor to the iPad at only $200. Probably not so many features but the price is nice. So, do I want one or should I save my money? Might be worth getting simply to save on paper for my PDF rules addiction.

If you are only looking for an ebook reader and not looking to do any gaming or other work on it, then sure – it is a substitute for an iPad and looks pretty slick. If you are short of cash and don't want to spend $500 or more on an iPad, it is a great alternative – like you said, not as many features, but it will be a great e-reader. My iPad is a laptop substitute and I use it for work and play so it does double duty, plus at 64gb it holds everything I want it to hold and doubles as an iPod for music and it seamlessly works on syncing my calendars and contacts between work, home, and hobby. It all depends on your situation. I like my iPad, however had I not been able to afford it I might have gotten the Kindle Fire. Good luck on your decision!

…and 'yes' I spelled 'Kindle' wrong in the title. Bah!

Thanks Jovian. I have a desktop for games. I don't reckon I'll need to move it around anymore to play with friends. So the game feature is not a problem.

iPads are pretty darned cool but I just don't think I'd ever use all the functionality. I am too used to a conventional desktop.

My main goal is to get a good color e-reader. I suppose the Nook would be another choice. But I am more comfortable with Amazon.

There are a few things which might tempt you to go to the Kindle Fire as well – here – read this: link

If you are used to conventional desk top – and you don't own a Mac desktop computer you might not want to make the big leap to an iPad financially as the Kindle will sync with your Windows computer like an iPad does with a Mac. I've got a Mac at home and a Windows system at work – and the iPad bridges the gap fairly seamlessly for my purposes. Heck, for $200 USD, it might be worth splurging and getting one for my wife because she likes my iPad when she gets a chance to use it.

The problem for me getting a Kindle Fire is the apps. I'd pretty much end up buying iOS and Android versions.

I've got Angry Birds on my iPhone which obviously will not work on the Kindle Fire, meaning, the iPad is the better logical choice.

Given that Apple has more apps and iCloud, I see no reason to switch as I'm sure the sweet taste of low price would not outlast the bitter taste of poor quality.

Since you are asking, I say, no, you don't want one. What you do want is a bag of Cadbury chocolate bars.

--
Tim

What you do want is a bag of Cadbury chocolate bars.

Only if it is the kind with nuts and raisins. Mmmmmmmm….

If you have a laptop/notebook computer, why do you "need" a Kindle at all? Just install the free PC Kindle and use your portable 'puter instead….

If you have a laptop/notebook computer, why do you "need" a Kindle at all?

The "schlep" factor of course! Laptops (the ones I have) are larger and not as comfortable to read from. You don't hold them like books. I guess that's the point of an e-reader. You hold them like books.

Reviews of the Kindle Fire have been mixed at best. While the price is nice, you are not getting the features of an iPad by any stretch and the storage is limited for the things you want a color screen for (movies, games, etc.). The smaller size is good for books and slipping into a purse (though roughly half of the population doesn't tend to carry purses), but reviewers have complained that the form factor is too small for digital comics, magazines or anything that relies on strong graphics and illustrations. One reviewer complained that magazines were virtually illegible and the process to magnify magazine text on the screen was "too much like work." Currently you are limited to Amazon digital content, unlike the Nook and the iPad, which support content in multiple formats, either natively or via free apps. Third party apps may eventually negate that limitation, but as yet they don't exist.

One drawback about the earlier versions of the Kindle is that the Kindle has not supported "full-bleed" graphic illustrations— the Kindle either forces a border, forces an illustration to fit within a specific box size, or forces the illustration to be split into halves with a "center margin" break space. Especially for children's books, this is a huge minus. This limitation may have changed in the latest versions— I don't know. Best to ask and find out.

Good stuff Parzival. I am still on the fence.

A colleague and I were talking about the web browsing and its implications. It uses a "split" browser. That is, some of the processing is done on your tablet and some is done on the "cloud". You might think "Hooray! Faster browsing" and you would be correct. That is the primary function, especially in rendering graphics. Now for the implications. Everything you do online may be stored by Amazon. They store your settings to start, your cookies, your ssl traffic, everything. They are actually setup to be a classic man-in-the-middle. So, if you use the tablet for web surfing, you have to have a tremendous amount of trust in Amazon. Oh, and don't be surprised to see the Amazon suggestions to start popping up about things you might have posted on a message board just hours ago.

Honestly, the whole cloud implication is just a little creepy. Creepier than even Facebook!

Have you read any of the stories of what iPhones send to Apple about you? Would you think the iPad woul dbe any different. (Not to mention any other regular old PC browser with cookies)

doubles as an iPod for music

I think people listenign to music on their iPad look silly (just saying)

Reviews for the Fire, not counting the no names, have been HIGHLY favorable. Some reviews of the device from the big boys:

link

link

link

Me, I've grown up. No longer need to buy the latest new toy. I bought a Kindle 3G last January and it's enough for when I'm away from the computer. Maybe next year, or if I ever finally get a wifi transmitter for my apartment.

Amazon has a iCloud type capability now too. Amazon Cloud Drive gives you 5GB free storage, same as the iCloud I just set up for my wife.

link

Jake

Don't have an iPad, so I can't compare. Got my Kindle Fire today and for the price, I didn't make any mistake. Of course I don't live on my computer and my cell phone is only for emergencies (I've never "texted" and have NO desire to do so).

BUT…

Your mileage may vary.

Don't forget you get a free app every day from the amazon store; every once in a while you'll get a pretty good one. It's one of the things I check every day on my tablet.

If your main reason is to use this for PDF rules don't forget about the Color Nook. I have been looking at the fire and the color nook. The color Nooks supports more doc types then the fire does. Sure there is a difference between the two. But for what I want I am leaning towards the color nook.

Good comments all.

Have you read any of the stories of what iPhones send to Apple about you? Would you think the iPad woul dbe any different. (Not to mention any other regular old PC browser with cookies)

Yep. It is a sad state of affairs really. For instance, https (Secure browsing) is supposed to be secure from end point to end point. The cloud handles your encryption, and caches your data for future browsing decisions. This means that your "secure" information is readily available to anyone who can get to it (ie Amazon). While the primary intent is to make your web surfing faster, there will almost certainly be a side affect of Amazon selling and using your web surfing data for other purposes.

@RKE
I considered the Nook as well. However, I do plan on at least trying out the online content to see how I like reading books in an "e" format. So, being hooked to Amazon is a big selling point really.

John

The biggest problem I have with the Kindle Fire is that it is a "catch-up" to the Color Nook of last year (except for the dual core processor).

The other problems I have is that it is limited to 8GB onboard storage, with the need to maintain a wireless connection to connect to another 5GB online storage. Another issue is that the screen does not compare in clarity to the Nook or the Ipad.

The price is OK, but you have to have a Prime Account (at $79 USD/y ) to get full benefit from the device.

The Color Nook and the new Nook Tablet (Nook Color 2) comes in at $50 more, but doubles the onboard memory to 16GB AND includes an expansion slot to add another 32GB SD card, something the Fire lacks. Also, the Nook was designed from the get go as an e-Reader, whereas the Fire was built as a catalog first, e-reader second and media tablet last. So I can take my PDFs with me wherever I go, not having to worry about having internet access to get to it.

A Nook can be "rooted", which means you can install a different "flavor" of the OS and expand it's capabilities beyond its initial configuration. So you can access Amazon, Barnes and Noble etc. And you can do this in a manner that allows you to revert back to the original software if you dont do the rooting right. The Fire cant do this. You are tied in to Amazon.

I have an Ipad2 that I got from work. I love it. Great device, does alot very well. It's the 32GB model. I wouldnt buy it for myself though, and that is because of it's sticker price. Too "rich" for me. I have a wife and seven children, so my $$$ goes elsewhere – fast! But if you have the money, go for it!

If you want to watch movies, read books, play games, listen to music, then either the Nook Tablet OR the Kindle Fire will do the job for at least $300 less than what the base low-end Ipad can do.

Myself, Ive demo'd last years Color Nook. Got to play with books, some games, Netflix (very smooth streaming), looking forward to playing with the Nook Tablet and hopefully getting one in the near future.