I’ve been eyeballing the iPad since it came out, but haven’t been willing to pony up the $500+ for one yet, but now that the Kindle Fire Tablet is on the way, I might give that a try. Is anybody else thinking of getting one?
In case you’re just hearing about these devices, here’s the information from Amazon:
Features:
- Color display that lets you watch movies and tv shows, read picture-filled children’s books and magazines, and (of course!) play games.
- Free no-commercial movies and shows for Amazon Prime members.
- “Ultra fast” web browsing (I sure wouldn’t mind an upgrade to my Kindle’s web-browser)
- Free cloud storage (you can access any digital Amazon purchases you’ve already made — this would be nice for me since I bought some stuff from their instant video library only to find out I couldn’t download them onto my Mac, so I can only watch my shows online)
- MP3 player (I believe the Kindle has this, too, but I’ve thus far stuck with my iPod)
- Amazon’s free “WhisperSync” wireless technology (I’m all about the no extra monthly costs)
- Compact size with 7″ screen (this makes it smaller than the iPad, but perhaps more convenient for travel too)
- 7.5-8 hours of battery life on a charge
- $199 price tag (this sounds much more reasonable to me than the hefty iPad prices)
So, what do you think? Are you getting a Kindle Fire or sticking with a basic ebook reader? Or do you already own an iPad and have no need for Amazon’s offering?
I was just looking over this yesterday with my wife. She’s all about the iPad (Apple fan?), but the Fire looks more appealing personally.
The idea of Cloud Storage – unlimited space, yes please. The ability to download the movies and music and books you own, or stream them, or stream any of the titles from Amazon’s own Prime Instant Videos at your leisure opens up a whole host of freedom from constantly connecting to your home PC/Mac for new content and transfers.
There new Amazon Silk is an unknown quantity, but I’m sure it can’t be any slower than Safari at times, and the ability to read .doc and .pdfs is a nice addition to a reader. Besides the new features, it still has the largest eBook library out there, can receive email, and it looks pretty snazzy.
I know the iPad blurs the line between personal computer and tablet, but I think the Fire – for the price (half? Come on) – is a welcome addition the the mid-market customer. They are blurring the line between e-reader and Tablet, and that’s something I like, something in a different direction.
RG.
EDIT: Apologies for some spelling FAILs, the most notable of which being: there – their, oh how embarrassing. I guess I need my second round of morning tea.
RG.
I’ve already got a Kindle and an iPad, so I’ll be passing on this one for now (it does have a lot of nice features, though). In reviewing the spec though, is it going to use Whispersync for everything? I’d be worried that might tax their network – it’s one thing to pull down a 340 KB ebook via cellular, but a 1.5 GB TV show is another matter.
My pre-order is in. While I stared wistfully at the IPad, I just couldn’t justify the price. I think the Fire will do the things I want a hand-held device to do. Mostly, I want to read comfortably away from my computer, and maybe surf or check email. Anything else, I use one of my other two computers (or three, since I could wrestle my husband’s away from him if need be).
We have an iPad at home, and I think it’s wonderful, but it’s too big to be an ereader for me because of the way I like to lay in bed and read. My ereader is an iPod Touch and if it was a little bigger, I’d never need anything else. I’ve a household full of Macs but they won’t make me a 7-inch iPad, so the Kindle Fire is very interesting to me. The Nook Color 2 will be as well but I’m already in the Kindle ecosystem.
I’m going to look at other 7inch tablets for Xmas as well, though.
My family will pass on this one, too. I already have a Kindle (which I adore) and my husband would prefer an iPad. The Kindle Fire seems to be all about consumption of media, and I already do enough of that, thanks. I need to spend more time creating, not consuming.
But, I do think it’s a smart move on Amazon’s part to offer a cheaper tablet to consumers. That $500+ pricepoint on the iPad is just too much!
I’m getting one. I’ve been thinking about a tablet for awhile now. I was going to get an HTC Flyer when prices dropped because I could outline with a stylus, but I think I’ll get the Kindle Fire instead.
I’m going to use it primarily for games, comics, magazines.
I’m hoping that my hints mean that this will be included in my christmas haul. I’m really excited about this gadget.
Ohhh, there’s an idea. I guess Christmas will be around the corner when it comes out. 🙂
I was originally going to pass, but ended up ordering one as a media-delivery device–sort of a portable cinema.
I am interested to see how my Kindle books will read on it, though. With a higher resolution, maybe we can start having some typeface freedom in constructing our books. Wouldn’t THAT be nice!
I already own a Nook color (which I love so, so, so much) so I’m going to pass on the Fire.
It looks like a very tasty device, though. I hope they sell millions.
Thanks for chiming in, everyone! I’ll probably keep my Kindle just for reading (I love the long battery life and that there aren’t any shiny distractions :P), but I’m definitely thinking of ordering a tablet too. 🙂
And I just got a Samsung Galaxy Tab too! This is really neat, but I think I’ll be waiting till Amazon’s colour e-ink screens are ready before upgrading my Kindle.
Sadly for us outside the US it isn’t an option. 🙁
I really, really, really, want something to read novels on, that isn’t bulky like my laptop. Right now, they’re all out of my price-range, but I’m hoping, in a few months time, that may change. I like the look of the Kindle Fire, but I never buy first-generation anything.
I’ve been wanting one since I didn’t have a Kindle at all. I’ve just been using the Kindle app on my laptop and Android phone. That works but not great since the laptop is too big to lug around as a book and my phone screen is so small I’m constantly turning pages.
I ended up winning a Kindle this Monday. It isn’t a Kindle fire but a Kindle wi-fi with special offers. Even though it wasn’t exactly what I wanted it is free so it is hard to justify buying another Kindle now.
I’m outside the US, but even if I could get one, no 3G is a dealbreaker – I want something I can use to surf the web during my bus ride to/from work.
I have an iPad, which I dearly love but it is rather bulky and at the $800+ price I am always nervous when carrying it around. My daughters both want an iPad, but my youngest changed her mind when she read about the Fire so I am seriously thinking of getting her one. She likes my iPad and uses it to read books, play games and such, so I think it will fit her perfectly.
Myself, I will wait and see, with me already owning an iPad it seems like a unneeded upgrade, but when my oldest goes off to college, perhaps I will pass the old tablet off to her (she is a Mac freak and cannot comprehend anything being as good as an Apple product).