I have no real need for a tablet. The bigger size (compared to my iPod Touch) would be nice for email, but since the Touch (for me) is basically for email while traveling and portable music when at home, the bigger size of a tablet is not worth the weight and bulk. So no tablets for me for the time being. (Maybe if they get one down to under a pound.) OTOH, I love my Kindle for reading books. I cannot read on a computer screen for any length of time, and e-ink lets me read for hours.
The frustrating experience that is Android Honeycomb on tablets | ZDNet State of the slate: The glitchy nature of Android tablets | ZDNet Staples Slashes PlayBook Price To $199 On Black Friday | TechCrunch Adobe gives up on Flash for smartphones - Nov. 10, 2011 relates to PlayBook has a Flash-filled future; RIM's worst decision to date? | ZDNet DailyTech - 26% of Kindle Fire Customers Delaying iPad Purchases; iOS/Android Crush Nintendo, Sony - If this is true, it wouldn't be that surprising given that the Kindle Fire is $200 vs. the cheapest iPad 2 being $500. I was unaware of this "$35" Indian tablet until I heard and NPR story about it (thanks to the NPR News app): Hands On: India’s $35 Aakash Android tablet lands in America (exclusive) | VentureBeat.
At a retail of only $60, I guess I'll be adding one of these to my tablet collection. * iPad I * Nook Color (rooted) * HP Touchpad
Apples and oranges. The Kindle is an e-book reader, nothing else. The iPad is lousy as a book reader, but does lots of other stuff. Maybe some folks who own an iPad would refrain from buying a Kindle because they find the iPad tolerable as a book reader. But the Kindle is in no way a substitute for an iPad. (And I say this as someone who loves my Kindle and has no use for an iPad.)
On the contrary, daniel... thehttp://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B0051VVOB2?tag=priuschatcom-20 is a full fledged tablet (with a color screen), running on a modified version of Android. It's tightly tied in with ALL of Amazon's multimedia (books, movies, TV shows, etc). It's seen as the largest competition for the iPad that's ever been released. Amazon got the price down because they don't rely on profits from hardware sales - they get you to buy the Fire, then make all their money selling you media for it. Their massive media library and wide customer base puts them in a very strong position.
Thanks for the correction. But if it's a multi-media tablet, then it can't be using e-ink, can it??? And if it's not using e-ink it will be as lousy for reading books as a computer. So it's not really a Kindle at all, except in name.
I know that I must be in the minority but I love to read books on my iPad or my daughter's Nook Color. I know others hate the back lit screens and swear by e-ink but I actually like it. I'm able to adjust it as I wish and I can read without turning on a light.
I have Nook Color and sometimes use my wife's kindle. I have a slight preference for the kindles display and prefer it's lighter weight, but it's not a big deal for me one way or the other. Overall I prefer the Nook color because it's more versatile.
Very good points... I have no desire to get one to replace my Kindle (which i really do love reading). However as a standard tablet, it is rather attractive - And if I'm taking a trip, I'd rather leave the Kindle at home and just bring a tablet. Yeah, the backlit screen might be a bit harsher on the eyes, but the savings in weight, size and extraneous power cords is worth it. I spend very few trips just sitting on a beach somewhere, so I don't really need the advantage of reading in the sunlight that the Kindle provides over the Fire. All that said, I've had an iPhone for years now, and am rather heavily invested in Apple's stack - programs/games for the iPhone that will work just fine on the iPad, all my music, TV shows, and movies are all loaded into iTunes for easy management across multiple computers, iPhone, and Apple TV. While the Kindle Fire is cheaper, I'm not sure it's worth the hassle of needing to change my media storage strategy, especially now that almost all of that stuff is available on iCloud for automatic syncing across devices. Add to that the Kindle App that's available for the iPhone/iPad, and the iPad serves all my needs. Now I just need to actually get one...
My "media collection" consists of music, podcasts, and Teaching Company lectures, all on my iPod Touch (except for some of the lectures which are on DVD). I might watch a movie in a hotel room, but mostly when I travel I spend my very few leisure evening hours reading, so I don't need a movie-watching device. The iTouch gets me my email and weather reports and the occasional look-up of something on the web. I don't mind the weight of the Kindle DX, for all the books I can bring along, and the great ease of reading. As a gadget freak, I love the idea of the iPad. I just don't have any real use for it. Sounds like the Kindle Fire would fall into the same category for me.
iPad 2 isn't quite there at 1.33 lbs. while the Kindle Fire is 14.6 ounces. As for "no real need for a tablet", that's what many iPad (1 and 2) owners originally thought. After owning them for awhile, many find it indispensable and wonder how they lived without it. I wouldn't say my iPad 2 is indispensable but when I'm at home, there are many cases where I much prefer using it over my iPhone 4. Correct, Kindle Fire doesn't use e-ink. It's uses an IPS LCD.
I get a kick out Apple bashers. When I see my friends cussing at their "smart" phones freezing and having their contacts disappear for no reason. Our family has had every iPhone since the original with no breakdowns other than bad sim cards which is supplied by AT&T. I bought the iPad 2 in September and only use my laptop to backup the phone and iPad and just started using the Cloud to do that. Did the first OS upgrade 5.01 on the iPad today sans laptop, went great. I keep playing with the new Androids at the AT&T store as they come out but it's the same experience as comparing a Windows laptop to a Mac. Clumsy VS Elegant.
My phone is just a phone. My principal use for my iTouch is listening to music, podcasts, and Teaching Company lecture series. I pop in the earphones, and drop the iTouch into my pocket. Can't do that with an iPad or Kindle Fire. The tablet would make email and web browsing easier, but I only use it for that when traveling, and weight is a big issue for me. The tiny size and insignificant weight of the iTouch make it ideal for travel. And for reading, that's too important for me to settle for anything but the best, so I accept the weight of the Kindle DX. (Though it was a close decision between the DX and one of the smaller, lighter readers.)
That review is sort of disappointing for the Kindle Fire I went to check out some tablets the other day and I have to admit that none of the Android tablet can touch the iPad2 as far as the form factor. The other ones were clunky, large and unpleasant to hold. I can definitely see why the iPad2 is great to use from the form factor alone.
Another review at Amazon Kindle Fire Review - Watch CNET's Video Review. Haven't read it yet. Perhaps a media embargo was lifted today?
Now that Adobe Flash will be going away, I wonder what other tablet builders will call their tablets? They have been using "Flash Capable Tablet".
I have families and friends who love their iphones. Most of them are just average users that don't know anything about phones. All they do is text and facebook all day long. Then there are a few who use their iphones to the extreme. They're the ones that think the iphone is the miracle one for all device. They refuse the acknowledge that there are other better choices out there. Then there those who think anything touch screen is an iphone. When I had my Tilt2 I remembered at least on 3 different occasions where I was waiting in line and was browsing the web with the touch screen, then I received a text and I slid the keyboard open and started typing on the keyboard. People came up to me and ask if it's the new iPhone. I told them yes, it's the newest prototype iphone with hardware keyboard. When I told them that, their eyes lit up and was drooling over an non existing iphone with hardware keyboard. I told them I work for Apple's iphone R&D department and am in town on vacation. Then when I got my Thrill, same shit happened. I told them it's the new pre-released iPhone 5 with bigger screen and different user interface that supports widgets. They still believe it even though there's a big LG logo on the front of the phone. I told them that the phone is a prototype and LG made the screen. People are gullible. People bash the iphone because the way Apple practice their business and control their products and refuse to give what people want. Android on the other hand is the jack of all trades. It's open source. It can be anything you want it to be and do anything you want. It gives people what they want, choices. Only Android offers a tablet with a phone function. With Apple, it's either the iphone or ipad, nothing in between. I personally use niche products that other people don't use. Unfortunately Apple doesn't make any products I would use. iPads maybe enough for you but for people who need a powerful computer to do real computer work, iPads just can't cut it. When you're editing and converting a 3D movie, you're gonna need more than an iPad. i7 990X is more like it. The reason why all the Androids you see on AT&T are the same is because AT&T add their bloatware to all their phones except the iPhones. I could also say that everytime Apple releases the new iphone it's the same experience as comparing the iphone to an android. same old iphone vs exciting new technology. Just look at the iPhone 4S and the Galaxy Nexus. I'm not bias. I don't discriminate. I bash everything that sucks, even if it's an Android. I just saw the specs for the Kindle Fire. That thing is junk. don't waste your money on that POS. It doesn't have 3G wireless, no cameras, no microphone, no GPS, no location services, only 8GB of storage with no expansion slot, no bluetooth, and no android market.
