[charlibob]

This would truly be a desirable device if it just had 3G. In my area it is useless as wifi only.

[frmorrison]

While you can get free 3g with the Kindle reader, it only uses the black and white web browser and downloads small books. The Fire will use massive amounts of data, you can't give that for free!
Perhaps the future versions will have a 3g contract.

[dbdynsty25]

I'd be surprised if they don't come out with something (their more powerful device that's rumored in early 2012) that has a contract like the iPad 2 has w/ At&t or Verizon. Amazon has always liked giving you the option of a 3G connection, so you can always bet it'll come with the next tablet, especially if it means they will have more opportunities to sell you their content on the road instead of just when you're at home or near a wifi hotspot.

[JeremytheIndian]

Screw contracts and 3g on a tablet. Home use on wifi would easily be above 75% and on the road I would rather just tether it to my Android phone for free and call it a day.

I don't think they missed the boat at all, people are going to see that $199 price point and be sold. no contract, no mess.

[crescent]

Screw contracts and 3g on a tablet. Home use on wifi would easily be above 75% and on the road I would rather just tether it to my Android phone for free and call it a day.

I don't think they missed the boat at all, people are going to see that $199 price point and be sold. no contract, no mess.

i totally agree. i am going to have to goto a store and play with a 7" vs a 10" tablet to see which one i really want. but i think 7" should be prefect for what i wish to use it for. if i need to i can tether my thunderbolt and have 4g/3g no problem.

[dbdynsty25]

i totally agree. i am going to have to goto a store and play with a 7" vs a 10" tablet to see which one i really want. but i think 7" should be prefect for what i wish to use it for. if i need to i can tether my thunderbolt and have 4g/3g no problem.

I definitely agree with this...however, the normal Kindle user will have no idea about tethering. They are not visiting Android Central or following tech blogs. The Kindle line is essentially made for tech dummies...which is why it's not a full Android tablet. Guarantee they come out with a 3G version at some point in early 2012. Anything they can do to make some more money.

[Xopher]

Something to keep in mind is that a lot of the people who get ereaders are not tech-savvy people. They see the Kindle (eInk) and see the Nook Color and don't even think about things like rooting, ROMs, or other functions above what is offered through the normal device itself. Consumers will look at the $199 price and see a deal on a tablet, not even considering that there are other tablets out there with SD slots, cameras, and so on.

I do think that this device will be passed by the tech-savvy people. I have a Kindle, and it does a great job for reading ebooks. I have a gTablet, and it is good for tweaking and modifying. If my wife were to want a tablet, she might get the Kindle Fire. Things like camera, SD, and so on aren't important to her. Being able to play Angry Birds, and reading color magazines would be. She really can't see spending $500 or so on a tablet when she spent $250+ on a netbook just a couple of years ago.

[tabcourt]

Can it be tethered to the iphone 5?

[dbdynsty25]

Can it be tethered to the iphone 5?

There's no such thing as an iPhone 5 yet. If the iPhone 5 comes out and has the same functionality as the 4, which includes wireless hotspot access, then yes. The iPhone acts as a wireless access point to which any device with wifi can connect wirelessly through it including the Fire.

[dstrauss#IM]

...I do think that this device will be passed by the tech-savvy people.>>

Oh darn, I thought of myself as fairly tech-savvy and I pre-ordered teh minute it was up. I want something that will keep my MS Exchange mail synced (Touchdown), smooth web browsing, and all the reading/viewing/listening I want. And for $199, not shabby...that's why I've got a 4lb heavy iron notebook...

[JeremytheIndian]

I do think that this device will be passed by the tech-savvy people.

I have disagree. I think this will be the new go to cheap tab for tech savy people, the same way the Nook Color was. Especially after it's hacked and opened up.

[Stu2009]

Very interesting......with this launch and many more in the near future... Christmas, "Black Friday" looming up. Tablets could tumble in price...I have seen the Thrive 16 GB selling for under $400.00 in the past 3 weeks. Technology is a wonderful thing...Happy Holidays

[MeshiaSamurai]

I am seriously thinking about getting this for my wife. She may not be tech savvy, but I am. If/when we find out about sideloading apps, and rooting this thing you can bet I will be jumping on board so she has a functional tablet with a nice UI.

And 3G? We have mobile hotspot on both our phones. Not an issue. Well done Amazon. No need to add another $60 bucks to this thing.

[tx_tuff]

There's no such thing as an iPhone 5 yet. If the iPhone 5 comes out and has the same functionality as the 4, which includes wireless hotspot access, then yes. The iPhone acts as a wireless access point to which any device with wifi can connect wirelessly through it including the Fire.

This is from Amazon when you look at the wifi specs "does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks". Now I do not own a iPhone but a friend of mine that does told me that peer-to-peer is what iPhone uses for it's hotspot. If that is the case it will not work with the Kindle Fire.

[myersw]

I can run Infrastructure (AP) mode on my Samsung Fascinate either with the Verizon hot spot (if I want to pay) or Wifi Tether version 3 beta 6 also does Infrastructure. Works great with my Nook Color and HP laptop.
--bill