Is the Kindle Fire that good of a deal?

rich_halvorson

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When I saw the announcment for the A1, I thought that was a good deal. When I saw the announcment for the Fire I thought that was a good deal too, but not better so that it deserves a crown as being the cheapest best device.
I probably won't get either as I had the nook color, but now enjoy a larger screen in the touchpad, just can't wait for an android port.
I put this spec list together which may not be perfect, but is the Fire really that much better for being $50 cheaper. The only thing I think it has going for it is the processor, though I would think the A1 will hold it's own. Too bad Lenovo isn't releasing the 8GB version here, then the price would be a level playing field.


Amazon Kindle
$199
8GB on board storage
Android (Amazonified)
Amazon Market
WiFi, no 3G option
No Bluetooth
No offline GPS
1GHz dual-core TI OMAP processor
??? Ram
7" Gorilla Glass IPS Display runs at 1024 x 600
Amazon Silk browser
14.6 ounces
Micro-USB port
Speakers at the top with 3.5mm stereo jack
Free Amazon cloud storage for all your Amazon content
Battery lasts 8 hours with WiFi off
No camera
No Microphone
No SD Slot
Available in Black

Lenovo A1
$249 (US Price with 16GB, $199 elsewhere with 8GB)
16GB on board storage (8GB available outside of US)
Android Gingerbread 2.3
Google Market, apps, other markets, sideload
WiFi
Bluetooth
Offline GPS
1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor
512mb RAM
7" Gorilla Glass IPS Display runs at 1024 x 600
Any Browser available on the Android Market
14.11 ounces
Micro-USB port
Speaker and headphone jack
-
Battery :3550 mAh, 8 hours with wifi on
Dual Cameras : 1 MP front-camera and 3MP rear-camera
Microphone
Full SD AND microSD card slots
Available in Black, white, pink* and blue colors.


So my question is, is the Fire really better then the A1
 
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BattleSwine

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Depends on you want. Yes AKF is missing bells and whistles but if you are just after media content it is a good deal. If you need a full featured tablet not so much. I think a low cost tablet with a big company behind it is long over due.

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freeky1

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AKF uses the Silk browser, which seems like it would really improve a 3G connected device, and yet they did not include 3G. How much of a difference will Silk really make over wifi?
 

BattleSwine

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AKF uses the Silk browser, which seems like it would really improve a 3G connected device, and yet they did not include 3G. How much of a difference will Silk really make over wifi?

Depends on how your ISP is. Mine can't deliver what it promises. I've sampled friends and family in three counties.... none get what they are billed for. On the ones that are closer to dail-up speeds it could help.
 

freeky1

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Depends on how your ISP is. Mine can't deliver what it promises. I've sampled friends and family in three counties.... none get what they are billed for. On the ones that are closer to dail-up speeds it could help.

Understood. I guess I am spoiled with 30 Mbps download speed at home.
 

BattleSwine

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Understood. I guess I am spoiled with 30 Mbps download speed at home.

I'm jealous. Mine keeps attempting to sell 50 Mbps, but seeing as their 10 Mbps delivers 3Mbps on good days.... I don't trust them. If VZW brings LTE coverage to where I live I pay the extra $30 for wireless tethering, get faster speeds, and save money by dropping my current ISP.
 

frmorrison

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AKF uses the Silk browser, which seems like it would really improve a 3G connected device, and yet they did not include 3G. How much of a difference will Silk really make over wifi?

The Cloud browser will helping with rendering, just getting the data to the device isn't all that a browser needs to do. It is a neat "killer" feature, that perhaps will be exported to 3G some day. The only issue is possible privacy concerns.
 

akhi216

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Hell yeah it's that good of a deal! If you don't like it you can hack it and put ICS on it provided that you don't mind not having access to DRM content and that's only speculation.

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santanzchild

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A large part of the draw to this device is the fact it is backed by a arguably reliable vendor that will support the device for some time to come (based on past products). Compare that with most of the android tablets that have come from other large vendors but quickly stop supporting device due to lack luster sales.
 

ravenas

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It has all the trendy kids salivating over it so that'll go a long way toward boosting its sales. However, at the end of the day I don't see this device being anything over than niche.

Low storage space, locked down proprietary system and small storage space handicaps it too much.

At least that's the conclusion I came to when I cancelled my pre-order. Truth is, I already own devices that can do far more and I'm already an Amazon Prime member.

Only thing I hope for now is that Amazon will see fit to release an app for their Amazon unBox service. I can use HTML bookmarks to the web app, but I'd prefer a more elegant solution.
 

w9zo

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I switched my asus netbook from win Xp to Jollicloud.
If the KF works as good on the cloud, I will have no reservations about buying it.
Not everything has to be in memory or installed on the device.
I'm looking forward to operating the cloud with a smaller device than the netbook.
Definitely don't think getting the KF will be mistake.
 

StylinProfilin

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8gb won't be enough for me. I listen to a ton of music. I like having all of it. I love house music and Amazon wont let me upload any sets because they are too big in file size....... MAJOR DOWNER..... Even if I went with the free 5gb of cloud space for music, I would be micromanaging waaaayyy too much. The cloud player itself isn't very intuitive as it is. Current Kindle market doesn't offer good 3rd party cloud service so I would have to buy the extra 20 for $20/year.

My other concern with the kindle is; Can I be productive with it?? iPad and now Android tablets are trying to narrow that gap with laptops. I feel like the kindle fire is not about that.

$200 for Fire
$20 for more cloud space
$20--$40 for a case
$80 for Prime (maybe)
$20 to activate wireless hotspot on my phone

Am I forgetting anything?

Idk, may still get one.
 
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NotJustAPhone

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It really depends on your needs. I'm interested in a smaller, media consumption tablet that I can carry with me every day. Since I already have Amazon Prime and have the hotspot feature activated on my LTE phone, the Kindle Fire is a good fit.

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AzD

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8gb won't be enough for me. I listen to a ton of music. I like having all of it. I love house music and Amazon wont let me upload any sets because they are too big in file size....... MAJOR DOWNER..... Even if I went with the free 5gb of cloud space for music, I would be micromanaging waaaayyy too much. The cloud player itself isn't very intuitive as it is. Current Kindle market doesn't offer good 3rd party cloud service so I would have to buy the extra 20 for $20/year.

My other concern with the kindle is; Can I be productive with it?? iPad and now Android tablets are trying to narrow that gap with laptops. I feel like the kindle fire is not about that.

$200 for Fire
$20 for more cloud space
$20--$40 for a case
$80 for Prime (maybe)
$20 to activate wireless hotspot on my phone

Am I forgetting anything?

Idk, may still get one.

You're not forgetting anything, you're just complaining about nothing.

$20-$40 for a case? That's a knock against the Fire why - do other tablet makers offer cases for free now or something? And what does you needing to pay $20 to activate a wireless hotspot for your phone have to do with the Kindle Fire? Besides if they added a 3G radio it would cost an extra $100 or more, so $20 is really pretty cheap if you ask me.

Amazon Prime is the bargain of the decade, made even more of a bargain for people who own Kindle Fires. But it is by no means needed to use and enjoy the Kindle Fire.
 

frmorrison

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My other concern with the kindle is; Can I be productive with it?? iPad and now Android tablets are trying to narrow that gap with laptops. I feel like the kindle fire is not about that.

$20 to activate wireless hotspot on my phone

Fire is about media consumption. You may need QuickOffice to be productive (note it is the free app of the day, but a day early), since the Fire comes with the Lite version. Fire comes with an email client.

You can root your phone (note it may void your warranty) to get Wireless tether, a free app to make a hotspot.
 

saraera

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Hell yeah it's that good of a deal! If you don't like it you can hack it and put ICS on it provided that you don't mind not having access to DRM content and that's only speculation.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk

Hmm. I never thought about that.
I thought it wouldn't be able to support what I wanted to do with a portable device but I it costs way less than tablets these days and I could tweak it a bit to fit my needs..
I think it might be worth a try if it's only a few hundred bucks.
 

ravenas

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Well the Kindle Fire is out and I find I'm happy I cancelled my pre-order. I like the 7" tablet size, but $200 is just too much for what the K-Fire offers me.

It's that 8GB storage space that's the deal killer for me. Combined with no 3G or mobile internet of any kind, that means I can only use a Fire in my house.

Now I'm thinking about investing in a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. It's $399 ($200 more) but comes with 16GB internal memory, Honeycomb and a microSD slot as well as GPS.

Google's new Music store pretty much duplicates what Amazon offers me and more. (The Google Music Manager will scan my HDD and upload any CDs I rip to it while Amazon forces me to do that manually.)

I'll still be able to get my books at Amazon and B&N. I can watch video from Netflix, Hulu and Amazon (via web app).

There was really only one reason for me to chose a Kindle Fire and that was the ability to download mobile versions of my paid video content for viewing while away from WiFi. But that 8GB space is just too small.

It's a valiant effort from Amazon, but the Fire is like all Kindles -- too costly for too little.

I do think it'll help sell the 7" tablet market though. That'll be exciting.
 

aapold

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I'm not feeling the limitation much at all. You move stuff to/from the cloud regularly. I still use my phone for music over it anyway. Honestly I'm still primarily streaming amazon prime videos most of the time anyway.

I'm trying to figure out a way to have it stream content from my PC at home right now.
 

DirkBelig

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The bashing of the Fire is starting to bother me because it seems to break down into two parts camps: It's not an iPad so it's total fail or it doesn't have all the features of devices costing twice as much and so it's total fail. And it's not an iPad.

I'm seeing very few complaints from people who read the specs and knew what they were buying it for. Most of the gripes are coming from people who were expecting it to be more than promised. It's like buying an Xbox and then whining that it doesn't make waffles, can't hypnotize women into thinking you're Bradley Cooper, and lacks the anti-aircraft battery you want to keep the neighbors dogs from pooping on your lawn.

The Fire never claimed to be a full-fledged Android tablet. It's basically a hardware interface to consume content from the Amazon store. You want to listen to a four-hour house mix? Get a freaking iPod and dance the night away. What's the problem?

Unless the Fire is failing to fulfill its advertised purpose, no one should be complaining so loudly.