e-tablets

[Venus Pax]

Can some of you tech-savvy people tell me about the Amazon Kindle Fire?

I'm now seriously considering a tablet, and I would like to get one by the end of the year. I looked into the ipad, but it's way out of my budget.

I'm rather frugal, so I don't want something that will charge me for every little minor app on the planet. I like to read, so I want it to be able to check out ebooks from my local library. I also have a 2-year-old, so I would like it to accommodate things that would be of interest to her. (And preferably, be able to withstand the fury and energy of a small hobbit.)

[Thomas]

I'm not that tech-savvy or into tablets. However if I wanted a portable, inexpensive tablet, I would definitely go with the Kindle Fire.

Here is a comparison of some popular tablets:


Since the Kindle Fire is running Android, there are already a top of great apps including games for your kid. I don't know the ratio of free to paid Android apps/games. However, being a frugal person myself, I would wait until there are hands-on reviews. Someone is also bound to do a "lets keep dropping it until it breaks" test.

EDIT: To see videos of light usage, you can use your favorite internet search engine to search for: kindle fire hands on

[SewTexas]

What kind of info are you looking for? it's not out yet, but I'm on an email list for the kindle (love it) and one or two people seem to maybe have tested the flame soooo I may be able to give you a bit of info...

I know I want one, desperately it's wifi only, not like the 3g kindle. it's supposedly Amazon-centric opposed to the google-centric tablets you're use to seeing according to 'those in the know'.

there's a couple of tidbits, let me know what else you'd like to know, I may be able to help.

[OldCannon]

We have a Motorola Xoom and really like it for apps and book reading, but it's still pricey.

If you like the 7" display on the Fire, I doubt you'll every get buyer's remorse for it, but I'd prefer to wait for the 10" version, which will likely come out after December (much to the rage of several Fire purchasers ).

Don't forget that you can probably find a good deal on a first generation ipad on places like Craigslist.

[SewTexas]

Oh, I 'believe' if you buy the Flame you get member access to the video library and storage on the Amazon 'cloud' research that first before you count on it...I'm more certain of the video part of that, but still not positive.

[Venus Pax]

8GB. How long would it take an average person to fill that, considering they also offer storage in the cloud?

[boba]

8GB. How long would it take an average person to fill that, considering they also offer storage in the cloud?

With what? Books? Movies? Games?

[SewTexas]

if you get your books from Amazon, don't keep them on the device, just download them, read, then remove them, let them keep them on their system, you can always get to the books again from your bookshelf again...that said, I have over 200 on my kindle. The newer Kindle is suppose to hold 1500.
look at the specs it gives you a pretty good feel for it.

[Venus Pax]

8GB. How long would it take an average person to fill that, considering they also offer storage in the cloud?

With what? Books? Movies? Games?

A mix. Probably more books & magazines than anything else. I would have a few games on it, and maybe a few movies for the car once I could be certain that Baby New Year wouldn't eat it.

Also, it has only wifi (and I'm not one to pay for 3g anyway). How available is wifi? Are more businesses starting to offer it, or have they toned it down since so many people have the 3g now?

[Venus Pax]

if you get your books from Amazon, don't keep them on the device, just download them, read, then remove them, let them keep them on their system, you can always get to the books again from your bookshelf again...that said, I have over 200 on my kindle. The newer Kindle is suppose to hold 1500.
look at the specs it gives you a pretty good feel for it.

That's a lot. Do you know if the storage space on the Fire is comparable to the storage space on the reader? It would probably be a long time before I would store 200 books. In fact, the device may break/wear out/become obsolete by the time I gather 200 books. I usually only keep reference books. I typically get books from the library and return them, and if I buy books (or get them as gifts) I sell or donate them when I'm finished.

Also, if I chose to put a few show episodes on there or movies for the baby, how much space would it likely take?

[Venus Pax]

Also, do magazine subscriptions come with a discount if purchased electronically vs. through traditional snail mail?

[SewTexas]

my Kindle is the K2...so it's got how much space???? ah, found it, 2gb, I've had it for a couple of years, and I've only paid over $5 for maybe 5 - 10 of them (authors I really like), the rest of them...I'd say 85% were free, and the final bunch were probably .99 - 1.99 or so.

the specs for the FIRE say " 8GB internal. That's enough for 80 apps, plus 10 movies or 800 songs or 6,000 books." that's alot of movies to keep on the device I would think...like I said, keep it on the cloud and download it to the device, even for a car trip, just make sure you find a coffee shop once in a while to swap the movies out...

[Oldgringo]

Mrs. Oldgringo loves, loves, loves her Kindle. That said, what I've read about the new Kindle Fire is that it's all about Amazon.com. Are you okay with that?

[OldCannon]

Also, do magazine subscriptions come with a discount if purchased electronically vs. through traditional snail mail?

It depends on the magazine. Some subscriptions are separately priced. Don't assume that subscribing to one will give you the other.

[OldCannon]

Also, if I chose to put a few show episodes on there or movies for the baby, how much space would it likely take?

Remember that the benefit of the Kindle is the "Cloud storage" you have access to, so a semi-unlimited offline storage service. 8Gb on the Fire can easily store several hours of high def video for a portable device.