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So the big Amazon Kindle Fire announcement day comes to a conclusion. We have the announcement, the specs, the first TV spot, information about a cool new cloud-based browser and a collection of hands-on impressions. Are you convinced enough to preorder one yet?
Sure, there’s no Honeycomb and it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of an iPad, but for $200 it’s not expected to be in the range of any of those other tablets. When you consider all the Amazon services tied into it and the fact that it’s cheaper than its direct competitor, the Barnes & Noble Nook Color, there’s not much of a decision to make for anyone in this particular market.
Content is king and Amazon has built up a nice catalog of that. Will you buy one, then? This one’s a simple yes or no poll. Have it at and be sure to post further thoughts in the comments section below!
[polldaddy poll=5541065]
As much as I love the Amazon media services (I use them all) I will definitely be putting in the extra money for the XOOM 2 for the real Android tablet experience… no Google apps? No thanks.
Exactly. You can get the Amazon app store, Kindl app, and MP3 store on a Google device, but not the other way around. It’s an attractive price point, but it’s not going to too much better than 7-inch honeycomb devices when they hit the street.
+1
duh.. download gapps
Duh, there’s no Android Market on the device which just happens to be the only place you can download the Google apps
yea, I thought I was missing something but I guess not. Just the usual. People looking to whine about something that is not even an issue.
If I wanted an Ereader, I’d already have one.
Good candidate once it gets rooted and a stable honeycomb ROM is developed
Not buying it, since I already have a tablet, but I can see myself recommending this to others.
Should really offer an option “I’ll buy it once it’s rooted”.
not really
And the price goes down to $150. Both very likely before Christmas imho.
No. Zero interest. I don’t have an e-reader, nor want one. Yes, I know, the more ADD-prone crowd will say daft things such as “paper books are SO 20th century”. Have you ever got a signed first kindle edition book? Didn’t think so. I love tech, but I, personally, have no use for e-readers. I certainly don’t knock anyone who does enjoy them, but they aren’t for me.
some people read to read, not for status. “I have a signed first edition blah blah blah blah”
It isn’t status, it is what we like to call “collecting”. Did I hit a sore spot with you? You are WAY too defensive. I specifically stated; ” I certainly don’t knock anyone who does enjoy them, but they aren’t for me.” That’s like saying “I wouldn’t waste money on a Swiss watch because my phone tells time!” That isn’t the point of buying them. They are collectable as well as investments.
Grow up, it was only my point of view for ME, not Nick H’s view, or anyone else’s.
Relax there, sport. Life is short.
Sorry, you are the one that’s WAY too defensive.
Sorry? What exactly are you apologizing for? Like the other guy, I suggest you read my post in it’s entirety. I have nothing to defend myself against. I was merely explaining my point of view.
Drop back and punt.
Sevenstars is defensive and he loses. All the others jointly win the argument.
E-readers are nice for certain situations. I read a lot of reference type books, and I really don’t want to carry around large books when I can just pull them up on a small kindle and read them on the train. Also, can you share notes on a book with other readers? Not without handing them a physical copy.
I think the Fire is great for people who’s core use of a tablet is reading online and offline combined (plus the other media).
Android Tablets and iPads are great for those who need to actually do work on a tablet form factor.
Agreed. I certainly don’t think they’re useless, not by a long shot. As a physicist, I have to use reference books regularly, and I know a few people that I would recommend the Fire to. But, for me personally, I really have no use for them. If I’m travelling, I have a laptop with me anyway, and can pull down the references I need on the fly. I think some of the other responders took my comment completely out of context (or just have a bug up their arse). The title of the article and question was: “Buying the Amazon Kindle Fire?” to which I’ve answered – speaking for me.
Again, I know a lot of folks who will enjoy them, and get a lot of use out of them, but, for me personally, I have no use for them. It’s just one more thing to carry around.
Since I really have no use for a tablet… I really have no use for this.
But I will be recommending this to friends and family who are all about e-readers. I mean shoot, this one can play Angry Birds! :D
I already have a tablet, XOOM. So no I don’t need this. To be honest I don’t think i can recommend this to friends or family either. No sd card slot killed it for me. My Xoom has 32gb on board and after only a few months of owning it I only have about 10gb free. I use dropbox and google music, so I am using the cloud. I just don’t see 8gb being enough, so yeah no card slot is a deal breaker.
No sd card? That’s a deal breaker.
no need.. portable cloud service.
I love my Xoom too. But this is a good entry level device.
200$ sounds nice, but the batterylife sucks.
amazon says it’ll last up to 7,5h with wifi turned off.
sounds like 4 hours real world use
The demise of the BB Playbook is at hand. Now we await the fire sale!
I would buy one if it had 3G.
Currently I’m using a Huawei Ideos S7 and with it’s 7″ capacitive screen it works very well as an E-reader :)
Downsize is the little internal memory though.
Completely underwhelming product. It’s proprietary, without access to all of android goodness. It’s by Amazon, the company lobbying to make us all pay a federal internet sales tax.
This thing is about price, not awesomeness.
I’d get a honeycomb and read on that.
Um, I’m pretty sure Amazon is the one lobbying for its customers NOT to pay sales tax. Also, since the core of it is indeed Android, don’t be surprised to see it running normal Android and the full suite of Google apps before too long. When devs can get CyanogenMod running on the Touchpad and HTC HD 2, why wouldn’t they be able to get it running on a device already running a build of Android?
He is correct. Amazon is lobbying to get a federal tax for internet
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204138204576598883358407422.html
They want a universal federal tax not dozens of individual state tax systems.
Biggest reason they are doing that is because California drafted laws saying they had to charge a state sales tax for Californians. Amazon just wants to level the playing field for all Internet retailers and Logically if they are going to have to charge a tax it should be a federal wide tax and not individual states. believe me it was not Amazon’s idea to start charging a tax on their sales.
If each state enacts laws like California did it will hurt small Internet retailers. No small retailer wants to figure out and collect a different sales tax for every state they may ship to.
Any guesses how long until Apple and Microsoft will have cases against Amazon for infringement? I can’t imagine it will be too long.
is this all there is to report today? about a dozen things popped up in my Google Reader about it now from you today.
No ports? No thanks!
I have little use for a tablet but the $200 price point and the tight Kindle integration really have me thinking about getting one.
No camera, no GPS or google maps, no sale. What a huge disappointment!
already per-ordered, i have a NC running cm7 but if the FIRE gets cm7 before x-mas ill probably sell the NC. if the development on the FIRE is slow running then ill be selling it for a profit….the FIRE is going to the be hottest item this holiday season PERIOD.
I do not believe you meant to say period. This is what women moan about occasionally, or better still, periodically. I think you meant to say, full-stop.
I may buy one for my wife but I would not preorder it. It does have it’s shortcomings but for what I envision my wife would use it for I don’t think they will matter to her and at $200 it will work great for her. If it gets root that would be a bigger plus.
I don’t understand why anyone would preorder something that is cutting edge and won’t ship for a month and a half. The tablet Market is changing day by day, it’s likely another tablet may come out (Apple perhaps) before these start shipping that you may want instead. All you ensure by preordering is that you are among the first to get these tablets. So at best you are probably only ensuring you can get it a few days, maybe a couple weeks before anyone else.
What if they get delayed? (a LOT of tablets have got delayed)
What if something comes out that is better and cheaper on Nov 1st.?
What if the ones that actually ship are a bunch of lemons, sure the few they have made for the demonstration look fine but no one has really used one for any extended period.
maybe someone could get this rom working on the viewsonic g tablet
No. It’s a proprietary format, and there is no SD card. But the marketplace and hardware are done well. I’m perfectly happy typing this from my Nook Color dualbooting CM7 from the SD. Yay for freedom.
There’s no way in hell I’m supporting an Amazon tablet.
At least you realize it’s an Amazon tablet. As opposed to those above who think it’s an Android tablet on par with the Flyer.
Going to wait until they hopefully release the quad core tablet. But, even though this thing has plenty of misgivings, it’s an amazing deal at $200.
For my needs which are watching videos and reading books and just general web browsing this will be perfect for me for a cheap price as well. If i need to do heaver tasks I can just hop onto my desktop since I work from home fixing computers for people I can just lay around and use this and keep my small phone for calls and texts. If I am out and about I can just Tether this to my boost mobile samsung galaxy prevail for internet if I need to so not having 3g is no big issue for me really.
Have to see how BN answeres back with the Nook Color 2 aswell as XDAs support of the 2 devices first. Tho I would prefer the ASUS Memo over them both IF ASUS ever gets around to actually releasing the damned thing………….