Amazon Kindle Fire – 2 Months Later

When I saw the presser months ago with Jeff Bezos, someone I highly respect in this business and one of the few true visionaries, I jumped and did what I try not to do and make an impulse purchase on something that expensive. When I got it I loved it, gave it a few days and wrote a review I posted here. Now after two months, I wanted to post some more thoughts.

First, I still really like the device and I’m glad I got it. But I have to say that I don’t love it. You can’t beat the price for what you get, but there are a few aspects to it that I would need to see resolved for it to be a good iPad killer:

Performance – I’d gladly pay a little more to have a better processor in it. The keyboard is sluggish, too sluggish to take notes with or be active on email. Even with the bigger screen, I’d rather use my phone to do mobile messaging. At first I thought this was a software issue, but maybe it isn’t as Amazon hasn’t fixed it. I don’t notice the sluggishness in all apps so that says software to me.
Storage – Again, I’d pay more for more space… even if it was a removable card. I like to put movies on my tablet to watch when I travel. Streaming from Amazon Prime isn’t going to solve that “want”. You pay for metered bandwidth if you travel (I have a Verizon Mifi 4GLTE hotspot, but I don’t want to use 80% of my monthly usage on movies… I use it for work). Hotel connectivity sucks… even the internet connection in this airport lounge I’m in as I write this sucks (Paris’s Charles de Gaul airport).

I have ripped some movies and put them on my Kindle Fire, but I only have room for one or two at a time unfortunately. But it does play them great!

All Cloud – This ties into storage. I like the idea of having my stuff in the cloud… hell I love the cloud… but I want to sync my stuff down to my device. You aren’t always connected when you want your content or want to pay through the nose for bandwidth.
Reading – I put a ton of work related PDF books and articles on it… and for that it’s great. But if I’m reading a novel, I’m using my Kindle 2nd Generation and the eInk. Nothing surpasses that for quality reading.
Battery – Sure isn’t nearly as good as the regular Kindle due to the great screen… but I expected more after having an iPad for a while.

The other thing I love about the Kindle Fire is the form factor. I pickup an iPad now and it feels massive… way too big.

The most glaring thing that the Kindle Fire has shown me is how crappy the Android OS is. This feels like it is so clobbled together… apps freeze, you have to force close them, the UI sucks… I’m not a fan. Microsoft and Apple have it right when their mobile OS’. I’m more of a fan of Windows Phone than iOS, but maintaining control and blocking customization of the OS is definitely the way to go.

Is it an iPad replacement? Maybe for some… maybe for me (see above: I haven’t picked it up since I got the Kindle Fire). I just can’t get past the fact the entry point for an iPad is $500 and goes up to $830! Sorry Apple, but that’s absurd… the iPad isn’t 2x as good (when you factor in the closest model to the Fire… WIFI only & 16GB @ $499) price wise as the Kindle Fire.

All in all, it’s a great device and you’re getting what you pay for: a very inexpensive & versatile tablet.

I do like the Kindle Fire more than my iPad (1st generation)… in fact I haven’t picked up my iPad since I got the Kindle Fire (and I don’t miss it). It’s turned into the family iPad and my son uses it the most. I’m very eager, and will get, a tablet based on Windows 8 when it comes out mid year. Not saying Windows 8 will be great, just that it will be interesting how well it, and the devices that are out for it, executes. So far, I like what I see.

So for me, Kindle Fire > iPad… but we’ve yet to hit that tablet sweet spot IMHO.

posted on Saturday, January 21, 2012 5:39 AM

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# re: Amazon Kindle Fire – 2 Months Later 1/21/2012 7:53 AM Mike Walsh

By comparison I haven't picked up the Kindle (normal not Fire)since I got the iPad2.

It all depends on what you use it for I think. I use it for newspaper and magazine reading and there I need the screen space (and in the case of the standard Kindle more than just the text).

Mike

[Edit this part out: The airport is de Gaulle not de Gaul)

# re: Amazon Kindle Fire – 2 Months Later 1/21/2012 11:37 AM Joe Litton

I'm digging my Fire, but would like it a LOT more with an SD card slot, and the ability to connect it to a TV for viewing.

As for Android, I'm a fan boy. The Kindle Fire, however, is running an Amazon-tweaked version of an earlier Android rev. On my personal phone (an HTC Incredible), I run CyanogenMod7, a version of Android that I find rock solid.

More important than O/S is form+function. For me, the Fire comes close but does need improvement. My wife's Galaxy Tab (a 7" refurb that we got for $200) is a better device but also has room for improvement. I've not yet seen the perfect tab.

# re: Amazon Kindle Fire – 2 Months Later 1/26/2012 11:18 AM John Way

We recently compared the Kindle Fire with the Nook Color Tablet and went with the Nook. We have been very happy with our decision. Can you comment on whether you looked at the Nook Color Tablet and if so why you chose the Kindle?
The Nook addresses your memory concern and I have read that the browser is better.

# re: Amazon Kindle Fire – 2 Months Later 1/28/2012 5:58 AM AC [MVP SharePoint]

@John - All came down to Amazon's content and their overall story was better than B&N's IMHO.

# re: Amazon Kindle Fire – 2 Months Later 2/15/2012 2:32 PM LarryH

Wife has Ipad2, friends have Nook Tablet, I have the Kindle Fire. I pretty much agree with everything you said in your review...HOWEVER...Ipad2 is pretty small and light (heavier than kindle Fire, but still much lighter than original Ipad). Interface of Ipad2 is much smoother and better than the Fire, in my opinion. But, the Fire has the content, the Fire is more pocketable (my winter coat, anyway), the content on the Fire is generally less expensive and WAY easier to access (I-tunes is just weird...maybe that's cause I've never been an Apple guy, but it just is harder to work with, Fire is pretty much seamless. Oh, and the Nook Tablet...from my limited use, its pretty good, but you can do more, more easily, with the Fire. I DO wish it was 16 gig instead of 8, though.

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