Amazon Unveils its Kindle Fire iPad Rival for $199

[Bob Maxey]

Well in my opinion the way the FIRE is design is primarly to be use and promote the consumption of Amazon products, the same way the iPad promote you to Apple products. Two tablets that definetely can coexist toghether. I don't believe that Amazon intentions are to compete directly with Apple. They just want a piece of a big pie$$$$$ like any other company.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

I've been thinking about the device and Amazon. I think lots of people are trying to say that Amazon is going after the iPad with this magical device called a Kindle Fire. Not sure that is true. I think Amazon is trying to deliver a cheap, smart device designed to deliver paid content, easily, and effortlessly. The team behind the Fire is collectively smart and if they really wanted to knock Apple off the top of the hill, they would develop something far different than the Kindle Fire.

Perhaps Amazons problem is the media trying to turn the device into an Apple killer. The more people that hear people say the Fire is not an iPad killer the more they start looking at the device and seeing "flaws" that do not exist.

One great thing about the Fire is it is really cheap. No big investment in hardware that will be updated and upgraded. Perhaps even a larger device will arrive. So you Fire lovers can decide if it is really a good idea and therefore, purchase another one.

I wish Amazon luck.

 

[blucente]

The fire will be a nice building block to grow on, I'm sure we'll see more products launched in the very near future

5.0

 

[apidej]

The end of E-ink. Kindle "Fire", using regular Touch screen LCD, may disappoint ebook reader because of it's shorter battery life, compare to previous Kindle E-ink units.

 

[htb24]

Looks good but the iPad is way better!

 

[guthrien]

I cancelled my preorder for a new iPhone I suppose it didn't "kill" my iPad after all. Still looks cool.

 

[jsh1120]

The end of E-ink. Kindle "Fire", using regular Touch screen LCD, may disappoint ebook reader because of it's shorter battery life, compare to previous Kindle E-ink units.

Amazon hasn't abandoned its e-Ink fans. Their Kindle Touch is aimed at that market (along with the $80 base unit.) The Fire expands the "reader" into a multimedia consumption device for those that want that functionality. As you note, it inevitably sacrifices battery life but I think Amazon figures that the success of devices like the iPad and smartphones suggest consumers are prepared to recharge their devices on a daily basis.

 

[epb]

The fire will be a nice building block to grow on, I'm sure we'll see more products launched in the very near future

Ironically, the Kindle Fire led me to buy an iPad 2. I'd been planning on waiting for the iPad 3 to upgrade, but I now plan to wait for the 10" version of the Fire. Since I don't know how long that will be and I've got family members waiting for my iPad 1, I went ahead and snagged a 2 so they aren't waiting forever.

 

[bookdoc]

I have a kindle.......and its cheaply made and customer service sucks.......I will also be sticking to my iPad .....I switched to an android phone.....and it is no where near the polished iPhone operating system....crashes a lot ..... Very quirky.....have to reset it slot......very unstable

I have a Color Nook and just bought a Kindle with free 3G, mostly for that, to use occasionally in my office where I don't have wifi. I found the 6" Kindle to be very well made and the customer service for the one call I made to be excellent though my problem was solved in the few seconds it took before she answered the phone. Having said this, I do find the 6" screen too small and would prefer a 7" with free 3G. I rarely use my Nook, which has an impressive screen, but use my iPad 2 several times a day and consider it a serious well made and integrated product. Too bad they don't offer free (minimal) 3G service for an occasional use like for e-mail, not watching movies.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[Kaykaykay]

My Kindle is years old and has held up well. It looks brand-new despite extensive use, though I prefer a backlighted device.

I still buy Kindle books almost exclusively, and that service has been flawless. Once in a while I buy a book by mistake, email and get a refund within hours. Emailed receipts show up immediately after each purchase.

Two or three times, I've received notice that editing fixes have been made to a book I've purchased, and Amazon has offered to update my version of the book.

I also like being able to take my Kindle books to myriad devices if I want to switch hardware -- Android, Blackberry, PC, iOS gadgets, even Macs -- and all the apps are free. There's a cloud Kindle reader, too.

The quality of Kindle service is what makes me consider Amazon a viable tablet maker, over all other Android tablet makers. Amazon gets that you have to deliver hardware, as well as content.