The Kindle Fire – Hot Christmas Gift

Going to get a Kindle Fire proved to be a little different than we were expecting.  Of course the display looks really nice, like most tablets.  The interface is pretty easy, but when I started to read on the Kindle Fire, I didn’t like it as well as the regular Kindle.  It seemed to strain my eyes a little more than I expected, so that didn’t impress me.  Also, I do like the page turner on the right hand side of the standard Kindle rather than interacting with the screen.  So, the Kindle Fire is a strange mix between Tablet and Kindle Reader.  Did I get it, no.  But I can see where some people may like this device.

At $199, it is a great price point for a 7″ tablet PC and expensive for a reader.  For people who are looking at an iPad, this is a lot cheaper, but for those looking at a “old school” Kindle, it’s expensive.

Pros –

• Cheap for a tablet at $199 – Most tablets in this class are $250 to $300 if they are on the Android platform.
• Nice interface to interact with all your media, not just reading.
• Children’s Books, etc in full color
• Basic internet features like browsing and Email are supported

Cons -

• No Bluetooth support (if you want to add a keyboard etc)
• No HDMI output (if you want to connect to your TV)
• No camera like other tablets in a close price point
• Missing the ability to download many aps from the Android market which would make it a lot cooler.

Ultimately, is the Kindle Fire for you?  If you want a reader that will be used as a tablet, it is great.  If you mainly are looking for a cheap tablet, spend an extra $50 or $100 and get the productivity features standard with many tablet PC’s.