Anyone else excited about a Kindle Fire?

[megabyteme]

For $200 (http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Fire-Amazon-Tablet/dp/B0051VVOB2/ref=amb_link_357728122_4?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=1PRYP8HT3HGTB866VC72&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1324714962&pf_rd_i=507846) you get full color, multiple formats, it's portable- even compared to a netbook. I'm more excited about that than I have been about any other product in the past 2 years.

I would be less excited if I had to pay for all the books I would read, but we're pirates. Arggg! Bring on the books, magazines, heck, even audio books play on the thing. It'll even play basic games like Angry Birds. :w00t:


Thoughts? A similar item that is better?

[Skiz]

I'm planning to buy the gf one for Christmas so I'll be eager to play with it. She's avoided buying a Kindle thus far because she likes to browse the bookstore and find new books, but I think she'll take to it once she has one in her hands. If not, I know someone who'll use it. :whistling

[megabyteme]

My wife is very resistant to the idea of "abandoning" books. She has a thing for the way they feel, and the way old, enjoyed books become worn. It didn't seem to phase her that I could grab more books in a single night than she could read in the rest of her lifetime.

I think the gradual way in is to grab magazines that would be of interest to them. Once they find that the technology itself isn't evil, it will be only a matter of time before they will take to them... that and loading it up with popular games. :sly:

For me, it seems sooo practical.

[IdolEyes787]

Once they find that the technology itself isn't evil, it will be only a matter of time before they will take to them...


Convenient isn't always better.Everything just fades to background noise if no effort is involved.
If you can honestly tell me that you would have as much attachment for whatever book happens to be your favourite if you stole it off the internet and read it on the glowing LED of an E-reader then colour me mistaken.

[megabyteme]

The thing is, books don't need to become obsolete simply because we can browse through them on an e-reader. If something is deemed worthy of print, there is no reason why it should not be purchased, and saved. I have all of my textbooks with exception of freshman and sophomore years- nothing of true reference, ftmp.

I can say that I would love to have all of the same textbooks in my library available in a single folder, or perhaps organized by subject/program. I am certain I would reference them more often- no digging, or hunting through years of school.

I will consider your question over the next few days, and will try to examine it fairly. So far, convenience is outweighing attachment. I may think of some book that me re-evaluate, though.

EDIT- My wife did mention worn-out, loved children's books as being special, and irreplaceable. I can see her point, but still see no reason why the vast majority of reading material can be replaced with "digital ink".

[username-]

Would this be a decent alternative to the ipad? My girl wants a tablet but I'm hesitant to spend $500 on something I don't think she'll use as much as she thinks she will.
She doesn't read a whole lot.
I'm at their amazon page now and it looks like it'd fit her needs but my question is, what does the ipad offer that this doesn't?

edit: Just saw this:http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/28/tech/gaming-gadgets/kindle-fire-vs-ipad/index.html
Looks good, It's smaller and only has 8gb storage but that's not too big of an issue.

I think I'll get her this. Thanks for the heads up. =)

[megabyteme]

That's really cool, username- ! Very glad I could help with your Christmas shopping. Hope she enjoys it. :happy:

FURTHER THOUGHTS...

I have to wonder how many people got up in arms against the printing press when it first came out. Who would not cherish the loving attention, and detail of a hand-copied book? Doesn't a book lose something when it is mass-produced via cold, lifeless machines? How can block print ever have the same meaning as a hand-scribed quill pen manuscript? How can a book even be considered special if the masses can obtain it?

And what of the movement from scrolls to books. Think there were some resistors during that time, as well?

Aren't you, to a certain degree, making these kinds of resistance to change arguments, Idol?

[Funkin']

This is what I've been waiting on. A full color Kindle, so I'll definitely be getting one.

[mjmacky]

FURTHER THOUGHTS...

I have to wonder how many people got up in arms against the printing press when it first came out. Who would not cherish the loving attention, and detail of a hand-copied book? Doesn't a book lose something when it is mass-produced via cold, lifeless machines? How can block print ever have the same meaning as a hand-scribed quill pen manuscript? How can a book even be considered special if the masses can obtain it?

And what of the movement from scrolls to books. Think there were some resistors during that time, as well?

Aren't you, to a certain degree, making these kinds of resistance to change arguments, Idol?

I'm not quite sold on papyrus

[IdolEyes787]

Aren't you, to a certain degree, making these kinds of resistance to change arguments, Idol?

If by change you mean pointless,hype driven consumerism then yes.

I mean look at what username- wrote "I'm not even sure that my girlfriend will use it but it's shiny and new so obvious better ,not to mention waaay cool so I'll drop a couple hundred dollars on it because that being less than an iPad is obviously a good deal".
Or seeing as she "doesn't read much" get her a library card and send the money to an African relief agency.:mellow:

[megabyteme]

As a Canadian, you're just scared no one will need trees Canada anymore.


If by change you mean pointless,hype driven consumerism then yes.

Personally, I see is as something that will allow me greater comfort, and access to books. It is simply a form factor change of a very inexpensive computer. I don't think that takes much "hype".

[Artemis]

Tablets themselves have been around and in use now as a 'class' of electronic good for long enough that there use can be quantified. In reality the majority of people use tablets for 3 things browsing the internet, ebooks and light gaming (the angry birds kind) which is what I always suspected was the case anyway. So the burning question is how much is it worth to you to save the effort of walking to your computer system ? Tablets strike me as a convenience device and something to make you look like a complete wanker at starbucks, but since most of the applications are lightweight applets ala phone apps the devices have limits.

For me too, not living in the U.S. the cost is far higher, the minimum price for an iPad is @$750 and this is the baseline model (16GB no 3G) for an iPad or an Android Honeycomb based pad with 3G capabilities is over $1,000 , which is a great deal of money for a 'convenience' appliance.

This I think is the strength of the Kindle Fire, it has the core functionality of a tablet but has dispensed with some of the frills but at the same time has a huge amount of content on offer, and that in the end is the really important part of the debate, the content. I wait to see how much the Kindle Fire is offered here in N.Z. for, but personally am still not totally sold on the tablet concept.

[megabyteme]

You are right about the convenience factor. At $200, I'm all for it. I spend about 90% of my computer time at the kitchen table, using my netbook. It works out great since the kids are corralled in a nearby playpen, and I can settle hair-pulling, eye-gouging, toy theft, etc. The one thing that I do wish I could do with more comfort is read the vast number of books available to us. As a student, I've paid quite nearly that much on a single textbook (or at least would have if I had not been able to find a good used copy).

I have not given the iPuck/iTray so much as 10 minutes total attention. Certainly not in the $500+ range.

The fact that you have to pay extra for stuff is simply to balance out that you have all of NZ's benefits, and I live in the US (where benefits seem to be boiling down to little more than top-notch private universities, Newegg, and Amazon). Consider the higher prices to be a luxury tax, you lucky bassturd. :ermm:

[Quarterquack]

Aren't you, to a certain degree, making these kinds of resistance to change arguments, Idol?

If by change you mean pointless,hype driven consumerism then yes.

You say that like consumerism is a bad thing.
It's only bad when you (not you specifically) don't have the money or insanity to be part of it (or parts of it), but if it weren't for people shelling out their incomes into corporate capital we'd all be broke.

[IdolEyes787]

Yes just like in the bad old times.

[angelepubor]

I'd like to buy a kindle fire,but it isn't available in our country:cry:

[kitsunisan]

Disappointed in the lack of expandable memory. Why would they not put a memory card in there?

[Cabalo]

To reduce production costs?

By the way, the device has already been rooted and it is now possible to easily install applications via the Android Market.
It won't take long until cooked roms will show up.

[megabyteme]

To reduce production costs?

By the way, the device has already been rooted and it is now possible to easily install applications via the Android Market.
It won't take long until cooked roms will show up.

The fact that they can sell something like this for $200 is amazing. I wonder how much Amazon is actually spending on each unit. I know the PS3 was considerably more thanits initial street price, does anyone know how much Amazon is taking on the chin to expand into this market? Certainly, it wouldn't take too many books at $15 each for them to recoup their costs, but if the device has already (It's been what, a week?) been broken, this will make it more difficult for them to justify these costs.

I'm all for people doing what they want with devices that they have purchased (Amazon set the price, not the consumer), but Amazon is offering a lot for very little. I wonder if this will be a success for them, or not. I just hope I can get 1-2 before things change significantly. :P

[KFlint]

I heard on TV that it costs about 199$ (or was it 201$, not sure) to produce and distribute one unit.

I'm just not sure how people can read for several hours on an lcd screen. I prefer the previous ink screen for that purpose which is way smoother, almost like looking at a real page.

[toXik.]

iPad killer? Probably not.

[kitsunisan]

I heard on TV that it costs about 199$ (or was it 201$, not sure) to produce and distribute one unit.

I'm just not sure how people can read for several hours on an lcd screen. I prefer the previous ink screen for that purpose which is way smoother, almost like looking at a real page.
Yeah, they're taking a hit on each unit, somewhere around $5.

[Artemis]

To reduce production costs?

By the way, the device has already been rooted and it is now possible to easily install applications via the Android Market.
It won't take long until cooked roms will show up.

The fact that they can sell something like this for $200 is amazing. I wonder how much Amazon is actually spending on each unit. I know the PS3 was considerably more thanits initial street price, does anyone know how much Amazon is taking on the chin to expand into this market? Certainly, it wouldn't take too many books at $15 each for them to recoup their costs, but if the device has already (It's been what, a week?) been broken, this will make it more difficult for them to justify these costs.

I'm all for people doing what they want with devices that they have purchased (Amazon set the price, not the consumer), but Amazon is offering a lot for very little. I wonder if this will be a success for them, or not. I just hope I can get 1-2 before things change significantly. :P

The Kindle Fire seems to be content centric, i.e. alot of the sale appeal is based on the content, but unless you are in the U.S. (or use a VPN to access services with this device) then alot of functionality is disabled. The Premium account, Hulu and Netflix a/c's will only work with a U.S. IP address.
I actually compared the Kindle to the Dell Streak 7, and although more expensive the Streak offers more base functionality in a small form factor tablet. The updated ROM to Honeycomb 3.2 has been released for the Streak a month ago. It has a dual core processor, 16GB of storage plus upto 32GB of external storage via SDHC slot, Wifi N, 5mp camera + 1.3mp camera, GPS and bluetooth, so I've decided to join the coffee slurping poser set and bought one. Will let you know what I think when it arrives. :blink:

[megabyteme]

The fact that they are breaking even (or within a few $) makes for a safe bet on both sides. Sony was initially out ~$250 (beyond retail pricing) for each PS3 sold. That was a FAR riskier venture that involved making stripped down units, and lying to consumers- I'll personally hate them as a company for a long, long, long time over that one.


I am still waiting for the new year before I will get a Kindle Fire. I am interested to hear your thoughts on the Dell, Art. I think some of my interest in these devices may have a bit to do with my lack of a smart phone, as well. We aren't excited with the cost of a data plan in addition to our cell bill, but some of the overlapping features between a smart phone, and the Fire do have their appeal.

[Skiz]

My sister bought one this past w/e. She likes it and has mostly good things to say about it.

I dropped a little hint about one to the gf and she's put her foot down, refusing to use an e-reader. There goes my xmas idea. :dabs:

[temisturk]

Does your sister ever talk to your girlfriend? Might she quietly slip in a few good words? Might your girlfriend listen?