NBR Kindle Fire

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Stormswift
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NBR Kindle Fire

Post by Stormswift »

Anyone got new Kindle Fire? Looking for some feedback
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Post by teabow1 »

Here's a rather thorough review of it:

http://www.wired.com/reviews/2011/11/kindle-fire/all/1

In a few words, the Kindle Fire is quite a mixed bag. Too small to really be a tablet, too big to be a mobile phone device. Plus, it has rendering issues.

To me, it sounds like Kindle Fire is a device to put Amazon store closer to you. In other words, an attempt to make Amazon.com become more "physical", if you will.
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Post by neotrotsky »

Actually, 7 inches is quite perfect for a document/reading tablet. Many people get bent out of shape or insist other sizes don't "work" for a tablet because Apple has been saying there is one size only and won't release a 7-inch version, which many users wish they would. It's an excellent size for a book, script or textbook size and my Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 is the best size I have yet found for school.

As for the Fire, I haven't had a chance to play with it. The locked in operating system and the strong push to only put Amazon content is expected, but not appealing. But, to their credit I do buy more content as far as books from Amazon than anyone else. It looks very neutral and that could be a good thing. Personally I would actually go for a Lenovo IdeaPad A1 tablet: It's 7 inches as well, Android 2.3 (same thing the Kindle runs under that custom layer) and comes with cameras all for 199 as well. And, you get the full Android market and you can just throw a Kindle reader app on that. AND, you get expandable storage: Something you don't get with the Fire.
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Post by Lostmycage »

It's not too locked down...

If anyone wants the Fire, Audible (owned by Amazon now) is running a promotion where if you sign up for a years service you get $100 towards the fire or some other devices (including the ipod touch, heh). If you like audiobooks, this is a heck of a deal... if you want any of those devices.

I'm still holding out for the Nook Tablet.
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Post by neotrotsky »

Lostmycage wrote:It's not too locked down...

If anyone wants the Fire, Audible (owned by Amazon now) is running a promotion where if you sign up for a years service you get $100 towards the fire or some other devices (including the ipod touch, heh). If you like audiobooks, this is a heck of a deal... if you want any of those devices.

I'm still holding out for the Nook Tablet.
From what I hear, getting apps on the Nook Tablet is even easier outside of it's own ecosystem. But, I didn't know the Fire had that route as well... interesting

I just prefer less fuss. And, Lenovo generally makes good products (aside from some of their IdeaPad U series laptops... but that's a personal experience) for a good price. There are some real nice 7-inch tablets with Honeycomb out there, but then you start spending 100-200 more, and that's quite a bit of change compared to 199 only.

Also, I have heard the original Nook is only 199 now, but obviously if you're interested in Amazon's market, the only way to get the most out of a Nook Color original is to root it, and I'm not sure the average user is up for that kind of mess.
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Post by Lostmycage »

Rooting gets easier every day. You can actually root the Nook Color (original) through it's SD port which gives you a dual boot (rooted or original). It's rooting without the commitment.

The Nook tablet has my interests peaked.

I think the 7" tablet is the perfect size (with the tall phone like screen shape). I'm just waiting on a 7" with decent specs to come out. Well... at the right price point.
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Post by neotrotsky »

I agree on the size, and Amazon and Barnes and Nobel know what they are doing, especially getting them tied with their exclusive content. Just be aware that the Nook Tablet only allows for 1 GB of storage of your own personal data that is not purchased from B&N (suck.) That rules out the Nook Tablet as a device for me: I don't like being told what to do with what I own.

I think Apple would do well to release a 7" tablet. Of course, they won't.
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Post by JHScoot »

i haven't jumped on the tablet train yet and may never. a Kindle e-reader yes because i like reading. but otherwise i like my netbook just fine

i get a little nervous when carrying it under my seat, though. all the bouncing even though i secure it. most of the time i throw it around my shoulder, however. in a bag, of course

i do like Amazon products though. and the whole multimedia thing they have going there. but a tablet?

maybe. um, can i get a 9 or 10in screen, plz? :)
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Post by neotrotsky »

JHScoot wrote:i haven't jumped on the tablet train yet and may never. a Kindle e-reader yes because i like reading. but otherwise i like my netbook just fine

i get a little nervous when carrying it under my seat, though. all the bouncing even though i secure it. most of the time i throw it around my shoulder, however. in a bag, of course

i do like Amazon products though. and the whole multimedia thing they have going there. but a tablet?

maybe. um, can i get a 9 or 10in screen, plz? :)
Thankfully there's a ton of good ones out now and even better coming out in the 10" size. I've even thought about ditching the Galaxy Tab 7 for something bigger (only because Pro Tools is promising a release of an Android remote client for their editing software). Odds are if I do upgrade, I'll just see what combo deal I can get from Lenovo since their business divisions usually have cool little packages like that.

Then there's Apple with the iPad's 9.something inch size that seems to work for them. But, expect to pay quite a bit more.

As for my tablet: It's done well on 20 mile each way commutes 4 times a week in a messenger bag. It has no moving parts so it does well with shocks and bumps, and many are coming with Gorilla Glass or the off-brand equivalent, so they're not as fragile as one would expect
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Post by JHScoot »

neotrotsky wrote:
JHScoot wrote:i haven't jumped on the tablet train yet and may never. a Kindle e-reader yes because i like reading. but otherwise i like my netbook just fine

i get a little nervous when carrying it under my seat, though. all the bouncing even though i secure it. most of the time i throw it around my shoulder, however. in a bag, of course

i do like Amazon products though. and the whole multimedia thing they have going there. but a tablet?

maybe. um, can i get a 9 or 10in screen, plz? :)
Thankfully there's a ton of good ones out now and even better coming out in the 10" size. I've even thought about ditching the Galaxy Tab 7 for something bigger (only because Pro Tools is promising a release of an Android remote client for their editing software). Odds are if I do upgrade, I'll just see what combo deal I can get from Lenovo since their business divisions usually have cool little packages like that.

Then there's Apple with the iPad's 9.something inch size that seems to work for them. But, expect to pay quite a bit more.

As for my tablet: It's done well on 20 mile each way commutes 4 times a week in a messenger bag. It has no moving parts so it does well with shocks and bumps, and many are coming with Gorilla Glass or the off-brand equivalent, so they're not as fragile as one would expect
good news there about the tablet selection. and i must admit i have given it thought as a supplementary device, so to speak.

for instance today while waiting for an auto repair i just wanted to go on the internet and send a few emails. so i gotta take out the netbook, get set up, unfold it, etc. but with a tablet tagging along for the ride? i could have just pulled it out and got down to business right where i was standing when the thought occurred to me to get some business done. that would have been nice instead of having to find a comfy space to "sit" to do the same thing with the netbook
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Post by Lostmycage »

neotrotsky wrote:I agree on the size, and Amazon and Barnes and Nobel know what they are doing, especially getting them tied with their exclusive content. Just be aware that the Nook Tablet only allows for 1 GB of storage of your own personal data that is not purchased from B&N (suck.) That rules out the Nook Tablet as a device for me: I don't like being told what to do with what I own.

I think Apple would do well to release a 7" tablet. Of course, they won't.
The Nook is supposed to have a micro SD slot in it. That should give me an extra 32 gb (or more, possibly) of personal space. I don't plan on keeping the original configuration, so if that's the one I go with, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't buy one until I knew for certain that I could access that extra 32gb. I could very well be wrong, but I'll do my due research before pulling the trigger.

If Apple made a 7" tablet that ran iOS5, I'd buy it. That's a bold statement, because until very recently I didn't touch anything iOS and rarely use Apple products. Nothing personal, they just tend to be more expensive than I care for what basically amounts to a toy (for my purposes). I got an ipod touch as a gift recently and after playing with it for a few days returned it for the 64gb model. I'd still bitch about the price, mind you, but iOS is a nicely polished bit of code.
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Post by babblefish »

I would love to get a tablet; as long as it has three things: 1) Wifi, 2) a USB port and 3) an standard sized SD card slot. If it's missing any of these, fergetaboutit. But...I'd still like something that uses E-ink (reflected light) compared to LCD/LED (backlit) for reading because it's easier on my eyes. Plus the battery charge lasts forever...or at least a reasonable facsimile of it.
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Post by neotrotsky »

Lostmycage wrote:
neotrotsky wrote:I agree on the size, and Amazon and Barnes and Nobel know what they are doing, especially getting them tied with their exclusive content. Just be aware that the Nook Tablet only allows for 1 GB of storage of your own personal data that is not purchased from B&N (suck.) That rules out the Nook Tablet as a device for me: I don't like being told what to do with what I own.

I think Apple would do well to release a 7" tablet. Of course, they won't.
The Nook is supposed to have a micro SD slot in it. That should give me an extra 32 gb (or more, possibly) of personal space. I don't plan on keeping the original configuration, so if that's the one I go with, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't buy one until I knew for certain that I could access that extra 32gb. I could very well be wrong, but I'll do my due research before pulling the trigger.

If Apple made a 7" tablet that ran iOS5, I'd buy it. That's a bold statement, because until very recently I didn't touch anything iOS and rarely use Apple products. Nothing personal, they just tend to be more expensive than I care for what basically amounts to a toy (for my purposes). I got an ipod touch as a gift recently and after playing with it for a few days returned it for the 64gb model. I'd still bitch about the price, mind you, but iOS is a nicely polished bit of code.
I won't go on about my opinion about Apple products: Suffice to say they would not work for my job or my application, especially at the price.

But, the Kindle Fire does look good to attack the market at a size people have been asking for and at a price that is 300 LESS than the cheapest iPad. I'm sure in a week or two some students at school will end up getting a few and then we'll see how they hold up in the real world. I just can't believe Apple execs are that dumb to ignore the 7" size point and still crank out iPod Touch devices when they themselves say the portable media market as a dedicated device only is dwindling
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Post by Quo Vadimus »

babblefish wrote:Plus the battery charge lasts forever...or at least a reasonable facsimile of it.
I was really impressed with battery life too... until I saw how they calculate it. Half hour of reading a day (with wi-fi turned off).

Well yeah. If I watch 3 minutes of a movie every day my 4 year-old macbook battery will also last for 2 months.

I know that still amounts to a much longer battery life than a lit device, but c'mon. Turn it on, make it do stuff, and tell me how long it lasts. Period.
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Post by neotrotsky »

Quo Vadimus wrote:
babblefish wrote:Plus the battery charge lasts forever...or at least a reasonable facsimile of it.
I was really impressed with battery life too... until I saw how they calculate it. Half hour of reading a day (with wi-fi turned off).

Well yeah. If I watch 3 minutes of a movie every day my 4 year-old macbook battery will also last for 2 months.

I know that still amounts to a much longer battery life than a lit device, but c'mon. Turn it on, make it do stuff, and tell me how long it lasts. Period.
Well, your MacBook battery wouldn't last for 2 months because in standby and in startup/shutdown there is battery use and drain. My wife's netbook has about 8 hours battery life with the WiFi on (dunno about it off, but I imagine it's a bit better) and if she doesn't charge it in about two weeks it'll be down by well over 60% charge in standby. When it's off it doesn't lose any charge but startup/shutdown will consume more power

My Galaxy Tab is the same way: In standby mode it will go for four days before I need to charge it. With it off it's good for as long as you want without discharge. With WiFi on constant I can make it through a full 9 hour day full of classes with constant textbook display for 4 hours of it, casual web browsing (about 2 hours/day on average), about an hour of video a day and still have about 30% charge when I get home.
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Post by Lostmycage »

For reading, e-ink displays are second only to actual print. I have a Sony e-reader and it's battery lasts stupid long. If you only want a device for reading, the Sony e-readers are the way to go IMO. You can get em cheap these days and they will, display the largest range of files. They aren't tablets by any stretch.

That being said... I do sometimes miss the tangible feel of an actual book. They're not as convenient, but nothing feels like a cheap paperback.

I guess what would make me most happy would be some sort of steam-punk tablet: new enough to be convenient, but with enough care and craftsmanship to make it feel important. Everything now-a-days just feels neat but cheap (or flimsy, ill conceived, poorly constructed, etc) while retaining the absurd price points. I refer to that as "stupid expensive" or not worth it.
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Post by teabow1 »

I have a digital ink reading device from Sony too and I have to say its not meant for an academic. Maybe the person who only needs to read flow able text without annotations (light reading), that device is fine. For serious engagement wih texts that includes mark ups and annotation, flipping back and forth -- the kind of heavy reading a scholar does -- those digital ink devices are woefully inadequate.

A 7 inch tablet for the same purpose is also not good. Too small. Lots of books in PDF format (not text flowable generally) such as manuals, academic books etc. And if you want to have an unobtrusive time annotating on a 7-inch screen, good luck!

In the Wired review, the Kindle Fire is noted to perform really badly for reading, and web browsing. Web page rendering is slow and jittery.

Look elsewhere for a better tablet.

--------------------------------
Update:

The reason digital ink devices are poor for annotation purposes is because refresh is very slow, and each time one pixel needs to be refreshed, the whole screen will have to be also refreshed and we perceive those as the screen flashing. Now, if all you want to do is read without marking up the text, then a digital ink device might work for you.

Because of the good battery life my digital ink device has, I have now used it as a photo frame on my shelf to show photos of my late mother.

Look around for reviews of the Kindle Fire and you'll notice that many of them are saying that a 7-inch tablet is really inadequate for easy and long-term web browsing. Not only is the display too small making you have to double-tap and zoom in to the pages, but the speed of the web page rendering on the Kindle Fire is slow and it stutters even after web pages have been cached.

Apple store online offers refurbished iPad 2 and iPad 1. You can always get those for a bit cheaper. A refurbished first-generation iPad with 32GB of RAM, WiFi and 3G is $400. Don't think the 3G chipset is only for 3G data purposes. The 3G chipset also offers you GPS. You don't have to activate a 3G data plan to use the GPS function. Both iPad 1 and iPad 2 also have digital compasses.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC496
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Post by Stormswift »

Thanks for the feedback. I am looking at Kindle as a supplementary device for light web browsing, mostly reading (my local library lends books in Kindle format). I have a netbook and desktop (laptop fried ) As for the price, I can use my credit card reward points that I accumulated for this year and so the Kindle will only cost me $69.00. I figured I can't go wrong with $69.00 for a tablet even if it is somewhat limited.
One of the reviews (PC mag or cnet suggested that some apps can be installed on Kindle via android phone. I will need to replace my cell phone soon any way so I might as well look into Android phone this time and increase the number of apps that can be available to Kindle.
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Post by neotrotsky »

"Sideloading", or the process of loading apps onto one Android device from another computer or other Android device, is quite common and pretty easy. And, from what I have read the Kindle Fire may take well to that.

As for the size: For many it's purely subjective. Some insist that because a 7" or a 10" tablet doesn't work for them, it's a useless size in general. Everyone's needs are different. I personally love the 7" size since it's great for off-hand use and really fits well in the workplace! But, again, everyone has different needs. Some prefer a much larger screen for web browsing. Also, the larger 10" screen will be easier to type on in a natural "touch-type" position, while the 7" is best for thumb typing in portrait mode. It just depends on what you are using it for.

And, just to point out: An outdated iPad 1 at $400 is a heck of alot more than a $200 Kindle. They're two completely different devices, and twice the price at that! :shock:

The biggest thing is to actually get one in your hands and see how it feels. If there's a Best Buy or comparable electronics retailer or shop with some on display, get your grubby paws on it and see how it fits! The Kindle Fire is based of the Blackberry Playbook, which isn't a bad tablet to begin with. Remember that ALL reviews from tech sites have their own agendas and own slant. Some will always favor Android devices even if they have glaring flaws simply because they aren't Microsoft or Apple. Others will only extol the virtues of Apple at the cost of the other guys... On the web, everyone has a slant to their reviews in some way.

The best way is to just see one for yourself and see what you're going to be doing with it. If you do alot of reading, the 7" is a great slightly-bigger-than-paperbook size and has plenty of grunt for web browsing and streaming video, and is portable. If you want a large screen web browser with more comfort for typing and doing other work-related tasks rather than just consuming content, then the larger screen may be a fit.
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Post by Lostmycage »

I like the 7" size a lot for a tablet, browser, book glancer, and small app runner.

If I want full screen or what-not for productivity, then I want a laptop with a real, tactile keyboard... and the processing power and media drives to play along with my productive notions.
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Post by babblefish »

Guess I'm just old fashioned, but I still prefer good ol' paper books/magazines over an electronic reading device. Those things would just keep slipping off my lap when I'm reading in the Library.
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Post by neotrotsky »

babblefish wrote:Guess I'm just old fashioned, but I still prefer good ol' paper books/magazines over an electronic reading device. Those things would just keep slipping off my lap when I'm reading in the Library.
Old fashioned or not, it's far easier to carry around 50 or 60 books in a tablet than in physical form. Also, many textbooks are anywhere from 30 to 75% cheaper in digital format. This has been a HUGE plus for me going back to school, especially for bullshit classes where I have no interest in keeping the textbook (intra-personal communications? User guides for editing software already 2 versions out of date but required because one professor still uses the program?). If I had to lug around the textbooks that are needed for one day's classes, I'd have EIGHT texts on top of a computer, studio headphones, folders, external USB hard drive and whatever else for that day. I'd be stuck driving the Suzuki to school... and I mean the SUV and not the bike kind :cry: not cool.
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Post by k1dude »

Yeah! What neotrotsky wrote!

Try lugging 5 or 6 books along heading overseas. It SUCKS! I don't have an e-reader or tablet yet, but it's coming before I have to head overseas again. Or maybe I'll just get one of the new android phones with a 4.5" screen and download an e-reader app.
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Post by teabow1 »

babblefish wrote:Guess I'm just old fashioned, but I still prefer good ol' paper books/magazines over an electronic reading device. Those things would just keep slipping off my lap when I'm reading in the Library.
I used to think similarly too. Around 2006, I got a Sony digital ink reader. The attempt was to use it for my grad classes. Most contemporary academic jornals are online and a few academic monographs in my field are too. The experience was extremely, extremely poor. Frustratingly poor and woefully inadequate. The device is NOT for serious readers. Yeah if the style of reading you engage in is simply visually reading and in a linear fashion, sure. That device works. But for other kinds of reading, forget about it.

I dumped the Sony ereader.

Then this year, I bought an iPad 2. Whoa! The device has now proven to me that there is finally a digital device that is excellent for serious reading. Is it a full replacement for books? Definitely NOT. Some books are not suitable in digital formats and others need a much larger screen. Digital devices are still not as good for certain reading styles. Eg, when you need multiple documents be visible at the same time; when you need to flip through books. With digital devices, we lose tactile feedback. And we also lose the advantages of physicality, but we also lose its disadvantage.

The iPad is also excellent for web browsing. When combined with my Bluetooth keyboard, it can be used for some, not all, serious writing. For example, recently I was asked to be a journal referee, someone who reviews submitted articles to journals and gives a recommendation on whether the piece is qualified for publication. I wrote the entire report on the iPad 2. It's not a laptop replacement, but can in many instances.

With regards to web browsing, try out the 7 inch tablet and see if it works for you. For serious web browsing, I am doubtful. But, I'm not say it's impossible. For example, this post was entirely tapped out on an iPod touch. It has a very small screen. But I wouldn't use it for long like this. It would be frustrating and inefficient. I'm only doing it because I'm lying in bed.
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Post by logicflaw »

One issue the Wired reviewer had has been addressed: the rendering speed has been improved in the first Kindle update.
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Post by charlie55 »

babblefish wrote:Guess I'm just old fashioned, but I still prefer good ol' paper books/magazines over an electronic reading device. Those things would just keep slipping off my lap when I'm reading in the Library.
I'm with you, chief. But I do see the other point of view regarding the lugging around of books. Back when I was in college, we would regularly lose 3 or 4 students a week to textbook fatigue. Thanks to this amazing technology, tragedies like this need never happen again. :wink:
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Post by Tom »

I just bought the Kindle Touch, though I haven't received it yet.
Regarding tablets I once would have said I was waiting for something with these features:

Color e-ink (sized to fit comic books ideally)
A few simple apps (nothing that needs to refresh constantly). I'd like to see things like a sci calculator- unit converter- a place to take simple notes- a CALENDAR and day planner that syncs with google calendar. Heck most of the google apps would be good. Email. Free 3G like the old Kindle had.

When that's built and ready, I'd like them to deliver it to me on the new Genuine cruiser.

For what it's worth though, pretty rapid refresh e-ink is possible and hopefully coming soon. http://www.5min.com/Video/Color-and-Vid ... -266408242
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Post by babblefish »

charlie55 wrote:
babblefish wrote:Guess I'm just old fashioned, but I still prefer good ol' paper books/magazines over an electronic reading device. Those things would just keep slipping off my lap when I'm reading in the Library.
I'm with you, chief. But I do see the other point of view regarding the lugging around of books. Back when I was in college, we would regularly lose 3 or 4 students a week to textbook fatigue. Thanks to this amazing technology, tragedies like this need never happen again. :wink:
I think most people are misinterpreting my definition of "library"...:)
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Post by Southerner »

My 2: My brother owns a Nook Color and has a ball with it. If you intend to mostly browse, the LCD devices are fine. If you want something primarily for reading (other than magazines), go with E-ink for all the reasons noted above. I also note that current dedicated e-readers are really thin.

I got one of the $100 HP Touchpads. It came with a Kindle app installed but I haven't used it yet. I primarily keep the TP by my bedside for light browsing. I say "light" because entering text with an onscreen keyboard is in no way as good as a real keyboard, I don't care what anybody tells you. It's better with a tablet than with a smartphone but still not great.

I'll keep my TP for browsing but will probably get an E-ink machine in the future for actual reading.
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Post by Syd »

neotrotsky wrote:intra-personal communications?
What's that? Talking to yourself?
neotrotsky wrote:editing software already 2 versions out of date
Text editor? Ooh, we could start an editor war! I like brief myself.
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Stormswift
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Post by Stormswift »

It just got here. I'be never used a tablet / touch screen before so there is definately a learning curve. I am actually typing this on KF. It is not as limited as some sites suggested. I can access Youtube. Which some said I will not be able to. There are mobile versions of many websites so no shortage of places to explore. Just downloaded some classics from Amazone and local library
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Post by charlie55 »

babblefish wrote:I think most people are misinterpreting my definition of "library"...:)
Ah, yes. The porcelain podium. I guess dropping your Kindle or whatever on a tile floor imparts a whole new meaning to the expression "cracking a book".
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Post by teabow1 »

Southerner wrote:My 2: My brother owns a Nook Color and has a ball with it. If you intend to mostly browse, the LCD devices are fine. If you want something primarily for reading (other than magazines), go with E-ink for all the reasons noted above. I also note that current dedicated e-readers are really thin..
Owning both a digital ink device (Sony) and an iPad 2, I have to say that in my experience, reading on the LCD screen doesn't really hurt the eye one bit. I don't get fatigued from it. Other people might have a different experience. One place where digital ink devices shine is that they work very well under bright outdoor sunlight whereas LCD backlit screens don't work as well. However, ask yourself how often you read outdoors with the sun shining down on you. I don't. Maybe you do. But in general for my experience, the arguments about digital ink being much easier on the eyes than an LCD screen is unfounded.
iMoses

Post by iMoses »

neotrotsky wrote:
I won't go on about my opinion about Apple products...
...but you did!
:)
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Dooglas
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Post by Dooglas »

k1dude wrote:Try lugging 5 or 6 books along heading overseas.
Or 20 to 30 depending on where you are going and for how long. I'm with you. E-readers are one of the best things that ever happened for travelers.
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Post by pcbikedude »

I just bought one today. I'll give a review in a few days. It does not have a SD card slot or HDMI port as my old Coby. But it may not matter.

It is fast, browser is much better than the standard Android, and better graphics than the first gen of tablets.
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Post by neotrotsky »

Stormswift wrote:It just got here. I'be never used a tablet / touch screen before so there is definately a learning curve. I am actually typing this on KF. It is not as limited as some sites suggested. I can access Youtube. Which some said I will not be able to. There are mobile versions of many websites so no shortage of places to explore. Just downloaded some classics from Amazone and local library
Many tech sites tend to talk out of their Ass alot, claiming a device has something it does not or can't do something it obviously can. It's irritating and goes back to what I was saying how every tech site has a "slant"

Good to hear it's working out for you! I've been curious to hear people's reactions. Although, I may look to the Lenovo A1 tablet to replace my recently busted Samsung Galaxy Tab (Mental note: Most tablets don't survive a two story drop to the ground. NOT my fault :evil: but the wife insists she's very sorry)
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Post by Stormswift »

Absence of SD is a minus. The USB is not included, has to be bought separately. Without USB right now when I want something on my device I email it to my kindle email address provided by Amazon and it becomes saved on their server which I can access at any time I am Internet connected. Digital books are the same. I have not played yet with uploading those from kindle to their server . They will not work right out if downloaded from Gutenberg and need to be "washed" through Amazon servers. Otherwise once they are in the device they work fine. Gutenberg site has classics in .mobi format suitable for Kindle but as I said: download to your device f1st then upload to Amazon via their e-mail then it will work.The typing: you definitely need to hit the letters/numbers at the top right corner else it is a miss.
There are free apps on Amazon as well as free books. There are free books in our local library but there is a wait time.
I am going to check with Slingplayer folks to see if their Sling Player for Android tablet will work with Kindle Fire. At $29 .00 I want to be sure it will work before I kit the "purchase" button. If it works I do not need Amazon content. I will be able to stream my TV signal to my device anywhere in the world as I have done with my old Pocket PC and my "late" laptop and my current netbook.
So far the "inconveniences" are minor at least to me. I would have liked the SD slot build in or USB cord included, but they are available for purchase
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TVB

Post by TVB »

neotrotsky wrote:On the web, everyone has a slant to their reviews in some way.
Thanks for finally admitting this.
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Post by neotrotsky »

TVB wrote:
neotrotsky wrote:On the web, everyone has a slant to their reviews in some way.
Thanks for finally admitting this.
And speaking of opinions...

Just couldn't let a civil conversation keep going huh?
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neotrotsky
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Post by neotrotsky »

Stormswift wrote:Absence of SD is a minus. The USB is not included, has to be bought separately. Without USB right now when I want something on my device I email it to my kindle email address provided by Amazon and it becomes saved on their server which I can access at any time I am Internet connected. Digital books are the same. I have not played yet with uploading those from kindle to their server . They will not work right out if downloaded from Gutenberg and need to be "washed" through Amazon servers. Otherwise once they are in the device they work fine. Gutenberg site has classics in .mobi format suitable for Kindle but as I said: download to your device f1st then upload to Amazon via their e-mail then it will work.The typing: you definitely need to hit the letters/numbers at the top right corner else it is a miss.
There are free apps on Amazon as well as free books. There are free books in our local library but there is a wait time.
I am going to check with Slingplayer folks to see if their Sling Player for Android tablet will work with Kindle Fire. At $29 .00 I want to be sure it will work before I kit the "purchase" button. If it works I do not need Amazon content. I will be able to stream my TV signal to my device anywhere in the world as I have done with my old Pocket PC and my "late" laptop and my current netbook.
So far the "inconveniences" are minor at least to me. I would have liked the SD slot build in or USB cord included, but they are available for purchase
See, this is the part I REALLY don't like. In order to lock you into an ecosystem, they will take any chance to control or curtail whatever personal info you have on the device. Apple pulls the same scheme in different ways, especially with software. Both approaches make me very uneasy. It's my data, and I paid for the device with my cash. What I do with it after the purchase is NO business of the people who made it.
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Post by beastmaster »

i might be the last person in the world who prefers a old dusty hard back book over a e-reader/ tablet, nothing against the technology , i just like the nostalgia about a old hard back book
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Post by JHScoot »

neotrotsky wrote:
Stormswift wrote:Absence of SD is a minus. The USB is not included, has to be bought separately. Without USB right now when I want something on my device I email it to my kindle email address provided by Amazon and it becomes saved on their server which I can access at any time I am Internet connected. Digital books are the same. I have not played yet with uploading those from kindle to their server . They will not work right out if downloaded from Gutenberg and need to be "washed" through Amazon servers. Otherwise once they are in the device they work fine. Gutenberg site has classics in .mobi format suitable for Kindle but as I said: download to your device f1st then upload to Amazon via their e-mail then it will work.The typing: you definitely need to hit the letters/numbers at the top right corner else it is a miss.
There are free apps on Amazon as well as free books. There are free books in our local library but there is a wait time.
I am going to check with Slingplayer folks to see if their Sling Player for Android tablet will work with Kindle Fire. At $29 .00 I want to be sure it will work before I kit the "purchase" button. If it works I do not need Amazon content. I will be able to stream my TV signal to my device anywhere in the world as I have done with my old Pocket PC and my "late" laptop and my current netbook.
So far the "inconveniences" are minor at least to me. I would have liked the SD slot build in or USB cord included, but they are available for purchase
See, this is the part I REALLY don't like. In order to lock you into an ecosystem, they will take any chance to control or curtail whatever personal info you have on the device. Apple pulls the same scheme in different ways, especially with software. Both approaches make me very uneasy. It's my data, and I paid for the device with my cash. What I do with it after the purchase is NO business of the people who made it.
i agree. i also want the tern "ecosystem" taken back from business school grads and given back to environmentalist :P

it used to be 'can i use it with anything else?'

"no"

'well then goodbye'

now its like "no, but you see we have it all set up for you in our ecosystem. and we have a cloud

well, ecosystems and clouds are nice but i'd rather have a 1TB HD i have complete control over ty

still like my Kindle, though :roll:
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Post by Southerner »

While typing this on my Touchpad I will note that editing text on a device with a capacitive touchscreen is a pain because your fingertip is a terribly blunt instrument.
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Post by logicflaw »

If anyone is looking for an alternative, Costco has the Vizio tablet for 189.99. The internal storage is less, but it has a microSD slot, gps and ir blaster, so it can serve as a universal remote. It doesn't have a dual core processor, so the Fire and Nook are probably more future proof.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... 84&topnav=

Despite working for Costco and being tempted by the Vizio tab, I still bought a Kindle Fire instead. So far, it's nicely filled the gap between using my phone (Droid Charge) and a laptop, which is mostly occupied by my wife and her school work.
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