Q. I have a 3rd generation kindle at the moment, and I love it. However, I've been trying to get an ipad for the last year or so, but I just cannot see spending that much money on a tablet. Do you think the kindle fire would be hard on my eyes while reading? and is it a good choice for a tablet? Also do they only come in 8gb?
A. Hi, Sadie, Kindle Touch or Nook Simpletouch are e-Ink devices for reading and not video/web/apps while Kindle Fire or Nook Color are LCD screen devices for video/web/apps but not too much for reading. Pick which screen and functionality you need but consider my points below before you make a decision.
Before you think of getting a Kindle Fire, here's some limitations of it that you need to consider:
- Kindle Fire doesn't have microSD slot that, for example, Nook Color has thus it is stuck with 6 GB usable internal storage unlike Nook Color that can get up to 32 GB card in. Kindles are made to make sure you're tied up to Amazon's storage on the web (for which you need Wi-Fi connection to get to) and you can only store content you get from Amazon there, not other files. Quoting Amazon on Kindle Fire: "Free cloud storage for all Amazon content". Get it, Amazon content?
- The stats of how long the battery can last (Kindle Fire theory is 7.5 hours) are taken with Wi-Fi off. It will last only about 3 hours if you use it to access content from their Cloud storage over Wi-Fi.
- Amazon can spy on your web activity through their new cloud-integrated web browser of Kindle Fire.
- lack of microSD slot means that if you decide to root your Kindle Fire, youâll have to root the actual device thus there will be no coming back. On Nook Color, you can make it boot from a ârootedâ microSD card and if you want to get back to the original Nook you can just take out the card and reboot.
- Kindle Fire doesn't have a camera.
- Kindle Fire has about 70% less usable screen area than iPad 2.
- Kindle doesn't support eBooks in ePub format that is the most used format in the world.
- Kindle app store contains only Amazon approved apps and it does not include (and will not include) Netflix app that iPad has and Nook Color is getting thus again you're stuck with Amazon content only.
- Amazon confirmed that you cannot download/stream anything to Kindle Fire when traveling outside US.
- Amazon says it will review every app in its Appstore for Fire compatibility, as part of an automated process. Rejected apps will include those that rely on a gyroscope, camera, WAN module, Bluetooth, microphone, GPS, or micro SD. Apps are also forbidden from using Google's Mobile Services (and in-app billing), which, if included, will have to be "gracefully" removed. In terms of actual content, Amazon has outlawed all apps that change the tablet's UI in any way (including theme- or wallpaper-based tools), as well as any that demand root access.
- I'd recommend waiting for Nook Color 2 that is rumored to be released by Barnes & Noble on November 7..
Wanting to upgrade to a new Kindle?
Q. Well, I have a Kindle 1, and I want to upgrade.
My money situation as of now isn't that great, and thats why I'm wanting to save up, or wait until my B-day (November) or Christmas.
I know that the Kindle 2 has been out a while, and I'm wondering if there's a Kindle 3 coming out soon? I also don't want the Kindle 2 because of the fact there is no SD slot, and that is a must for me, because I have an 8gb SD card I got for my camera.
Also, I'd like to splurge for a DX, even though its a lot more, but what are the specs compared to the Kindle 2 (potential Kindle 3?)? Are they planning to come out with an upgrade for that too?
All help appreciated!!!! :D
A. Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002GYWHSQ?ie=UTF8&tag=0610-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002GYWHSQ
Review: I have owned both Kindle 1 and Kindle 2, so I'm already committed to the basic idea: e-ink reading in a slim form factor with excellent connectivity to a large selection of books and subscriptions. I have come to rely on my Kindle experience, and it has seriously enhanced my reading.
The DX was not an obvious upgrade for me, but two features put me over the edge: the larger screen, and the native PDF reader. I now have the DX in my hands, and can report PROS, CONS, and NEUTRALS:
PROS:
-- the larger screen is a definite plus. I use the larger type size on my Kindle 2 (older eyes), and at this type size I get far more text per page on the DX. This makes the whole reading experience more book-like (and should be a boon to people who buy large-print books.)
-- the screen is also sharper and crisper than my Kindle 2 in a side-by-side comparison: the text is darker, and the contrast is much better, making for better visibility overall.
-- on a side note, the larger screen also makes it possible to read poetry on the kindle, even at large type sizes. On earlier Kindles, the smaller screen cut off lines, so that you would lose the sense of when the poet ended the line. On the DX, you can see the whole line exactly as the poet meant it, with the cut-off in the right spot.
-- the PDF reader works as advertised, and is extremely convenient. PDF documents appear on the DX exactly as they do on a computer screen. Moreover, you can drag and drop your documents directly to the device using the USB cable (or use the for-a-fee email if you absolutely must.) The only downside: at least for the documents that I've used so far, I cannot adjust the type size as I can with native Kindle documents.
-- screen rotation also works as advertised: it operates as a mild zoom on both graphics and text and offsets slightly the downside of not being able to adjust the typesize on PDF documents. One nice design touch: the four-way navigation stick introduced on the Kindle 2 is rotation-sensitive, and will move as expected relative to the screen rotation.
-- more of the device space is devoted to the screen, while the white plastic border around the screen seems to have shrunk, both in general and compared to the proportion of screen to plastic on the Kindle 2. I like this (but see below about the keyboard).
-- storage: I like the increase in storage space, and don't mind the lack of an external storage card. I can see some people having trouble with this, but only those folks who either a) must regularly carry around PDF documents totalling more than 3.5 GB of space or b) must have nearly 3500 books regularly at their fingertips. I fall in neither category.
CONS:
-- price: it's expensive, as you can tell pretty quickly. If you value the larger size, and the native PDF reader, these features may justify the roughly 30% premium you pay for the DX over the Kindle 2. In truth, the DX SHOULD cost more than the Kindle 2, and a 30% premium isn't unreasonable. But, for my money, Amazon should drop the price on the Kindle 2 to $300 or so, and charge $400 or a little less for the DX. Still, I bought it, and will keep it at this price.
-- one-sided navigation buttons: all of the buttons are now on the right side, and none are on the left. I'm a righty, so I shouldn't complain, but I found myself using both sides on the Kindle 2. Lefties have reason to complain, I think.
-- One-handed handling: I often read while I walk, with my Kindle in one hand, and something else in my other. Because of the button layout, this will be more difficult on the DX.
-- metal backing: I miss the tacky rubberized backing on my Kindle 1. When I placed my Kindle 1 on an inclined surface, it stayed in place. Not so my Kindle 2 and now my DX. This is not a complaint specific to the DX, but it's still there.
That's all I can see. Overall, the pluses outweigh the minuses for me, and I'm satisfied with my purchase. I can now think of using my DX for work documents on a regular basis, because of the PDF reader. The screen size and screen rotation make the overall reading experience more immersive.
Overall, the DX feels more like text and less like device and comes closer to the stated goal of the Kindle: for the device to disappear, leaving only the joy of reading.
Amazon kindle upgrade?
Q. My daughter has a standard kindle and now wants a 7" tablet, do kindle offer a upgrade to a kindle fire whereby you can sell back the standard kindle to purchase the fire at a reduced cost
A. Yes, but don't expect to get much for the old model. Here you can find the trade-in price of different models of the Kindle for Amazon:
http://budurl.com/TradeInPriceKindle
So you can get the new Kindle with the cost difference.
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