Which tablet?
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- d_rek0
georgesIII,
That's the entire problem summed up, isn't it? People just need to understand that the devices are really are marketed towards wholly different ends. I didn't buy a kindle fire thinking it was going to be an iPad. I bought a kindle fire because it's a kindle fire. I have no complaints. My fiancee loves the thing. She's been using it non-stop since she got it.
Personally, I could see myself upping to the iPad2 (or 3, whenever that's released) because I would benefit from the integration in the rest of my digital lifestyle. My fiancee on the otherhand, put simply, does not.
Again, we're really very two different target audiences for two different products. Apples to Oranges people.
- I see, you're agreeing that a Kindle Fire isn't a tablet; apples and orangesmonospaced
- fues0
Any reasonably priced Android tablet?
- not really, ESPECIALLY if you've ever used an iPadmonospaced
- emphor0
Bio Slim
- zaq0
Kindle Fire http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Fir…
- sine0
at $199 for the kindle fire amazon is going to make a killing this christmas
- autoflavour0
take the blue pill
- raf0
Buy them something else then. Android tablets are only good if you're a geek in need of the feeling of superiority coming from the fact you can upload any files on/off it and use it as an oversize USB stick.
Buy a new iPad from Craigslist? Kindle Keyboard or Touch for books?
- monospaced0
The Kindle Fire is kind of a sad excuse for a tablet.
- d_rek0
@monospaced,
disagree. It's a very affordable and capable tablet. But there is a *VERY* clear distinction that needs to made with a Kindle Fire and most other tablets out there. It's really a device for MEDIA CONSUMPTION. It's really great at handling most visual media (books, video, web). It's perfect for my fiancee, who's only personal-computing needs are reading books, browsing the web, and watching videos.
That being said what it is NOT A LIFESTYLE device for a people on the go. It does not do productivity stuff very well(or at all). It's not going to manage your iCal/Google calendar for you. It's not for power-emailers on the go. You're not going to get access to all of those pointless, esoteric app store/google market apps.
If you want all of that stuff (most people do) then get an iPad/different android tablet.
- monospaced0
@d_rek
I agree, it is a glorified media player with basically no foreseeable productivity capabilities. It has no GPS and a laughable mail client. And for these reasons (and many, many, many more), it shouldn't be defined as a tablet, let alone a competitor to the iPad.
I think it comes down to how one defines a tablet. If it's form-factor alone, then sure, the Kindle is a tablet. But when you define it as a new computing device that makes life and work easier, the thing is well, "kind of a sad excuse for a tablet."
- meh. Another apple to orange comparison. Do your homework already.d_rek
- I did my homework man! Tons of it. The Fire really underperforms in so many places.monospaced
- Let's face facts, the kindle is no iPadgoldieboy
- detritus0
imho, the 'tablet' moniker was always an open one, catering to the loweliest of dumb terminals (actually, more so this end) up to productivity computers.
Certainly, my personal vision for tablet use is to have a handful of them around the place, referring to my main computer where complexity is needed (ie. as additional interfaces for software or nodes to pull data to).
I doubt that the majority of people buy into Kindle as a productivity device — hence the maintenance of the Kindle brand tag.
- you're also correct, but you missed the part where Apple finally defined the consumer tabletmonospaced
- In that case, may I point out that Amazon have themselves never referred to the Kindle Fire as a 'Tablet;.detritus
- fair enough, but didn't they do a direct comparison with the iPad?monospaced
- moldero0
Browsing the Internet on the iPad sucks dicks. (yup "s" for plural because it sucks many many dicks) I'm my opinion. Not just because of the lack of the flash player, but it seems like a good portion of creatively designed HTML 5 sites are designed for a mouse and not a finger. Other than that, iPads pretty damn cool, but it makes me curious if browsing on other tablets is any better?
- moldero0
Last week I tried the photon browser to see how flash runs on the iPad, it ran, but super slow, but what was worst was since most decent flash sites use a lot of mouse over actions as part of its interaction and or navs which is not really possible to use with a finger, makes me wonder what the real reason jobs was all over flashes nuts in the first place.
- vaxorcist0
For me, I need a micro-SD card slot, which the iPad does not have.
I'm considering the Barnes and Noble Nook Tablet
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/r…- why?monospaced
- I have to use it as an image previewing device during photo/video shoots for clients...vaxorcist
- ernexbcn0
iPad is the only reasonable choice. I'd wait version 3 though for the double resolution display everyone seems to agree it will have.
- sine0
honestly, i prefer the ipad for it's broader application. but why knock the kindle... it is what it is, and doesn't pretend to be anything else. it's also a 3rd of the price of a ipad.
- monospaced0
I'm knocking the Kindle Fire because as an iPad alternative for a guy who doesn't want to spend $500, I think it's a bad choice. That's all. Otherwise, I definitely see it's place in market and I wish it the best.
- the ipad's competition/alternat... is android tablets, not the kindle... the kindle is diffirent peice of tech.sine
- agreedmonospaced
- fyoucher10
Kindle Fire if you're getting it for your "folks". It's $200. iPad is overkill for them. If your folks are suit-and-tie type folks, they probably already own an iphone, blackberry, or already have an ipad. If they don't already own either of them, they're probably not even "emailing" (in quotes for some reason). They'll likely use it for viewing YouTube videos of your children growing up. Or reading a book that's being shared by their book club. Or Googling a recipe. Or trying to use Facebook. ALL OF WHICH THE KINDLE FIRE DOES :)
Regarding performance: This is your folks we're talking about (I'd guess they're either in their 50's - 70's). To them, it's so futuristic-ally technological; they'll think it's blazing fast.
About being productive on a tablet: Tablets are NOT productive. Typing on one is crap compared to a laptop. You can attach a keyboard to it but at that point why not just use a laptop, defeats the entire purpose of a tablet. I have an iPad. I use it for email, reading RSS, watching NetFlix / HBO Go / YouTube, and occasionally playing Angry Birds. That's it. I can't see myself designing on one or doing any real work on one, sorry. My wife, who is a HR Manager (deals with Excel spreadsheets, Word, all that boring productive crap you would say you would be using it for to be productive; still uses a laptop for being productive and mainly uses her iPad2 for media consumption. To be perfectly honest, I don't see tablets being for anything more than --> media consumption; what the Kindle Fire is made for. No extras added on and why it costs a third of the price of the cheapest iPad. The one caveat I can think of, is that it doesn't include a camera to do things like FaceTime; which would be nice if your folks live far away and you want to be able to chat face to face with them. But then again, it is worth an extra $400 just to do that? I can totally see the Kindle Fire being a MAJOR competitor to the iPad in the months to come (or even overcoming it in popularity).
At $200, it'll be hard to beat. Especially in this economy.
- d_rek0
@monospaced
You're really thinking about it the wrong way. 'iPad alternative' is not the way to think about it. If you want an 'iPad alternative' you need to look at the other tablets on the market. You're seriously doing an Apples to Oranges comparison here. The iPad is an iPad. The Kindle Fire is a Kindle Fire. While inherently similar the distinction I mentioned above is really what sets them apart. You really need to quit thinking of it as an iPad alternative.
- So who ever mentioned the kindle in the first place on this thread is wrong (zaq). He asked for a tablet alternative... No?goldieboy