# Kindle Fire 7" LCD vs HD



## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

I'm definitely buying a Kindle Fire 7" this weekend to be used mainly for reading Ebooks...

they both have text-to-voice which I use when available...how much difference is stereo speakers vs Dolby on TtV

I'm retired and on limited income and I've noticed the differences to save the $40 but I would like sone input on:Interface...

LCD has 2 point multitouch 
HD   has 10 point multitouch

how big of a difference is this on multitouch


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## SheilaJ (Apr 10, 2011)

I have both a regular Fire and a Fire HD.  The regular fire does NOT have text to speech.  I would suggest the Fire HD.  You won't be disappointed.


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## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

SheilaJ said:


> I have both a regular Fire and a Fire HD. The regular fire does NOT have text to speech. I would suggest the Fire HD. You won't be disappointed.


according to comparison table that shows the specs on the different Kindle devices, both the 
7" Fire LCD and 7" Fire HD both have text-to-voice!!!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

The original Fire did not have text-to-speech; the 2d Generation Fire (non HD) does have it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_201009600_access?nodeId=201009600#access



> Kindle Fire 2nd Generation has the following accessibility features: Text-to-Speech reads your books aloud in a female voice, speaking U.S. English. For more information, see Text-to-Speech.


Betsy


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## SheilaJ (Apr 10, 2011)

I wasn't aware of that.  Sorry for giving misleading information.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

SheilaJ said:


> I wasn't aware of that. Sorry for giving misleading information.


It gets confusing sometimes.  I only knew 'cause we had this discussion in a different thread....

Betsy


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## Pickett (Jan 6, 2011)

The difference between 2 pt and 10 pt multitouch is probably only going to matter if you are playing fast-paced games.  I have the original 1 gen Fire and feel no need for more multitouch.  But then any games are play are slow paced-Sudoku and a bridge building game.
  
As for speakers, I cannot address this-I always listen to anything with some comfortable over the ear head phones. Just now I tried listening to some Mozart without the headphones-the speakers were loud enough, but not good at all for classical music.

I have always thought the picture on any movies I watch is excellent and feel no need for hd.

I use my Fire primarily for reading and for that it is great-love it. I also watch some prime movies on it, in bed with headphones; I play Sudoku (too much); and listen to some audio books from Audible: for all these things it is great.  I have noticed for music it is not the best sound, but with headphones it is perfectly acceptable to me for those times I do listen.


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## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

from all your replies it sounds like I can get by with the LCD model....

90% of my use will be reading EBooks with text-to-voice when available...

I have an IPad mini for most of the other stuff, not a big fan of Android on Kindle devices...


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## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

Question for Ann or Betsy

before I make my purchase here are major differences as I see it to save $40...

LCD vs HD
stereo vs Dolby speakers
1024 x 600 vs 1380 x 800 on pixels 
8G vs 16G storage
8.5H vs 11H battery life
2 point vs 10 point multi touch
14.1oz vs 13.9oz weight 
7.44" x 4.72" x 0.45" vs 7.6" x  5.4" x 0.4 dimensions

am I going to regret taking the cheap way out to save $40


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I've not seen the current non-HD model. . . but thought the original non-HD Fire was quite good.  Yes, HD is better, but if, as you say, you'll mostly be reading, I think you'll be fine.  Unless you are interested in watching HD movies or playing games that require detailed graphics, I don't see a problem.

But, really, I can't answer the question.  If you spend the $40 you might regret doing so if the HD doesn't live up to your expectations.

Amazon does have a really good return policy.  You could order both, try them out side by side, and then return the one you don't prefer within 30 days.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't know about the "revamped original" Fire, but I do know that the speakers on the HD are *much* better than the speakers on the 1st gen Fire. So if TTS is a big deal for you, you might be happier with the HD, unless you plan to use headphones/earbuds. The speakers were one of the 1st gen's weaknesses.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

MrKnucklehead said:


> Question for Ann or Betsy
> 
> before I make my purchase here are major differences as I see it to save $40...
> 
> ...


If you are just gonna mostly read on it I would save the $40. But that is just me.

Now seriously how to really make up your mind is do you need the $40 to eat, buy meds, pay a bill or can you spare the extra $40? Will you have to beg people for money for groceries because you spent the money on a luxury when you really needed groceries? Don't laugh I actually had someone do that to me one time. Actual conversation "Hi! We need groceries can you help us out because my husband spent all our money on WWE tickets and t-shirts. Oh and the show was great you should have been there."
Needless to say no I didn't help her though I did offer to buy her lunch but not feed her husband.

Go with the one you can afford and enjoy it.


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## Toby (Nov 25, 2008)

Go with the Fire HD. Why? If you were okay with the the decision to order the 2nd Generation Fire, you would not be wondering what to do now. That's just my 2 cents. However, I have no experience wih the 2nd Generation Fire, only the original Fire. The speakers are not good on the original. Storage- 8GB  is too little for me on the original Fire. However, reading books are great on the original Fire as well as the Fire HD. I like the Fire HD better.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I have the KF HD 7" and never had the original KF.  I had no idea when I bought it that I would use it so much to watch videos (especially Amazon prime instant, and I've had Amazon prime for years).  I have an HDMI cord to hook it up to my TV.  The original fire doesn't have that option.  I use my fire more for watching movies and British TV than for anything else.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

Go with the HD. Better to have excess capability and not use it than to NOT have the capability and end up wishing you had it. I do probably about 85 - 90% of my reading on my Fire HD. BUT, there are times when I'm glad I can watch a movie or a TV show and HD makes a big difference there. Besides, as cinisajoy says, if the $40 isn't needed for something else, it's not really that much of a difference.


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## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

I noticed that ability to put books in Collections and time left in chapter/book are not listed in specs , so can I assume they're NOT available on 7" Kindle Fire


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Collections aren't available on any of the Fires.  It's a sore point for some.  Some people use a third party app but there are trade offs--you lose some things to gain collections.  I'm not sure about time left in book--I think that's only on the HDs if it's there at all.  It seems to me it's something that was just recently added...off to check my Fire.  Yes, it's there on my 8.9HD.

Betsy


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## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

you'd think technology that's available on the Kindle Paperwhite would be available on newer 
Kindle versions


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Well the PW and the Fires have totally different operating systems.  Collections on any of the apps arrived after they were on the eInk Kindles, to the best of my recollection.  And apparently it's not easy to add them to the Android app; even the third party add-ons involve removing features from the Kindle app, near as I can tell.

Betsy


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## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

Betsy, 

I'm a big fan of the Kindle for reading EBooks, I have an IPad mini for all the other stuff...

my only complaint is it seems like every different Kindle is missing some essential book reading technology...

these are things I wish all came on the Kindle EReader...

(1) color for books with pictures
(2) collections
(3) minutes left in chapter/book
(4) text-to-speech...

if I buy to 7" tomorrow it'll be the 4th Kindle I've purchased...
K3, Paperwhite and 1st Gen Kindle Fire, which I gave to my schoolteacher daughter (who won't give it back  

Q: for members: have many have purchased 2 or more Kindles for themselves


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

MrKnucklehead said:


> Betsy,
> 
> I'm a big fan of the Kindle for reading EBooks, I have an IPad mini for all the other stuff...
> 
> ...


And see, I don't consider any of those essential book reading technologies. I just want to be able to read, carry a bunch of books with me on vacation, and not have it lose my place (which is my main problem with the third party collection apps for the Fire). Anything else is gravy...

My Kindles are in my sig.... I've also had an original Fire.... I've also given my brother a Fire and given two basic Kindles away.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm with Betsy. . .the time to chapter is nice, and collections is nice.  But neither are 'gotta haves'.  And I've no real interest in color on an eInk device and no use for text to speech.  For me the PaperWhite is just about perfect.  And my basic kindle is a good back up.  

I also have Fires, but honestly don't read on the much. . .mostly do games and some magazines.


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## booklover888 (May 20, 2012)

MrKnucklehead said:


> (1) color for books with pictures
> (2) collections
> (3) minutes left in chapter/book
> (4) text-to-speech...
> ...


Just in case it isn't clear, both the 2nd gen Fire and the Fire HD have (3) minutes left in chapter/book (as do the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Paperwhite).

The Kindle reading app on the 2nd gen Fire and the Fire HD is the same. (Yes I have both).

And to answer your question, I have purchased 2 K3's (sold one, gave one to my mom), Kindle Touch, Kindle Paperwhite, 1st gen Fire (sold) 2nd gen Fire (it's my little girl's) and Fire HD. Of those, my favorite to read on is the Paperwhite.


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## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

if all you use the Kindle for is to read and don't need any of the "essentials" I posted up thread, me and over 
100 Million IPad owners can just download the Kindle app on the IPad without any need to buy a Kindle...


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I do have an iPad with the Kindle app.  And I read on it occasionally, just as I occasionally read on the Fire.  But the things I love about my eInk Kindles, and why I'll have one as long as they're available, aren't the things you listed.  It's the weight, the ability to read easily in sunlight and the marvellous battery life, in addition to the basics I mentioned earlier.

I didn't get my Fire as a reading device any more than I got the iPad as one.  I don't think one can beat a dedicated eInk reader for reading...

That being said, everyone's requirements are different.  Mine are very simple, really, and can be met by having a half dozen gadgets around. 

Betsy


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## booklover888 (May 20, 2012)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I do have an iPad with the Kindle app. And I read on it occasionally, just as I occasionally read on the Fire. But the things I love about my eInk Kindles, and why I'll have one as long as they're available, aren't the things you listed. It's the weight, the ability to read easily in sunlight and the marvellous battery life, in addition to the basics I mentioned earlier.
> 
> I didn't get my Fire as a reading device any more than I got the iPad as one. I don't think one can beat a dedicated eInk reader for reading...
> 
> ...


I totally agree with you. I really don't even like reading on my Fire, or any tablet. I much prefer e-ink readers. That's why I now have 2 lighted readers, and will doubtless buy more down the road. They are the best for reading, which is what I do. My Fire has it's own jobs, but reading is rarely one of them.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't mind reading on the LCD screen...but I do like the lightness of my PW...so much easier to hold and read for an hour or so...

I dunno...the minutes left in the chapter isn't such a big deal to me, though I know others like it.  But then the little dots at the bottom weren't a big deal to me, either, and they were to others.  Maybe I'm weird.    (Ann, don't answer that!)

Betsy


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Different owners, different needs.  And different readers will be happy with different reader solutions. The best reading app I've used is the Marvin app for iPad, on my iPad Mini. It doesn't have time to end of chapter, but it does show pages left in chapter. It is, of course, color for any color illustrations.  It has collections. It easily connects wirelessly to sites like Feedbooks, Gutenberg and others, as well as to my Calibre library either through my home wifi or through Dropbox.  It has lots of font choices, as well as lots of font and background color choices, and you can set up 3 different themes and, better yet, switch between them by just tapping the top of the screen. Same with brightness control - sliding your finger up and down the screen controls brightness. It's probably the first reading app I've used that truly seems to have been developed by a reader, with a reader's needs in mind (at least this reader's   ).  And the developer is accessible and open to suggestions for improvements, and will explain why certain options aren't feasible. 

Still, it doesn't have any kind of text-to-speech (unless you use the iOS accessibility speech feature, which isn't particularly convenient), but that's immaterial for me since I've never used TTS on the Kindles that do have it. Most importantly, it's currently only for DRM-free ePubs, so it's not a great solution for everyone.  But for me, it has made my iPad Mini my primary reader, and I never thought a backlit screen would lure me from eInk. 

I got my first Kindle in 2008. I've also had the 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen Kindles. And I had a 1st gen Fire and now the Fire HD. I've sold all my previous gen models to offset the cost of upgrading. I've also had a couple of Nooks - had and hated the 1st gen Nook, got one of the $20 deals on a Nook Touch recently and it's reminding me why I prefer Kindle. For pure reading, it's quite nice. It's doing anything else that's a royal pain, relatively speaking.


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## MrKnucklehead (Mar 13, 2013)

Memo, 

what is the correct name for the IPad reading app you were talking about up above

I put MARVIN in search query in Apple App Store and couldn't find it...


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Hmmm....it's called Marvin on my iPad....

EDIT:  It's called "Marvin for iOS" and it came up when I put in "marvin" as a search term....it came up under Apps for Ipad.

Betsy


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Yep, Marvin for iOS. Info here: http://marvinapp.com/


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## NightReader (Apr 25, 2010)

Did they add external volume buttons to the 2nd generation of the regular Fire? 

If not, I would choose the HD just for the volume buttons.  That has always bugged me about mine (1st generation).


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## booklover888 (May 20, 2012)

NightReader said:


> Did they add external volume buttons to the 2nd generation of the regular Fire?
> 
> If not, I would choose the HD just for the volume buttons. That has always bugged me about mine (1st generation).


No, they did not add the volume button feature.


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