# Honest Opinion..



## Guest

Hey all,

For those who have their Kindle Fires, what is your honest opinion on it? I know it's early days, but im sure there are a few opinions floating about , and also give it a score out of 10


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## B.C. Young

It's good. I'll tag it as an 8, but over time, as they upgrade the software, I think that will change.

The screen looks great. Netflix looks fantastic on it. Web browsing lives up to the hype. I hope they bring Amazon Silk to PCs!

The UI is also very good, although sometimes not as intuitive as it should be. That's the drawback of a smaller screen, you have to use icons to communicate what something is instead of text. After a week of use though, I'm sure it will become second nature.

Finally, the touchscreen is touch-and-go (to use a pun). Sometimes it works fine, other times it seems like I need to touch something 2-3 times before it reacts. I'm sure a software update can fix that issue.

Overall I'm very happy with the Kindle Fire, as is my wife who I bought it for.


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## DYB

So far I'd give it a 7.  Set-up was a breeze, Silk runs fast (I was accessing Kindle Boards, Facebook, Amazon, and a political blog I read.)  I find the web is easier to navigate in panoramic mode (just flip the device sideways.)  I haven't played any games or streamed video yet (but based on published reviews the videos are its best feature.)


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## larryb52

I have an ipad & I think its a better option, amazon did a good job combining all their services so all the areas work flawlessly. I am impressed & I was a skeptic.Video is seemless, apps/games are fun & work well...internet works great yes you have to pinch & spread what you're reading but you do that on the ipad, speakers are fantastic & it has an equalizer to help for the kind of music you like & of course books read just fine, different fonts & sizing. I am a believer & I usually am hesitent to give a great review this fast...hope that helps PM me if you wish...


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## monkeyluis

I think it's an absolutely fantastic device.  I've been an iPad fan from the beginning.  Absolutely love my iPad.  My kids loved my iPad so much that they forced me to buy an iPad 2 when that came out and they got the iPad 1 as a hand-me-down.

That being said I absolutely love the Fire.  I'm also in love with and a fanboy of the Amazon ecosystem as well as the Kindle services.  I've never read more in my life since I started owning a Kindle.  And since I've cancelled cable, I read even more now.

I think, my opinion, that if anyone can combine android and a tablet, and do it right, it's Amazon.  I think they have a done a fantastic job.  I think the UI is absolutely beautiful and works wonderful to quickly and easily access your content.

Setting it up was a nice quick easy process and I had no problems at all.  I downloaded a couple of apps and downloaded my currently reading book, Steve Jobs, LOL...

I still absolutely love my iPad and will continue using it to browse the forums, read news and read my magazines.  I think the bigger screen size is nice for the magazines.  But I did download the comixology app and downloaded a few of my comics and they look great on the Kindle Fire, works just like the iPad version.

As far as reading, it's great.  Just like reading on the iPad Kindle app.  One of the additional features though is that of having different font options.  That's pretty nice.

I'm not really concerned about some of the options that reviewers on the web say that amazon left out.  Such as bluetooth, more storage, etc.  And I disagree that it's just a hardware portal for their services.  If that was the case, then you wouldn't be able to install netflix, hulu, comixology, nook, etc.  Yes, having a prime membership and quick easy access to to amazon content is a huge plus, but you do have options.  Going back to bluetooth, I wouldn't mind that, but I don't find it totally a necessity.  I'm thinking from a headphone perspective.

So that's my honest opinion.  I'm a fan.  

If you know me and know how much I love the iOS ecosystem, you'll know that when I say what I've said above I don't BS.  LOL...

Do I think it's an iPad killer?  No, not in the least, but I think it can "kill" other tablets in the same form factor and size.  As some say, content is king.  I also think the ecosystem is king.  Amazon and Apple have both nailed it.  You have to have it simple and easy to be able to access the content, apps, movies, music, mags, books, comics, etc.  Yes I'm a geek and yes I could do everything that everyone always talks about, like rooting and stuff.  But why can't I just use my device, why can't i just go in, see what I want and get started right away.  I want to sit back, relax and enjoy my content, I don't want to have to root, this and that, etc.  It really annoys me to no end when I see people that say they have to do this right away.  Chill out and just enjoy what these people have put out.  These devices are very very very capable and can do a lot out of the box, just let it be every once in a while.  End rant.  LOL, sorry.

Again, I think the iPad and Fire are in similar categories and it just depends on what you want to do.  Had the fire been out a few months ago I would have recommended it over the iPad to my father when he was going to buy the iPad for my mother, which I went with him to buy.  Hey, either way, she still loves her iPad.

My only, slight...quibble.  It's heavier than I expected.  LOL...

Ok, hope this helps.  Thanks for reading.


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## DYB

larryb52 said:


> I have an ipad & I think its a better option,


I think you mean "Fire is a better option?" Or I wasn't sure if you meant the iPad is. From your review I gather it's Fire?


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## DYB

larryb52 said:


> .internet works great yes you have to pinch & spread what you're reading but you do that on the ipad,


I found the web easier to use in the panoramic (sideways) mode. The page filled out all the way side to side and then I just scrolled up and down and didn't even have to "zoom in." But I guess not all sites are created equal.


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## William G. Jones

I was a little disappointed with my Fire last night, mainly because it seems to have some connectivity issues with my router (sitting two feet away from the router, my Fire only showed 2 bar reception, and forget being in another room). Netflix looks horrible on my Fire but Amazon Prime videos look spectacular. One of my biggest hopes was that I'd find reading on it a joy, but the screen doesn't strike me as being any better than my MacBook Pro. I won't be reading books on my Fire, that's for sure.

The software updated last night--or I assume that's what it did, I wasn't really paying attention when it went off and rebooted itself--and after that, I got a few more apps and it felt like the connectivity got better. Netflix still looks horrible, though. Which is odd, because it's perfect on my TV.

I love the email. I love web browsing on it. I even love the office document reader and how I can connect with Dropbox to read my MS Office files. What I don't love is the idea of paying $15 for the full-featured version of a product that was free THE DAY BEFORE MY FIRE ARRIVED. Grrrrr...

Anyway, I bought the Fire because I wanted an iPad but didn't want to spend that much money on a device that I would essentially surf the web and watch videos on. I also figured the Fire being smaller would make it more convenient. Time will tell, it's really grown on me just in the short time since I got it, but I have a feeling my hunch the day I pre-ordered is correct--for me, the Fire is a gateway drug into iPad.


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## Ann in Arlington

Remember, there's a board for reviews as well: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/board,79.0.html


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## ReginaLovesHer Kindle

DYB said:


> I think you mean "Fire is a better option?" Or I wasn't sure if you meant the iPad is. From your review I gather it's Fire?


I was confused by that as well and would love to read what you meant.


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## trastan

William G. Jones said:


> ... Time will tell, it's really grown on me just in the short time since I got it, but I have a feeling my hunch the day I pre-ordered is correct--for me, the Fire is a gateway drug into iPad.


In my opinion, they're not competing products - they're just meant to fill different needs. There's some feature overlap, but I, for example, have an iPad, and I'm choosing to go from iPad to Fire because it fits me better. I don't have any use for an office application, I wouldn't use HDMI/VGA output, and I have no interest in adding games beyond Bejeweled and Fruit Ninja - for work, I use my laptop, and for games, I have my 3DS/PSP/Vita (eventually). What I need is a small tablet that does content consumption extremely well, and ties into the services that I already use. I need something to play music and movies, browse the web, read e-books, view my Comixology library, watch Netflix, keep up with my Twitter feed, connect to my e-mail account, and keep a basic to-do list going. The Fire meets or exceeds all of these criteria (I have to say, being able to view Flash on web pages is awfully nice), and has Amazon's support, updates, and services to back it up. That's why I'm keeping my Fire, and the iPad goes to my mom.

If you want a tablet to replace a laptop, as I originally thought that did when I purchased the iPad, then the Fire's a poor choice for you. Get that iPad; you won't be disappointed.


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## raccemup

I'm really enjoying it! It *does exactly what I expected it to do as advertised*. 

I was concerned after reading some of the reviews about the browser and "lagginess" but I have experienced NO problems whatsoever. I have ZERO patience and was really concerned about page load times but it is fast and perfectly fine. It has definitely met my expectations and is a really smooth performing, solid device. I have a wi-fi network at home on broadband/cable so I'm sure that helps! lol

I have never had a tablet before and was hoping to replace most of my "fun stuff" like web browsing, etc that my netbook does. I am having a hard time getting used to typing on the keyboard tho and may invest in a stylus (one of my client's makes them!). That of course, is a user learning curve issue. Yes, once in a blue a touch command won't register but it's not a biggie. I have the same problem on my hubby's Ipod Touch.

Overall: Initial Set up, Ease of use, video quality, music playback, app performance, browsing experience, Gmail App, Angry Birds = TOPS! And I mean.. so far it really has been FLAWLESS! 

I should also add that I am already a long time Amazon/Prime user so my content is already there and probably does enhance my personal user experience (which is I went with the Fire over a Galaxy Tab in the first place for a tablet).

Oh one more thought: actually reading books on it? No way, Jose! K3 E-ink all the way for that!  Definitely feel the eyestrain but I knew that going in!


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## KindleChickie

I like it, it is a very elegant device.  But it does not fit my needs.  I am away from wifi most of the time and the limited storage just isn't going to work for me.  If it had an SD slot, I would keep it just for movies, tv seasons, and music videos. I like video much better on the Fire than the iPad.  I would use it like a big iPod touch if I could.

I love that it fits all my K3 covers.  I have several cute covers that never get used because I love my lighted cover.  It looks so good in my black leather Icon Dancers Rest cover.  The cover is really nice, best leather of any cover I have owned.

The battery life on mine is pretty poor.  Not sure if it is due to my first usage or whatever, but it is unsatisfactory.  I guess the iPad and kindle readers have me spoiled. If I keep it I am considering putting it in my remote bowl in the living room for company to play with.  If I do not keep it, I have to decide if how to sell it best.  Returning it to Amazon will be a last resort as it is not Amazons fault I am unsatisfied.  I kinda knew it wouldn't work for me.


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## ReginaLovesHer Kindle

How many hours of video will the memory hold?  Anyone know?


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## ReginaLovesHer Kindle

KindleChickie said:


> I like it, it is a very elegant device. But it does not fit my needs. I am away from wifi most of the time and the limited storage just isn't going to work for me. If it had an SD slot, I would keep it just for movies, tv seasons, and music videos. I like video much better on the Fire than the iPad. I would use it like a big iPod touch if I could.
> 
> I love that it fits all my K3 covers. I have several cute covers that never get used because I love my lighted cover. It looks so good in my black leather Icon Dancers Rest cover. The cover is really nice, best leather of any cover I have owned.
> 
> The battery life on mine is pretty poor. Not sure if it is due to my first usage or whatever, but it is unsatisfactory. I guess the iPad and kindle readers have me spoiled. If I keep it I am considering putting it in my remote bowl in the living room for company to play with. If I do not keep it, I have to decide if how to sell it best. Returning it to Amazon will be a last resort as it is not Amazons fault I am unsatisfied. I kinda knew it wouldn't work for me.


The video is better on the Fire than the iPad? Well that is great news. Wifi would make this device close to perfect, if you are away from wifi and you want more than X number of hours in video I can see why this would not work for you. So sorry. But a very nice toy for guests!


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## KindleChickie

Oh and one more cool feature, all of my banking content is available on the Fire.  With my iPad, I do not have full access to things like spending charts, etc.


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## ReginaLovesHer Kindle

ReginaLovesHer Kindle said:


> How many hours of video will the memory hold? Anyone know?


I just found this on the Amazon website, "8GB internal (approximately 6GB available for user content). That's enough for 80 apps, plus 10 movies or 800 songs or 6,000 books". I believe that is enough for my needs, as I believe this will be used mainly at my house and occasionally outside.


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## CNDudley

monkeyluis said:


> My only, slight...quibble. It's heavier than I expected. LOL...


Exactly what my mom said, but she agrees the Amazon streaming videos look great.


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## ReginaLovesHer Kindle

Just got mine.  It is beautiful, the video is amazing.  The wifi was a breeze to set up.  It is heavier than I expected.


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## larryb52

I ordered some ear phones & a nice cover/stand but it will be home mostly unless I can get IT to setup the wifi here at the work & usually they don't like that...


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## Hoosiermama

Mine arrived today. My first impressions are that it's sturdy. Heavier than the Kindle, but that's ok. The screen is very reflective, which surprised me somewhat. At least it's more reflective than I anticipated it would be. I like the forked version of Android...it's very smooth. I love the bookshelf, and easy access to everything in the cloud. All of my music and books were already there (I uploaded my music quite awhile ago, and buy my music through Amazon, so that works for me!). I find everything pretty intuitive. I may watch a movie tonight as DH and our oldest son are going to be watching basketball.

It's a gorgeous device. As soon as it powered on, it downloaded the software update. Setup was really smooth, and connected to our wireless here at work with no problem. LI'm really pleased with it. I listened to Pandora for awhile on it, and the sound quality was good. Curious to see how the battery holds up. 

I got a Touch at the same time, and to be honest, I haven't even opened it yet. It may become a Christmas present for one of my sons. I'm not sure yet.


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## Guest

Interesting opinions, definitely worth the $199 then?


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## monkeyluis

swiftness91 said:


> Interesting opinions, definitely worth the $199 then?


I would highly recommend.


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## B.C. Young

swiftness91 said:


> Interesting opinions, definitely worth the $199 then?


I'd say it's definitely worth it!


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## obsanesth

I have a K1, K2, Ipad with Kindle app and the Fire will be a nice addition.  Its a little heavier than I expected but I can live with that.  I will alternate my reading between the Fire and my Ipad.  My Original Kindles are very dusty   My only disappointment is not being able to download the free prime video stuff for viewing later when there is no wifi.


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## racheldeet

7/10.

As far as Android tablets go, it's the best I've used, and it works amazingly well for what I wanted to use it for -- reading, occasional web surfing, and lots of video streaming. It's more portable than my iPad and has better integration with the service I use most often: Amazon.

There are some finicky glitches I've run into, mostly to do with the touch screen and occasionally it refuses to do something simple, but for the most part they're not the sort of things that totally mess up my flow. So, I'm pleased with my purchase. I'll be more pleased when I have the money to splurge on a NY Times subscription (gotta have my weekly book reviews) and a couple of apps I use endlessly make their way to the device (notably Instapaper, which has an unofficial app that doesn't work well at all).


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## Guest

What's the battery life like? Do you use alot of it's features on a regular basis?


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## luvshihtzu

We now have a Kindle Fire, iPad and iTouch at our house.  Am afraid the iTouch won't be used much at all now.  Personally, I prefer my iPad because of the screen size, but the Fire is very nice.  Only thing lacking on my iPad is the ability to use Amazon Prime Instant video on it.  The Instant streaming video does work on my computer and we stream it to the Plasma TV using the new Roku LT.  
Has anyone figured out how to watch Prime Instant Video on the iPad?  That would make it perfect.  I do see us buying a Fire in a larger screen size if it comes out in the next year and has a decent price.


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## Meemo

swiftness91 said:


> Interesting opinions, definitely worth the $199 then?


For me, absolutely. I really, really am liking it, especially since I found out how to sideload non-Amazon apps. Not a lot of them, I'm not a huge app person, but being able to sideload 3 reading apps (Nook, Kobo and Aldiko for ePubs in general) makes it just about perfect. I DO plan to read on it a good bit. I took a look at at both Netflix and Prime streaming videos and they looked great (I'd probably use earbuds for that). I can use night mode for reading in bed at night. I'm happy - and while I'm not 100% decided yet, it may be the one I end up keeping vs the Nook Color I use as a rooted tablet. The Fire is more intuitive to me, and "smoother" to use. Someone who's more familiar with Android in general might have a different opinion on that aspect, though.

I've had wifi on a lot so far and the battery life hasn't been great (charged it last night and again this afternoon), but I also think that usually battery life tends to improve a bit over time as you run the battery down and recharge it a few times. And my grandson played a few games on it this afternoon - games eat the battery a lot faster than books!

I have an iPad, and have always said I'd have preferred a 7" iPad. For now, this is a good substitute - good enough that even if Apple came out with a 7" iPad tomorrow, I'm not sure I'd be tempted (especially considering what the price difference would undoubtedly be) .


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## monkeyluis

obsanesth said:


> I have a K1, K2, Ipad with Kindle app and the Fire will be a nice addition. Its a little heavier than I expected but I can live with that. I will alternate my reading between the Fire and my Ipad. My Original Kindles are very dusty  My only disappointment is not being able to download the free prime video stuff for viewing later when there is no wifi.


You know what's funny. I'm starting to see no wifi as a sign that I need a break from tech, enjoy the air and spend time with the kids. LOL.... I'm a gadget geek for sure, I never put my stuff down. But it's nice when I see no bars and can say, good idea, break time.


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## Sandpiper

I like it.  I think of it more as a dressed-up Kindle with a lot of extras rather than a tablet to compete with iPad (I have an iPad 1), etc.  So it is a plenty good enough tablet-type device -- with good size / weight and price.  I am happy.


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## Alice Coyl

Meemo said:


> For me, absolutely. I really, really am liking it, especially since I found out how to sideload non-Amazon apps. Not a lot of them, I'm not a huge app person, but being able to sideload 3 reading apps (Nook, Kobo and Aldiko for ePubs in general) makes it just about perfect. I DO plan to read on it a good bit. I took a look at at both Netflix and Prime streaming videos and they looked great (I'd probably use earbuds for that). I can use night mode for reading in bed at night. I'm happy - and while I'm not 100% decided yet, it may be the one I end up keeping vs the Nook Color I use as a rooted tablet. The Fire is more intuitive to me, and "smoother" to use. Someone who's more familiar with Android in general might have a different opinion on that aspect, though.
> 
> I've had wifi on a lot so far and the battery life hasn't been great (charged it last night and again this afternoon), but I also think that usually battery life tends to improve a bit over time as you run the battery down and recharge it a few times. And my grandson played a few games on it this afternoon - games eat the battery a lot faster than books!
> 
> I have an iPad, and have always said I'd have preferred a 7" iPad. For now, this is a good substitute - good enough that even if Apple came out with a 7" iPad tomorrow, I'm not sure I'd be tempted (especially considering what the price difference would undoubtedly be) .


Where did you download the files for the reading apps you sideloaded? I tried to download the Nook file but I couldn't figure out how to link it to the Fire and not a phone.


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## parakeetgirl

This is exciting. Mine was delivered today, and I'll open it when I get home. I have an iPad 2 and I love it. But the Fire will be a great device as a supplement. I'm heavily invested with Amazon too so I think I'll love it.


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## Brodys Mom

I love it! 9 out of 10. The speakers could be loader, but I can always use headphones. Netflix and prime videos look amazing. Wortth every penny! I had a Nook Color and I hated it.


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## Meemo

Alice Coyl said:


> Where did you download the files for the reading apps you sideloaded? I tried to download the Nook file but I couldn't figure out how to link it to the Fire and not a phone.


I got the Nook and Kobo apps from Getjar.com. You don't have to link it to the Fire necessarily, just a phone that runs Android 2.3 - I got my "directions" from Heather and she suggested the Droid Incredible 2 phone. There are some helpful directions here:
http://mashable.com/2011/11/14/kindle-fire-runs-nook-app/

Don't know whether a "ruling" was made about posts about sideloading apps, etc, and it's been hard to keep up with the boards today with my grandkids here - but it isn't rooting and an Amazon VP had basically said "We aren't locking it down" so hopefully there's not a problem - but if so I'm sure the mods will remove this post.


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## Ann in Arlington

Discussion of loading apps from other 'unknown sources' is not a problem. . . .it's clearly an option on the Kindle.

At this time we will probably also allow discussion of rooting with the caveat that doing that is against the Terms of Service and will probably void your warranty.

re: unknown sources -- does the Android Market count?


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## parakeetgirl

Ok, I set my Fire up and it is fantastic. I also had a Nook Color before and this is much better. Really fast and I love the Prime content. I'm also excited that it it's in my old K3 Oberon covers.

Amazon did an incredible job on this.


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## durphy

The only problem I'm having with my KFire is that when I come to Kindleboards and try to scroll down, 4 times out of 5 I touch a hot link, usually Amazon and keep leaving this site.


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## tinabelle

I'll chime in as a complete newbie as far as an android/tablet device goes.  I am a Mac "fan girl" and have always used Apple computers at home but just couldn't justify spending the money for an iPad for what I wanted to do.  I was hoping Fire would work for me and was very excited to see UPS pull up today.  

My set-up was pretty much flawless;  I turned it on and it did its thing.  I had trouble setting up my email and ended up talking to CS;  they were wonderful, as usual, and got me up and running.  Since then I have been playing around and trying out the features.  I have surfed the web, handled some email, bought some apps, watched a TV show, listened to some music, and checked out the book reading.  It was great to see my Kindle library already available to me.  I'll probably still do most of my reading on the K3 but it is nice to have the option.

I am still learning how to use a "touch" device and the keyboard is really sensitive and small!  I've got to learn how to swipe and pinch, etc.  So far I am pretty happy.  I read the Kindle User Guide and admit it didn't answer all of my questions so will need to access more help with some things.  But I figure if I could use all of the features w/no experience, it must be designed pretty well.


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## Jesslyn

durphy said:


> The only problem I'm having with my KFire is that when I come to Kindleboards and try to scroll down, 4 times out of 5 I touch a hot link, usually Amazon and keep leaving this site.


If you plan on accessing Kindleboards a lot from the Fire, get the Tapatalk app. I believe it is a paid app, but you will probably be able to use it for most forums that you visit, not only Kindleboards. It is available in the Amazon Appstore.


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## Ann in Arlington

Jesslyn said:


> If you plan on accessing Kindleboards a lot from the Fire, get the Tapatalk app. I believe it is a paid app, but you will probably be able to use it for most forums that you visit, not only Kindleboards. It is available in the Amazon Appstore.


Yes, tapatalk in amazon appstore is a paid app -- $2.99. You can 'test drive' it via your computer to get an idea of how it works. I think it's nice for the smaller screen of the fire. . .clears out some of the clutter but you can still see avatars. Signatures don't show. And some things you can change to work best for you.

speaking of Apps -- today's free app is Enhanced Email. . .normally $9.99 and does work with the Fire.


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## monkeyluis

I like the tapatalk app.  Even though it's...basic.  I use it on the iPad and iPhone.  I probably won't install it on the Fire, but it's a good idea for others if that is what you are using.  Worth the money.


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## KR Jacobsen

Before I get going, let me make it clear that I am an edge case, so I know my experience won't mirror the experience most have had (or will have) with the Fire. That said, overall I'd say 6 out of 10.

It's slow, overly sensitive and inaccurate, has wifi issues (both connecting and is abysmally slow), somewhat limited battery life, and a terrible keyboard. (As an aside, the Kindle reader on the Fire is sluggish and feels like it's struggling to turn pages.)

It also has a nice, sharp screen that displays colors well, has a better-than-average interface (as far as Android goes), and "works" well most of the time (see issues above). It's a great deal at $200, and updates that address these issues will only make it a better value.

I'm giving mine another week or so to solidify my opinion, but my gut says it's going back.


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## Alice Coyl

KR_Jacobsen said:


> Before I get going, let me make it clear that I am an edge case, so I know my experience won't mirror the experience most have had (or will have) with the Fire. That said, overall I'd say 6 out of 10.
> 
> It's slow, overly sensitive and inaccurate, has wifi issues (both connecting and is abysmally slow), somewhat limited battery life, and a terrible keyboard. (As an aside, the Kindle reader on the Fire is sluggish and feels like it's struggling to turn pages.)
> 
> It also has a nice, sharp screen that displays colors well, has a better-than-average interface (as far as Android goes), and "works" well most of the time (see issues above). It's a great deal at $200, and updates that address these issues will only make it a better value.
> 
> I'm giving mine another week or so to solidify my opinion, but my gut says it's going back.


I'm also thinking about whether I am going to keep the Fire for many of the same reasons you list. I already have an Acer A500 Android Tablet/Computer which is 10.5". It has two cameras, 64 gig hard drive, accepts a 32 gig mini SD card but the Fire can get apps that my Acer is not compatible with. That is why I bought the Fire but now I am wondering if I will really use it as much as my Acer. It fits nicely in my purse in the same pocket with my Kindle K3 but it is much slower booting up than my Acer. At times, it does not respond at all to my touch. What goes fast goes really fast on the Fire but what goes slow is really slow. I do not like that when I shut down, it does not clear the open web pages. When I boot up again, all the pages are still there that I had in my last session. There are a lot of good things about the Fire and some not so good things. I'm giving it a few more days and if I don't see some improvement (either in the Fire or the user), it is going back.


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## Hoosiermama

> The Instant streaming video does work on my computer and we stream it to the Plasma TV using the new Roku LT.


Usually I am pretty techy, but I have brain block concerning this...as evidenced by other posts I've made!

So how does this work? You stream to the computer (or Fire?), and does the Roku have something in it's menu that allows you to pick it up on the TV? I feel soooo dense...it must be a sign of aging.


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## Betsy the Quilter

As you say, everyone's experience is their own.  It seems like too many people are having connection issues.  I have not, and I'm almost afraid to admit I like the keyboard.  

Alice, are you just touching the button to put it to sleep, which is all they recommend? Or are you shutting it down completely by holding the button down?  That is only recommended for extreme  I only touch the button, it goes to sleep, then I touch it when I want to watch.  If it is slow coming up from "sleep" I recommend calling Customer Service.

Betsy


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## Granvillen

I have been a Kindler since the beginning.  I also have a Galaxy Tab Tablet.  The Fire Home screen is driving me wild.  I have hundreds of books, and there they are on the home screen, and you cannot delete or remove the books.  I have several books that do not work on the Fire and there they are.  Also, I d not like the fact I must be on WiFi to watch a movie.  I cannot read in the sun, and the glare under lamps in my house is annoying.  I have turned off the unit by accident several times while reading.  The virtual volume control is a real pain.  You have to keep tapping the screen to get it to appear.  I was as excited as everyone else, but..........  I am undecided to return it, gift it, or keep it.  We will see how my disappointment goes over the next week.  I have given all my Kindles away, except for the K3.  Glad I have kept it for reading at the beach house during the summer.  Just my opinion.


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## Alice Coyl

Betsy the Quilter said:


> As you say, everyone's experience is their own. It seems like too many people are having connection issues. I have not, and I'm almost afraid to admit I like the keyboard.
> 
> Alice, are you just touching the button to put it to sleep, which is all they recommend? Or are you shutting it down completely by holding the button down? That is only recommended for extreme I only touch the button, it goes to sleep, then I touch it when I want to watch. If it is slow coming up from "sleep" I recommend calling Customer Service.
> 
> Betsy


Betsy, I've been shutting it down completely like I do my Acer. I thought if I just put it to sleep for the night, it would drain my battery since the WiFi is on. If I forget to shut off my WiFi on my K3, the battery drains. If I just put the Fire to sleep, it wakes up fast. Should I shut off the WiFi when I put it to sleep?


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## Carol Collett

Alice Coyl said:


> Betsy, I've been shutting it down completely like I do my Acer. I thought if I just put it to sleep for the night, it would drain my battery since the WiFi is on. If I forget to shut off my WiFi on my K3, the battery drains. If I just put the Fire to sleep, it wakes up fast. Should I shut off the WiFi when I put it to sleep?


Your mileage may vary, but mine seems to turn off the WiFi itself when it goes to sleep. Yesterday about 10 am at work I charged the battery to 100%. It was still at 100% when I got home from work at 7pm. That was without me adjusting any settings. The WiFi icon in the top notification bar did not come on until I woke the unit in my house. So it wasn't even searching for a signal at work. Clearly, this is just my experience, as others have mentioned significant battery drain in various situations.


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## Buttercup

I picked mine up yesterday at Best Buy and so far I am loving it.  It set up very easily, downloaded the update and I've been off and running ever since.  I've never had a tablet before so this is all new to me.  I do agree that having EVERYTHING show up on the carousel is kind of annoying especially since I really won't be using this much as an e-reader.  But, since it shows most recent at the top I don't think it'll be too much of a problem.   I've played a few games on it which display beautifully, have tested out the video streaming which was fantastic, have played around on webpages, Facebook, amazons store, searched and browsed the app store etc... all without any troubles.  The keyboard works great and I've not had any issues with responsiveness.  I put it in sleep mode last night with the wifi on and my battery was just fine this morning.  In fact I last charged it yesterday afternoon and still have about half left.

I can see that I really do need a cover of some sort.  For now it just goes in my Borsa Bella bag when I'm not using it.


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## mistyd107

would you use this as a reader only... just curious


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## krm0789

Misty, I couldn't use it as just a reader. The screen is too bright, even on the dimmest setting, & my eyes are strained after more than 20 minutes of reading.


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## RamTheHammer

krm0789 said:


> Misty, I couldn't use it as just a reader. The screen is too bright, even on the dimmest setting, & my eyes are strained after more than 20 minutes of reading.


KRM - are you using black background with white text? I use that and don't have any trouble reading, although I prefer my K3 for reading.


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## mistyd107

thank you exactly what I needed to know


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## Buttercup

I would not, I much prefer the e-ink screen for reading.  I may use this in a pinch but I even doubt that.  Once my Touch comes I'll have my K3 in the car and my Touch on my nightstand.


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## krm0789

RamTheHammer said:


> KRM - are you using black background with white text? I use that and don't have any trouble reading, although I prefer my K3 for reading.


Yes, I've tried the sepia & black bgd/white text extensively (and the white bgd/black text briefly) and it still hurts my eyes.


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## stevene9

Mine has already been sent back to Amazon for refund. The question I will have to resolve is whether to rebuy it or wait for a 7 inch Ipad. I had huge connectivity issues whch overcame everything else. But other comments would be that I would continue to read on my K3 instead of the fire, and my Ipad seems much easier to use non Apple movies than does the Fire with non Amazon movies. Howver the Fire has a very nice screen and I really like its size and feel. Also since I am already a Prime member, I have access to a lot more free Amazon stuff than free Apple stuff. Apple has no deal even close to that good and I'm sure it will be more expensive than the Fire when it comes out. I guess I'll wait a week and revisit the question. My gadget self wants to have it now! Also while it is assumed that Apple will come out with a 7 inch model, there is no guarantee.


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## Buttercup

I'm so sorry you had issues Steven.  It really does sound like you got a dud


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## monkeyluis

mistyd107 said:


> would you use this as a reader only... just curious


Sure. I'm reading on it right now. I think the screen is great. Nice, clear, crisp text.


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## Carol Collett

mistyd107 said:


> would you use this as a reader only... just curious


If all you want is ereader function, then no. That's not really what Fire is designed for. But I do read on it without any difficulty. I will keep my K2 for those times I want to read for hours or in bright sun.


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## mark1529

ordered mine last week can't wait too get it 
thanks for the reviews


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## Ann in Arlington

I like it.  It works as advertised.  Does what it said it was supposed to. No connection issues.  It knew who it was and where it belonged as soon as it woke up. 

I don't honestly do that much with video and music -- or haven't in the past -- but I knew going in that it was possibly -- no, probably -- a device I totally didn't need.  But, I like it. And I bet I will do more with video and music now that I have it.  I'm going to let my son get me some good earbuds for Christmas. 

I like it's heft.  I find the interface intuitive.  I'm not thrilled with the carousel having all 1300 of my books plus anything apps and anything else I download, but I've put some things on the favorite shelves and the segregated sections -- books, newsstand, etc. -- are much easier to deal with as you can set them to show only what's on the device and not all the drops in your cloud.

Rating. . .at least 8 out of 10.  I posted a rather longer review in the Reviews section here. . . . .


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## AuburnSky

Likes:
* Price.  I think that this is really the perfect price point for a device of this type.  Any more than this and I would expect to see other features (see below)
* LOVE that this is 7 inch.  It's easy to curl up with, it's easy to carry around, I really think that it's the perfect size
* Prime free instant videos (I haven't tried any others yet) start streaming in 10 second or less - whoa
* Screen/video quality is awesome.  It's comparable to my iPhone4s
* Internet browsing is easy and the 7 inch screen seems to be just the right size
* Shape/size is comfortable to hold
* Amazon's digital content.  I have been a big Amazon user and fan for years so for a device to give me access all the content in a faster, easier way makes me happy
* The variety of apps
* Switching between cloud and device content is easy and quick

Dislikes:
* I knew this upfront of course, but I do wish that this had an SD card slot and an HDMI output.  But, I know that would have added to the price so I guess it's a toss-up.
* Not crazy about the speakers only being on one side of the device.  For music listening in portrait, it's fine, but for movie watching in landscape, it's annoying to only have sound coming from one direction.  Easily fixed by just wearing headphones though.
* I really hate the placement of the power button.  The way that I hold the device, I am constantly hitting it.  I know that will change as I train myself to hold it differently but I've also turned it off accident by viewing the device in portrait and placing the bottom edge on the tabletop.  Really annoying.
* Touchscreen response.  I'm finding that when I'm touching things, my touch isn't getting registered so I'm retapping a lot.  It seems like I'm not the only one - hopefully a software update can fix this.
* I wish there was physical volume buttons and a physical "home" button.  I think this comes from the fact that I'm used to my iPhone but I do miss both, feel that they are more practical, and would love to see them incorporated into future updates.
* Heavier than I expected at first but from what I'm told, it's about right for this type of device.
* When I'm listening to music , I'm finding the first second or two is getting chopped off of every song.  Also probably a software update.  For now, it's just a mild annoyance.


I can't decide if this is a like or dislike, and I knew this upfront, but sometimes I wish there was 3G.  I hate not being able to stream content or download things off the cloud whenever I want but at the same time, I wouldn't want to pay for a 3G plan since I already have my iPhone and pay for that 3G service.  


Overall, even taking into consideration the things that I don't like, I think that this is the very best device for me from what is currently available.  For the price point, I think it's a really great buy for anyone and a must for anyone that is big on media consumption and/or Amazon content.


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## Edge

Honestly... I love it. I'm not blinded by some kind of blind brand worship like some folks I've run into ("Is that the Fire? I hear it's not as good as the iPad. I have an iPad and it has a cam... blah blah blah) nor am I deluded into thinking this is an iPad jr. This is a Kindle with extra features, all of which I've really been enjoying.

Is it perfect? No. It just launched. This week. The iPad, an amazing and mature tablet, has been out how long? It wasn't perfect when it came out either. We conveniently forget that, though. Anyway, back to the Fire. So far, I find that reading on it (black background with white text) is actually quite nice for my poor eyes. The size is very nice, the screen amazing, and media plays on it very well. I've been able to do everything I expected to be able to do with it, and then some. I enjoy the feel, and the battery has outlasted me in each day I've owned it. It plays Flash amazingly well, and I've been able to get on just about any site with Flash and view content there. I know Adobe is killing it, and I also know that Apple thinks the lack of Flash is not a big deal, but it is to me. So the Fire excels in that area.

Anyway, my honest opinion is that it's a great small tablet device for media consumption. Better than larger tablets, in my opinion (and I have a 10.1" Android tablet and an iPad). I think the lighter weight of the K3 and the e-ink are slightly better for pure reading, but for the whole package, It's Fire all the way.

Criticism: Lack of a physical volume button. I This was a bad design choice IMHO. But, it's minor when the Fire is taken as a whole.

If I had to rate it, I'd give it a solid 8 out of 10. 9 out of 10 when Netflix is fixed.


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## Betsy the Quilter

Alice Coyl said:


> Betsy, I've been shutting it down completely like I do my Acer. I thought if I just put it to sleep for the night, it would drain my battery since the WiFi is on. If I forget to shut off my WiFi on my K3, the battery drains. If I just put the Fire to sleep, it wakes up fast. Should I shut off the WiFi when I put it to sleep?


Alice, it seems to turn the WiFi off when it goes to sleep, at least after some minutes. When I turn it back on after it's been off for even just a couple minutes, the WiFi is definitely off--and if I put it to sleep on an app that needs WiFi, I get a connectivity message until it reconnects after a few seconds.

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter

Edge said:


> If I had to rate it, I'd give it a solid 8 out of 10. 9 out of 10 when Netflix is fixed.


Is Netflix broken? I've watched two movies today on it.... 

Betsy


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## Sandpiper

Edge said:


> Honestly... I love it. I'm not blinded by some kind of blind brand worship like some folks I've run into ("Is that the Fire? I hear it's not as good as the iPad. I have an iPad and it has a cam... blah blah blah) *nor am I deluded into thinking this is an iPad jr. This is a Kindle with extra features*, all of which I've really been enjoying.


My thinking exactly.


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## Alice Coyl

mistyd107 said:


> thank you exactly what I needed to know


I use the black screen with white printing but the glare off the screen and reflection of objects in the room bothers me. I did download a book to the Fire and am reading it off an on to see how I like it but it the reflections bothers me. I'm wondering if there is a quality non-glare screen cover that anyone knows about and has tried.


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## cheriereich

I got my Kindle Fire yesterday and love it. It's like my smart phone except bigger and no one can call me (an added bonus in my opinion). It does everything I thought it would. I can read books, check my email and surf the web, watch a YouTube video (plan to try the streaming TV/Movies soon), listen to music, play games, and more. It's faster than my laptop and smart phone connecting to websites. Volume seems great to me. I have it about the halfway mark and can hear it just fine. There is a slight glare, but no more than when I'm on my laptop. Plus, I think the protective glare coating things I bought from Amazon--whenever they arrive--will help. So far, I'm lovin' it.


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## Jasonmh

After a couple of days to play with the Fire (and I still have alot to learn about it), my opinion is: It is a great device at a great price but with plenty of room for improvement.
One of the biggest surprises to me was the cloud integration.  The device itself does not have much storage, but Amazon has promoted the fact that a large amount of local storage is not required because they push the "cloud" features.  Some of the features, like the music, works fine but I am surprised at the lack of other features.  The cloud integration really could have been an easy win for Amazon, and it seems like a big oversight that it doesn't feel complete.  For example, on the Amazon Cloud Drive there are sections for documents, pictures, and video, but those do not sync to the device via the cloud.
Some other things that could be better:
- On/off button placement.  It is very easy to bump and I have turned the device off while using it several times
- The screen has quite a bit of glare and is a fingerprint magnet.
- Better "ease of use" features, such as the cloud drive syncing I mentioned above
- I still think that many people like to customize their technology, to make it more personal.  The Fire seems to have very limited options to adjust what and how things are displayed.
- the screen is very good, but no HD video
- Pretty locked in to the Amazon eco-system, but that is obvious going in
- Don't see an equivalent to collections for books

On the plus side:
- The screen is quite sharp
- It is pretty quick for what it is, especially considering the lower specs on the hardware (compared to many other tablets)
- The sound is quite good for such a small device (although I agree that it can sound alittle strange with both speakers on the same side), the sound with headphones has been fantastic
- Price
- It is simple to use (although that can also be because there are not a ton of options)
- great for color content, like cookbooks and magazines
- love that you can DOWNLOAD tv shows or movies to the device to watch later when you are not connected to the internet, such as on an airplane.  Many android based tablets don't have this.

This is a hard device to explain.  It doesn't really do any one thing better than the other devices I already own.  If I am doing alot of reading I still would much rather use the Kindle.  If I just want to listen to music I would much rather use my mp3 player (I wouldn't want to lug this thing to the gym).  If I just wanted to watch video there are other devices I already own that do it alittle bit better.  But, somehow, the Fire does all these things sufficently well that I can see myself using it quite a bit.  If I was leaving the house and not sure what I was going to end up doing that day, this is the device that I would probably grab because it is very good at so many things.  
A great device at a great price, but with room for improvement.  Luckily, most of the improvements that I would like are software related so it is always possible in future updates.


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## Guest

Nice break-down of your Fire experience, spoken very fairly and with clarity


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## Guest

Anyone else got any personal thoughts on the Kindle Fire? Good or bad


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## legalbs2

Jasonmh said it better than I could have.  I am beginning a love affair with my Fire.  You have to remember it is an ebook reader that can do other things pretty darn well too.  I use my other devices for phone, email, photos, but reading on the Fire is a lot more fun than reading on my iPod Touch or iPhone, PC or Mac.  Hubby now is looking longingly from his Kindle DX at my Fire.   Hmmmmm.

The Fire is the same weight as my iPhone.  Weird.


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## Hoosiermama

I have had a K2 for several years, and bought the Touch and Fire at the same time. I still prefer the e-ink for reading, but I am really enjoying the Fire, too. I wasn't sure if I would keep both, though. I have a very slow high speed connection at home (76, and didn't think the Fire would stream well. I was wrong. I watched my first movie today, at the opposite end of the house from where my router is, and it streamed beautifully. Didn't buffer at all and the picture was very crisp. 

I've enjoyed surfing on it, too. Much nicer to be able to sit in front of the fire with a Fire instead of a laptop. My grandson enjoys playing Birds and some of the other free games I've downloaded. It's easier for his 3 year old hands on the fire than a phone.

I didn't buy it with the intention of it being "as good as an Ipad". Frankly, I don't want something that big. I want something I can stick in my purse, and I didn't want to spend as much as an Ipad costs. I have had my music on Amazon's cloud since it first came out, and buy all my music thru Amazon, so it's like it was made for me.

Very happy camper here.


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## CollinKelley

The Fire has some quirks, but I've read a book of short stories, watched some movies, watched YouTube videos, done a ton of web browsing, checked in regular on Facebook and it's been fantastic to use. The only thing that sucks is that there is no dedicated Twitter app for the Fire. They need to fix that pronto. I'm using Hootsuite now, but I'd like to have access to Twitter through a dedicated app.

I solved the issue of the on/off/sleep button is easily fixed  by just turning it upside down. The accelerometer works that way too and you can lock it in place.


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## Guest

CollinKelley said:


> The Fire has some quirks, but I've read a book of short stories, watched some movies, watched YouTube videos, done a ton of web browsing, checked in regular on Facebook and it's been fantastic to use. The only thing that sucks is that there is no dedicated Twitter app for the Fire. They need to fix that pronto. I'm using Hootsuite now, but I'd like to have access to Twitter through a dedicated app.
> 
> I solved the issue of the on/off/sleep button is easily fixed by just turning it upside down. The accelerometer works that way too and you can lock it in place.


Sounds good, I've heard from other users that the interface needs a bit of getting used to in regards to the sleep button and the accelerometer, etc.


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## sparklemotion

I was given mine as a gift and I absolutely love it. Much more then I would have expected. I even find myself reading books on it a lot, something I didn't expect as I have a kindle e-ink reader. I'm finding the backlit screen fine to read on. I do keep my brightness down half way though. I love it for games and it's great for quick web searches too. There are things I would change, like having physical volume buttons, and other small things, but overall it's a great little device for what it does. I'd give it an 8/10.


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## Hoosiermama

At this point, I almost feel like I'm betraying my new Kindle Touch. I absolutely LOVE the Fire. My almost-3 grandson adores it for games, and I've watched several movies on it. I usually read before going to bed, and have even been reading with it in a dark room. I do still find it strains my eyes more than the K2, but it's been great for doing other things while DH is glued to sports.


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## ellesu

We've been traveling this week and I've been pleasantly surprised by how quickly my Fire has connected to two different hotel wifis and also to the wifi at the house we're renting. I tried reading on it for the first time this afternoon and had no problem - except for the fact that I found myself thinking how much I liked reading on it instead of concentrating on the actual reading material.    Seriously tho, the distraction of testing out all the new functions only lasted a few minutes (mainly because I found it to be fairly intuitive - and because of all the points I've been picking up here). 

For the price point, I think it's a good buy. The more I use it, the more I like it.


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## Shastastan

ellesu said:


> We've been traveling this week and I've been pleasantly surprised by how quickly my Fire has connected to two different hotel wifis and also to the wifi at the house we're renting. I tried reading on it for the first time this afternoon and had no problem - except for the fact that I found myself thinking how much I liked reading on it instead of concentrating on the actual reading material.  Seriously tho, the distraction of testing out all the new functions only lasted a few minutes (mainly because I found it to be fairly intuitive - and because of all the points I've been picking up here).
> 
> For the price point, I think it's a good buy. The more I use it, the more I like it.


I like the points made in this review. I was surprised at how easy it was to connect to wifi wherever I went. The touch screen seems a little quirky sometimes. There's a little learning curve for me since I don't have a smart phone. I really like reading magazines on it with the colored pictures. It's nice to have a device mainly for entertainment. I'll do all my book reading on my K2 though since eink is the greatest!


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## kahoolawe

I love mine. I'm on it every night. My 30 month old son loves it as well.
Love it!!!!


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## Indy

I'm gonna go see if I can play with one at Best Buy today.  I wonder if it will be something my daughter would want, but I have no intention of having wifi at my house.  We use a wired router.  I am wondering how much stuff she could use on the Fire without wifi at home, because she would not be allowed to take it to school.  Most of the reading she does is online, some of it web page and some of it in "storybook online" or video format, and a kindle with color is probably not going to change that, although I would jump for joy if it could.  It's not a case of wired brains or too much computer exposure, she's autistic and has never been able to stand to sit down with a book.  It drives me nuts.

I see the sense in getting her a separate email account, I see the sideloading and stuff that we could do from the computer, then take the credit card off the account, that's nice...  it may be something she has to play with before I'll know if she's interested.  If she only wants to watch movies on it, I'll just replace her laptop when she wears it out.


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## kahoolawe

Indy said:


> I'm gonna go see if I can play with one at Best Buy today. I wonder if it will be something my daughter would want, but I have no intention of having wifi at my house. We use a wired router. I am wondering how much stuff she could use on the Fire without wifi at home, because she would not be allowed to take it to school. Most of the reading she does is online, some of it web page and some of it in "storybook online" or video format, and a kindle with color is probably not going to change that, although I would jump for joy if it could. It's not a case of wired brains or too much computer exposure, she's autistic and has never been able to stand to sit down with a book. It drives me nuts.
> 
> I see the sense in getting her a separate email account, I see the sideloading and stuff that we could do from the computer, then take the credit card off the account, that's nice... it may be something she has to play with before I'll know if she's interested. If she only wants to watch movies on it, I'll just replace her laptop when she wears it out.


That's a hard one. I love my Fire big time, but I'm using the wifi heavily on it.
It's my "surf the net" while I'm in bed, etc... if my wireless was turned off, it would not be as favorable of a device for me.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Indy said:


> I'm gonna go see if I can play with one at Best Buy today. I wonder if it will be something my daughter would want, but I have no intention of having wifi at my house. We use a wired router. I am wondering how much stuff she could use on the Fire without wifi at home, because she would not be allowed to take it to school. Most of the reading she does is online, some of it web page and some of it in "storybook online" or video format, and a kindle with color is probably not going to change that, although I would jump for joy if it could. It's not a case of wired brains or too much computer exposure, she's autistic and has never been able to stand to sit down with a book. It drives me nuts.
> 
> I see the sense in getting her a separate email account, I see the sideloading and stuff that we could do from the computer, then take the credit card off the account, that's nice... it may be something she has to play with before I'll know if she's interested. If she only wants to watch movies on it, I'll just replace her laptop when she wears it out.


If WiFi for you is "right out", there's not much point in purchasing a Fire, in my opinion.


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## FloridaFire

Add me to the "absolutely LOVE it!" list


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## Indy

I went and looked at it today, and it's not gonna be something we use.  Nice toy but not for us.  The baby kindle is much more appealing to me, and I picked up a bunch of CD's to surprise my daughter.


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## Guest

haha excellent stuff, all I seem to be hearing is good stuff about the Fire which is absolutely great ...but i'm curious to see what Fire owners dislike/would change about the Kindle.  Does the lack of camera for example bother anyone?


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## FloridaFire

swiftness91 said:


> haha excellent stuff, all I seem to be hearing is good stuff about the Fire which is absolutely great ...but i'm curious to see what Fire owners dislike/would change about the Kindle.  Does the lack of camera for example bother anyone?


For me, absolutely not. I only take pics with my camera which I have with me 24/7. The fire is perfect for me. 3g would be nice, but I'm guessing that's in the future.


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## Ann in Arlington

swiftness91 said:


> Does the lack of camera for example bother anyone?


Nope. But, then, I knew there was no camera when I bought it.

And, FWIW, I've never used the cameras on my Xoom, so. . . . . .


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