Amazon's New Kindle Fire

[kramwest1]

Anyone thinking about one of these?

$199 is ridiculously cheap, but I'm curious about how tight the leash is to Amazon's content.
I have been toying with the idea of a new iPod Touch for myself, but these are cheaper and could be awesome. 8GB of memory is doable with some management.

 

[bono_212]

Is it a tablet? This could be really interesting.

 

[kramwest1]

Technical Details

Display-- 7" multi-touch display with IPS (in-plane switching) technology and anti-reflective treatment, 1024 x 600 pixel resolution at 169 ppi, 16 million colors.

Size (in inches)-- 7.5" x 4.7" x 0.45" (190 mm x 120 mm x 11.4 mm).

Weight-- 14.6 ounces (413 grams).

System Requirements-- None, because it's wireless and doesn't require a computer.

On-device Storage-- 8GB internal. That's enough for 80 apps, plus either 10 movies or 800 songs or 6,000 books.

Cloud Storage-- Free cloud storage for all Amazon content

Battery Life-- Up to 8 hours of continuous reading or 7.5 hours of video playback, with wireless off. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as web browsing and downloading content.

Charge Time-- Fully charges in approximately 4 hours via included U.S. power adapter. Also supports charging from your computer via USB.

Wi-Fi Connectivity-- Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, or 802.1X standard with support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks.

USB Port-- USB 2.0 (micro-B connector)

Audio-- 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, top-mounted stereo speakers.

Content Formats Supported-- Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively, Audible (Audible Enhanced (AA, AAX)), DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, non-DRM AAC, MP3, MIDI, OGG, WAV, MP4, VP8.

Documentation-- Quick Start Guide(included in box); Kindle User's Guide (pre-installed on device)

Warranty and Service 1-year limited warranty and service included. Optional 2-year Extended Warranty available for U.S. customers sold separately. Use of Kindle is subject to the terms found here.

Included in the Box-- Kindle Fire device, U.S. power adapter (supports 100-240V), and Quick Start Guide.

No camera or mic, so it's only a browsing and media tablet.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

It looks cool. I am still thinking about an e-reader and they're coming out with a 3G Kindle Touch. I don't have wireless at home and I have enough tech problems without worrying about dealing with a router. Plus you can download a book with 3G if you're in the most random spot that has no wireless. It can be very spotty but when it works it's great. So if I ask for one for Christmas maybe the 3G is the way to go.

The Nook Color (which is also more of a tablet but probably not on the level of Fire, I don't know) and the newer touchscreen Nook don't have 3G. I think the Kindle Touch 3G is 139 or 149 with the "special offer" ads. Does anyone know if those are really annoying?

 

[powerhour24]

I think they unveiled a much more useful device to a lot less fanfare: the 3G Kindle Touch, and the fact that Amazon finally teamed up w/ Overdrive for Library ebook lending, and the rumor of ebook subscriptions coming soon sounds like the perfect device for me. Tiny, readable, month long battery life, and free data access in 100+ countries far outweighs Amazon's crippled home tablet attempt. Just so everyone knows, there is no access to the full Android market, it's software is based off of a nearly 2 year old build of Android, the input is only 2 point (versus iPad's 10) and it's built by the same people that made RIM's PlayBook (hence why they look exactly the same).

 

[powerhour24]

The special offers aren't really outside advertisements, they're just pretty cool discounts from Amazon.

 

[trojanchick99]

I'm leaning towards getting a Kindle touch. I already have a smart phone and an iPod Tourch so I only need an eReader and the Kindle is so much easier on my eyes than a regular tablet.

 

[Canadiens1131]

The ironic thing about the Fire is that it's a Kindle with a colour screen; in other words exactly what I needed. A Kindle that can handle PDFs.

Then they go and make it narrow enough in portrait orientation that reading PDFs will be impractical unless you flip it sideways to landscape.

Euh, I think I will pass.

 

[bono_212]

Without cam/mic I'll pass until the next go, but this is the first tablet I've had a remote interest in.

 

[kramwest1]

The ironic thing about the Fire is that it's a Kindle with a colour screen; in other words exactly what I needed. A Kindle that can handle PDFs.

Then they go and make it narrow enough in portrait orientation that reading PDFs will be impractical unless you flip it sideways to landscape.

Euh, I think I will pass.

Without cam/mic I'll pass until the next go, but this is the first tablet I've had a remote interest in.

I really only look at it as a great replacement for an old iPod Touch. I forget the new Touches have cameras. As a personal entertainment device (not a communications device), it's looks to be pretty damn good.

And, that sucks about fitting PDFs, but the price is

 

[bono_212]

The price is so damn sexy, and I'm pretty happy with the Amazon Appstore, especially the free app a day

 

[bono_212]

Would someone mind explaining Overdrive to me? I'm pretty behind on the subject of eBooks, and I'm not quite following this.

 

[powerhour24]

Overdrive is a software system that libraries use to 'lend out' copies of ebooks they own to their members. You don't even have to go to the actual library to download them, just do it at home when it's available.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Would someone mind explaining Overdrive to me? I'm pretty behind on the subject of eBooks, and I'm not quite following this.

OverDrive is a delivery system for eBooks. Think of it like iTunes. It's a secure method for publishers to get their books onto your device because it includes digital rights management (copy protection).

The Kindle app is another example of this. Amazon releases Kindle eBooks in a protected format so that you can only use them inside the Kindle family of applications. Kindle for your desktop PC, Kindle for iPad / iPod Touch, the actual Kindle reader, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management

 

[bono_212]

So since I have the kindle app I have access to it?

 

[MoodyJ]

The price and look does make it very tempting. However, I'll probably end up ordering the Kindle Touch 3G. I just have to decide whether or not to fork over the additional $40 for the one without the special offers.

 

[powerhour24]

So since I have the kindle app I have access to it?

I don't think so, I'm not sure how they implemented it with Kindle, they just rolled it out last month. But it has been on a number of different platforms for years, what kind of device are you using? There are dedicated Overdrive apps for iOS, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7 and Android. It also interfaces with any dedicated ereader that can read ePub format, like Sony's, Kobo, and Nook.

 

[powerhour24]

The price and look does make it very tempting. However, I'll probably end up ordering the Kindle Touch 3G. I just have to decide whether or not to fork over the additional $40 for the one without the special offers.

Read about the special offers, they're not intrusive at all and they're actually awesome exclusive deals from Amazon that end up paying off the cost of device most times.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I checked on amazon.com and the special offers are only on the screensaver and the home page. They say it doesn't interrupt reading at all.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

I really only look at it as a great replacement for an old iPod Touch. I forget the new Touches have cameras...

the camera on my ipod touch is pretty lame.

 

[bono_212]

I don't think so, I'm not sure how they implemented it with Kindle, they just rolled it out last month. But it has been on a number of different platforms for years, what kind of device are you using? There are dedicated Overdrive apps for iOS, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7 and Android. It also interfaces with any dedicated ereader that can read ePub format, like Sony's, Kobo, and Nook.

I just have the Kindle app that game with my G2 , I haven't even opened the thing in months, tbh.

 

[Canadiens1131]

the camera on my ipod touch is pretty lame.

For still photos it's not great, but the iPod Touch (4th gen) is perfectly capable for Skype video calls and for capturing that crazy guy on the subway to upload to Youtube.

 

[bono_212]

Has anyone looked into Amazon Silk yet? Watching a video about it (not of actual use) and it seems like, if it actually works the way they say it will, it'll be pretty sweet.

 

[bono_212]

Also does it seem to anyone else that the letter that Amazon has up on their front page right now look like it's taking potshots at Netflix's CEO?

 

[powerhour24]

Has anyone looked into Amazon Silk yet? Watching a video about it (not of actual use) and it seems like, if it actually works the way they say it will, it'll be pretty sweet.

Other than the fact that it's super creepy, yeah it's pretty cool. Mobile Opera works in a similar, yet less big-brothery way.

 

[powerhour24]

I just have the Kindle app that game with my G2 , I haven't even opened the thing in months, tbh.

G2 is Android right? There's a dedicated Overdrive app for Android, so you wouldn't have to worry about figuring out how to use it on Kindle.

 

[bono_212]

G2 is Android right? There's a dedicated Overdrive app for Android, so you wouldn't have to worry about figuring out how to use it on Kindle.

Ah, OK. I'll check it out.

 

[Canadiens1131]

I want to get a dedicated black and white ereader, but I think I will be holding off until the eink technology advances a little bit more:

Bookeen breakthrough real time web page scrolling on eInk panel - YouTube

Something like that (currently in development) would be decent for PDF files that you need to zoom in on/

 

[bono_212]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVsfLnMqOC4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Now of course B&N has a tablet

msnbc.com

Today at a press event in New York, Barnes & Noble confirmed that the follow-up to the Nook Color would be the Nook Tablet. If that sounds familiar, it's because this news was leaked last week. Here are the salient details, which we're covering via a live video stream:

It really does look exactly like the Nook Color — same size, with 7-inch screen. But the screen is supposed to be better than the one on Amazon's Kindle Fire. And the Nook Tablet is lighter in weight and has a faster processor than its predecessor: a 1GHz chip with 1GB of RAM. It will have 16GB of memory plus an SD slot for an extra 32GB.

Pre-ordering begins now, and the device will ship Nov. 18. It will be sold at "leading retailers" this holiday season.

Barnes & Noble's CEO William Lynch calls the upcoming Kindle Fire "deficient," saying it has too little storage, less RAM and a cheaper screen. Lynch goes so far as to say that his product, which costs $50 more, is a "much better value than the Kindle Fire."

The Nook Cloud service will be available to backup content and share some data, which Barnes & Noble says will be secure (taking a dig at Amazon). However, they're not particularly clear on what the Nook Cloud service can do, at this point, so we'll have to follow up.

Netflix and Hulu Plus are included, and there's support for 1080p video. The screen itself is not 1080p, but they stream Netflix in 720p. Despite the richer media, there's nine hours of video plus 11.5 hours of reading time.

B&N will have more than 250 interactive magazines, including titles from Conde Nast, Time Inc and Meredith. There will be a huge collection of comics as well (apparently the most Marvel titles on any tablet), and there's a redesigned reading app to improve the old black-and-white text experience. And while the Nook Color was already pitching colorful children's books as a selling point, the Nook Tablet has a built-in microphone so that you can record your own voice to kid content.

Barnes & Noble pledges free support at their local stores, with Nook Digital Store kiosks in most stores that have 2,000 square feet or more.

The Nook Color, which drops to $199, will get a free update with 100 new features, including many of the ones found in the Tablet.

The Nook Simple Touch e-ink reader will get a new display that makes it 25 percent faster than any other similar reader. Existing customers will get the update to speed up page turns too. (The update will come over Wi-Fi in the background in the coming weeks — users don't do anything.)

Starting today, the Simple Touch will now sell for $99 — without "distracting ads." That's another dig at Amazon, which has lowered the price of its e-ink devices by using promotions.