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Old 09-10-2012, 01:42 PM   #28
rkw
Old & Busted Hotness
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Posts: 182
Karma: 1290260
Join Date: Apr 2012
Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0,Asus TF700T, K1-2-3-Fire
I think the issue here is the KF models are price well above other top of the line models from brands not bearing fruit as a logo. Compare it to the Asus TF700 or the Galaxy Tab 2 or even the Galaxy Note 10.1. And we are talking these makers highest end models such as the Galaxy Note 10.1 with an active digitizer plus all the other "good stuff"..priced will under the 8.9" KF's with 4G. Of course 4G adds cost but I also do not buy the $41.50 number at this point in time the prices must have dropped significantly as every device out there is 4G. Heck there are 4G LTE prepaid phones you can buy for under $200 now and even those are overpriced. I believe Walmart/t-Mobile are selling the Galaxy S II (yeah old model I know with legal issues to boot) for $299. I can grab one today if I wanted.

Amazon has moved from a value added position to boutique pricing while at the very same time on the verge of gaining back pricing control for their core business, books. Must be nice to have this confluence of factors increasing profits.

All of our arguments will be rendered moot should the new KF's, especially those with 4G LTE, are a huge success. There are nice devices, I love the build of my original KF for sure, however it was poorly designed and made internally as Amazon disabled the auto-brightness sensor, the Wifi is borderline horrible, and battery runtime has never been above that "Mendoza Line" of about 4hrs streaming video.

I should add one area which impresses me for the new KF's is the indicated runtime of about 11hrs WHILE streaming video. That would be quite impressive if it is not marketing spin under some theocratic, errrr, theoretical ideal set of conditions. Still not sure it is worthy of that $500-$600 price.

As I mention above the consumer will decide this. But nobody will ever convince me that a device which is fundamentally designed as an entertainment device with, by all appearances, about a 9-15 month support period from Amazon, is worthy of the premium. Remember the original KF, which is what, about 10 or 11 months old, seems to no longer be receiving firmware updates or improvements. Not even restoration of original functions like that brightness sensor.

I really did not mean to rant on the "it's too expensive" bandwagon, I am not that sorta person. However I am disappointed with this path from Amazon. It comes from being a very ardent Amazon customer and supporter since they hit the web. So, I'll stop it because the devices themselves are well spec'd and if built like the original, with the construction of a tank. My KF is far more solid than my more budget minded Asus TF300t for sure.
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