What can I do with an HDX?

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Barty

Thanks all for feedback.

She has an iPhone for phone stuff and a regular kindle for reading. She will be using the tablet for tablet-y things. Browsing, mail, videos, apps.

I kind of want to away from apple because she has a PC and apple stuff work best when you are all in on Apple for everything. And the hd(xi hảdware is nice if not as sleek as the new iPads.

But sounds like to buy the fire you're going to be all in on amazon. Personally I think apple app store is slightly better than google play which is much better than amazon (except for amazon stuff, of course).

I would get myself an android tablet and give her my iPad 3, except she thinks it's too big and heavy.

Ah well, I guess it's the mini. Pricey, though.

Get the Nexus.

If you're in a budget, the Nexus 7 it's better than the Kindle Fire, on your particular case, I mean.

The reason is, it seems she is not into Amazon's ecosystem. If you buy a Kindle, you won't get access to Google Play and pretty much you are confine to whatever you can buy or download from Amazon. You can side load some apps, but if you want a true Google experience, then you need to stay away from Kindle Fire.

For reading, Nexus is fantastic (had one, but sold it) But when I had mine and I was browsing Internet, I was continually scrolling down and up because the 7 inches were not big enough for me. Not a deal breaker for some, but it was for me.

You may also check iPad Mini 1st generation. The resolution is not the best for reading, specially when you compare to the Nexus 7, but iOs apps, bigger screen, kind of compensate. I think the wifi model starts on 299.99

Last but not least and to clarify, having an iPad or Apple product does not mean you need a Mac computer. As a matter of fact, you don't need anything at all but wifi and your iOs password in order to use it. That cable thing, iTunes and a Mac, are part of the past.

[sirmaru]

Since all this thread is about READING, nothing beats the Paperwhite 2013, in my opinion. Plus, the HDX 2013 with white text on a black background (blue borders are GONE with that setup) beats all other devices in dim light like sunset. The beautiful music coming from the HDX 2013 at sunset makes the reading experience SUPERB.

The keeper is that the best eBooks for my needs (history and biography) at the lowest prices come ONLY from Amazon.

PLUS, I doubt if any other eReaders (tablets or otherwise) has this kind of site to review, memorize and access ALL notes and highlights for our Amazon eBooks:

https://kindle.amazon.com/your_highlights

[beckywc]

On my 7" HDX you have to really look for it to see a very, very slight blue haze. On a white background I don't even notice it. I really love my HDX and have no problems with the ecosystem I have the apps I use frequently and if I can't find it on Amazon I get it for 1mobile or Google using my transformer tablet. No big deal.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Since all this thread is about READING, nothing beats the Paperwhite 2013, in my opinion. Plus, the HDX 2013 with white text on a black background (blue borders are GONE with that setup) beats all other devices in dim light like sunset. The beautiful music coming from the HDX 2013 at sunset makes the reading experience SUPERB.

The keeper is that the best eBooks for my needs (history and biography) at the lowest prices come ONLY from Amazon.

PLUS, I doubt if any other eReaders (tablets or otherwise) has this kind of site to review, memorize and access ALL notes and highlights for our Amazon eBooks:

https://kindle.amazon.com/your_highlights

You forget other tablets have a Kindle App even the new Microsoft one which work with that site. I think the iOS has the best version as there are more font choices and it just runs smoother they give us Android users a water down version. One thing I don't get on the New Kindle Fire why give us Helvetica light?!? We need darker fonts like Lucinda. Why can't they bring back trebuchet it's still on the Fire if you look in the system font folder. Lighter fonts are not needed!

[mcrow]

Originally Posted by booklover6

Some of us enjoy reading on tablets, and have moved away from e-ink ereaders because the reading experience is so good on tablets such as the Nexus 7. I personally read on the Nexus 7, the Nook HD, and occasionally on the 2012 Fire HD. I seldom (as in, almost never) watch movies or videos on my tablets. Mine are for reading, and news apps, and music. So to me, (and to the other readers here at mobileREAD) we want to know the reading experience on tablets, and if there is something bad, we WANT to know.

That doesn't indicate hatred of a device on the part of anyone who says a tablet is not good to read on. It is a shared user experience and I, for one, as a gadget junkie, want to know. The blue border may not bother some people, but I know from my own experience, if there is only ONE thing about a device that bothers ME, it ruins the experience for me, and is enough to make me get rid of it. (Case in point..the latest update on the Paperwhite 2 ruined it for me. It has been sent back. Many people will choose to live with it. But that ONE thing was enough to ruin it for me).

So I want to know when people like a device, and when they don't. For me, the reading experience is the most important thing about a device. I personally don't want a blue border around the edges of my pages. I like a nice, clean smooth white or off white page. No funky colors, no textures. So I am extremely appreciative of Blossom's experiences with the THREE HDX's that she had, and I am thankful that she lets everyone here be aware of what SHE experienced. (My credit card thanks her, too).

I wasn't saying that people don't read on them or shouldn't be concerned with reading experience on it. It's just that it a tablet as well and overall quality of the device isn't based primarily on reading. As i've noted I don't have any issues reading on the HDX and in fact quite enjoy reading on it.

Granted, if you use it primarily for reading and the border bothers you it is not a very good device. Like I've said though, the majority of people are not having that problem.

[Ranny]

If you want a slightly bigger screened android tablet then the lg g pad 8.3 might be worth considering.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by mcrow

Like I've said though, the majority of people are not having that problem.

Not saying you're wrong, but wonder what you're basing that on. Amazon reviews? We'd have to know how many of those reviewers even use it for reading I suppose. There's a fairly long thread on Amazon's forums complaining about the issue & it's enough of an issue that they changed the product page to make mention of it. No doubt it's great hardware overall, but this is certainly a real issue for some users.

Personally I've seen three 7" HDX's. HDX 1 was a display model at Best Buy and had a very small blue fringe that if I had to guess I'd say wouldn't bother a lot of folks although it would have stopped me from buying after I tried reading just a few pages and found it distracting. HDX 2 is owned by a guy in our office building and his blue fringe is a little more prominent than HDX 1, but he doesn't care as long as his movies and games look okay, which they do. He said he hasn't read a book since college (25 years ago) and has no plans to start. HDX 3 is owned by a friend who bought it for his kid after loving his own HDX 8.9. This one has blue that extends over an inch onto the screen and is very noticeable so he's going to try for a replacement.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

This one has blue that extends over an inch onto the screen and is very noticeable so he's going to try for a replacement.

HDX 2 was like that for me. it made the screen look cloudy and dirty very hard to read on it wouldn't be till I got HDX 3 that I realize the screen has a green tint to it. The blue on that one was Neon bright blue or look like the Crest toothpaste blue I brush my teeth with.

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by mcrow

Of the 1400+ reviews there are less than 100 that notice any issue with the blue border. . . . I understand that you are bothered by the blue border but the fact still remains most people do not even seen an issue with it or even notice that there is one there. I know you were disappointed with the blue border but for 90% of people there is either no problem or they don't notice it.

This sort of inductive reasoning (Ego ergo sic, or I, therefore thus) is exactly what's troubling about your campaign to suggest that Blossom has been running a campaign.

In the first place, when you presume to speak for 90% of all HDX users, your conclusions are no more informed than anyone else's would be if they presumed to do so. Blossom is at least talking about her own experience, while you seem to be speaking for everyone else's.

Sadly, it is impossible for you to be privy to everyone else's thoughts; neither is it possible for any other individual. It might save us all time if we could instantly know what everyone else was thinking, but we can't.

In the second place, user ratings percentages (whether loosely or stringently determined) are relatively unimportant on a board like this, where people post about their own experience and where many acquire levels of knowledge, familiarity, expertise and programming chops that make their observations particularly useful for MR members.

If we wanted to base our opinions on user polls and approval ratings percentages, we'd go to Amazon, Newegg and other storefront sites to look at the ratings on product pages. We're forum members, not hypnotized lemurs, so you needn't worry about our being unduly influenced.

If Blossom dislikes the blue tinge on the HDXs' screens, I'm not going to be swayed by her conclusions mindlessly. I'm going to take them into account, look at the HDX line myself and judge the screens empirically. Whether I agree or disagree with her findings is unimportant. Either way, I'm grateful she took the time to tell us about them.

* * * * *

On the subject of this thread, I'd say the OP should pick up an iPod Mini for the simple reason the recipient sounds like they'd be happiest with one. I own a Nexus 7 (2013) and love it so much that I just bought another one for my girlfriend, but I'll probably pick up a Mini at some point for music creation.

I'm curious about the HDX 8.9 but share Blossom's reservations about secondhand Play Store app store offerings -- reservations which I entertained long before chancing upon this thread.

[mcrow]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Not saying you're wrong, but wonder what you're basing that on. Amazon reviews? We'd have to know how many of those reviewers even use it for reading I suppose. There's a fairly long thread on Amazon's forums complaining about the issue & it's enough of an issue that they changed the product page to make mention of it. No doubt it's great hardware overall, but this is certainly a real issue for some users.

Personally I've seen three 7" HDX's. HDX 1 was a display model at Best Buy and had a very small blue fringe that if I had to guess I'd say wouldn't bother a lot of folks although it would have stopped me from buying after I tried reading just a few pages and found it distracting. HDX 2 is owned by a guy in our office building and his blue fringe is a little more prominent than HDX 1, but he doesn't care as long as his movies and games look okay, which they do. He said he hasn't read a book since college (25 years ago) and has no plans to start. HDX 3 is owned by a friend who bought it for his kid after loving his own HDX 8.9. This one has blue that extends over an inch onto the screen and is very noticeable so he's going to try for a replacement.

I'm basing it off the fact that there are 1400+ reviews on amazon, plus many other electronics websites and the vast majority of people in these reviews don't seem to have a problem with a blue border.

My only issue with Blossom is she makes it sound like it a terrible flaw of the device when it may simply not be suited to her. It is not a flaw if most people don't have an issue with it. It may be a flaw for a few people that seem to be easily destracted by such things but for the majority of the people (as evident in the Amazon reviews and other reviews and my experience, my wife's experience a) it is not a problem and hardly noticeable.

We get it, Blossom thinks that the blue border thing makes it a terrible device to read on. There is an entire thread about her thoughts on that, we don't need to every single thread related to the HDX to have a rant about the blue border.

[sirmaru]

On my HDX 2013 with black text on a white background the blue border is very faint and hardly noticeable. With white text on a black background, there is NO blue border at all.

Amazon loyalists should definitely buy the HDX 2013 and / or PW 2013 to read Amazon eBooks since all their songs and apps come from Amazon as well as all their consumer goods and electronics.

The OP is an Apple loyalist and the iPad Mini would suit him best since he already is buying iBooks, iTunes and iApps.

Those with Android smart phones would be best suited with a Nexus 7 since their apps are coming from the Google Play Store already.

Most of the debates here on which brands are better are really without a solution since each brand loyalist should stick to his own brand. Changing away from one's base brand WILL cause problems which are really unnecessary since all these eReaders are equally good for the most part.

[mcrow]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

On my HDX 2013 with black text on a white background the blue border is very faint and hardly noticeable. With white text on a black background, there is NO blue border at all.

Amazon loyalists should definitely buy the HDX 2013 and / or PW 2013 to read Amazon eBooks since all their songs and apps come from Amazon as well as all their consumer goods and electronics.

The OP is an Apple loyalist and the iPad Mini would suit him best since he already is buying iBooks, iTunes and iApps.

Those with Android smart phones would be best suited with a Nexus 7 since their apps are coming from the Google Play Store already.

Most of the debates here on which brands are better are really without a solution since each brand loyalist should stick to his own brand. Changing away from one's base brand WILL cause problems which are really unnecessary since all these eReaders are equally good for the most part.

Yes, to some effect you should stick with what you like. If you like Apple get an iPad, if you like Nexus 7's stick with it...ect.

Personally, I've never been a loyalist to anything but I primarily have owned Android based devices because I think Apple products are over priced. If Apple prices were lower I might try one again. It's just gotten to the point where the difference in overall performance and design isn't much, if any at all so I can't justify the higher price.

The HDX is only the 2nd Amazon device I've owned, the 4th Gen Kindle being the first one.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

On my HDX 2013 with black text on a white background the blue border is very faint and hardly noticeable. With white text on a black background, there is NO blue border at all.

Amazon loyalists should definitely buy the HDX 2013 and / or PW 2013 to read Amazon eBooks since all their songs and apps come from Amazon as well as all their consumer goods and electronics.

The OP is an Apple loyalist and the iPad Mini would suit him best since he already is buying iBooks, iTunes and iApps.

Those with Android smart phones would be best suited with a Nexus 7 since their apps are coming from the Google Play Store already.

Most of the debates here on which brands are better are really without a solution since each brand loyalist should stick to his own brand. Changing away from one's base brand WILL cause problems which are really unnecessary since all these eReaders are equally good for the most part.

You forget the Kindle Fire HD 2013 which has every Amazon feature but Mayday but it's cheaper and does everything the average person needs in a tablet. It's a really cute tablet too. Perfect for Kids, Siblings and significant others. Amazon has really outdone themselves. This is the best Budget tablet on the market. I got mine on sale for $119 but $169 is way worth it.

I use mine daily. The sound is amazing on it. It's a great reader too. I just love the bezel on it. Sometimes smaller is not better and this is exactly the case. It does not look or feel like last's years Kindle Fire. It's smaller and lighter but it's just right for small hands to hold.

You should get the wife one for Christmas. She would love it!

[mcrow]

Originally Posted by Blossom

You forget the Kindle Fire HD 2013 which has every Amazon feature but Mayday but it's cheaper and does everything the average person needs in a tablet. It's a really cute tablet too. Perfect for Kids, Siblings and significant others. Amazon has really outdone themselves. This is the best Budget tablet on the market. I got mine on sale for $119 but $169 is way worth it.

I use mine daily. The sound is amazing on it. It's a great reader too. I just love the bezel on it. Sometimes smaller is not better and this is exactly the case. It does not look or feel like last's years Kindle Fire. It's smaller and lighter but it's just right for small hands to hold.

You should get the wife one for Christmas. She would love it!

I would say if you are looking for a entry level tablet that can be a good reading device, the 2013 HD is the way to go. Unless you are into skype and gaming you don't need the upgrades that the HDX has.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by mcrow

I would say if you are looking for a entry level tablet that can be a good reading device, the 2013 HD is the way to go. Unless you are into skype and gaming you don't need the upgrades that the HDX has.

I totally agree. I was shock to find the interface just the HDX because Amazon in the past have kept such things separate from each other. This my Third Kindle Fire Model well 5th if you count the 3 HDXs I went through. It's growing on me slowly I love the HD and slowly not missing my Original Kindle Fire which looks and feels like a brick. I would say it has better battery life though.