Kindle Fire: First Impressions. - Page 2

monkeyluis · 11-15-2011, 05:09 PM

Hey I posted in Kindle Boards and MacRumors this same first impression and wanted to share. I am very impressed and need to stop reading these forums so I can play with the device. LOL. Here you go:

I received the kindle fire a couple of hours ago. Turned it on, connected to wifi, register to my amazon account. Then an update downloaded, didn't take long, but I plugged it in & let it sit because I was watching dexter. Lol.

I downloaded my currently reading book, Steve Jobs, which like any kindle device took under a minute.

The interface is beautiful. I really like the design. I think the update may have addressed some of the concerns and issues that some of the early reviews were talking about. Honestly I have had nothing like what some showed. It's fairly smooth and responsive. No, not like the iPad 2, which I'm currently typing on, but it's nothing at all like the videos and reviews were mentioning.

I downloaded the Pandora App, and it was quick and easy. I've also downloaded Netflix and Hulu + from the app store with no problems at all. I set up my email and it was very easy, just signed in to gmail and checked off a couple of settings and it was done within 15 seconds. I even replied to an email. I have to get use to the android keyboard, but it's fine. It's a software qwerty keyboard, so there. Spacing is a little different for a 7in device, I've only had experience with my ipad and my iphone, so the in-between size is new for me.

Reading on it is very much like on the kindle for ipad app. the only difference is you get a set of fonts, which is cool, similar to ibooks. Page turns were quick and responsive, all of your normal settings are there, brightness, page type, font size, etc.

It's a little heavier than I expected, but of course not as heavy as my ipad. No biggie as I usually have my ipad resting on my lap or sitting up on it's case.

So overall I'm very impressed. I think it's a great experience and look forward too using it more.

Hope this helps.

Zoshka · 11-15-2011, 05:54 PM

I wasn't going to get one, based on the mixed reviews, but saw one in Best Buy today and it looked and felt quite nice, so I picked one up--for the price, you can't go wrong really. No problems at all so far. I like that they have the Netflix app available now,and it works wonderfully, although you can't adjust volume within the app, as on the idevices. I was able to hear a movie comfortably without headphones, though, which was nice. I don't mind the lack of a volume rocker, though, because it keeps the sides of the device clear for holding while reading. While it's slightly heavier than I expected, the feel is much nicer than I expected, with a smooth back that feels great to hold. It doesn't feel as much of a slab as the Nook Color does.

I haven't noticed any lags when reading, and it's a pleasure to finally have font choice on a Kindle (options are Georgia, Caecilia, Trebuchet, Verdana, Arial, New Times Roman, Courier, and Lucida). It has a nice bookshelf view with covers, also refreshing for a Kindle, and my library checkouts are there as well (no need to go through ADE anymore, yay).

Web pages are quite readable in landscape, and there are 3 default zoom options. You can also choose between desktop or mobile website view as a default--the default now is 'automatic optimise'. It also a folder for downloads, something I'm not used to, coming from the ipad.

I'm new to Android, but as the reviews point out, this isn't as frightening as all the widgets and gingerbread/ice cream stuff on other tablets, and the carousel on the home screen feels a lot like cover flow on Apple devices, which feels more natural than endless icons.

Overall, I'm thrilled with it. It's the 3 little bears tablet for me--the ipad is too big, the ipod touch is too small, both are too expensive, but the Fire is just right. There were plenty at my local Best Buy, and if you use your Discover Card to use in-store pickup, they're currently giving 10% cashback. My only quibble are that a few of the default apps like IMDB don't seem to have an option to delete them, and then there doesn't seem to be a Scrabble-type app that plays against a computer, as on the Apple version.

SamuraiXSendai · 11-15-2011, 05:59 PM

Amazon owns IMDB so they probably consider it a sin to delete it

. On my phone I have a number of Virgin Mobile apps I'd love to delete but can't without rooting it.

xari · 11-15-2011, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamuraiXSendai

Amazon owns IMDB so they probably consider it a sin to delete it

. On my phone I have a number of Virgin Mobile apps I'd love to delete but can't without rooting it.

To remove an icon (including IMDb) from the Favorites shelf, press down and hold the icon. After a moment, a pop-up will appear with the option to 'Remove from Favorites'.
.

Blossom · 11-15-2011, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamuraiXSendai

Amazon owns IMDB so they probably consider it a sin to delete it

. On my phone I have a number of Virgin Mobile apps I'd love to delete but can't without rooting it.

Same here my phone has several default apps I love to get rid of because they are huge but without rooting the device it can't be done.

sachinwalia · 11-16-2011, 01:59 AM

I think we are going to see a lot of Kindle fire impression / experience related threads. It will be better if they all can be combined into a single thread.

Blossom · 11-16-2011, 02:16 PM

I got my Fire and I really like it so far!

I had to do a little hoop jumping to get Mantano on it but it and ColorDict work great! I've side loaded the recent version of ES File Explorer, Dropbox, Opera Mini and all is working just fine.

Once thing I do not like is the carousel! It need to be smaller.

The screen is too bright in the Kindle Reader. I can't use it without my eyes going crazy. I am surprise they remove the brightness setting like they have in the standard reading app.

It's thinner and lighter than the Coby I had so I am in love with the sleek form factor of the Fire.

Music sounds good. That's all I've played with so far.

gweminence · 11-16-2011, 02:28 PM

Blossom, a couple things:

Have you tried the built-in reader yet? It's NOT the Kindle for Android one, it's better.
There IS a setting for brightness. Tap on the gear in the upper right corner.

Blossom · 11-16-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gweminence

Blossom, a couple things:

Have you tried the built-in reader yet? It's NOT the Kindle for Android one, it's better.
There IS a setting for brightness. Tap on the gear in the upper right corner.

No the android app has a separate brightness setting that only changes the brightness of the kindle app but it is removed on the fire. The one you refer changes the device brightness. It's different.

I like it okay but it's too bright for my eyes.

gweminence · 11-16-2011, 02:33 PM

Er, the difference is...?

Blossom · 11-16-2011, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gweminence

Er, the difference is...?

It changes brightness of the entire device. The one on andriod app changed just the background and text of the Kindle book and does a better job.

The device brightness setting turned all the way down is still too bright but not outside the Kindle app. I can barely see anything and have to turn it all back to halfway. Brightness setting needs to be app specific.

Okay I like how it lists Archive books by recent! that is so needed on every other Kindle device!

Noah98 · 11-16-2011, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

I got my Fire and I really like it so far!

I had to do a little hoop jumping to get Mantano on it but it and ColorDict work great! I've side loaded the recent version of ES File Explorer, Dropbox, Opera Mini and all is working just fine.

Once thing I do not like is the carousel! It need to be smaller.

The screen is too bright in the Kindle Reader. I can't use it without my eyes going crazy. I am surprise they remove the brightness setting like they have in the standard reading app.

It's thinner and lighter than the Coby I had so I am in love with the sleek form factor of the Fire.

Music sounds good. That's all I've played with so far.

Was Mantano in the app store on your Kindle Fire? I was playing with my wife's KF, and Mantano, Aldiko, and Kobo seem to have been removed. Am I missing something? I assumed they would be removed, but I recall someone stating that they were still in the app store on the device.

Kai Winters · 11-16-2011, 09:40 PM

Had a chance to play with one today at the local BB. I think it is a very nice device and its' price is great.
I am surprised how fast it is. Much faster starting an app, etc. than I expected.
I also love the quality of the screen resolution. Much better than expected.
I may have one of my own before too long...would have one now if I hadn't purchased a Sony T1 a few weeks ago.

Blossom · 11-16-2011, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noah98

Was Mantano in the app store on your Kindle Fire? I was playing with my wife's KF, and Mantano, Aldiko, and Kobo seem to have been removed. Am I missing something? I assumed they would be removed, but I recall someone stating that they were still in the app store on the device.

They've blocked other readers.

You will have to sideload using an apk file. They work just fine Nook, Mantano, Kobo and Aldiko but you have to find the apk for them for it. I use my phone where I purchases Mantano months ago then I used ES File Explorer to back up the apk file and uploaded it to dropbox which works on the Fire and then install it that way.

SCION · 11-16-2011, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xari

...
The screen is, indeed gorgeous. A little glare under the flourescent lights here at work, but I haven't had a chance to install my screen protector yet.
...

Give us an update on the screen protector.

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11-15-2011, 05:09 PM	#16
monkeyluis Banned Posts: 725 Karma: 656644 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Central Florida Device: iPad "3", Kindle Touch, Kindle Fire, iPhone 4S	Hey I posted in Kindle Boards and MacRumors this same first impression and wanted to share. I am very impressed and need to stop reading these forums so I can play with the device. LOL. Here you go: I received the kindle fire a couple of hours ago. Turned it on, connected to wifi, register to my amazon account. Then an update downloaded, didn't take long, but I plugged it in & let it sit because I was watching dexter. Lol. I downloaded my currently reading book, Steve Jobs, which like any kindle device took under a minute. The interface is beautiful. I really like the design. I think the update may have addressed some of the concerns and issues that some of the early reviews were talking about. Honestly I have had nothing like what some showed. It's fairly smooth and responsive. No, not like the iPad 2, which I'm currently typing on, but it's nothing at all like the videos and reviews were mentioning. I downloaded the Pandora App, and it was quick and easy. I've also downloaded Netflix and Hulu + from the app store with no problems at all. I set up my email and it was very easy, just signed in to gmail and checked off a couple of settings and it was done within 15 seconds. I even replied to an email. I have to get use to the android keyboard, but it's fine. It's a software qwerty keyboard, so there. Spacing is a little different for a 7in device, I've only had experience with my ipad and my iphone, so the in-between size is new for me. Reading on it is very much like on the kindle for ipad app. the only difference is you get a set of fonts, which is cool, similar to ibooks. Page turns were quick and responsive, all of your normal settings are there, brightness, page type, font size, etc. It's a little heavier than I expected, but of course not as heavy as my ipad. No biggie as I usually have my ipad resting on my lap or sitting up on it's case. So overall I'm very impressed. I think it's a great experience and look forward too using it more. Hope this helps.

11-15-2011, 05:54 PM	#17
Zoshka Connoisseur Posts: 97 Karma: 1000000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: WA Device: Kindle 3 & 4, Nook Tablet	I wasn't going to get one, based on the mixed reviews, but saw one in Best Buy today and it looked and felt quite nice, so I picked one up--for the price, you can't go wrong really. No problems at all so far. I like that they have the Netflix app available now,and it works wonderfully, although you can't adjust volume within the app, as on the idevices. I was able to hear a movie comfortably without headphones, though, which was nice. I don't mind the lack of a volume rocker, though, because it keeps the sides of the device clear for holding while reading. While it's slightly heavier than I expected, the feel is much nicer than I expected, with a smooth back that feels great to hold. It doesn't feel as much of a slab as the Nook Color does. I haven't noticed any lags when reading, and it's a pleasure to finally have font choice on a Kindle (options are Georgia, Caecilia, Trebuchet, Verdana, Arial, New Times Roman, Courier, and Lucida). It has a nice bookshelf view with covers, also refreshing for a Kindle, and my library checkouts are there as well (no need to go through ADE anymore, yay). Web pages are quite readable in landscape, and there are 3 default zoom options. You can also choose between desktop or mobile website view as a default--the default now is 'automatic optimise'. It also a folder for downloads, something I'm not used to, coming from the ipad. I'm new to Android, but as the reviews point out, this isn't as frightening as all the widgets and gingerbread/ice cream stuff on other tablets, and the carousel on the home screen feels a lot like cover flow on Apple devices, which feels more natural than endless icons. Overall, I'm thrilled with it. It's the 3 little bears tablet for me--the ipad is too big, the ipod touch is too small, both are too expensive, but the Fire is just right. There were plenty at my local Best Buy, and if you use your Discover Card to use in-store pickup, they're currently giving 10% cashback. My only quibble are that a few of the default apps like IMDB don't seem to have an option to delete them, and then there doesn't seem to be a Scrabble-type app that plays against a computer, as on the Apple version.

11-15-2011, 05:59 PM	#18
SamuraiXSendai Addict Posts: 229 Karma: 1234 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Earth Device: Kindle 1. Kindle 2. IPAD. KDXG. Kindle 3.Fire	Amazon owns IMDB so they probably consider it a sin to delete it . On my phone I have a number of Virgin Mobile apps I'd love to delete but can't without rooting it.

11-16-2011, 01:59 AM	#21
sachinwalia Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 26 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Device: iPhone 4, iPad, Kindle Fire, Kindle SO	I think we are going to see a lot of Kindle fire impression / experience related threads. It will be better if they all can be combined into a single thread.

11-16-2011, 02:16 PM	#22
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	I got my Fire and I really like it so far! I had to do a little hoop jumping to get Mantano on it but it and ColorDict work great! I've side loaded the recent version of ES File Explorer, Dropbox, Opera Mini and all is working just fine. Once thing I do not like is the carousel! It need to be smaller. The screen is too bright in the Kindle Reader. I can't use it without my eyes going crazy. I am surprise they remove the brightness setting like they have in the standard reading app. It's thinner and lighter than the Coby I had so I am in love with the sleek form factor of the Fire. Music sounds good. That's all I've played with so far.

11-16-2011, 02:28 PM	#23
gweminence Fat Guy Posts: 408 Karma: 24165 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle Voyage	Blossom, a couple things: Have you tried the built-in reader yet? It's NOT the Kindle for Android one, it's better. There IS a setting for brightness. Tap on the gear in the upper right corner.

11-16-2011, 02:33 PM	#25
gweminence Fat Guy Posts: 408 Karma: 24165 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle Voyage	Er, the difference is...?

11-16-2011, 09:40 PM	#28
Kai Winters Lover of Books Posts: 218 Karma: 1073074 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northern NY Device: iPhone 7+	Had a chance to play with one today at the local BB. I think it is a very nice device and its' price is great. I am surprised how fast it is. Much faster starting an app, etc. than I expected. I also love the quality of the screen resolution. Much better than expected. I may have one of my own before too long...would have one now if I hadn't purchased a Sony T1 a few weeks ago.

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