I'm done with the Fire

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by sadievan

Hi Jessica,

Totally off topic, but do you know of a good app killer app for android phones. My brother has an android phone and some app keeps eating his battery. Maybe a Google app that is causing the trouble.

Thanks

Get the GSam Battery Monitor for Android. It shows exact battery and time usage for each process and app showing:

1. CPU usage
2. CPU usage minus foreground
3. Keep Awake time
4. Number of Wake Locks
5. Bytes sent
6. Bytes received
7. Accelerometer

It also has an option to manage each app.

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

I use Norton Spot (it's free). It runs a scan and lets you know what apps are pushing out ads, using your GPS, and have weird behaviors. That can help as most ad supported apps do other weird things.

And jswinden, I'm just stating from my own tests, which I did on a G4, a G5, and my MacBook Pro. That video didn't actually show you the device syncing either.

cool, let me know how your tests go. I'm very interested in how this will impact iPads and iPod touches/iPhones. I would love to try out a Mac computer again, but I don't have that kind of spare change lying around.

I started out with an Apple II+ Woz design in 1981 that was a hacker's dream. Unfortunately Jobs won out on the Mac side and those always were difficult to hack or upgrade, but I got my first Mac SE in 1984 and many more Macs thereafter until Jobs returned in the 1990s and screwed up things. I was a technical writer and before Windows 95 we mostly used Macs for their WYSIWYG. The best years for Apple Macs hardware-wise were after Jobs was kicked out and before he returned. Apple opened up the licensing and several manufacturers turned out kicka$$ Mac clones that made Apple's models look amateurish. I lived in Austin then and we had three manufacturers that built these great machines and we could buy them cheap and easily modify them. Then Jobs returned and his greed again took over Apple. Of course before Jobs returned the Mac OS had deteriorated into a royal POS, so he did get that straightened out, but he immediately axed the clones. Now Macs cost way more than they are worth. That's when i switched to Windows and never looked back.

[andrys]

[QUOTE=Jessica Lares;2276432]The Kindle Fire is 1024×600, the Mini is 1024x768.

Because I have owned an iPhone since 2007, I am highly invested in the Apple Ecosystem. I have lots and lots and lots and lots of apps that would get used daily on this Mini. I have Snapseed for photography, Garageband for music, iMovie for video, and am planning on getting Paper. My Kindle books will live happily on it, and so will my comiXology comics, and Zinio magazines. Plus I'll be finally able to use my iTunes U iBooks content.[/quote[

Those are the best reasons for going Apple on the smaller tablet.

16GB is fine for me. I'm used to being limited to that coming from an iPhone 4.

No problem with sizing since this iPad mini is not going to do HD videos (which I'm high on). It has the same resolution and 163 ppi as my 2-yr old NookColor but is larger than the the old 7" device so will look even less sharp.

There's no comparison even with the 1280x800 of the Nexus and KFire HD but with the 8.9" KFHD, there is 254 ppi, close to Retina and at $299 for the 16GB and $369 for the 32GB.

So, the Apple apps are the best (if not the only good reason besides light weight with larger form) reason for your decision. But it's hard for me to look at my old KFire and NookColor after even the 1280x800.

If you chose 32GB for HD material, but the iPad mini can't show them correctly anyway, it'd be an almost $200 difference in the units. $180... if thinking of the 7".
If thinking of the 8.9" model that you were thinking of getting though , then you're choosing something with 163ppi over 254ppi and that's a LARGE difference. And it's only $299 for the 16GB and $369 for the 32GB version.

Apple has been known for topmost quality, but this mini isn't it.
But the apps are. AND, it looks nice overall (they mainly show snapshots on it, I noticed) and is definitely lighter than the others even if larger.

Apple didn't focus on the Kindle Fire because it didn't need to. The press and the initial response did it for them.

That would be for only faith-based readers of Pogue and Mossberg.

The other reviews went into detail on things like how the Nexus would not bring in streaming HD in rooms where the KFire HD's stronger WiFi system ran them w/o difficulty.
Pogue loaded a webpage and was happy with that kind of test showing a 1-second 'win' by the $499 iPad. Those reviews + even the good one by Consumer Research almost solely focused on a misunderstanding of Bezos' claim to 'the best tablet' (he meant the $499 one, explained) and then that review wasted a serious reader's time by detailing why the $199 KFHD 7" was not as good as the $499 iPad, w/ features mentioned that are hardly used).

I quote the many other mainstream tech review sites (CNet, Engadget, Gizmodo, Verve) to show reviews that actually tested what they should and didn't misread/mishear Bezos' statement, getting all hot and bothered by it.

If interested in anything but Pogue/Mossberg, see those at
http://kindleworld.blogspot.com/2012...t-goal-of.html

Paying that much money for a device to get ads all over the place?

On the Lock screen which you see briefly when waking it up and one on the bottom of the home screen. But you pay $15 or a total of $214 to not have them. They're also preparing an option to remove 'suggestions' though B&N had them on the home page and people didn't mind.

I don't mind it myself, but then why would I get it when I can have something for the same price (tax wise) that's a lot better for my use and doesn't have advertisements?

Same price? The iPad mini ?? vs ???
Nexus 32GB one will be $249. KFire HD too. The BASIC 16GB for those two is $199 now. This is going against the iPad mini's $329 for 16GB at that lower screen resolution.

I've been holding out so long on jumping on the iPad and it's finally at a price and size that works for me.

In your place I'd want something that can do Apple apps also.
I'd go for the iPad 3 which will be down-priced now. MUCH better, with Retina, 1GB RAM and not the old specs of the iPad 2. I think it's a waste unless you specifically want the smaller one with the scaled down capabilities in sharpness and in RAM/speed.

Amazon also has a great track record of being the only company making Android devices that actually get like 10 updates in its cycle. No one else does that, not even Samsung or Motorola.

I have a Samsung 10.1 Galaxy Tab. My Samsung Galaxy S2 phone got an update to ice cream sandwich that I haven't bothered to update because a few people found it slower (!) the way it was implemented by Samsung. Will update it once I hear it's better.

[Anabran]

"The thing that I find most irritating about the Kindle Fire is that it treats sideloaded media as if it has a deadly virus and needs to be quarantined. The KF does not integrate books and videos from non-Amazon sources"

Not for me I dont use the amazon book reader or its Video player for side loaded content.
I use Aldiko for my side loaded DMR free books and mobo player for my .mov,.avi , .mkv etc video files.

99% or my apps are sideloaded android apps

only my Amazon purchased copies of Autodesk Sketchbook and an Arabic language app
force me to connect to the web every 30 days to prove I am not software pirate.

With my Go launcher Ex home screen I basicly bypass the Amazon Experience altogether and use my KF as an android tablet.

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by Anabran

Not for me I dont use the amazon book reader or its Video player for side loaded content.
I use Aldiko for my side loaded DMR free books and mobo player for my .mov,.avi , .mkv etc video files.

99% or my apps are sideloaded android apps

only my Amazon purchased copies of Autodesk Sketchbook and an Arabic language app
force me to connect to the web every 30 days to prove I am not software pirate.

With my Go launcher Ex home screen I basicly bypass the Amazon Experience altogether and use my KF as an android tablet.

I was referring to the stock KF experience.

[sadievan]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

I use Norton Spot (it's free). It runs a scan and lets you know what apps are pushing out ads, using your GPS, and have weird behaviors. That can help as most ad supported apps do other weird things.

Thanks.

[andrys]

Originally Posted by Anabran

Not for me I dont use the amazon book reader or its Video player for side loaded content.
I use Aldiko for my side loaded DMR free books and mobo player for my .mov,.avi , .mkv etc video files.

99% or my apps are sideloaded android apps

only my Amazon purchased copies of Autodesk Sketchbook and an Arabic language app
force me to connect to the web every 30 days to prove I am not software pirate.

With my Go launcher Ex home screen I basicly bypass the Amazon Experience altogether and use my KF as an android tablet.

I had Go launcher on the Kindle Fire original. It was just like my Samsung stuff and I didn't particularly like it.

I went back to the stock stuff. For the Kindle Fire HD also, as with the Kindle Fire 1, I just download any of the other apps by using the app stores for 1mobile.com or getjar.com or slideme.org + others. There's nothing I wanted that I couldn't get by merely downloading it while ON the KFire and just clicking on Install.

Amazon makes it easy enough when we choose to enable installation of apps from other sources under 'Device' under Settings.

ES File Explorer or File Expert both make it easy to just tap and install apps we've downloaded direct to the device. I don't have to even literally 'sideload' any -- it's merely a download though the meaning of 'sideload' now encompasses anything that's received other than thru' the Amazon store.

That's all done with the stock Kindle Fire 1 or HD interface. Nothing special about it. I actually enjoy the 'Favorites' feature. Accessing any type of Favorite (app, game, book, newspaper) from anywhere and whatever I'm doing. Then I can return to where I was when through with jumping to the Favorite.

And, yes, I have on both KFires Aldiko and Mantano for DRM'd ePub books.

- Andrys

[aceflor]

Andrys, regarding the ics update on galaxy 2, my new one was delivered to me by the phonehouse with ics (samsumgs version) already on it and it is indeed super stable and way faster than my neighbour's galaxy 2 not yet on android 4 (sorry, don't know which version of 3 he has), so maybe now you can upgrade.

[Hope]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

Well, after seeing the new iPad Mini, I guess I'm canceling my Kindle Fire HD 8.9" order. By the beginning of the month, I will have already gotten the new iPad in my hands, and the Kindle Fire HD will still be weeks away.

I think there will be many others who haven't got their hands on one yet doing the same thing. In the end, with all the taxes, I'm pretty much paying the same price anyway, except the iPad wouldn't have the ads everywhere.

Oh well.

You should consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. I am SO happy with it. It is so much better than the Kindle Fire in almost every way. Micro sdcard slot (officially up to 32 Gb's but some have gotten 64 gb's to work), GPS, Bluetooth, works as a TV remote, you can install apps from anywhere and control your WALLPAPER. You can multitask, all settings are easily available....as you can see I am a real fan. Oh, and the built in speakers are so awesomely LOUD that I don't need to attach external speakers anymore to listen to audio books with my Ambling BookPlayer Pro app (great app).

I did get my husband to use my Kindle Fire and he loves it, BTW.

But, if you are a die-hard Apple fan, nothing else will do.
The Apple mini is bigger than the Galaxy...don't like that much...Galaxy is 12 ounces and just the right size in my opinion.

YMMV

[Hope]

Originally Posted by iPatty

That should be your iPad. I've committed one of the biggest internet offenses.

Good thing you corrected that or I was going to jump all over you as a retired teacher. Just kidding.

I now make so many mistakes in posting that I have stopped being critical.

[Jessica Lares]

I have a Galaxy S2 Skyrocket, and the first thing to go was TouchWiz. Rooted, flashed CyanogenMod, and have loved it since then. I don't think it would be any better on a tablet, it just makes me mad because it works so clunky, and doesn't even look that nice, plus the amount of bloatware was nuts. I really like S Memo though, but there's an exact clone of it that someone made for non-TouchWiz and it's even better, even without an S Pen.

I considered the Note 10.1, just out of curiosity and features, and the fact that it ran the new TouchWiz, but when I started seeing the hands on, and the way it looked after just 30 minutes of handling, I pretty much said forget about it.

My dad really likes the Fire. I'm going to have to put Speaker Boost on it for him though. I never realized how low the volume was.

[Jessica Lares]

And so it's done. The moment the order page went up, I ordered a 16GB black/slate with a Smart Cover, delivers the 2nd. The Fire is happily being used for internet browsing and Netflix watching by my dad.

[andrys]

Originally Posted by aceflor

Andrys, regarding the ics update on galaxy 2, my new one was delivered to me by the phonehouse with ics (samsumgs version) already on it and it is indeed super stable and way faster than my neighbour's galaxy 2 not yet on android 4 (sorry, don't know which version of 3 he has), so maybe now you can upgrade.

Thanks for that word, aceflor.

Will check with the Samsung site then, as it has to be done by computer. Thanks!

- A

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

And so it's done. The moment the order page went up, I ordered a 16GB black/slate with a Smart Cover, delivers the 2nd. The Fire is happily being used for internet browsing and Netflix watching by my dad.

Hope you enjoy your new device.

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by Hope

You should consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0. I am SO happy with it. It is so much better than the Kindle Fire in almost every way. Micro sdcard slot (officially up to 32 Gb's but some have gotten 64 gb's to work), GPS, Bluetooth, works as a TV remote, you can install apps from anywhere and control your WALLPAPER. You can multitask, all settings are easily available....as you can see I am a real fan. Oh, and the built in speakers are so awesomely LOUD that I don't need to attach external speakers anymore to listen to audio books with my Ambling BookPlayer Pro app (great app).

I did get my husband to use my Kindle Fire and he loves it, BTW.

But, if you are a die-hard Apple fan, nothing else will do.
The Apple mini is bigger than the Galaxy...don't like that much...Galaxy is 12 ounces and just the right size in my opinion.

YMMV

I wholeheartedly second your praise of the GTab 2 7.0... and in particular, the Student Edition that included the keyboard dock and USB dongle.

Using the keyboard dock and a bluetooth mouse has been the nicest and most desktop-like user experience of any tablet I own... And I own quite a few.

I don't know what TouchWiz is like on other devices, but on the GTab it's fine.