iPad 2 or Kindle Fire?

[ipadaltkc]

I'm debating right now on a Christmas gift for someone. I can't decide between the new kindle fire tablet or the i-pad2. Both seem pretty cool but I can't really see many differences between the two other than the large touch pad screen on the i-pad2. Can anybody give me some good pointers on differences between the two please?

[jojoba]

I don't have the Kindle Fire, but I think your options for downloading all kinds of content is much better with the iPad, the Kindle Fire is basically for Amazon products.

[yankgirl]

It all depends on what is needed. I have an iPad2 and love it. One good thing about it that you can load your own DVDs on to it and don't need a wifi connection to watch the movies. Also you can download the apps for other readers. I also like the bigger screen of the ipad for movie viewing. HTH!

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by ipadaltkc

I'm debating right now on a Christmas gift for someone. I can't decide between the new kindle fire tablet or the i-pad2. Both seem pretty cool but I can't really see many differences between the two other than the large touch pad screen on the i-pad2. Can anybody give me some good pointers on differences between the two please?

I was recently debating between these two for my own purposes. I ended up going with the iPad2, and am very happy with the decision... a coworker has shown me his Kindle Fire* briefly, but I've not used it.

Some things that pushed me over the edge...

• As closed as the iPad is, the Kindle is even more closed... (without hacks)
• The iPad2 has a front facing camera, which I use daily for Facetime video calls...
• The Kindle has lesser hardware specs overall... this shows in the lack of smoothness in the UI compared to the iPad (partially caused by Android not being as smooth)...
• Frustrations with my Android phone have biased me (a big time open source advocate, and 18 year Linux user) against the Android experience lately...

/warning, geek talk ahead/

As a software engineer I looked at the issues that I've had with poor Android performance and realized that a lot of them are due to architectural design decisions at the lowest levels, and realized that Android based devices MUST have much more power to be able to perform at the same level as iOS devices. Everything from running interpreted code vs. native, allowing apps free reign, to run background services whenever and whatever, chewing up CPU time and memory (I'm looking at you Rhapsody!!), activity implementation encourages poor separation between presentation and implementation code, forced re-creation of current activity on device rotation (unless you incur significant programming difficulty), encouraging poorly written programs... etc, etc, etc...

Anyhow... all of that stuff added up... yes, Amazon has resolved some of the above issues by having their own "walled garden", but the OS still allows poorly written apps to run roughshod over the whole system, and some of the worst offenders are in their app store.



* Kindle Fire -- I've always thought of the word "Kindle" in the e-reader context as a proper noun, but it sure acts like a verb there. :-)

[Kevin2960]

They are TOTALLY different beast and shouldn't be compared ... Your choice depends on what you want it for !!!

Have Fun !

[afv011]

Originally Posted by twowheels

... (unless you incur significant programming difficulty)...

I would think that adding 1 line to your manifest.xml file and overriding a 3-line function in your Activity would not qualify as "significant programming difficulty" (see below), but to each their own.

@Override
public void onConfigurationChanged(Configuration newConfig) {
  super.onConfigurationChanged(newConfig);
  setContentView(R.layout.myLayout);
}

[sachinwalia]

I have both and thinking of returning Fire. Watching my own videos is not intuitive as compared to iPad 2 and eReading options are very limited in fire. For example I read graphic novels in CBR format (Comiczeal app), screenplays (fdx reader), ebooks (both epub and mobi) and PDFs (good reader). Even 50% of these activities cannot be performed on Fire without workarounds. Off course your buying decision depends upon the usage. I described what I typically do on iPad to give you an idea if any of these activities follow your usage pattern as well.

[trevgriff]

I love reading on my iPad 2. I have had numerous e-ink devices and a few android based tablets, none come close.

[Cpl Punishment]

I have used both quite a bit....No comparison what-so-ever...There is a reason all is compared to an Ipad..It works, no rooting, side loading, no work arounds...It works..The Fire in my opinion has tried to be something to all people and it just doesnt work..It is not a friendly reader nor is it a tablet. The K-3 still rocks as my outside reader and is a keeper....

[nookkatz]

I can't offer opinions on the Kindle Fire, but I do have a Nook Color and an e-ink Nook. I bought an iPad recently, and if I had had the iPad first, I wouldn't have bought the Nooks. I love the Nooks, but the iPad blows them away.

If you don't HAVE to have an iPad 2, check the refurbished first generation iPads in the Apple store online. That's what I bought, and I am completely happy with it.

[kjk]

Well, a *huge* difference for some is the price; For the price of an entry level iPad 2, you could buy them a Fire and a Kindle with special deals, plus another Fire for yourself or someone else!

[Cpl Punishment]

Originally Posted by kjk

Well, a *huge* difference for some is the price; For the price of an entry level iPad 2, you could buy them a Fire and a Kindle with special deals, plus another Fire for yourself or someone else!

Ya get what ya pay for !!!

[SCION]

Originally Posted by Cpl Punishment

Ya get what ya pay for !!!

Only this logic doesn't seem to apply when Mac owners try to justify their more expensive purchase to die hard owners of Windows machines.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by SCION

Only this logic doesn't seem to apply when Mac owners try to justify their more expensive purchase to die hard owners of Windows machines.

I think the cliche your looking for is "ignorance is expensive."

[Cpl Punishment]

Originally Posted by SCION

Only this logic doesn't seem to apply when Mac owners try to justify their more expensive purchase to die hard owners of Windows machines.

Originally Posted by =X=

I think the cliche your looking for is "ignorance is expensive."

Originally Posted by kjk

Well, a *huge* difference for some is the price; For the price of an entry level iPad 2, you could buy them a Fire and a Kindle with special deals, plus another Fire for yourself or someone else!

I believe he was comparing the Fire to an Ipad(2)...(200 bucks vs 600 bucks)..Do you really believe "Ignorance" is the deciding factor in quality & performance here..?? These and the Amazons boards are filled with complaints/disappointment with the Fire..I was not starting a MAC/Windows debate..I dont believe it is a fair comparison between the Fire and the Ipad as the Fire is a cheap Reader/Tablet and is marketed as such. The the Ipad isn't ...and in this case and in most, the cheap becomes expensive..(when you buy return, and buy something else)...