What can I do with an HDX?

[Barty]

I want to get my sis a tablet. She wants something like the iPad mini.

The HDX looks pretty nice, hardware wise. It's one of the top android tablets, except it's stuck in amazon store.

The amazon store is I imagine just a subset of google store. So app wise, the HDX is a big step down from the iPad.

My sister has no particular attachment to the amazon ecosystem. She buys some kindle books, but get most of her books from library or free PD stuff. She has Netflix, not prime. She currently has an iPhone, so she's used to iOS and its apps.

So I don't want to get her what looks to me like a jailed android tablet. Am I wrong?

Can the HDX be rooted so you can install any android app on it? Or even use the google store?

I see there's a sticky thread on app side loading. I take it it's hit and miss as far as what will run?

[mcrow]

Kindles are best if you are a prime member. There is a lot of free content on Amazon prime that you don't get with iTunes, not to mention free shipping on items if you shop on amazon.

Even without prime she can still get netflix, download library books, and PD books. There are about 100K apps on Amazon and many of them are simiar to the popular apps on iTunes. You can also get apps from 1mobile which gives you access to most of the free android apps.

Not sure what you mean about Amazon being a subset of google play, but they are seperate stores though there are many similar apps, just like there are similar apps in the apple app store.

1mobile is basically a mirror of the free apps on google play.

Best thing to do would be to find out which apps she uses the most and see if Amazon or 1mobile has them.

If she would be intrested in a Prime membership Kindles are far better than iPads, IMO. Tons of free movies, books...ect to use on the Kindle.

The HDX 7" is also a lot less expensive than the iPad Mini and has superior hardware.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Barty

I want to get my sis a tablet. She wants something like the iPad mini.

The HDX looks pretty nice, hardware wise. It's one of the top android tablets, except it's stuck in amazon store.

The amazon store is I imagine just a subset of google store. So app wise, the HDX is a big step down from the iPad.

My sister has no particular attachment to the amazon ecosystem. She buys some kindle books, but get most of her books from library or free PD stuff. She has Netflix, not prime. She currently has an iPhone, so she's used to iOS and its apps.

So I don't want to get her what looks to me like a jailed android tablet. Am I wrong?

Can the HDX be rooted so you can install any android app on it? Or even use the google store?

I see there's a sticky thread on app side loading. I take it it's hit and miss as far as what will run?

Get her the Nexus 7 it's an awesome tablet and it has Google Play and will run pretty much any app. I own one and it's solid and has the latest android on it. The HDX doesn't need to be rooted to install apps but not all apps will work on it. There is Netflix and Hulu Plus in the app store. However the HDX 7 does have the blue border problem so it's gamble if you get one that is barely noticeable. Think colors blobs on a tablet. It's horrible! I went through 3 of them and gave up and got the Nexus 7 instead which I am very happy with. The Nexus 7 16GB is a little cheaper than the HDX too!


However if you going to get her a Kindle Fire that is 7" the HD version is great! I own one and I love it! It doesn't suffer the Blue LEDs problem and has pretty much the same as the HDX except the hardware isn't as good. No Camera though.

I just can't recommended the HDX 7 after my experience with it. If it didn't have Blue LEDs I could but that border is just awful for reading.

[spellbanisher]

Originally Posted by Barty

I want to get my sis a tablet. She wants something like the iPad mini.

The HDX looks pretty nice, hardware wise. It's one of the top android tablets, except it's stuck in amazon store.

The amazon store is I imagine just a subset of google store. So app wise, the HDX is a big step down from the iPad.

My sister has no particular attachment to the amazon ecosystem. She buys some kindle books, but get most of her books from library or free PD stuff. She has Netflix, not prime. She currently has an iPhone, so she's used to iOS and its apps.

So I don't want to get her what looks to me like a jailed android tablet. Am I wrong?

Can the HDX be rooted so you can install any android app on it? Or even use the google store?

I see there's a sticky thread on app side loading. I take it it's hit and miss as far as what will run?

Unless you buy right now (today the hdx is 20% off) the nexus 7 and the hdx cost the same. If your sister is not invested in the kindle ecosystem, the nexus 7 is probably your best option.

If price is a factor, other tablets with access to the Google play store include the Asus memopad ($149), the hisense sero pro (129$ for the 8GBP version), and the nook hd (129$). Those tablets don't have the 1920x1200 screen, but on the plus side they have Microsd card slots.

[spellbanisher]

Originally Posted by mcrow

Kindles are best if you are a prime member. There is a lot of free content on Amazon prime that you don't get with iTunes, not to mention free shipping on items if you shop on amazon.

Even without prime she can still get netflix, download library books, and PD books. There are about 100K apps on Amazon and many of them are simiar to the popular apps on iTunes. You can also get apps from 1mobile which gives you access to most of the free android apps.

Not sure what you mean about Amazon being a subset of google play, but they are seperate stores though there are many similar apps, just like there are similar apps in the apple app store.

1mobile is basically a mirror of the free apps on google play.

Best thing to do would be to find out which apps she uses the most and see if Amazon or 1mobile has them.

If she would be intrested in a Prime membership Kindles are far better than iPads, IMO. Tons of free movies, books...ect to use on the Kindle.

The HDX 7" is also a lot less expensive than the iPad Mini and has superior hardware.

From my experience, many of the apps in the Amazon Appstore are outdated versions of the Google play store apps. In fact, when an app I get from is buggy or lacks features, I sideload the Google play version on my kindle and it works much better.Just to provide two examples

I like to use ankidroid, a spaced time repetition flash card app. The Google play version syncs across all devices(a feature that is nice if you prefer to make your flash cards on a computer), the Amazon app does not, so I use the Google play version on my kindle.

The Amazon version of the mx player, which allows me to play wmv files, crashes and stutters a lot, but the Google version that I installed on my kindle works buttery smooth.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by spellbanisher

From my experience, many of the apps in the Amazon Appstore are outdated versions of the Google play store apps. In fact, when an app I get from is buggy or lacks features, I sideload the Google play version on my kindle and it works much better.Just to provide two examples

I like to use ankidroid, a spaced time repetition flash card app. The Google play version syncs across all devices(a feature that is nice if you prefer to make your flash cards on a computer), the Amazon app does not, so I use the Google play version on my kindle.

The Amazon version of the mx player, which allows me to play wmv files, crashes and stutters a lot, but the Google version that I installed on my kindle works buttery smooth.

The problem is if the app has a Google license check permission it wont work on the Fire, Mantano is one app like this so here I wait forever for the Amazon app store to get the latest version in. I agree alot of the apps are severely outdated.

[tomsem]

If you want to watch Prime Video the Nexus 7 is not the device of choice. You can use something like Puffin browser (with Flash built in) but the experience is sub-optimal. Whereas there is Amazon Instant Video app for iOS. Plus the Kindle app on Android is the poor orphan of mobile apps. It has the basics but the iOS app is much more well endowed.

So everything is a tradeoff.

But if Amazon ecosystem is not important, don't get a Fire. The Nexus is perfectly great and not more expensive.

If I were forced to take one for free I probably would go with the mini, because the apps are usually better, especially as you pursue special interests.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by tomsem

If you want to watch Prime Video the Nexus 7 is not the device of choice. You can use something like Puffin browser (with Flash built in) but the experience is sub-optimal. Whereas there is Amazon Instant Video app for iOS. Plus the Kindle app on Android is the poor orphan of mobile apps. It has the basics but the iOS app is much more well endowed.

So everything is a tradeoff.

But if Amazon ecosystem is not important, don't get a Fire. The Nexus is perfectly great and not more expensive.

If I were forced to take one for free I probably would go with the mini, because the apps are usually better, especially as you pursue special interests.

I believe the mini has a better screen ratio for reading too. Not saying I want one but I read that somewhere. Sometimes the higher the resolution isn't the best for reading although the extra ppi does help on text rendering.

[tomsem]

I should add that I like the mini form factor for reading, the minimal bezels and aspect ratio. I was hoping that Amazon and Google would copy it this year (Samsung Note 8 is right there but needs higher pixel density to include in this consideration). But then some people don't like the 'wasted space' when viewing movies.

[sirmaru]

Buy the HDX 2013 and just trust Amazon. They are the best.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I should add that I like the mini form factor for reading, the minimal bezels and aspect ratio. I was hoping that Amazon and Google would copy it this year (Samsung Note 8 is right there but needs higher pixel density to include in this consideration). But then some people don't like the 'wasted space' when viewing movies.

I actually like the KFHD bezel for reading. It gives me something to hold onto unlike the N7.2 which has a very narrow bezel on the sides and causes me to turn pages accidentally or change the font size. I have really small hands too.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by Barty

I want to get my sis a tablet. She wants something like the iPad mini.

I've never known an iPerson who was satisfied with something like an iPad. Get her an iPad mini.

[mewmartigan]

If she wants something like the ipad mini and is already invested in the iphone/ipad ecosystem i would get her an ipad mini.

[Jessica Lares]

Both my dad and brother use the 1st generation Kindle more than the HD. The newer Kindles look more like a storefront and there's ads and recommendations right when you turn it on every time unless you pay to take the ads out.

I will even go as far to say that my Dad has not picked up his Kindle Fire since he got his MacBook Pro. It literally replaced it for him, and he does basically the same thing on it.

I use Amazon Instant Video, the Amazon store app, Amazon MP3, and the Kindle app on my iPad Mini. It's the best device if you want to have the Amazon experience, but still keep with the iOS ecosystem.

These guys will tell you the HDs and HDX are great, the media will tell you the same thing because of the tech specs, but really, it's an Amazon device, that works well with Amazon stuff and what Amazon allows you to have. Lots of people here side load the stuff not in the store.

When people say they want something "like the iPad", they want the iPad.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

Both my dad and brother use the 1st generation Kindle more than the HD. The newer Kindles look more like a storefront and there's ads and recommendations right when you turn it on every time unless you pay to take the ads out.

I will even go as far to say that my Dad has not picked up his Kindle Fire since he got his MacBook Pro. It literally replaced it for him, and he does basically the same thing on it.

I use Amazon Instant Video, the Amazon store app, Amazon MP3, and the Kindle app on my iPad Mini. It's the best device if you want to have the Amazon experience, but still keep with the iOS ecosystem.

These guys will tell you the HDs and HDX are great, the media will tell you the same thing because of the tech specs, but really, it's an Amazon device, that works well with Amazon stuff and what Amazon allows you to have. Lots of people here side load the stuff not in the store.

When people say they want something "like the iPad", they want the iPad.

I agree on that. If you already own iPads and want another device, buy an iPad mini. If you are hooked to all consumer goods from Amazon, buy a Kindle PW 2013 for just eBook reading and an HDX 2013 for apps, music and eBooks.