3 Kindles are less than an iPad

[ApK]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The fact that 95% of the world's population can't actually buy a Fire?

Ha. OK. But based on affordability rather than availablity, the same might be said for the iPad...

Seriously, though, I mean for those who could choose either, what the main differentiation that warrants the price difference?
And it's a sincere question, I'm just curious.

ApK

[ApK]

I'm surprised no iPadder has jumped on the title of this thread yet:
"Why, yes, 3 Kindles ARE less than an iPad. That's why they're so much cheaper."

[azazel1024]

Originally Posted by ApK

And as it happens, I bought three Kindle Fires at Walmart this week. :-)
(Really.)

It's true that's it's not an iPad, and it's not a PC, but if you happen to want what it is (and it's a good number of good things), it's an outstanding deal.

I mean, seriously, 90% of the time, I watch videos, surf the web, and play Angry Birds...can you tell me that the vast majority of owners of any tablet do more than that...?

ApK

No, that is the vast majority. However, I like the close to 50% great screen area (7in diagonal versus 9.7in diagonal), much faster graphics and processor (not all dual core 1ghz processors are created equal), significantly longer battery life and much greater selection of apps. The extra storage space is simply icing; and actually important, since for what I do with my 16GB iPad2, I utilize about 6.5GB of the 14GB available user storage space, without any videos or significant amount of images...that is basically just apps. So I could cut down on that some, but then it significantly cuts down on the utility of the device. Also I have plenty of movies that are 2 or 3GB in size...which means for on the go, something like a Fire, if I cut it to the bone on apps, books and songs might manage 2 of my larger file size movies (if I was lucky).

That is fine for every day, but for a trip (and I visit my in-laws at the beach, my parents, business trips, etc probably at least once a month on average over the year) that is nothing. It is nice to be able to fit a couple of movies for myself, maybe a TV episode or two of something I am currently watching and maybe a movie or a few TV shows for my young kids to keep them entertained. I have a portable hotspot that I use only for its built in microSD card slot for wireless network share for really big trips, but it is less convenient, another device to tote, cost extra (about $70 used with the 16GB micro SD card), keep charged, etc...so for the short trips, it just isn't worth taking...and it would be a REQUIREMENT for anything other than everyday use if I was limited to 8GB of storage.

Back to the screen real estate issue. 7 inches is fine for more casual movie or TV watching, basic app use or very, very basic on screen keyboard. However, I want(ed) something that could effectively replace my PC for everyday use. The screen is large enough that I have basically 0 issues browsing websites for hours unless there is some kind of wierd formating issue, on screen keyboard is okay, though admittedly I wouldn't want to type out a work paper on it without getting a blue tooth keyboard (but if I did it would be so much more comfy using a keyboard with it to get work done), games and other apps are nice having the extra screen space, etc.

Just my 2 cents, but to recap, the limited storage space to me is a huge knock (I need 16GB minimum, and it would be nice to have 32GB which I am thinking of in my next tablet in a year or so), the small screen size is fine if I needed something SUPER portable as a tablet (but my iPad2 is just fine on portability, if I need something super portable, that is what a smart phone or an eink reader is for)...but a knock for normal use and finally the slower speed of the processor and graphics isn't the hugest deal ever...but my iPad2 is a lot more fluid.

The fire is nice for those that need/want nothing more than a basic 7 inch tablet with limited storage space and limited functionality (unless rooted). However, for the extra screen real estate, space for an on screen keyboard, extra memory, much faster graphics and processor and greater app selection...well I don't think the price is really much of a premium.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by azazel1024

I have a portable hotspot that I use only for its built in microSD card slot for wireless network share for really big trips, but it is less convenient, another device to tote, cost extra (about $70 used with the 16GB micro SD card)

That's interesting... you have some 3G or 4G hotspot device with an SD slot, and you can use it without actually needing to have 3G or 4G service active?
What device do you have?

[MichelleR]

Originally Posted by Steve_D

Yes, but it's a little bit daft. I mean look at everything else the iPad can do, and the cost is fair...

OK, I recently bought an iPad and am in the honeymoon period, but when I pick up a friend's Kindle, it always feels... I don't know... kind of limited... I guess that's the point, just to be able to focus on the book(s) you are reading, but for me, I get the urge to check my email etc every so often when I'm reading a book on my iPad

This is just it. The iPad price is fair if you're a person who wants all the things the iPad does. If you are a person who just wants a tablet for a few things, then it's crazy expensive.

I think the charm of a basic Kindle, not the Fire, is that it's not made for email. I love reading, but if you give me a simple way to check Twitter and my mail, the desire to do so will intrude on the reading. When I have something I must read in a certain length of time, or I'm really trying to wind down after a long day, I'm going to grab my Touch, or my keyboard model -- whichever is closer.

My Fire is what I tend to use to supplement my laptop during the day -- it's what I use to listen to music while I work, for instance. I tend to use it to check what's going on in the world while watching TV in the evening (Email, Facebook, Twitter, my fave message board.) It's what I use to read a few select magazines. Once in a while, I do a show or movie. It is not where I tend to read books. The price I paid for it makes it worth it, but in iPad is a lot of money for the basic stuff I want.

Anyhow, I think the commercial is not for the people who want a fully tricked out tablet experience, but for people with a similar profile to mind in some ways -- in a household where more than one person wants a device, looking for a dedicated reader for books, but can also appreciate or use a few tablet functions.

[Blue Tyson]

Could run 7 Kindles less than an iPad here probably

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by azazel1024

No, that is the vast majority. However, I like the close to 50% great screen area (7in diagonal versus 9.7in diagonal),

Actually, if you do the math, the iPad's screen is more than twice as large as the Fire's (45"sq vs. 21" sq).

I think it's a pretty good ad, though.

But no ad will tell people what they *really* need - an iPad *and* an e-ink Kindle.

[Stommer]

First, you have to carry 3 devices to do what the iPad does. When I travel, I only want to carry one. The iPad gives you the ability to FaceTime, sync calendars with iPhone, surf, email, navigate in your car, watch videos, edit or create videos,read, play games, transfer photos. It's quick, responsive, dependable. If you like kindle's then have at it. I love my iPad. It's by far the best device that I've ever purchased. If I broke it today, I would replace it with another. It was a great commercial though.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by MichelleR

I think the charm of a basic Kindle, not the Fire, is that it's not made for email. I love reading, but if you give me a simple way to check Twitter and my mail, the desire to do so will intrude on the reading. When I have something I must read in a certain length of time, or I'm really trying to wind down after a long day, I'm going to grab my Touch, or my keyboard model -- whichever is closer.

Agreed. I love my Kindle because its main focus is reading.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Stommer

First, you have to carry 3 devices to do what the iPad does. When I travel, I only want to carry one. The iPad gives you the ability to FaceTime, sync calendars with iPhone, surf, email, navigate in your car, watch videos, edit or create videos,read, play games, transfer photos. It's quick, responsive, dependable. If you like kindle's then have at it. I love my iPad. It's by far the best device that I've ever purchased. If I broke it today, I would replace it with another. It was a great commercial though.

3 devices? I'm mentally comparing a Fire to the iPad 1 wifi which has a more comperable feature set (and price). Even if you mean the device plus a hot spot, I can fit them both in jacket pocket vs needing to carry the iPad seperatly, so I guess it's a matter of which kind of convienience is more important to you.
As far as quick and responsive, yes ipad seriously wins here. I think the Fire performs well, but I was just playing with an ipad in the apple store again and it really is in whole different class.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Stommer

First, you have to carry 3 devices to do what the iPad does. When I travel, I only want to carry one. The iPad gives you the ability to FaceTime, sync calendars with iPhone, surf, email, navigate in your car, watch videos, edit or create videos,read, play games, transfer photos. It's quick, responsive, dependable. If you like kindle's then have at it. I love my iPad. It's by far the best device that I've ever purchased. If I broke it today, I would replace it with another. It was a great commercial though.

iPad 1 doesn't FaceTime. iPad WiFi doesn't navigate.

[jtdolphins]

Originally Posted by ApK

Seriously, though, I mean for those who could choose either, what the main differentiation that warrants the price difference?
And it's a sincere question, I'm just curious.

ApK

If you want to create stuff then you would choose the ipad. You can write, work on you blog, create movies or most things you can do on a mac. Its not perfect substitue yet, but its close.

On the Fire, its more for consuming information and checking email and other social media. You are not going to take the Fire on a work trip. You would take an ipad if you didn't want to carry a laptop.

They serve two different markets. The Fire is more focused, while the ipad is trying to do everything a computer can do. I didn't really like the Fire, but it works for what its designed for. I am sure the second generation will be a big improvement and I might change my mind. The ipad has improved significantly since the first gen.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jtdolphins

If you want to create stuff then you would choose the ipad. You can write, work on you blog, create movies or most things you can do on a mac. Its not perfect substitue yet, but its close.

On the Fire, its more for consuming information and checking email and other social media. You are not going to take the Fire on a work trip. You would take an ipad if you didn't want to carry a laptop.

They serve two different markets. The Fire is more focused, while the ipad is trying to do everything a computer can do. I didn't really like the Fire, but it works for what its designed for. I am sure the second generation will be a big improvement and I might change my mind. The ipad has improved significantly since the first gen.

What percent of workers have jobs that require them to take business trips?

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Stommer

First, you have to carry 3 devices to do what the iPad does. When I travel, I only want to carry one. The iPad gives you the ability to FaceTime, sync calendars with iPhone, surf, email, navigate in your car, watch videos, edit or create videos,read, play games, transfer photos. It's quick, responsive, dependable. If you like kindle's then have at it. I love my iPad. It's by far the best device that I've ever purchased. If I broke it today, I would replace it with another. It was a great commercial though.

FaceTime? Never heard of it, so I probably won't miss it.
Sync calendars with an Iphone? My phone can call and make texts. No syncing possible.
Surf? Can also be done with the Fire
Navigate? I have a TomTom and a built-in car navigation
Watch videos? The Fire can do that
Edit or create videos? Editing, I prefer a large screen monitor and not a tiny tablet screen (yes, 9.7" 4:3 is tiny compared to a 24" wide-screen) Create videos I prefer to use my camera for that, as that is more easy to hold up.
Play games? You can do that on the Fire as well
Transfer photos? You can do that on the Fire as well.

So, what does the Ipad have that warrants its much higher price point?

But I do think that Amazon make one grave mistake (beside not making the Fire available world-wide). No hardware buttons at all. Not even for volume (which can then also be used for paging).

When my husband showed interest in the Fire, I talked him out of it due to the fact that he, as not living in the US, would have problems adding apps on it, the lack of hardware buttons and the lack of an external memory slot (at least you can charge it with a normal USB charger...)

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

FaceTime? Never heard of it, so I probably won't miss it.

I'm not sure, but I think FaceTime is Apple's version of Skype video chat. And in keeping with the walled garden philosophy, it only talks to other Apples.