3 Kindles are less than an iPad

[tubemonkey]

I have FaceTime on my iPod touch and Skype on my Galaxy Player and never use either of them.

I suppose Skype might come in handy on a vacation, so I won't rule out its usefulness completely.

[Penforhire]

Sweetpea, you're clearly happy with your Fire. I don't own a tablet (yet) but the differences are obvious. You downplayed a couple (no camera, no GPS). Add to those longer battery life (several hours more, even with the larger screen), more memory, and a stronger App store. Apple's iCloud approach is reasonable (and should be pretty sound in the next revision) and applies/shares to all iOS devices (phone, tablet, PC).

You can slice the value proposition any way you like. For you the Fire sounds like a better device. For others the iPad has its charms.

Oh, and a recent customer satisfaction survey gives the nod to the iPad as well (74 versus 54%, unknown polling conditions) -- http://www.reghardware.com/2012/02/0...action_survey/

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I have FaceTime on my iPod touch and Skype on my Galaxy Player and never use either of them.

I suppose Skype might come in handy on a vacation, so I won't rule out its usefulness completely.

My wife uses Skype all the time; its great if you have family that you can rarely visit because of distance. That being said, a PC works just as well; better in fact since it is easier to point the webcam and let go .

--
Bill

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Sweetpea, you're clearly happy with your Fire. I don't own a tablet (yet) but the differences are obvious. You downplayed a couple (no camera, no GPS).

iPad 1 has no camera. iPad WiFi has no GPS.

[piper28]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

iPad 1 has no camera. iPad WiFi has no GPS.

Well, technically the ipad wifi has a gps, it's just that obviously it's not going to be all that useful for navigating without something using downloadable map data, since you can't get data while driving. But it *does* technically have gps .

Obviously, depending on what one needs it for, different devices are going to better for one's use. I've got a project right now that we want to use some tablets for, but apple's walled approach to their file system on the devices is starting to look like it might make it not feasible for what we need. Kindle fire won't work for those either, but some of the other android tablets might be a better choice for us.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by piper28

Well, technically the ipad wifi has a gps, it's just that obviously it's not going to be all that useful for navigating without something using downloadable map data, since you can't get data while driving. But it *does* technically have gps .

Not according to Apple's spec sheet. Only the WiFi + 3G has GPS.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Not according to Apple's spec sheet. Only the WiFi + 3G has GPS.

The Wifi iPad can use wifi location for positioning, just like the Fire can, but you have to be connected to wifi for it to work in both cases.

(Note, a standard Fire can't use Google's wifi geolocation service, but install the Mapquest app, for example, and it can show you right where you are, if you're on a wifi net in an area with decent wifi presence.)

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by ApK

The Wifi iPad can use wifi location for positioning, just like the Fire can, but you have to be connected to wifi for it to work in both cases.

I'd rather have GPS.

[AlexGrama]

Ha, that's a funny add. Pow, right in the kisser.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Stommer

First, you have to carry 3 devices to do what the iPad does.

You are kind of missing the point. Some people have these things called families, which occasionally include kids. A family of 3 on vacation will be happier with two Fires and a K4 than with one iPad they have to pass around.

Also if 1 Fire won't do what the iPad can do, 2 or 3 won't either.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

You are kind of missing the point. Some people have these things called families, which occasionally include kids. A family of 3 on vacation will be happier with two Fires and a K4 than with one iPad they have to pass around.

Also if 1 Fire won't do what the iPad can do, 2 or 3 won't either.

I thought he meant a Fire, a hotspot and maybe a camera or something like that.

[Rizla]

Incredible stomach

[piper28]

Originally Posted by ApK

The Wifi iPad can use wifi location for positioning, just like the Fire can, but you have to be connected to wifi for it to work in both cases.

(Note, a standard Fire can't use Google's wifi geolocation service, but install the Mapquest app, for example, and it can show you right where you are, if you're on a wifi net in an area with decent wifi presence.)

Hmm, interesting, it (an ipad wifi) got an awfully good location for me when I was sitting in my house, sure looked like a gps acquisition. Guess I'll have to do more testing, because I'm skeptical it was able to figure that out based on wifi locating. Although I have to admit, in the official specs it definitely says there isn't a gps.

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

You are kind of missing the point. Some people have these things called families, which occasionally include kids. A family of 3 on vacation will be happier with two Fires and a K4 than with one iPad they have to pass around.

Also if 1 Fire won't do what the iPad can do, 2 or 3 won't either.

It turns out that some iPad owners have families too, and actually find the additional functionality of the iPad useful.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by piper28

Hmm, interesting, it (an ipad wifi) got an awfully good location for me when I was sitting in my house, sure looked like a gps acquisition. Guess I'll have to do more testing, because I'm skeptical it was able to figure that out based on wifi locating. Although I have to admit, in the official specs it definitely says there isn't a gps.

Try this wifi geolocation demo:
http://merged.ca/iphone/html5-geolocation

Also try turning off your ipad's wifi and see if it still figures out here you are.