Kindle Fire vs Ipod Touch?

[SusanS]

The iPod touch has access to all the Amazon shopping (there an app for that...) multiple ebook readers ( theres's an app for that....) and the latest ones have pretty decent battery life. Before my close up vision started to die I used to read a lot on the iPod. My kids still do.

I find e-ink better. Which is why I have a kindle. And the screen is pretty small. Which is why I have an iPad. But if you want a solution that is truly pocketable (which a seven inch tablet isn't) and versatile (which the kindle fire may not be, depending on what Android apps are installable) it's decent.

Edit to add: having said that, for US and Uk users who have local amazon stores and access to the full range of Amazon digital content, the Fire is well priced and may be a decent solution for people who aren't already tied to iTunes by a big music and video library.

[Dylrob]

If both are 8GB, I would go with neither. To me that's no longer enough storage for a mobile media/tablet device. I don't feel that the cloud is a viable substitute, since I'm not always in a hotspot.

If Apple upgrades the basic iTouch to 16GB, and I really hope that they do, then it's a no brainer for me.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by SusanS

Edit to add: having said that, for US and Uk users who have local amazon stores and access to the full range of Amazon digital content, the Fire is well priced and may be a decent solution for people who aren't already tied to iTunes by a big music and video library.

Amazon's video services are not available in the UK, and the Fire is not being sold here.

[SusanS]

Ah, I assumed that the UK got movies. I know they get mp3s. It will be interesting to see where the Fire gets sold in the end. Maybe just the US. I don't expect to see it here in Australia given that the only amazon digital content we get is a subset of the ebooks, and it looks too tightly linked to Amazon to be worth it without more online content available.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by SusanS

Ah, I assumed that the UK got movies. I know they get mp3s. It will be interesting to see where the Fire gets sold in the end. Maybe just the US. I don't expect to see it here in Australia given that the only amazon digital content we get is a subset of the ebooks, and it looks too tightly linked to Amazon to be worth it without more online content available.

No, no Amazon video services here, although Amazon do own a subsidiary called "Lovefilm.com" which offers a somewhat similar service in the UK.

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I don't find battery life on the iPod Touch all that amazing, anyway.

I own an iPod touch gen 1, gen 2, and gen 4. All of them have terrible battery life. I'm not sure why making them paper-thin (hyperbole) is so important to Apple. I would rather they were twice as thick with at least twice the battery longevity.

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by stonetools

The IPT screen is smaller, but everyone who has experienced the Retina display says its superior even to e-ink.

There's no comparison, literally. E-ink simulates paper using actual ink; retina does not. Either you prefer the look of paper for reading books or you don't. It could have a million dpi and still won't look more like ink than a display that uses ink. I don't know anyone irl who actually reads books and prefers LCD for doing so, no matter how much they may love Retina for everything else. I know those people exist, but it's still two incomparable functions.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

There's no comparison, literally. E-ink simulates paper using actual ink; retina does not. Either you prefer the look of paper for reading books or you don't. It could have a million dpi and still won't look more like ink than a display that uses ink. I don't know anyone irl who actually reads books and prefers LCD for doing so, no matter how much they may love Retina for everything else. I know those people exist, but it's still two incomparable functions.

In any case, the KF has an LCD screen with a much lower resolution than the latest IPT. Lets amend the argument to say that the IPT has a better resolution screen, but the KF wins on screen area. Satisfied??? SHEEESH!

[octoberdana]

I tried using my droid as a music player and not only did the interface annoy me but my battery had to be recharged 3-4 times per day.

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by stonetools

In any case, the KF has an LCD screen with a much lower resolution than the latest IPT. Lets amend the argument to say that the IPT has a better resolution screen, but the KF wins on screen area. Satisfied??? SHEEESH!

Ha. I was just commenting on the e-ink comparison. Certainly the Retina is hard to beat when it comes to LCD.

The iPod's retina display is also superior to the iPad's, and that's not an either/or decision. If I were in the market for an iPod, the Fire would not be an alternative. It doesn't fit in my pocket. I doubt they will ever sell arm-band cases for the Fire. If I want something for tablety-like entertainment that seldom leaves home unless inside my messenger bag, there's little reason to go for a 3.5" display. It would be the Fire, or the iPad if price weren't an issue and I preferred the Apple ecosystem (mostly a price issue imo, because iOS and its apps are pretty sweet).

Many people I know who are iPod fans are just replacing it with an iPhone. There's a chance I'll be getting one myself. Undecided.

[jocampo]

My motorcycle is as expensive as a used car ... but ... can my bike replace a car or vice versa? I don't think so. They are different.

We don't even have a Kindle fire in our hands yet, however, they are different devices too.

The Kindle Fire is bigger and a more "tablet around" device than the iPod Touch. The iPod touch is more portable, but I would say is too small for being a dedicated reader (I know some people use it as one though) and in my opinion, for reading books, eink is still the way to go.

[stonetools]

I might end up getting the bottom line Kindle and an iPod touch, especially if Apple drops the price on the 5. That would be the best of both worlds. Then I could turn the iPad to the wife, who has been casting lustful eyes on it for some time now....

[KindleFan1]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I own an iPod touch gen 1, gen 2, and gen 4. All of them have terrible battery life. I'm not sure why making them paper-thin (hyperbole) is so important to Apple. I would rather they were twice as thick with at least twice the battery longevity.

I agree. But using the airplane mode helps. Plus it is fun to see the jet fly away when you turn it off.

Is it terrible on the iPhone?

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by KindleFan1

I agree. But using the airplane mode helps. Plus it is fun to see the jet fly away when you turn it off.

Is it terrible on the iPhone?

The iPhone actually has excellent battery life. One of the best on a smartphone. My iPhone 4 lasts much longer than my iPod Touch 4G with the same usage and brightness (at least the slider in settings). I use my iPod Touch for internet browsing, etc so I don't really see how turning on airplane mode would help with my usage. I've never actually used the Touch to listen to music. I just use it as remote to control iTunes on the HTPCs.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

If both are 8GB, I would go with neither. To me that's no longer enough storage for a mobile media/tablet device. I don't feel that the cloud is a viable substitute, since I'm not always in a hotspot.

If Apple upgrades the basic iTouch to 16GB, and I really hope that they do, then it's a no brainer for me.

Agreed. I started with 8GB on my iPod touch and quickly discovered that it wasn't enough, so I exchanged it for 32GB. If there would've been an option for 16GB, I would've gone with it instead.

The only way 8GB would be acceptable is if the device also had storage expansion via a card slot.