HD Kindle Fire HD2 - First Impressions

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

Why spend time ripping DVD's when Netflix already has most of them ripped and can play on Kindles, iPads, TV's and PC's? All the movies and documentaries I watch are from Netflix. Plus, they have software to know exactly what we want to watch next without us wasting time looking for something. They even email me now the title of my next choice knowing exactly what I like. Brand new releases are now available in TWO MONTHS.

Did you know that Netflix licenses expire? And not everything is on Netflix? My daughters love Scooby Doo. They had a lot of the movies and shows on at one time. Then they disappeared. Lots of the movies and shows they like will disappear. Sometimes never to reappear.

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I have spent over $5000 on ebooks or maybe more I have no idea anymore. If I combine my devices I maybe get close to $3000.

NetFlix doesn't have alot of quality Christmas Programming.

That's a lot for devices. That is what I was saying. Our hobby is really eDevices now supplemented by eBooks and you have spent lots on eBooks as well.

It wasn't too long ago that there were no devices and everything was spent on pBooks.

Amazon has potentially a huge market in eReader 6 month cycles. We are all suckers for the latest eReaders. Our appetites are so large we are buying many brands of eReaders now to support our "habit."

@Booklover6: Netflix has so many streamed and DVD movies now that I could last years with their selections and they are all sorted to my exact tastes. If some licenses expire and new ones are added, I would never even notice. That is where Amazon misses: they do NOT sort their movies by our individual tastes. It is too much work to search their catalog. Netflix sends me emails now with perfect choices for me every day. Plus, we don't have to waste time with other software stripping from DVD's.

The only big change I see is that DVD's may be totally obsolete soon as all their selections may soon be able to be streamed. DVD movies may soon be going the way of CD song albums. As soon as new releases get on Netflix in a week or less, DVD's will be totally obsolete and so will be movie centers.

Yes, I had a Netflix account for a while but I got tired of the BS. Oh we don't have that item for download, you will have to get the mail account to to get it. So I cancelled my account.

I have several Christmas DVDs and have long since ripped them. I wanted to watch some while traveling to Washington, DC last week. Instead I just watched the DirecTV feed as I was bumped up to First Class. I watched Animal House. It came out my Junior year in college, so it was a good nostalgic movie to watch.

BTW, I sold my iPad 3 and my Kindle PW2 and just picked up an iPad Mini Retina. Setting it up now. It doesn't feel any heavier than my Nexus 7.2, though I know it is according to the specs. It isn't much bigger either. Imagine a slightly wider Nexus 7.2 with a 4:3 screen rather than a 16:10 screen. It will be my primary reader using Kindle app and Marvin.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Yes, I had a Netflix account for a while but I got tired of the BS. Oh we don't have that item for download, you will have to get the mail account to to get it. So I cancelled my account.

I have 4 kids and they watch Netflix all the time. They also get Hulu Plus (well that's more my husband that wants that).

Originally Posted by jswinden

iPad Mini Retina- a 4:3 screen rather than a 16:10 screen.

That is interesting. What aspect ratio does the Paperwhite have? I think my Kobo mini has a 4:3, which I like, compared to most smart phones which don't have that aspect. I am not really sure how that is figured out.

Originally Posted by booklover6

I have 4 kids and they watch Netflix all the time. They also get Hulu Plus (well that's more my husband that wants that).



That is interesting. What aspect ratio does the Paperwhite have? I think my Kobo mini has a 4:3, which I like, compared to most smart phones which don't have that aspect. I am not really sure how that is figured out.

Netflix would be okay if it had the movies I want to see. But more often than not they don't.

I think the Kindles, and most other eInk readers, still have the 4:3 screen ratios. Well actually, they are 3:4 since they are designed to be held in portrait view as the standard view. The Nexus 7.2 and most small tablets have the 16:10 or 16:9 screens for viewing widescreen HD videos. I personally like the iPad and Kindle 4:3 screen ratios better for reading. Tomorrow I'll take some side by side photos of the iPad Mini and Nexus 7.2.

Here are a couple of photos of my iPad Mini Retina (on the left) along side of my Nexus 7.2 (on the right). It gives a good comparison of device size and screen size. I like the greater amount of screen real estate on the iPad Mini, especially since it adds very little extra weight or bulk. In the photo showing the Kindle app open, you can see how much more text is displayed on the Mini.

The Nexus 7.2 is a bit different in device overall size as compared to the Kindle Fires, but the screens should be about the same size.

The iPad Mini is only 1.5 ounces heavier than the Nexus 7.2, and most of the dimensions are similar except that the Mini is about 3/4" wider.

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[mnha]

Originally Posted by Blossom

the 8.9 model of the HDX is great. I hear it's breathtaking. I don't why Amazon choose to do blue LEDs on the 7" I would have gladly paid more to get rid of the ugly blue border.

It actually is cutting edge technology. Amazon weren't kidding about that. QDEF (blue light thingy) is technically better than the LTPS displays of the Nexus 7 or the HDX 8.9. It's sort of expected to be the next big thing. Certainly not a way to cut down on unit cost.

The tech is also _very_ new, with all the teething problems that tends to imply. The edge areas not covered by quantum dots (where the blue light passes through unmolested) probably just weren't considered an issue at the time.

Sorry for wandering slightly offtopic.

[new]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I went through 3 HDXs if you have been following my other thread my main problem was the blue border on the HDX 7 which drove me nuts. I couldn't never put up with it after buying a Nexus 7. I on a whim bought the KFHD2 and I am so glad I did. I am a Kindle girl and I wanted a Kindle Fire as my husband has my old one and would not give it back.

The KFHD2 is the successor to the Last's years Kindle Fire not last year's HD model. The form factor is very different between the two. No Camera, Microphone or HDMI port but I never use those.

I do believe it has a camera, I have tape over mine

I decided to keep my KFHD instead of getting the overpriced HDX 8.9" this year. It is heavier, but it just works

Glad you got one, and at such good price, I paid $199 last year.
How do you get more voices? I do use TSS.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by mnha

It actually is cutting edge technology. Amazon weren't kidding about that. QDEF (blue light thingy) is technically better than the LTPS displays of the Nexus 7 or the HDX 8.9. It's sort of expected to be the next big thing. Certainly not a way to cut down on unit cost.

The tech is also _very_ new, with all the teething problems that tends to imply. The edge areas not covered by quantum dots (where the blue light passes through unmolested) probably just weren't considered an issue at the time.

Sorry for wandering slightly offtopic.

The Nexus 7.2 display beats the HDX visually even without the Blue Border I can't say about the 8.9 I haven't seen it but after owning 3 HDX units and one Nexus 7.2 I can say the Nexus 7.2 wins hands down.

The way the light is projected on the HDX 7 is rather odd it looks like this on the HD2 as well I think is just something Amazon needs to work on. The lighting on the N7.2 is perfectly even you see pure color and not sure how to describe this....The HDX and HD2 has uneven color on a background. Not many will notice this though but someone who is trained to work with web graphics and colors frequently will. If you keep the light setting up higher it's hard to notice it but for someone who uses lower settings you can tell right off that the light projection is uneven.

I think it has to do with their Light Bleed issues. The KFv1 also suffer from this but not as bad as the new units. The LEDs need to project light perfectly even like the N7.2 does before it can compete with it. I really want to see the 8.9 to see if it suffers from this as well.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by new

I do believe it has a camera, I have tape over mine

I decided to keep my KFHD instead of getting the overpriced HDX 8.9" this year. It is heavier, but it just works

Glad you got one, and at such good price, I paid $199 last year.
How do you get more voices? I do use TSS.

The first gen Fire HD (2012) has a camera and HDMI port. The second gen Fire HD (2013) does not.

Not sure about the voices, but I believe you need the one of the new Fires to get it - Fire HD 2nd gen or Fire HDX. Last year's Fire HDs did not get the new features and OS. It appears Amazon wants you to buy the newest version of the Fire in order to get the latest features.

[new]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

The first gen Fire HD (2012) has a camera and HDMI port. The second gen Fire HD (2013) does not.

Not sure about the voices, but I believe you need the one of the new Fires to get it - Fire HD 2nd gen or Fire HDX. Last year's Fire HDs did not get the new features and OS. It appears Amazon wants you to buy the newest version of the Fire in order to get the latest features.

Thanks Tubemonkey I always learn so much from you. I did not realize there was a Fire HD 1 and 2. I have to wonder now if I am updating the wrong firmware now I have HD1 I guess since I have the camera. It seems they updated twice in one year? I have had mine for a year now.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by new

Thanks Tubemonkey I always learn so much from you. I did not realize there was a Fire HD 1 and 2. I have to wonder now if I am updating the wrong firmware now I have HD1 I guess since I have the camera. It seems they updated twice in one year? I have had mine for a year now.

Yes, that would be the 2012 Fire HD. The newest version came out in Sept, I believe.

[Blossom]

Now I've had it a week. I can say I absolutely love this Kindle! I've been using it daily to stream holiday music. I also love reading on it. Battery life is excellent.

One thing I love is has a nice wide bezel I can hold while reading so I don't turn pages. The HDX and Nexus 7.2 have little to no side bezel. So it makes the KFHD2 a joy to hold. Yes the text rending isn't a good as the Nexus but I don't mind really. I love the collections on the Kindle Fire but I am using Moon+ with Calibre Companion. It's the perfect combo.

The Goodreads integration is useless and I told Amazon so. I sideloaded the regular Goodreads app on it but other than that I have no complaints.

Oh Amazon finally listened and updated the Amazon MP3 app for Android so now my Nexus 7 and Samsung Galaxy Players can play Music by genre too! Keep hoping an update is coming for the Kindle app next! Right now it can't see my entire Archive only the first 1000 books. So I am happy I got my Kindle Fire which does see it all.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Now I've had it a week. I can say I absolutely love this Kindle! I've been using it daily to stream holiday music. I also love reading on it. Battery life is excellent.

Awesome. May have to pick one up, sometime. (Like when they get another lightning deal)

Originally Posted by Blossom

One thing I love is has a nice wide bezel I can hold while reading so I don't turn pages. The HDX and Nexus 7.2 have little to no side bezel. So it makes the KFHD2 a joy to hold. Yes the text rending isn't a good as the Nexus but I don't mind really. I love the collections on the Kindle Fire but I am using Moon+ with Calibre Companion. It's the perfect combo.

I agree, perfect combo!!! As for the narrow bezel on the Nexus, I have found that the lip of the case I am using gives me a place to hold, so I like it.

Originally Posted by Blossom

Oh Amazon finally listened and updated the Amazon MP3 app for Android so now my Nexus 7 and Samsung Galaxy Players can play Music by genre too!

Wow, so that is gotten via the Amazon app store? I'll have to put that on my Nexus and try it out. That sounds like a good way to separate music. I don't want to shuffle country with classical

ETA, I see the app in the play store, so I will try that on my Nexus.

By the way, was experimenting with Google Now on my Nexus yesterday, and it was fun! One of the kids caught me, so I had to show her how to do voice search on her Nook HD, and the other girly was doing it on the Chromebook. Fun times!

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I bought two more 1st gen Fire HD's because they had cams and only cost $100 each. The only drawback is Amazon's refusal to upgrade the OS. I for one refuse to play their game of having to buy a new device just to get the latest feature set. I'll wait until they go on clearance.

$100?! Terrific price for a terrific device. I'm an oddball, but I think the KFHD (1stGen) is the best Kindle Fire that Amazon has produced.