Will the next Kindle Fire be an 8.9" device?

kennyc · 11-04-2011, 05:51 AM

The next Kindle Fire ereader tablet in Amazon’s line-up is likely to use an 8.9-inch touchscreen display rather than a 10.1-inch panel as originally expected, sources in the supply chain have revealed. While we’ve heard talk of a pair of tablets – one small, the 7-inch Kindle Fire shipping in little over a week’s time, and one large, potentially arriving toward the end of the year – since the beginning of the Amazon rumors, DigiTimes‘s sources say the retailer has switched to a smaller screen and pushed a 10.1-inch version further back down the roadmap.

...

http://www.slashgear.com/amazon-plan...iers-04193003/

Jabby · 11-04-2011, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

The next Kindle Fire ereader tablet in Amazon’s line-up is likely to use an 8.9-inch touchscreen display rather than a 10.1-inch panel as originally expected, sources in the supply chain have revealed.

Wonder what the aspect ratio would be? A 16:9 would be a loser.

Regards - John

kennyc · 11-04-2011, 08:21 AM

Well, I prefer that myself.

Better for both reading and web-browsing. Also since one of the big pushes with Kindle Fire and Amazon direction is movies/TV then it's better for that as well.

DaleDe · 11-04-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jabby

Wonder what the aspect ratio would be? A 16:9 would be a loser.

Regards - John

I would doubt that this is true. With a model useful for video this would be the preferred ratio, although not quite as valuable for ebook reading it is still much better than the 7". See the wiki Galaxy Tab for a comparison of the sizes, as well as Screen sizes.

Dale

DreamWriter · 11-04-2011, 01:10 PM

The 7" Kindle Fire is too small for my needs, and the lack of external physical storage is a big drawback.

If Amazon comes out with an 8.9" tablet with SD card storage and HDMI-out at a good price, I will buy it—if I haven't already purchased another tablet. I wish they would announce it soon because I am in the market for a tablet now!

Jessica Lares · 11-04-2011, 03:48 PM

In its current form, a 10" Kindle Fire wouldn't be ideal because it's too thick to hold comfortably. In that size yeah. I think when most customers have sent back the Kindle DX and most buy the Kindle Keyboard and new models, you just know it has to do with the size and usability.

kennyc · 11-04-2011, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

In its current form, a 10" Kindle Fire wouldn't be ideal because it's too thick to hold comfortably. In that size yeah. I think when most customers have sent back the Kindle DX and most buy the Kindle Keyboard and new models, you just know it has to do with the size and usability.

Yes and no. I have a Xoom which I use for most of my indoor reading and it is very usable. Yes it is a bit awkward/heavy but I usually rest it on my lap or table or chair arm and it is just fine. I love the screen size on it (it's a 10") for displaying text/books (including pdfs) and websites. It's going to be interesting to see how the Kindle Fire at 7" compares to it.......only a DOZEN DAYS to WAIT! No, I'm not anxious, not a bit, not at all I rarely check my countdown timer these days.

Jessica Lares · 11-04-2011, 04:39 PM

LOL! I don't blame you! I'm so excited for mine to get here!

frahse · 11-04-2011, 11:21 PM

The iPad is supposed to be super light, but

typically when you see people using an iPad for any length of time, they assume the "iPad position" which is holding the iPad in one hand with the elbow of that arm propped up on something. Otherwise it is in the lap, on a table or on a stand.

frahse · 11-04-2011, 11:28 PM

I will go out on a limb here and repeat something I said in a DXG thread. I think that Amazon will bring out a touch screen (infrared) DXG with E ink, about 10" with WiFi at about $225 to $250 depending on other hardware. You can add another $50 to that if it has the (now very limited free) 3G. Likewise you can subtract $50 if it has advertising.

kennyc · 11-05-2011, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frahse

The iPad is supposed to be super light, but

typically when you see people using an iPad for any length of time, they assume the "iPad position" which is holding the iPad in one hand with the elbow of that arm propped up on something. Otherwise it is in the lap, on a table or on a stand.

True, much like a hardback book.

Jabby · 11-05-2011, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

I would doubt that this is true. With a model useful for video this would be the preferred ratio, although not quite as valuable for ebook reading it is still much better than the 7". See the wiki Galaxy Tab for a comparison of the sizes, as well as Screen sizes.
Dale

I'm not sure what the advantage of a 16:9 screen is when viewing videos, unless you only view 16:9 videos and never on a tablet running honeycomb. You only lose 5%, in picture area, when you go to a 8:5 aspect ratio. BTW, the 8.9 Galaxy Tab you cited is an 8:5.

Here are the screen sizes for an 8.9in
diagonal:
16:9--7.75 X 4.36in or 33.8 sq in
8:5----7.55 X 4.72in or 35.6 sq in

The actual size of the video that will be
displayed is:
16:9--7.75 X 4.36in or 33.8 sq in 100%
8:5----7.55 X 4.25in or 32.1 sq in 95%

I am willing to give up the 5% for the better browsing of a 8:5. Since I like to watch the old TV shows a 4:3 aspect ratio might be in my future.

I think my ideal screen size would be an 8in 3:2 aspect ratio. But to each his own.

Regards - John

tubemonkey · 11-05-2011, 09:18 PM

8.9", 10.1" ...too big for me.

frahse · 11-06-2011, 01:22 AM

About these light readers. Tablets even the iPad are not so light as to be able to hold them out for very long.

We went to a Chick-Fil-A to eat the other day near a mountainous area (where we live) and there was a couple, each with their own iPad on a slanted tray device on top of the table. I estimate the angle from the table top to be about 30 degrees. The lady also had a area map, and a guide book on Water Falls. Lots of them around there. They were planning their itinerary for the next day looking at waterfalls. My wife gave them some hints as she is a big waterfall enthusiast herself.

As a kid, I was allowed to hunt, and so I became quite proficient with firearms. Anyway, for off hand pistol shooting (mainly with a Crosman .22 pellet pistol), I followed the instructions in some magazine and held milk bottles full of water or sand, or gravel in front with one arm straight out as long as I could.
I guess you could practice to hold an iPad or another large tablet the same way, except as adults we would use nice little padded or chrome weights.
I don't think most of us would do that.

Jessica Lares · 11-06-2011, 06:42 AM

Frahse, that's exactly right and a reason why by the time the last few Harry Potter books were coming out, we were all freaking out about them being so huge in length. You can't enjoy a book that's that huge (especially at 2AM). Nor can you enjoy using a tablet that's so thin, yet is 10 by 8 without propping it up with something. A reason why there's smart covers now.

The screens are super, super small, but the resolutions are more computer like these days and being able to make your text bigger/zoom in is why we accept it:

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5...0111106051.png
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/1154/photokf.png

11-04-2011, 05:51 AM	#1
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Will the next Kindle Fire be an 8.9" device? The next Kindle Fire ereader tablet in Amazon’s line-up is likely to use an 8.9-inch touchscreen display rather than a 10.1-inch panel as originally expected, sources in the supply chain have revealed. While we’ve heard talk of a pair of tablets – one small, the 7-inch Kindle Fire shipping in little over a week’s time, and one large, potentially arriving toward the end of the year – since the beginning of the Amazon rumors, DigiTimes‘s sources say the retailer has switched to a smaller screen and pushed a 10.1-inch version further back down the roadmap. ... http://www.slashgear.com/amazon-plan...iers-04193003/

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11-04-2011, 08:21 AM	#3
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Well, I prefer that myself. Better for both reading and web-browsing. Also since one of the big pushes with Kindle Fire and Amazon direction is movies/TV then it's better for that as well.

11-04-2011, 01:10 PM	#5
DreamWriter Books are brain food. Posts: 2,950 Karma: 4836916 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: U.S. Device: Paperwhite · Fire HD6/HD8/HD10 · Galaxy Tab A7	The 7" Kindle Fire is too small for my needs, and the lack of external physical storage is a big drawback. If Amazon comes out with an 8.9" tablet with SD card storage and HDMI-out at a good price, I will buy it—if I haven't already purchased another tablet. I wish they would announce it soon because I am in the market for a tablet now!

11-04-2011, 03:48 PM	#6
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	In its current form, a 10" Kindle Fire wouldn't be ideal because it's too thick to hold comfortably. In that size yeah. I think when most customers have sent back the Kindle DX and most buy the Kindle Keyboard and new models, you just know it has to do with the size and usability.

11-04-2011, 04:39 PM	#8
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	LOL! I don't blame you! I'm so excited for mine to get here!

11-04-2011, 11:21 PM	#9
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,314 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	The iPad is supposed to be super light, but typically when you see people using an iPad for any length of time, they assume the "iPad position" which is holding the iPad in one hand with the elbow of that arm propped up on something. Otherwise it is in the lap, on a table or on a stand.

11-04-2011, 11:28 PM	#10
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,314 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	I will go out on a limb here and repeat something I said in a DXG thread. I think that Amazon will bring out a touch screen (infrared) DXG with E ink, about 10" with WiFi at about $225 to $250 depending on other hardware. You can add another $50 to that if it has the (now very limited free) 3G. Likewise you can subtract $50 if it has advertising.

11-05-2011, 09:18 PM	#13
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,477 Karma: 158151390 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	8.9", 10.1" ...too big for me.

11-06-2011, 01:22 AM	#14
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,314 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	About these light readers. Tablets even the iPad are not so light as to be able to hold them out for very long. We went to a Chick-Fil-A to eat the other day near a mountainous area (where we live) and there was a couple, each with their own iPad on a slanted tray device on top of the table. I estimate the angle from the table top to be about 30 degrees. The lady also had a area map, and a guide book on Water Falls. Lots of them around there. They were planning their itinerary for the next day looking at waterfalls. My wife gave them some hints as she is a big waterfall enthusiast herself. As a kid, I was allowed to hunt, and so I became quite proficient with firearms. Anyway, for off hand pistol shooting (mainly with a Crosman .22 pellet pistol), I followed the instructions in some magazine and held milk bottles full of water or sand, or gravel in front with one arm straight out as long as I could. I guess you could practice to hold an iPad or another large tablet the same way, except as adults we would use nice little padded or chrome weights. I don't think most of us would do that.

11-06-2011, 06:42 AM	#15
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	Frahse, that's exactly right and a reason why by the time the last few Harry Potter books were coming out, we were all freaking out about them being so huge in length. You can't enjoy a book that's that huge (especially at 2AM). Nor can you enjoy using a tablet that's so thin, yet is 10 by 8 without propping it up with something. A reason why there's smart covers now. The screens are super, super small, but the resolutions are more computer like these days and being able to make your text bigger/zoom in is why we accept it: http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5...0111106051.png http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/1154/photokf.png

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