What's new
Apple iPad Forum 🍎

Welcome to the Apple iPad Forum, your one stop source for all things iPad. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Amazon Unveils its Kindle Fire iPad Rival for $199

Itwasntme

iPF Noob
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Location
California
Just as long as buyers do not expect their device to equal the iPad, they will be happy. I suspect there are some people that ordered it thinking it was an "iPad Killer" and they might be upset when they learn that does not do what they think it will or should do.

I view it as a more advanced e-book reader not a serious entry into the tablet market. Every time I research the device I learn something I do not like. For example, limited memory and no memory card slot. I did not know your only option for apps was Amazon. Are you saying the Android Market is out? This might be a good thing especially if the tablet is limited.

According to Anantech the Amazon app store will be the only way to get apps on the kindle fire.
 

richsadams

iPF Noob
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
3,500
Reaction score
99
Location
NW Left Coast
Of course Amazon's cloud storage is only available via WiFi (and then dependent on one's broadband speeds...of which media requires a healthy dose). If you don't have access to WiFi you'd better be happy with whatever you can squeeze into 8GB's of memory. That said eBooks, magazines, etc. take up very little space. However I wouldn't want to try and store a few movies, a TV show or two and some music for that next plane ride or family vacation.
 
Last edited:

richsadams

iPF Noob
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
3,500
Reaction score
99
Location
NW Left Coast
It has a USB 2.0 (micro-B connector), so not a conventional USB port that you could plug a thumb drive into. An SD card slot would have been very nice...heck that would be very nice on the iPad!
 

thewitt

iPF Novice
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
1,627
Reaction score
73
The Apple model, cut down dramatically, but reportedly with an anti-rooting setup on a heavily customized Android 2.2 that means you cannot install applications without going through the Amazon App Store. If you do, the device will not run and simply display an "initialization required" dialog.

It reportedly does this through a checksum calculation that verifies the apps installed came directly from the Amazon App Store, and that the OS has not been modified or any additional apps added.

Should be interesting.

This is NOT an Android device, it's an Amazon device that happens to be built on a heavily modified Android 2.2 OS.

We will probably port a few applications over to it, but it will be interesting to see how many they sell first. One company we work closely with has ported two of their applications and their comment was it was not trivial... Should be interesting.

-t
 

jsh1120

iPF Noob
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
1,292
Reaction score
87
Location
Seattle, Washington USA
Of course Amazon's cloud storage is only available via WiFi (and then dependent on one's broadband speeds...of which media requires a healthy dose). If you don't have access to WiFi you'd better be happy with whatever you can squeeze into 8GB's of memory. That said eBooks, magazines, etc. take up very little space. However I wouldn't want to try and store a few movies, a TV show or two and some music for that next plane ride or family vacation.

I think there's no question that Amazon is betting the farm on the "cloud." That's not surprising for several reasons. First, they have what is arguably the best server infrastructure in the world. In addition to the huge business they do hosting corporate server farms, they even support data storage for competitors like Netflix. That server capacity is already prepared for the demand they expect. Second, adding storage to the Fire would have increased its cost on pretty much a dollar for dollar basis. Based on current retail market prices, offering a 16 gig Fire would have added at least $50 to the price of the Fire. Amazon clearly wanted to crack the $200 minimum price for the Fire, a figure that research has indicated is a critical price point for consumers.

Third, offering built-in 3G support would mean saddling purchasers with the same sort of monthly data plan carriers offer for the iPad. And that at a time when 3G networks are already bottlenecked with demand. Amazon believes, correctly I think, that a year from now 4G service will be the minimum expectation for new devices. And that market has yet to sort itself out. Finally, of course, if one wants 3G/4G support, especially with multiple devices, it makes much more sense to purchase a single data plan built on a mifi hotspot. Amazon recognizes, I think, that consumers who want such access are likely to have dedicated portable hotspots or tethering plans with their smartphones. Had the Fire been introduced a year ago, the absence of built-in 3G support would have been a major weakness. Amazon believes, and I think they're right, that over the next couple of years it will be much less important.
 

rajtech113

iPF Noob
Joined
Oct 5, 2011
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
I think the amazon focus is on the nook not apple. I had a kindle and it was good for books but terrible for the web. Then I switched to nook color and it was good for books and the web but bad since you had to use their apps only and they had so few of them. Thats when I got my iPad 2 which is the best of all worlds. (I've had iphone since it came out) Luckily I gave away my other tablets so they don't go to waste. Kindle is a much better platform than nook ever will be as long as BN insists on controlling their own limited apps. Apple did it right from the start.
 

jsh1120

iPF Noob
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
1,292
Reaction score
87
Location
Seattle, Washington USA

I'd seen the source on which the story is based on another site. And of course there are all sorts of qualifications, not to mention risks, in taking this seriously. But I think there's no doubt that Amazon has managed to strike a chord with consumers. Assume this news is anywhere close to accurate and the revised estimates that suggest Amazon may make about $50 per unit profit on the Fire are also accurate, add in the likelihood of a large percentage of buyers also opting for the $79 annual Amazon Prime membership. All in all, it looks like Amazon may have a very happy Holiday season.
 

Kaykaykay

iPF Noob
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
6,952
Reaction score
446
I'd seen the source on which the story is based on another site. And of course there are all sorts of qualifications, not to mention risks, in taking this seriously. But I think there's no doubt that Amazon has managed to strike a chord with consumers. Assume this news is anywhere close to accurate and the revised estimates that suggest Amazon may make about $50 per unit profit on the Fire are also accurate, add in the likelihood of a large percentage of buyers also opting for the $79 annual Amazon Prime membership. All in all, it looks like Amazon may have a very happy Holiday season.

Yes, I pasted this link and not the originating source because this one puts things in context and doesn't urge anyone to swallow the info whole.
 

Bob Maxey

iPF Novice
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
1,145
Reaction score
79
Location
Utah
Lots of talk and lots of iPad comparisons and lots of people telling the world the Fire will be a hit. I'll wait and see how many are sold and how many are returned. Tablets over hyped and praised have a way of disappearing.

One of the first big projects I worked on was the Megahertz AllPoints Radio Modem. I knew it would be a hit. Sadly, it did not go far. Lots of talk and high praise for a really cool product, but it was an epic fail. Here in Salt Lake, I was the only person in our facility to use one and hardly anyone ever saw one. So forgive me if I prefer to look at the numbers before I say it passes or fails. So far, Amazon has lost millions because the product has not shipped yet.
 

tlbaker

iPF Novice
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Messages
2,482
Reaction score
113
NOT...

Sent from my Pink Hearts Sparkly Black Verizon 32GB iPhone 4 using iPF
 

Destroyer

iPF Noob
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
231
Reaction score
4
Location
Laredo,TX
Well in my opinion the way the FIRE is design is primarly to be use and promote the consumption of Amazon products, the same way the iPad promote you to Apple products. Two tablets that definetely can coexist toghether. I don't believe that Amazon intentions are to compete directly with Apple. They just want a piece of a big pie$$$$$ like any other company.

Sent from my iPad using iPF
 

Most reactions

Latest posts

Top