The Amazon Kindle Fire is a low cost tablet computer that was first released in November 2011 and has gone on to become one of the most popular Android-powered tablets ever. It can be argued that it contributed a great deal in popularizing the 7-inch tablet form factor. Despite the fact that it runs an older version of the Android software, it managed to attract a great deal of attention from all around the world. Apart from being portable and handy, the Fire retails for just $199, and that’s part of what has made it one of the fastest rising tablets in history.
Amazon is reportedly losing money with every Kindle Fire sold due to its $200 price tag. However, Amazon is betting that sooner or later users will pay for content available on its online store and that’s how it actually makes money—with its digital offerings. So what, other than its very affordable price, gets people to want to buy this tablet?
First off, the 7-inch 600x1024 pixel resolution makes it extremely portable. It measures 11mm thick and weighs only 413 grams, so users are able to carry it around easily whether in a bag or inside a pouch. Its other hardware features include microUSB connectivity, Wi-Fi, stereo speakers, and 8GB of internal storage. Processing duties are handled by a 1GHz dual core TI OMAP CPU and 512MB of RAM, which is plenty for using the device for what it was meant to be used for: multimedia content consumption. That means reading books, listening to music, watching movies, and even playing games. Given that the Fire offers up to 7.5 hours of video playback, users will find it quite convenient to lug around during their day-to-day activities.
As mentioned earlier, it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. A forked version, to be more specific. It has been tailor-made to work well with Amazon’s online services, and includes a new type of Web browser called Amazon Silk. It may be worth spending a couple of hundred dollars to get the Kindle Fire if you are a loyal Amazon customer or want to get started using Amazon’s digital services. Otherwise, there are probably better options available in the market now, starting with Google’s very own Nexus 7.
Need To Know: Amazon Kindle Fire
1. Small, portable, and lightweight yet offers enough battery life to last throughout a day’s worth of moderate to heavy use. (The Good)
2. Tight integration with Amazon online services makes it very easy to get books, music, movies, and games. (The Good)
3. Built-in multi-touch display has disappointingly low native resolution. (The Bad)
4. Amazon has no plans of providing official updates to the Android software in the future. (The Bad)
What the Critics Are Saying...
- K. T. Bradford, GottaBeMobileConsumers looking for a full-fledged Android tablet with all the features and specs one expects plus full access to Google Play apps and experience will be happy with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. It more than justifies its $50 premium over the Fire both on the hardware and software fronts. Consumers de...
- K.T. Bradford, GottaBeMobileConsumers who have simple needs or a tight budget should go for the Kindle Fire. Though not as well-rounded as the iPad, Amazon’s tablet can boast a good content ecosystem, a decent selection of apps, and ultra portability. People looking for a tablet with more of everything from apps to content to...
- GSMArena team, GSMArenaIt should be clear by now that the Kindle Fire isn't the cheap Android tablet some people may've been waiting for. Oh well, it is cheap. Not so sure about Android and tablet. It's more like the Kindle for music and video that loyal Kindle and Amazon users may not have been waiting for but just could...
- Kamakshi S, TechTreeThe tab offers a good capacitive touchscreen, a long battery life, and decent multimedia options. However, the lack of an app store and Cloud support (for India) is a letdown. Moreover the sparse connectivity options also weakens the device's case as a good tablet. However, if you are looking for a...
- Aaron Orquia, PocketablesWhen I first got the Fire I was really excited about it. It appeared to be a combination of great hardware, solid software and integration, and an even better price. I don't want to say I am disappointed, per say, but as I continued to use the tablet it just seemed to become less awesome. Quirks mad...
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Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- Kindle Fire Manual (PDF)
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