iPad vs Kindle Fire (1 Viewer)

[Optimus Prime]

I'm in the market for a tablet and just wanted some opinions on the 2 devices.

Thanks for your help.

 

[xpuma20x]

At work, I used the iPad 2 and always thought it was a bit bulky. The speed was fast enough and I never once had a problem with that aspect, though I did find that since I'm a PC user, many of the programs just didn't seem to work the way I wanted, especially considering that they were the mobile versions or whatever.

When the Kindle Fire HD first came out, I was in the market for a tablet. I had already decided against the iPad based on the price point alone, so I limited my shopping down to the Kindle Fire HD, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, and the Asus Nexus 7...which are all roughly about the same price point. After playing around with them for a while, my personal preferences led me to the Kindle Fire HD. After learning how to sideload apps that aren't on the Amazon Store (because one flaw of the KFHD is that it forces you to not use Google Play and instead Amazon Store so some apps that others have won't be available), and learning how to get my non-purchased-from-Amazon movies and music to work, the KFHD has been great. I have no issues with system lag, no issues with glare, no issues with sound quality (its loud)...and after almost 6 months of having no case or screen protector, I finally got a scratch after dropping it from about 4.5 feet. The scratch on the gorilla glass was so minor though and the screen so bright, that it can't even be seen when the tablet is on.

Short version of the story: I went with the Kindle Fire HD over the iPad, mostly due to the price difference.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

I'm really beginning to hate my kindle - its like it has all of the computing grace of a Dell with none of the charm
(Please know that I consider Dell as charmless)

 

[Rickboy]

I don't have a Kindle Fire HD, but I think it is a quality product. I recommend you get a good test drive out of one at the store. IMO the Kindle Fire was designed with the intent of being a strict content consumption device. If this is what you want it for, then you should get it over the iPad. Amazon has truly optimized it for content consumption. However, if you want to do any content creation, you should consider another Android device or an Ipad.

I have an iPad 2 and 3. The 2 is slower as mentioned but I don't think you can call it bulky. It is anything but that. It simply has a larger screen. The performance of my iPad 3 has been excellent. I've never had a single issue with it. I have a Zagg bluetooth keyboard and case that I am using to type this with.

I primarily use my iPad for the following (I have other uses too):

Managing Finances with the Mint.com App
Note taking with EverNote
Reading with the Kindle App
Email
Navigation (mine is an LTE version)
Videos with Netflix
NFL Sunday Ticket Access
DirecTV access in the house
Photo Editing in iPhoto (I have the SD card reader)
Powerpoint presentations with SlideShark(I have the HDMI adapter too)
Managing my customers VMware environments
Virtual Desktop access (VMware View client)
WebEx sessions
Reading a lot on FlipBoard

writing this post and much more...


I think there is a decent chance a new iPad will be release in June. So you may want to consider waiting a while..

BTW, the HP Slate 7 is coming out this month. $170. It will have an unmolested version of Android on it. I'm going to give it a shot based on price. I damn well better get a decent employee discount though.. haha.

 

[Hey Beerman]

I'd lump the Amazon and Barnes & Noble tablets into pretty much the same categories, and then the iPad and full Android tablets in another. With Amazon and B&N, you get more tablet for less cost, but you're limited by being stuck in their locked down OS. Fortunately theres a forum full of developers who have written hacks to break the tablets from their native OS over at http://www.xda-developers.com

I have the Nook HD+ and since opening it up to being a full on Andriod tablet, I've gotten just as much value at almost half the price of the iPad. It boots into CyanogenMod which then allows me to run a fully operational Andriod OS with access to Google Play. In addition to side loading anything else I may need, there isn't much that this tablet couldn't do for under $300 that I paid for it.

To answer the OP's question, I think as long as you'd be comfortable "hacking" the Amazon OS via the process from the devs at XDA (which is probably different than my experience with the Nook HD+), you will see just as much functionality as an iPad at a greatly reduced price.

 

[Doug5984]

Have the Kindle Fire HD- am very happy with it. Not sure what I cold do on an iPad that I couldn't do on my fire so it has everything to me. Price was the reason.

You could also look into the Google Nexus 7, I've never held one but it looked to be a pretty solid device as well at the same price as the Fire

 

[Saint_Ward]

The two pads have different markets.

Before I get into it, tell us why you want a pad and what you plan on using it for.

Do you use Amazon for a lot of stuff? Prime member? Amazon Cloud player? or do you have a ton of stuff on iTunes?

 

[Saint_Ward]

Kindle Fire HD vs iPad Mini Comparison - Tablet X-Ray - Tablet PC Reviews and Deals

 

[Zack Lee]

good answers here. I agree that it is going to largely depend on what your primary uses will be. I have a Fire HD and find that the size is better for me because I do a lot of reading on it and can hold it with one hand. Web surf is just ok on the fire but the Ipad would be head and shoulders better in that area.

 

[Optimus Prime]

The two pads have different markets.

Before I get into it, tell us why you want a pad and what you plan on using it for.

Do you use Amazon for a lot of stuff? Prime member? Amazon Cloud player? or do you have a ton of stuff on iTunes?

It will be primarily for work. word docs, pdfs, powerpoints things like that.

Don't do a whole lot with streaming movies/tv.

I have a regular kindle for ebooks and wasn't planning on using the tablet for that.

Do plan on playing some games on it. I recently got hooked on Bejeweled (somehow I had never played it before)

Thanks

 

[Saint_Ward]

It will be primarily for work. word docs, pdfs, powerpoints things like that.

Don't do a whole lot with streaming movies/tv.

I have a regular kindle for ebooks and wasn't planning on using the tablet for that.

Do plan on playing some games on it. I recently got hooked on Bejeweled (somehow I had never played it before)

Thanks

creating documents or just reading/reviewing?

My basic rule of thumb for any tablet is that they are not media creation machines, they are media viewing machines. if you need to create, a laptop is the way to go.

I have a kindle fire HD. I haven't tried to use the office to go or similar aps on it.

 

[Optimus Prime]

creating documents or just reading/reviewing?

My basic rule of thumb for any tablet is that they are not media creation machines, they are media viewing machines. if you need to create, a laptop is the way to go.

I have a kindle fire HD. I haven't tried to use the office to go or similar aps on it.

mostly just viewing, emailing as needed, maybe some minor editing.

the plan is to create on my PC then have them on tablet.

 

[Danleco]

Google Nexus 7. I've had an iPad and Kindle Fire, and the Nexus beats them both easily.

 

[Jeff Miller]

iPad hands down.

 

[DeuceMcAllisterFan]

You should go play with these devices and see which one fits you better? You'll have an endless debate over which platform OTHER people prefer by asking such questions.

 

[Zack Lee]

You should go play with these devices and see which one fits you better? You'll have an endless debate over which platform OTHER people prefer by asking such questions.

while this is often true, thus far the bulk of replies on this thread tend to focus on what it will be used for and not personal preference. Optimus, since you say it is primarily for work, I would lean toward the Ipad or another tablet if you have the coin. I love my Fire but it really is geared more toward entertainment.