Kindle Fire questions

[DawnM]

My son wanted an ipad mini for his birthday. We calculated the cost and compared and now he is considering a Kindle Fire HD instead.

However, it doesn't look like the game apps he loves on his ipod are available on the Kindle.

Are there places besides Amazon to find apps that can be added to the Kindle Fire?

Thanks,

Dawn

 

[wiigirl]

You can jailbreak it and add the android store. Its fairly easy to do and you can install almost any android app on it.

http://geekchunk.com/how-to/root-amazon-kindle-fire-hd-7-8-9-step-by-step-guide/

 

[canlafre]

will you still be able to download kindle apps?

 

[MrsPete]

Proceed with caution: Don't buy a Kindle Fire thinking it'll be "almost" an ipad -- it's more like an Android than an iPad. An ipad can do much, much more -- and, of course, it costs much, much more.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the Kindle Fire. It isn't as good as a lower-priced Kindle for reading. It doesn't have the iPad's capacity for storing movies and other data. And it doesn't have the iPad's capacity for gaming. It is good for surfing the web. Its big strength is that it has a low price.

 

[wiigirl]

will you still be able to download kindle apps?

yup

 

[Elleshoodat]

Proceed with caution: Don't buy a Kindle Fire thinking it'll be "almost" an ipad -- it's more like an Android than an iPad. An ipad can do much, much more -- and, of course, it costs much, much more.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the Kindle Fire. It isn't as good as a lower-priced Kindle for reading. It doesn't have the iPad's capacity for storing movies and other data. And it doesn't have the iPad's capacity for gaming. It is good for surfing the web. Its big strength is that it has a low price.

I second this. I got a Fire last Christmas, and what did I ask for this Christmas? An iPad Mini. Yes, it's more expensive, but IMO it's worth it, especially if your son is used to an iPod and Apple's OS.

 

[jel0511]

Proceed with caution: Don't buy a Kindle Fire thinking it'll be "almost" an ipad -- it's more like an Android than an iPad. An ipad can do much, much more -- and, of course, it costs much, much more.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the Kindle Fire. It isn't as good as a lower-priced Kindle for reading. It doesn't have the iPad's capacity for storing movies and other data. And it doesn't have the iPad's capacity for gaming. It is good for surfing the web. Its big strength is that it has a low price.

I completely agree. DS has both a fire and iPad mini. He uses the fire ONLY for reading, he uses the mini for playing games. Now the fire was mine, before I got an iPad after I got the iPad, I never touched the Fire again..... IMO you get what you pay for here... If your primary use of the Fire is to surf the web and watch movies you're ok with the Fire, but if you want to play games iPad mini all the way.....

 

[mimommy77]

What about an iPod Touch? If you are just buying it for app use, it's perfect. We got my kids each one for xmas. It's just like an iPhone without the calling capabilities. They have tons of apps, can watch videos, etc. It has a camera and you can text other apple users.

 

[Irin997]

Go with the iPad mini if you are considering a Fire. We have both and I just use the Fire for reading. We love the mini, it's seriously awesome and we don't miss the bigger screen of an iPad.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

My DD has a ton of games *free* on her Fire. She plays on/with it daily.

 

[MrsPete]

I completely agree. DS has both a fire and iPad mini. He uses the fire ONLY for reading, he uses the mini for playing games. Now the fire was mine, before I got an iPad after I got the iPad, I never touched the Fire again..... IMO you get what you pay for here... If your primary use of the Fire is to surf the web and watch movies you're ok with the Fire, but if you want to play games iPad mini all the way.....

To add to "fuel to the Fire" -- ha-ha -- the Fire is something of a waste if you're using it as a reader. The less expensive Kindles are readers . . . but their battery life is exponentially longer, they're lighter to hold in your hand, and you don't have the problem with screen glare. If you want to read, the Fire isn't your best choice.

 

[tina.tina]

We all had ipod touches a couple of years ago. This Christmas the kids asked the in-laws for ipad minis or kindle fires. The in-laws got them & me the Kindle Fire HD 8.9." They said they read online reviews that said the Kindle Fire HD screen was better than the ipad mini. I really, seriously don't care about hd for the tv or anything, so that wouldn't have influenced me, but I like the Kindle just fine. DS has about 80 free games & it's 1/2 full. DD likes hers for games, books, & internet. I've downloaded a ton of free books from Amazon. You can get apps from Google, too.

I was trying to explain my opinion to someone the other day but I couldn't give a good solid reason. So, I can only say I just like Apple stuff & their operating system. There's something about it that seems easier to use. I can't explain it. It just seems different. I don't like the ads on the Kindle either. That is sort of annoying.

If you're thinking of this for reading, you can get the Kindle app for ipod/ipad to access amazon/kindle stuff and the Nook app for Barnes & Noble content, too.

 

[DawnM]

Thank you for the responses.

Some clarification.

He has an ipod touch already. I don't know if he will sell that or not once he gets something with a larger screen.

He wants to use it to watch movies/shows and play games.

 

[DawnM]

I think it is going to need to be the ipad mini or nothing.

The more we look the more we think the ipad is a much better device.

I have an ipad 2, and he plays with that some.

The problem really is the cost. It is going to take all his saved allowance, $$, all the $$ we were planning to spend for his b-day, AND all the $$ his grandparents will give him.

The 32gb is $429 plus tax. I won't let him use it without a good protective case, so that is another $50......so we are looking at $500 min most likely.

We are heading out to BB to look at both right now, but it would make more sense to get the iPad.

 

[Elleshoodat]

I think it is going to need to be the ipad mini or nothing.

The more we look the more we think the ipad is a much better device.

I have an ipad 2, and he plays with that some.

The problem really is the cost. It is going to take all his saved allowance, $$, all the $$ we were planning to spend for his b-day, AND all the $$ his grandparents will give him.

The 32gb is $429 plus tax. I won't let him use it without a good protective case, so that is another $50......so we are looking at $500 min most likely.

We are heading out to BB to look at both right now, but it would make more sense to get the iPad.

I think that's a smart choice. The cost is higher, but what you're thinking about doing is what we did. The Mini costs more than what DH and I budget to spend on each other for Christmas, so I paid for some of it out of my "fun money" -- totally worth it!

 

[mistysue]

Just to throw it out there, you should see if he knows anybody who has them and let him play with a kindle Fire.
Some people just like apple and that's their thing, but honestly I prefer the Kindle. I don't like apple products, partly because I like to make my own things and I prefer the wealth of apps available outside what apple lets you have. Half the time I find that if I get the app from apple it is $3-5, but if I get it for the Kindle it is free. Same exact app, same exact person made it, runs exactly the same, but on a Kindle or android device it's free.

It's a very personal issue, but I don't fall for the whole sleek look approach if it doesn't actually run any better. In my experience apple's products don't actually run better, they just have a flashier look so people feel like they are running better.

For some people that "wow, it's a ithing" is important, so the only person who can answer what his needs are is him. I will say though if he is the type to go into computers much, he might like the freedom of a Kindle.

 

[DawnM]

It sounds like getting the Kindle to accept the apps from Android sites is tricky though.

We looked up about 8 apps this am that he plays with from itunes and none of them were available for the Kindle. They may be available for Android, but I haven't looked.

And I don't think this is about a "name" like iwhatever, I think ultimately it comes down to what works best for your needs.

Dawn

Just to throw it out there, you should see if he knows anybody who has them and let him play with a kindle Fire.
Some people just like apple and that's their thing, but honestly I prefer the Kindle. I don't like apple products, partly because I like to make my own things and I prefer the wealth of apps available outside what apple lets you have. Half the time I find that if I get the app from apple it is $3-5, but if I get it for the Kindle it is free. Same exact app, same exact person made it, runs exactly the same, but on a Kindle or android device it's free.

It's a very personal issue, but I don't fall for the whole sleek look approach if it doesn't actually run any better. In my experience apple's products don't actually run better, they just have a flashier look so people feel like they are running better.

For some people that "wow, it's a ithing" is important, so the only person who can answer what his needs are is him. I will say though if he is the type to go into computers much, he might like the freedom of a Kindle.

 

[mistysue]

If it doesn't meet his needs, then it doesn't, I am not trying to say there is anything wrong with that. Just as other people like Apple products, I am still entitled to not like them.
I didn't mean to say it's the name, their products have a distinct sort of feel to them that many other products don't, I was referencing some people's preference for that apple feel.

I am not trying to mock it and I'm sorry if it came across that way.

It sounds like getting the Kindle to accept the apps from Android sites is tricky though.

We looked up about 8 apps this am that he plays with from itunes and none of them were available for the Kindle. They may be available for Android, but I haven't looked.

And I don't think this is about a "name" like iwhatever, I think ultimately it comes down to what works best for your needs.

Dawn

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I would agree with your decision for an ipad mini. We are an apple family and I won a kindle fire. I thought, COOL! WRONG! Barely any apps - they were horrible! And of course, you have to buy all new movies and tv shows because it doesn't play itunes. And I did not like the format of the kindle fire at all. It also messed up my email anytime I logged into the device to check my yahoo email. Yes, I admitted I was a pro-apple up front so I'm sure that had something to do with it!

I ended up giving it away to a family member who had an android phone. It was worthless for us to keep. I mean, it was FREE and I STILL hated it.

 

[DawnM]

Ok, went to Best Buy, I needed to go to return something anyway, and had son look and play with both.

He wants the ipad mini.

Now we just need to FUND it!