Kindle Fire /Skype

[MrsPete]

I was very interested in the Kindle Fire and have pre-ordered two for my girls for Christmas. Now I'm wondering if I did the right thing or not:

I anticipated that they'd use these Fires for books, movies, and 'net surfing. I see the Fire as kind of an "iPad Lite". But in watching my oldest, I'm realizing that she's into another use: Skyping.

I'm quite out of my element here, but she insists that I have to learn to use this function so that we can talk when she goes away to college next year ('cause I guess our cell phones won't work anymore? I don't quite get the need for Skype, but she loves it.).

I'm seeing that without a mic and a camera, the Kindle Fire won't have the ability to Skype, so I'm wondering if it's a good choice for her or not. It's not a choice between a Fire and an iPad -- at 2.5 Xs the cost, she's not getting an iPad. It's just not in the budget. Not Xs two kids.

Would an iTouch be a better option? Her cousins have that, and they Face-time or Face-talk (oh, that's not the right word) each other. Does that come with a monthly fee?

Throw this in: Our oldest is definitely getting a laptop for graduation. Her daddy's in charge of picking that out, but it'll be a good one that'll do everything a college student needs, and it'll certainly have the ability to Skype. It'll also be larger and more bulky.

So, here's the question:

For a soon-to-be-college-student, would you choose an iTouch or a Kindle Fire?

 

[jrmasm]

Forget it, I need to read better.

 

[3boymthr]

Neither. I'd look into other Tablet options. Especially around Thanksgiving you're apt to find some really great deals on a Tablet that runs on Android (like the Fire) but has the camera and mic option that she'll want. There are already some available for under $300 and I'm sure there'll be some sales on them that will bring the price down to closer to $200.

 

[princessmom29]

I wouldn't base my tablet choice on its ability to skype, unless you need to be able to skype on the go. You can skype form any computer, and webcams are really inexpensive. We used an add on webcam on our desktop when my parents lived in Singapore, and it worked just fine. I would say get the tablet you want and just skype from your computer.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I agree that if I were getting my child a tablet computer I would not get a Kindle Fire. I'd get an iPad 2. That said, if she's getting a new laptop, that will work fine for using Skype.

I would definitely not get an iPod Touch just to Skype. However, if she doesn't have an iPod already, that would be a better choice than a Kindle. Even better would be an iPhone, if she doesn't already have a smart phone. I also think if your daughter is getting a laptop, you could get a cheaper Kindle version for her, because she can do more on her laptop than she could with a Kindle.

As you stated, the Kindle Fire will not work with Skype, because it has no microphone or camera.

By the way, you can use Skype on many cell phones (Android phones, iPhones, etc).

 

[mrodgers]

As Seth Meyers said on the "news"....

"It's expected to sell well among parents who always buy the wrong thing."

I immediately though of how my oldest is begging for an iPad2, which she isn't getting a $500 "toy" when the family computer is 6 years old and barely works.

 

[MrsPete]

"It's expected to sell well among parents who always buy the wrong thing."

Hmmm . . . that might be me.

Thanks to all who've expressed opinions here. I have some homework to do. Yes, she has a two-year old ipod in perfect condition -- so that's why I didn't consider the iTouch initially -- it'd be duplicating something she already has. And she will be getting a laptop for graduation, which will be able to do, well, everything.

But -- and I know I'm arguing both sides of the coin here -- if I'm going with the Kindle, I'd choose the $140-ish version . . . and if I'm going to pay that much, I might as well pop for a little bit more and have internet on it too. Which brings us to the Fire.

I wasn't setting out to get her a tablet -- $500 is above my Christmas budget, especially with a laptop and a car in the works for her graduation and 18th birthday. Rather, I started with the idea of a Kindle, and I seem to be "working my way up".

Thanks again. Now, to my homework . . .

 

[DVCLiz]

Hmmm . . . that might be me.

Thanks to all who've expressed opinions here. I have some homework to do. Yes, she has a two-year old ipod in perfect condition -- so that's why I didn't consider the iTouch initially -- it'd be duplicating something she already has. And she will be getting a laptop for graduation, which will be able to do, well, everything.

But -- and I know I'm arguing both sides of the coin here -- if I'm going with the Kindle, I'd choose the $140-ish version . . . and if I'm going to pay that much, I might as well pop for a little bit more and have internet on it too. Which brings us to the Fire.

I wasn't setting out to get her a tablet -- $500 is above my Christmas budget, especially with a laptop and a car in the works for her graduation and 18th birthday. Rather, I started with the idea of a Kindle, and I seem to be "working my way up".

Thanks again. Now, to my homework . . .

Mrs. Pete, I think she will probably end up Skyping on the laptop. When my daughter was abroad for a semester we used Skype extensively and she used her Dell laptop with the built in webcam. Since you are getting her a laptop and have indicated it will probably have some bells and whistles, I assume you'll get one with a built in webcam and that will solve your Skype issue.

By the way, we too had the idea that we would Skype while she was away at college, but other than a few novelty times, we ended up not doing it once she was back in the United States. It was just easier to communicate mostly by cell phone - she didn't need to see me if she could instead make a quick cell phone call while she was walking to class. Of course, your daughter might be different and will like to do a lot of Skyping. In any case, a laptop in her dorm room will be the way to go, especially because any conversation you have will be private in that setting.

I preordered two Fires for my daughters for Chirstmas, too, for a couple of reasons. I think they will really like to be able to get their magazine subscriptions on them and to stream media like movies and TV shows. I also think Amazon will introduce some special features that will make it appealing. Wifi only means no monthly bill for them, and they will both have wifi access either away at college or in their own apartments after graduation.

Of course they both already have hand-me-down Kindles and like the eink but if your daughter really doesn't like the Fire after she gets it she can return it for another model. Still, I think for teens and young adults the Fire is a great choice!!

 

[MrsPete]

Well, the decision is made. I'm buying . . . nothing. That does tend to be my default position when I'm not 100% certain.

My husband came up with a good strategy: He suggested that I tell the girls he'd been hinting about getting ME a new Kindle for Christmas, and he suggested that I ask them for their help in selecting the one best for ME (I think he actually was hinting for me, but I told him point-blank that I don't want to mess with transferring all my books /possibly re-creating all my files while my current Kindle is still in perfect working condition -- even if the new ones are nicer). Anyway, his strategy worked well because it was easy to turn the conversation to, "Well, what if you were choosing for yourself?"

They both said they'd love an ipad, but they aren't all that attracted to the Kindle Fire. Enough said. I'm not paying $200 for something you're not going to love! And I'm not paying $500 for a toy (which is essentially what the ipad is).

It's in no way a need. We have one desktop computer, two laptops, and one ipad between the four of us . . . and our oldest'll be getting a fancy, schmancy new laptop for graduation soon.

So, thanks for all your advice, but we're opting out for now. I had two Kindle Fires in my Amazon cart, but I let them go.

 

[DVCLiz]

Well, the decision is made. I'm buying . . . nothing. That does tend to be my default position when I'm not 100% certain.

My husband came up with a good strategy: He suggested that I tell the girls he'd been hinting about getting ME a new Kindle for Christmas, and he suggested that I ask them for their help in selecting the one best for ME (I think he actually was hinting for me, but I told him point-blank that I don't want to mess with transferring all my books /possibly re-creating all my files while my current Kindle is still in perfect working condition -- even if the new ones are nicer). Anyway, his strategy worked well because it was easy to turn the conversation to, "Well, what if you were choosing for yourself?"

They both said they'd love an ipad, but they aren't all that attracted to the Kindle Fire. Enough said. I'm not paying $200 for something you're not going to love! And I'm not paying $500 for a toy (which is essentially what the ipad is).

It's in no way a need. We have one desktop computer, two laptops, and one ipad between the four of us . . . and our oldest'll be getting a fancy, schmancy new laptop for graduation soon.

So, thanks for all your advice, but we're opting out for now. I had two Kindle Fires in my Amazon cart, but I let them go.

Well, at least you tried and if she is getting a new laptop that will be a great thrill, too!!

If you ever do get a new Kindle, it's easy to transfer your Amazon-purchased content if you already have it in Collections. There are directions but basically you transfer the Collections from another device to the new Kindle, and then transfer the Archives, which then sort themselves into the collections. Don't quote me on those exact steps but it's similar and it makes transferring easy.

 

[bumbershoot]

I wouldn't base my tablet choice on its ability to skype, unless you need to be able to skype on the go.

Yes, this. And we don't even use skype when DH is on business trips, we just use gmail's gchat video option.


Buy Kindles, buy LOTS and lots of Kindles (DH is a product tester for them, LOL), but buy them for the right reasons.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I can see getting her the laptop but the iPad is far from a toy. Hospitals are using them now, as well as other industries.

Being able to play games on something doesn't make it a toy- yes, iPads are expensive but considering all its uses and how much mine gets used, it's well worth it. I do word processing, have drug guides and nursing stuff on there, apps to teach me medical Spanish, etc. Much more portable than my laptop and has better battery life.