Kindle Fire vs iPad, has anyone owned both?

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

My ds9, who has very few items on his Christmas list this year, has mentioned wanting an iPad or a Kindle. He has an iTouch, but thinks it's too small for what he'd like to do. His friend has a Kindle, so that has sparked the latest interest in a Kindle.

We are an apple family. We use iTunes and have a bunch of apps already purchased. Having to repurchase apps in whatever format they'd have to be in for Kindle isn't a huge issue. Ds isn't one to need a lot of apps. He would like to have certain ones (probably those that his friend has).

He has mentioned wanting to watch movies, and I guess this is my big concern. We have TONS of movies on iTunes. I love just being able to put them on our iPads/phones very easily. Does anyone know if I can use iTunes movies on a Kindle? I just have no idea how easy this will be, or if I will have to purchase/download them all again in another format.

And one more....do they sell gift cards for a kindle (to use for apps). I assume there is an app right on the kindle to direct you to whatever "store" you would have to buy all of the game apps etc. from. Is this set up kind of like iTunes?

I'm trying to justify the cheaper Kindle, but don't want the transition to something new to be a nightmare. I'm used to our electronic life being a certain way, yet I'd like him to have what he wants (plus, it's a whole lot cheaper).

TIA. I always seem to find wonderful DISers here who know a whole lot more about electronics!

 

[mrs.beast]

We have both and the kids and I like the ipad better. Easier to use and can use like a mini laptop. We cannot play our itunes movies on it (but maybe we just did it wrong).
Also, the kindle has to be linked to an amazon account which has to have a credit card. To make sure that the kids do not charge too much, it is actually a visa gift card with only 25 on it. I just reload when they are done like putting in a new itunes card.
We do like renting on the kindle better. It is cheaper in general and we can watch it when not on wifi where as rentals on the ipad need a signal to work. Once you download on the kindle, it can be watched anytime for the 48 hrs.

 

[edk35]

We have both..... Hands down the IPad!!! I got The Fire last Nov. we got our son the iPad for Christmas. I kept playing around with his iPad and eventually got myself the iPad this summer.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

I dont think you can go wrong. If money is no problem, I would go with an ipad...We are an apple family, too. We have an iMac and two mac books, iphones, an itouch and a few ipods, but we didnt have the money to get 2 ipads for our youngest 2 so last Christmas they each got a kindle fire. They love them and we have no regrets.

The apps/games are android based. There are plenty that are free, many that are very cheap -- so no problem there. As for movies, you can rent or buy through amazon. The rentals are pretty cheap. And if you are an amazon prime member, you will have access to some free options, too. And, I think the size is comfortable and portable for kids.

I believe the ipad is better, but I dont think you will be disappointed with a kindle fire. My kids (12 and 10) aren't!

HTH!

 

[SondraC]

We have both, and I would definitely say the iPad,

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

I own an iPad (using it right now) and wife has the Kindle Fire. My wife likes her fire and I don't care for it. I much prefer the iPad.

 

[dislaney]

We have both and personally I prefer the ipad. I still read on the Fire and pretty much everything else - I use the ipad.

 

[teacup princess]

We have both and I like them both but we use them differently. For Internet, email, mini- computing type things we prefer the iPad. On the kindle these things just don't work as smoothly.

For movies and reading I prefer the kindle. Amazon just makes renting movies, cheaper and easier on the kindle. We like to download a movie or two before a long car trip and i don't worry too much about the kids breaking it due to the cheaper price point. There's lots of free movies to stream as well when you're a prime member. I prefer reading on the kindle, not sure why- maybe the smaller screen.

The kids play games on both equally as well but there's more learning apps on the iPad.

 

[SaraJayne]

Since you already have a lot of money invested in iTunes and are familiar with the Apple OS, I'd stick with what you know.

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

Since you already have a lot of money invested in iTunes and are familiar with the Apple OS, I'd stick with what you know.

That's an excellent point!

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I own or have owned an iPad, a Kindle Fire and a Kindle Fire HD. I actually prefer the Kindle Fire HD over them all but I am equally invested in both companies and have been for years.

Since you are mainly invested in Apple, I would probably get him an iPad mini.

If he does decide he wants the Kindle over an iPad I wouldn't worry too much about the apps. Amazon's app store is usually cheaper than Apple's and they put up a free app everyday. It will not take him long to build up an app library for little to no cost on your part.

The videos on the other hand will be a bit trickier. While both devices use mp4 format for their videos, iTunes videos are DRM'd and can not be transferred to a Kindle without stripping the DRM first (which is at the least unethical if not illegal) If you have a DVD copy of the videos you can rip the DVD and convert them to mp4 (this will also work for the movies you do not have on iTunes). I use these instructions to convert DVD's to digital files:

http://tabletorials.com/2011/11/convert-dvd-to-kindle-fire-for-free/

If you have Netflix streaming or Amazon Prime instant videos both will work on either device.

 

[S. C.]

I own or have owned an iPad, a Kindle Fire and a Kindle Fire HD. I actually prefer the Kindle Fire HD over them all but I am equally invested in both companies and have been for years.

Since you are mainly invested in Apple, I would probably get him an iPad mini.

If he does decide he wants the Kindle over an iPad I wouldn't worry too much about the apps. Amazon's app store is usually cheaper than Apple's and they put up a free app everyday. It will not take him long to build up an app library for little to no cost on your part.

The videos on the other hand will be a bit trickier. While both devices use mp4 format for their videos, iTunes videos are DRM'd and can not be transferred to a Kindle without stripping the DRM first (which is at the least unethical if not illegal) If you have a DVD copy of the videos you can rip the DVD and convert them to mp4 (this will also work for the movies you do not have on iTunes). I use these instructions to convert DVD's to digital files:

http://tabletorials.com/2011/11/convert-dvd-to-kindle-fire-for-free/

If you have Netflix streaming or Amazon Prime instant videos both will work on either device.

So glad you posted that. I ordered 3-Kindle Fires yesterday from Amazon. I was starting to 2nd guess my choice. Thank you for all the info on videos.

 

[monorailmom]

This is a great thread! I ordered Kindle Fire's for my two college age daughters. (seeing as we have twins in college, springing for ipads was not an option).

How is accessing Facebook/Twitter/Instagram on the Fire's? I know that they will want to access those, and I plan on giving them Amazon gift cards so they can purchase some magazines or books if they'd like.

 

[Tallent]

We have both and to be honest, no one touches the Fire. I think I may have used it a few times for FB when the comps were being used. It's fine and all but I can read my kindle books on my ipad....fwiw, I didn't have $600+ for an ipad so I checked ebay and ended up getting a mint condition one with charger, case and type pad for 229. No warranty but it's just extra incentive to be careful with it I don't use it for music though since my iphone holds that, but game apps and pics, and for our upcoming trip it will have movies. (to be fair, I have some amazon movie store credit and will probably get one for the fire so the kids won't have to share---different ages, different tastes...)

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

Thank you all for your suggestions and advice!!

Ds has decided he *really* wants the kindle, and is OK with the idea of only streaming or renting his movies (not sure I want to mess with doing stuff to our movie files). We have Netflix streaming, so if it comes with that app on it, he'll be all set. He already has an iTouch, so he can watch our iTunes movies on that if he wants to. I found out that his friend has the Kindle Fire from last year. I don't think we need the HD version. I think ds likes the idea of having something that is all his own (having three siblings leaves little chance of that sometimes), since his brothers/sisters have iPads/iPhones etc.

I'm really venturing out of my comfort zone, but it will be OK. Change is good! Dd also wants a nook, basically because she can take that to school to read, but they won't let them take iPads. I'm thrilled to have gotten that for half price on BF! We'll have all sorts of different electronic devices now!

I'm sure I'll be back with more questions!


Thanks again!! What would I do without this board??!!

 

[StarWarts]

Search in Google and you can find instructions on how to transfer itunes music & videos to the kindle fire. I have an iPad and the kindle fire (7") and I like them both for different reasons. The kindle fire because of its size and weight came in very handy when I brought the family do their Black Friday shopping. I can easily put it in my coat pocket that day and while they were doing their shopping I just sit in the DH corner of the store and.pull it.out of my coat pocket and read.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

Search in Google and you can find instructions on how to transfer itunes music & videos to the kindle fire. I have an iPad and the kindle fire (7") and I like them both for different reasons. The kindle fire because of its size and weight came in very handy when I brought the family do their Black Friday shopping. I can easily put it in my coat pocket that day and while they were doing their shopping I just sit in the DH corner of the store and.pull it.out of my coat pocket and read.

Thanks

 

[luvthemouse71]

I say get him an ipad mini. You can put the Kindle, Nook, and Kobo apps on there. Since you are already heavily invested in the Apple system, I would stick with that.

The ipad Mini is more though..$329 base model as opposed to $199 for a 7 inch Kindle Fire HD.

**I see you're going for the Kindle. I would go for the HD one. The screen is much better and since he'll be watching movies on it, that may be important. It also has a snappier processor which is good for web browsing and games. There's only $40 difference between the HD and the regular..i would spend the money and get the most up to date one.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Trust me, if he is asking for a Kindle, you want to spend the extra money and get the HD version. Before the HD version I would have recommended the iPad over the Kindle. The HD version is a huge upgrade IMO and is worth the small price difference ($41 I believe).

The actual device is sleeker looking, it runs much better and the screen and speakers are really amazing compared to the original Fire.

 

[MsLeFever]

My daughter uses netflix on her Kindle fire all the time!