The Kindle in Color tablet that we have been eagerly waiting for was launched on November 15th. Having been on a pre-order list for months, many were keen to get a hold of the first release of the Kindle Fire. It was expected to give all other tablets a run for its money, particularly the i-pad.
So a month into its launch, does it live up to expectations?
The Stats:
Based on recordable feedback, over 70% of users gave it a 4-5 star rating (out of 5) - a very positive feedback considering this is the first release. 11% gave is a 3-star, with 19% gave it either a 1-2 star. Having now seen the tablet in action, let's summarise the feedback and put them into context.
Strengths:
• Colours -The colour range and sharpness of the images are excellent. The crisp, sharp images makes the reader app excellent for reading books and magazines, for browsing and watching videos.
• Access to Amazon media through Prime membership - Users who have Prime membership get many digital products at a reduced price. Additionally, this membership allows users to borrow many movies and books for free.
• Cloud storage - Any media you purchase (songs, videos, books) is automatically stored on the Amazon cloud storage, taking away the hassle of having to perform your own backup.
• User-friendliness and feel of the hardware - Users have found the device to be solid and very user-friendly. It has a sleek look that is in keeping with modern, android-type devices.
Early weaknesses, resolved with a software update:
• Touchscreen reaction - The first batch of users were very frustrated with the slow reaction of the touchscreen. Others commented that they had to press the screen really hard to get a reaction.
• Speed of page-turns: Some users found the system speed and the way the pages turned to be slow as well.
There was a recent over-the-air software update that has resolved these issues. Users now are commenting that the screen reaction, system speed and page-turning speed have improved dramatically. (At this point, it is worth noting that users also need access to high-speed wi-fi connections for these functions to work efficiently.)
Other drawbacks:
• Screen size for video viewing - While the colors are excellent for viewing movies, some find the 7' size of the Kindle screen slightly small for this purpose.
Writer's note: It is worth mentioning that up until recently, most portable DVDs were 7' in size. However since there are other tablets that are 10', the smaller screen size is something to bear in mind if watching movies is one of the key reasons to buy.
• No HDMI - Along the same note, there is no HDMI on the tablet. As such, any movie you buy cannot be transferred to a TV, unless there is a TV that has the capability for Amazon Instant Video streaming.
• Transferring other apps from another android phone/tablet - Apps purchased from Amazon can be transferred to the device, however some apps purchased elsewhere may not transfer.
So overall, what do users still think of the Kindle Fire?
It all boils down to what a person plans to use a tablet more. Customers who loved the Kindle Fire liked it primarily as an e-reader, music streaming device and for browsing; with the option of watching movies occasionally. These users used Amazon frequently to purchase their content.
The users who did not like the Kindle tablet seemed to prefer using the tablet primarily for playing games, using apps, streaming and watching movies.
For streaming movies, the issue of not having a HDMI was a concern; largely because the storage space of 8GB meant that they could not hold many movies locally, nor could they transfer them easily to a TV screen. While the movies are still stored on a cloud server and can be accessed anytime with a high-speed wi-fi connection, users will have to be conscious of the movies they wish to store locally.
Conclusion:
For those who use apps, games, videos primarily on a tablet, the i-pad serves these functions better.
Those who shop at Amazon will find this an amazing deal; particularly with the Prime membership. It will give them many benefits at a very low price and give them countless hours of joy and most importantly, good value for money.
Issy Kenny is a analyst, and regularly reviews electronic hardware and software products.
To find out more about the Kindle tablet, see: Kindle in Color.
For the official Kindle store, click here
