Amazon Kindle Fire Tablet Computer Review

Fired with Enthusiasm

The most exciting thing about the Kindle Fire is probably the fact that it is an Android-powered tablet computer with a price tag of only $199. This Amazon entry into the field of tablet computers fits the bill for people who’ve wanted the convenience and portability of a tablet, but couldn’t justify spending the money. It may also be just the thing for families that already own a tablet computer, but would like to spend a little less for a second. The Kindle Fire is a lightweight 14.6 ounces and a compact 7.5”x 4.7”x .45”, so it’s easy to hold in one hand. And, since it has a super-durable plastic display, you don’t have to worry about damage when you take it to meetings, waiting rooms, and just about anywhere you can take a book.

Even at this price, the Kindle Fire has many of the features and capabilities of tablet computers that are much more expensive, such as the Ipad. Amazon took their enormously successful Kindle e-book and added bells and whistles to make it more of a multi-media experience. As an e-book, it still offers most of the famous Kindle features for accessing and reading over 1,000,000 book titles (including children’s books), but now it’s in color, with a 7-inchno-glare, backlit screen.

Instead of the e-ink component that was required for Kindle e-readers, now the Kindle Fire presents an array of 16 million colors in high resolution. Those glossy, colorful magazines will be extra enjoyable; especially the special editions with interactive features. Imagine having easy access to Wired with built-in audio, or Bon Appetitwith video.This capacity to play flash-videos is attainable because of the inclusion of Adobe flash player.Moreover, the Kindle Fire’s IPS display technology enables extra-wide-angle viewing and screen sharing. Perfect for watching movies with a friend.

Speaking of movies, since the Kindle Fire tablet pc is an Amazon product, you can stream or download movies, TV, and music from Amazon’s website. Since purchase of Amazon’s tablet computer includes a one-month trial offer of Amazon Prime service, you’ll be able to select from over 100,000 movies and TV shows for downloading and streaming.In fact, with the fast, powerful dual core processor, you can even multitask by downloading a movieat the same time you’re reading its review.

Gamers will particularly enjoy playing Amazon tested games on their Kindle Fire. Popcap’sPlants vs.Zombies and Rovio’sAngry Birds are among the popular choices available now, and new games may be added as game developers discover the potential for new fans in owners of the newest tablet computer. Impatient players should know that it takes approximately 4 hours to completely charge the battery, and then it will last for about 7. 5 to 8 hours. It can also be charged through a USB attached to your computer. Of course, using wi-fi will discharge the battery more quickly.

The super-simple interface allows one-touch access to all your Amazon content, plus free Cloud storage to supplement the 8 GB of storage on the device.Your Kindle Fire tablet computer can even receive e-mailed Word and PDF documents so you can read them when it’s most convenient for you.And your web surfing experience will be incredibly fast and smoothwith the custom Silk browser, a browser that is “split” between the Fire tablet and the cloud. This innovative style of browser can follow your web-browsing preferences and preload your favorite websites. Unfortunately, at this time, some groups have expressed concerns about possible privacy issues with the Silk browser; potential buyers of the Kindle Fire may want to watch this discussion if they’re concerned about security.

Although the Kindle Fire doesn’t have 3g capabilities, it does supportmost public and private Wi-Fi networks, and it has access to the Amazon Appstore. However, not all of the Amazon apps will be compatible with the Kindle Fire tablet computer. For one thing, since it is in color, any black and white apps will not transfer. Other apps that don’t transfer to the Fire are those that require a camera or mic, a gyroscope, Bluetooth technology, or WAN modules. To ensure app compatibility, Amazon has an automated process for assessing all the current apps.

Obviously, at $199, the Kindle isn’t going to have all the features that “power users” look for in a tablet computer. Some have expressed disappointment at the 8 GB of memory, the “short” battery life, and the lack of features such as a camera or GPS. But for those who just want an enhanced experience of basic tablet functions at an amazing price, the Kindle Firetablet computer is an excellent option.