Kindle Fire HD & Game Circle

 Amazon's Kindle Fire HD has, as its previous generation, received a lot of critique when it comes to apps that available to user from the Amazon store. A lot of these apps are actually games which are available for Google Play and/or the Apple App store but are not on the Amazon one. However, Amazon is working on combating thins issue and providing users with a much better experience and much more choice and options. And in this sense you might recall our previous articles about the Amazon Game Circle. Let us see what this feature has to do with the Kindle Fire HD and how it will optimize your user experience.

 So what is Amazon Game Circle? Well, in a nutshell it is basically a developer toolset and it is one of those nifty packages and APIs that allows the developers to add in global achievement tracking, leaderboards, game sync and, of course, social networking.

Amazon's Games Library

 There is a change in the Kindle App Store navigation since the New games category is now what is listed on the first page and a default category. Since gaming is a popular activity Amazon has taken a lot of effort to make both the hardware and the software of the Kindle Fire HD better optimized for this type of entertainment. Much of this is due to the new processor unit and the Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core as well as the awesome screen.

Kindle Fire HD Cases - Top 3 Design Choices

 Before we get on with the Kindle Fire HD Cases analysis, I would like to say that the past week we have been busy comparing and reviewing the Kindle Fire HD with all of its serious competition. The results of our review you can find in the following articles:

• Kindle Fire HD 7" vs Nexus 7
• Kindle Fire HD 8.9" vs iPad 3
• Kindle Fire HD series vs Kobo Arc

 But let us take the time today to talk about a different subject that may interest those who already bought their Kindle Fire HD or are planning on getting one and are just searching for some nice accessories. Surely we all need a nice Kindle Fire HD Case to go along with our device and choosing the one is always a matter of personal taste. I would like to single out the following three Kindle Fire HD cases and soon I will tell you why.

The Onyx Black Kindle Fire HD 7" Case

 

 This is an official Amazon accessory and it seems to be selling great! I had a look at some of the images online that users have posted and I must agree that this Kindle Fire HD Case does look great. You know what they say about black - it is simple, elegant and stylish while remaining young and playful. I quite like this case and I might get it with my Kindle Fire HD 8.9" (there is a version for this size as well). What do you think about it?

 You can have a better look here.

 

 

 

Verso Prologue Antique Case for the Kindle Fire HD 7"

 

 This case is probably the one that I will be ordering, though I am still looking for someone to post some sample photos of it to see a bit closer how it looks like. It looks like a very elegant leather case to me with a distinctive vintage style to it. Have a look here and judge for yourself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Warware Axis leather case for the Kindle Fire HD 7" in pink

 This is a certified accessory for the Kindle Fire HD and this particular model is only meant for the 7 inch Kindle Fire due to its size. The product is aimed at the ladies due to its distinctive pink color, but there are similar versions on Amazon with a different color choice that you can find of course. You can have a look here and find the one that you like the best.

 At $44,99 you can't find a better replacement especially since this case is made out of leather and comes with a few features of its own - such as the cute hand-strap.

Kindle Fire HD 8.9" vs the iPad 3

 So far we talked about the Kindle Fire HD 7 inch tablet and compared against several competitors that threatened to take over Amazon's lead in the low-end tablet sector. There articles were about the Kindle Fire HD vs Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD vs Kobo Arc. Today, however, we are going to compare the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" with the "king of tablets" - the Apple iPad 3.

 Ready for the Kindle Fire HD vs iPad 3 showdown? Let us get started!

 So, once you compare the specs of the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" against the iPad 3, a few conclusion and opinions pop up and one of those to me was: is the Apple rxperience really worth the extra cash? In my opinion and my own analysis the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is superior to the outdated iPad 3. And to prove my point let me state the following:

•  Kindle Fire HD has better design features and provides a better physical experience seeing as it is thinner, lighter, and smaller than Apple's iPad 3.
• The KF HD sports dual stereo speakers. And not just any ol' speakers, they come with Dolby Digital Plus. And the iPad? Meh, just mono speakers... 
• Then we have the iPad which can do 22Mbps 802.11n WiFi, and then we go back to the the Fire HD which features MIMO antenna that can do 31Mbps. 

 Oh but I am just getting started! But I will skip to the point the Kindle Fire HD with its 8.9 inch screen, 16 GB of storage and its 1920×1200 (254 PPI) Retina-equivalent screen is actually a full 200 dollars cheaper than the 16 GB Apple iPad 3. I think that a lot of people will find this a very interesting point and not just me! The most intriguing thing about the price however is that a receant study showed that both of these devices cost around $300 to produce and transport. So why is the Apple iPad 3 so much more expensive when it is clearly not the better tablet?

 Well it does have everything to do with their policies and the way they plan to make money - Apple sells expensive, luxury products, while Amazon provides us with affordable, quality products with hopes to make up for the lost money via our purchases in the Amazon stores. A fair trade I would say. Alright, but let me continue with the comparison.

 The truth is that the Apple iPad 3 is better in some aspects, but for me these just aren't worth the extra money and the Amazon ecosystem is far better than that of the iPad 3. For example, the iPad 3 has a clearly better camera and the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" cannot even film video, unlike the iPad 3. You can still of course use the KF HD 8.9" for Skype and what not. But who uses a tablet as a camera anyway? The iPad 3 also has a superior battery life by two hours and of course a screen that is 0.8 inches bigger.

 When it comes to pricing Amazon has a far better offer and here is why:

• The Kindle Fire HD 8.9" with 16 GB of storage costs $299 while the iPad 3 with 16 GB of storage costs $499. You save $200 with the HD!
• The same Kindle Fire HD 8.9" but with 32 GB of storage and 4G LTE features costs $499 while the iPad 3 with 32 GB and LTE features costs $729. You save $230!
• The KF HD 8.9" data plan will cost you $50 per year while the data plan for the iPad 3 costs $200 per year. You save $150 per year with the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch tablet!

 Oh, but then come the argument that the iPad 3 is faster, has more apps, has a better OS and the like. What do I have to say about this? Alright, those are valid arguments...but...

 Well for one thing the iPad 3 isn't exactly faster as it comes with a 1 GHz dual-core A5X processor while the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch tablet runs on a 1.5 GHz dual-core OMAP4470. Some have said that the iPad 3 still performs better when it comes to graphics but the Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core on the Kindle Fire HD serves to fill this gap.

 And what about the apps? Alright, you got me, the iPad 3 has access to a  lot more apps. But on the other hand doesn't the fact that the Kindle Fire HD provides access to a lot of books, videos and mp3 count for something as well? The addition of Amazon Game Circle also seems to me like there is a bright future for Amazon when it comes to apps so I wouldn't be dissing the Kindle Fire HD just yet!

And OS? The iPad 3 will soon be getting an update to its iOS while the KF HD sports a forked version of Android OS. Between the iOS and Android I would always go for Android, but I dislike the version that Amazon has created on its tablets. I do give the upper hand to the iOS on this one, but I doubt a lot of people care so much.

 But what do you think? Which would you rather choose?

Kindle Fire HD VS Kobo Arc

 So let me guess, you are thinking something in the lines of this: While the Kindle Fire HD is selling like a wildfire this guy is writing about some Kobo Arc? What's the Kobo Arc anyway?!

 Indeed, what is the Kobo Arc and what sort of impact could it possibly have on the tablet ecosystem and why would I be comparing it to the Kindle Fire HD? Well, for one reason it is because I love variate and like it when I have different choices that I can make. The Kobo Arc is certainly an improvement to the previous Kobo Vox and is a product from a Canadian-based company that is in the digital books market. The previous Amazon Kindle Fire would perhaps have a hard time dealing with this new Kobo Arc, but I think that, at least right off the bat, the Kindle Fire HD may not be a better choice. But let us look at what the Arc has to offer and why the KF HD is or isn't superior.

 

  So the start off, let us note that both the Kindle Fire HD and the Kobo Arc are a 7 inch tablet with a similar purpose and price range. Therefor this is a battle of quality but also of the features as both devices are meant for users to get the most out of the available content and of the content that they plan on purchasing. Keeping this in mind I am more interested in which tablet has a better display, content ecosystem and better multimedia support.

 Right off the bat people will go on about the Kobo Arc having a superior 1.5 GHz TI OMAP 4470 processor while the Kindle Fire HD (7 inch model) sports a smaller 1.2 GHz dual-core processor. While an important feature, I wouldn't call it a major advantage as I often work on devices that have an even weaker processor yet they perform their task very well. Sure, if I were buying a laptop or a PC I would spend a lot of time thinking this part over, but between the two I find the difference of less importance than some other features that these tablets are supposed to have.

 In terms of memory you already know by now that the Kindle Fire HD 7 inch tablet costs $199 and offers 16 GB of storage room, while a 32 GB model costs $249. The Kobo Arc positions itself like the Nexus 7 and offers a 8 GB model for the price of $199 and a 16 GB model for the price of $249. This wouldn't matter much if the Kobo Arc had SD Card support, but since it doesn't, this is an issue for me. There is certainly some cloud storage alternatives and such, but I would feel more comfortable with a 16 GB Kindle Fire HD + an Amazon cloud than with whatever the Kobo Arc has to offer. 

 This is of course talking storage wise, but there still a lot of major features to look into. So let me continue.

The Kobo Arc

 Both devices use a forked version of the Android OS, more accurately of the Ice Cream Sandwich. The idea is to promote their own content and create a closed ecosystem in which you will be spending your hard-earned dollars. What I like about the Kobo Arc though is that it is more user-oriented and doesn't just try to push ads from its store. There a few cool features such as the ability to pin the things you like and get RSS updates from you favorite sites on your home screen. Another important thing to note is that the Kobo Arc also has Google Play installed which means you will get access to all those amazing apps! Now I sound like I am a fan of the device don't I?

 The thing is that I do not  like forked versions of any OS and I am not such a big fan of what Amazon does. Yet I love their store as it has a lot more content than any other. What I did on the first Kindle Fire generation of tablets is that I rooted it and put Google Play right on there - that was the best of both worlds! And of course there are other sites where one can find all those awesome apps and games.

 So if you are a bit tech savvy or willing to learn some tricks there is no reason to think that the Kindle Fire HD is a handicapped device because it doesn't use Google Play. This is just silly. This is isn't the iOS, you can actually play around with your device a lot if you know how.

 So my verdict on the Kindle Fire HD vs the Kobo Arc battle of the tablets? The Amazon tablet wins it from me as I think I am going to be able to use it to its full power and I cannot wait to see what this double-band WiFi antenna can do. 

 And while the Kobo Arc is a good tablet, I would rather buy a Google Nexus 7 over it for the price as Kobo just doesn't suit my needs with its content. What do you think?

Kindle Fire HD 7 inch vs Nexus 7 + hands-on vide of the KF HD

 Are you excited about the new Kindle Fire HD tablet Amazon introduced recently? Between you and me I find it that the 8.9 inch model of the Kindle Fire HD just isn't worth the money, but the 7 inch $199 might just be better than we originally thought. While its processor does not measure with the Google Nexus 7 and the device does lack that powerful full Android OS, it is still a formidable tablet at a very low cost that will certainly be skyrocketing in its sales this year. 

 Bellow is the video of a very short hands-on view of the Kindle Fire HD 7" model that was done by Liam Spradlin of AndroidPolice.com, a respected Android news blog and portal. In his written review he claims that the Kindle Fire HD felt great in his hands and made a fine impression. The device felt like it was premium quality which isn't something other tablets in this price range have. But apart from the comfortable, luxury design and feeling, was the Kindle Fire HD any good? Let us find out how it compares to the Google Nexus 7 and which of the two is the better choice!

This photo of the Kindle Fire HD is from AndroidPolice.com

 In terms of its design and display quality the review thinks that this device is better than the Nexus 7. The reason behind it is that the Kindle Fire HD seemed more professional, was made out of better material and has a significantly better display, especially when it comes to glare and color depth. Still, both devices have a good display that most users won't be able to tell apart and design is always a subjective issue, so this doesn't tell us much other than Liam's personal opinion.

 However, the real twister here is that Amazon has stated that its 7 inch tablet has a battery life of 11 hours, which if true is one major thing to consider when buying a tablet in this price range as no other $199 tablet can really put up that type of performance. In terms of storage space, the Kindle Fire HD comes as either a 16 GB ($199) or a 32 GB ($249) model while the Nexus 7 has a 8GB model for $199 and a 16 GB model for $249. While  this isn't exactly a revolutionary thing to consider in this comparison, you have to give the Kindle Fire HD the recognition for this at least.

The video:

 Another thing to give the Kindle Fire HD 7 inch tablet the upper hand over the Nexus 7 is the dual band WiFi antenna which is far superior to the Nexus 7. If we used a bad hotspot connection to compare the two there is no doubt that Amazon's tablet would be far better. The Fire HD also has dual speakers which put the Nexus 7 to shame and it is apparent that the KF HD is the better tablet for watching rich video content or playing games.

 On the other hand you have to give the Nexus 7 and its quad-core Tegra 3 processor the upper hand since Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 7 inch tablet has a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor which certainly isn't the best one out there.

 In terms of software you will also hear people praise the Nexus 7 as it gets a constant stream of Android updates directly when they come out. The Kindle Fire HD runs a forked version of Android Ice Cream Sandwich. Looking at all the features being offered it seems that the Nexus 7 is a more serious tablet when it comes to modification and is more targeted to the tech savvy, while the Kindle Fire HD tries to be fun and be available for all ages. It even has parent control which you can use to limit your child the amount of the time he or she spends playing games and such.

 There are a lot more things to cover in the debate of the Kindle Fire HD vs the Nexus 7, but let us just stop while we are here. Why? Well, it just seems a bit pointless now. You see, Amazon didn't make a tablet that sells good hardware specs or a smooth open source Android OS. They made a tablet for those who use Amazon so they can use it even more and in a better and more fun way. The Nexus 7 is really about spreading the good word about Android and is more of an all-around tablet.

 The question of which you should buy seems to have little to do with the tablets themselves but more with your own personal taste and needs. If you have a need for the Kindle Fire HD, then you will no doubt recognize that need right away and buy the tablet. It is as simple as that. 

 So, do you want the Kindle Fire HD?

Kindle Fire HD Preorders Skyrocket!

 The long wait for what we called the "Kindle Fire 2" is over as Amazon has released three Kindle Fire HD tablets along with two Readers - the Kindle Paperwhite and a 3G version of the same name. Amazon claims that the Kindle Fire HD is not only the best tablet for its price but the best tablet overall. This is rather big claim and surely Amazon's new device should have the performances to confirm it.

 The first in the series of the new kindle tablet is the Kindle HD which is a 7 inch tablet with a price of $199 for a 16 GB model. Remember that its competitor the Google Nexus 7 costs $249 for a 16 GB version. There is also a 32 GB model of the Kindle Fire HD 7" and it costs exactly $249 as we predicted in previous posts. Check it out:

So what else does the Kindle Fire HD 7" bring to the table? Here are some of the features:

• 1280 x 800 HD Display
• Dolby audio and dual driver stereo
• 1.2 GHz processor, dual-core
• Dual-antenna WiFi (40% faster downloads compared to the iPad 3)
• Unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content

   And many other that you can read on our Kindle HD specs page.

 Joining the family we also have the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch device which is also something I am considering buying for myself. Apart from the obviously larger screen and a stunning HD resolution of 1920x1200 this device also has a screen that contains several amazing features that make the screen quality much better. Some of these are the polarizing filter and anti-glare technology.

 It has a larger dual-core 1.5 GHz processor which isn't as good as the Tegra 3 of the Nexus 7, however, it makes up for the gap with its Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core.  Pretty much everything else we could say about the device will be related to its connection to the Amazon store and all benefits you will get when buying it. 

 These amazing offers Amazon will give to all those who buy the Kindle HD tablet is probably what is going drive the sales in the first place. The preorders are already skyrocketing and it appears that we won't just be order the Kindle Fire HD devices online, but rather Amazon will also have them in local retailers. A smart move I must say!

 For $499 you can also get the above mentioned Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch tablet, but with stunning 4G LTE support. There is also an offer from AT&T that you include in the purchase as for one-time payment of $49.99 you can get 250 MB a month for 12 months along with 20 GB of extra cloud storage and $10 worth of Amazon promotional credit.

 So, are you getting the Kindle Fire HD or was this a disappointment for you?

Kindle Fire 2 leaks and rumors update! Is there an Ad-bases Kindle Fire 2 in the making?

 As you recall we mentioned that Amazon is holding a special Amazon press conference on September the 6th and everybody is hoping that we will be seeing the new Kindle Fire 2 getting presented for the first time. Other than that Amazon might show off couple of other affordable eReaders which are said to arrive this September or early October. So what has changed since this report? Are there any new leads on the issue at hand and have we finally learned something more about the Kindle Fire 2?

 Unfortunately the official answer would be no, but there have been a number of credible reports from sites such as CNET and The Verge which shed some light on what the Kindle Fire 2 might be like. First of all here is an image posted by The Verge which might be the new Kindle Fire 2, however, it might be just one of the others tablets and eReaders that Amazon is making. The Verge states that this is a 100% authentic photo leak from Amazon and that it is just not known what device it is, although everyone is speculating it is the Kindle Fire 2. Here is the image:

  A Cheaper Kindle Fire 2 with Ads?

  Rumors are also saying that we can expect a Kindle Fire 2 device with enabled ads to be listed for sale. This type of device would be around $50 cheaper than a none-ads version and it wouldn't be the first of its kind for Amazon. Some of Amazon's eReaders sold like crazy thanks to this method and you can be sure that Amazon made a lot of money from the purchases those ads generated.

 But how much will the original Kindle Fire 2 cost without those ads? Some are saying it will take the first generation's place and go on sale for $199 while others are saying that $249 is a more reasonable price if the device plans to feature a quad-core processor and a camera. Rumors of course are different from article to article but it seem that most are now agreeing that there will be no 10 inch Kindle Fire 2 tablet device. However, there will probably be a 7 inch low-end model and a 8.9 inch higher-end model.

 September the sixth is just around the corner so let us wait until then to see what Amazon has to show us!