Kindle Fire Will Crush Other Android Tablets, May Increase iPad Sales Say Analysts

[hissyfit]

nice!

I'll admit it:

I bought a Kindle Fire on Saturday.

Why? Well, I wanted an eReader mainly, and after comparing the various ones, for the price, it was hands down the best bang for the buck. Why not an iPad? Too much money for what it is and what it does, because I also have a 17" MBP. Now, if I didn't have the MBP, it would have been a different story.... but for my immediate needs and budget, the Kindle Fire fit the bill.

And let me say....this little thing is friggan cool! I'm very happy with it. This Apple Fanboi made a good choice.

It looks like a great lil tablet. I have an iPad 2 but I also want a Fire, just don't NEED it. I might buy one for my partner. Just so I could have one around the house. If i had a kid this would be perfect to get them not to mention affordable.

 

[APlotdevice]

What would then be the point of having a tablet?

Even if you have a keyboard for your tablet, that doesn't mean you always have to have it with you. Personally I only use a keyboard with my iPad when I'm in my workspace at home.

(Also I share the same keyboard between it, my HTPC, and my PS3.)

 

[divinox]

Why lug your laptop to work, when you already have something better that is your iMac? Of course, I am assuming you work in the same office everyday. IMHO, your solution complicate things. I guess I'm thinking more traditionally here i.e. having a proper desk-space for work. Why cramp yourself to a 13" or 15" screen and a chicklet keyboard when you can work with a much larger screen and a full ergonomic keyboard? With Dropbox and other cloud services, your data and files can be seamlessly access from multiple devices, making it even less tempting to lug your laptop around. To all his/her own, I suppose.

Why? Why not. Its light. It might come in handy. Like i said, pre MBA, i almost never took it with me, now - pretty much constantly. I have all applications duplicated, and all essentials synced across the computers too, so its not about that either. Simply put, the cost of bringing it is so small, that the benefit of having it with easily outweighs it.

Also, with a dock solution i don't have to cramp myself to a 13" screen, or use a chiclet keyboard (i don't mind chiclets, the MBA one is relatively crappy though). I hook up a few cables, and done. Keyboard, mouse, screen + charging. Easy as 1 2 3.

In short, it seems as if people dont get just how much more portable a computer gets once you shave off those few extra pounds. That said, i would never recommend someone picking an iPad over a 11" mba/ultrabook... assuming they could afford the splurge.

 

[APlotdevice]

Point?

The desktop version of IE will still support flash, etc.

 

[divinox]

Point?

Point: Microsoft are not ditching Flash. The specific metro instance of internet explorer is plugin-free, and thus will not run Flash for obvious reasons. The traditional version of internet explorer is not plugin-free, and thus will run Flash for obvious reasons. You took news out of its context and drew false conclusions. That is the point.

 

[the8thark]

Kindle Fire Won't Crush Other Android Tablets, May Not Increase iPad Sales Say Other Analysts.

The so called analysts said:

Nothing could save Apple not even the new (at the time) iMac.
Who wants a thing that just plays music (iPod) - no one.
Who would buy the would's most expensive phone? (iPhone)
The iPad will fail.

And all the analysts were proved wrong over and over.
One famous analyst I forget who said "the only thing to to do is best against the analysts and you'll win more times than not".
And that's just about right in my opinion.

It's all about your point of view.

 

[eye]

Analysts are idiots. Yes, the Fire is eating into iPad sales. Yes, it will trounce other android tabs (because they hid the horrible interface of the android OS). No, users will not move to an iPad because a $500 tablet is still $500 no matter what. It's the price, stupid. No, it will not kill the iPad. The iPad will remain a strong seller and money machine even if one day another tab sells more. Apple makes $$$$$$$$$$.

 

[haruhiko]

Analysts always fail because they over-think. If you have a sound mind and are reasonable, your first thought is most likely to be correct (if you are presented with all the factors).

 

[Abazigal]

What would then be the point of having a tablet?

I asked myself that same question some time back, and after some reflecting, concluded that the benefit would be versatility. With such a "hybrid" setup of ipad+wireless keyboard, you have the flexibility of having a tablet when you want one and a netbook when you would prefer to just sit down and type, which in a way, can make up for the inherent limitations of either.

For example, when taking notes during a meeting, just whip out your keyboard, prop the screen up at a comfortable angle and type away. You don't need a full-powered laptop for this, and you can always do the heavy editing back at your workstation later (using programs like dropbox or email to move stuff around). But when reclining on the sofa, or on the train or some other crowded place, you can simply detach the ipad from the board and use it the way it was meant to be used. No such luck with a MBA or similar laptop, and it would be awkward trying to balance it on one hand or tether a wireless signal from your iphone.

Another draw is the long batt life of the ipad, compared to the 2-3 hours some users are evidently reporting on their 11' mba. Again, some people do appreciate being able to last through the day without having to furtively hunt around for power outlets.

I won't say tablet+keyboard is obvious the way to go, but then again, not everyone needs a full powered laptop, though they would like to be able to type properly from time to time. In this case, it is an option worth looking into, IMO.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

It's about time analysts (and others) finally realized the Fire and iPad are not competitors. I shouldn't be surprised but it does every time people make simplistic, superficial comparisons between two products in the same category, but at different levels.

When the Fire was released so many hooted "iPad killer," and I wondered why they didn't also exclaim the Chevy Malibu a BMW 328i killer too. I mean the Mailbu is tens of thousands less. Makes you wonder how BMW survives.

 

[eye]

It's about time analysts (and others) finally realized the Fire and iPad are not competitors. I shouldn't be surprised but it does every time people make simplistic, superficial comparisons between two products in the same category, but at different levels.

When the Fire was released so many hooted "iPad killer," and I wondered why they didn't also exclaim the Chevy Malibu a BMW 328i killer too. I mean the Mailbu is tens of thousands less. Makes you wonder how BMW survives.

I think it's naive to think the general tablet buying public isn't snatching up Fires INSTEAD of iPads. Your kid says "I want a tablet for Xmas". You used to only have one choice or your kid thought you were a square. Now, the Fire is an alternative to spending $500 and one your kid will be fine with. Believe me, people who would have bought an iPad a few months ago are now buying a Fire. And some fuzzy slippers and summer sausage with the savings.

 

[cmvsm]

"At the same time, JP Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz (and the Apple executives that he met with) feel that Apple is not seeing pressure from the Kindle Fire..."

Maybe that's because the Fire has been in consumers hands for about 2 weeks?! Sheeeeeez. Let's wait a few months.




The wife has an iPad, a Kindle, and I got her a Kindle Fire ($199) the other day.

She says the Fire is awesome. I can't stress the word "awesome" enough other than bolds, italics, etc. which would be annoying. She said it's the fastest tablet-ish device she's used and thinks the browser is much better than the iPad.

2nd...she LOVES her Kindle...has owned it for 2 years I think...she's a huge book reader.

3rd...she likes the iPad...but (like me) feels browsing websites (especially shopping sites) is fair...no flash support, pull down menus/choices within the site (like a clothes store trying to choose options) is really rough. She also feels that for $500+, it's essentially an email reader and light surfing (looking up weather, reading some articles) machine...screen is too harsh on the eyes to stare at.

Maybe iPad 3 will finally get the browser right. Would be nice if the iPad 3 were significantly cheaper.

Would be nice to see a Fire that is larger more surfing use cases.

Flash is gone my man. Hopefully you didn't base a purchasing decision on it. I used the Fire at H&H Gregg over the weekend. I had the opposite response. The device feels cheap (plastic), the Silk browser was extremely slow, and the entire thing felt like what it was designed for, a gateway to the Amazon website, and that's about it. 7" screens are also too small. Might be good for reading and light internet browsing, but for anything else, it pales in comparison to the iPad. I think that the Android tablets are even more of a mess, so at least the Fire has that in their corner.

 

[linuxcooldude]

My impression is the same about the Kindle Fire. I pre-ordered mine. Played with it for a couple of hours but wrapped it back up as it was a Christmas present for someone else.

Setting up the tablet was very easy & it updated the software to the latest version.

I liked it on the most part. It did lag a bit at times. To me it got a bit too warm when recharging the device.

It seemed more restrictive as to what I wanted to do with it, but could be because I did not use the device as long as I wanted. Had trouble figuring out how to get to the app store to download apps. But I could see some of that being tweaked out by Amazon.

I see this as a good buy and inbetween device to the iPad.

 

[faroZ06]

The Kindle series is the only non-iPad tablet I respect. Although they can't really be compared directly to the iPad (as they are more like readers, not netbooks), they are very well made, unlike the garbage running Android.

It's smart that Amazon is staying where they belong at books. Google is trying to enter the computer industry and is badly failing with their horrible products.

 

[MrWillie]

I am seeing a lot more now. It is surprising.

Also no one ever removes the stickers from their notebooks, ever.

I removed the Vista sticker from mine, as I was upgrading it to XP Pro.

OMG a 3rd generation product being better than the 1st generation product?

WOW you are so smart.

Cool. Reread their post. I interpret it as other tablets catching up (not in sales), then Apple releasing the next generation iPad, and blowing them out of the water.

Putting in a wirelss keyboard for a tablet makes two separate objects that SHOULD be integrated.

Regardless, tacking on the keyboard essentially makes it a very handicapped laptop and ultimately useless.

Several companies (Zagg and Thinkgeek) sell cases with keyboards built in.

Flash is gone my man. Hopefully you didn't base a purchasing decision on it. I used the Fire at H&H Gregg over the weekend. I had the opposite response. The device feels cheap (plastic), the Silk browser was extremely slow, and the entire thing felt like what it was designed for, a gateway to the Amazon website, and that's about it. 7" screens are also too small. Might be good for reading and light internet browsing, but for anything else, it pales in comparison to the iPad. I think that the Android tablets are even more of a mess, so at least the Fire has that in their corner.

Flash is less and and less of an issue every week. Steve nailed it on the screen size and ratio.

What I don't understand is why people are calling the Kindle Fire a tablet. It is marketed and sold as a high end e-reader and gateway to the Amazon store.

 

[thenerdal]

It's about time analysts (and others) finally realized the Fire and iPad are not competitors. I shouldn't be surprised but it does every time people make simplistic, superficial comparisons between two products in the same category, but at different levels.

When the Fire was released so many hooted "iPad killer," and I wondered why they didn't also exclaim the Chevy Malibu a BMW 328i killer too. I mean the Mailbu is tens of thousands less. Makes you wonder how BMW survives.

Kindle Fire is competing with iPad since it's a tablet.

 

[gmcalpin]

You insult people with different opinions and needs from yours by calling them small-minded?

Are these devices useless? No. Countless people have demonstrated otherwise. These are not people with different opinions, but people who cannot recognize facts. People who adamantly refuse to recognize facts for the sake of preserving their personal opinions are, by definition, small-minded.

You don't need to like tablets or have any use for them YOURSELF to accept that they are useful. You just need the tiniest fraction of an imagination.

So yes, they are small-minded. It wasn't an insult; it's simply the truth.

 

[faroZ06]

I removed the Vista sticker from mine, as I was upgrading it to XP Pro.

YESSS!!! XP forever! I upgraded my Vista to XP Pro, and I'm never downgrading again. I'd even upgrade a brand new Windows PC running Win7 to XP. Same with MS Office 2004, still better than 2011.

 

[Meditron]

Hook line sinker

I really despise these planted stories masquerading as news

 

[aristotle]

It amazes me that so many people think that Apple chose the 3.5" form factor for the iPhone on a whim and kept it as 3.5" with the retina display for fun.

That size was chosen because it was the perfect size where a person with an average sized hand could reach all pixels on the screen while holding it in one hand.

Apple also chose the 9.7-inch display with a 4:3 ratio because it was the best ratio for viewing magazines and it was the right size for typing on for average sized hands.

They are tried different sizes in the lab before arriving on the current form factor.

I highly doubt that we will see a 7" iPad because it just does not seem right and the sales figures of the 7" tablets on the market show what people are buying. The Kindle is not a tablet but a reader that thinks its a tablet.

 

[TMay]

interesting phenomenom

Not a single person here has mentioned e-ink on the Kindle. Not one.

This doesn't mean the death of e-readers, but it does point to the preponderance of buyers wanting more versatility and willing to wave the benefits of e-ink for that.

Amazon has basically bought into that as well with the Fire, and if sales ultimately favor the Fire, then arguably, e-ink and e-readers are destined for ever smaller niches in comparison to tablets.

 

[rodriguise]

1) The Kindle Fire's browser, faster than the iPad's? Something is very, very wrong with your iPad, I am afraid.

2) Don't get too comfortable with Flash on the tablet - this is the last version that Adobe will make - they have abandoned Flash on mobile devices.

Am I the only one who finds the fact that Silk is after all based on WebKit of interest? Only the delusional think the Flash war isn't over.

 

[MrWillie]

Kindle Fire is competing with iPad since it's a tablet.

Then why do they call it a Kindle, and why is it, sold, marketed, and displayed with the Kindles ? I also don't believe Amazon wants it compared to the iPad because they don't want it deemed a failure for only selling a million a month (hardly a failure) compared to the iPads 4-5 million.

 

[PeterQVenkman]

Then why do they call it a Kindle, and why is it, sold, marketed, and displayed with the Kindles ? I also don't believe Amazon wants it compared to the iPad because they don't want it deemed a failure for only selling a million a month (hardly a failure) compared to the iPads 4-5 million.

For one second forget about the name and concentrate on what it does.

It's a gateway to the web, email, facebook, twitter, movies, music, apps, games, books, and comics in a hand held on-your-couch form factor, all sold in one integrated online store. It has tight integration with cloud based services.

Of course it's competing with the iPad. They name it "Kindle" for the same reason Apple starts all of their consumer devices with "i". Brand/family recognition. Amazon doesn't make computers like the iMac, but not too long ago they didn't make tablets or offer cloud services.

I really despise these planted stories masquerading as news

Read gizmodo.com some time and despair at the death of journalism and the birth of tabloid rags masquerading as "blogs".

It's enough to make Cronkite weep from beyond the grave.

 

[zap2]

Only the delusional think the Flash war isn't over.

What makes you say that? I mean, sure Android should have flash support for a while, but it's quite clear the mobile market will be pushing into HTML 5 territory at this point moving forward.