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I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to post this under, seeing as I'm new to the XDA Developers community, but here goes nothing:
Has anyone else that has purchased an Kindle Fire been having second thoughts?
I think the main reason that I'm feeling this way is the whole thing feels sluggish, and the entire experience is frustrating. I did not buy the KF for a media consumption device; I bought it with the intention of rooting it, and having a $200 full-featured Android tablet, and having done so, something still feels off. It's extremely frustrating that I spent hours trying to get a custom wallpaper, and while I understand that it's a known-issue (So many threads made everyday...)
I played with my friends G2 today, which by no means is a new phone, and it (felt like), it kicked the KF's ass in speed. I just don't understand this at all. This (afaik) is a single core 800MHz device that feels more fluid than a 1GHz Dual Core. Is there something I'm missing?
Now, I'm new to Android, so I have absolutely no idea if this is a software issue that will get resolved (Honeycomb / Ice Cream Sandwich?), how long a wait that will be. (I understand that no one knows the answer to that.) Or... Is this just the hardware that $200 will buy you? I understand they're selling each KF at a loss, maybe I had higher expectations than I should have.
I noticed in a local Best Buy Black Friday ad, that the Acer Iconia 7" tablet will go on sale for $190, which has spurred thoughts of returning my KF, and purchasing the Iconia. Can anyone think of a good reason not to?
Please excuse my ignorance, I really am trying to learn something here. Will these issues improve with time, once custom ROMs start getting developed for the KF?
Thanks for reading. I appreciate any input, even if it's pointing out something I've missed. (Especially so.)
First off, welcome to the forums! and yeah, general is a pretty decent place for this sort of thing imo.
I think, if you're looking for a full featured android tablet for under $200, and are willing to brave the black friday madness to get it, then by all means, return your kindle and go for the Iconia. It's got better specs, cameras, honeycomb, etc - and lets face it, amazon designed the kindle to be just that, a kindle. Whatever android functionality we get past that should be looked at as a bonus to what was already there imo.
I've owned an asus transformer as my primary android tablet for close to 6months now, and got the kindle intending it to be mostly a device for media, so I was pleasantly surprised how well it did as an android tablet as well. I actually ended up falling in love with the size and ease of one-handed use of the 7" tablet, and am debating ditching the transformer and either going with just the kindle, or picking up a more powerful 7" tablet myself.
Don't get me wrong, I love the kindle and will definitely be hanging onto it - but one of the more main reasons I got it was it's integration to all of amazons media services.
I think you'll notice a considerable increase in speed and smoothness with the tegra 2 and more notably the 1gb of memory, especially if you root the iconia and install a more cut down rom.
The only thing I will say here is having used both the kindle and a 10" honeycomb tablet now... I'm not entirely sure how i'd like the honeycomb interface on a 7" tablet... it might almost feel too cluttered - but thats an ocd person with a very minimalist taste speaking.
Just my 2 cents, hope it helps.
I've seen quite a few complains about sluggish performance but I honestly haven't seen any of that after rooting and switching to go launcher. There was some noticible slow downs changing orientation of the device or just simply scrolling throught the carousel when I was using the stock launcher but that seems to be all gone now. Ive been playing Pandora while surfing on opera with several tabs open haven't seen any lag at all. Maybe im not stressing my tablet enought? Idk what other ppl do on it but coming from an ipad 1 im very satisified with my purchase . ICS is suppose to have similar ram usage to GB so I think the 512 ram should be suffice atleast for my usage.
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
Really appreciate the thought out reply.
I love the 7" form-factor myself; the only doubt that I'm having right now is battery life. It seems to be 5 hours of casual WiFi browsing, which is ridiculously low compared to the KF. The other features totally make it worth it. Mini-HDMI and Micro-SD would definitely be nice to have, as well as GPS? Jeez.
Edit: If I do return it, should I unroot it, is there a process to return it to factory settings?
Yeah, 5 hours battery life is a bit rough - although again to reference my experiences with the transformer, at least, a cut down Rom will likely help that a decent bit.
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
If you return any tablet you've rooted by all mean unroot it. It not only helps if you get a clerk who knows what to look for (and refuses your return justifiably as rooting voids warranty) but also it's good form. It avoids "surprises" for whomever gets your tab afterwards.
Having owned the Iconia A100 for about 2 weeks before returning it (battery life, viewing angles, Acer possibly leaving tabs and lack of dev support) I must say it's a fine little tab. Only 8G internal but uSD offsets, 1GB RAM, quality build and reported ICS in January are real pluses. Price ($330) is steep but if you can get it on BF then do so.
Now that root has been achieved on the NT, it's blows the doors off the KF (specs, battery life, etc). Seriously look into it as a replacement for the KF.
BTW I would not count on HC or ICS for the KF. No reason for Amazon to do that as it doesn't add revenue to buying anything from Amazon. B&N only upped the NC to 2.2 Froyo after almost a year on 2.1 then stopped.
skeeterpro said:
Now that root has been achieved on the NT, it's blows the doors off the KF (specs, battery life, etc). Seriously look into it as a replacement for the KF.
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Do you have a link for NT root? I can't find it and I am holding off on buying one until I see what's possible on it.
I already own the HTC flyer referenced in my .sig and I don't think anything comes close to it speedwise since it has a 1.5 GHz single core processor. And I've played with the Dell streak 7 which is dual core 1 GHz. Since app so few apps can actually use the second core it feels slower by comparison. It has 512 memory like the KF and I think that's much of the reason it seems so much slower. I used the V6 whatever script by Zepp-somebody (as you can see I'm just horrible with names) from here on XDA and it made a big difference. So I'd guess the Fire would also benefit from tweaked minfrees and OOM settings also. Considering some of that 512 is given to video I think almost all lag is actually the Android OS moving things out of memory and killing apps to make room for the new app or the app you're returning to.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using Tapatalk
I have to add that I tried quite a few devices before settling on my 7". I brought home a couple, the Iconia screen was just unacceptable period, the angle you will want to view it the most is the worst, every Iconia I've seen has this problem on both sides of the border. Not to mention not so great battery life although I did find it better than the reviews, and random FCs. I eventually settled on a Flyer and it's miles ahead of the Iconia, what a polished device, it just works, so smooth, has a really nice screen, and is solid built.
I'm here cause I'm looking at the KF myself for my kids, but it sounds like it will be more trouble than it's worth to get them working north of the border. I tried a Vox for a couple of days and it was just so buggy, slow and locked down.
bsoplinger said:
I already own the HTC flyer referenced in my .sig and I don't think anything comes close to it speedwise since it has a 1.5 GHz single core processor. And I've played with the Dell streak 7 which is dual core 1 GHz. Since app so few apps can actually use the second core it feels slower by comparison. It has 512 memory like the KF and I think that's much of the reason it seems so much slower. I used the V6 whatever script by Zepp-somebody (as you can see I'm just horrible with names) from here on XDA and it made a big difference. So I'd guess the Fire would also benefit from tweaked minfrees and OOM settings also. Considering some of that 512 is given to video I think almost all lag is actually the Android OS moving things out of memory and killing apps to make room for the new app or the app you're returning to.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
I also considered the Flyer when I bought the A100. The digitizer for note taking attracted me but not paying upwards to $70-80 for the pen. No HC was a turn-off with little hope of upgrade. That plus a couple articles spectulating HTC getting out of the tab business broke the deal for me. But I have read that the Flyer is a serviceable device indeed!
---------- Post added at 09:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:36 AM ----------
sgood1971 said:
Do you have a link for NT root? I can't find it and I am holding off on buying one until I see what's possible on it.
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Sure. You'll need to be familiar with ADB (but then we all should).
Keep in mind the Search function is your friend!
To be completely honest, most of the things that I've noticed have performance issues are the Amazon-specific things -- the bottom buttons, the stock launcher, etc. In fact, everything else, now that I've rooted it, runs just fine even when I limit the processor to 600MHz per core.
I really am pretty sure the biggest performance thing is Amazon's modifications to the Android stuff. So, that *may* be fixed in upcoming updates. Or, heck, we'll just get a good custom rom sometime!
I've noticed intermittant sluggish performance only on Silk Browser. Using Opera Browser instead solves this and is much faster browsing experience.
skeeterpro said:
Sure. You'll need to be familiar with ADB (but then we all should).
Keep in mind the Search function is your friend!
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Click to collapse
Thank you for the link. I did indeed use the search, I always do. Unfortunately my search-foo must have been weak indeed today.
Thanks again.
mewshi said:
Or, heck, we'll just get a good custom rom sometime!
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This. I'm thinking it won't be too long before they start the ROM game...or hoping. I wouldn't keep the fire with its stock interface; I also bought it as a tablet. That said, the thing has been out a WEEK and they've already made leaps and bounds. The thing was rooted in like 12 hours, they've got CWM on it (just can't navigate easily) and I think they'll work out the kinks and start romming. My hope is for CM9, myself.
matt314159 said:
This. I'm thinking it won't be too long before they start the ROM game...or hoping. I wouldn't keep the fire with its stock interface; I also bought it as a tablet. That said, the thing has been out a WEEK and they've already made leaps and bounds. The thing was rooted in like 12 hours, they've got CWM on it (just can't navigate easily) and I think they'll work out the kinks and start romming. My hope is for CM9, myself.
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True enough but regardless keep your hopes and expectations realistic. Remember that this device was not designed to be an open android tablet. The overlay and mods from Amazon might be tough to completely delete or bypass. Could be wrong but even so it's a $200 device. It will only ever be that. Which is fine but it is what it is.
I own a flyer also and it is a great tablet. I also bought the Fire for what is was advertised for, media content from Amazon. I don't intend on rooting because I think it performs just fine as it is. For your kids, watching movies, games and reading, I think they would enjoy this 7 inch device.
Sent from my GT-P7310 using xda premium
After going to Best Buy, and playing with the Iconia, it's re-affirmed my purchase in the KF. The display on the Iconia certainly leaves something to be desired.
I think I basically want a Galaxy Tab 7.0 at a $200 price point - not gonna happen, heh.
xodlike said:
After going to Best Buy, and playing with the Iconia, it's re-affirmed my purchase in the KF. The display on the Iconia certainly leaves something to be desired.
I think I basically want a Galaxy Tab 7.0 at a $200 price point - not gonna happen, heh.
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Good to know.. display on that was one thing i never really thought about. heh.
At this point, I have to say the Fire is a keeper for me. What put it over the edge was that I was able to sideload the ereader.com app and read my books in full screen (I have been using this site for ebooks for more than a decade and probably have 200+ books in that library). The ereader app won't let me unlock my books on my Archos Honeycomb tablet and my HTC Flyer on Gingerbread will unlock the books, but the app is the screen size of a phone and I can't figure out how to make it bigger.
The Fire is the only device I can stream Amazon Instant Video without stuttering and allows me to use Netflix and Hulu too.
I've managed to sideload my manga reader apps and some other apps I love.
I can't plug a hard drive in, but I can stream with my Go Flex satellite.
Surfing isn't any better than any other device I own (maybe a little bit slower), but I can live with it for the other benefits.
Still not giving up my other tablets though
Expecting a "full featured" tablet from a $200 tablet is silly. The Kindle wasn't built to be a rooted device, it wasn't built to do all the things that Android tablets can do (GPS, bluetooth, video/voice calling, etc), it was built to be a media consumption device and a reader. It does both of those things well, and anything else it can do is just extra goodness. If you need more storage, GPS, bluetooth, or any of those other features... I'd recommend going with another tablet. You'll be spending more, but you get what you pay for.
Looking for an inexpensive tablet, I'm looking at either this or the nook tablet. Seems the nook tablet has slightly better hardware specs (ram, SD slot, internal memory) but has a locked boot loader and a possible OTA that will break root. Where as the kindle boot loader I believe is unlocked and I saw that someone has cm7 booting.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App
I am not a developer, but after I had a motorola milestone with a locked bootloader, now I ran far away from it. As they are sure about Nook tablet being locked I decided not to take the chance of getting the device and no one finding a workaround.
Yeah, the nook seems to have a slight hardware edge, but if the boot loader stays locked its never going to reach its potential. I'm thinking I'm getting a kindle today instead of the NT.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App
Having owned both, I lean Kindle Fire.
CM7 force closed a lot for me and while it was nice and very versatile, many times I wanted a functional device, not just something to hack around on.
The Fire, while it doesn't have the same flexibility as a rooted nook, I find is much more stable with what does work right now. Hacking it was a breeze. I run my own launcher now, and most apps work fine. The ones that don't, just don't.
So if you want a functional device you can hack around on, get a Fire.
hariustrk said:
Having owned both, I lean Kindle Fire.
CM7 force closed a lot for me and while it was nice and very versatile, many times I wanted a functional device, not just something to hack around on.
The Fire, while it doesn't have the same flexibility as a rooted nook, I find is much more stable with what does work right now. Hacking it was a breeze. I run my own launcher now, and most apps work fine. The ones that don't, just don't.
So if you want a functional device you can hack around on, get a Fire.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you've owned both, can you comment on any possible difference in performance between the two? I got a Nook Tablet last week and I've been having fun with it, but now I'm starting to think about returning it for a Kindle Fire because of the greater potential with custom ROMs. But I'm concerned about the performance issues people have been talking about, and I'd rather have a fast device than custom ROMs.
The other thing I don't like about the Nook Tablet is the whole experience feels a little rough around the edges. There are theme elements that just look wrong like white-on-white or black-on-black text. It feels a lot like a hacked device. Is the Fire any better in this regard or are there little reminders that you're not using it as intended?
So I've had my Fire for about a week, last night I got a chance to play with a nook tablet. It was rooted, installed GO launcher and bunch of other apps. Here are some things I found out besides the HW specs differences.
1) Fire is much smoother. Hardware-wise, the surface of Fire is glass, while Nook's "feels like" plastic. Your finger can definitely feel the difference the moment you touch them. Software-wise, the browser on Fire scrolls better, esp. on some lengthy websites. (That's all done after it stopped loading, so Silk is not the reason.)
2) While nook has one more button than Fire's zero, Fire has three software button always there. Some apps like to use the back button as exit, which can be annoying on nook since you have to manually kill them in the launcher or nook home.
3) Nook has better compatibility with Android apps. On Fire, there is one video player crashes whenever I bring out the on-screen control. On Nook, it works just fine.
4) Pdf file shows better on Fire. I have a photography book (PDF) with some beautiful pictures. When viewed on nook, some of the color washed out, like on a 32k color screen. I tried different pdf reader ( build-in, adobe reader and one I can't remember, they are all the same. ) I don't think it's a hardware problem though, since JPEG pictures are almost identical on both devices, apart with a slightly different tint.
Fire all the way.
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
I guess my biggest concern is the reports of poor touchscreen responsiveness. I haven't had a single problem with the Nook Tablet in that regard and I think it would bug me if I switched to the KF only to be confronted with that issue.
Mama Luigi said:
Since you've owned both, can you comment on any possible difference in performance between the two? I got a Nook Tablet last week and I've been having fun with it, but now I'm starting to think about returning it for a Kindle Fire because of the greater potential with custom ROMs. But I'm concerned about the performance issues people have been talking about, and I'd rather have a fast device than custom ROMs.
The other thing I don't like about the Nook Tablet is the whole experience feels a little rough around the edges. There are theme elements that just look wrong like white-on-white or black-on-black text. It feels a lot like a hacked device. Is the Fire any better in this regard or are there little reminders that you're not using it as intended?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me, I like the Fire better. It feels more polished, and more responsive. To get around the same responsiveness you have to overclock the nook. This is easy, BUT it always felt like I got more force closes when I overclocked. I know overclocking is common these days, but there is usually a reason the processors are running at 800mhz instead of 1100, so I am always wary I am reducing the life span of the device.
I have yet to have a performance issue on my Fire. I've rooted it, installed a new launcher, the market, and a number of popular apps. I use dropbox, netflix, hulu, and amazons streamer with great success. I read everyday, either from the nook app or the Kindle app, and I find it suits my needs.
I have even installed DOSBOX on it and played alittle MOO2, just for fun. And it did fair running that old dos game.
The only two gripes I have with the Fire right now are:
1. I can't get Launcher Pro installed. It just force closes right away.
2. I can't do skype calls.
Beyond that, it's worth every penny to me.
Mama Luigi said:
I guess my biggest concern is the reports of poor touchscreen responsiveness. I haven't had a single problem with the Nook Tablet in that regard and I think it would bug me if I switched to the KF only to be confronted with that issue.
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Click to collapse
I almost returned it for that reason alone. The new 6.2 fw took care of that. It's much more responsive now.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1366813
Great software in this thread to resolve touchscreen issues.
hariustrk said:
For me, I like the Fire better. It feels more polished, and more responsive. To get around the same responsiveness you have to overclock the nook. This is easy, BUT it always felt like I got more force closes when I overclocked. I know overclocking is common these days, but there is usually a reason the processors are running at 800mhz instead of 1100, so I am always wary I am reducing the life span of the device.
I have yet to have a performance issue on my Fire. I've rooted it, installed a new launcher, the market, and a number of popular apps. I use dropbox, netflix, hulu, and amazons streamer with great success. I read everyday, either from the nook app or the Kindle app, and I find it suits my needs.
I have even installed DOSBOX on it and played alittle MOO2, just for fun. And it did fair running that old dos game.
The only two gripes I have with the Fire right now are:
1. I can't get Launcher Pro installed. It just force closes right away.
2. I can't do skype calls.
Beyond that, it's worth every penny to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also want to use launcher pro. but can't.
About skype there has been some people saying that if you have a phone+ mic on the same p2 it should work.
This morning I stopped in to Best Buy. Bought a Fire. Rooted it and played with it for a couple hours.
The Nook is going back tonight! My biggest concern was speed and responsiveness, but that hasn't been a problem at all. Maybe it helps that I installed 6.2 right off the bat. The only thing I like more on the Nook is that it feels more durable, with the thick padded bezel, but I'll just be extra careful.
I am planning to pick up KF but I am debating if 512MB RAM compare to 1GB (Nook Tablet) will be enough.
KF will be used for browsing internet, light gaming and web streaming (not movies). It will be rooted and replaced with custom ROM (ICS) eventually.
I owned Nook Color running CM7 nightly right now and trying to avoid having two look a like device.
Do you think 512MB will be sufficient for KF to operate smoothly?
It runs fine for me, doing pretty much the same as what you want to use it for.
I hit some lag once in a while, but overall, I do like it - so long as I do NOT keep comparing it to my wifes iPad.
Chris
I bought mine for web browsing, reading magazines and checking Facebook. So far, I am nothing less than pleased. It performs well, even when playing YouTube and Flash videos.
For the price, it's a winner, provided you don't expect it to perform like high-end Android devices or an iPad.
I bought both from Best Buy and used them for a little while before deciding which one to return. The difference in RAM was probably the biggest concern for me and the main reason I considered the Nook Tablet despite it costing $50 more.
In practice, I saw no difference in performance between the two. The only other big thing steering a lot of people toward the Nook is the microSD slot. If that isn't a concern then the Kindle Fire is fine. If you really want lots of local storage then the Nook is the only way to go.
Me, I listen to music through Pandora and I don't watch movies on the tablet, so local storage doesn't concern me. Thus I went with the cheaper Kindle Fire.
If you're wanting to do much outside of what comes with it and you're not too knowledgeable on how to fix things in unorthodox ways and think you'll be posting soon in the unbricking thread, I would find a more forgiving tablet to work with. The time you'll save on not having to fix things will offset any additional cost.
Disclaimer: I own 2 HP touchpads and no Kindle Fire.
Well I don't agree with yareally who has apparently not touched one yet.
I have 2, or more accurately, My wife has one and I have one.
Hers is stock... she loves it. Watches netflix, amazon prime and a number of books. works for her daily with no issues.
I got mine after I got her hers. Really didn't plan on getting one myself, however, I started playing with it and got the bug to see what it could do. $124 was too inexpensive to not.
Mine is rooted though I am still using the stock ROM as I am waiting for a proven recovery before trying something else. I am now using ADW, have the Android market, Google apps including Gmap and can even get GPS if i want to go to the trouble. etc... I use it a bit at work as well, Exchange email via Touchdown, Evernote, and lots of usable webapp browsing.
Like any device or smart phone, if you do dumb things, you get dumb results, but if you are careful and follow instructions well.. should be a fun device to play with.
krelvinaz said:
Well I don't agree with yareally who has apparently not touched one yet.
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Click to collapse
I may not have touched one, but I've helped probably 70+ users with one directly to unbrick it and countless others that followed the guide I helped to start
Ironically, neither I or my friend that started the thread with me own a kindle fire, but it hasn't prevented us for knowing more about it than most.
I don't have to touch it to know how it works. I can do that quite well using adb shell remotely. Fancy user interfaces mean nothing. It's what is under the hood that matters.
Quite a few screwed it up installing cm7 as well.
Compared to other tablets, I have seen way more people screw their fire up without a way to get back out of it without spoon feeding directions to (including at times, going on teamviewer with them).
I think it is cool you have helped, especially that many people. Perhaps, the price point makes it too simple for people to dive in without bothering to understand what they are doing or reading the large red text warning them. (hence my comment about doing dumb things).
The lack of having a full recovery yet is perhaps also a stumbling block, but apparently that will be remedied soon.
krelvinaz said:
The lack of having a full recovery yet is perhaps also a stumbling block, but apparently that will be remedied soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I think once that happens, lots of the headaches will be a thing of the past as well.
Yeah, I think people bricking their Fire speaks more toward impatient people than any failings of the Fire. Anyone trying to install a custom rom at this point with anything other than above average skills needs to take a step back IMO.
Sent from my BAMForever Thunderbolt
The 512MB RAM has not been a limitation for anything I've done with it, and that's *with* all the Amazon crap running at the same time, I've not disabled any of the services.
I think the micro SD card on the Nook would be a nice addition, but not sure it's $50 nice, considering how easy it is to stream to the Fire. If you needed to store your movies locally maybe.
animez said:
Yeah, I think people bricking their Fire speaks more toward impatient people than any failings of the Fire. Anyone trying to install a custom rom at this point with anything other than above average skills needs to take a step back IMO.
Sent from my BAMForever Thunderbolt
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Click to collapse
I'm an above average user, and even I'm not crazy enough to mess with it too much right now! There are some amazing things going on in the Dev forum, and I really look forward to CM9 on my Fire.
I have 2 as well, and I'm more than happy with the speed/function even using stock kernel/ROM (albeit with a different launcher). The price point for this device was too hard to ignore. It's not in the same league as an iPad or Galaxy Tab, but I didn't buy it thinking it was.
Yeah with Go Launcher instead of that bookshelf, this is a superb bargain. Remember Amazon is basically selling these at cost to funnel people in to their store.
Thanks for the reply guys.
Only fools compare $199 KF to $499 Ipad.
Storage does not concern me, I just want a device that running smoothly for flash streaming and hackable
I have made up my mind, I am getting KF.
denoxster said:
I am planning to pick up KF but I am debating if 512MB RAM compare to 1GB (Nook Tablet) will be enough.
KF will be used for browsing internet, light gaming and web streaming (not movies). It will be rooted and replaced with custom ROM (ICS) eventually.
I owned Nook Color running CM7 nightly right now and trying to avoid having two look a like device.
Do you think 512MB will be sufficient for KF to operate smoothly?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
512 appears to be just fine.
I'd recommend putting Dolphin HD on for browsing. I haven't had an issue with streaming video from Amazon, Netflix, Crackle or Epic. No problems with games, so far. Currently have over 100 apps installed.
I do use an app to control too many apps starting automatically (Startup Cleaner), as it seems to help performance.
Update:
After owning KF for a couple of month, I can tell you that I am pretty happy with my purchase.
Now my KF running CM9 ICS
Thank you guys.
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire using xda premium
Go for it
i bought mine because of the price and i liked the way it looked, so far i have rooted it and it still runs perfectly. So far the only difference i see between this and the ipad is the size and the camera. Its pretty darn fast and when its rooted you can customize almost every aspect about it.
Hey guys, I am considering whether or not buying a KF. Honestly, it will not be used as a reader or used with any of Amazon's services. Rather I am buying it to have a solid piece of hardware that runs the Android operating system and hoping to see Kindle specific roms in the future (CM7 gives me hope). This will be a toy to use for media and occasionally on the go. Is it worth buying in hopes of future developing and tinkering?
Anyone have any input?
Just got mine yesterday and I would say yes it is worth the price tag for what you want to do. I rooted mine and put cm7 on it within minutes of opening it and haven't looked back.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
What is the status of CM7 at this point? Is it fully functional?
I'd want to install CM7 and use SetCPU (if anyone has overclocked this thing yet).
I think the Kindle Fire is a great device for the cheap price.
I have my Kindle Fire for about 2 Weeks. At first i rooted the device and used Go Launcher Ex for a while, but I didn't like it. Then i decided to use CM7. It is very usable I think. There some problems with the MAC address and some forced closes sometimes.
Today i flashed the early Version of ICS from JackpotClavin. It is very smooth and with ICS the Kindle Fire feels like a Tablet. With CM7 the Kindle Fire feels like a big smartphone for me. ICS isn't finished yet and there are some problems with sdcard and forced closes.
If you can wait until the Custom Roms are more perfect I think the Kindle Fire is a good decision to buy.
I bought mine to use solely as a tablet. I installed cm7 as soon as it was avaliable and haven't looked back. i bought it without any intention if using any of amazon's services. it's a great tablet plus it fits in a pocket. dual core, so it can run 720p h264 very well. plus with the overclock it'll be even better. the only complaint i have is it doesn't have an sd card slot, so you only have like 8-10 gigs of space to put stuff on, but it's not a big problem for me. cm7 is very stable. I have no fc's that i can remember, video works, sound works, plus there's a cifs module compiled so you can even mount samba shares. definately worth it in my opinion.
Matt V said:
Hey guys, I am considering whether or not buying a KF. Honestly, it will not be used as a reader or used with any of Amazon's services. Rather I am buying it to have a solid piece of hardware that runs the Android operating system and hoping to see Kindle specific roms in the future (CM7 gives me hope). This will be a toy to use for media and occasionally on the go. Is it worth buying in hopes of future developing and tinkering?
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I have put four of these on my network at home everyone always waiting for workstation time. Now more than enough browsers for everyone. They have been rock solid so far. Running CM7 rom on all of them.
Yes, it's the best tablet you can buy for 200 dollars. An iPad is not 2.5 times better than it. I honestly think if you know your way around adb it is a magical device, with endless possibilities. Buy one, you won't regret it.
Using splashtop and orb to stream, I haven't put the thing down. I never need to leave the couch. Best thing I ever bought for light browsing, massive media, and email. I'm always around wifi so the 5.5 gig memory constraint is not a problem. ymmv with what you intend to do with it.
Edit: Orb has a beta apk on their website if you don't want to buy. It works great on the fire, worth the money if you decide to buy since no memory card.
Sent from my Epic (sleeper rom) using XDA App.
Buy it!
It's great value for money. I've put CM7 on mine and now it's a pretty nifty tablet. In any case, I couldn't use any of Amazon's services (apart from buying books) being outside the US.
I own a few other tablets and the only features I miss on the Fire are the lack of hardware volume controls and mic. Otherwise, the performance of the tab (with CM7) is great and the size is pretty convenient too. It definitely doesn't feel like a cheap tablet.
Thanks for the replies guys, I decided to pull the trigger on one and it will be here Friday.
CM7 appears to not have functioning sound so I'm just gonna root it for now and wait until a fully functional ROM is released, shouldn't be long. ICS looks promising as well.
Read the "Standing on the shoulders of giants" CM7 thread. Sound and hardware acceleration are working just fine.
Sent from my Gingervolt-ed VS910 4G using xda premium
Oh, I guess I watched an older video then that said it didn't work.
Love mine! Just got it for christmas. get it!
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
Im really in to moddibg and flashing roms onto my inspire 4G and am close to finally getting around to getting an Android tab. After reading countless reviews for $200 it seems the Kindle Fire is by far superior to other competitors around the $200 or less range. I have played with one several times and I'm just not too sure that I like how it moves around between the apps and books and things, I don't plan on reading very much, just an occasional java development book or two because I am just starting, but I prefer the hard copies. So, I like how tabs that aren't as good such as the coby kryos functions, more what I think to be "actual android" like you would find on a android phone or the all-mighty Samsung galaxy tab. I'm thinking about just getting the fire and flashing some custom roms, but are there and solid ones floating around on xda that offer more of an android experience with the fire? And is the fire even really the best choice for around $200? Please reply with your opinions!
Sent from my HTC Inspire 4G using XDA
If all you want is a better interface than what the stock experience offers and helps switch between apps, you could just install a different launcher and obtain the same results you would have with a custom ROM. However, if you want to have total control over the overall experience using the tablet, rooting and installing a custom ROM is the way to go.
I've had my Fire for about a month or so, I do like it but miss the screen estate found on larger tablets. I am trying to sell or trade mine in for something else and eventually buy an Asus Transformer or something comparable.
i've been looking at these low cost tablets.. they look pretty amazing for the price:
google ainovo and check them out (can't post links yet)
look in Dev section.
I think its great
--sent from my glacier.
Personally for a sub 200 (USD) tablet I think it's amazing. I was rather cautious buying mine because I had heard some harsh reviews and heard that Fire 2 was right around the corner. So I waited until someone I knew physically had one so I could "test drive" it so to speak. I was really amazed that a lot of the initial bad reviews were solved with the latest software updates. So I bit the bullet and went and got one of my own. Probably the best 200(USD) I have spent of 2012.
For me personally the Pros far outweigh the cons of the system.
Pros:
Lightweight, portable, elegant
Hundreds of hours of reading material
Tinkering gadget (Ability to run CM7 and CM9 for full blown tablet access)
Instant access to internet/news without the need to get out the laptop (2007 style desktop replacement can you say HEAVY)
Built in comic book reader with 1000's of free name brand comics (Ironman, Avengers, Marvel, Vampire Hunter D, Dr. Who)
All within a frame that is about as heavy (if not lighter actually) as a hardback novel.
Cons:
No bluetooth. (Personally I haven't used bluetooth since 2006'ish).
No "external" storage i.e. Sd card reader. (Again personally this is not a problem because between Dropbox, Skydrive, Amazon Cloud, and Google Music I have well over 50 gigs available "on demand" in the cloud. 5 gigs is more than enough for a plane, train, bus commute.)
7 inch screen. (Some people complain and say it's not big enough, but I find the iPad to be too unwieldy and cumbersome for what is basically a glorified e-reader.)
So there you go. Personally like I said I don't think you are going to get much better for under 200(USD). Dual Core, 512mb of ram, 5 gigs of internal storage, 3 gigs for OS and App installs.
Hope this helps
Just got kine this past weekend and put cm7 on it and have it set up to use for work while i am on the road by teathering it to my phone and i love ot it has good power for a cheap tabley and makes my life so much easier while on the road
Sent from my Kindle Fire using xda premium
aaa
The only thing is that the KF does not have an sdcard slot
Yeahh Buddy!! Kindle Fire all the way!!
powerpoint45 said:
The only thing is that the KF does not have an sdcard slot
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Hopefully we will be able to use a USB flash drive soon...
Hmm I have definitely been tempted to get a kindle fire. What's the battery life like on CM9?
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA
brooksyx said:
Hmm I have definitely been tempted to get a kindle fire. What's the battery life like on CM9?
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA
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I'm using cm7 for stability and battery life is pleasingly good. Blows my phone away by far.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
For the price point, I don't know that you can really beat this tablet.
Bought mine because I wanted an E-reader for my graduate studies and have been itching to get my hands on an Android Tablet. Development is steady and there are certainly plenty of ROMs to choose from.
My only complaint, like others, is the lack of an SD Card slot. 8gb can go by very quickly but I'll make it work. I think the size is a personal preference. For my tastes, its perfect.
The price is why I bought it. Its awesome is why I keep it.
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
After I got my Fire, I actually gave my iPad my niece because I love the 7 inch size (it fits into my larger pockets even) and it is lighter which makes reading in bed easier (read: I've dropped my iPad on my face to often while dozing off).
The price was a big factor at the time, but now that I have it I think it is worth at least $100 more. Amazon has all the content (books, music and movies) of the Apple and Google markets and often will automatically drop prices to match those stores.
One of the biggest pluses is the fact that the dev subforum and this Fire forum in general is one of the most useful and kind in all of XDA (and that's becoming more rare these days). And because the Fire was such a great seller there a lot of active development and cool things to try out.
My only concern at this point is the rumors of a Fire 2 coming sooner than later (and the price should remain the same...if they raise out at all they would kill the success of this original Fire) and the possibility of a Nexus tablet from Google that would be priced similarly (if not cheaper...rumors put it at $150-250). If those rumors are true, it would likely have superior specs and ICS out of the gate. However, it's hard to tell if those rumors are accurate and what the time frame is.
All in all, I love my Fire and have bought two others as gifts and out has been my favorite tablet yet. You probably won't regret the purchase if you take the jump.
Please excuse typos as I'm typing this on my phone
Honestly can't go wrong for the price. If you live with not having the storage space and, can root and install a different rom. Great buy for $200. Craigslist have ones for cheaper.
amrn4s said:
Honestly can't go wrong for the price. If you live with not having the storage space and, can root and install a different rom. Great buy for $200. Craigslist have ones for cheaper.
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Once haschode has HWA working properly in ICS for the KFs you definitely cannot beat them for the price.
It feels as zippy as the galaxy tabs I have played with. I am currently running AOKP and it is like a new tablet.
Like many others though the main downfall is the 8gb storage limit.
However, books do not take up that much room, I stream my music from Google Music, and I stream most video. I have watched a movie on there, but I knew I was gonna need one to watch for a couple of hours so I preloaded it and then deleted it after viewing so it was not a big deal.
its a great purchase especially with the wonderful community here.
Great tablet. no issue. with $199, all the short coming can be worked around and lived with it.
if you don't like the way it looks and wants to have total control, just flash it with custom rom and that works great. I have mine running with Energy's rom.
Battery life is great after the custom rom. 7" is great. I stored music on the cloud. For video, just download what is needed and delete afterward.
If anyone is so concerns on Fire2 coming out soon, just get an used one.
Can't beat the price. Hardware keeps up with more expensive tablets and you can accessorize .___. If that's your kind of thing.
I really like mine, and I was adamant about never having a tablet because of lack of a real function (my wife bought this one for me).
I don't mind the lack of space. I don't do movies ever and my music stays on my phone (which has a much nicer DAC).