4) Talked someone out of buying a few Fires or the holiday. Instead convinced them to buy an iPad 2 and a couple Kindle Touches without Special Offers (aka: Ads). I think that was the right choice.
Actually, you really should get the ones with the Special Offers. You're saving $30 today, and if you decide later on that you don't like the ads for whatever reason you can pay Amazon the $30 difference, meaning you'd end up paying exactly what you would have for the non-special offers version, and the ads will disappear.
So get the lower cost ones. No reason not to, and you may find the ads aren't that bad.
You heard it here first, folks. If you don't buy your kid an iPad, you honestly don't love them. ::troll face::.
Let me ask you something. How often do you seriously, and I mean seriously, need to tap all ten fingers on the screen of your iPad at the same time. I'm honestly curious if you've managed to find both an app and a use-case for such a thing, because as far as I can tell most people only use two, and that's for pinching and zooming. Yes, I know there's 3 and 4 finger multitasking gestures, but do you really thing most users are using them or are even aware they exist?
I've owned 3 generations of iPhones and a Droid X android phone. I've gotten by just fine on two fingers, thank you very much . iPad users were doing just fine for 18 months with the normal two-finger gestures. This idea that the Kindle Fire is an inferior product because it registers two fingers at a time instead of the iPad's 10 is just silly.
It's not only the lack of multitouch that I don't like about the Kindle Fire. That's merely one reason.
As for using all ten fingers at once on the iPad, you're right, it's not too often that 10 is needed. I can only speak for myself but I often use 5,6 etc., depending upon the app that I'm using. I have to turn off Apple's built in multitouch gestures when I'm using those kind of apps otherwise it triggers false moves. One example is when I'm playing guitar on the iPad, and that uses a whole bunch of fingers and even both hands. Another example is when I'm playing keyboards on the iPad and playing chords. That easily uses more than a few fingers. I happen to use a lot of music apps and expression, feel and control is vital.
And yes, I do think that many people are now using the many fingered gestures since iOS 5 arrived. I hardly ever press the home button anymore on my iPad to close apps or to switch between them.
But like I said, the lack of multitouch is only one disadvantage to the Kindle Fire. There are many more, including the very small screen size, which is another thing that I find to be too small to be useful or enjoyable. If some people like the Kindle Fire and are happy with it, then that's good for them, but I could never be one of those people.
Actually, you really should get the ones with the Special Offers. You're saving $30 today, and if you decide later on that you don't like the ads for whatever reason you can pay Amazon the $30 difference, meaning you'd end up paying exactly what you would have for the non-special offers version, and the ads will disappear.
So get the lower cost ones. No reason not to, and you may find the ads aren't that bad.
I couldn't do that to someone for a gift. I did explain the difference so it's their choice but I'm sure they agree.
Does anybody else see the delicious irony that the #2 tablet behind the iPad is a mini tablet running a modified Android OS sporting an extremely closed ecosystem?
No! Android is open, non-proprietary, extensible, free, wonderful, saves dolphins and is 100% biodegradable!!!
Guess what is the best consumer product right now for Microsoft? Guess what is the most successful accessory for said product from Microsoft? Hint: Both are something even more locked down than the Mac and iOS, with a super-curated "App, Music and Video Store". (What??? Surely I jest...)
Xbox360 says, welcome to the closed world, Apple and Kindle. Been here a long time before you guys came around to closed, proprietary and locked-down.
The irony is so juicy I can almost taste the sweet pulpiness.
I just love that with tablets the race is in the non-iPad category!
Apple has them so swamped that everybody is racing to be 2nd (and at less than 5% of the market if I read this correctly).
And that 5 percent doesn't even make any money. Apple still holds almost all the profits. Unlike in computers, where apple has about that same 5% marketshare worldwide, yet has over half the profits. Outstanding business model. And I, like many others, are more than willing to pay a slight premium and support a company like Apple because we get rewarded with best-in-class hardware, rock-solid software, and unmatched customer support and service in return.
This 3.9M is still not based on any actual data from Amazon. "A lot", "millions", "more than you", "did too!", "are not!" These are the kind of things we hear from Amazon
Quote:
Originally Posted by tundraBuggy
Wow, 3.9 million units at -$50.... Amazon has lost 195 million dollars... Amazon is pure genius!!!
According to the article, Amazon loses only $2.70 per unit, so they've lost 10.53M. Still a decent chunk, but much more manageable. So long as the estimate in the article for build cost is accurate. Those typically don't include labor and such tho, so somewhere between the 2 figures.
I'm a happy Kindle Fire owner, mainly because I rarely use tablets anyway and don't see a need for one right now. At $199, I'm happy to have a device that's as brilliant as it already is, while not feeling bad about spending a lot of money on a product I use only a few times a week. I would have felt regret buying the iPad. The Kindle Fire, not so much.
Thanks for the first-person report. I'd be interested to know how easy or difficult it is to put your own video, from your own camera or iPhone that is, into the Fire. Can you just USB it into the Mac as another drive? How is the video player app, if that is the term?
According to the article, Amazon loses only $2.70 per unit, so they've lost 10.53M. Still a decent chunk, but much more manageable. So long as the estimate in the article for build cost is accurate. Those typically don't include labor and such tho, so somewhere between the 2 figures.
Sigh... Here I was thinking it was a successful product. Forgot about that profits thing.
Can anyone FFS be #2 to iPad and be profitable? Jeez, talk about a tough nut to crack. Poor iPad competitors. Then again, you reap what you sow. Using a ripoff OS ripped off from a phone OS... leads to... well, what we see before us.
Kindle Fire looks good on paper, I went to BestBuy to try it out and boy was I disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I love Amazon but Kindle Fire, please.
Really?
The Kindle Fire's design and construction is easily the equal of any tablet currently on the market, including my iPads, even superior in some ways like the fact that the entire device is black, which allows the eyes to focus solely on that which appears on the display rather than being drawn out to the brighs-work of my iPad (and numerous other touch-screen devices).
Additionally, the Kindle Fire it features a rubberized back surface, which proves ideal for ensuring that the device doesn't accidentally slide out of ones hand during use, unlike my iPads far more slippery aluminum back.
Another plus in the Kindle Fire's corner is the extreme durability of its display, which exhibits absolutely zero 'LCD Pooling' when pressed upon during tapping, or more aggressive 'bird slinging, etc... Which is more than I can say for either my iPad/iPad2.
The Amazon Kindle may be inexpensive, but it's far from being the least bit 'cheap' when it comes to design, build-quality, content, or user experience.
Amazon is expected to "surpass all other iPad rivals" in the final quarter of 2012, with expected shipments reaching 3.9 million units, compared to an estimated 18.6 million iPad sales.
A report by IHS projects that Amazon's Kindle Fire shipments will take a 13.8 percent share of all tablets sold in the fourth quarter, overshadowing Samsung's 4.8 percent share, Barnes & Noble's 4.7 percent cut, and HTC's 1.3 percent share among tablet sales.
Good luck verifying because Amazon and Samsung doesn't release numbers. Apple does. Not only that, the number Apple releases are sales to end-users and not shipments.
As for projections, companies can project their own numbers because they have the inside info. Analysts pulls numbers out of thin air. Witness the last quarter where Apple had record numbers yet not good enough for Analysts made up ones.
Wow, 3.9 million units at -$50.... Amazon has lost 195 million dollars... Amazon is pure genius!!!
It all depends on the number of units they expected to sell but that loss could be less, and possibly in the plus within a year. I think the Xbox 360 finally makes a profit or unit sold though even if it does it's hat to say how much of the multi-billion dollar loss has been recovered from direct 360 sales.
It all depends on the number of units they expected to sell but that loss could be less, and possibly in the plus within a year. I think the Xbox 360 finally makes a profit or unit sold though even if it does it's hat to say how much of the multi-billion dollar loss has been recovered from direct 360 sales.
Another plus in the Kindle Fire's corner is the extreme durability of its display, which exhibits absolutely zero 'LCD Pooling' when pressed upon during tapping, or more aggressive 'bird slinging, etc... Which is more than I can say for either my iPad/iPad2.
Wow. I have never had that issue with any glass-based display on any Apple product.
On my iPhone 4S, I can't get it no matter how hard I press. On my MBP, you gotta press fairly hard.
On my iPad2, same for MBP, except you gotta press in one specific area and even then, harder than pressing the MBP screen. I've sliced fruit, landed airplanes, cut ropes, sketched, messaged, explored the universe, read books, calculated, browsed, killed the undead in space and blown away post-apocalyptic mutants without ever noticing this issue.
If you're getting LCD Pooling while playing Angry Birds, you're playing it wrong.
It's not only the lack of multitouch that I don't like about the Kindle Fire. That's merely one reason.
But like I said, the lack of multitouch is only one disadvantage to the Kindle Fire.
What....?
You obviously never even used/touched, or likely seen a Kindle Fire, because it does, in fact, have a multitouch display... one that works very well indeed.
Wow. I have never had that issue with any glass-based display on any Apple product.
On my iPhone 4S, I can't get it no matter how hard I press. On my MBP, you gotta press fairly hard.
On my iPad2, same for MBP, except you gotta press in one specific area and even then, harder than pressing the MBP screen. I've sliced fruit, landed airplanes, cut ropes, sketched, messaged, explored the universe, read books, calculated, browsed, killed the undead and blown post-apocalyptic mutants away without ever noticing this issue.
If you're getting LCD Pooling while playing Angry Birds, you're playing it wrong.
LOL... Not really, and whether you've "never had that issue with any glass-based display on any Apple product" lies in direct contrast to the FACT that the pic I posted is of my iPad2 exhibiting 'LCD Pooling' without pressing to an abusive level.
Anyway... Nice to see such a high quality, high value device as the Kindle Fire doing so well.
You obviously never even used/touched, or likely seen a Kindle Fire, because it does, in fact, have a multitouch display... one that works very well indeed.
I've never used one and never touched one. I have never claimed that I did. I've read enough about it and seen it in action on video.
As for the multitouch, two touch does not equal multi touch.
I had read that the Kindle Fire only features two touch display, and if that is incorrect, then I am more than happy to be corrected on that point. And if it is true that it is only two touch, then it is deceptive to call it multi touch, IMO.
Comments
4) Talked someone out of buying a few Fires or the holiday. Instead convinced them to buy an iPad 2 and a couple Kindle Touches without Special Offers (aka: Ads). I think that was the right choice.
Actually, you really should get the ones with the Special Offers. You're saving $30 today, and if you decide later on that you don't like the ads for whatever reason you can pay Amazon the $30 difference, meaning you'd end up paying exactly what you would have for the non-special offers version, and the ads will disappear.
So get the lower cost ones. No reason not to, and you may find the ads aren't that bad.
You heard it here first, folks. If you don't buy your kid an iPad, you honestly don't love them. ::troll face::.
Let me ask you something. How often do you seriously, and I mean seriously, need to tap all ten fingers on the screen of your iPad at the same time. I'm honestly curious if you've managed to find both an app and a use-case for such a thing, because as far as I can tell most people only use two, and that's for pinching and zooming. Yes, I know there's 3 and 4 finger multitasking gestures, but do you really thing most users are using them or are even aware they exist?
I've owned 3 generations of iPhones and a Droid X android phone. I've gotten by just fine on two fingers, thank you very much
It's not only the lack of multitouch that I don't like about the Kindle Fire. That's merely one reason.
As for using all ten fingers at once on the iPad, you're right, it's not too often that 10 is needed. I can only speak for myself but I often use 5,6 etc., depending upon the app that I'm using. I have to turn off Apple's built in multitouch gestures when I'm using those kind of apps otherwise it triggers false moves. One example is when I'm playing guitar on the iPad, and that uses a whole bunch of fingers and even both hands. Another example is when I'm playing keyboards on the iPad and playing chords. That easily uses more than a few fingers. I happen to use a lot of music apps and expression, feel and control is vital.
And yes, I do think that many people are now using the many fingered gestures since iOS 5 arrived. I hardly ever press the home button anymore on my iPad to close apps or to switch between them.
But like I said, the lack of multitouch is only one disadvantage to the Kindle Fire. There are many more, including the very small screen size, which is another thing that I find to be too small to be useful or enjoyable. If some people like the Kindle Fire and are happy with it, then that's good for them, but I could never be one of those people.
Actually, you really should get the ones with the Special Offers. You're saving $30 today, and if you decide later on that you don't like the ads for whatever reason you can pay Amazon the $30 difference, meaning you'd end up paying exactly what you would have for the non-special offers version, and the ads will disappear.
So get the lower cost ones. No reason not to, and you may find the ads aren't that bad.
I couldn't do that to someone for a gift. I did explain the difference so it's their choice but I'm sure they agree.
Does anybody else see the delicious irony that the #2 tablet behind the iPad is a mini tablet running a modified Android OS sporting an extremely closed ecosystem?
No! Android is open, non-proprietary, extensible, free, wonderful, saves dolphins and is 100% biodegradable!!!
Guess what is the best consumer product right now for Microsoft? Guess what is the most successful accessory for said product from Microsoft? Hint: Both are something even more locked down than the Mac and iOS, with a super-curated "App, Music and Video Store". (What??? Surely I jest...)
Xbox360 says, welcome to the closed world, Apple and Kindle. Been here a long time before you guys came around to closed, proprietary and locked-down.
The irony is so juicy I can almost taste the sweet pulpiness.
I just love that with tablets the race is in the non-iPad category!
Apple has them so swamped that everybody is racing to be 2nd (and at less than 5% of the market if I read this correctly).
And that 5 percent doesn't even make any money. Apple still holds almost all the profits. Unlike in computers, where apple has about that same 5% marketshare worldwide, yet has over half the profits. Outstanding business model. And I, like many others, are more than willing to pay a slight premium and support a company like Apple because we get rewarded with best-in-class hardware, rock-solid software, and unmatched customer support and service in return.
Wow, 3.9 million units at -$50.... Amazon has lost 195 million dollars... Amazon is pure genius!!!
According to the article, Amazon loses only $2.70 per unit, so they've lost 10.53M. Still a decent chunk, but much more manageable. So long as the estimate in the article for build cost is accurate. Those typically don't include labor and such tho, so somewhere between the 2 figures.
I'm a happy Kindle Fire owner, mainly because I rarely use tablets anyway and don't see a need for one right now. At $199, I'm happy to have a device that's as brilliant as it already is, while not feeling bad about spending a lot of money on a product I use only a few times a week. I would have felt regret buying the iPad. The Kindle Fire, not so much.
Thanks for the first-person report. I'd be interested to know how easy or difficult it is to put your own video, from your own camera or iPhone that is, into the Fire. Can you just USB it into the Mac as another drive? How is the video player app, if that is the term?
According to the article, Amazon loses only $2.70 per unit, so they've lost 10.53M. Still a decent chunk, but much more manageable. So long as the estimate in the article for build cost is accurate. Those typically don't include labor and such tho, so somewhere between the 2 figures.
Sigh... Here I was thinking it was a successful product. Forgot about that profits thing.
Can anyone FFS be #2 to iPad and be profitable? Jeez, talk about a tough nut to crack. Poor iPad competitors. Then again, you reap what you sow. Using a ripoff OS ripped off from a phone OS... leads to... well, what we see before us.
Kindle Fire looks good on paper, I went to BestBuy to try it out and boy was I disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I love Amazon but Kindle Fire, please.
Really?
The Kindle Fire's design and construction is easily the equal of any tablet currently on the market, including my iPads, even superior in some ways like the fact that the entire device is black, which allows the eyes to focus solely on that which appears on the display rather than being drawn out to the brighs-work of my iPad (and numerous other touch-screen devices).
Additionally, the Kindle Fire it features a rubberized back surface, which proves ideal for ensuring that the device doesn't accidentally slide out of ones hand during use, unlike my iPads far more slippery aluminum back.
Another plus in the Kindle Fire's corner is the extreme durability of its display, which exhibits absolutely zero 'LCD Pooling' when pressed upon during tapping, or more aggressive 'bird slinging, etc... Which is more than I can say for either my iPad/iPad2.
The Amazon Kindle may be inexpensive, but it's far from being the least bit 'cheap' when it comes to design, build-quality, content, or user experience.
Amazon is expected to "surpass all other iPad rivals" in the final quarter of 2012, with expected shipments reaching 3.9 million units, compared to an estimated 18.6 million iPad sales.
A report by IHS projects that Amazon's Kindle Fire shipments will take a 13.8 percent share of all tablets sold in the fourth quarter, overshadowing Samsung's 4.8 percent share, Barnes & Noble's 4.7 percent cut, and HTC's 1.3 percent share among tablet sales.
Good luck verifying because Amazon and Samsung doesn't release numbers. Apple does. Not only that, the number Apple releases are sales to end-users and not shipments.
As for projections, companies can project their own numbers because they have the inside info. Analysts pulls numbers out of thin air. Witness the last quarter where Apple had record numbers yet not good enough for Analysts made up ones.
Wow, 3.9 million units at -$50.... Amazon has lost 195 million dollars... Amazon is pure genius!!!
It all depends on the number of units they expected to sell but that loss could be less, and possibly in the plus within a year. I think the Xbox 360 finally makes a profit or unit sold though even if it does it's hat to say how much of the multi-billion dollar loss has been recovered from direct 360 sales.
It all depends on the number of units they expected to sell but that loss could be less, and possibly in the plus within a year. I think the Xbox 360 finally makes a profit or unit sold though even if it does it's hat to say how much of the multi-billion dollar loss has been recovered from direct 360 sales.
Happy 2,000,000th post, AppleInsider!
GOSH DANG IT, I'M 2,000,001. Well, I tried.
Another plus in the Kindle Fire's corner is the extreme durability of its display, which exhibits absolutely zero 'LCD Pooling' when pressed upon during tapping, or more aggressive 'bird slinging, etc... Which is more than I can say for either my iPad/iPad2.
Wow. I have never had that issue with any glass-based display on any Apple product.
On my iPhone 4S, I can't get it no matter how hard I press. On my MBP, you gotta press fairly hard.
On my iPad2, same for MBP, except you gotta press in one specific area and even then, harder than pressing the MBP screen. I've sliced fruit, landed airplanes, cut ropes, sketched, messaged, explored the universe, read books, calculated, browsed, killed the undead in space and blown away post-apocalyptic mutants without ever noticing this issue.
If you're getting LCD Pooling while playing Angry Birds, you're playing it wrong.
Happy 2,000,000th post, AppleInsider!
GOSH DANG IT, I'M 2,000,001. Well, I tried.
Do we get a free plush toy?
It's not only the lack of multitouch that I don't like about the Kindle Fire. That's merely one reason.
But like I said, the lack of multitouch is only one disadvantage to the Kindle Fire.
What....?
You obviously never even used/touched, or likely seen a Kindle Fire, because it does, in fact, have a multitouch display... one that works very well indeed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8qJlQ0rbms
Wow. I have never had that issue with any glass-based display on any Apple product.
On my iPhone 4S, I can't get it no matter how hard I press. On my MBP, you gotta press fairly hard.
On my iPad2, same for MBP, except you gotta press in one specific area and even then, harder than pressing the MBP screen. I've sliced fruit, landed airplanes, cut ropes, sketched, messaged, explored the universe, read books, calculated, browsed, killed the undead and blown post-apocalyptic mutants away without ever noticing this issue.
If you're getting LCD Pooling while playing Angry Birds, you're playing it wrong.
LOL... Not really, and whether you've "never had that issue with any glass-based display on any Apple product" lies in direct contrast to the FACT that the pic I posted is of my iPad2 exhibiting 'LCD Pooling' without pressing to an abusive level.
Anyway... Nice to see such a high quality, high value device as the Kindle Fire doing so well.
Do we get a free plush toy?
You might; you made the actual 2,000,000th post.
Happy 2,000,000th post, AppleInsider!
GOSH DANG IT, I'M 2,000,001. Well, I tried.
That's quite the achievement... Congrats!
What....?
You obviously never even used/touched, or likely seen a Kindle Fire, because it does, in fact, have a multitouch display... one that works very well indeed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8qJlQ0rbms
I've never used one and never touched one. I have never claimed that I did. I've read enough about it and seen it in action on video.
As for the multitouch, two touch does not equal multi touch.
I had read that the Kindle Fire only features two touch display, and if that is incorrect, then I am more than happy to be corrected on that point. And if it is true that it is only two touch, then it is deceptive to call it multi touch, IMO.