My sister has her 65th birthday in early August and I wanted to get her an ipad (she doesn't think she needs it). The reason I wanted an ipad was to give her a more portable device than her laptop. One of my friends suggested a kindle fire instead if she doesn't need all the apps. She may not need all the apss, but she does watch movies and tv shows on her laptop (17" screen) and I know the kfire screen is much smaller. Any advice or experience with both devices? Also with either will her current internet service work? Does she need to buy a data plan for either one/
I have a Kindle Fire. I attach to my normal home wireless network. It has an android operating system, so you can download apps. (I use a grocery list app when shopping with it). You can watch movies (Amazon prime has a bunch of free movies; you get one month of Amazon prime when you buy it). It's also a good ereader. Most doctor's offices and medical centers have an unsecured wireless access in their waiting rooms. You can surf the internet or play angry birds.
Only negative is that it is small of upi want to do more than read. It's bigger than an iphone, but not as big as an iPad. Apple is coming out with a smaller device to compete with the Kindle $200 price point.
IMHO, I'd get the Kindle for the size difference between laptop and the cost.
Keep in mind the camparison is on Amazon's sie and is a slightly biased. Amazon owns the Kindle. The biggest complaint I had with my iPad was the inability to access web sites that required flash. A browser app @ $4.99 resolved the issue. Lots of pro's & cons... I like the screen size of iPad, love the light weight of the Kindle. Like the Android Os' I have a Verizon razr phone. Apple Os is seemless with every thing Apple, but many apps that are free on Android site are paid app on Apple. Producing/ creating doc is easier on iPad. Kindle is really more suitable for reading rather than creating. wish I had one of each
If she has a Mac 17 inch she might like the iPad..I have the iPad and I love it...mine is with Verizon though I also have a personal hot spot for my laptop ( which is an older one). The interface is great.
Whatever you decide to do, if you are buying at Amazon, please go through the Amazon links on the right side of my home page. The website makes a tiny commission on each sale. Thank you.
My sister has an IPad, and the first thing I noticed about it was the weight. It seemed kind of heavy to me. I've never seen the Kindle Fire, so I don't know about that.
I think it depends on what you think she'll use it for. I have the Kindle Fire and bought it for reading when I travel. I also like reading in bed with it because you don't need any other lighting. So, if she is lucky enough to have someone else to sleep with :), reading with it wouldn't disturb them.
I don't watch movies or TV on it, but I think it would be too small compared to a laptop or the iPad.
As to flash and the Kindle. Adobe as given up on updating Flash for mobile devices. We have a Kindle and we come across Flash files that will not open on the Kindle. I had to write to L's friends to stop sending her computer greeting cards because we have problems other Mac (no Flash due to major security problems and performance issues) or the Flash in the greeting cards will not play on the Kindle.
Right now, if you want the smaller and less expensive tablet the new Google tablet at $200 is much better than the Fire. Otherwise I recommend the iPad.
I have a MacBookPro and my Android doesn't communicate well with it, meaning they don't sync. Syncing is an important element of having multiple devices. If you buy her an iPad (can you please be my sister, I'd like an iPad, too:-)) she will be able to sync all of her Apple devices instantly via "the Cloud", an Apple invention that syncs all Apple devices instantly. I will be trading in my Android in November for an iPhone and will probably get the iPad with my Costco refund next spring. I love my Apple, love, love, love it! My gf has a Kindle Fire and she says that the screen is so bright that it bothers her eyes, but, it is lighter weight than iPad and smaller, which is a plus.
paulc: is the Flash problem just in the smaller portable devices? I have a MBP and have no trouble with Adobe Flash. Am I living on borrowed time?
mothert, your gf should be able to adjust the brightness of the screen of the Kindle Fire. I only recommend the KF as a book reader, and the Kindle software runs on iPad and Android devices and Windows and Macs, so you don't need a Kindle to read Kindle books. And the B&W Kindles seem to be more popular than the Kindle Fire these days.
As to the Flash problem. There is no problem with Macs or Windows, the latest Adobe Flash is always available for them. In fact, I think new versions of Flash, due to security problems, come out almost every other day. L has a 6+ year old PPC iMac, so it is limited to older versions of Flash AND the Flash PlugIn brings the web browser to almost a stand still. Want your web browser to work faster on almost any browser? Throw out Flash.
The Chrome browser includes its own build of Flash, so some people throw away the Flash plug-in and use Safari or IE or something else but then use Chrome only when they want to use a page with Flash. The biggest use of Flash is ads, then music sites and restaurant sites, then real time video broadcasting (Flash is very good at that). But I understand that this approach is more than the avg person wants to bother with.
I have simply come to the opinion that the faster people stop using Flash for most uses, especially video, the better.
Maybe I don't know what I have, after all. Adobe Reader - is that Flash? I also have Google Chrome, although I confess I don't really know why or what it is for. Guess I better check it out.
I have the IPad and I love it!! It does everything and has tons of free and low cost applications that support anything you may be interested in. Also, you can get an app for reading kindle books and it works great. Flash is not an issue on portable devices since it is being discontinued for phones/pads, etc. by Adobe. It uses way too much bandwidth. Also, you can travel with your ipad and it does everthing your computer can do! Anyway, that's my humble opinion
Amazon is working on new Kindle Fires that should be much better than the current one. Apple will probably have a smaller iPad in the fall. And the Google Galaxy 7 is much better than the current Kindle Fire for the same price. So I would not buy a Kindle Fire at this time, I would wait a few months if possible.
I used my Kindle Fire while I was waiting for the new iPad to come out. Once I got the iPad it just outshone the Fire in so many ways that I don't even use it anymore. Still love my original Kindle reader, though.