These began from raw notes that I expanded as I gathered info and received confirmations.
So it can be confusing to read, and is here as raw-form reference for those interested.
Updated to put all Kindle Fire HD info in the same layout for details and to add other notes, including Kindle Fire in Europe now as well as listing several features not found in other 7" tablets
Notes added chronologically, 9/8/12-4/11/13:
1) Kindle Fires are arriving in Europe: Links to those below also.
2) Kindle Fires are partially ad-supported unless an opt-out (for $15) is chosen.
3) Kindle Paperwhite has no audio/text-to-speech.
This reduces cost of hardware and mp3 licenses, but those using an earlier Kindle
to read with auto-page turns using text-to-speech should keep those models if
buying the Paperwhite.
4) The Kindle Forum FAQ mentions that the Adobe® Flash® Player function
is no longer supported on the new Kindle Fires nor on Google Nexus.
Adobe is no longer supporting Flash on mobile browsers, but I was told that
YouTube is using a different video implementation and that
it works well on Kindle Fire HD in 'automatic' mode.
5) While the Kindle Paperwhite has no speakers for text-to-speech,
The Kindle Forum FAQ confirmed it IS available in the new Kindle Fires
where enabled by the publisher (along w/ new voice-sync feature).
6) Added several special features not found in other 7" tablets
7) Added general information re workarounds for Adobe's now dropped Flash support for
advanced mobile devices like the Google Nexus and Kindle Fire, w/ network tv full-episode video.
8) Added links recommended by Amazon Kindle forum members for
the Flash workaround. (See #21 below instead.)
9) Added a link to an alternate file manager and to the now
~18 Kindle classics being offered w/free audio temporarily
10) Added a footer that includes older Kindle models as well.
11) Paperwhite: First reports & reviews
12) Paperwhite: Bottom-area unevenness in the dark - Is it normal?
13) My videos Sept 6 of a Paperwhite demo and Kindle Fire 8.9" magazine feature demo
14) Reviews that compare 7" Kindle Fire HD vs Google Nexus
15) Amazon advisory on Paperwhite limitations and recommended light settings.
16) Paperwhite video comparison wth Nook Glowlight
17) Step-by-step: How to install Flash Player on Kindle Fire HD
18) Features Comparison table - Kindle Fire HD 7", Google Nexus 7", iPad mini
19) More comparisons on iPad mini and Kindle Fire HD
20) Using the KFire camera and Video, Panorama mode, Time Lapses
21) How to download Youtube videos to be played on your Kindle Fire
22) Getting non-Amazon apps
when not connected to the Net. Includes a free video player
that plays almost every video format w/o problems.
23) Google Maps, Street View and other apps on my Kindle Fire,
via enabling one device setting
24) Add Wi-Drive pocketable storage & streaming for Kindles and other devices,
Or, Portable wireless 320G Patriot Gauntlet drive/stream'g for many mobile devices.
25) Showing Kindle Fire content on your HDTV
26) WiFi Explorer Pro for WiFi file transfers to/from PC w/o cable.
27) Lookout Mobile Security app, for Kindle Fire HD. A free app - anti-malware,
can "scream" to help you find it.
28) Kindle Fire HD 8.9" Reviews, thoughts.
29) Two favorite Kindle Fire apps for downloading from Youtube and
for playing almost any video format
30) The Kindle Fire is a popular tablet choice in survey.
Gets a multi-player gaming hub system before GooglePlay does.
31) Lowered pricing on Kindle Fire HD 8.9" now produced for Europe and Japan also.
32) The Kindle Fire HD 7" 32G model is $229 ($20 lower) eff. 4/11/13.
The Updated Kindle Basic (No Touch, No physical keyboard)
Now $69 and $89 rather than $79 and $109
15% faster page turns and darker fonts
Kindle Paperwhite
$119, $139 w/o special offers on sleep-screens. No audio/text-to-speech (see Note #3 above)
Has 25 levels of extremely even, diffused lighting, it's said to have 25% more contrast.
212 ppi (pixels per inch) -- 62% more pixels for better readability in the smaller font sizes
and the ability to make more complex fonts
New capacitive touch screen. (Earlier models used infrared.)
~8 weeks on a battery charge w/ Wireless Off , with lighting at level 10
A new feature estimates how many minutes it'll take to finish the current chapter.
The estimate will be at the left-bottom of the page.
To be released Oct. 1. Can be ordered now.
Things buyers should know
The Paperwhite has less storage space than the Kindle Keyboard and Kindle Touch -
2GB vs previous 4GB. 1.25 GB for user content.
Why? I suspect that lowest possible price for top quality product was a focus.
Another, stronger reason - The more books people placed on the Kindle,
the slower it ran, due to indexes of keywords for each book and handling arrays in memory.
At that, it can hold "up to 1,100 books," they say. That will depend on how graphics-intensive a book is. But any book removed from the device is always downloadable again at any time when it's wanted, which is similar to finding and taking a book from your shelf and putting it back when you've finished reading it.
The ability to organize your books via Collections feature. Besides a reassuring screenshot circulating from a video on the Paperwhite, Amazon confirmed that the Collections feature IS included for Paperwhite and they updated the product page.
Kindle Paperwhite 3G
$179, $199 w/o special offers on sleep-screens. No audio/text-to-speech
See all the info above for Paperwhite without 3G.
3G version allows free downloading of books from Kindlestore via cell phone networks,
which is convenient when you're away from WiFi network access.
3G models have always also included free 3G access to Wikipedia - a great feature.
The Paperwhite product page didn't mention this free 3G Wikipedia access at first,
but Amazon confirmed it's still included, and they updated the product page.
To be released Oct. 1. Backordered.
Also see Amazon's advisory on light-setting recommendations and some limitations.
The Updated Kindle Fire Basic
$159. Released Sept 14
The memory has been increased from 512 MB to 1 GB
40% faster with longer battery life.
Storage space is 8GB as before.
Can be ordered now. I guess they can all be pre-ordered, actually
so, no more notes on pre-ordering.
7" Kindle Fire HD 16/32 GB storage
$199 16GB KFireHD Released Sept. 14
$229 32GB KFireHD to be released Oct. 25. [ 32G reduced by $20 4/11/13 ]
7" HD display, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Dual-Antenna Wi-Fi + MIMO
Battery lasts about 11 hours with Wireless Off
1280 x 800 display in up to 720p high definition display - duo core processor
216 ppi (pixels per inch)
Front-facing camera for use with Skype
An HDMI port for direct connection to an HDTV.
Bluetooth
X-ray for Movies -- Pause a scene, see the actors' names, brief bios, movie history.
X-ray for Books -- See a character's bio, appearances in chron order in the book
Whispersync for Voice -- Read a book on KFire, Continue on associated,
discounted audio book w/ professional narration
~18 Free Kindle Classics w/ Free Audible audio - Amazon promo offer
Immersion Reading -- see highlighted text while listening to Audible.
Basic text-to-speech is also available
Despite a dual-core processor rather than a quad-core like Google's Nexus, this is said to have:
"High performance 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor with Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core for fast and fluid performance
Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for 40% faster downloads and streaming"
(compared to iPad 4)
Has "an advanced polarizing filter" applied "directly to the LCD panel.
This results in a display that shows the same deep contrast
and rich, detailed color when viewed at any angle."
ALL Kindle Fires come with Dolby Digital Plus and Stereo speakers with virtual surround sound.
Adobe's new lack of Flash support for mobile browsers - a workaround
The new Kindle Fires (and Google Nexus) don't support the Adobe Flash<® Player function. When I saw this in the Kindle forum FAQ, I asked how this might affect YouTube sessions and network TV re-runs. The answer was that Adobe is no longer supporting Flash on mobile browsers but that YouTube's video implementation works very well on Kindle Fire HD.
Kindle forum regulars have found an easy workaround for this, also used for the Google Nexus and other advanced Android-system tablets -- Here's the step-by-step guide.
I stick with the Kindle Fire's Silk web browser ('Web' on the top menu) for everything else (especially Amazon's excellent 'Article View' feature for Web articles -- it presents more readable web-article text devoid of ads (when you tap the eyeglasses icon at the top), and the tablet gives us a choice between browsers for activities like videos.
Forum members, including Kindle Forum Pros explain that those who want to use these two files, should FIRST get, from Amazon Apps store, the file manager, ES File Explorer [or File Expert], used to manage files and install an Android app file.
A Setting that must be done before doing any of this
Amazon allows users to choose to install apps from "unknown sources" and you can "enable" that (do this only with files recommended by people you trust) by going to 'Home' screen and swiping down (lightly pressing and pulling down) from the top of the screen, to see the Quick Settings Menu; then click on "More" at the right, and go down that Settings list to "Device" to Check the box to allow installation of applications from 'unknown sources.'
Also, when Android devices don't have rights to view some video material, the Dolphin browser has a "user agent" setting and you can then be seen by the video webpage as using an iPad or a Desktop instead, which usually solves the problem. Remember to switch back to Android later.
I switch between the Dolphin browser and Amazon's "Silk" browser, using Dolphin when Flash is needed, and can now see the videos that require Flash. (B&N does not allow 'unknown source' app files on the Nook tablet, so Amazon is just more open re non-company-store apps, although obviously they prefer users to use their store's apps if they have the file. Someday, websites still using Flash will catch up and have to use another method to show videos, as Youtube now does for most of its offerings.
NOTE: When you're browsing YouTube using Amazon's Kindle Fire "Silk" browser, make sure the Web menu-setting for "Requested website view" is set to "Automatic," rather than "Desktop, to get all the YouTube videos w/o requiring a flash player.
The most helpful customer review - "You get what you pay for" includes points many have found useful vs reading only the marketing materials.
Reviews that compare 7" Kindle Fire HD vs Google Nexus 7" tablets
8.9" Kindle Fire HD 16/32 GB storage
$269/$299.
(the equivalent iPad 10-inch tablet is $600 for 32GB storage
while the Kindle Fire 8.9" 32GB model is ~$300.
8.9" HD display, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Dual-Antenna Wi-Fi + MIMO
Battery lasts about 11 hours with Wireless Off
1920 x 1200 display in up to 1080p high definition - duo core processor
254 ppi (pixels per inch -- Retina range)
Front-facing camera for use with Skype
An HDMI port for direct connection to an HDTV.
Bluetooth
X-ray for Movies -- Pause a film, see the actors' names, brief bios, movie history.
X-ray for Books -- See a character's bio, appearances in chron order in the book
Whispersync for Voice -- Read a book on KFire, Continue on associated,
discounted audio book w/ professional narration
~18 Free Kindle Classics w/ Free Audible audio - Amazon promo offer
Immersion Reading -- see highlighted text while listening to Audible.
Basic text-to-speech is also available
Despite a dual-core processor rather than a quad-core like Google's Nexus, this is said to have:
"High performance 1.5Ghz dual-core processor with Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core for fast and fluid performance
Dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi for 40% faster downloads and streaming
(compared to iPad 4)"
Has "an advanced polarizing filter" applied "directly to the LCD panel.
This results in a display that shows the same deep contrast
and rich, detailed color when viewed at any angle."
Here's the resolution on an image from the Kindle Fire HD Jeff Bezos was using
as seen when projected onto the large screen in the hall.
All Kindle Fires come with Dolby Digital Plus and stereo speakers with virtual surround sound.
Kindle Fire HD 8.9" w/ "ultra-fast 4G LTE wireless" 32/64 GB storage
$399/$499.
(See above for the features that apply to all Kindle Fire HD 8.9" models.)
For $399, what does the basic Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G/LTE have?
It has 32 gigs of storage plus 3G/4G cellular network capability.
The $499 iPad4 has only 16 gigs of storage and NO 3G/4G capability.
Apple charges an additional $130 for that 3G/4G capability, making the Apple iPad cost $629 for the 16GB storage space model,
before the cost of a monthly data plan for an iPad 4.
Apple's iPad -- when you add 16 GB to equal KFire HD 8.9" -- costs yet another $100. $729 total.
Minimal Data Plan: 250MB with 20GB Cloud Storage and $10 Appstore Credit
The Kindle Fire's basic low-cost plan for 250 MB etc. costs $ 50 total for the first year.
The Apple iPad's basic low cost plan for 250 MB etc. costs $230 per year.
3G/4G LTE models (Using basic 32GB for Kindle Fire and iPad)
Year 1 Total Costs: iPad4 - $959 Kindle Fire 8.9"- $449
An added Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE feature: 20GB of additional Cloud Drive storage "for your photoas and more, plus a $10 Amazon Appstore promotional credit."
How much data will 250MB per month cover though?
NOTE - They say you wouldn't have to rely on WiFi and could use the 4G that comes with a plan at $50/yr, but it's important that you know it's extremely limited data and would be good mainly for checking text email while away or reading text. That's when you wouldn't need to rely on WiFi without using all your 3G access in a day or two, because in no way would it be nearly enough for one normal video of course.
Their product pages mention elsewhere that a STANDARD definition video is around 500 MB and an average HD movie is 2GB (I've seen higher figures than these though).
But again, it would help for reading pure text in a book, from time to time while out where there's no WiFi available. At $50/year, for mainly quick e-mail and some book-reading, this is VERY good. Apple has a minimum plan for the 250MB of data but charges $230 per year for their plan, while Amazon somehow is offering that for $50 per year.
ALL KINDLE FIRE HD's
Audio -
Re the exclusive Dolby Digital, "Dolby Digital Plus includes technology used to adjust volume, create virtual surround sound, and deliver easier-to-understand dialogue in movies and TV shows. Kindle Fire HD is designed to automatically optimize the audio profile based on what you're doing."
They tuned them to reproduce deeper bass, with an emphasis on no hearable distortion (there's always a small amount).
A Kindle Fire HD was used to drive some large speakers during the presentation. I'll eventually upload video from the live audience perspective.
Speed
The following is worth quoting from the product page.
' The TI OMAP4470 processor in the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" has 40% more memory bandwidth than Tegra 3, enabling faster web browser JavaScript performance.Also, Amazon also said customers can add available professional narration of a book for a reduced price of $3.95 on certain books when you buy the Kindle book. [Somewhat like bundling, but at a discount rather than free]
' And Kindle Fire HD 8.9" has an Imagination SGX544 3D graphics core that can process over 12 billion floating-point operations per second, so even graphically intensive games run smoothly and render stunning scenery.
' We also tuned the graphics pipeline and touch handling software to eliminate delays between when you touch the screen and when the application responds. This means the home screen scrolls more smoothly, videos start playing faster, and games respond nearly instantaneously.
Audible audiobooks sync'd with Kindle books
' Kindle Fire HD can now synchronize Kindle text with companion Audible audiobooks with real-time highlighting... ' called "Immersion Reading." This feature is part of Whispersync for Voice -- so far, ~15,000 Kindle/Audible combos include the sync'd text highlight, but it's not available on all Audible audio with Kindle books.
While Amazon currently offers a few free examples of Kindle books with Audible Audio Whispersync for Voice, the average pricing of a limited set of combo purchases when available is $3.95 or less, per Amazon's product pages. The regular offerings are more expensive.
NOTE: Kindle Fire HD tablets are partially ad-supported with "Special Offers" (unless you opt out) in that:
"Your offers display on the lock screen and the lower left hand corner of the home screen -- they don't interrupt use of the device."
Many have actually preferred to get the special offers/Amazon discounts, which can be considerable, but the idea is anathema for many. Initially, there was no option available, probably because they went for best hardware & processes this time and, apparently, are relying on advertiser revenue to help support the cost. I had this added caution here in case, but Amazon has quickly decided to offer an opt-out choice for $15, which can be chosen at the Manage Your Kindle page.
Whispersync for Games
"GameCircle titles with Whispersync automatically store your progress in the cloud, so you'll never lose an unlocked level or saved game, even if you delete the game from your device."
Audible books using Whispersync
Add the professional narration of [whatever book] for a reduced price of $3.95 after you buy this Kindle book. [Somewhat like bundling, but at a discount rather than free]
There are also free narrations for free Kindle books. See details on Whispersync for Voice
UK, Italy, France, Germany to get Kindle Fires
The first to get these outside the U.S.. These will start at £129 In UK, €159 In France.
TechCrunch added: "Along with Amazon’s big tablet announcements earlier today, it’s finally also unveiled the first markets to get the Kindle Fire tablets — both the new Kindle Fire and the HD version — outside of the U.S. The news first trickled out in a forum announcement on Amazon.co.uk, which also announced availability of the new Kindle e-reader."
[Update 9/10 - These were announced as available in the Uk, France, and Italy last night.]
Links to those stores: Italia, Deutschland, France
Canada and China Amazon-stores were quietly launched in Dec. 2012.
See Current Kindles - Listing
RESOURCES
Excellent Live Blogs of the announcements with pictures and good details.
TechCrunch's Live Blog with commentary
Their Event coverage
All Things D's Live Blog, narrative style
Video
Excerpts or highlights of the Amazon presentation (WSJ)
Video of full presentation
My videos Sept 6 of a good Paperwhite demo and a Kindle Fire 8.9" magazine feature demo
Also, My Photo Log of points made at the announcements will be enlarged later to show more of the atmosphere and crowd at these events, for anyone interested.
More detailed reports
CNet's Danny Sullivan explains Amazon's parental controls (AKA parental support) and the
And in one Amazon Singles book, Len Edgerly of The Kindle Chronicles describes the entire launch event in an entertaining and very informative way with unusual context and depth and has links to further reading and media.
Details here. The book is also available in the Prime Lending Library.
Len also had a 20-minute interview with Jeff Bezos in Seattle, in July 2012, which is a fun read and reassuring in many ways for avid readers.
I've listened to his podcasts for 3 years and communicated with him in email but had never met him until the media event Sept. 6. Despite the gray in his hair, he is a mass of youthful energy that belies the calm you hear when he speaks.
But most of all he brings an intense thoughtfulness to his research and reports and is one of the most balanced reporters I've read.
Current Kindle Models for reference, plus free-ebook search links.
For daily free ebooks, check the following links:
| Temporarily-free books - Non-classics USA: by: Publication Date Bestselling High-ratings UK: PubDate Popular The Kindle Daily Deal What is 3G? and "WiFi"? Battery Care Highly-rated under $1, | Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK): Top 100 free UK-Only: Top 100 free Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. USEFUL for your Kindle Keyboard (U.S. only, currently): 99c Notepad 1.1, 99c Calculator, 99c Calendar, |
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