Kindle Tip: (1) An app to use the Kindle Fire HD front-facing camera + (2) the free way to do it, described earlier

On October 19, I included a tip on how to access and use the Kindle Fire HD's front-facing camera, normally used for video chats with friends and family.

 The above image is for a $1.99 app, HD Camera, which will probably be worth it for those who don't want to deal with working with a computer-style file manager -- but if you do, the access to the camera controls is free.

  Another upside to the app, for novices, is continuing support from the app creator, which I'll say more about below.

What follows next is what I described earlier, for those who missed it buried in a large group of tips that included other features.

  First, a Setting that often must be done before doing any of this
(if the app-install files are not from Amazon, but in this case they are):
  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 the '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.'

Q: Why can't I use the front-facing camera for anything but Skype?
A: You can, as some popular apps can use the camera and there is a way to open or activate the camera via the versatile and free file manager app, ES File Explorer


There are many Kindle Fire apps that can use the camera as a secondary function, and Kindle owners have tended to recommend the Evernote or Facebook apps for this.  But that doesn't give you access to the several features and controls that are there.

Here's how to open the camera via ES File Explorer, once you've installed it.

  1.  Press Apps at the top of the Home screen (or find it in your Favorites
       if you made it a fave) and then click on the ES File Explorer to open it.
  2.  In the top row, click on AppMgr.
  3.  In the top row still, click on Category
  4.  Choose System apps button
  5.  Select camera
  6.  Choose Open

  And that's it!

You'll find yourself with a choice of
  1.   PANORAMA mode shooting (Yes! Works nicely too.)
  2.   NORMAL CAMERA shooting, with choice of scenes, exposure compensation,
        and type of white balance
  3.   VIDEO at 480p, 720p (DON'T use the 1080p one, it crashes)
        time lapse intervals; snd type of white balance
        (It can't do actual HD but it's decent.
         You can see his Skype image at the app page.

The camera's better than I had expected.  From what I've seen, it's just something under 1MB pixels but good enough for casual snapshots and videoclips (which are in MP4 format), considering it's a front-facing camera meant mainly for Skype video-chats.

When you're ready to shoot, including making a sweeping panorama, press the round red button.  For videos, it becomes a square red button that you push when ending the video.

After doing a brief videoclip almost in the dark, I tried pressing a button for 'BBC' to see what on earth that was for, and it offered to send my 'report' to the BBC.  Oh, I don't think so.

You can find the resulting photos and videos under ES Explorer's /sdcard/DCIM/Camera folder.

  I personally find it ultra awkward to shoot a scene or subject without being able to view it except to twist myself into a position to see the front of the tablet at the same time or view it while shooting behind me.  :-)  But it's doable if you really want to record the scene.

Front facing cameras are really just made for taking images of yourself for video chatting. But, as mentioned, what you can do is point it over your shoulder and take pictures of things behind you. You'll be able to see the screen as a large viewfinder that way.


IF YOU DO DECIDE TO GET THE APP
If gifting the Kindle Fire HD to someone who doesn't want to go through some of the early steps above, the app may be a relief.  Furthermore, the app maker, DrHenley responds to questions at the HD Camera app page's customer reviews section.

I'm including here the kind of responses he gives to people with questions and problems, and you can decide whether it would be worth getting the app for the ongoing support. (Emphases mine.)

' DrHenley says:
Stephanie, I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. The app uses the built-in camera functionality of the Kindle Fire HD, which are not completely stable, especially with the 1080p.
  I would disable the 1080p mode in the app if I could but that is not possible. If you stick with 720p things will go much more smoothly. When you first open the app, go to the settings menu inside the settings menu, and click on "Restore defaults." That should make the video camera start working again.

Also, I don't think the tablet has an ambient light sensor, so when you have it set to automatic white balance, it can get confused. Try using manual white balance settings and manual brightness settings. It's only a 1 MP camera, so don't expect 5MP performance.

Version 2.0 will bring some added functions, and I am working hard every day on ways to improve the app.

===
DrHenley says:
gracieie, the reason I developed this app in the first place was because I was getting a Kindle Fire HD for my mom, and I wanted her to be able to take pictures on it. It started as a very simple little app, but then I decided to put it on the Amazon App Store for others, and I have spent a lot of time trying to make it better.

Be careful with 1080p video. It can cause problems that I can't do anything about because the camera itself is not really a 1080p camera.

===
DrHenley says:
The pictures and videos go to the standard place: DCIM/Camera on the internal SDCard. You can use a file manager app or the built in "Photos" and "Personal Videos" to manage them. "Photos" is on the Home screen. "Personal Videos" is in the apps list.  Version 2 [of the app], which has been submitted to Amazon for review, will give shortcuts to those apps.

I'm sorry that there is only a front camera, but please don't blame me, I really can't do anything about that :-(

===
DrHenley says:
The pictures and videos are saved in the DCIM/Camera folder on the internal SDCard. If you have a file manager you can browse to it and open them. There is a "Photos" on the home screen. If you open that, the camera pictures will have a preview called "Camera."

Under apps (device) there is a program called "Personal Videos" which is where you manage the videos.

Version 2.0 will have a quick way to get to those apps.

===
DrHenley says:
Susan, the Kindle Fire HD apparently doesn't have an ambient light sensor, so you may have to adjust the brightness manually. Click on the settings and then click on the square icon that has a +/-. You can also go into the Scene menu (SCN) and set it to "Night Mode".

===
DrHenley says:
I figured out the upside down video thing. Apparently you have to shoot videos with the camera at the bottom for them to come out right on a computer. I may have to lock the orientation to prevent that. Another thing to add to version 2.1!

Thanks for bringing that to my attention!

===
DrHenley says:
Version 2.0 already been submitted and does not lock the orientation. I am testing version 2.1 that at the moment does lock it. One thing I added to 2.0 was a contact button. When you get the 2.0 update, send me an email and I'll send you a beta of 2.1 so you can try it out.

===
DrHenley says:
This app simply uses the built in capabilities of the Fire HD. Although you can email a picture directly from the camera app, you really need to exit it to manage the images and videos. To manage still photos, go to "Photos, Camera" from the home screen. To manage videos, go to Apps, Personal Videos. To delete a video, long press the thumbnail and select "delete". '

I do think his ongoing Q&A will make it worthwhile for many.



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  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

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Kindle News: Kindle Paperwhite Software Update v5.3.0 - Includes Opt out of Recommended Content plus access to Settings from a Book Menu. The Kindle in China soon? Paperwhite in Japan price-matched to Kobo.

Kindle Paperwhite Software Upgrade to v5.3.0 - Several requested changes

I had one wish for the Paperwhite (UK: here) the last couple of weeks, and that was that this e-reader would get the opt-out of Recommended Content that the Kindle Fire HD 7" received.
  And the opt-out is here!

  On the cover-style home page, the recommendations took 50% of the books showing (3 each) and I just did not want to see covers for genres I never choose to read.

  I realize B&N has done this for well over a year with no complaints by tech reviewers or customers (while B&N claims they have no ads).  Still it's bad enough to see listed a book I've never requested, but having to see full images of them on my Home page has been ultra annoying to me.  So I'm very happy about this.

  ODDLY, on the Kindle Fire HD, the recommendations are based on a book we've bought that is showing in the center of our Carousels, and I plan to opt-IN from time to time when I want to see these because it has actually shown me books that are of interest to me.  (Also, we can use the Kindle Fire HD in Landscape mode and avoid the Recommended Content anyway.)


From the Amazon US and UK update pages
"We have a new, free software update available for the Kindle Paperwhite that you can download. The software update will also be delivered automatically via Wi-Fi to your Kindle Paperwhite." [Emphasese mine.]

New features in this update include

• Improved Fonts: We have made changes to Palatino, Baskerville, and Futura fonts to make them look even better on Kindle Paperwhite.  You will notice this when reading books, as well as in menus.
    We’ve also improved the Japanese and Chinese fonts on your Kindle and tuned spacing to provide a better reading experience.
• Turn off Recommended Content in Home: You can now turn on or off recommended content from the Kindle Store on the Home screen.
• Smoother sample-to-book experience: When you buy the book after reading the sample, we will now automatically start the book at your last reading location in the sample and remove the sample from your Kindle.
• Easier access to Settings: When reading a book, you can now access Settings directly from the menu. [YES!]
• Improved Manga: We’ve added a new Fit-to-Screen Mode that improves the readability of Manga and maximizes the use of your Kindle screen. [Yes]
• Page Refresh in Comics and Manga: You can now specify a page refresh setting for comic books and manga independent of the refresh setting for books.

Keep your Kindle connected to a Wi-Fi network to make sure you receive all future software updates. We hope you enjoy the improvements we made.

Note that keeping your Kindle connected to a Wi-Fi network will drain your battery faster.  So, once you've got the update "over the air," put the Paperwhite back to "Airplane Mode ON" - which turns Wireless Off...


  Re the changes it's clear they've been listening to feedback from customers.  Good to see the changes come this quickly.


DOWNLOADING and transferring the Update via USB if you'd rather not wait
US: Go to the Kindle Paperwhite Software Update v5.3.0 download section to get the instructions for the download and transfer to your Kindle via USB:
UK: Go to the same for the UK-only page


The Kindle in China soon?
TheNext Web sees evidence for it, including the Chinese fonts and the tuned spacing for them included with this update.  They point us to a Google translation of a Chinese TechWeb page for more info.

The Kindle in Japan
Amazon launched the Kindle in Japan earlier and will ship the first ones this month and now has dropped the price for that launch, Computerworld's Jay Alabaster reports.  The price in Japan will be $100 to match the "Kobo glo" pricing by Rakuten, an online retailer there.



  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,  Newest: $1-$2, $2-$3

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,   99c Converter

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Kindle News: Trial Amazon Prime goes monthly for awhile...More on iPad mini vs Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7"... Also, customer service for Google Nexus. (Updated w/ link)

      Spent yesterday and last night paying attention to our every-4-year event, watching it all on several channels. So, these will be briefer summaries with links to fuller stories for those who want to read more on them.

Thanks to a tweeted alert from MyKindleStuff, I saw AdAge's article on Amazon Prime testing of a Monthly Fee for new Prime trial periods.

  While it's normally $79/year (@ $6.58/mo.) for Amazon Prime's program of free 2-day shipping of Amazon products + access to thousands of free instant videos (movies and TV shows) and the ability to borrow a Kindle book once per calendar month without a waiting period and with no due dates, a trial can be taken now at $7.99/mo. with no annual fee necessary.  If done for 12 months it would amount to $96/yr.

There was talk that Amazon might want to acquire Netflix, but Netflix just "adopted a poison pill to make a hostile takeover more difficult."  This is said to have prompted what seems a move to make Amazon Prime Instant Video more competitive with Netflix.

Reuters' Alistair Barr writes that "An Amazon spokesman said the monthly Prime option was a test and declined to comment further."  He adds that ""While one risk for Amazon is that consumers use Prime for just one month to take advantage of free shipping on large purchases, the test could also reveal that a ready market for alternative pricing and serve as a new customer acquisition tool," ... analyst [Colin Sebastian of R.W. Baird] wrote.


Added comparison on difference in screen display of iPad mini vs Android devices
TechRadar's Chris Smith draws our attention to another element of the relative quality of these displays, a situation now reported by many online tech sites, but this has one new wrinkle.

  In writing about the iPad mini display quality falling short of Android rivals, he writes the usual, voiced by "Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate and the person who ran the comprehensive tests, [who] has underlined that verdict by claiming that the Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7 had "considerably sharper" displays than the iPad mini.

  What I had not seen explained before was the following:

' He also said the iPad mini's 62 per cent colour gamut was both "disappointing" and "antiquated," compared with the 100 per cent rating of the iPhone 5 and the newer full-size iPad models.
The Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HD both have more impressive 82 per cent colour gamut...

[Note by AB: Soneira does say that the iPad mini "reflected much more ambient light than both of its chief rivals."]

  ...The test[s] seem to confirm what most folks already suspected.  Amazon and Google have packed better screens into smaller tablets at a lower price, yet it's Apple that is continually talking about other companies making "compromise. '

Google and Customer Service: How do they handle this for the Nexus tablet?
I saw a reference to "CustomerServiceScoreboard's" ratings.   I was interested because Google's rep is to do customer service through forms and it's been very hard to reach a human when needing help.  They're just a very large company with a lot going on, so I was surprised they even have a customer service contact that includes contact with humans.

First, The CustomerServiceScoreboard seems frequented mainly by those who are upset, with almost all companies getting a "disappointing" rating, especially where the actual reviews are concerned.  But with only 6 positive comments and 364 negative ones, the customer service ratings for Google are unusually harsh.  These are for Google in general, but most of the newer comments are on the Nexus, as they've not had much in the way of hardware before.

For Picasa Photos, Google Plus and the blog, there is no phone contact, and their forum problems are handled predominantly by volunteers, but when things have gotten a bit hairy, Google staff -has- shown up with answers, in my own experience.  Also, when I've had form-requests, while not acknowledged or given replies (we're told not to expect any) they've actually been handled quietly, so I know they pay some attention and do deal with the probably numbered service questions that come in.  Amazon have a separate support team for Kindles and for that device line, they have a separate number and a very good rep.

If you have good Google Nexus customer service experience when experiencing a problem, please feel free to add them here. Thanks.



Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

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Kindle News: Amazon Cloud Drive Photos App for Android and Original Kindle Fire

Amazon Cloud Drive Photos - New app for Android devices and Original Kindle Fire

Oddly enough, the Kindle Fire HD is X'd out in the list of models served by the Cloud Drive Photos app.

  That would be because Amazon is planning to have the features of this app as built-in features, and some reports have said that's already available on the Kindle Fire HD.

  The latter isn't quite true yet, however.  Under the top "Photos" tabs (for photos either in The Cloud or on your Device), the only options showing today on a Kindle Fire HD (KFHD) when you long-press a photo are "Add to Favorites"..."Rename"...and "Remove from Device" although pressing the Menu icon will give you the option to  1) Email the photo to someone (or to a group);  2) Send it on to BBC News (!) or wherever via Flipboard, NFC Tapping, Skype, YouSendIt, and Evernote.

  I sent a photo from the KFHD to me in email to test the sending (there's a a separate email-send icon also), and you're given the From/To email form, with the photo already attached, do they've made it a very simple process.

  I suspect the new Kindle Fire Basic will also have the features built in (in subsequent software updates).

 If, however, you have the Cloud Drive Photos APP, which CAN be used by the ORIGINAL Kindle Fire, you can send photos direct to your free Cloud Drive.

The image at the top is a screenshot of the way the Kindle Fire HD shows representative photos from a photo set -- in this case some Wall Photos that were imported (via choosing the option) from my Facebook-Wall page  At the current time, the KFHD CAN download directly from the Cloud to just about any device just by long-pressing the name of the file on the Device.  The HD model just doesn't directly upload to the Cloud Drive yet.

  Sidenote: These few Facebook-Wall photos were of Yosemite.  If interested in seeing more of what I enjoyed this last year there during three visits in different seasons, you can see a Flickr-controlled stream of more photos from that beautiful place.  For automatically-larger photos, try the larger images if you want a better sense of what it was like to be there, and in other parts of the world.  And for some photos that'll inspire, I've collected favorites by others on Flickr.


Using the app with normal Android devices
I've used Amazon Cloud Drive Photos app with my Samsung phone.  The app doesn't offer auto-uploading of each photo taken (and I always choose not to do that because I don't want large photos taking processing power to go up while I'm still trying to take photos).  Also, I prefer to back up just the ones I'll use.

  It's great to have the free backup and transfer area for important photos, which you can view and share whenever you want.  Unfortunately, the sharing of files is done via one file at a time rather than showing people a full album.  The feature is more for fast, easy backup and for your convenience in managing the files.  You can back up a full album by clicking on it, but I've had a problem completing any album-send that is over 54 photos, so far, even though I have the Samsung Galaxy S2 set up to keep doing data activity in the background (especially since the phone goes to sleep in 10 minutes and tends to shut off WiFi during that time).

  Even then, when I tried to share viewing of one file at a time and used the link to the file, it showed up on my blog page only when I'm logged in (!)  I suspect it's because the 'sharing' is to one person at a time and not to 'the public.'

  When I do give someone the link for a shared photo on the server, it's not shown in full size. It's reduced to a smaller photo but the recipient has a highly visible link to "Download" the file.  For the lead photo in this article, which is just a screenshot (see how to do a screenshot) which I sent myself using the email icon in the side Menu of the "Photos" tab content, I used a regular photo hosting site.

Free Cloud Drive Space - Three different types
  1) ALL Amazon customers, globally, get 5 free gigs of Cloud Drive space to use for personal photos, documents, music that they didn't get from Amazon, and  2) Kindle device owners get an additional 5 free gigs of space for personal docs and non-DRM'd books from other sources, for which which Amazon will now provide annotations backup and will also sync the reading of these between one's several devices even though the books and docs don't come from Amazon).

  If you want even more space for non-Amazon items, $10 per year will get you 20 gigs of space.

  3) Anything you buy from Amazon gets automatically-free Cloud Drive space not counted against your space maximums.


If you have more information from experimention all this, I'd love to hear what you find. Thanks.



Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

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-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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Reviews of iPad mini that compare it with Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus...Apple corrects its Specs page by changing "speaker" to "speakers"... Excellent find and explanation of iPads and their speaker layout.

"Lines for Apple's iPad Mini Are Surprisingly Short"

Of course that's a relative thing -- there are still lines, and in NY, the main store had quite a few people show up, even if it wasn't what it's been in the past.

  But the headline is somewhat typical, and the reason I'm doing this follow up is that a reason given for the decreased interest in the new smaller iPad is that the competition from the Kindle Fire HD (and Amazon's ecosystem) and from the Google Nexus is too strong for a device that is priced $130 higher but has lower screen resolution that makes words on the web harder to read on a 7" tablet.

  This first article cited and the image used was from Business Insider's Huw Griffith.


When Apple decides not to be clear
Before I post some excerpts from the comparative reviews, I'm including a general follow up on Apple's iPad mini 'speaker' confusion (explained in footnotes in other blog entries here).

  Readers of this blog will know about the speaker controversy and will see that gadget-news sites are writing (and will continue to copy one another) that Amazon "made an error" in their comparison table saying the iPad mini has only "one speaker."

  That 'error' was clearly Apple's error, since their own website's specs page -- The reference 'sheet' -- listed only a built-in speaker (singular).

  Vendors release specs for a reason - they describe what you will be getting if you buy their product.  Those reading the blog this week know that Apple's own specs page had said, since launch date October 23, that the Input/Output included a "built-in speaker" on each variation of that model and that it has the usual stereo headphone minijack.  This has been true of the other iPads.

  The picture showing 2 grilles (one identified as a speaker) was discussed in detail at Mac forums as well as at more general ones because Apple has shown two speaker grilles before on iPhones but only one had a speaker in it, so people were confused by Apple's Marketing SVP who wrote in email to a customer "It's in stereo."

  Many of us don't post specs without checking the company's own spec sheets. I imagine that's what Amazon did too.  When you see a specs sheet referring to a built-in speaker, you don't normally imagine there are two of them or they'd say so.  Why question what the company stated?  Yet we're seeing a river of articles saying Amazon did not check first.  (This is because those columnists did not check the specs sheet first, so they didn't know what it was still saying.)

The Correction to the Specs page
  YESTERDAY, Nov. 2, after requests by some of us that Apple correct their specs page so we can be assured the technical staff stands behind the Marketing email, Apple rather quietly changed "Built-in speaker" (for each model) to "Built-in speakers"...

  The correction Apple made yesterday was made without comment on the page.  I think this lack of clarity will help Apple with the current stream of copycat stories that blame Amazon for the 'error' they made in actually accepting the Apple specs page information.


Solving a Mystery - Interesting Factoid Learned about all other iPad Speakers
The discussions in the forums were very interesting.  One in particular, ending one forum thread in which multiple theories were given, gives us some information from tear-downs that hasn't been mentioned elsewhere this week.

' By m0dest
This was spot on:

'Quote:
Originally Posted by Intell
Technically the iPad 4, as well as all other iPads, have stereo speakers.  They have a left and right channel speaker on the inside, but only one external sound baffle.
As it turns out, iPad 3 has two stereo speakers, too.  The full-size iPad 4 probably does, too.'

We've always known that iPads have two speakers.  Two speakers ≠ stereo, but it's a start.  The teardowns make this clear.  (iPad 1 speakers, iPad 2 speakers)

I just tested an iPad 3 with sample audio that alternates between the left and right channels.  Sure enough, the left channel plays only on the left speaker and the right channel plays only on the right speaker.  Unambiguously.  Run the same test yourself with GarageBand.

So, all current iPads have 2 stereo speakers with separate left and right audio channels.  Apple never talked about it because the speaker placement sucks. People never noticed because both speakers were behind a single grill.  Mystery solved. '

'Stereo' is experienced when somewhat different sounds are heard from speakers at a distance that allows a listener to hear those differences.  In any comparison of the iPad mini speakers with the Kindle Fire HD's, it'll normally be noted that in movie- or video-viewing mode, the KFHD's speakers are on the left and right of the tablet user, and Amazon licensed the Dolby Plus system to enhance both the spatial qualities and clarity of speech.

  With the original Kindle Fire, most of us ran to get small portable external mini-speakers or had to use head phones or a good external set of normal speakers because there was barely any volume from it.  The new KFire HD's volume control doesn't have to be at max volume and the sound is very clear.  I watch video using the built-in speakers now.  For good bass though, you'll want headphones or an external set.


Excerpts from other iPad mini reviews that mention the Kindle Fire and Google Nexus
  .  Ipad Mini Release Date Draws Small Crowds, Is Apple's Price Too High to Rival Google Nexus 7, Amazon Kindle Fire Hd? - Books & Review, by Cole Garner Hill.  "...its higher-than-expected $329 price tag may not be competitive enough against other popular 7-inch Android tablets like Google's Nexus 7, and Amazon's Kindle Fire HD..."



  .  NBC News's Wilson Rothman shows us the difference in text-display between the iPad 3 and the iPad mini, though the difference won't be experienced that strongly.

  But it shows what the difference in pixel size means to relative clarity.  you can see the original size of the image by clicking on the thumbnail here.   Rothman writes:

' If you're mainly into watching movies and reading books, there are two key bonuses that the Kindle Fire HD brings to the table, besides a cash savings of $130: a 16x9 screen aspect ratio, meaning movies like "The Avengers" fill up the whole display; and a higher pixel resolution than the iPad Mini, that you may notice while watching high-def content and can definitely see when reading text.  [Emphasis mine.]

So what does paying $130 more for an iPad Mini actually get you? The iPad has a much better Web browser and email experience, and though Amazon has cloud storage and streaming music (and even a music matching service like Apple's), the iPad's iCloud suite promises more, including synced contacts, documents, notes and browser history, not to mention advanced services like iMessage, Photo Stream and Siri.

The biggest reason to choose iPad, however, is apps. Apps, apps, apps. More of that next.

WINNER: Draw (because of the $130 difference and the screen resolution) '

He recommends that those who would want this for the good reasons given wait for the later model of the iPad mini, which he and others feel will come within a year with the Retina feature included.


  .  IGN's Nic Vargus points out how good the 5MP back camera is, relative to the one that came with the iPad 2.  Neither the Nexus or the Kindle Fire HD have rear-facing cameras.  In the comparison section, he writes:

'...as a reading device, though I'm not sure I'd use it much until there was a Retina-ready version.  I've never been a big fan of reading on seven-inch tablets (I much prefer e-ink to LCD), but the Kindle Fire HD has shown me that a crisp screen can sway me.

'...I recently read all of Jeff Eugenide's "The Marriage Plot" on my Kindle Fire HD, partly because the device was always in my bag, and partly because reading on it didn't bother my eyes as much as reading on a Nexus 7 '

I have no idea why that might be, since they have the same screen resolution.  Maybe it's the laminated anti-glare layer the KFire HD uses, which works for some and not so much for others.

  [I've seen a Nexus since, at Staples, and I was surprised to see that it actually has noticeably less contrast and therefore doesn't appear as sharp - or at least their demo Nexus has a lack of contrast.]

He likes the higher-quality feel of the iPad mini and that it works with all the iPad 2 apps, though he finds "The lack of a Retina Display is a big downer." If you already enjoy Apple's apps and he does, there really is no other choice though, except waiting for a later version with Retina.


  .  San Jose Mercury News's Troy Wolverton also feels iPad-inclined should "hold out for next year's model." He mentions the several good points of it but then adds:

' The difference between a Retina display and other screens isn't readily apparent -- unless you've been using a device with one of the higher-resolution screens.
  If you have, you don't want to go back because the graininess of text and pictures on lower-resolution screens is obvious.
  Apple's decision to not include a Retina display with the Mini leaves the little tablet's screen outclassed by those of the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7.
  But the Mini's biggest problem is its price. '

  .  AfterDawn's Andre Yoskowitz absolutely loves the iPad mini and explains why at length.  He finds it smoother than the Kindle Fire HD but, in addition to the somewhat lower resolution of the mini, he adds something I hadn't read before (emphasis mine):

' Moving away from that, the colors are fantastic on the Mini, as are the blacks, but they are not as vibrant as the Kindle or the Nexus.  A clear loss for Apple here, although the Mini's display was nowhere near "bad." '

  .  Cult of Mac's John Brownlee also thinks people should wait but he feels more strongly about its downsides.  I think when you've long admired the 'Quality' that Apple's been known for and are very aware of the compromises with this model, it's a tougher sell.

" The form factor’s perfect, it’s beautifully designed, you will love holding it… but the screen’s awful ... Even at the price, it’s a deeply disappointing product that most people should think twice about buying right now. "

  He highlights his displeasure with a big re-quote of part of the second sentence below:

' But the performance isn’t nearly as disappointing as the screen.  Boy, it’s just awful: so awful you can’t believe Apple would actually sell a new product with this display in late 2012...

... The pixel density is a step up from the iPad 2, but just barely, and it’s notably worse than the quality of not just the last three iPhones and two iPads, but the likes of the Kindle Fire HD 7 and Galaxy 7.

...Why did Apple release the iPad mini with a screen this terrible, especially when it’s competing with devices like the Kindle Paperwhite, the Kindle Fire 7 and the Galaxy 7 that aren’t just much cheaper but have displays that are so much superior for reading text? '

Otherwise he finds handling the iPad mini "is just bliss" though using it "is another thing entirely."

  He's probably right that Apple couldn't make the margins it needs if they'd used a higher resolution and they need something right now to compete, which could run all their apps.   The commenters are not all in agreement with his distress.


WELL, that should be enough.  I just grabbed ones I saw on the first search results, in the order I saw them, but I'd say that with the compromise in screen resolution, Apple did price the Mini too high, which is added reason for the disappointment quite a few describe.



Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button
Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
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Nov's 100 Kindle Books for $3.99 or less - Editors' Choices + Free non-classics by publication date + discounted-book alerts

"NOVEMBER 2012's 100 Kindle Books deal, for $3.99 or less"

I highlight the monthly deal at or near the beginning of the month for those who don't know about it or might not remember.

  These Kindle books are $1.99 to $3.99 and are "hand-selected" by Amazon's Editors each month.

  What you'll see on that special monthly-deals page are the new ones for November 2012.
(Link: amzn.to/100kbooks-2to4)


BLACK FRIDAY Deals start at Amazon today
Here's the official Black Friday deals page that opened today.  Earlier every year ...


FREE KINDLE BOOKS (Non-classics) for November (and October)
In the meantime, I've updated the "Temporarily-free books -- Non-classics" search results for free contemporary Kindle books for NOVEMBER, sorted by publication-date, as of today, 11/1.  There are only a few shown on the first day of any month, and these include pre-orders for November, of course.  Unfortunately, most today are listed as "free preview" of whatever chapters chosen.

  Here are the current Search results for free Kindle non-classics, by publication date for October.


Today's Kindle Daily Deal, for November 1, Thursday only, is Amazing Gracie: A Dog's tale, by Dan Dye and Mark Beckloff.  Excerpt from the Book Description:
  "...Though several more years would pass before The Wall Street Journal discovered Three Dog Bakery, Oprah ate one of their dog cookies on national television, and Gracie and the gang appeared on Conan O'Brien, the germ of their success was right there-in this heartfelt relationship of a man and a dog."

  It has 278 customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.9 stars.
  It's $1.99 for today (Thursday) only. 82% off
  Their Kindle Young Readers Daily Deal is "The Willoughbys"


Discounted / Price Dropped Kindle eBooks II - the ongoing Kindle Forum message thread
  There is an ongoing message thread in which Kindle owners share information on recent drops in pricing on specific Kindle books, often with some added info by the person posting it.

  Here's a link to the thread starting from a few days ago with books still on sale Nov 1.

  The link I gave is to a specific day to start, in this case, 10/28, mid-point, but you can look at previous days or keep up with ongoing alerts after that, as Amazon keeps track of the last message# that you read, so that you can start from there next time.  Most of the better deals seem around $2.99-$3.99 but I saw that "the complete Idiot's Guide to the World of Harry Potter" was dropped (for however long) from $13.99 to $8.99 and received 10 votes as an addition "to the discussion"

  Prices are discounted often for only a very short time and are promos, and that's another reason to watch the list.

---

Current Kindle Models for reference, plus free-ebook search links.
NOTES on newer Kindles.

US: Updated Kindle Fire Basic  7" tablet - $159 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB - $199/$249 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 16/32GB - $299/$369 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G 32/64GB - $499/$599 Kindle NoTouch ("Kindle") - $69/$89 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $119/$139 Kindle Paperwhite, 3G - $179/$199 Kindle Keybd 3G - $139/$159, Free but slow web Kindle DX - $379 $299, Free, slow web

UK: Kindle Basic, NoTouch - £69 Kindle Touch WiFi, UK - £89 Refurb'd Kindle Keyboard 3G, UK - £149   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - £109 Kindle Paperwhite 3G, UK - £169 Kindle Fire 2, UK -  £129 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB, UK - £159/199

OTHER International Kindle NoTouch Basic - $89 Kindle Touch WiFi - $139 Kindle Keybd 3G - $189   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB France Boutique Kindle Deutschland - Kindle Store Italia - Kindle Store Spain - Tienda Kindle

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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Kindle News: Reaction to Amazon's main-page ad comparing Kindle Fire HD 7" to iPad mini 7.9" - Update#2 on Nov. 2.

This is about Amazon's 2-day, much-discussed main-page ad.

See Update for Nov. 2

It was a challenge to the iPad Mini, and it's been the focus of the news since then.

  While I thought I'd not editorialize on the iPad mini on launch day and let the numbers speak for themselves with a features-comparison table, Amazon came out punching, pointing out the precise differences in features and pricing that would be of most interest to those not already invested in the high-quality Apple ecosystem.

When the iPad Mini was announced, I put together that quick comparison table of the basic features of main interest to buyers, for the Kindle Fire HD, the Google Nexus, and the iPad Mini.

I was startled at the time by the price of the iPad Mini when Apple chose to use resolution standards and technology now two years old (openly stating the mini was more or less equal to iPad 2), against the high-definition features of the Google Nexus, the B&N Nook Tablet HD, and the Kindle Fire HD, in a market Apple finally decided to join after seeing the popularity of the competition's smaller sized offerings.

  First, people who have bought iPads and iPhones will want to be able to run their Apple apps on any alternate-sized iPad, so the iPad Mini would be a no-brainer best-choice for those buyers.
  I just didn't think Apple would charge them that much for a model offering features below Apple's own standards.
  And within a week, many others are having a similar reaction.

  Initially, everyone was relieved that Apple finally released a smaller version of the iPad (the current one released in March 2012 with the beautiful Retina feature and already being replaced by a faster iPad 4 with more features), and some have been pleased that the smaller iPad is larger, at 7.9 inches, than market-leading 7-inch tablets, while being lighter and thinner than those smaller ones, at that.

  But, do most people really want a larger-sized portable version with screen resolution that produces a less-clear image, especially for reading?  Apple set the screen clarity standard with Retina early this year.  Yet, they decided to offer a smaller sibling device that will be harder to read with smaller fonts and which cannot do high-definition video while the competing devices and its older siblings can, in an HD world -- AND Apple is charging 65% more than the price of the more technologically advanced 7" models.
  This did take analysts by surprise.  Many who did expect that pricing also expected it would include the high-resolution Retina feature.

  True, tablet quality is not just about hardware, but the major apps are now available also in Android.  How many will find 50,000 (Kindle Fire) or 600,000 (Google Android) apps, too few to plow through?  Apple, Google, Amazon all have strong ecosystems.

Sales of Kindle Fire HD 7" and iPad Mini since the launch
These tablets have different audiences.
  As a result of the iPad Mini launch and probably because of it -- as people had been waiting to see what Apple would offer for whatever price -- Amazon had its highest Kindle Fire HD sales since the launch of that device.

  Even then, Apple is selling out its first batch of iPad mini's ahead of time, since it's a natural buy when 100 million iPads have already been sold and when in the recently completed quarter alone, 26.9 million iPhones were sold.

  Many iDevice owners will want a more portable tablet to carry out and will naturally gravitate toward this one, mainly because it provides the specially curated Apple apps they know and enjoy and a smooth interface they don't have to learn.


Small-tablet shoppers not already iPad owners
 For those not already wed to Apple's app system, things have been less clear.

And for the first time, Apple is offering a device that's behind the pack when it comes to capability rather than looks.  Sleekness counts for a lot, for many.  And Apple management team felt $329 was an apt price.  It had to be pricier than the equivalent iPod and not so inexpensive it would cannibalize iPad 4 sales.  Also, their understandable policy is to make profits on the hardware rather than on the ecosystem where it's closer to break-even from what I've read.

  Another important factor for them was that the resolution be kept the same as for the old iPad2 so that iPad2 apps will run on it without having to be redone.

  Excerpts of media reactions as they set in this last week:

The Inquisitr's James Johnson:
 "...As potential buyers have discovered, the iPad Mini features one of the worst displays among 2012′s high-end 7-inch tablets, offering a low-resolution count compared to the HD-quality video found on the Kindle Fire HD, Google Nexus 7 tablet and other comparable devices.
...Amazon was quick to point out the 216 pixels per inch verses 163 pixels per inch advantage it holds over the much higher priced device.

  Amazon also noted that its device features dual stereo speakers while the iPad Mini offers on a Mono speaker." *[Footnote]

[NOTE: Amazon has an HDMI-out port. Attach a microHDMI cable from it to your HDTV and whatever HD video you're streaming or playing will show up on your HDTV so that more can watch it.  The iPad mini doesn't have HD capability.]

Computerworld's Jonny Evans headlines "Pride: Apple's biggest weakness gives Amazon Kindle easy fire in the iPad mini war."

  [Evans points out that that Apple's marketing chief, Phil Schiller lay down the gauntlet when he said, about the Android devices that offer more advanced features, "Others have tried to make tablets smaller than the iPad, and they've failed miserably."

  That's a statement that presumes or hopes for ignorance on the part of his audience.]

Evans writes, about the Apple event's tricky comparisons and assessments of the other small tablets:
"...now, in the new truth economy of product comparisons,the company has actually hurt its argument claiming the iPad mini to be the best smaller tablet in the world, it has undermined its credibility just a little more."


All Things D's Tricia Duryee discusses the iPad mini's cost and how it may have led many to decide against it after the announcement and head toward Amazon.
  "In addition to being $130 cheaper, the Kindle Fire HD is also slightly smaller than the 7.9-inch iPad mini and comes with a high-definition display, unlike the iPad mini’s display, which is standard definition."


TechCrunch's Chris Velazco adds that the Kindle Fire also has a "smarter speaker layout than the mini."

  [NOTE: That would be two stereo speakers in Dolby Plus, that are louder and clearer than any heard in tablets so far, with good spatial separation for casual watching of movies w/o needing external speakers or headphones.  The iPad mini is listed on the Apple specs page under input/output as having a "Built-in speaker." *]

Velazco also points out what Amazon left out from Gizmodo's statement by Brent Rose "on Apple's perceived hypocrisy when it came to crafting a smaller tablet"

“…Your [Apple’s] 7.9-inch tablet has far fewer pixels than the competing 7-inch tablets!  You’re cramming a worse screen in there, charging more, and accusing others of compromise? Ballsy.”

Well, the sentence that preceded that quote wouldn't have worked on Amazon's family pages :-)  He also recommends that TechCrunch's comment section is "pure gold" for anyone from Amazon needing a 'feisty anti-iPad quote or five.'  Apple's diss'g of other tablets while entering the smaller-tablet field is causing strong, not generous reactions from commenters on almost every news-site I read the last couple of days.


Gizmodo's actual article by Brent Rose.


Wall St. Journal's Walt Mosserg reminds us that the mini has a back-camera to take photos.  I do wonder how many buyers who can afford a more expensive tablet don't already carry a camera in their cellphone though or, like many of us, a smaller, yet powerful, pocketable one these days.  Mossberg really likes the look and the "sturdier aluminum and glass body."

  I've begun to think that the venerable Walt Mossberg was not at the Kindle Fire HD launch or lost attention during it, judging from his review that mainly ragged on the $199 7-inch model not being as good as a $499 iPad because he apparently felt he heard Bezos say that this lowest-priced KFHD model was "the best tablet" rather than the 8.9" LTE model.

  Here, he talks about the iPad mini having an option for LTE while the Kindle Fire HD doesn't.
  But during the KFHD launch, the audience saw that the 8.9" model (not notably farther from the 7.9" size than the 7" size is) was launched as part of the line with a ship date of Nov. 20 and the 8.9" model HAS an LTE option and sells for $499 (vs the mini's $559 price with LTE option included) AND comes with a $50/yr plan for the limited 250MB of data per month that would be useful mainly for brief email and book reading when needing 3G/4G access.

  That same $50/yr plan with AT&T the first year costs $230/yr with the iPad.

  The screen resolution differences are larger with the larger Kindle Fire HD.
  ADD that the screen resolution for the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" is 1920x1200 at 254 pixels per inch (ppi) vs the iPad mini's 1024x768 and 163 ppi and it's even more clear that the latter has mediocre resolution for a smaller sized tablet in today's HDTV world.
 I don't understand why Walt Mossberg doesn't mention this 8.9" model being pre-orderable if he is interested in LTE as an option.

  Add *further* that the 8.9" HIGH-resolution KFHD starts at only $299 for the 16GB that will cost $329 for the 7.9" mini with the much lower-res screen.

  The smaller Kindle Fire HD 7-inch model has a screen resolution of "only" 1200x800 at 216 ppi.   About the 163-ppi iPad mini, Mossberg does write,

"My only complaints were that it's a tad too wide to fit in most of my pockets, and the screen resolution is a big step backwards from the Retina display on the current large iPad...
  "Unlike its closest competitors, the Mini can't play video in high definition.  Apple insists the device does better than standard definition, if you are obtaining the video from its iTunes service, since iTunes scales the video for the device, so it will render somewhere between standard definition and HD.  It says some other services will do the same.  But the lack of true HD gives the Nexus and Fire HD an advantage for video fans."

He really likes it though, so read the rest of his report.


BGR's headline by Zach Epstein is that the mini display "is 'terrible'" because what he's seeing with the early reviews is that "basically all say the same thing..." that the hardware and software are great but "the screen is terrible."


BloombergBusinessweek's Rich Jaroslovsky has no problem holding the somewhat larger mini with just one hand and says it's "Crazy thin and crazy light."

"Besides the size and price tag...the most notable thing about the mini is the quality of its display, which can be best described as adequate.  Unlike the big iPad...the iPad mini lacks Apple’s ultra-sharp Retina display.  His caveat:

"Fine Print
  I didn’t see a huge difference in some uses, such as watching videos or reading e-books.  But I found it noticeably harder to read some Web pages, particularly those with fine print. If you’ve got eyesight at all like mine, be prepared to do a lot of pinching and zooming."

  He points out the GPS the mini has but the Kindle Fire HD doesn't - at least not in the $199 model (it's included in the 8.9" KFHD model with LTE).

  Despite it being hard on his eyes with webpages with small print (so many of them too), Jaroslovsky feels it's "the best small tablet you can buy" but you'll have to answer for yourself, he says, "whether it's that much better."

[NOTE: I don't know about others, but if I can't play an HD streaming video in HD because the tablet isn't capable of that, I really don't see how it's worth $130 more except to iOS device owners who most prize the unmodified iOS apps in lower resolution, in which case that's everything so it can be worth it to that specific audience.  But, the 'best' when it won't run HD videos and the less-expensive devices will?]

CNET Asia's Jacqueline Seng posted a specs comparison and wrote that, like a colleague from that site, who was "giving the iPad mini a miss" due to the low-resolution screen, she considers it out of contention, due to "the low-res screen, which doesn't justify its high price tag" but does see that many will want it for its "sleek, aluminum" look and of course those who are already loving their iOS apps will too.  On this site, Apple stalwarts are up in arms in the comments area.

Upshot, the iPad mini is worth the extra money to many as a beautiful accessory that is also VERY light.  Just don't expect too much otherwise, as I've said, even for an HD world, which the iPad mini avoids.

  But would you buy a standard definition TV today for a 65% higher price, instead of a high definition one, because the older resolution model is a prettier piece and lighter?  The answer would be Yes, if it has the programs or content you like to run or play and you don't care about high definition video or reading small print on web pages more easily.  For everyone, it comes down to personal taste and what gives you the most pleasure.


EARLIER posts on Kindle Fire HD
  . Basic Features Comparison Table for iPad mini, Google Nexus 7", Kindle Fire HD 7"
  . Comparison reviews of the Kindle Fire HD 7" and Google Nexus 7" tablets
  . Step-by-step guide for installing a working Adobe Flash player when needed.
  . KFHD Tips - Flash video, Using the camera and Video, Panorama mode,
      App for WiFi file transfers w/o cable.


Footnote
* There is currently some controversy over whether the iPad mini has one or two speakers or speaker baffles.  As I tweeted to Joshua Topolsky and Jay Yarow, here's what I've found out so far.  (At the detailed and interesting MacRumors forum discussions linked to in my posting there, it's still up in the air.)

Update
  Am adding the discussion at 9to5Forums, landing you at the last post so far, asking what I asked too.

' http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/. Here in "Input/Output" they say "Built In Speaker" singular, and above, "3.5-mm stereo headphone minijack". Why would they forget to say that it is stereo, when they did not forget to mention it for the minijack and they also wrote "speaker" and not "speakers"? '

  Others mention that the terse email statement by Phil Schiller being quoted that goes against the Apple specs info (which should at least be corrected if his emailed "It is stereo" refers to the question of whether the speakerS -- only one grille is identified as a speaker in the diagram -- are stereo or whether the 'it' (the unit) actually refers to the unit having a stereo headphone minijack).  The double-grille configuration is similar to a 'pair' used in an iPhone but one of those in the latter doesn't hold a speaker inside.  Mainly, Apple needs to be clear and not blame it on readers of their specs page.

  Phil Schiller is SVP of WorldWide Marketing (Sales), so he can see that the technical info is changed on the official specs page if his email response is correct, which would mean a brand new iPad feature not seen in the other iPad models and strangely not mentioned in all the announcements.  I emailed him also, and he may be inundated at this point.

Update Nov. 2 - After I also tweeted to ask if Apple would be correcting their iPad mini specs page (instead of having their fans accuse others of 'lying' when merely quoting the specs Apple posted) -- to match Phil Schiller's "It's in stereo" email-reply that seemed to reply re speakers, "It's in" rather than the headphones minijack -- Apple finally updated their iPad-Mini specs page to show "Built-in speakers" instead of "Built-in speaker"... without comment.



Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button
Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
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Kindle Fire 2 (non-HD) Update v10.2.1 is also here. How to opt in or out of Personalized Recommedations. FreeTime parental control feature. Kindle for Windows, Kindle for Android update.

SOFTWARE UPDATE v10.2.1 is here for the KINDLE FIRE 2 (the NON-HD one, for $159), and it automatically downloads and installs for most Kindle Fire 2 customers

The changes are the same as the Kindle Fire HD upgrade the other day, though it wasn't announced at the same time.
  As mentioned earlier, those who don't want to wait can *start* the update from the Kindle Fire 2 (see the Kindle Fire2 update page for the various ways to get the update.

Version 10.2.1 includes the same (1) Kindle FreeTime feature; (2) a requested setting to opt in or out of personalized recommendations below the carousel on the Home page; and (3) the ability to set the default device language to one of six languages.

Here's the Amazon explanation as it appears at the update page:

' The software update will include:

• Kindle FreeTime, a tablet experience just for kids allowing parents to set daily screen time limits, and give access to appropriate content for each child.
• A setting so customers can control whether or not personalized recommendations appear below the carousel on the device homepage.
• Ability for customers to set the default device language to one of six languages, including English (US), English (UK), German, French, Italian, and Spanish. '

Thanks to FJ for the alert on this yesterday.


To OPT OUT OF PERSONALIZED RECOMMENDATIONS

Do the following on the Kindle Fire HD or Kindle Fire 2:

• Go to the 'Home' screen.
• Swipe down (lightly pressing and pulling down) from the top of the screen.
• That gets you the Quick Settings Menu.
• Click on "More" at the top right.
• Go down the Settings list to "Applications" and lightly tap that.
• Go down that list and select "Amazon Home Recommendations" to choose either to "Show or "Hide" the Recommendations under the Carousel when the Kindle Fire is held in Portrait mode.  You can later re-set it to 'Show' if you decide you'd like to see recommendations briefly (usually based on the book in the middle of the carousel items showing).
  
• When finished, press the back button on the right edge, center.

KINDLE for WINDOWS 8 and UPDATE for KINDLE for ANDROID Catching up here, as these are now two days "old" in a fast world, and so I've used a red font for them.   You can read about each of these and download them and check others you may be needing at the Free Reading Apps page.

EARLIER posts on Kindle Fire HD

• Comparison reviews of the Kindle Fire HD 7" and Google Nexus 7" tablets
  
• Basic Features Comparison Table for iPad mini, Google Nexus 7", Kindle Fire HD 7"
  
• Step-by-step guide for installing a working Adobe Flash player when needed.
  
• KFHD Tips - Flash video, Using the camera and Video, Panorama mode, App for WiFi file transfers w/o cable.

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books   Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.   Liked-books under $1 UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones     Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.   *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Kindle Fire HD 7" Update v7.2.1 READY. FreeTime. Opt in/out of personalized recommendations. Set default device language.

KINDLE FIRE UPDATE v7.2.1 is here, and it automatically downloads and installs for most Kindle Fire customers

For those who don't want to wait, you can *start* the update from your Kindle Fire HD (see below for how to do that).
  For those who prefer to do it manually via USB, the update file has been placed on the Amazon servers.

The update includes (1) the Kindle FreeTime feature; (2) a requested setting to opt in or out of personalized recommendations below the carousel on the Home page; and (3) the ability to set the default device language to one of six languages.

Here's the Amazon explanation as it appears at the update page:

' The software update will include:

• Kindle FreeTime, a tablet experience just for kids allowing parents to set daily screen time limits, and give access to appropriate content for each child.
• A setting so customers can control whether or not personalized recommendations appear below the carousel on the device homepage.
• Ability for customers to set the default device language to one of six languages, including English (US), English (UK), German, French, Italian, and Spanish.

Download Version 7.2.1

This update automatically downloads and installs for most Kindle Fire customers; however, you can initiate the software update from your Kindle or manually download the software update via USB.

Before you begin, confirm your current software version:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap More.
2. Tap Device, and then tap About.

If you see a System Version other than "Current Version: 7.2.1," follow one of the steps below to download the latest version:

To start the automatic download of a Kindle software update:

1. Connect to a Wi-Fi network and fully charge your battery.
2. From the top of your device, swipe down, then tap Sync.
3. The software update automatically downloads in the background and installs after the download is complete and the device is asleep. '

The instructions for manually downloading the update via USB are at that software update page but, as mentioned, most will find it more convenient to have it arrive via the automated download.
  NOTE that when it does, your Kindle Fire HD ("KFHD") will reboot and sometimes it does that twice, so don't be alarmed when it happens while it's idle and you're nearby.


EARLIER posts on Kindle Fire HD

• Comparison reviews of the Kindle Fire HD 7" and Google Nexus 7" tablets
  
• Basic Features Comparison Table for iPad mini, Google Nexus 7", Kindle Fire HD 7"
  
• Step-by-step guide for installing a working Adobe Flash player when needed.
  
• KFHD Tips - Flash video, Using the camera and Video, Panorama mode, App for WiFi file transfers w/o cable.

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books   Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.   Liked-books under $1 UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones     Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.   *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
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Basic Features and Comparison table: IPad mini, Google Nexus 7", Kindle Fire HD 7". Updated Nov. 2, 2012 and Mar. 13, 2013

Apple's iPad Mini reveals value of Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus

Updated March 23, 2013
SEE UPDATED CHART INSTEAD (this one now outdated).

Updated March 13, 2013 to use new pricing on Kindle Fire 8.9 in the U.S.

Photo credit: USA Today - Oct 23 post updated Nov. 2 to reflect the Apple change to their specs sheet to indicate more than one speaker even if on the same side.

While this is a Kindle-focused blog, and some in my mailbag want it to stay that way, it's about a Kindle world, and many have been wondering what Apple had up its sleeve with the smaller version of the iPad.

They started out by upsetting iPad 3 owners who just bought their new iPads only 7 months ago or less. That was called "The New iPad" and this would then be "The newer iPad"?  They did call it "4th Generation" though and it sounds good at the same price.
NOTE that after Amazon showed their chart of Kindle Fire HD vs Apple iPad 3, Apple has added dual-band WiFi and other features to their iPad4.

BUT back to the iPad mini, which some feared would "kill" the Kindle Fire.  It in fact boosted it "for the rest of us" (an old Apple marketing tool)

Tweeting the iPad mini part of the event (at @kindleworld) - Added bolding:
I tweeted while reading live blogs today and here are the brief notes I tweeted, in chron order, earliest first, with a couple of TYPOS corrected.

• iPad mini...7.2mm pencil-thick..68 lb, b/w models...1024x768 hmmm
• iPad mini...at 7.9" w/1024x768 ...they're going for low-ball pricing [no]...35% more display area than 7" Android...No onscreen controls, more space
• iPad mini...equal or better than iPad2..dual-core A5 processer, FaceTime HD camera, 5MB camera w/1080p record'g...LTE wireless, dualband WiFi
• iPad mini...10 hrs battery life...SmartCover has no metal hinge...headphones on top...Cvr in 5 colors...16GB $329 with WiFi
• iPad Mini...32GB $429, 64GB $519, $130 add'l each, for LTE cellular connectivity. WiFi ships Nov 2, Cellular 2 wks later. Lots of countries.
• iPad mini ... Almost 8-inches with only 1028x768 and w/16 GB at $329? This was expected though. Surprised at the resolution for that size.

A couple of Twitter conversations on this
David Pogue (@Pogue) tweeted
"Price for new iPad Mini: $330 (for 16gb model). Kindle Fire is allowed to live"

[to which I replied]
"...Not to mention Kindle Fire at 1280x800 vs 1024x768 on bigger 8" & w/ dual stereo spkrs + hdmi-out for $200. It'll thrive: my guess."

Larry Magid (@larrymagid) tweeted:
"I've never seen Apple make such a big deal about how better it is than competition. Makes me think they're really worried about Android"  [and he asked]
"Given a choice between 9.7 and 7.9 inch iPad I'd opt for the 7.9 inch mini. What about you?"

My reply (going a bit off the precise topic)
"...I'd actually go for full 10" for magazines/PDFs and a 7" for portability, easy carry use. The almost-8" size? Odd."

But the size is targeted at optimal display of tablet apps -- and Apple claims that lack of need for some onscreen controls gives users more display space.

Note that Apple said it was equal to or better than the iPad2 -- (and today they introduced the iPad 4, twice as fast, twice the features of the iPad 3, same price: $499 for 16GB).


QUICK table of differences in features for price, with Google Nexus and IPad mini

Kindle Fire HD 7" $199 7-inch display 1280 x 800 resolution 216 ppi 16GB storage 1GB RAM Dual stereo speakers   w/ Dolby Plus HDMI-Out to HDTV Front-facing camera, 1.2MP Dual core TI OMAP 4470 w/ Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core Dual band, 2 antenna WiFi Battery-life claim: 11 hrs Customized Android, does Amazon store w/setting that allows apps from other app stores 50,000 apps + access to getjar.com, 1mobile.com, etc for google-play apps $10 more for a charger if you need one  Older Kindle & smart phone chargers work $15 add'l: no lockscreen ad $249 for 32GB model ($269 for 16GB 8.9" 1920x1200 resolution, 254 ppi) ($299 for 32GB 8.9" 1920x1200 resolution, 254 ppi)

Google Nexus 7" $199 7-inch display 1280 x 800 resolution 216 ppi 8GB storage (soon 16GB) 1GB RAM One mono speaker * No HDMI-out to HDTV Front-facing camera < 1 MP Quad core Tegra 3 Basic WiFi Battery-life claim: 9-10 hrs Pure Android and can do direct Google Play store ~600,000 apps $249 for 32GB model soon

Apple iPad mini 7.9 inch/ $329 7.9-inch display 1024 x 768 resolution 163 ppi 16GB storage 512MB? Per A5 chip specs. TBC. Built-in speakers *   Nov. 2, Apple finally added an 's' to 'speaker' * No HDMI out to HDTV ** Front (HD) & Back (to 1080p) cameras Dual-core A5 Dual-Band WiFi Battery-life claim: 10 hrs iOS 6 275,000 heavily-curated tablet-optimized apps  (Can also run small iPhone apps - any w/ Retina resources can scale w/o pixelating. 450,000 add'l.) 23% & 53% lighter than iPad. Lighter than the other tablets. $429 for 32GB model

  * iPad mini: See Speaker discussion - to be changed when Apple changes its iPad mini specs page.
    Update - On Nov. 2, Apple finally updated their iPad-Mini specs page to show "Built-in speakers" instead of "Built-in speaker" -- something I requested they do since Specs pages are official reference pages.  The speaker grilles are about an inch or two apart, on one short side, and maybe that's why they don't mention 'stereo' after the correction.  The whole thing has been bizarre.  This would be the first iPad w/ two speakers but they can do nothing for movies or videos viewed the usual way, as they are close together on just one side.

    Google Nexus: See Nexus owner forum thread about the speaker.

** Those w/ Apple TV's can do AirPlay Mirroring to them.

Table updated Oct 31

For initial comparison article, I haven't included the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet HD,
which has higher display resolution - but it has no cameras, not even one for Skype (important for family & friends who like to communicate via video chat), and B&N will not allow owners to enable installation of apps from non-B&N sources.  I'll do an additional table later though, which will include them.



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,  Newest: $1-$2, $2-$3

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,   99c Converter

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
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Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Kindle News: Kindle Paperwhite video comparison with Nook Glowlight. Kindle Touch internat'l page info. Throw in the Vowel, on Paperwhite

GoodEReader's Michael Kozlowski has put together an effective video comparison showing, side by side, the differences in display and features of the Kindle Paperwhite and the Nook Glowlight.

FIRST, the Kindle Touch e-Ink eReader situation
[Corrected the confusing typos that had 'Nook' in place of 'Kindle'
  Just had Nook on the brain, obviously.]
The Kindle Touch situation has been of interest to many, as this model has/had the Text-to-Speech feature (as does the Kindle Keyboard  See Int'l).  The Kindle Touch disappeared from Kindle 'family' headers and comparison charts for the U.S. Kindle pages once the Paperwhite was announced September 6.

  The old pages for 3G and WiFi-Only models say "Currently Unavailable" -- normal wording but it's in contrast to the Kindle DX page, which shows only Used models and Trade-In values.  NO pretense of possible later availability for the big Kindle DX.

  UK
  For awhile, the Kindle Touch WiFi was showing as available on UK product pages until it was announced that the UK is getting the Paperwhite November 22, 2012.
  Then, that Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi, UK model became "currently unavailable," with a note that Amazon UK doesn't know when or if it will be back in stock.

  International model of the Kindle Touch
  At the same time, there is an "International" model product page which has a "sign up" box for availability notices, which is quite out of the ordinary.
  The Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi version shows "currently unavailable" in the way these things are usually done.
  However, the Kindle Touch WiFi-Only int'l model shows something out of the ordinary.
  In both the main content and buy-box areas, it has this, in Red:
    "Sign up to be notified when this item becomes available."

  It could be that Amazon is leaving its options open on the International model of the Kindle Touch WiFi. "International" models are sold from Amazon U.S.




BACK to the Kindle Paperwhite model

  The GoodEReader video by Michael Kozlowski covers more than the usual comparisons I've seen, so rather than discuss that more, I recommend a visit there.


An excellent, thorough video of the Kindle Paperwhite plus written review
This thorough video, by MobileTechReview's Lisa Gade, covers almost every feature.  Here's the accompanying written article.

  The video is very clear, and the only problem for some could be that she speaks so fast that some of the words are totally lost, with no gaps between sounds at times.  Otherwise, it's visually the best Paperwhite DEMO I've seen, as she explains most of the features in detail.
  Toward the end of the video, she shows the Nook Glowlight side by side with the Kindle Paperwhite and then the Paperwhite in daylight alongside the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD, a novel comparison that should be useful to those trying to decide between the two.

An excerpt from her Conclusion:

' If you're happy with Amazon's huge selection of well-priced books or you use Calibre to convert ePub eBooks to Mobi format for use on the Kindle, then this is the best eReader on the market.   I personally find that 1.25 gigs of storage is more than adequate to carry a vast library of books with me, so I don't miss the card slot. I prefer the thin and modern Paperwhite design to the bulky Kindle Touch and Nook GlowLight design. But those of you with large hands and a hankering for hardware page turn buttons will disagree. The display and frontlighting are the best on the market, and that's arguably the most important feature on a single purpose digital book reader. '

Another review from NewsObserver's Paul Gilster agrees, calling the Paperwhite "the best ebook reader I've yet encountered."


Throw in the Vowel

Throw in the Vowel is a popular word game for all e-Ink Kindles except the Kindle 1 (the latter has no direct access to the screen), and I'm mentioning it again, as it's newly available for the Kindle Paperwhite too.

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button

Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!