Loving Kindle Fire . . .

[angry_geek]

now that I've rooted it.

Out of the box, I can see it as a cheap tablet for those wanting basic use. The one caveat, you really need to be a prime member to make it worth while. For those with a smart phone, and just wanting a fancy reader, it's just not worth it. Stick with a traditional Kindle.

With the device rooted, it becomes a viable alternative to an iPad or more expensive Android tablet. Once play market is loaded, you have a complete Android experience. I haven't experimented with ICS yet. I loaded up the modaco ROM, which is basically the stock Kindle with go launcher and google framework. This allows me to still access Amazon video on demand and other Fire apps, but I still have the ability to run my regular Android apps.

Overall, I'm enjoying this device. I wouldn't pay the $200 stock price, or even the $169 refurb price, but at $139 the other day, I feel ok. For those wanting a tablet like experience, but a smaller reader format, I would suggest going with one of the 8" devices out there from Acer, etc. They're pretty inexpensive now. If all a person wants is a reader, then the plain old Kindle is king. Even if you can root it and tweak it, the Fire has some drawbacks. No GPS, Bluetooth, camera, sd slot, or USB. There are a lot of tablets coming to market with more features at $300 or less. You can even get the new Transformer T300 (I think that's the model) for $350 or so. Full 10" and an optional keyboard dock just like the Prime.

I think this year will be a tablet revolution. With the new iPad, Windows 8 machines, the Raspberry Pi, new galaxy tab, and many others, this year may be the big opening in the shift toward mobile/cloud based computing. We've all known it was coming for some time. This year and next may be pretty exciting.

[YeOldeStonecat]

It's a good quality little tablet for the price....way better than other sub 200 dollar tablets I've seen. Smooth screen response, pretty quick Got our 9yo daughter one for XMas...has worked well for her.

Personally I'm not craving a tablet myself...need Windows and a full keyboard.

[angry_geek]

It's really not bad. I don't intend to use it for work, just as cool toy and reader.

[anonymous Mac Tech]

My folks were looking for a tablet for Christmas just last year. Automatically they were thinking iPad and figured I would agree. However, I threw a curve at them and said as a starter a Kindle Fire would do everything they needed and more. I figured maybe I would need to find a way to get one for myself to familiarize myself with it for the inevitable long distance trouble shooting I would have to walk them through over the phone (they live about 40 minutes away), but there have been very few instances (at least any instances were not serious and they were willing to wait to see me). I've pretty much had to set up and show them how to use their email, show Mom how to search for and download books, and had to optimize Silk (The Fire's browser) to run faster (by default it runs like a dog, but checking a few settings speed it up significantly). Already my Moms read several books on the Fire. I even seen a thing I never thought I'd see. At Easter at my folks house I seen my Mother and equally technologically challenged Aunt playing Farkle together on the Fire (a dice game thats a favorite of my folks). The amazing part is my Mother downloaded the app (and many others) and figured it out without any input from me. I've been amazed at the ability these tablets have had in enabling traditionally technologically challenged people to do things they've never yet been able to figure out after years of owning a PC. I don't think they even touch the PC unless there is something they can't do on the Fire (which there has only been a thing or two).

[Appleby]

My wife and I were given the Fire for Christmas and we love it. For me, I can't use a tablet or a phone as a my main "computer". Maybe I'm a power user or maybe I'm just getting old, but they are a fun "toy" but I type waaaaaaaay too much to use a tablet for more than surfing Facebook, playing a few games and reading books. On the subject of tying, that is where the Fire is greatly subpar compared to the iPad. I just don't feel that the on screen keyboard on the Fire is near as good as the iPad.

However, while I can't quite justify $199 for a toy, it was a gift, we love it and for the price, there is 0 chance I could currently justify the $499 entry price point of the iPad.