Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet challenges Apple iPad
See comments for Cautions & Reviews
Amazon Kindle, including the high-end Kindle Fire, is quickly becoming the second-fastest selling tablet in the market. Sales are projected to reach 3.9 million units in 4Q’11, giving it a 13.8% global market share, which is second only to Apple’s 65.6% share, according to IHS Research. In total, 64.7 million tablets are expected to ship in 2011, up 273% from last year and on tract to reach 287.2 million units 2015.
The Kindle Fire is less than half the price of the iPad2, which starts at $499. It does less, but if all you want it for is entertainment (books, music & movies), shopping, and online web browsing, then the $199 price sounds pretty good. Kindle Fire is sold at a loss (less than the $201.70 manufacturing cost) in hopes of making profit from content and online shopping. The purchase price even includes a one year subscription to Amazon Prime, a $79/year service offering free 2-day shipping with any Amazon purchase.
| Amazon Kindle Fire | Apple iPad 2 | B&N Nook | |
| Price | $199 | $499-829 | $249 |
| Content Source | Amazon | iTunes | Barnes and Noble |
| App Store | Amazon App Store & Android Apps | iOS App Store | Nook Apps |
| Apps Available | 15,000+ | 90,000+ for iPad | 700+ |
| Screen Size (inches) | 7 | 9.7 | 7 |
| Screen Resolution | 1,024×600 | 1,024×768 | 1,024×600 |
| Screen Pixels Per Inch | 169 | 132 | 169 |
| Size (inches) | 7.5 x 4.7 x .45 | 9.5 x 7.31 x .34 | 8.1 x 5.0 x .48 |
| Weight | 14.6 ounces | 21.28 ounces | 14.1 ounces |
| OS | Custom Android | iOS | Android 2.2 |
| Capacity | 8GB | 16-64GB | 16GB |
| Expandable Storage | No | No | Yes (up to 32GB micro SD cards) |
| 3G | No | Optional | No |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 b/g/n |
| Processor | Dual-core TI OMAP 4 | Dual-core A5 | Dual-core TI OMAP4 |
| Camera | No | Front and Rear | No |
| GPS | No | On 3G Models | No |
| Browser | Amazon Silk | Mobile Safari | Customized Android |
| Battery Life | 8 hours | 7.5 hours | 9 hours |
| Source: http://digitaldesi.com/ (This site has lots of video comparisons too.) | |||
CAUTIONS & REVIEWS:
Users’ 9 Biggest Problems With The Kindle Fire (So Far): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/12/kindle-fire-problems-issues-complaints_n_1144227.html
Kindle Fire feels the heat: http://usat.ly/uDIbJ4
Kindle Fire’s lack of parental controls raises concerns: http://gigaom.com/2011/12/09/kindle-fire-parental-controls/