Do you have experience using the Kindle Fire HD?

Or should I get this tablet? There are so many choices, and I’m so confused.

If it’s mostly for reading books, check out the Kindle Paperwhite. I love mine.

@Pachyderm_In_The_Room I don’t dislike my original Kindle, but using the elephantine toggle switch at the bottom of the thing is clumsy.

I tried out the Fire for a few days when it first came out but found it too slow and heavy. The latest gen is significantly faster and lighter, but I fell in love with the small, very thin Nexus 7 and am currently the proud owner of my second one, the latest gen, which is even thinner and lighter.

I would buy a Nook before a Kindle. Android app store versus amazon being the major reason, along with better support for external book sources.
My son just got a 7 inch tablet. It’s a $70 Walmart model. We’re testing it out today. Full review later if you like.

As long as you’re spending the money for a 7 inch tablet, don’t rush into a purchase before doing some reading up on comparison of specs.

Here’s one article for starters and I would suggest that you also consider the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7 inch).

I did a lot if research on the three and decided upon the Samsung and have been very happy with it. But obviously others have been happy with other choices. Overall tho. I think the Google Nexus beats out the Kindle on many levels. That’s just my personal opinion.
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http://mobile.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/tablets/3464144/kindle-fire-hd-vs-new-nexus-7-2-comparison/

I am with @Seek_Kolinahr here; Nook before Kindle because of the market. An android tablet that cannot access the Google Play market is like a car without wheels.

However, if I had a few extra bucks, I would just go full-on Samsung.

@jerv

Ditto on the Samsung.

I have never regretted my decision to get mine for even a nanosecond. There really isn’t that much it can’t do.

My mum has a Kindle Fire and was slow to warm up to it for the reasons @Pachyderm_In_The_Room mentioned: it’s quite heavy in the hands and thicker than I had imagined it would be, which makes holding it a bit cumbersome.

I use a regular kindle for reading purposes, but if I wanted a multi-purpose tablet, I would invest in a Nexus. They look sleek, come equipped with jellybean, and have access to the full Android market whereas a Nook has limited access unless you break into it.

However, I would give a tablet a test-drive at a Best Buy or Frys first. It’s quite different reading on a tablet than on an e-reader.

I am interested to know what someone thinks of the tablet I linked in the very first post above. It’s the post just below the title question and details.

Here it is again, if you’re interested.

Before I give you my take, remember that I am a bit hard on my toys, and a bit more demanding than most users.

The display is adequate, but the resolution is a bit low for my tastes. And, from the reviews I read, it seems the battery life is rather mediocre as well. While the CPU is competent, I would bog it to a standstill in a heartbeat.

All that said, there are some sacrifices to be made when you are on a budget. When you consider the price, I think that what it loses is acceptable for the average user. I mean, how many other people here fire up Ubuntu on their phone/tablet to SSH their way into their home LAN?

Thank you, @jerv. I have been reading a lot about the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 and 3 this morning. They don’t cost much more, and it seems like a natural fit for me since I have a Samsung smartphone.

If you already have Samsung, best to stick with it. Each manufacturer has slightly different things about their products, and having a tablet that is almost just like your phone will simplify your life a bit. I violated this rule myself as my tablet runs CyanogenMod7 (a version of Android Gingerbread) while my phone runs Motorola’s custom blend of Android Jelly Bean, and even I get confused sometimes by forgetting the subtle differences.

I love my big Kindle HD. Easy to use. I like the carousel. I like the color. I like being able to browse facebook and my gmail account easily. I like using if for reading books and magazines and newspapers. I do not care for the Silk OS for web browsing but I will live with it.