The new Kindles are impressive, well priced and in some ways better than the Nexus 7 (HDMI output springs to mind). The 7" version is awfully big for a 7" tablet though. Is that the world's largest bezel I see? The larger tablet isn't available in the UK market at the moment - I suspect because the UK's 4G network isn't supported yet.

Will I buy one? I don't know. At £159 for the 16GB 7" HD, it wouldn't exactly break the bank.

Edit: Just looked at the Amazon UK site. Other improvements over the Nexus 7 include the speakers (might be ok to watch a movie on the device without headphones), the screen may be better (anti glare) and it has been designed to hold onto a weak WiFi signal.

these are multimedia consumption devices. They are well designed for great sound and great graphics. That's what they're meant for, so you can buy more multimedia and books on Amazon. And for that, they're great.

I'm thrilled with these offerings. I won't be buying them, but I do love the choices they give us and I think they raise the bar for the iPad which I'm glad to see. Amazon is the only consumer company that the regular person sees as a viable option to Apple.

Very Interesting - a great choice for Consumers
 

For me - I can't see much over my Nexus 7.

For non-techie, users who just want ease of use and don't want to pay the Apple Premium - these are very convincing media devices.

The HD version is OK - but big bezel. Good speakers, though most people will be using headphones in public places (hopefully) where many of these devices will be used.

However, the basic model, as a plaything for the Kids, with Parental Controls, it blows the iPod Touch out of the water. I'm sure even the mini Ipad won't be close on price.

Ok, I'm thinking of getting one of these. I'm an Amazon gal - Prime for streaming, shipping & I have a 2nd gen Kindle. Not an Apple fan, especially of their pricing.

I like the idea of something like the new Fire HDs for when I'm traveling (or at home as well) & don't necessarily need access to everything on my laptop, and don't want the weight of the laptop. For example, I'm currently at a trade show in AMS & carrying around one of these on the show floor or through airports would be easier on my shoulders than taking my laptop (of which I also need a new one). Same w/ exec lounge.

But which of the 8.9s to get? I was thinking the one that's wifi only, as my travel is not as much as it used to be in the past & just accessing free wifi or wifi in the hotel room w/ code or airport or my home Uverse wifi would be fine. But if you all think the reasons for going w/ the 4G are there, I'm willing to consider that as well.

Note, when I buy something I have a tendency to keep it forever vs. buying the latest new thing every 6 months like some of you. So if it makes sense to get 4G straight out vs discovering a few months down the line that I wish I had it, I'd do that. I'm also thinking the 32GB model is probably all I'd need vs. 64 based on my usage, but again dependent upon what you all say.

Here's what I think I'd use it for: checking email, surfing the net (aka, FT, CNN, TMZ, etc, etc), watching Prime films/tv shows, Skype. Would also like to be able to do word docs & some other office type things (powerpoint, excel - is that possible?).

I'm not a huge fan of touchscreen, although presumably the keys would be easier than iphone keys. I have seen some iPad folk that somehow have attached an external keyboard (I type really fast), but Amazon's site just shows a power charger & stand/leather case.

I was chatting w/ some clients at the show today & they said I should wait for the Microsoft Surface which is set to come out later this year. They also said w/ the Surface I could get a docking station for home office, and not need to buy a laptop as the Surface would become my laptop (they're obviously Windows-oriented).

Does it make sense for any of these tablet devices to fully replace laptops, or are they capable of doing so - programs, apps, connectivity to printers, etc?

As long as we're talking electronics, I do need to replace my laptop (HP running Vista) unless somehow the tablets are the 2nd coming & I won't need one anymore. I use my laptop as my primary computer in home office/on the road. Does it make sense to get a W7 one or wait until W8?

I've got a Nokia E71. I like the keyboard, but have screen envy of the iPhone. The E71 works fine, but it seems the iPhone is easier to use (note, I hate the touchscreen keys of the iPhone even in landscape/sideways mode, as it takes 7 tries to type a single sentence - and I have slender fingers). And it seems like FTers seem to do things faster/have more apps, etc, on the iPhone. I know the Nokia 920 is coming out in a few months. Also, someone suggested I get a Samsung that has a keyboard that slides out.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers.

I wanted to be impressed by the new offerings, but Amazon still seems to be married to the carousel method of organization, which I think is terrible.

I think their pricing is good, especially for those people who think iPads are over priced.

If I desperately need to access the internet with my tablet outside the confines of wifi, I will spend the 30 seconds to start up my portable wifi hotspot on my smartphone. Naturally, it all depends if you have such functionality on your phone (and whether it's free or a monthly cost through your cell phone provider).

If you plan using your Fire HD as an offline media player (lots of movies and music)--i.e., as your own personal IFE on the plane--then go for the 64GB. Otherwise, 32GB should suffice.

The 250MB/mo only references AT&T, a U.S. carrier. The U.S. is one of the few places in the world where I would never really need the data through the Kindle itself...I'd just turn my existing no-data-limit phone into a hotspot.

This would be more interesting if the 250MB was across a wider variety of carriers, even in countries with slower data speeds. I'd use it for emails and such.

As it is, the devices are cool but I'd be more inclined to buy the 7" version with only Wifi. I like the Amazon ecosystem...just kind of underwhelmed by the devices and the fact that they were announced when we can't even buy them. (This is one thing Apple usually gets right...when they announce a device, you're pretty close to actually being able to buy it.)

It's got Bluetooth, so any external bluetooth one would work; although technically that should not be used on an airplane.

Meh, the OS is terrible. What you might consider instead is one of the Asus Transformer series -- essentially converts between tablet and ultrabook/netbook form factor with a genuinely compact and sturdy keyboard dock. My boss loves his, as do several FTers who've posted in other threads.

At that point you're talking the full-power Intel-based tablet, not the Windows RT (ARM-based) one. Which is going to be chunky, and still very slow compared to a real Windows laptop.

Only the full Windows 8 tablets with the Intel processors (there are also a tiny handful of similar Windows 7-based ones now, either in the slate form factor or in the old convertible form factor. I rather like the Dell XT3, although from the market failure, it seems like nobody else did. I wouldn't have, had I gotten it full-price, rather than refurb with a 20% off coupon.)

Windows 8 is one of MS's smoother initial releases, but I'm still not sure it's really ready for prime time. I expect it will have the rough edges sanded off by the time SP1 comes out, but UNLESS you are dead set on getting a tablet+dock (or a convertible like the XT3) I would not worry about it if you have to replace your laptop today.

I've got a rather dated Samsung with sliding keyboard (Sprint "Epic 4G" which is a version of the first-generation Galaxy S) -- I'm still pretty happy with it, although I am an atypical smartphone user (a lot more emails written, a lot of SSH, a lot less browsing.) The keyboard is the best I've ever had in a smart phone -- full 5 rows, and the only key I miss which I've had on an earlier smartphone is "tab" which doesn't make sense with Android.

HTC has also had a few models with a slide-out keyboard, although all the ones I've seen have been 4-row.

Apple hasn't always been that way; they've gotten much better about it, in part because of some of the backlash to delays in the past.

Hi Sharon!

I was going to suggest the 7" WiFi model, as the 16GB and $199 makes it a why-not-spend-the-money-instead-of-going-out-to-dinner-a-couple-of-times-no-brainer, but I see that you need 32GB and want the 8.9" model. This means you have a choice of the 32GB WiFi model for $369 or the 32GB 4G model for $499. Between those two at that price, it might be worth it to get the 4G model and see how much you use it for the first year at the $49/yr basic plan level.

I don't think you're going to like any tablet for content creation.

Since you're not a device-of-the-month gal, I recommend waiting two months to see what everyone says about W8. I'm sure at that point your choice will be obvious - plus W7 stuff will be dirt cheap. :)

What carrier do you have and do you want to stick with them? Basically, I'd recommend looking at an Android phone with a sliding keyboard.

BTW, if you get a great Android phone with a good browser and 4G, you may find yourself reconsidering your need for the 4G Kindle. Get a phone with a nice big screen that fits in your hand and get the WiFi Kindle.

-mark

I'd be almost willing to put money down the MS Surface will not be priced anywhere close to the Kindle HD.

Bit of a threadjack, but IS there a really good Android phone WITH a keyboard? They're getting kind of thin on the ground; I'm presently with Sprint, and the only one with a keyboard that they have which isn't a downgrade on my current Epic is the Motorola Photon Q.

Especially not the version of the Surface that also runs regular Windows apps.

Quick note. Have a few more questions, but have to get to meeting.

I noticed on the Amazon site that for the 4G model, it said this. "If you need more data, 3GB and 5GB monthly plans are also available". Not sure what cost is.

The 4G model ships Nov 20th. The 7 inch model ships September 24th.

Cheers.

Surface Pro tablets are likely to be priced like Ultrabooks.

As for the 4g Kindle HDs, are they going to be unlocked for overseas use? If you're limited to AT&T in the US and Wifi, that's quite a premium over the Wifi-only SKU.

As for printer support and availability of keyboards, iPad is going to have the most options, since all the third party companies will go where the biggest installed base is.

Hmm there are hands on accounts of these things stuttering badly.

Anyone considering these should try them out first. Appears Best Buy will be carrying them.

Other news, the $49 plan is only for the first year. After that, $15 a month. So they basically hid a chunk of the price upfront.