I just got my new Kindle Fire and I’m loving it. Yes I’ll admit I’m a bit of a Kindle fanboy but I’m also realistic as far as what to expect from this device. It isn’t an iPad killer and wasn’t really meant to be. This is also a first generation device so of course there will be some kinks to workout.

First off I should say I also own a Kindle 2 (3G), and two Kindle 3 keyboard models (one with 3G and one Wifi version). I gave my old Kindle 2 to my brother who still uses it and the Kindle Wifi version is for my wife. The Kindle 3 keyboard model with 3G is my main reading device and I have a library of about 50 books so far. You might say the Kindle has rekindled my love of books. I have an Amazon prime account and all the benefits that come with it including free shipping, Prime videos, cloud music storage etc. You don’t need a Prime account to enjoy the Kindle Fire but it really adds a lot to the experience. Being able to access videos and music from the Amazon cloud is really nice. I’m entrenched in the Amazon ecosphere and they haven’t let me down yet.

After 3 days of use here are 11 things I like about the Kindle Fire:

1. Easy setup. When you get it and turn it on, it’s already preregistered with all your Amazon account info. Wireless setup was a snap too.
2. It shows all the books you have and gives you easy access to your cloud music library, Amazon Prime videos, and Apps.
3. The screen is beautiful and the background wallpapers for sleep mode are very cool.
4. The home screen has a nice top menu with easy access to everything.
5. ComiXology app + Kindle Fire = Nerd Heaven. The guided Comix navigation is a really nice feature when the full size page is hard to read. Full color comics are a joy to read on this!
6. Playing games like Angry Birds and BeJeweled 2 is really fun on the Fire.
7. Web browsing was very good and the pages loaded fast for me. Being able to rotate to landscape mode was nice too.
8. Even though I think the days are numbered for Flash on the web, the Kindle Fire supports flash.
9. The size is perfect for holding with one hand.
10. The Price. Back in 1989 I paid $2500 for a PC with less power and features. At $200 the Kindle Fire is a steal.

The 10 things I don’t like:

1. No home button. I know why the trend for tablet devices is to get rid of buttons but not having at least a home button is annoying. To get home you have to tap the screen and then tap the home icon.
2. The touch screen is very finicky. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 taps or pushes to get it to respond. Even when you see the on-screen button activate it still doesn’t respond sometimes. Hopefully the sensitivity can be fixed with a software update. I’ve used the iPad 2 and the touch screen is a joy to behold. There is no jitter when swiping and every touch is registered with ease.
3. No volume control button or wheel. You start playing a video or music it would be nice to turn the volume up or down with a button or wheel. Instead you have to access the system volume control or the volume control for the video or music app.
4. The home screen looks cluttered with a carousel of last accessed items. It would be nice to be able to customize it more or have CUSTOM FOLDERS! I’ve complained about folders since the Kindle 2.
5. The power button should be a slider like the other Kindle readers. The Kindle Fire power button is a small push button that is too easy to accidentally hit which puts the Kindle to sleep mode. I’ve accidentally done this a few times now.
6. The screen is too reflective. I don’t know what the fascination is with all the PC, Phone and Tablet manufacturers making shiny glossy fingerprint magnet devices. Yes they look pretty in ads but in use, glossy is just a headache.
7. Accessing the dictionary, notes and highlight tool with the Kindle Fire is cumbersome. You have to hold your finger on the word and a tiny magnifier displays before you can access the definition. Depending on your text size settings this can be a frustrating experience. It is so much easier with the Kindle Keyboard models where you use the 5 way button to navigate to the word.
8. The Kindle Fire screen seems narrower than the Kindle Keyboard model. It’s not a huge deal but I prefer the Kindle Keyboard model for reading.
9. Its heavy compared to the Kindle Keyboard. As far as most tablets go, it’s probably ok but I’d like it better if it were lighter.
10. Battery life is around 8 hours. Not bad for a tablet but not really great either. The battery life on my Kindle Keyboard is about 3 weeks to a month and I read a lot.

My final impressions are that this is a great device. Amazon didn’t hit it out of the park but they have done a good job at adding features that you can’t get with the other Kindle models. Having the ability to add apps gives it a good long future. The price makes it more accessible to people that can’t afford a $500-$800 iPad 2 or even a $300-$500 Android tablet. Considering I bought the Kindle 2 for $349, I’d say the Fire is an awesome deal. That’s the price of being an early adopter nerd like me.

The main reasons I got the Kindle Fire was for color magazines, comics and books. The cloud videos, music and apps were just icing on the cake. I definitely think I got what I paid for.

If you are considering a Kindle for Christmas and don’t want to plunk down $200 on the fire, I recommend getting one of the Kindle Keyboard models. Stay away from the Kindle Touch models. According to my favorite Windows blogger Paul Thurrott the new Kindle Touch models are atrociuous and do not work correctly. Coming from another Kindle devoteee that is saying a lot.

Go Huskers!

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