As it faces off against the iPad and Barnes & Noble’s Nook, the new Kindle Fire is a tough competitor in this holiday season’s tablet wars. After a week with the Kindle Fire, I’m very satisfied with my purchase.
I wasn’t very interested in the first iPad when it came out, particularly since it lacked a camera and microphone. I was busy editing videos, Skyping with friends on the other side of the country, managing my blog and playing with new photo apps on my phone. Why would I want a $500 device that was purely for media consumption, not creation? Nearly two years later, I now long for such a device.
I want to be able to check my email, participate in a tweetchat or flip through photos on Facebook, but I also want to be able to enjoy long-form content, whether it’s a movie, a magazine cover story or a novel, without distractions. That’s where the $199 Fire comes in. For me, the Fire represents a break from incessant pings and notifications. I love my constantly connected life, but I also love taking the occasional break to focus.
Although I’m happy with my newfound distraction-free device, it, like all tablets, has its advantages and drawbacks. Let’s take a look.
Read the rest of this post on the Banyan Branch Social Blog.
