iPad mini vs Kindle Fire

Am having either of these for Mother's day. Head says that the Fire is less expensive and that I will mainly be using it as an e-reader. Heart says that we already have an Ipad 2 and an iPhone 5 so the devices will all work together.

Thoughts?
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Comments

  • neo_walesneo_wales Posts: 13,625
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    Go for the Kindle and try and snap out of the Apple stuff, you'll feel better for it.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 301
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    I don't feel 'bad' beacuse of the Apple stuff, so how would I feel 'better'.

    Maybe I should not have come on here looking for a sensible answer to a question!
  • neo_walesneo_wales Posts: 13,625
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    You asked for 'thoughts' and as you are full of Apple kit try something new, make a nice change.
  • psionicpsionic Posts: 20,188
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    Am having either of these for Mother's day. Head says that the Fire is less expensive and that I will mainly be using it as an e-reader. Heart says that we already have an Ipad 2 and an iPhone 5 so the devices will all work together.

    Thoughts?

    As you already have an iPad and iphone, the obvious advantage is your current apps will also work on the Mini and also when you install it it can restore everything (apps, settings, media etc.) as you are already accustomed to. Also as you're currently using iTunes any Apple media purchases will easily transfer across. You'll have much more hassle transferring your existing media on to the Fire - but is doable.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    It depends what you are looking for. The kindle fire is quite limited compared to other tablets but for some it's perfect. Personally I'd go for the mini. I have one myself, though I'd even pick an android tablet over the kindle fire. I suppose if you want to read books then the fire may be better, although again I prefer to read on my e-ink kindle to a tablet.
  • paulj48paulj48 Posts: 1,122
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    I will mainly be using it as an e-reader.

    Just buy a Kindle paperwhite (or any other e-ink device) you allready have access to an Ipad 2 and Iphone.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    The Fire HD has a very decent display.
    The Mini's is quite rubbish in so many ways, especially so reflecting light.

    The Nexus 7 has low reflectivity too.
    For reading the Fire probably wins it just ahead of the 7.

    What still puzzles me is how the Samsung tablets now compare.
    Their 10" Samsung beat the iPad 2 for screen quality so one would expect it to be pretty damn hot overall too, despite Samsung choosing heavy colour saturation.
    It really does puzzle me why Samsung's 7 never made it into a displaymate shootout.
  • kidspudkidspud Posts: 18,341
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    I have an iPad mini and would highly recommend it. The kindle fire just seems like a restricted android tablet.

    If it is just for e books the a normal kindle would be very good because of the battery life and e ink.
  • NaturalDancerNaturalDancer Posts: 5,128
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    Lucky you :) I got flowers in the post from my son and will be getting £20 off my daughter. Don't get me wrong I'm quite happy with both of these, as neither of them have much money to spare and my son doesn't even usually remember to send a card so delighted with the flowers :D But as you can have either and someone else is paying it doesn't matter which is cheaper.
    Just a thought, all tablets have glass screens which are not so good for reading so the original Kindle (don't know about Paperwhite) is much better for just reading books, especially in the sun - not that we get much of that here but if you go on holiday the Kindle would definitely be better.
  • BazaramaBazarama Posts: 169
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    Ive got a mini and I love it! Ive played with my friends Fire and I thought it was a bit 'clunky'!
  • Pea1Pea1 Posts: 383
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    I have a Kindle Fire and find it too restrictive having just been on holiday with a friend who has an ipad. Having said that I already have a Kindle for reading purposes only which is great but I think I made a mistake in buying a Kindle Fire and should have bought a different tablet (probably a Nexus 7) which has more accessible i.e. not limited to Amazon.
  • annette kurtenannette kurten Posts: 39,543
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    what aspect of the kindle fire is restrictive?
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    You have to consider the long term implications in choosing any tablet.

    The Mini has no GPS plus the bluetooth and USB and other connections are proprietary.
    That means it has no standard BT GPS, no standard HDMI and no copy and paste for your music, instead forcing you onto iTunes.

    That matters little if you simply consider it a simple fairly cheap device for games and a bit of the web. But expand and you will add cost after cost. The idea being to sell you an iPhone, an Apple TV, a special chipped Apple video connection cable etc etc etc

    Just remember that it far more PS3/Xbox than a PC as is the Fire. Android is very much a PC type system in that the user is not restricted to Google play for install everything.

    You can install a full and new Android computer system on the Kindle but it is still easier buying Android in the first place.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    You have to consider the long term implications in choosing any tablet.

    The Mini has no GPS plus the bluetooth and USB and other connections are proprietary.
    That means it has no standard BT GPS, no standard HDMI and no copy and paste for your music, instead forcing you onto iTunes.

    That matters little if you simply consider it a simple fairly cheap device for games and a bit of the web. But expand and you will add cost after cost. The idea being to sell you an iPhone, an Apple TV, a special chipped Apple video connection cable etc etc etc

    Just remember that it far more PS3/Xbox than a PC as is the Fire. Android is very much a PC type system in that the user is not restricted to Google play for install everything.

    You can install a full and new Android computer system on the Kindle but it is still easier buying Android in the first place.

    The cellular version of the mini has GPS.
  • NaturalDancerNaturalDancer Posts: 5,128
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    What did you go for then fluffymingo?
    I actually got £30 off DD instead of the £20 she said :D and some Lindor choccies, yum ;)
  • zapodzapod Posts: 661
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    You have to consider the long term implications in choosing any tablet.

    Absolutely right. My iPad 1 is still going strong, has good battery life and is only really let down by the relatively frugal amount of RAM Apple equipped it with.

    But then it's not like they had a template to work from when designing the first iPad unlike, well, just about everybody else.
  • kidspudkidspud Posts: 18,341
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    You have to consider the long term implications in choosing any tablet.

    The Mini has no GPS plus the bluetooth and USB and other connections are proprietary.
    That means it has no standard BT GPS, no standard HDMI and no copy and paste for your music, instead forcing you onto iTunes.

    I don't have a clue what you use GPS for on a tablet, my iPad connects to both my car and music dock using Bluetooth and I do not buy any music from iTunes but copy music onto my iPad all thr time.

    If you are going to try and give advice, it would be better if you knew what you were talking about:rolleyes:
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    zapod wrote: »
    But then it's not like they had a template to work from when designing the first iPad unlike, well, just about everybody else.
    It was an iPod with a big screen which in itself was an app selling variation of my 2003 Windows PDA.

    Obviously Android's template was the iPad and the PC.
    The main bit of Apple they improved on was webkit for the web browser, thankfully open sourced when Apple nicked it themselves.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    kidspud wrote: »
    .... my iPad connects to both my car and music dock using Bluetooth and I do not buy any music from iTunes but copy music onto my iPad all thr time.

    At least I don't lead astray. There is no GPS on the Fire either but one of the best feature of small tablets is the fact that they also make for great navigation devices.

    I'd put 5" phablets very much in this category too. Great for us consumers, not so good for manufacturers wanting to double up on selling.
  • kidspudkidspud Posts: 18,341
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    At least I don't lead astray. There is no GPS on the Fire either but one of the best feature of small tablets is the fact that they also make for great navigation devices.

    I'd put 5" phablets very much in this category too. Great for us consumers, not so good for manufacturers wanting to double up on selling.

    So you think a major consideration when buying a 7/8 inch tablet is its use as a navigation device.

    And can you explain where I have lead astray? Do you accept my comments on Bluetooth and iTunes?
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    kidspud wrote: »
    So you think a major consideration when buying a 7/8 inch tablet is its use as a navigation device.And can you explain where I have lead astray? Do you accept my comments on Bluetooth and iTunes?
    At least I give clues as to what my consideration is. Easy to know where I'm going.

    And I don't use iTunes to handle files. I don't even use Windows Media player on a PC. I use 'copy and paste' for user control.
    And yes I know Apple allows couple of standard bluetooth profiles, audio being one that works. At least for now.

    An extremely important thing in considering iDevices is that you check the Wiki's to see what they do allow and don't allow.
  • kidspudkidspud Posts: 18,341
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    At least I give clues as to what my consideration is. Easy to know where I'm going.

    And I don't use iTunes to handle files. I don't even use Windows Media player on a PC. I use 'copy and paste' for user control.
    And yes I know Apple allows couple of standard bluetooth profiles, audio being one that works. At least for now.

    An extremely important thing in considering iDevices is that you check the Wiki's to see what they do allow and don't allow.

    Wiki:) yes, very reliable info.

    They use Bluetooth for phone calls as well, so I would be interested to know which ones they have left out that you deem important. And I don't know what you mean "at least for now", do you have any credible information that they are planning to remove it?

    I use cut and paste for my music too.

    It is extremely important to know what any device does, it seems you may not.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    At least I don't lead astray. There is no GPS on the Fire either but one of the best feature of small tablets is the fact that they also make for great navigation devices.

    I'd put 5" phablets very much in this category too. Great for us consumers, not so good for manufacturers wanting to double up on selling.

    But there is GPS on the cellular version of the iPad mini/ ipad. Anyhow I've found wifi based location services on my ipad mini and touch to be as reliable as the GPS based location service on my galaxy note, on the few occasions I've used it to compare. I have co pilot live on my mini and touch and that also works well.
  • alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
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    ...Anyhow I've found wifi based location services on my ipad mini and touch to be as reliable as the GPS based location service on my galaxy note, on the few occasions I've used it to compare. I have co pilot live on my mini and touch and that also works well.

    That could very much make for A1 and A696 nonsense.
    You can link an iDevice to an iPhone but Apple stops GPS tether working from alien devices.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
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    alanwarwic wrote: »
    That could very much make for A1 and A696 nonsense.
    You can link an iDevice to an iPhone but Apple stops GPS tether working from alien devices.

    It could very well be inaccurate, but I usually have my phone with me which has GPS based navigation. I'd never blindly follow any navigation device. I usually have a rough idea of where I need to go so I would be able to tell if it was sending me on a wild goose chase.
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