Kindle Fire: A Review

I'll be the first to admit that I was hesitant to jump into the world of the E-Reader. While they've been popular for a while, I just purchased mine around Thanksgiving 2012.

Better late than never I say!

So, which one did I get?

 

I went with the Kindle Fire. They were having a Cyber Monday Sale (and I'm a sucker for a good online deal!) with $30 off the list price. I also had a $25 Amazon gift card, as well as $39 in credit card points that I could use towards an Amazon purchase. All of that brought down the final cost of a Kindle Fire to only $65! A pretty good deal if you ask me!

Oh the joys of online deals.. sigh.

Anyways, on to my review.

As I mentioned earlier, I've been hesitant about E-Readers. I mean, there's nothing better than curling up with a traditional book, right? Turning the pages, the smell of the fresh paper and ink on a new book... why would I want to give that up?

Well, for $65, I figured I could take a chance. I'm glad I did.

No more books cluttering my already full bookshelf. The convenience of being able to just toss this little guy right in my ginormous purse. Buying books with the tap of a finger and having them there instantly (this is both good AND bad!). Also, the ease of use when a toddler refuses to nap anywhere but on you is pretty great!

What I Like:

• Lots of digital storage
• Free Cloud Storage 
• Fast downloads
• Wi-Fi connectivity & ease of finding networks
• Ease of customization
• Fairly long battery life
• The ability to use it as a Tablet
• The Kindle Lending Library
• The Free Month of Amazon Prime

What I Don't Like:

• That I can't lend certain books (this is more publishers that Amazon)
• You can only borrow one free book a month with a Prime Membership
• The Facebook App SUCKS
• The web browser is finicky
• The keyboard is super touchy
• Auto-correct is even worse the the i-Phone
• You have to buy a separate charging adapter

I know that seems like a lot of negatives, but in retrospect, it's all pretty minor things. The positives far outweigh the negatives so far.

Overall, I think the Kindle Fire is a worthwhile purchase. If you have the money for it, I would even recommend upgrading to the Kindle Fire HD. I've heard great things about that as well.

So, what about Accessories?

There are three things that are a MUST in my opinion: A Charging Adapter, A Screen Protector and a Super Cute Case.

The Charger: Amazon Kindle PowerFast

$19.99 on Amazon

This is NOT included with the Kindle Fire! It DOES come with a USB cable, but that only works to charge if you hook it up to a computer. This little gadget works anywhere you can find a standard outlet. Using the USB cable included with your Kindle, you plug that into the Powerfast and the other end into your Kindle. Super fast charging pretty much anywhere!

Note: Make sure you buy the correct Powerfast to use with whatever Kindle model you have. There are different types!

The Screen Protector:  Moshi iVisor

$15.99 on Amazon

A good quality screen protector is a must in my opinion! I chose this one based on the reviews and I'm really happy with it. It went on easily and truly "bubble free", you honestly can't even tell it's on there because it fits so seamlessly. There are a lot of other screen protectors to choose from, just choose what will work best for you.

Again, Note: Make sure to purchase the correct one to fit your Kindle model!

A Cute Case: Verso

$24.99 on Amazon

Verso cases seem to be pretty popular. There are a TON of case options out there, you just need to choose the one that best fits your personality. The price range is also pretty large, this one is on the lower end - but even though it's less expensive, the quality is still pretty good in my opinion.

Again, make sure you purchase the correct size!

Whew! Long winded post. I hope this review might help those who are teetering on the e-reader edge like I was!