[wallflower]

I have a Kindle Fire. I actually like the fact that it is an imperfect product - lags in switching tabs, occasional lags so long in loading websites that you wonder if your wifi has gone dialup, the dang "Carousel". I do like the reading experience and pocket-ability - it fits into a winter jacket easily - though you need to weigh down your opposite pocket to avoid lopsided-ness.

The Kindle Fire is the first credible competitor to the iPad. Android tablets running Honeycomb - it hurts my head - the UI - it is like a Klingon control panel. Definitely not intuitive. The Kindle Fire - it is a compromise - a custom, dumbed-down ("The Carousel") UI on the iceberg of Android 2.x.

For me, it is a tangible reminder that products aren't all perfect like the iPad. There is no such thing as immaculate conception - the Kindle Fire will get better over time. Comparing it to the iPad is like comparing NYC to... any other city except London[1]. It's a different metro, not as sophisticated - it's for those who just want a tablet device that is relatively affordable.

The iPad has set the bar - it is the first computer for many under the age of six. The Kindle Fire is no such thing - it is, as a review said best, a Kindle with benefits.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city

[alexholehouse]

For the record, in terms of metros for ease of use I'd have to say Paris > NYC > London (having lived in all three cities).