Amazon's Kindle Fire Isn't for Book Lovers

As a Kindle owner, I was extremely excited to see the Kindle Fire hit the market - at first. As a current Kindle owner, I love how books look on the screen. The E-Ink Pearl Technology is why I fell in love with Amazon's e-reader to begin with. And, let's not forget what made Kindle so popular to begin with - the glare-free screen. If you love these features, I've got heartbreaking news about the Kindle Fire.

The Good

First, let's look at what Amazon has packed into this little puppy. The Kindle Fire features the ability to watch movies and TV shows, use apps, browse the web at light speed pace, listen to music, view children's books and magazines in breathtaking colors, read email and view documents (including PDFs) all on an easy to use touchscreen. The Fire also features 8GB of storage space, which equals 6,000 books, 80 apps, 800 songs or 10 movies.

The Bad

Now, let's look at what the Kindle Fire doesn't offer. First of all, you will not find E-Ink Pearl Technology. The Fire instead features a Vibrant Color IPS (in-plane switching) display, which Amazon claims is similar to the display featured on the IPad. Of course, while this may sound super fancy, and is certain to offer a colorful display, this will eliminate another well-loved feature - the glare-free screen. Nowhere on the product page does the Fire claim to offer a glare-free view in direct sunlight. Unfortunately, the problems don't end there. If you love how light your Kindle is, the Fire will seem like a brick. Weighing in at 14.6 ounces the Fire is almost twice the weight of the Kindle with a keyboard, which weighs only 8.5 ounces. Last, but certainly not least, the Fire's battery will last 8 hours with continuous reading or 7.5 hours with video playback. Other versions of the Kindle (aside from the 3G version) have a battery life of two months.

Overall Impression

If you're looking for a tablet, the Amazon Fire may be just what you're looking for. However, if you're looking for an e-reader with a color display, this isn't what you're looking for. While the Amazon Fire has many bells and whistles, book lovers will be happier with the traditional Kindle. There are only two exceptions. If you happen to purchase several books which feature videos, otherwise known as Vooks, or want to purchase books for your child, the Fire may be a good option. Personally, if I own a Fire, it will be in addition to my traditional Kindle.

The Kindle Fire is available for pre-order at a price of $199 and will release on November 15th, 2011.

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Kindle Fire