Do I Need a Stylus with a Tablet?

by: admin - Filed under: eReaders, Kindle Accessories

3 Pack of Universal Touch Screen Stylus Pen (Red + Black + Silver)One of the first things that I found when I bought my Kindle Fire was that, as much as I like having a little computer to carry around with me, using the touch keyboard is difficult if you have adult sized hands!  No matter how careful I am, I usually manage to “fat finger” several words in my emails, facebook posts, etc.

It took me less than a week to decide that I needed a stylus.  If you’re not familiar with the term, a stylus refers to the small pen like pointers that you can get for your touch screen electronics, including your tablet computers, video game consoles, and even your touch screen phone. 

The second thing that I figured out was that I needed more than one.  You see, I ordered the cheapest one from Amazon.com, and I was constantly misplacing the thing!  (So, my advice to you, is to get the three pack!  I’ve already ordered more myself.)

Regardless, a stylus is so handy to use with your tablet, you’ll wonder why they don’t just come with one!

 

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Amazon Kindle Fire with Amazon Prime

by: admin - Filed under: Amazon Kindle

I’ve had my Kindle Fire for a couple of weeks now, so I wanted to write a short post about the benefits of the month long trial Amazon Prime membership that came with my Kindle Fire. 

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi Price: $199.00 Read Reviews Buy Now

If you’re not familiar with it, Amazon Prime is a program where you can get most Amazon orders shipped and to you in two days, you can stream movies, and even borrow books from the Amazon owner’s lending library…at an extremely attractive price!

One of the first things I did when I got my Kindle Fire was, of course, check out Amazon’s streaming video.  Now, there have been reports that some owners have had problems with a jerky picture…personally, I believe that is more an effect of your internet connection and speed as opposed to any deficiency with the Kindle Fire.  My video streams wonderfully.  The only pause that I ever have is when it initially loads to the device, and then, the hi definition video streams beautifully to the device.  No jerks, no pauses, nothing to indicate any problems whatsoever.  So, if you’re one of those people who have hesitated to buy the Kindle Fire because of the video reports, don’t. 

I have also perused the owner’s lending library extensively, and borrowed a couple of books, too.  You will be amazed at how many titles are available for you to borrow free of charge through the Amazon Prime membership!  I can see the need for me to buy books diminishing significantly over the next year…in fact, I have not purchased a book in months, simply because there are so many free options available to regular Kindle owners.  With the Kindle Fire and my Amazon Prime membership, I’ll buy even less. 

So, as the month draws to a close, will I buy the Amazon Prime membership for the full year?  Absolutely.  With Kindle Fire and Amazon Prime…my entertainment options are huge!

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Will a Tablet Hold up to a Child’s Use?

by: admin - Filed under: Amazon Kindle, eReader Questions

You know, with this Christmas being “the year of the tablet,” I’m sure that there are lots of parents out there wondering if a tablet computer could actually hold up under the constant use and abuse that children tend to put electronic devices through?   Especially since, in many cases, children will treat their tablet like a toy.

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7Having spent a lot of time looking at almost every tablet on the market, checking the features, and the sturdiness of the devices, as a parent, the choice would be easy.  Amazon’s Kindle Fire is one of the sturdiest tablets on the market, and it offers unlimited options for reading, watching age appropriate videos, and playing games for your child. 

Physically, the Kindle Fire has a rubberized back that is easy for little fingers to grip, and the glass on the front is a special, thicker glass that is designed to hold up to the use that most tablets get….you know, carried everywhere, tapped and touched, bumped, and more…typical use that’s actually on par with the use of the average cell phone. 

With the Amazon Prime lending library, you won’t always be paying for downloads, either!  The lending library is full of books and movies that are age appropriate, interesting, and more importantly FREE to borrow or stream to your child’s Kindle Fire.

And, at the price Amazon’s selling the Kindle Fire for, it’s easily within Santa’s average budget to put a tablet computer under the tree this year!

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi Price: $199.00 Read Reviews Buy Now

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Do You Read on an eReader or Tablet?

by: admin - Filed under: Amazon Kindle

Although that may seem like a simple question, my answer may surprise you!   I actually have several tablets and several eReaders, and have different uses for all of them, but by far, when I read a book, I still read it on my Amazon Kindle.  That’s right…my Amazon Fire tablet is great for reading my email, watching my favorite streaming videos, listening to music, and even gaming…but for plain, old reading a book, there is no substitute for the eInk screen that comes on the Kindle Touch.

Kindle Touch, Wi-Fi, 6Why do I prefer an eReader to read a book?  If you really think about this, and if you are a devout book lover, as I am, you’ll definitely understand my answer.  When I read a book, I want to get lost in the story.  I don’t want to even notice that I am reading on any type of electronic device.  Frankly, I don’t even want to notice the pages…and I usually don’t. 

That’s a familiar argument, isn’t it?  A couple of years ago, when the electronic readers first came out, that was the exact argument that people used for NOT getting an eReader!  They didn’t want the device to detract from the book!  They liked the look, feel, and even the smell of books… that’s why I like my Kindle Touch.  While it may not “smell” like a book, the look and feel of the Kindle is totally different from that of a tablet computer. 

With the Kindle Touch, you don’t even notice the pages…they are as crisp and clear as a book, but there is no backlight (like tablets have), so reading is actually a more natural experience.  And, Kindle Touch weighs less than Kindle Fire, so I can read my Kindle Touch comfortably anywhere, and in any position.  And for me that means alot, because I literally read everywhere…I carry it in my purse, take it to the gym with me, to the doctor’s office…anywhere that I might have to wait or have a little free time!

And, I think, if you had both, you’d find that you, too, would use Kindle Touch to read,  and Kindle Fire for other things!  So, if you’re on the fence about which device to buy…make sure you really think about what you are buying it for, because you might just find that Kindle Touch is the device you need. 

Oh, and did I mention that the Kindle Touch is really cheap????  (Makes a great gift, too!)

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Kindle Fire Headphones

by: admin - Filed under: Kindle Accessories

One of the most important accessories that I ended up purchasing for my Kindle Fire turned out to be the headphones to listen to the music and movies that I constantly stream whenever I am using my tablet.

JBuds J5 Earbud-style Metal Headphones for iPod, iPad, Tablet, Kindle (Black Pearl)At first, I just used a set that I had laying around the house, but unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I left the pair I had been using at my parents’ home over the Thanksgiving holiday.  So, the first thing I did when I got home Saturday night was to log on to Amazon.com and find another pair! 

While there are lots of options, and there are many much less expensive than these, I decided upon the JBuds J5 Earbud-style Metal Headphones for iPod, iPad, Tablet, Kindle (Black Pearl), because the description indicated that these headphones offered exactly what I was looking for, at a price that was reasonable. 

With my Amazon Prime plan, the headphones arrived yesterday, so I could go back to enjoying my nightly ritual of streaming an episode of Lost from Amazon, without driving other people crazy while I watched the show on my Kindle Fire. 

Out of the box, the JBuds plugged right into my Kindle Fire, and I put them on…talk about a soft, comfortable fit in my ears!  I usually don’t like ear buds because they “bug” me…but these feel as soft as cotton in my ears.  More importantly, the sound quality is not nearly as tinny as some earbuds that I have tried.  The J5′s titanium micro drivers actually deliver an incredibly smooth and consistent response across the entire frequency curve, from deep, rich bass to full, luscious mids and crisp, vibrant highs…which gives me great sound quality when I watch my show, and when I stream music!

And, since I am incredibly hard on little electronic items like this, I appreciate that the 45° angle jack offers me the strength of pure metal with the durability of firm flexing rubber, and that the lightweight cable is reinforced with Kevlar for optimum flexibility and strength.

Even better, these headphones are also compatible with other electronics that you might have in your home, such as: 

  • Tablets: Kindle Fire, iPad, Motorola Zoom, HP Touchpad, Asus EEE Pad, Acer Iconia, Toshiba Thrive, Coby Kyros, Viewsonic, Sony, Blackberry Playbook, Vizio, Archos, Android, Dell, T-Mobile, and other tablets*.
  • MP3 players: All iPods, Sansa, Sandisk, Coby, Archos, Sony, Creative, Sylvania, and others*.
  • eReaders: Kindle and others*
  • Computers: All laptops, notebooks, and desktops*

*JBuds are compatible with any portable devices with a standard 3.5 mm jack. Please check your device specifications or manufacturer for any further compatibility details.

Also available with an in-line microphone (J5M) for use with iPhone, Android, HTC, Blackberry, and other mobile phones, as well as tablets with VOIP apps, including Skype*.

So, what are you waiting for?  Accessorize your Kindle Fire with the JBuds J5 Earbud-style Metal Headphones today!

JBuds J5 Earbuds-style Metal Headphones for iPod, iPad, Tablet, Kindle (Black Pearl) List Price: $59.95 Price: $29.95 Read Reviews Buy Now

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Kindle Fire Case

by: admin - Filed under: Kindle Accessories

When I bought my Kindle Fire, I automatically purchased the Marware Lightweight case that was shown on the page with my Kindle Fire.  At that time the leather cases were not available, and I didn’t want to have the tablet without a case.  The leather case that I bought for my regular Kindle has saved my device many times.

Kindle Fire Lightweight MicroShell Folio Cover by Marware, Graphite List Price: $39.99 Price: $29.99 Read Reviews Buy Now

I got the case a couple of days after I got the Kindle Fire in the mail.  Instead of the familiar Amazon box, it came in a padded envelope…a very light padded envelope. 

Of course, I immediately put the case on the Kindle Fire, and I have to admit, it looks and feels great!  The case is charcoal gray, has a rigid rear cover and foldable front cover.  It also has a little strap on the back that folds over the front to keep the screen covered when you’re not using the Kindle Fire.

Since I watch a lot of streaming video on my Kindle Fire, though, the one area that I count as a distinct shortfall is the ability to prop the display up on the lightweight case…for me, it just doesn’t work well, and the Kindle Fire is unstable when propped up this way. 

The back of the case seems to strain, and I suspect that it will not last near as long as the new leather cases that have recently been released.

Honestly, I guess that I was just spoiled by the quality of the leather case that I bought for my original Kindle…hence, I will most likely upgrade the case to the leather case that has now been released for the Kindle Fire.

Kindle Fire Leather Case Cover by Marware, Brown List Price: $44.99 Price: $44.99 Read Reviews Buy Now

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Other Uses for Kindle Fire

by: admin - Filed under: Amazon Kindle

With this past weekend being the Thanksgiving holiday, our entire family got together… of course, we ate tons of food, we visited with each other as many of us hadn’t seen each other in months, and we played games, watched television, and much more. 

But, the biggest ‘hit” of the weekend was, without a doubt, my Kindle Fire.  While I’m not the first in the family to get a tablet computer, I was the first to get the Fire, and literally everyone wanted to see it, and try it out. 

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7My mother, who is addicted to casino style computer games, spent literally hours playing on several different slot machine apps that I downloaded for her. 

My father, who loves to read and plays music, enjoyed the piano player app, and tried out the reading part of the Kindle Fire.

My nephew and his fiance, who are college students, tried out the display and reader to see if they could save money on their college textbooks… (they could)

My brother in law, who is an IT guy and has both a Kindle and an iPad, tried it out to see how well it compared, pricewise and feature wise.  It held up to his expectations!

My nieces, one 11 and one 17, both tried out the games (bejeweled was a favorite), and the streaming music and video…now, of course, both of them have added it to their list for Santa.  Even Santa himself liked the Kindle Fire when he arrived ;)

Overall, the Kindle Fire was a huge hit over the holiday… the only downside…  I never got to use it!  Someone else ALWAYS had my Kindle Fire.  I predict that there will be a lot of Kindle Fire tablets under our family Christmas tree this year…

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Downloading to Kindle or Kindle Fire

by: admin - Filed under: Amazon Kindle

This is going to be a short post, but I wanted to share a quick one with you!

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi Price: $199.00 Read Reviews Buy Now

As the owner of both a Kindle 3 and a Kindle Fire, both of which I use every day for different functions, I did discover one anamoly with the Kindle Fire that you should be aware of…

I’m not much on reading directions, so when I wanted to send a pdf document to my Kindle Fire, I simply emailed it to my Kindle 3 email address and expected it to pop up.  It didn’t. 

After a little research, I discovered that Kindle Fire has a different email address than the Kindle 3…once I emailed the pdf document to the new address, it was easy to retrieve the document on my Kindle Fire! 

There’s also a wonderful Kindle/Kindle Fire management system in the new Amazon “cloud” that I’ve been using to manage my Kindles as well…I’ll go into more detail on that a bit later, but it is EXCELLENT!

 

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Kindle Fire Video

by: admin - Filed under: Amazon Kindle, eReader News & Updates

Last night, rather than read while laying in bed, I decided to try out Kindle Fire‘s video capabilities, and my free month of the Amazon Prime membership that came with Kindle Fire.

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7It’s actually pretty easy to find something to watch on Amazon Prime… you just go to the video “store” and find what you want to watch.  Off to the right, it tells you if it’s available on your Amazon Prime membership.  After scrolling through a couple of different options…movies and television shows, I settled on watching the pilot for the show, “Lost.”

This was a show that I always intended to watch when it was on television, but never actually got around to doing so.  Regular television is hard for me, because I almost never watch television, and even then, rarely keep up with an actual show that is on once a week or something.  So, the option to choose the show and watch it when I want to is very appealing to me.

Once I selected the show “Lost,” the menu expanded to show me all six seasons.  Tap again, and then you can scroll through the episodes.  I chose the pilot since I had never actually seen the show.  Tap, and the show starts. It really is that easy!

I wasn’t really sure what to expect with the streaming video on Kindle Fire, but as usual, Amazon delivered a high quality picture with none of the pauses, screen freezes, or audio/video lapses that I have seen on other devices, including my high end laptop!

Did the small screen size bother me?  Honestly, at first it did, but as you’re drawn into the show, you do tend to forget the screen size.  And the crisp, clear, high definition display definitely ensures that you don’t miss out on the details!

Want to pause the action?  Tap the screen.  You can even turn off Kindle Fire and not lose your place…Kindle Fire puts the show on your recently used apps shelf, and when you go back to the video, you can resume right where you left off.

Maybe I’m behind on technology?  Maybe all devices of this type do this?   But, if you’re looking for an excellent video experience, with lots of selections, and that’s EASY…you definitely want to get a Kindle Fire!

 

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Playing Bejeweled with Kindle Fire

by: admin - Filed under: Amazon Kindle

Yesterday, I had a few extra minutes, and decided to check out how Kindle Fire worked with my favorite little time-wasting computer game, Bejeweled.

After locating and downloading the app for the game, which was really easy by the way, I simply tapped the icon for the game and Bejeweled loaded fairly quickly.  I was expecting the standard version that I usually play on my computer…wrong!

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi Price: $199.00 Read Reviews Buy Now

Kindle Fire‘s app for Bejeweled is visually stunning.  Not only is the game rendered in 2D, but the playing board is superimposed over a stunning futuristic landscape that changes with each level of the game that you complete.  And, between levels, Kindle Fire delivers a graphic “trip” through a vortex to the next level.  There’s even sound with the game, and I have to say, with the built in stereo sound of the Kindle Fire, it is pretty good!

Playing the game is pretty awesome, too.  Instead of clickling with a mouse, on Kindle Fire’s touch screen, you simply tap or even swipe to move the game pieces around!  (And, it’s actually faster than playing on a computer.) 

Frankly, if I wasn’t already a Bejeweled addict, Kindle Fire’s app for the game would definitely make me one!  I can’t wait to try out some of the other FREE apps available in the Kindle App Store!

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