3 New Kindle Fires? 1 Was Bad Enough

Ever thought about buying a Kindle Fire? Reports show that Amazon might have 3 more new models for you very soon.

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A report from NPD Display Search suggests that Amazon will be releasing at least three new models of a Kindle Fire 2. Here’s the estimated line up according to the report

• 1,024-by-600 display, no camera; August production.
• 1,280-by-800 display with camera; August production.
• 1,280-by-800 display with camera and 4G connectivity; September production.

I wasn’t too happy with the Kindle Fire. It wasn’t the device itself that upset me, it’s the fact that Amazon took Android, completely stripped it down, and made their own operating system. They have every right to do this since Android is open source, but they don’t even call it Android or list it as an Android device in the specifications. Open source means that whatever software it may be is able to be modified, but this doesn’t mean it’s right for someone to completely strip it down to almost nothing and make their own operating system out of it.

Whatever the case may be with the operating system, I’m happy to see that this report states that they plan on releasing a device with 4G connectivity. This is a selling point for some people when it comes to buying a tablet. I’m interested to see what the different pricing will be like though. These 3 devices really aren’t that much different according to the report. Just a little bit more screen resolution, and a choice between a camera or no camera really. I can guarantee that it will be priced well under the iPad. Manufacturers have pretty much found out that if they try to price their tablet above the price of the iPad, it’s only going to appeal to serious power users unless it’s something really special.

All I am hopeful for with the Kindle Fire is that Amazon fixes all the bugs in the operating system. If you are thinking about buying a Kindle Fire, my suggestion now with the current model would be don’t buy it if you want a full-fledged Android tablet. However, if you are looking for an e-book reader with a little more capability (similar to the Nook Color) then the Fire may be a good choice for you.
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