So with the Kindle Fire uh . . . OK I won't make any lame jokes, though as I'm playing Dark Souls where both those words have in-game meaning, it's tempting.
Last week we wanted your reactions to the Kindle Fire, and here's what we got!
1. Who does the Kindle Fire compete directly with?
- 50% – Apple
- 25% – Google
- 12.5% – GameStop's gaming-branded tablet
- 75% – Anyone making an Android Device.
- 12.5% – Wal-Mart's future potential maybe-tablet Steve won't shut up about.
- 12.5% – Almost anyone.
One of you also said "It also competes directly with other e-book players (including Amazon's own earlier and existing efforts" which really got me thinking that, in a way, it's true – and I'm suspecting that the Kindle brand may slowly fold into the Fire over time.
Anyway, it seems like the view here is that first and foremost the Kindle Fire is a massive barrier to anyone in Android, which is a good point – with this level of mindshare Amazon is going to, in a way, define Android and tablets. There could be some unexpected repercussions.
The Kindle competing with Apple makes sense, and the fact more of you didn't think this makes me think a lot of our regulars figure that, like me, the Kindle is meant to be a kind of secondary/universal device.
As for who is going to get one . . .
2. Will you be getting a Kindle Fire, and why?
- 0.0% – I'll get one for no particular reason.
- 12.5% – I'll get one just for media consumption.
- 0.0% – I'll get one as a primary tablet.
- 12.5% -I won't get one, but might get one in the future.
- 12.5% – I won't ever get one.
- 62.5% – I'm not sure.
Looks like a lot of us are pretty ambiguous on the device – but then again progeeks like ourselves may not be the primary target.
And boy did we get comments on this:
- Don't use tablets.
- I'm leaning towards the Windows 8 tablets when they come out, though the Kindle might be a great backup tablet.
- I'm still not sold on buying an expensive electronic item to read books – I could buy far more books for the cost of a Kindle right now.
- They're not for sale in Canada for some reason… As far as a tablet goes I think Fire is a good competitor but I'm worried about the eBook reader fonctions being of lesser quality than Amazon's other Kindle, especially with the Kindle Touch on the market.
- I will probably buy one. Though I have issues with Amazon, they've delivered a good service so far.
Sounds pretty mixed overall – which fits our results.
(Side note, my Kindle has about paid for itself, but frankly I read a LOT of books, and the Kindle saves me time, gas, and shipping.)
And finally . . .
3. What do you think will be the reason the majority of people get the Kindle Fire?
- 12.5% -There won't be one particular reason.
- 37.5% – People will get it for media consumption.
- 12.5% -People will get it as a primary tablet.
- 12.5% -People will buy anything branded "Amazon" on it.
- 12.5% – I think it won't sell as well as some will assume.
- 12.5% – No idea.
I did not expect this mixed bag of responses – except for thinking about media consumption, where we didn't even have a majority, the answers are all over the map.
Sounds like, more and more, we're all a bit unsure about the Kindle personally and market-wise.
I wonder how sure Amazon is?