Observations and Comparisons

 Observations and Comparisons

Now that I've had a couple of days to work out the kinks, I feel I'm ready to make my observations on the Kindle Fire vs the Android Tablet public, after going through my swear word vocabulary in private.

I've been using a Kindle since the second generation machines were launched and I found I wanted to get in on that whole "carry your library with you" fad. I've never looked back and continually upgraded. My current version is a Kindle Fire 10 (always buy a protective case, always) and I recently purchased a Gateway 10.1 tablet since they both use flavors of Android. (I don't get it, but they make the machine, I can always turn it to Linux if I so choose.

The Kindle Fire is proprietary to Amazon so it's flavor of Android is extremely limited. I use it as a book reader and shopping device. It's fast for that and I have many choices as to how I see my library and how I shop with one click or one swipe. Since I've used this for years in this manner I know it and can probably do it in my sleep.

The Gateway Tablet is just as thin as the Amazon 10, also uses a USB-C charging cable. I'm running a test later to see if I can load up my Calibre library to the Android Kindle app. I've not been able to do so on the Fire, and it pisses me off because I get selected free books from my favorite authors through book funnel and I can no longer load them up on my Fire. I should be able to do so on my Gateway.

The Kindle apps display the same, offer every but synching with the same book on other devices. On my Fire I can synch up with my husband's Fire, but I cannot synch my Gateway with my Fire.

Now, the Gateway Android is slow as molasses in February. It's so fucking slow you can easily eat a meal waiting for your start up to load. This is very aggravating. My Fire is indecently fast. As fast as my PC if I'm being honest and my PC is obscenely fast. But, the Fire is also proprietary to Amazon products, which are built in, whereas the Gateway must use an App from the Google Play store to function as my ebook reader. Also, if you like to listen to the audiobook as you read, as I do at times, you have to load up Audible as well. I've yet to try this out, but I will later.

I had to order an SD card for my Gateway as I have for my Fire because I like to store my books for easy retrieval. I got another 246G card, all things being equal. I will see if the books load faster after being stored there along with my audiobooks. I also use this to store videos and songs for my grandson on his Kindle Fire 8 with a child safe protective covering. Trust me, this is the best way to get babies and toddlers down for a nap. As they grow, you can find age appropriate apps for them to learn with. About 15 minutes in the morning and afternoon are more than enough for you to get things done without a child constantly needing your attention to prevent death.

Now, the most important issue... Pricing. The Kindle Fire 10 retails for $189. I bought the Gateway from their retailer, Volde*Mart, for $79 and that included shipping. The Kindle and Audible Apps were free. However, as I mentioned, it's slow. I haven't fooled around with Android enough to maximize performance by ripping out spyware and snoopy programing. That will come. I hate slow machines. Right now, my grandson's Fire 8 is far faster.