Real user analysis Kindle Fire HD vs Nexus 7
I wanted at first to write a review of the Nexus 7 alone – but since, Amazon was to launch end of October, the Kindle Fire HD in the UK, I couldn’t resist to make a user review between these two !
Now that I finally had time to try both devices:
Note that I will compare the Kindle Fire HD 7” to the Nexus 7. (Kindle Fire HD 8.9 has a bigger screen resolution and supports 1080 “HD” Resolution)
First of all, the technical specs – quickly:
– Resolution is the same for both devices 1280×800
– Weight : 400g for Kindle Fire HD, 340g for Nexus 7
– CPU : Quad-code 1.3 GHz Cortex-A9 for Nexus 7, Dual-Code TI OMAP4 1.2 GHz
– Both devices comes in 16 or 32GB of storage
– RAM : Same for both, with 1GB
Ok, enough with the specs, and let’s start the user review.
Nexus 7 feels very light, and at last is an android device that feels like an IPAD speed-wise. Things are just fast: there is no lag, and the browser doesn’t freeze. It really changes me from the good old Samsung Galaxy. You can really feel the processor of the Nexus 7. All is linked to your google(s) account (Email, Calendar, Docs, etc.), and you have access to Google Play: Books, Music, Apps (Games!) and Movies. I tried to watch “Hunger Games” on it, and the experiment was good. I would advise for Bose headset of course to match with it. Most apps are compatible with the device although some are crashing. I guess it’s a compatibility issue between the devices. The desktop itself, permits to group applications into folders and to display application widgets on the different screens that makes it. The only setback to me is the lack of 3G/4G. Hopefully Google will have a Nexus version that comes with it (and the price) pretty soon. To fix this issue, I would advise users to buy a Mifi device (Huawei E586 for instance) and connect the Nexus 7 to it. Oh, one important point, at least to me – A nice leather cover for Nexus 7 is a plus (Snugg). About 6 hours of battery life when used it to its fullest. What really interested me is the voice recognition feature of the Nexus 7 – Very easy to dictate my emails! And it actually understands most of my broken english accent.
Kindle Fire HD is all about Amazon, which in a way is great! Amazon App store (Less furnished than good play for now sadly), Movies, Books, Newspapers, Music, Shopping, Offers, Clouds, Docs! So if like me you are an Amazon buyer, your device will arrive pre-registered with your account and you can start to spend – or use some of Amazon free services (Yes, there are some!). I really enjoy using the News stand service where you can subscribe to magazines, or actually buy issues. I tried a movie (of course) on the Kindle Fire HD, and the sound, if you compare to the Nexus 7 is just fantastic (without headsets). The technology used for the sounds (Dolby Audio) of the Kindle Fire HD is very good. A small issue when like me you travel a bit everywhere – it seems that sometimes, when getting/buying Apps, Amazon has an hard time knowing which content you can access, and (unlike Apple), will tend to refuse you said content – However, to bypass this, I just buy directly from the Amazon website – Still, Amazon needs to fix this issue. The desktop is simpler than the Nexus 7 which is good for people without any technological skills, but not really impressive for more experienced users. Your desktop is mainly a big carrousel of offers! The default cover of the Kindle makes it feel heavier than the Nexus 7. One small trick from Amazon: Each lock screen is an offer, with one slide to unlock, and the other one to “discover more”. This surely will generate real ad revenue for Amazon and is a smart business move. Kindle fire HD can come (if you pay for it, in the US), in 4G LTE. Around 10 hours of battery during use.
Overall, my experiment of the 2 devices is very good and finally shows to me an alternative to IPADs (I still need to buy and test the IPAD Mini!).
Both of them are quite usable and fun to use. I would use the Nexus 7 for work, meetings and games. On the other hand, I would use the Kindle Fire HD during my trips and before bed, to read a nice book, or watch a cool movie.
Summary Nexus 7:
– Fast, Light weight, for “more” experienced user.
– The toy : Nexus 7 (On Google Play)
– Sound : Bose Headsets
– Protection : Leather cover Snugg (Black)
– Internet on the go : Huawei E586 (3G/4G)
Summary Kindle Fire HD :
– For novice user, with some money to spend.
– The toy : Kindle Fire HD (On Amazon)
– Sound : Bose Headsets
– Protection : Kindle Fire HD default cover (Black)
– Internet on the go : Huawei E586 (3G/4G)
Enjoy your new tablet!
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