by Sean Devlin, Front Rush
We recently purchased a Kindle Fire, which is Amazon’s contribution to the tablet market. We wanted to know if it was capable of doing what no other tablet has done yet, and that is to be a viable alternative to the iPad.
What we found out is that its intent was not really to be an iPad “replacement” but really to be an Amazon stand alone product. But even then, it was difficult not to compare the two.
So let’s get the big things out of the way: The price point is $199, which is a very aggressive starting point. But at 199 bucks you don’t get a camera, mp internal microphone and it has a much smaller screen. To stick with the iPad comparison, the first iPad did not have a camera, and the smaller screen actually has a few advantages. The smaller screen makes it more portable as it can fit into smaller places (like your pocket). It also allows for single hand operation which is really nice as you can hold the device with one hand during the times that you are just reading. Note that you still have to use two hands to navigate the device.
The Kindle Fire is fully integrated with Amazon services so if you are a coach doing a lot of travel and are reading a lot of books then this device makes it easy to get to them. The navigation is intuitive and the flow of the device is smooth so you don’t get the sensation that you are carrying around a cheap knock-off.
At this point the negatives start to come in:
- At $199, you also don’t get 3G connectivity so if you don’t have wifi, you don’t have internet access. You also have less apps to choose from relative to your iPad counterparts.
- The device itself is awkwardly heavy. Often times a heavy device feels like a sturdy device, but the Kindle Fire just feels heavy.
- The smaller screen’s advantages also have disadvantages and that is purely real estate. It is much easier than reading compared to a phone but again the comparison to the iPad comes in, and reading compared to an iPad is more difficult.
So would we recommend this to coaches?
Well…at $199 it is interesting from a budget perspective. Its smaller screen has some potential for portability as it would be easier to carry onto the field. The problem is the lack of camera and the fewer amount of apps as well as the intent of the device.
The goal of the Kindle Fire is for Amazon to sell more books and services through its own stores. They actually are losing money on each device sold with the idea that they will make up for the difference by selling more books and other Amazon products. So it will be interesting to see what future models of the Kindles look like which is where our recommendation lives: We would recommend holding off on the Kindle Fire and saving up for the iPad.
Potentially, in the future, the Kindle Fire will start to show up on courts and fields nationwide. But for now, its just not there.
Something not up for debate? Front Rush, and the invaluable recruiting service they offer to college coaches. If getting your recruiting organized and communicating more effectively with your prospects is something that sounds smart to you, we highly recommend Front Rush. Let them explain what they have done for hundreds of college programs – and what they can do for you. Click here to get more information.