Kindle Fire

I am behind the times.  I admit it.  And I don’t care all that much, but I at least want to be able to communicate with people and know what they are talking about.  And until recently, I didn’t even know what an “app” was.

So, we had a little extra money, and I decided I would step up a bit.  Not all the way to a Smart Phone or an I-Pad, but a tablet of some sort.  I did a survey on Facebook asking which one I should buy for the money I had ($200 or less) and the response was unanimous: Kindle Fire.

I wasn’t sure how much I would use it.  But at least I could learn what an app was.

So I got one.  And I like it.  I’m still learning what all I can do.  I never thought I would want one to read books on, but it IS nice to be able to check books out from the library from the comfort of my home, without dragging a 2-year-old in and out just to go pick one up.  There are a lot of free books available from Amazon too.  The disadvantages are that you can’t share them with anyone else without giving up your Kindle while they read it, and I think my eyes get tired a little faster than from reading a book.  A good thing, though, is that I can lie in bed and read in the dark without disturbing Don (perhaps that's what's hurting my eyes?).

I can use it as a computer, though it’s not quite as easy to navigate as my laptop.  I can check my e-mail or Facebook or look anything up on the Internet, but, of course, it doesn’t have a keyboard.  You have to peck at the one that appears on the screen, which is kind of a pain.  Also, the screen is significantly smaller, but if you turn it sideways, the images get a little larger.  It is much easier to transport than my laptop, though, so I will probably take it with me when I travel.

Cooper has practically taken it over.  I have found a number of fun and educational things he can do on it, such as “coloring” (with his finger), playing a piano keyboard or drums, and some age-appropriate games, so it’s a good thing to take with me when I will need to entertain him (doctor’s waiting rooms, etc.)

I had to learn the difference between “3G” and “Wi-Fi.”  3G means you can use it anywhere but have to pay a monthly fee, like with a Smart Phone and some tablets, but Wi-Fi, which is what a Kindle Fire is, means you have to have a wireless Internet connection, so I can’t access the Internet everywhere.  However, the books and many of the other things get downloaded, so I don’t need an Internet connection to use them after I initially install them.

I kind of wanted it to have a camera so I could Skype on it.  Some tablets do, but alas, Kindle Fire does not.  Oh well.  I have one on my laptop which I have never even used anyway.

Two accessories I am glad I purchased are a cover for it and a charger.  It just comes with a cord that you have to hook up to another computer, but for a little extra you can get a charger you can plug into the wall.  I have to charge it every 1-2 days, depending on how much I use it.

So, all-in-all, I’d say if, like me, you just want to join the 21^st Century, it’s a good place to start.  I think it’s something I’ll use more and more, as I learn more of its capabilities.  I believe it was a worthwhile purchase.  And most importantly, now I know what an app is.