Amazon's Kindle Fire: Multimedia Powerhouse in a Walled Garden

Amazons Kindle Fire began shipping Nov. 14, priced at $199 and offering access to the online retailers extensive stores of streaming video and e-book content. The 7-inch device will inevitably be compared with not only the Apple iPad, but other tablets such as Samsungs Galaxy Tab. However, the Kindle Fire boasts some significant differences from other devices on the market. For one, it is designed first and foremost as an easy-to-use portal to Amazon content: In addition to seamlessly connecting to the companys music, e-book and video offerings, it also allows users to download apps from Amazons branded Appstore for Android. As opposed to other tablets, whose user interfaces center on a grid-like screen of apps, the Kindle Fires start screen includes a set of virtual "shelves" lined with recently used media and apps. This is not a device friendly to customization. The Kindle Fire includes a purpose-built "Amazon Silk" browser that leverages the retailers cloud architecture to speed Web page rendering. On the hardware side of things, the dual-core processor ensures apps run smoothly, and the dual speakers along the devices lower edge are crisp and clear (and surprisingly loud, if you set the volume high). While the tablet offers quite a bit for consumers looking for a multimedia device, its a lightweight when it comes to business functions: Besides a native email app and access via the Appstore to some work-centric apps, theres precious little here for enterprise users looking for some robust productivity hardware.�� - ...

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