As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

What can I do with a Kindle Fire?

HendersonHenderson Registered User regular
I bought my on and off girlfriend a Kindle Fire HDX, 7" screen, 64 gig version for Christmas but recently I went out with her again and quickly realised why we stopped dating (we went to the cinema to see JFK and she fell asleep within ten minutes and slept through most of the film).

So now I'm stuck with a Kindle. I never wanted one. I don't read, the games look like school projects, and I don't want to watch tv or films.

I have a 30 minute train commute each way to work. This seems like the time to use this. But I read the free newspapers on these trips and do the sudokus and crossword puzzles. This is as much entertainment as I need.

What advantages does this thing have over a laptop (which I bring with me and use at work) if any? I'm completely failing to see anything cool that I can do with this thing but there must be something. Why else are people buying them?

I also don't want to spend money on it unless there's something really awesome.

Posts

  • SteevLSteevL What can I do for you? Registered User regular
    Honestly, I don't think the Kindle Fire is for you. My mom uses her Kindle Fire to read or play games. Patrons at my library use them to download our library ebooks, surf the web, and play more games. If none of those appeal to you, you might be better off selling it or returning it (if that is possible).

  • ElinElin Registered User regular
    Really, to take advantage of a Kindle Fire (over and above what other tablets/laptops can do) you need to be committed to the Amazon architecture. You need to be a reader of Kindle books, or listen to mp3's bought from Amazon, or partake of TV and Movies from Amazon Prime (or purchased from Amazon Streaming). Or you can root it and have an Android tablet that's probably not quite as good as a Nexus.

    A tablet, in general, doesn't have any advantage over a laptop other than portability. If you have no need for a portable computer then you have no need for a tablet.

    Switch SW-5832-5050-0149
    PSN Hypacia
    Xbox HypaciaMinnow
    Discord Hypacia#0391
  • see317see317 Registered User regular
    I use my kindle to read forums or books on, as well as stream movies/shows with Amazon Prime when I'm not at my desktop. It can handle the typical facebook game, I can't though, so that's pretty moot.
    Seeing as how you've already said you don't want to do any of those things...maybe use it as a paper weight? Gift it to someone else? Use it to prop up that wobbly table leg?
    There's got to be some free crossword/soduku apps available, instead of doing the ones in the paper.

  • HendersonHenderson Registered User regular
    edited November 2013
    Yeah, all the good apps seem to be on Android. I got the maxed out version so there has to be something good that I can do with it.

    Henderson on
  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Henderson wrote: »
    I don't read, the games look like school projects, and I don't want to watch tv or films.

    You don't want a tablet then.

    And people are buying them to do all the things you just said you're not interested in.

  • MulletudeMulletude Registered User regular
    Henderson wrote: »
    Yeah, all the good apps seem to be on Android. I got the maxed out version so there has to be something good that I can do with it.
    Maybe gift it to your mom/grandma, something like that?

    XBL-Dug Danger WiiU-DugDanger Steam-http://steamcommunity.com/id/DugDanger/
  • HendersonHenderson Registered User regular
    Mulletude wrote: »
    Henderson wrote: »
    Yeah, all the good apps seem to be on Android. I got the maxed out version so there has to be something good that I can do with it.
    Maybe gift it to your mom/grandma, something like that?

    Yeah, right. I got my mother a ceramic polar bear for Christmas. My grandparents are no longer among us.

    Anyway, I opened it up and checked it out a bit. It doesn't really appeal. I'm going to wait until the guys figure out how to run Android apps on it and then play games on it. Get a controller.

  • ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    So you don't like dating this girl because she falls asleep at the movies?

  • GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    Henderson wrote: »
    but recently I went out with her again and quickly realised why we stopped dating (we went to the cinema to see JFK and she fell asleep within ten minutes and slept through most of the film).

    She sounds like a keeper to me.

  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    Gaslight wrote: »
    Henderson wrote: »
    but recently I went out with her again and quickly realised why we stopped dating (we went to the cinema to see JFK and she fell asleep within ten minutes and slept through most of the film).

    She sounds like a keeper to me.

    Did her head fall back and to the left as she nodded off?

    As for the Kindle, could be a music player if you a sound system or something. Dump your music into Amazon and just stream from the tablet.

  • WiseManTobesWiseManTobes Registered User regular
    Was it on sale or something else preventing just returning it for a refund? Do you have any buy/sell/trade tech stores in your area? It sounds like you won't have much use for a tablet , especially a Kindle, so you're best bet may be return or trade it for tech you do want.

    Steam! Battlenet:Wisemantobes#1508
  • HendersonHenderson Registered User regular
    Shogun wrote: »
    So you don't like dating this girl because she falls asleep at the movies?

    It illustrates her inconsiderate nature (I didn't spend £7.50 and give up my afternoon so that she could sleep for three hours) as well as our incompatible intellect levels (she didn't fall asleep when we saw Cloverfield but films that require one's attention overwhelm her). She's also rather dull and doesn't talk much. If I give a Kindle to this woman she'll get the wrong idea about where I see our relationship going. I'm not going to see her again.

  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    Was it on sale or something else preventing just returning it for a refund.

    If OP bought in November from Amazon, it may be possible to return. amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200144510

  • HendersonHenderson Registered User regular
    I can return it no problem (particularly when it was unopened). I'm in the UK, by the way. But it's a hassle finding a box and waiting for ages at the post office (which closes at 4.00) and all of this nonsense. I'll find something to do with it.

  • GaslightGaslight Registered User regular
    Henderson wrote: »
    Shogun wrote: »
    So you don't like dating this girl because she falls asleep at the movies?

    It illustrates her inconsiderate nature (I didn't spend £7.50 and give up my afternoon so that she could sleep for three hours)

    Did you get any input from her before picking the film?

    as well as our incompatible intellect levels (she didn't fall asleep when we saw Cloverfield but films that require one's attention overwhelm her).

    You know, you've basically decided she's an idiot because she has different taste in movies than you do, but there are also a lot of people who would draw unflattering conclusions about your "intellect level" because you say you "don't read." Just saying.

    She's also rather dull and doesn't talk much.

    Why have you even been in a "on and off" relationship with this woman if you don't have a single nice thing to say about her? I know it's none of my business but I'm really curious now! Guess she must be pretty hot?


  • HendersonHenderson Registered User regular
    Gaslight wrote: »
    Did you get any input from her before picking the film?

    We went out for years. She should be able to speak up if she doesn't like my film suggestion. Originally she said that she's busy at the time that this film was playing so I told her to pick any film at any time and we can go. She later said that she wasn't busy and agreed that we should see JFK.
    Gaslight wrote: »
    You know, you've basically decided she's an idiot because she has different taste in movies than you do, but there are also a lot of people who would draw unflattering conclusions about your "intellect level" because you say you "don't read." Just saying.

    It's not just different taste in films but this is an example. I know that not reading doesn't typically indicate an intellectual. She's not "hot", she's an average looking woman. She has nice qualities and I don't mean to insult her. She's a nice person, that's why I went out with her. Being nice can't be the sole basis of a relationship, though. There needs to be compatibility.

  • ShogunShogun Hair long; money long; me and broke wizards we don't get along Registered User regular
    Well concerning the tablet I would root it and install Android Kit-Kat or Jelly Bean or whatever theyve named the latest iteration. This would give you a full-stop tablet without any of amazon's architecture or cash-shop crap if you're not interested in that. It will basically be just any other android tablet at that point.

  • sampangolinsampangolin Registered User regular
    Yeah have a look on the xda developer forum - there should be some instructions there on how to root it. Sounds like the best plan for you if returning it is really a hassle.

  • TubeTube Registered User admin
    This thread is just the worst

This discussion has been closed.