Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Let me make things simple for everyone. This is a great tablet and a beautiful device. It has everything 97% of tablet users need and want. The 3% that are power users can pay up for an iPad. Amazon Prime is a must if you have one of these tablets. And if you already have Amazon Prime it is a no-brainer to buy this tablet if you are looking for an entertainment device that also gives you the ability to check email and surf the web as needed. People complain that one app here or there is missing. If you want the tried and true, the basics, then you have nothing to worry about. Of course there is a weather app. Of course there is a NYT app. All the 'normal' stuff is there. Sure, a particular game or more specialized app may not be available but anything most people actually 'want/need' is going to be there. This is not a device for the office. If you want to review spreadsheets then clearly do not buy it. That goes without saying. As for the actual device it feels well put together. The plastic back actually felt closer to metal to me. It has a solid feel. The screen is beautiful and has PLENTY of resolution for watching movies, surfing the web, etc. It is also sufficient for reading, though the Kindle Paperwhite admittedly has clearer print so if you only plan to read on this device then get the Paperwhite. (Also, I find the Word Runner feature to be quite intriguing- in fact I think we all may read using this method in a few years.) Before buying the device I read that load times are slow and switching between apps is trouble. What I have found is that it may take a second for your movie or app to load...but we are talking a second...or two MAX! If you can't wait two seconds for something then I don't know what to say. I believe a half second delay on average is well worth the cost savings. This stuff is not noticeable. You want to watch a 30 minute TV show, yes, it takes a second or two to load...so be it! I agree the processor isn't the latest and greatest, but it was the latest and greatest two years ago, so it is still a darn good processor! It was smart of Amazon to save costs here in order to produce a tablet that works well for 97% of us! This is the best tablet value for the money out there. If you want to be frugal get the 8gb version and add the 64gb micro sd card. This will give you a great combination. Otherwise go all out with the 16gb and the 128gb micro sd chip (but buy the 59 dollar 128gb chip by sandisk on Amazon- search for it- don't pay the extra 20 dollars for the one 'specially designed for fire tablets'). Ignore the noise. Simply put. I have had plenty of iPads and I can say confidently that they are not worth the extra money. This fire tablet does the trick!