Not sure whether to buy Apple’s new iPad mini or Amazon’s Kindle Fire HDX? Both are awesome, but here’s why you should go with the Fire. Amazon’s newest 7” tablet starts at $229, a whopping $170 less than the cheapest iPad mini. The Fire is built around an awesome first-party media experience with access to plenty of great third-party apps. From Kindle to Instant Video to Amazon mp3, Amazon’s media is built into the tablet’s core experience. Tech newbie? No problem! The Kindle Fire has a built-in feature called Mayday that connects you with an Amazon tech-support employee through the tablet to help you navigate or troubleshoot any problem you have. The Fire is also great if you have young kids: Kindle FreeTime lets you create a personalized experience for them, and also lets you limit how much time they spend watching videos or playing games in a day. Apple’s new iPad mini may be great, but the Kindle Fire packs awesome features and specs at nearly half the price. Go with the Fire.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.