[PurpleDog]

I'm trying to decide on my next purchase; I have an iPad 2/16GB, an iPad 3/64GB, but I want to get something a little more portable.

I think I've narrowed my choices down to the Fire HD 8.9" / 32 for $369 or or the iPad Mini 32 for $429. 

I do have over 550 GB of iTunes video content and I also am an Amazon Prime member. 

Does anyone out there have any real world experience with these in respect to one another ?

Is there a way to play purchased iTunes content video on a Fire HD 8.9" ?

 

[maries]

I have both (16gb Fire and 32gb mini) and like and use both.    I think what you want to use the portable one for might help.

Since you have the bigger ipads and want something portable the mini seems like the better choice since you would already have the apps.  You also have a lot of other content that you could access with the mini.  I have some apps on the Fire but mostly ones that were free.

I am an Amazon Prime member so use the 8.9" for accessing Prime videos and shopping.  I visit websites on both.  I like the size of both but find the 8.9" a bit easier and clearer.  However, I find the mini more stable and faster for searches.  One site I go to has video clips and these don't play on the Fire but work just fine on the mini.

I could read my kindle books on either but usually use my KK for that but like that I have the option if I didn't want to carry that around too.

I like sorting through my email and filing into folders better on the mini. 

The mini is much lighter and thinner.    I have the 8.9" Fire in the Amazon case.    It is still comfortable to hold with enough of an edge around the screen.  The rubbery edges of the Amazon case makes this easier to hang on to.    Even though the mini is light, I had a hard time finding a good way to hold it so that it felt secure in my hands.  The edge around the display does not give you much area to hang on to and it is sol sleek that I felt it was slippery - even the edges.    I ended up putting it into a case that had a hand strap to make it easier to hold securely but now it is thicker - although better protected too IMO.  I like the Invellop cases but I still never found a good way to hold it without my thumb hurting.  I haven't heard that from anyone else though.

Just my experience.  I think both are great and you would be happy with either.  Which is best will depend on your plans for using it.

 

[Meemo]

I have a 7" Fire HD, and also had the original Fire. I much prefer the Mini, and have rarely used the HD since I got the Mini. I prefer iOS to Android, and I love that the Mini has a bigger screen than my 7" Fire, yet is thinner and lighter. Battery life on my Mini is better also. I'm taking my Fire for a friend to look at next week - if she wants it I'll probably sell it to her. It just seems silly to keep it when I so rarely use it now. I use the Mini all the time - much more than I've ever used my 1st gen iPad. The Mini has even become my primary reading device.

Since you already have iPads and the apps for them, I'd recommend going with the Mini.  And no, I don't think there's a way to view iTunes-purchased videos on a Fire, because I think they're DRMed. But you can watch Amazon videos on the iPads.

 

[Cyanide5000]

I use my Kindle Fire HD wayyyy more than my iPad 3, Mostly for movies and things

 

[Hadou]

Considering that I've done copious amounts of shopping on Amazon, and only ever snagged a handful of songs on iTunes...  I would personally get more use out of the Fire (kind of already do, just not the HD) than I would out of any Apple things.

 

[Betsy the Quilter]

With the amount of iTunes video that you have, I'd consider the Mini.

I have an iPad 1 and the Fire 8.9HD 4G.  And love them both.  But the iPad continues to be better for me for my day-to-day use and for its battery life.

Betsy

 

[PurpleDog]

Thanks to everyone for the info ! I've not seen the iPad mini's or the Kindle HD 8.9 displays in person, so I'm going to check hopefully check them out at a local BestBuy and then decide. I do have ALOT of iTunes video, but it's stuff I've already [mostly] watched already. With the Kindle I could acess HBO To Go and all the Prime Amazon video.

 

[luvmy4brats]

You can access the HBO to Go and Amazon Prime from the Mini. I also buy most of my music from Amazon and transfer it to my iTunes account... Easy-peasy.


I have both the Fire and Mini. The only thing my Fire gets used for is streaming shows to my main TV. I could do that from my Mini, but then I couldn't play Angry Birds while Watching Downton Abbey. 

Then again, I can't imagine having an ipad2, and ipad3, and a Mini. I sold my iPad 2 when I got the Mini because I just love it so much. It's practically perfect in every possible way.

 

[PurpleDog]

You can access the HBO to Go and Amazon Prime from the Mini. I also buy most of my music from Amazon and transfer it to my iTunes account... Easy-peasy.

I have both the Fire and Mini. The only thing my Fire gets used for is streaming shows to my main TV. I could do that from my Mini, but then I couldn't play Angry Birds while Watching Downton Abbey.

Then again, I can't imagine having an ipad2, and ipad3, and a Mini. I sold my iPad 2 when I got the Mini because I just love it so much. It's practically perfect in every possible way.

Yeah, I don't need 3 iPads ! My plan is to sell my ipad 2 / 16GB, so if anyone is looking ........

 

[Toby]

Why not get them both?   I am very happy that I have both. The Mini is more of a laptop substitute, as well as an entertainment device. I take my Mini everywhere & also use it at home. I use my Fires at home. The Fire is more of an entertainment device & more. You can do the Prime thing - movies/TV shows, the Immersion Reading thing on the HD version, the Amazon Lending Library thing, etc. on the Fire. There is 1 thing that I am wondering about. Mares said that the video clips on a site did not work on the Fire, but worked on the iPad. I found the opposite. I was able to watch video clips on the Fire & not the Mini. For instance, when I went to Amazon to watch the video clips on the Mini, it said that I needed to download flash. On the Fire, it didn't. I was able to watch them.

 

[PurpleDog]

Why not get them both? I am very happy that I have both. The Mini is more of a laptop substitute, as well as an entertainment device. I take my Mini everywhere & also use it at home. I use my Fires at home. The Fire is more of an entertainment device & more. You can do the Prime thing - movies/TV shows, the Immersion Reading thing on the HD version, the Amazon Lending Library thing, etc. on the Fire. There is 1 thing that I am wondering about. Mares said that the video clips on a site did not work on the Fire, but worked on the iPad. I found the opposite. I was able to watch video clips on the Fire & not the Mini. For instance, when I went to Amazon to watch the video clips on the Mini, it said that I needed to download flash. On the Fire, it didn't. I was able to watch them.

Amazon videos work great on my iPads, but you need this app:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amazon-instant-video/id545519333?mt=8

 

[Meemo]

Thanks to everyone for the info ! I've not seen the iPad mini's or the Kindle HD 8.9 displays in person, so I'm going to check hopefully check them out at a local BestBuy and then decide. I do have ALOT of iTunes video, but it's stuff I've already [mostly] watched already. With the Kindle I could acess HBO To Go and all the Prime Amazon video.

You can do that with the iPad Mini as well.

There is 1 thing that I am wondering about. Mares said that the video clips on a site did not work on the Fire, but worked on the iPad. I found the opposite. I was able to watch video clips on the Fire & not the Mini. For instance, when I went to Amazon to watch the video clips on the Mini, it said that I needed to download flash. On the Fire, it didn't. I was able to watch them.

You do need to download Flash to the Fire HD, it doesn't come on it natively (it did on the original Fire). iThings don't come with Flash, but there's a way around that too, I just haven't tried it. I did send the info to a friend, though, and she said it worked for her.

 

[Toby]

Em, the funny part was that I did not download flash to the Fire, but if it works, I'm not complaining.

 

[ConnorSanchez]

I haven't seen the Kindle Fire 8.9, so I can't speak from experience there, but honestly, the iPad Mini seems like a waste of $$ to me. It's not even that much cheaper than a regular iPad.

 

[Toby]

Not for me. I can only put a small device on the desk at work. I don't have the space. Also, it's more portable & lighter to take anywhere, or to quickly grab to look up something.

 

[Meemo]

Not for me. I can only put a small device on the desk at work. I don't have the space. Also, it's more portable & lighter to take anywhere, or to quickly grab to look up something.

Yep, it's entirely subjective. What one person finds to be a waste of money is another person's near-perfect device. I fall on the near-perfect side myself - I use my Mini way more than my 10" iPad, more than my Fire, read on it more than on my eInk Kindle. Slips in my purses easily. I'm with Heather. For me, it's practically perfect in every way. I should name it Mary Poppins.