The Kindle Fire, which was rebranded as the Amazon Fire in 2014, is a popular tablet that uses the Fire OS operating system. Since the first model was released in 2011, the device has undergone many improvements and upgrades to its design.
Why is the Kindle Fire cheaper than the Kindle?
The e-reader Kindle costs Amazon more to create than the Fire tablet. Android tablets are relatively inexpensive to make, especially if they’re manufactured in certain countries. The Kindle is made with better-quality materials and components.
There are many different models available within the separate ranges of Kindle and Kindle Fire tablets.
It’s not always true that the Fire is cheaper than a Kindle, but on the whole, that does seem to be the case. There are many reasons for this, which we will explore in detail in this article.
Why Is Kindle Fire Cheaper Than Kindle?
If you’ve browsed through Amazon’s selection of tablets recently, you may have noticed something that seems a little strange. The company’s flagship electronic tablet, the Fire HD, is cheaper than the Kindle Oasis.
This may leave you scratching your head, as the Fire tablets can do much more than the standard Kindle can.
Fire tablets can be used to do everything from watching live TV to writing documents, whereas the standard Kindle is almost solely designed for the reading of eBooks. So why exactly is there such a price difference between them?
Firstly, the Amazon Fire tablet is made with lesser-quality materials than the Kindle Paperwhite or Kindle Oasis. It’s much easier to assemble a tablet than it is a standard Kindle.
Customers of the e-reader Kindle are choosing to use it as an alternative to physical books; therefore, it must feel pleasant to hold. If Amazon used cheap materials, this would likely make it less comfortable to use.
On the other hand, a tablet captures the user’s attention visually and sonically, so they are less focused on how the product feels.
Other components, like the batteries and screens used in the Kindle, are superior to the Kindle Fire, which further explains why it is generally more expensive.
What’s The Difference Between a Kindle Fire and Kindle?
In 2014, Amazon renamed the Kindle Fire to the “Amazon Fire.”
This move was intended to separate the tablet from the original e-reader, Kindle, to avoid any confusion amongst the users.
When the original Kindle Fire tablet was released in 2011, many people believed that it would also be designed predominantly for reading eBooks. While it was capable of this, the Kindle Fire was a completely different device from the Kindle models that preceded it.
The most apparent difference between a Kindle Fire and a Kindle is that the former is a tablet that runs the Fire OS operating system, which is based on the Android Open Source Project. The latter has no other capabilities except for being able to download and present eBooks to be read by the user.
The Fire tablet can download apps, stream videos and music, take pictures and videos, and browse the internet. The standard Kindle can only perform essential functions like displaying the time, playing audiobooks, and reading eBooks.
Wi-Fi connectivity is one of the only similarities between the Amazon Fire tablet and the Kindle.
Both devices can connect to the internet, but the Fire tablet can do much more with that network connection.
You’ll find differences in the display of the devices, their dimensions, and the way they feel.
However, just because the Amazon Fire tablet is capable of more doesn’t mean it’s a better-quality device. In fact, the standard Kindle is built using much better quality materials.
Essentially, it’s easy to choose between Amazon Fire and a Kindle. If you want to do anything more than simply read eBooks and listen to audiobooks, choose the Fire tablet; if not, the Kindle will suffice.
How Long Does Kindle Fire Battery Last?
The Amazon Fire tablet can last for around 12 hours on a single charge, but this time will be impacted by the way that the device is used. For example, if you’re constantly streaming videos, you can expect the battery to be drained much quicker.
Along with the battery life of a Fire tablet, users are also likely to be curious about how long the battery itself could last before it either needs replacing or you need to buy a new Kindle. Again, this is dependent on the way that the device is used and how it is charged.
On average, a Kindle Fire battery will last between 2-3 years if it is used regularly. Every time the battery is charged and then drained, this completes what is known as a “charging cycle.”
All batteries have a limited number of charging cycles before they start to degrade, and the Fire tablet is no exception to this rule. After approximately 300 charging cycles, you can expect the battery life to begin to diminish gradually.
Users of smartphones will be aware of the degradation that occurs over time when the battery eventually becomes unusable. This also happens with Kindle Fire tablets, albeit slightly quicker.
Ensuring that you charge your tablet regularly and avoid allowing it to go completely dead may preserve the battery for longer, but on the whole, there’s very little you can do to combat the inevitable.
Here’s a YouTube video listing tips to increase the battery level of Kindle:
Can You Watch Netflix on a Kindle?
It’s not possible to watch Netflix on a Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, or Kindle Oasis. However, if you own a Kindle Fire tablet, you can download the popular streaming platform’s app to enjoy a host of shows and movies.
Downloading the Netflix app onto your Kindle Fire is very easy. Simply open up the “Apps” menu, which is located in the main menu of the tablet, and then go to the “Store,” which should be found on the top right side of the screen.
You can then search for the Netflix app and start the download. It should only take a few minutes for Netflix to download and be installed on your Fire tablet, provided you have a good Wi-Fi connection.
Once the app has been installed, you’ll need to open it and put in your login credentials to access the home screen. There, you’ll be able to choose from all of the content just as you would if you were watching Netflix on a TV or laptop.
You can watch Netflix on your Fire tablet by simply logging in to the website. This may be a better option if you’d instead save space on the device or you’re using someone else’s Kindle Fire.
When you open the Netflix website in one of the browsers you have installed on your Fire tablet, you can then enter your username and password, and you will be able to stream movies or TV shows without needing the app.
Unfortunately, other versions of the Kindle don’t have the capacity to run any apps like Netflix, as they are designed for reading eBooks exclusively.
Related Questions
How many years does an Amazon Fire tablet last?
Most Amazon Fire tablets will last around three years, provided they’re looked after properly. The first component that is likely to wear out is the battery, as it can only produce a finite number of charging cycles before it degrades.
Can you get Gmail on an Amazon Fire tablet?
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to download Google-made apps on the Amazon app store due to the two companies being competitors in the tablet market. You can use Gmail in your chosen browser on a Fire tablet, though.
Can Fire tablets run Android?
All Amazon Fire tablets run a custom edition of Android designed specifically for the devices. This is known as Fire OS, and it works pretty much identically to Android with a few tweaks to make it more suitable for Amazon Fire users.
