“More than a fifth of those who received a Kindle said they have not used it,” The Telegraph reports. “The main reason was that owners had failed to download any e-books, the survey found.”
“Those who received an Apple iPad meanwhile, which costs around four times as much as a Kindle, were more likely to have used it,” The Telegraph reports. “Only nine per cent of new owners said their tablet had remained untouched.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Liz G.” for the heads up.]
You get what you pay for
I got myself a Kindle after my wife commandeered the iPad because reading Kindle books on an iPhone wasn’t as pleasant. The plain old cheapie black and white Kindles are really very acceptable for the one thing they do, although they’re a bit on the clunky side in terms of performance. Although I think the Kindle Fire is an abomination, I know several people at work who love theirs, but they’ve never touched any other tablet, let alone owned an iPad. So, yes, you do indeed get what you pay for and, in some cases, it’s exactly what you want.
9% of new iPad owners haven’t used them? That’s criminal. If you don’t want yours, pass it on to someone who’d really love one but no way can afford it- like me…
I do have a Kindle though- came as a freeby with a phone deal- love it and use it every day. Same applies with all those unused ones- don’t leave it in the drawer, pass it on to someone who’d appreciate and actually use it.
Well, these are people who “received” an iPad as a gift. So I think it would be understandable if “only” 91% are now actively using their iPad.
Even the “more than a fifth” number for Kindle Fire seems fine. That means about 80% of the people who received one as a gift are now using it.
I’ll bet the long-term use of a typical holiday gift is well below 50%. 🙂
Actually, not just Kindle FIre. The article is talking about ALL kinds of Kindle, including the $70 black&white ones.
So you’re saying Kindle Fire is being “propped up” by its lesser (but better) siblings. 🙂
I’d like to know, generally (not in terms of gifts), the percentage of Kindle Fire that get returned for refund.
*DING*DING*DING* I suspect the return rate for the Kindle Fire is quite high, embarrassingly high, so embarrassing that Amazon will do what it takes to keep that figure out of public knowledge. But it will show in actual sales INCOME from the Kindle Fire (which we of course already know is already sold at a loss, aka ‘buying’ its market, Microsoft style).
Dare you tell the tale Amazon? 😎
Maybe 9% of the population don’t have fingers.
My wife got a Kindle for Christmas and she can’t wait to use it, in the sun on the beach. Until then, she reads her books and many other things on her iPad 2.
I got my wife a Kindle for Christmas a year ago. She didn’t want an iPad (she had used my first iPad for a bit) — all she wanted it for was to read books. She happily does the rest with her MacBook Air. My grandson likes her Kindle, too, as he got that iPad. 😆
“…which costs around [two and a half to] four times as much…”
There. Misleading fact fixed.
Correct and the iPad only does 10-15 times as many things–any average iq’d individual would realize this.
Well, why not go a step further and point out that the screen sizes are different too, and one has color, and tons of apps and multitouch etc.
In other words… which one is overpriced, and which is not?
Kindle costs between $70 and $135 (between the standard one, Kindle Touch, Kindle 3G, etc). The cheapest iPad is at least 4 time the most expensive Kindle.
Kindle Fire, on the other hand, is a bit more expensive ($200), but that’s not what article is talking about.
If someone got a Kindle for Christmas, it’s likely they also got a physical book or two as gifts. People might just be reading their new physical books first, and will start downloading e-books as soon as they have nothing else to read. It’s only been about a month since Christmas after all.
That’s a rather elaborate theory, but hey, who knows?
I can’t understand why anyone would get a Kindle Fire over a Nook Tablet. Comparing the Kindle Fire to the Nook Tablet would be like comparing a bicycle to a dirt bike. You get where you want to go faster, it’s more fun to use and it looks way better. Besides it’s only $50 more so it’s not as if you’ll break the bank getting it.
The Kindle Fire’s design and usability is positively Neanderthalic.
I think of the Fire as the moped of tablets. Mopeds are like fat girls – a lot of fun to ride, but not something you want your friends to see you on.
/shows self out
… ouch!…
😉
I don’t think are mopeds nearly as grateful?
😀
Go away BLN, aka “Stockboy”.
I dunno. I bought my daughter a kindle fire over the nook tablet for Christmas. I actually like the look and feel of the kindle better. I also like Amazon’s interface better. For what it is, the kindle is fantastic. My daughter is still using it every day.
My wife is still using her iPad 2 that she got for Christmas, but it isn’t seeing near as much use as it did for the first few weeks. Same goes for the HTC View 7″ tablet that I received for Christmas. Kind of funny that results in my house seem to go against what this article is stating. After one month in my house, the Kindle is the most used of our three new tablets, although it is most certainly the least capable of the three.
And those 9% were later determined not to have understood the question.
80% of Kindles are actively used and 91% of iPads. This is a story?
I have an iPad and a Kindle. The iPad sits on my treadmill waiting for me to run, which means I use it for about 30 to 60 minutes five or six days a week. My Kindle goes with me everywhere and sleeps on my nightstand (or on my chest) because I read it before I fall asleep every night.
For reading, the Kindle is IT. I have no use for a Kindle Fire and wouldn’t buy one anyway, but in my life the Kindle OWNS the iPad.
in my life the Kindle OWNS the iPad
As an eReader! That’s what Kindles are for!
The iPad is not just a eReader. It does everything else as well. If you don’t need everything else, enjoy your Kindle!
Why do people think iPads and Kindles are in the same market to begin with? You buy the right device for what you want to accomplish.
People don’t want tablets, they want iPads
My how the press was pumping this POS so hard during the holidays. I can’t wait to see the real sales numbers and returns for this POS. I want to visit each and everyone of those so called journalist and remind them about their bend over and put it in my arse articles for Amazon. lol
I think once we see the real sales numbers and return rates you’re going to be disappointed. As you can see from other comments here, those who have bought Kindles generally like them and use them. I doubt the return rate will be all that high. For what it costs, it’s a fantastic device. Until Apple puts out a 7″ tablet, the Kindle will rule the small tablet market just like Apple now does in the full-size, full-featured tablet market.
Some will excuse the Kindle Fire as an e-reader only. That’s a mistake. Although it excels as a reader, it is also great for playing music, video, games, and email. It’s ok as a browser too (although not fantastic for this). And Amazon’s model for easy access to content on the Fire is great. Based on Amazon’s success with the 7″ form factor, I would be very surprised if we don’t see a 7″ tablet from Apple in the near future.
I own a Kindle and an iPad. I use both.
In fact, I use the Kindle app on my iPad more than the Books application. Amazon’s books play anywhere and are HW agnostic.
My 12 year old daughter got a nook for Christmas 2010. Almost literally has not put it down. Best present Santa ever got one of the kids. My son saved up money for an iPad and uses it half as much as daughter uses the Nook.
My dad uses his Kindle Fire constantly mainly for free books from the library. Setup, configuration and ease-of-use are all impediments for the Fire. Amazon designed it that way to force users to buy books.
Asking questions are in fact nice thing if you are not understanding something fully, except this piece of writing offers pleasant understanding even.