The iPad might be Oprah’s favorite thing, but the Amazon Kindle Fire ain’t bad.

{Updated December 22, 2011 to incorporate comments after new Kindle 6.2.1 update. A ✓ indicates update}I feel that many bloggers and journalists jumped on the review the Amazon Kindle Fire bandwagon a bit early. I understand their need to get their reviews out there, but often it seemed as if their analysis was written, posted and online even before the device had a chance to fully complete a first battery charge.

I’ve been using the $199 Amazon Kindle Fire daily since its release (I preordered). Along the way, I’ve shared a couple of posts and a list of apps to consider (and I’ve been through a bunch of ’em), but have yet to post a full review. I felt the device needed a bit of a shakedown cruise before I drew any conclusions.

After about a month of use and an OS update, it is now time to share a realistic long-term use review. I’ll try to keep the review succinct and along the way present some important points and highlights that might help users on the fence make a decision on whether they want to find a Amazon Kindle Fire under their Christmas tree. Hit the link below for the Doc’s Tech Notes review of the Amazon Kindle Fire.

Amazon Appstore for Android Kindle Fire Apps to get you started

I’ve spent considerable time in the Amazon Appstore for Android since my recent purchase of the Kindle Fire. During that time I’ve found that the online reports are true; the Amazon Appstore for Android selection is not yet up to par with the official Android Marketplace. Many of my favorite apps from the Google Android Marketplace (an alternative store for the non-android initiated) just aren’t there. So until more apps migrate over to the Kindle App Store (sure to happen if you’ve seen recent news about Kindle Fire sales), I’ve had to make due with the current crop of apps available. So far, I have survived.

I’ve also been able to side-load a few applications, but I’ll leave that for my next post. For now, and after the hitting the link below, let me share the apps from the Amazon Appstore for Android that I feel are a worthy of consideration for your bright, shiny newAmazon Kindle.

Happy Thanksgiving from Doc’s Tech Notes…

…and here’s a holiday cartoon courtesy of Tundra Comics (I’ve meet the artist and am a HUGE fan). Have wonderful holiday. I’m doing the traditional Thanksgiving "thing," traveling.

Do you remember the Ready Ranger Back Pack?

Programming note: This post (sans updates and edits) was originally posted on another blog I maintain; however, I am in the process of moving content from a couple of sites to consolidate blogs. This post is a good fit for Doc’s Tech Notes readers. While not modern tech, it does reflect some interesting technology for a toy of its time. Without further ado, here's the original post.
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About a week before the Christmas of 2007, my son came home with an exercise for his Dad, yep…parents get homework these days! My task? Write about the my favorite childhood Christmas gift.

I fondly remembered a wonderful gift called the Ready Ranger Pack by Aurora. It was an amazing use of plastic in the mid-1970s and was my Red Ryder BB Gun (of course a reference to the film A Christmas Story). Curious about the toy composed of an amalgam of plastic, paper and batteries that led to numerous adventures during my childhood in the 1970s? Hit the link below to read more about my favorite childhood toy. It's nostalgia time on Doc’s Tech Notes and just in time for the holidays.

Send to Kindle Chrome extension makes sending web pages to Kindle a single-click affair

If you follow the blog or Doc’s Tech Notes on Google+, you know that I enjoy the new Kindle Fire. This is not my first Kindle rodeo though. I was also the owner of the original model. This model is now in the good hands of my daughter and still in use, despite the funky page turning buttons.

One of the things I enjoyed about the original Kindle was the ability to send .pdf files to the device via the free 3G connectivity. The process was as simple as attaching a file to an e-mail and then sending it to your very own secret e-mail address. It was very convenient, but unfortunately it also cost 10¢ per file, apparently to subsidize the free 3G network connectivity.

The Kindle Fire also comes with this ability as well as the ability to render .pdf files properly. The difference though is that files are now sent via Wi-Fi only (the Kindle Fire does not support 3G). That means the files are sent for free. No more rationing. I can wirelessly send as many files to the Kindle Fire as I please.

The Kindle Fire still supports wireless transfer via e-mail address. You  can send/forward any message with an attachment and it will be sent to your device’s documents area. But what about web pages? What if you've found a large article online that you would like to read on the go? And on top of that, you would like a stripped down version devoid of ads and extraneous “stuff” you don’t need to read the contents? Well, thankfully we have the Send to Kindle Google Chrome extension for that. Hit the link below to learn more about this must have extension for Kindle Fire owners.

Amazing, ho-hum, images from my Amazon Kindle Fire unboxing

I know, I know, why in the world would anyone spend time doing this? Can't help myself. I like to capture and relish in the experience. So without further ado, here's the unboxing images and a video.

First thoughts about the Amazon Kindle Fire? I like it! A more detailed review to come later as I spend more time with it. In the meantime, I'll post some thoughts on the Doc’s Tech Notes Google+ page. Enjoy and drop a comment if you have any questions.

5 iOS apps to recommend to my brother – the new iPhone 4S owner

My brother, the sports fan, recently joined the iPhone/iOS 5 world. He and his wife are now the proud owners of the brand new iPhone 4S (I'm a bit envious as I have decided to stick with my iPhone 4 and wait for the next model). Being new to the platform, I thought I would provide a list of my five favorite apps for his consideration. These are apps that I use at least weekly and in some cases daily.

Before I present my list of five apps, a little tip is in order for multiple iOS device owners – be sure to use a single App Store account for all devices. This may seem a bit unintuitive at first, but if you use the same account for all devices, you can purchase the apps once and install them on all of your iOS devices; without incurring additional cost. Even though I think I have done a very good job at selecting some awesome free apps to keep the cost of ownership low.

Hit the link below to view the list.

Google+ Page for Doc’s Tech Notes now available

I have no idea what I am going to do with it, but it is available nonetheless. If you are a Google+ users, stop by and add the page to your circles to show your support for Doc’s Tech Notes. If you have some ideas on how to leverage the site to either share content or build the community, I would love to read those as well. Drop them below or leave them on the page.

You can view the Doc’s Tech Notes Google+ page at: http://goo.gl/ANedl