Kindle Fire Problems: Users' 9 Biggest Issues With Amazon's Tablet

UPDATE: On December 21, Amazon issued software version 6.2.1, aimed at fixing several of users' most common problems, including glitches with the touchscreen and the user interface, as well as privacy issues that arose over the carousel feature.

On December 12 the New York Times reported that Amazon will issue a software upgrade to combat some complaints that Kindle Fire early adopters have reported since the device went on sale in November.

Amazon spokesman Drew Herdener told the Times that a significant software update was coming for the Kindle Fire "[i]n less than two weeks." Amazon hopes the patch will address many of the common issues users have found.

Amazon has priced the device at $199 to entice customers, and expectations are high for the device's success this holiday season. Analysts are predicting that the company could move 5 million Fire tablets this quarter, which is "a little under half the iPads sold in Q4 2011," according to TechCrunch. But will users consider a device that is reportedly rife with glitches?

Some of the biggest complaints about the Fire are its laggy touchscreen and buggy operating system. However, a software update might not be the answer to all the device's problems. Read Write Web notes that the Fire must receive significant hardware upgrades before its reaches its true potential.

"The only way that Amazon can truly fix the Fire is to make another one with a different form factor and better innards," according to RWW. "A new Fire has been rumored to be in the works for sometime in the first half of 2012 with a larger screen."

Take a look at the slideshow (below) to see users' biggest complaints so far about the Kindle Fire. Are you an early adopter? Have you noticed any of these problems? Share your thoughts about the device in the comments.

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Comments

[Ricntree]

09:22 PM on 01/22/2012

All of a sudden my kf is not reponding to anything!! It's very spiratic and I cant even go anywhere or type anything!!!! Any suggestions what it may be??

[umbrarchist]

03:20 PM on 01/02/2012

It doesn't have enough storage and and does not have an SD Card slot. People who would not wait 6 months to let other people find the bugs deserve what they get.

[Edbeason]

12:06 PM on 12/30/2011

Why is this still being published? Isn't this really old news now?

[Tom Sheetara]

01:21 AM on 12/30/2011

use a tablet pen....solves the fat finger problem

[MizLiz]

07:04 PM on 12/29/2011

I love my KF. I had some wi-fi connectivity problems today, but it was just a matter of choosing the correct wi-fi connection, and then putting in the correct login info. Works great now. The great thing is, the kids don't have to fret over getting Mom a birthday present....just buy her some Amazon KF credits.

[Marcin A Mazurek]

06:14 PM on 12/29/2011

The fingers you have used to dial are too fat
Please use a special dialing wand or ask for assistance from a skinny person XD

[cerebrogasm]

05:53 PM on 12/29/2011

This article has to be written by spoiled geeks. Even the title of this article is wrong - the Kindle Fire is a well equipped e-reader - not a tablet computer like the iPad - and the geeks should stop comparing the two: how about I compare my iPad to my Apple workstation - why doesn't the iPad have 12 core processors and 512 GB of memory sitting on 5 Terabytes of drive space? Why, the nerve of Apple to release such a let-down. See what I mean?

[Marcin A Mazurek]

06:17 PM on 12/29/2011

Wrong.
The Kindle is a well-equipped e-reader, the Kindle Fire is Amazon's attempt to enter the tablet market while selling itself as an e-reader and refusing to sell anyone else's similar product at the same time.

Having its cake, stealing everyone else's and pretending to be superior.

[cerebrogasm]

06:38 PM on 12/29/2011

Wrong. It's an Amazon dedicated e-reader with tablet features and components - but never pretends to compete with real tablet systems, like an iPad or one of the many tablet computers out there. If you're ticked off that Amazon's Fire is built around Amazon - then buy an iPad or laptop and download the free Kindle reader app. Did you author or contribute to this article, by any chance?

[strawberrykiki]

04:53 PM on 12/29/2011

I love my Fire. It isn't perfect, but for the price it does everything I want it to do.

[Marcin A Mazurek]

06:17 PM on 12/29/2011

Which, when you get down to it, no matter what product you side with, is all that really matters.

[Edbeason]

12:13 PM on 12/30/2011

And going forward in the tablet market, I think, that's all that ever will matter, bottom line. Apple fan folks are going to try to diss the K-Fire no matter what. I just ignore them and consider the source. The iPad isn't perfect either and never has been, nor will any tablet ever be upon release. Millions upon millions of people simply don't want to pay for bells and whistles they can afford, but don't need in the iPad just to be able to show off what is now a status symbol for many, who themselves don't use anywhere near the full compliment of features they paid for.

[roydoe]

04:32 PM on 12/28/2011

Silk browser no
Use DolphinHD for a browser

[TrgdyAnn]

04:29 PM on 12/28/2011

I'm enjoying My Kindle Fire so far, except the small buttons. Kinda wish they had some sort of touch screen pen. When I upgrade to the Toshiba-Thrive Tablet ($399) I really want, I'm passing the Kindle torch to my 13yr old Daughter!

[MizLiz]

07:07 PM on 12/29/2011

Go to Amazon's website..there's all kinds of stuff you can get for the KF, including touch thingies. Fortunately, I have skinny fingers, but my Android phone was difficult until I downloaded "Big Buttons" which is MUCH easier.

[TrgdyAnn]

09:08 PM on 12/29/2011

Thanx for responding. I'm getting the Touch-Screen Pen and a new Sleeve in a few days! :)

[Jay from Ottawa]

11:47 AM on 12/15/2011

Biggest Issues With Amazon's Tablet ... It's no Asus Transformer Prime !

[rajanbalana]

08:36 AM on 12/15/2011

Even my cousin faced the same issue with his Amazon Kindle Fire, You can check his explanation here:

http://www.androidnew.com/news/kindle-fire-having-wi-fi-issues-are-you-facing-the-same.html

[mairs]

07:39 PM on 12/15/2011

I've had mine for almost a month now and the wi-fi has been rock solid.

[Philosopher-king]

12:58 AM on 12/15/2011

The Kindle Fire is ghetto!

[loki]

12:33 AM on 12/15/2011

Im guessing Kindle Fire's biggest problem is the smear department at Apple

[JohnTheMac]

06:44 AM on 12/15/2011

amazing! Why would you guess that?

[authorized-user]

09:10 PM on 12/14/2011

I can only see one problem here;

They can't make them fast enough!