Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker (Black)

Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker (Black)



button

CUSTOMER REVIEW
review


Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What's this?)


With all the Bluetooth personal-size speakers on the market these days, it can be challenging to figure out which one will best meet your needs. Because of its portability and oversize sound, this little unit has all of the positives of the "boom boxes" some of us remember from our youth, with the added benefit of smaller dimensions and freedom from C batteries.

Here's a targeted assessment of how the Bose has been performing.

SOUND: This unit puts out a rich, clean, clear sound. Bass is present without being overwhelming; higher notes don't get tinny. When evaluating any speakers, I listen for how well they handle guitar and a cappella, because fuzziness and other issues will stand out. This little unit did not muddy the purity of the unaccompanied human voice. It also stood up to the subtle complexities of guitar -- in ballads, rock, and the music I love best, Hawaiian slack-key.

PORTABILITY. The unit is small enough to tuck into a day pack or oversize purse. The internal battery holds a charge of up to 8 hours' playing time, which means you don't need to bring the provided power adapter (but if you do, it's in two compact parts, a USB cable and a slimline wall adapter with fold-flat prongs). The unit will simultaneously recharge and perform as a speaker. I was able to recharge a drained battery while playing music in about 70 minutes.

EASE OF USE. Initial setup takes just a few minutes, and can be done while you are recharging the battery. The spoken instructions are easy to follow. Then it's a matter of getting your Bluetooth-enabled devices to recognize the speaker. Once this recognition process is complete, whenever the speaker is on, it will verbally identify any synched device that comes within range. And this is not a generic identification - the SoundLink uses the name you've assigned to each device. Toggling between devices is simple, too, just a matter of using the "pause" and "play" controls on your devices.

APPEARANCE/DURABILITY: The case is smooth, with rounded corners. The one-piece top panel and two narrow vertical panels on the sides of the case are rubberized, with some flexibility. Control functions are printed on the surface of the top panel, and are pressure-sensitive, so there are no moving parts exposed. The narrow strips on the sides of the case give you a surer grip when lifting or moving the unit. The SoundLink and power supply are both well-machined. Overall, the unit seems sturdy and capable of withstanding daily use, including frequent movement and plugging and unplugging.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Forever With Me (With Me In Seattle Book 8)

Forever With Me (With Me In Seattle Book 8)



button

CUSTOMER REVIEW
review


Writing this review is EXTREMELY bittersweet for me; I've been dreading this day since I think Rock With Me lol. This series is a favorite and these characters have become like family to me so writing this has me feeling like an emotional wreck.
I don't even know if I can really talk about Forever With Me to be honest. I've tried to write this review for about three weeks now, and each time I'd sit down to write it, I'd start crying thinking about the words I read. Kristen did an amazing job ending this series on a high note. I loved Dom's smooth, confident, demeanor, plus, he's plain old sexy! Alecia, as we all know, from the previous books is cool, collected and one helluva party planner. She's also kind of stubborn lol. Thankfully, Dom doesn't let a little thing like stubbornness deter him. I need a Dom, I want a Dom *sigh*

More than anything, I don't want to say good-bye this series.

I loved every minute and every word here. I felt like I needed to read slow and savor it, hoping to make it last. Dom and Alecia made me laugh, fan myself and cry; but let’s be honest, almost all FWM made me a crying, snotting mess. We've got our trademark scenes with our Seattle ladies and there's a scene with just the men that I ADORED! I loved the banter between the brothers and brothers-in-law. You just have to read this, on release day. OH and that epilogue- total fist in my mouth to quiet my sobs moment.

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

Amazon Fire Game Controller

Amazon Fire Game Controller



button

CUSTOMER REVIEW
review


Despite its tad high of a price, i decided to grab one along with the firetv. and now im pretty sure i'll pick up another so my wife and i can have at it to settle arguments.

I was always partial to the xbox styled controllers, never liked the playstation design. So this was perfectly natural to use.

Pros
-Feels quality
-takes AA batteries(i have tons of rechargables, some people may not like this)
-Sleeps to conserve energy, wakes up with a press.
-no wires(kinda implied for any game system in 2013+
-Pairs damn quick and easily

Cons
-it should be $5 cheaper. I know, 5 bucks isn't big, but i think many of those who see it as overpriced would have not thought so with a number like $35 instead of 40
-Has dead zone, see below

overall, if you're of those who hope amazon does make this into a half decent gaming machine, it's a no brainer. I don't think anyone should have the expectation that this will replace an xbox or PS, but it looks to be just what i want, a media box which also does a pretty good job at gaming

Vs Xbox/playstation
Something to think about: This system with 1 remote costs $140. A new xbox 360 4gb E costs only $40 more and is a more serious gaming machine that also has streaming abilities... But then again you'll need the $60ish xbox live service to get full functionality... but then again amazon prime is $99 to add some functionality to the firetv. I wonder now if that prime membership includes the use of online multiplayer games or if that's free...

++UPDATE:
OK, here's hoping amazon improves this, but the controller has a significant analog stick dead zone. What that means is that moving the analog stick a little bit doesn't do anything, you have to move it a lot. this means accurate and minute adjustments to aiming/movement are a lot trickier. taking off a star for this.

++UPDATE 2:
So, it seems you can use the xbox controller with the pc usb adapter, i just ordered one and am going to try it out. I am having a decent enough time with the amazon controller, but no matter what sensitivity settings i try, i can't get a pleasant aiming/movement experience out of it. If the Xbox controller works as faultlessly as others are reporting, i'm going to send back the amazon one and keep the xbox controller. it was only $45 for the controller plus usb adapter, and xbox controllers can be had for $35 each, so the price is pretty much the same but with the xbox controller you're getting something that's been refined.

++UPDATE 3:
The standard xbox wireless controller with PC usb adapter works perfectly. You can buy it as a kit for only a few dollars more than the amazon controller and still add up to 4 xbox controllers which each cost less than the amaazon one. It still doesn't feel quite as accurate as i'm used to, but that must either come down to how the games are made/processed, or i'm just that rusty. Either way, the amazon controller while very OK, i'd say grab the Xbox controllers

Monday, December 1, 2014

Belkin HDMI to HDMI Cable for FireTV and other HDMI-Enabled Devices (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)

Belkin HDMI to HDMI Cable for FireTV and other HDMI-Enabled Devices (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)



button

CUSTOMER REVIEW
review


Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What's this?)


This seems like a good HDMI cable. It does exactly what it's supposed to. Use this to connect your TV to boxes and devices like Blu-Ray players, internet TV (including FireTV and Apple TV), gaming consoles, and so on. The product description claims it is 4K compatible, but I'm pretty sure all "high speed" HDMI cables are 4K compatible: they are made for use with the latest computers, some of which use resolutions even higher than 4K. But hey, it's a nice reassurance. The cord is heavy and seems well constructed. The head of the cord (if that's what you call it) is pretty beefy and gives the impression of quality. In general, I think Belkin makes quality products that perform above the cheap generics. Which brings me to the final point...

PRICE: Other reviewers have pointed out that you can get similar high-speed HDMI cables on Amazon for about half the price. This is true. In fact, the Amazon Basics 6.5 foot cable (which I own) is only about $6. There are other off-brand Chinese cables, too. So why consider this one? Well, I think (and many experts do as well) that you get legitimate quality advantages with some of these slightly more expensive cables by Belkin and other good brands. If you have already paid $800 for your flat screen TV, $200 for your BluRay player, and $400 for your gaming console, to say nothing of the movies and games you plan to watch, what's the big deal about an extra $6 if the cord provides even tiny improvements in picture and quality? It's the consumer's choice. We all make choices between cheap generics and brand names all the time. Now we must do so with electronics also. Buy a cheap generic and you might end up running your expensive entertainment system with a dud or sub-par cord. Buy this Belkin for a few bucks extra and you are assured of quality.

Fire HD 7, 7" HD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB - Includes Special Offers, Cobalt

Fire HD 7, 7" HD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB - Includes Special Offers, Cobalt



button

CUSTOMER REVIEW
review







































amznJQ.onReady('Airy', function() {
Airy.embed({"installFlashButtonText":"Install Flash Player","contentTitle":null,"autoplayCutOffTimeSeconds":null,"ageGate":{"monthNames":["January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"deniedPrompt":"We're sorry. You are not old enough to watch this video.","submitText":"Submit","prompt":"This video is not intended for all audiences. What date were you born?"},"videoAds":null,"videoUnsupportedPrompt":"Sorry, this video is unsupported on this browser.","desiredMode":"hybrid","swfUrl":"http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/vap/video/airy2/prod/2.0.902.0/flash/AiryBasicRenderer._V320612526_.swf","isAutoplayEnabled":null,"installFlashPrompt":"Adobe Flash Player is required to watch this video.","isLiveStream":null,"regionCode":"NA","contentId":null,"playbackErrorPrompt":"Sorry, an error has occurred while attempting video playback. Please try again later.","contentMinAge":null,"isForesterTrackingDisabled":null,"streamingUrls":["http://bit.ly/1uzlaE8"],"parentId":"airy-player-container-moP3B6GS5RL8LY","slateImages":{"http://bit.ly/14OBjgA":null},"foresterMetadataParams":{"client":"CustomerReviews","requestId":"11PGY3SBJ7B7QR7R9WD9","marketplaceId":"ATVPDKIKX0DER","session":"000-0000000-0000000"}});
});


Length:: 9:50 Mins

I purchased the original Kindle Fire in 2011 and the second generation Kindle Fire in 2012. I gave my original one to my grandson and he is still using it for apps and reading. I liked both of them and I have to tell you that they have held up very well. One is over 3 years old and the other is 2 years old and I have not had any issues with them. Since I have not upgraded in 2 years I thought I would get a new one with a larger memory and a faster CPU and a higher resolution display. There are many improvements beyond even those features.

I have to tell you that overall I am impressed with this new one. I didn't feel the need to purchase a Kindle Fire every year and when I purchased the next one I wanted it to be a definite upgrade step to what I had. I stayed with the 7 inch size as I like to portability and weight for long term reading. I alternate between the Kindle Paperwhite for reading in the daytime and at night sometimes and I use the Kindle Fire for reading in the evening and at night plus browsing the internet and getting email. This new Kindle Fire HD 2014 version is very fast and easy to use. Setting it up for the internet and downloading my apps and books was a breeze. I like the fact that the larger memory allows me to carry more apps and books. The higher resolution of the screen is helpful in reading books as the text is clearer and easier on my eyes than the older Kindle Fires we own. The screen is better for playing apps and watching videos and movies and it is worth the upgrade from the older Kindle Fires.

I like that this version has both a front and rear facing camera. I use the camera a lot on all of my tablets and I own many Apple iPads, Apple iPhone and Android tablets. The camera is just handy for that spontaneous photo or video and I take a lot of them.

I also like the fact that the stereo sound output has been improved as I listen to a lot of books. I use the text to speech feature a lot and I also use the Audible book feature a lot. When Amazon sells the Audible version of the book at a good price when I buy the Kindle version of the book I usually get both. I like to use Bluetooth to stream the Audio book to my car's stereo system and listen to the book while I drive, especially on a long trip. My wife and I enjoy listening to books together. This HD tablet pairs with my car and I can now use it instead of using my iPad or using my iPhone. This feature keeps track of where I am in the book regardless of whether I am reading the book or listening to it with Audible. The better speakers and louder volume is also nice when watching movies.

The unit works well handling my emails and it makes it nice that I can switch from browsing, to emails to reading or playing an app on the same tablet. I also have Amazon Prime so I can watch TV shows or movies. This is a good tablet with a lot of flexibility. I am still not a fan of the push ads but I am so used to them now I just ignore them.

I won't discuss all of the specifications but I did include a table comparing the Original Kindle Fire to the first Kindle HD 2013and now the Kindle HD 2014. For me it was a quantum leap to go from a Kindle Fire First or Second Generation and I am glad I made the jump. This tablet is a good buy for the money as the specs are very good. The table below shows the differences between the different versions and you can see the progress that has been made in just a few years. I am buying this new kindle with confidence as my last two Kindle Fires have performed very well and I expect the same out of this one.

One word of caution is that if you are buying this for a child then make sure to pay attention to the parental controls. Turn off the ability to make In App Purchases (IAPs) and I also turn off 1 touch buying. It is so easy for a child to make in app purchases and some of them can be as much as $99.99 on one item. Children are used to playing games with fake money and they cannot tell the difference and you will be surprised when you get the massive credit card bill. A few minutes of proper set up of the tablet for use by a child can save you a lot of headaches in the future.

There are a couple of features that I do wish were in this product that I miss. I own and have tested many tablets and I love the ability of Android tablets to accept a Micro SD card memory addition. I even have some tablets that I use 128 GIG SD cards in and this is a great feature. A very good Micro SD card only cost $100 and if Amazon would add this feature this very good tablet would be a GREAT tablet. The second feature is the ability to easily use apps from the Google Play Store. Most of the office and game apps are on the Amazon play store and I really do like the Amazon Play store the best. There are though some powerful tools on the Google Play Store that will not work on the Kindle Fire Operating system and that is a shame. This limits the customer from being able to use the best available software available. This Kindle Fire HD 2014 is a wonderful top notch product but it would be a superior product if these features were included.

If you are upgrading from a first or second generation Kindle Fire then this is a great move. For someone that has the 2013 Kindle Fire HD this is a smaller leap in technology so you may have to really want one of the new features to upgrade. I like my new unit and I am glad that I got it. I am also glad that it came with the AC wall charger in the box. I rated it at 5 stars and recommend it based on the results I have seen so far. If you have any questions please send me a comment and I will try to answer you.

Feature:------------Original Kindle Fire----Kindle Fire HD 2013-----Kindle Fire HD 2014
CPU------------------Dual core---------------Dual core a5 1.5 GHz---Quad Core with dual
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1.5 GHZ and dual 1.2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------GHz cores
RAM--------------------------------------------------------------------------1 GB RAM
Internal Memory---8 GB----------------------8 or 16 GB------------------8 or 16 GB
Available Memory-5 GB-----------------------5 GB or 12.2GB------------5 GB or 12.2GB
Display--------------7 Inch--------------------7 Inch-----------------------7 Inch
DPI-------------------169 DPI 1024/600-----216 DPI 1280/800----------216 DPI 1280/800
Cameras------------None----------------------None------------------------Front & rear facing
Camera pixels-----N/A------------------------N/A--------------------------VGA quality front
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 Mega Pixel Rear
Battery Life--------8 hours--------------------up to 10 hours--------------8 hours
Charging time----4 hours---------------------under 6 hours---------------under 6 hours
AC wall charger--yes included-------------Yes Included-------------------Yes included
Speakers-----------dual stereo speakers---dual stereo speakers--------dual stereo speakers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------virtual surround sound
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------emulated 5.1 sound field
Display screen--------------------------------------------------------------Gorilla glass
Case colors----------Black------------------------Black--------------------5 colors available
Microphone---------None------------------------None--------------------Built-in
Operating system--------------------------------Fire OS 3.0------------Fire OS 4
WIFI--------------------Yes------------------------Yes------------------------Yes
Sensors----------------Accelerometer, gyroscope in all versions
Size---------------------7.5"x4.7"x0.45"----------7.5"x5"x0.45"--------------7.5"x5"x0.4"
Weight-----------------14.6 ounces---------------12.2 ounces----------------11.9 ounces
Ports--------------------Micro USB Charging----Micro USB Charging-------Micro USB Charging
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------or use adapter HDTV or VGA
Volume Switches-----No--------------------------Yes------------------------Yes
Bluetooth--------------No---------------------------Yes----------------------Yes plus BT microphone compatible
Audio output---------all versions with 3.5 mm stereo jack

What's new!
* Links your account to your family so you can share apps, books, audio books and games and Prime instant video content.
* Each user can have their own profile page with email, Facebook and twitter accounts. With Profiles, create unique profiles for up to 2 adults and 4 children so family members can share a tablet.
* Bluetooth microphone support
* 2x the speed and over 3x the graphics performance of previous generation Fire HD for quicker apps and smooth videos
* Front and rear cameras--Take photos or capture videos in 1080p HD with a rear-facing camera or Skype with a front-facing camera. Plus, free unlimited storage in Cloud Drive for photos taken with Fire devices
* Dual stereo speakers which is 1.5x louder than other tablets under $150. Emulation of 5.1 multichannel sound fields for better sounding stereo.
* Mirror your screen to your TV or VGA monitor using the Micro USB port
* Get $5 free gaming coins
* Audio books from Audible which is something that I have been enjoying listening to even in my car by streaming wirelessly to my car's stereo system
* Free Amazon cloud storage

++++++++++++++++
Update: 10-4-2014

In continuing my testing I have streamed prime TV and movies without any issues. The quality of the video and sound was excellent. The video began playing almost instantly so that feature worked fine. The audio output volume and quality was better than any of the other smart devices that I own. I installed OOKLA SpeedTest and tested my WIFI speeds to the Internet. I got download speeds of 23.09 Mbps and an upload speed of 1.97 Mbps. These are very good since I only pay for 18 Mbps and 2 Mbps.

Fire HD 7, 7" HD Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB - Includes Special Offers, Black

Fire HD 7, 7" HD Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB - Includes Special Offers, Black



button

CUSTOMER REVIEW
review







































amznJQ.onReady('Airy', function() {
Airy.embed({"installFlashButtonText":"Install Flash Player","contentTitle":null,"autoplayCutOffTimeSeconds":null,"ageGate":{"monthNames":["January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"deniedPrompt":"We're sorry. You are not old enough to watch this video.","submitText":"Submit","prompt":"This video is not intended for all audiences. What date were you born?"},"videoAds":null,"videoUnsupportedPrompt":"Sorry, this video is unsupported on this browser.","desiredMode":"hybrid","swfUrl":"http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/vap/video/airy2/prod/2.0.902.0/flash/AiryBasicRenderer._V320612526_.swf","isAutoplayEnabled":null,"installFlashPrompt":"Adobe Flash Player is required to watch this video.","isLiveStream":null,"regionCode":"NA","contentId":null,"playbackErrorPrompt":"Sorry, an error has occurred while attempting video playback. Please try again later.","contentMinAge":null,"isForesterTrackingDisabled":null,"streamingUrls":["http://bit.ly/1uzlaE8"],"parentId":"airy-player-container-moP3B6GS5RL8LY","slateImages":{"http://bit.ly/14OBjgA":null},"foresterMetadataParams":{"client":"CustomerReviews","requestId":"1EX1DEG07J96SJ5XRJ2T","marketplaceId":"ATVPDKIKX0DER","session":"000-0000000-0000000"}});
});


Length:: 9:50 Mins

I purchased the original Kindle Fire in 2011 and the second generation Kindle Fire in 2012. I gave my original one to my grandson and he is still using it for apps and reading. I liked both of them and I have to tell you that they have held up very well. One is over 3 years old and the other is 2 years old and I have not had any issues with them. Since I have not upgraded in 2 years I thought I would get a new one with a larger memory and a faster CPU and a higher resolution display. There are many improvements beyond even those features.

I have to tell you that overall I am impressed with this new one. I didn't feel the need to purchase a Kindle Fire every year and when I purchased the next one I wanted it to be a definite upgrade step to what I had. I stayed with the 7 inch size as I like to portability and weight for long term reading. I alternate between the Kindle Paperwhite for reading in the daytime and at night sometimes and I use the Kindle Fire for reading in the evening and at night plus browsing the internet and getting email. This new Kindle Fire HD 2014 version is very fast and easy to use. Setting it up for the internet and downloading my apps and books was a breeze. I like the fact that the larger memory allows me to carry more apps and books. The higher resolution of the screen is helpful in reading books as the text is clearer and easier on my eyes than the older Kindle Fires we own. The screen is better for playing apps and watching videos and movies and it is worth the upgrade from the older Kindle Fires.

I like that this version has both a front and rear facing camera. I use the camera a lot on all of my tablets and I own many Apple iPads, Apple iPhone and Android tablets. The camera is just handy for that spontaneous photo or video and I take a lot of them.

I also like the fact that the stereo sound output has been improved as I listen to a lot of books. I use the text to speech feature a lot and I also use the Audible book feature a lot. When Amazon sells the Audible version of the book at a good price when I buy the Kindle version of the book I usually get both. I like to use Bluetooth to stream the Audio book to my car's stereo system and listen to the book while I drive, especially on a long trip. My wife and I enjoy listening to books together. This HD tablet pairs with my car and I can now use it instead of using my iPad or using my iPhone. This feature keeps track of where I am in the book regardless of whether I am reading the book or listening to it with Audible. The better speakers and louder volume is also nice when watching movies.

The unit works well handling my emails and it makes it nice that I can switch from browsing, to emails to reading or playing an app on the same tablet. I also have Amazon Prime so I can watch TV shows or movies. This is a good tablet with a lot of flexibility. I am still not a fan of the push ads but I am so used to them now I just ignore them.

I won't discuss all of the specifications but I did include a table comparing the Original Kindle Fire to the first Kindle HD 2013and now the Kindle HD 2014. For me it was a quantum leap to go from a Kindle Fire First or Second Generation and I am glad I made the jump. This tablet is a good buy for the money as the specs are very good. The table below shows the differences between the different versions and you can see the progress that has been made in just a few years. I am buying this new kindle with confidence as my last two Kindle Fires have performed very well and I expect the same out of this one.

One word of caution is that if you are buying this for a child then make sure to pay attention to the parental controls. Turn off the ability to make In App Purchases (IAPs) and I also turn off 1 touch buying. It is so easy for a child to make in app purchases and some of them can be as much as $99.99 on one item. Children are used to playing games with fake money and they cannot tell the difference and you will be surprised when you get the massive credit card bill. A few minutes of proper set up of the tablet for use by a child can save you a lot of headaches in the future.

There are a couple of features that I do wish were in this product that I miss. I own and have tested many tablets and I love the ability of Android tablets to accept a Micro SD card memory addition. I even have some tablets that I use 128 GIG SD cards in and this is a great feature. A very good Micro SD card only cost $100 and if Amazon would add this feature this very good tablet would be a GREAT tablet. The second feature is the ability to easily use apps from the Google Play Store. Most of the office and game apps are on the Amazon play store and I really do like the Amazon Play store the best. There are though some powerful tools on the Google Play Store that will not work on the Kindle Fire Operating system and that is a shame. This limits the customer from being able to use the best available software available. This Kindle Fire HD 2014 is a wonderful top notch product but it would be a superior product if these features were included.

If you are upgrading from a first or second generation Kindle Fire then this is a great move. For someone that has the 2013 Kindle Fire HD this is a smaller leap in technology so you may have to really want one of the new features to upgrade. I like my new unit and I am glad that I got it. I am also glad that it came with the AC wall charger in the box. I rated it at 5 stars and recommend it based on the results I have seen so far. If you have any questions please send me a comment and I will try to answer you.

Feature:------------Original Kindle Fire----Kindle Fire HD 2013-----Kindle Fire HD 2014
CPU------------------Dual core---------------Dual core a5 1.5 GHz---Quad Core with dual
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1.5 GHZ and dual 1.2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------GHz cores
RAM--------------------------------------------------------------------------1 GB RAM
Internal Memory---8 GB----------------------8 or 16 GB------------------8 or 16 GB
Available Memory-5 GB-----------------------5 GB or 12.2GB------------5 GB or 12.2GB
Display--------------7 Inch--------------------7 Inch-----------------------7 Inch
DPI-------------------169 DPI 1024/600-----216 DPI 1280/800----------216 DPI 1280/800
Cameras------------None----------------------None------------------------Front & rear facing
Camera pixels-----N/A------------------------N/A--------------------------VGA quality front
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 Mega Pixel Rear
Battery Life--------8 hours--------------------up to 10 hours--------------8 hours
Charging time----4 hours---------------------under 6 hours---------------under 6 hours
AC wall charger--yes included-------------Yes Included-------------------Yes included
Speakers-----------dual stereo speakers---dual stereo speakers--------dual stereo speakers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------virtual surround sound
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------emulated 5.1 sound field
Display screen--------------------------------------------------------------Gorilla glass
Case colors----------Black------------------------Black--------------------5 colors available
Microphone---------None------------------------None--------------------Built-in
Operating system--------------------------------Fire OS 3.0------------Fire OS 4
WIFI--------------------Yes------------------------Yes------------------------Yes
Sensors----------------Accelerometer, gyroscope in all versions
Size---------------------7.5"x4.7"x0.45"----------7.5"x5"x0.45"--------------7.5"x5"x0.4"
Weight-----------------14.6 ounces---------------12.2 ounces----------------11.9 ounces
Ports--------------------Micro USB Charging----Micro USB Charging-------Micro USB Charging
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------or use adapter HDTV or VGA
Volume Switches-----No--------------------------Yes------------------------Yes
Bluetooth--------------No---------------------------Yes----------------------Yes plus BT microphone compatible
Audio output---------all versions with 3.5 mm stereo jack

What's new!
* Links your account to your family so you can share apps, books, audio books and games and Prime instant video content.
* Each user can have their own profile page with email, Facebook and twitter accounts. With Profiles, create unique profiles for up to 2 adults and 4 children so family members can share a tablet.
* Bluetooth microphone support
* 2x the speed and over 3x the graphics performance of previous generation Fire HD for quicker apps and smooth videos
* Front and rear cameras--Take photos or capture videos in 1080p HD with a rear-facing camera or Skype with a front-facing camera. Plus, free unlimited storage in Cloud Drive for photos taken with Fire devices
* Dual stereo speakers which is 1.5x louder than other tablets under $150. Emulation of 5.1 multichannel sound fields for better sounding stereo.
* Mirror your screen to your TV or VGA monitor using the Micro USB port
* Get $5 free gaming coins
* Audio books from Audible which is something that I have been enjoying listening to even in my car by streaming wirelessly to my car's stereo system
* Free Amazon cloud storage

++++++++++++++++
Update: 10-4-2014

In continuing my testing I have streamed prime TV and movies without any issues. The quality of the video and sound was excellent. The video began playing almost instantly so that feature worked fine. The audio output volume and quality was better than any of the other smart devices that I own. I installed OOKLA SpeedTest and tested my WIFI speeds to the Internet. I got download speeds of 23.09 Mbps and an upload speed of 1.97 Mbps. These are very good since I only pay for 18 Mbps and 2 Mbps.

Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker (Black)

Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker (Black)



button

CUSTOMER REVIEW
review


Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What's this?)


With all the Bluetooth personal-size speakers on the market these days, it can be challenging to figure out which one will best meet your needs. Because of its portability and oversize sound, this little unit has all of the positives of the "boom boxes" some of us remember from our youth, with the added benefit of smaller dimensions and freedom from C batteries.

Here's a targeted assessment of how the Bose has been performing.

SOUND: This unit puts out a rich, clean, clear sound. Bass is present without being overwhelming; higher notes don't get tinny. When evaluating any speakers, I listen for how well they handle guitar and a cappella, because fuzziness and other issues will stand out. This little unit did not muddy the purity of the unaccompanied human voice. It also stood up to the subtle complexities of guitar -- in ballads, rock, and the music I love best, Hawaiian slack-key.

PORTABILITY. The unit is small enough to tuck into a day pack or oversize purse. The internal battery holds a charge of up to 8 hours' playing time, which means you don't need to bring the provided power adapter (but if you do, it's in two compact parts, a USB cable and a slimline wall adapter with fold-flat prongs). The unit will simultaneously recharge and perform as a speaker. I was able to recharge a drained battery while playing music in about 70 minutes.

EASE OF USE. Initial setup takes just a few minutes, and can be done while you are recharging the battery. The spoken instructions are easy to follow. Then it's a matter of getting your Bluetooth-enabled devices to recognize the speaker. Once this recognition process is complete, whenever the speaker is on, it will verbally identify any synched device that comes within range. And this is not a generic identification - the SoundLink uses the name you've assigned to each device. Toggling between devices is simple, too, just a matter of using the "pause" and "play" controls on your devices.

APPEARANCE/DURABILITY: The case is smooth, with rounded corners. The one-piece top panel and two narrow vertical panels on the sides of the case are rubberized, with some flexibility. Control functions are printed on the surface of the top panel, and are pressure-sensitive, so there are no moving parts exposed. The narrow strips on the sides of the case give you a surer grip when lifting or moving the unit. The SoundLink and power supply are both well-machined. Overall, the unit seems sturdy and capable of withstanding daily use, including frequent movement and plugging and unplugging.