First thoughts on the Kindle Fire

I have a new Kindle Fire! I like it.

It's heavier than I expected, which makes it a little unwieldy to hold. At first I thought I could get by without a cover for it — especially since Amazon says it's rugged, so it could theoretically be slipped into a purse or briefcase without damage. For the sake of holding it comfortably, though, I'll definitely have to invest in a book-style cover.
The color screen is gorgeous, and it's a good size for viewing text or video.
The fact that Amazon Prime customers can enjoy free streaming videos was a great surprise. I stumbled across an episode of "King of the Hill" that I like, so that was the first thing I watched. The sound was loud and clear, even without headphones … because I was too excited to find my headphones before I tried it out.
I think the Fire came with a fully charged battery. It worked the minute I pushed the power button. And while I did plug it in, because I thought I should, the ready light changed from amber to green after just a few minutes.
I had no trouble connecting to our wireless network. I also had no trouble connecting to the web.
Everything I've ever purchased from the Kindle store or Audible.com showed up immediately. The interface is pretty slick: the books and magazines look like they're all lined up on a shelf, covers facing out, so you can flip through them in a flash. There were even a few books there that I'd forgotten about, because they're not at the top of my regular Kindle's reading list. It was nice to see all my old friends again.
I like how the screen orients itself instantly, depending on whether you hold it vertically or horizontally. Granted, I have a stupid little cell phone, but I'm used to it being really stubborn about changing directions.
It was surprisingly easy to enter text on the touch screen. Again, I might be easily pleased, because my cell phone is so reluctant to work with me, but it was a relief to find a device that actually accepts my input.
I shopped for an app, too, just to see how that would work. Finding one I wanted — Tropical Skies Astrology – was easy. It downloaded instantly and installed without effort. I really felt like the device was doing all the work for me — which doesn't always happen in the world of computers.
The only thing I haven't tried yet is downloading music. While iTunes has an interface that vexes me, I'm not sure I want to start over with a new Amazon collection. I usually just listen to lectures, classes, and podcasts on my iPod, so I'll probably keep that up for now. After all, I can slip my old iPod into my bra when I just want to walk around listening to something, but the Kindle Fire doesn't nestle well in either cup.