Kindle Fire HD 8.9" Tablet

Let me start out by saying that I am new to the tablet world and have had no experience using any tablets prior to this purchase. That being said, I spent a great deal of time fishing around through reviews and specs of what seemed like countless tablets for months. The obvious cliche conclusion led to all fingers pointing at some variation of an iPad, yet for me, I do not see much sense in purchasing a tablet (regardless of brand) for around the same price as a cheap yet descent laptop that will have more potential.

Enter the Kindle Fire HD.

I will spare you the story on my process of how I ended up choosing a Fire HD and get right to what you all want to know: my thoughts and experience thus far with the product.

Picture: (10/10)

I will start with this since obviously that was the first thing i noticed. In a word, incredible. Now its not "eye popping" or anything out of this world, but i can honestly say it exceeded my expectations and i was (and continue to be) impressed by this piece of hardware's capabilities. I tested out just a few minutes of TV shows, trailers, videos, and films from Prime Instant Video, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Flixster, and Youtube (through the web browser since an app is currently unavailable) and everything looks as it should (and beautiful to boot)! Books come out crisp as well (both in text and picture) and the same goes for basic website visuals, apps, and games. Overall I am very impressed.

Sound: (10/10)

This is probably where i was most impressed. I have seen some of the reviews on here that are 3 stars or less putting down the audio or claiming they don't hear the big deal. Not to be a jerk or anything but i recommend those people check in at an ear clinic and have their hearing tested. I was literally amazed at how I was hearing sounds from various distances and angles. From up close it felt like i was hearing a high quality home theater system and not just for one flick but everything. From website audio to music, Netflix to Audiobooks, this tablet sounds great!

Book/Reading Features: (10/10)

At first this was not my primary reason for purchasing a Fire HD, but after toying around with a few things, I am truly impressed at how well Amazon has integrated the ability to find, purchase, read, and even listen to literature. The lending library for Prime users is a nice added touch allowing you to borrow from a rather extensive list of books. Not to mention many timeless classics are available for free (such as Dracula, Gulliver's Travels, Little Women, The Iliad, The Jungle Book and many more) and of those titles, many come with free audio! If you do not feel like spending the money on audio (or if your book has none available) the text-to-speech feature is surprisingly well done with minimal error. With all this being said, I can honestly say that I am excited to start reading again.

Web Browsing: (8/10)

The only reason I do not give this a 10 is because web browsing (with what is given out of the box) lacks Flash support which limits the capabilities. However, with a bit of research I was able to find forum discussions on how Fire HD users were able to work around this by downloading an app called ES File Explorer and then a separate browser called Dolphin that gives you Flash capabilities, so this is an easy fix that even a monkey could figure out how to do as long as they are patient. Though don't get me wrong, Silk is fast and beautiful and i use it for the majority of my web surfing, but occasionally Flash is needed. As I am sure you have read by now in other reviews, the fact that the Fire HD does not automatically come with Flash support is not Amazon's fault yet rather Adobe for pulling he plug on their involvement with tablets. Again, as long as your network is put together well, browsing the web is very fast and up to par with dare I say some computers.

App Availability: (8/10)

To me, this is the only area where the Fire HD lacks. I would rate lower here but I am trusting that over time and after updates, the lineup will have grown. Once more, with a bit of research you can find discussions on how to "sideload" apps from your computer and other devices, but that could be a bit too advanced for the average user. Though for what it is worth, the selection it does currently come with is top notch. Just to name a few, some important missing apps include: YouTube, Dropbox, and SiriusXM. Still, as far as I am concerned, this certainly is not a deal breaker and I am sure that as things progress access to these will become available.

Look/Feel: (10/10)

The 8.9" model that I own and am currently reviewing was a lot lighter than I expected and it is true what they say ( it is just right to fit in one hand). Out of the box/pre-case the Fire HD looks great and is very thin, sleek, and dare I say...sexy? The only minor gripe I would have (that I noticed other reviewers mentioned) is the volume and power buttons are sometimes hard to find and do not always register, but after a while you get use to it. Aside from that, I love how it appears and functions.

Overall: (56/60)

There are a few things that by now you may know, such as how out of the box the Fire HD does not come with a wall charger. I know that is a bummer but if you don't already have one roaming around your house from a smartphone or if you cannot tolerate simply charging from your computer, Amazon sells them at a fairly reasonable price.

Bottom line? I have purchased over 500 items on Amazon and I rarely feel the need to review a product, but I genuinely felt my voice needed to be heard ( or read rather) with the Kindle Fire HD 8.9. I strongly recommend purchasing this product and if you have any questions, feel free to comment and hopefully either me or someone else can assist you!

Sony DSC-RX100M II Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera 20.2MP, Black

From the Manufacturer

When beautiful scenery inspires the artist within, capture every exquisite detail with the compact Cyber-shot RX100 II. You’ll enjoy extraordinary light sensitivity, breathtaking image quality and beautiful background defocusing thanks to a newly developed 1.0-inch back-illuminated CMOS sensor and F1.8 lens. Capture detail in low-light conditions With a new Exmor R® sensor that features the same adaptive noise reduction technology from Sony’s flagship SLT-A99V, the RX100 II easily offers a wide range of sensitivity from ISO 160 to ISO 12800. Technology New 1.0 inch Exmor R™ back-illuminated CMOS sensor Extremely high sensitivity and remarkably low noise are achieved by Sony’s massive new 20.2-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor. Its back illumination technology collects light more efficiently and combines with image processing advances to bring noise to unbelievably low levels — equivalent to noise one stop lower sensitivity in the renowned RX100 II. Large-aperture F1.8 Carl Zeiss®Vario-Sonnar T* lens Legendary Carl Zeiss optics and unrivaled Sony imaging technology merge in a compact, high-performance lens that offers supremely accurate performance, powerful 3.6x (28-100mm at 35mm equivalent) optical zoom capabilities and an enormous F1.8 aperture with almost perfectly round seven-blade diaphragm for beautiful background defocusing. Instantly connect to smartphones and tablets Touch your Android™ smartphone or tablet to the camera to create a connection. No setup is required beyond downloading the free PlayMemories Mobile app to your device. Made possible by NFC™ technology, once connected, you can remotely control the camera’s shutter release from your mobile device and instantly receive the captured image via Wi-Fi. Expanded ISO Sensitivity With a new Exmor R® sensor that features the same adaptive noise reduction technology from Sony’s flagship SLT-A99V, the RX100 II easily offers a wide range of sensitivity from ISO 160 to ISO 12800. Expand your shooting options via Multi Interface Shoe A Multi Interface Shoe lets you attach wide-ranging accessories for photo and movie shooting. These include an electronic viewfinder, powerful external flash unit and stereo microphone. You can also connect with a compatible remote control via Multi Terminal. View every scene clearly on the tiltable LCD The 3.0-inch, 1,229k-dot Xtra Fine monitor displays scenes extra clearly, even in bright sunlight. It can be tilted up to 45° downward to shoot over crowds or up to 84° upward to capture pets eye to eye. You’ll enjoy clear, faithful reproduction thanks to WhiteMagic™ wizardry, which combines white and RGB pixels to boost brightness and visibility. Additional Features High speed auto focus High speed Auto Focus To improve focusing speed and sensitivity, the Exmor R® CMOS sensor uses its rapid throughput to deliver high-quality image signals to the camera’s BIONZ®processor, which provides intelligent response data to a new high speed actuator motor in the lens. The result is fast, DSLR-like focusing speeds even in low light. Comfortable control ring for manual operation A unique control ring around the lens works in combination with an intuitive, displayed user interface for meticulous SLR-type control over settings that satisfies even the most fastidious users. The control ring can be assigned to adjust various features (at various values) from basics like zooming and aperture to creative functions like Picture Effect. Moreover, it turns smoothly and seamlessly, allowing quiet, click-free usage while shooting movies including a new step-zoom function that enables instant selection of commonly used focal lengths. Capture JPEG files, RAW files, or both The DSC-RX100 saves pictures as compact JPEG files and/or ultra-high quality RAW files. RAW files save images prior to de-mosaicking, white balance, sharpness and color enhancement. This retains maximum latitude for enhancing the image on your PC. Full HD Movies at 60p/60i/24p Capture HD Movies in your choice of super-smooth 60p, standard 60i or cinematic 24p, all at Full HD 1920x1080 resolution. AVCHD™ codec delivers stunning picture quality. MP4 codec offers smaller files for easier upload to the web. Auto Object Framing Give your photos a professional look with Auto Object Framing. Featuring advancements like exceptional two-person portrait capability along with Face Detection and Tracking Focus, Auto Object Framing not only turns ordinary photos into stunning compositions but does so automatically recognizing the scene then cropping accordingly. Customizable function button Assign up to seven different functions to the function button, to allow quick access to your most frequently used functions. Optical SteadyShot® with 3-way Active Mode Optical SteadyShot® image stabilization reduces shake and blur by countering camera movements in both horizontal and vertical directions. Active 3-Way stabilization adds digital rolling control that counters clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation, resulting in more stable videos even at long focal lengths. Active 3-Way stabilization adds digital rolling control that counters clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation, resulting in more stable videos even at long focal lengths. Auto HDR modes Captures more scene dynamic range than a single exposure can handle—and more range than photo film. Combines the best highlight detail from one shot, the best mid-tones from a second and the best shadow detail from a third for one incredible shot (up to 6 EV stops). Captures in a split second. (Recommended for still subjects.). Face Detection/ Registration technology The camera can automatically detect and register up to eight individual faces and adjust focus, exposure, white balance and flash to help deliver crisp, properly lit images of family and friends. Can prioritize children or adults. Multi-aspect ratio recording for still images Capture still images in any of four aspect ratios — 1:1, 2:3, 4:3, or 16:9 (vertical to horizontal). This provided the freedom to choose a ratio that matches the scene or the specific shooting purpose. 3.6x optical/7.2x Clear Image digital zoom Most digital zooms use electronic cropping to get closer to the subject, resulting in unsharp images. With Clear Image Zoom the powerful processor compares patterns found in adjacent pixels and creates new pixels to match selected patterns, resulting in more realistic, higher-quality images. Clear Image Zoom digitally doubles optical zoom for closer photos.  Picture Effect mode Realize your creative potential with Picture Effect, a fun and simple way to convert ordinary landscapes and portraits come to life by heightening mood and emphasizing certain attributes. Effects are Soft Focus, Posterization, Retro Photo, High Contrast Monochrome, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature, Soft High-key, Toy Camera, Pop Color, Partial Color, Watercolor Painting, HDR Painting, and Illustration. Creative Style settings Control how the camera processes your images with six finishing styles: Standard, Vivid, B&W, Sunset, Portrait and Landscape. You can even fine-tune contrast, saturation, and sharpness to your personal taste. Compare Chart DSC-RX100 DSC-RX100M2 Image sensor   1.0-inch Exmor CMOS sensor   1.0-inch Exmor R® CMOS sensor (Back-illuminated) ISO range (still)   Auto (ISO 125-6400) 125/200/400/800/1600/3200/6400 (expandable to ISO 80/100) ISO 12800/25600 in Multi Frame NR mode achieved by By Pixel Super Resolution Tech. and overlay burst shooting   Auto (ISO 160-12800) 160/200/400/800/1600/3200/6400/12800 (expandable to ISO 100/125) ISO 25600 in Multi Frame NR mode achieved by overlay burst shooting Full HD Movie   60p/60i   60p/60i/24p LCD monitor   3.0-inch 1229k dots Xtra Fine LCD Fixed type   3.0-inch 1229k dots Xtra Fine LCD Tiltable type (Up 84 deg./down 45 deg.) MI shoe   None   Equipped Multi Terminal   None   Equipped Wi-Fi / NFC   None   Equipped Other features   PlayMemories Home Lite preinstalled   PlayMemories Home Lite preinstalled , Step zoom, Auto Object Framing, Movie button setting

Sony DSCRX1R/B 24MP Compact System Cyber-Shot Digital Still Camera with 3-Inch LCD Screen (Black)

From the Manufacturer

Sony’s passion for quality and compactness culminates in the world’s first 35mm full-frame camera with bright lens and palm-sized dimensions. The DSC-RX1R leaps far beyond other compact cameras to deliver emotionally charged photographs of truly extraordinary quality wherever you go. Make your dreams come true with the RX1R. DSC-RX1R: Ultimate resolution The DSC-RX1R is a special edition of the RX1 for photographers who want to take full advantage of the sensor’s capabilities. The optical low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter has been removed from the RX1R, allowing the full resolution of the sensor to be achieved without compromise. This results in resolution and sharpness when image details matter. Technology Full frame burst shooting When subjects are moving quickly, you can capture the decisive moment by shooting continuously at 5 frames per second — while maintaining maximum image quality at full 24.3 effective megapixel (approx.) resolution made possible by the BIONZ® image processor. Amazing Low-light performance Experience incredible low-light shooting without a flash. The camera captures six images in a fraction of a second. Combining the data from all six, it creates a single image with a reduction in noise equivalent to two additional steps of ISO sensitivity. Sensitivity selectable up to ISO 25600. (Recommended for still subjects.) High speed Auto Focus Focus fast as with high speed AF. To improve focusing speed and sensitivity, the Exmor® CMOS sensor uses its rapid throughput to deliver high-quality image signals to the camera’s BIONZ® processor, which provides intelligent response data to a new high speed actuator motor in the lens. The result is DSLR-like focusing speeds even in low light. Additional Features New 35mm full-frame 24.3-megapixel Exmor™ CMOS sensor* Sony’s high-quality 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor captures every detail of your scene with remarkable accuracy. Its 24.3 MP resolution (approx.) is ideal for gallery-quality stunning large-format prints. Razor-sharp alignment of the sensor and optical components brings out the full potential of the lens to the very edges of your photos. Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm F2 fixed focal length lens Carl Zeiss lens expertise meets Sony optical precision in a sophisticated large-aperture lens offering remarkable brightness reminiscent of the sun. The design of this lens includes a slim advanced aspherical (AA) lens element of micro precision that delivers stunning image sharpness and brightness while contributing to a short lens barrel. High-fidelity BIONZ™ image processing engine From vivid colors to smooth skin tones, every nuance of your scene is reproduced throughout an extremely wide dynamic range with BIONZ image processing engine. Even processor-intensive tasks are handled with speed and precision, including 5 fps continuous shooting at full 24.3 effective megapixel resolution, 14-bit RAW and high ISO shooting. Full HD 24p video and stereo input Create movies of amazing clarity at Full HD resolution with manual control and stereo recording. Movies can be recorded at 60i for super smooth playback or 24p for a cinematic look. You can also use P/A/S/M modes to expand your moviemaking creativity. The DSC-RX1R Multi-interface shoe has been upgraded to record stereo sound when using the optional ECM-XYST1M external microphone.  Full frame burst shooting When subjects are moving quickly, you can capture the decisive moment by shooting continuously at 5 frames per second — while maintaining maximum image quality at full 24.3 effective megapixel (approx.) resolution made possible by the BIONZ® image processor. Three control lens rings Full manual operation is intuitive on the RX1. Users can keep their eyes on the subject and concentrate on the composition while comfortably adjusting the dedicated aperture, focusing, and macro switching rings. Conveniently placed dials Quick access to conveniently placed exposure compensation and focus mode dials. TRILUMINOS Color The DSC-RX1R support Sony’s proprietary TRILUMINOS Color technology, allowing you to experience photos and movies in rich, natural colors on any TV equipped with a TRILUMINOS Display. The expanded color gamut immerses you in those unforgettably colorful moments, from the complex shades in a shimmering blue sky to the delicate skin in a baby’s face. Expressive Full HD movie recording As when capturing photographs, you can take full advantage of the bright lens and sensitive 35mm full-frame sensor to create movies of breathtaking quality in various lighting. Movies are recorded at Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixel) in the AVCHD Ver. 2.0 progressive format, and movies can be recorded at 60i or 60p for super smooth playback or 24p for a cinematic look, or other frame rates for other effects. Full-time continuous AF ensures clear results even when capturing fast-moving subjects. Moreover, Creative Style settings and Picture Effect expand your moviemaking creativity while P/A/S/M modes enable manual exposure control. Customizable buttons personalize operation For the ultimate in user-friendly operation, you can easily reassign five buttons to activate other functions you frequently use. These buttons (Custom, AEL and Left/Right/Down) can be reassigned to activate any of the following functions: Drive mode, Flash mode, Autofocus Area, Face Detection, Smile Shutter, Auto Portrait Framing, Soft Skin Effect, ISO, Metering mode, Flash Compensation, White Balance, DRO, Auto HDR, Creative Style, Picture Effect, Image Size, Quality, Registration, AEL hold*, Spot AEL hold*, AEL toggle, Spot AEL toggle, AF/MF Control Hold*, AF/MF Control Toggle, Smart Tele-converter, Zoom, Focus Magnifier, Aspect Ratio, Monitor Mute and Not set. * Cannot be assigned to left, right and down buttons. Bright high-resolution display The 3.0” (1,229k-dot) Xtra Fine LCD™ enhances shooting ease by displaying scenes with impressive brightness and accuracy. Brightness is boosted by the white pixels of WhiteMagic™ technology, while blacks are displayed blacker thanks to various Sony technologies including an AR (anti-reflection) coating on the LCD surface and a layer of resin between the LCD and reinforced glass that together suppress light reflection even when shooting outdoors. An illumination intensity sensor also optimally adjusts brightness depending on your shooting environment. Quick Navi simplifies navigation Easier to navigate than conventional menus, Quick Navi lets you confirm current camera settings at a glance and promptly change settings with the cross keys and control dial/wheel. User-friendly icons further contribute to easy operation that doesn’t require looking into menus — a capability that especially comes in handy when using the optional viewfinder.  Memory Recall (MR) memorizes combined settings Whenever you find a perfect combination of camera settings for a certain type of shooting situation, you can save it in memory by using the Memory Recall mode. Should a similar situation arise, you can immediately activate the saved combination via dial. This mode can memorize up to three groups of settings (including exposure modes, shutter speed, Drive mode, ISO, White Balance, Metering modes, etc.). Grid lines support balanced compositions You can display grid lines on the LCD to support more accurate horizontal and vertical alignment of the camera with walls, streets and other elements in your scene. There are three styles to choose from (Rule of 3rds Grid Line, Square Grid Line, and Diagonal + Square Grid Line). For extra assistance, the Dual-axis Digital Level Gauge can be used to check for camera roll and pitch. Finer focusing via MF Assist and Peaking functions During manual focusing, use MF Assist to enlarge the displayed image up to 11.7x (approx.) and more clearly see the results of your finest focusing adjustments. A Peaking function can also be activated to enable focusing confirmation at a glance by colorizing the most sharply focused areas. More natural gradations through D-range Optimizer (DRO) In difficult lighting conditions such as backlit scenes, DRO analyses and corrects your image in real time to achieve smoother, more natural gradations with more detail in the highlights and shadows that more closely match what you see with your naked eye. You can choose the amount of correction up to 5 steps and even apply DRO during continuous shooting to achieve better results during sports photography. Note: The effects of DRO vary depending on the scene and conditions.  White balance versatility for desired color tones Auto White Balance (AWB) produces more natural colors by compensating for the type of lighting in your scene. The RX1R also provides a full range of white balance presets (Daylight, Incandescent, Fluorescent, etc.) a Color Temperature & Color Filter function, and Custom white balance adjustment options. You can even intuitively adjust white balance on a chart — in the amber-blue and green-magenta directions — during real-time monitoring of your scene* to achieve desired colors. * When a flash is used, the color tone can be adjusted after the image is shot. Image Data Converter Ver. 4.2 RAW image development software This powerful PC software provides advanced features for developing, editing and managing your 14-bit RAW (Sony ARW format) images. For example, you can expertly adjust exposure, white balance, tonal curves and more to match your creative intentions; convert the color space; save images in the JPEG, 16-bit TIFF and other formats; create thumbnail portfolios with image ratings; or apply Creative Style settings. The software can be downloaded for free from the Internet.