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Android Handhelds Hardware

Amazon Selling Kindle Fire Refurbs For $139 52

Posted by timothy from the can't-scan-qr-codes-without-a-camera dept.
Amazon's Kindle Fire has been out long enough to build up a hefty stock of returned units; reader DeviceGuru writes "If you're quick, you might be able to snag a refurbished unit for $139 at Amazon. The company introduced the Fire at the end of 2011 at the loss-leader price point of $199, though it's rumored to cost around $210 to build. So at $139, you'd be getting the Android-powered tablet well below cost. Step one: buy refurbed Kindle Fire. Step two: root it and enjoy!" For this price, I'd be out trying to hog a few of these, if they had GPS and at least one camera. Update: 03/29 19:37 GMT by T : Reader Eldavojohn points out that this was a short-lived opportunity, now past.
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Amazon Selling Kindle Fire Refurbs For $139 More

Amazon Selling Kindle Fire Refurbs For $139

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  • Sold out. (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 29, 2012 @02:26PM (#39514121)

    Useless post.

  • Cheapest are $169 used right now

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by c0lo ( 1497653 )
      Try aliexpress [aliexpress.com] - get a brand new android 4 with 1 GB RAM/8GB SD for $145 [aliexpress.com](+H&S). If you don't like droid, boot a linux distro [slatedroid.com] - no need to root it first.
  • I thought about it...but it has no 3G, 4G or the like capability...no bluetooth...only wifi.

    Not sure what it would be that good for.....

    I think my rooted nook color is more useful than the kindle fire if it was rooted....nook as external microSD slot..more memory...etc.

    Am I missing something here?

    • Re: (Score:2, Redundant)

      by tripleevenfall ( 1990004 )

      I thought about it...but it has no 3G, 4G or the like capability...no bluetooth...only wifi.

      Not sure what it would be that good for.....

      I think my rooted nook color is more useful than the kindle fire if it was rooted....nook as external microSD slot..more memory...etc.

      Am I missing something here?

      "Houston, Tranquility base here. The Kindle Fire has no 3G." *crackle*

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by hawguy ( 1600213 )

      I thought about it...but it has no 3G, 4G or the like capability...no bluetooth...only wifi.

      Not sure what it would be that good for.....

      I think my rooted nook color is more useful than the kindle fire if it was rooted....nook as external microSD slot..more memory...etc.

      Am I missing something here?

      The Fire has a dual-core 1GHz CPU (versus single core 800Mhz in the Nook Color). My biggest complaint with my Nook is the slow speed in rendering some web pages. While it does work well with a bluetooth keyboard, I've never been able to get a Bluetooth headset working with my Nook but it's been a while since I've tried. Does it work better with the latest Cyanogenmod?

      • You're comparing to the previous gen Nook.. The Nook Tablet has a dual core 1GHz CPU, and 1GB of RAM, while the Kindle Fire only has 512MB of RAM. The Nook Tablet also has a microphone, so you can use skype, and it has a Micro SDHC slot. It also costs $50 more, which may be the approximate value of those add-ons. There's pros and cons for either one of them.

        • You're comparing to the previous gen Nook.. The Nook Tablet has a dual core 1GHz CPU, and 1GB of RAM, while the Kindle Fire only has 512MB of RAM. The Nook Tablet also has a microphone, so you can use skype, and it has a Micro SDHC slot. It also costs $50 more, which may be the approximate value of those add-ons. There's pros and cons for either one of them.

          The lack of additional memory is what kills the Kindle Fire for me. Apple can get away because app creators know memory is limited so they feel pressure to try and keep apps as small as possible, but most Android tablets have SDHC slots capable of 32gb so hey, why not allow a little bloat? And 8gb? What is this, 2008? My 2009 smartphone has more internal memory.

          The fact they're trying to sell a 8gb tablet with no memory slot for more than $100 in 2012 is insulting.

          But seriously if anyone buys any

          • I bought one of these as I read tons of books on my Kindle. I bought it for the ability to surf web so I didn't have to lug my laptop around. It's got apps so my daughter is happy with it. I can stream movies from Amazon on it. I use it daily and as an entertainment device, it is outstanding. Web pages are slow to load, but other than that, it is doing exactly what I bought it for. Battery life could be better, but such is life... I have no need to root it, as I bought it for what it can do, not what it co

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by hawguy ( 1600213 )

          You're comparing to the previous gen Nook.. The Nook Tablet has a dual core 1GHz CPU, and 1GB of RAM, while the Kindle Fire only has 512MB of RAM. The Nook Tablet also has a microphone, so you can use skype, and it has a Micro SDHC slot. It also costs $50 more, which may be the approximate value of those add-ons. There's pros and cons for either one of them.

          No, I'm comparing to the $169 Nook Color, not the $249 Nook Tablet, just like the original poster. He clearly said Nook Color. As did I.

    • I thought about it...but it has no 3G, 4G or the like capability...no bluetooth...only wifi.

      Not sure what it would be that good for.....

      You mean, like, nearly every other tablet available?

      It's not a phone that you'll be carrying around in your pocket and need to whip out at a moment's notice and look up (IMPORTANT_INFO), tablets are usually used at a) home (wifi) b) work (wifi) c) coffee shops (wifi) d) school (wifi) e) etc (wifi)

      Get it? Tablets are essentially laptops with more portability, they're what laptops were to desktops circa 2001

      Honestly I don't get the point of 3G in a tablet.... I mean, why? Where do you use a tablet

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mspohr ( 589790 )

      I certainly don't want to have to purchase another overpriced data subscription for my tablet when I already have a data plan for my phone that I can tether as a WiFi hotspot. Besides, I only use my tablet at home and work where I already have WiFi. I guess I could take it to the coffee shop and browse the net with the other hipsters but they have WiFi too.

      • yea i know all the 3g tablets are locked into a provider i will never use. im really getting sick of that.

    • >>>Am I missing something here?

      Yes. The Kindle is designed to consume entertainment. Originally it was black-and-white books (since 2007). The fire expands it to movies and TV shows. It is not and never was intended to be a general purpose handheld computer.

      If you really want 3G, you can get it in the kindle, but only the black-and-white versions. Eventually they'll probably release a Kindle Fire 3G but not yet. It's still a young product.

    • Well I use one to play baldurs gate using the gemrb Android (open source port of the infinity engine), read rss feeds and watch netflix.

  • The Nook Color sells refurbed for $135 and sites like Overstock frequently have even deeper discounts on them. I own a NC, as does my father and girlfriend. From what I've used of the Fire, the NC is much more user-friendly with the stock interface and is very easy to dual-boot off a microSD card (rooting not required). The only reason I can think to get a Fire over a Kindle is if A) you don't want to dual boot or root it AND B) Amazon has books you want that B&N doesn't.

    Personally, I just boot to Cyano

  • Returned two so far (new ones). (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Kenja ( 541830 ) on Thursday March 29, 2012 @02:50PM (#39514401)
    Took three tries before they got me a new Fire that worked correctly, so I'm surprised there is not a higher volume of refurbished units for sale. For the price I cant complain as they shipped me replacement units for free with little or no questions asked.
    • Even their refurbs are getting sent back. I just set up to send in my refurb yesterday. (paid $169 last week!)

      However, it looks like they're sending me a brand new one to replace it. Instead of being shipped from Warehouse like the refurb, it's showing shipped from Amazon.

      Not sure how I could tell once I got it though...

  • Ebook reading. (Score:3)

    by Dyinobal ( 1427207 ) on Thursday March 29, 2012 @02:57PM (#39514513)
    I'm a big reader myself and I managed to snag a used Nook Simple Touch for 60 bucks on Ebay which I think is a pretty good deal, given the fact it looks like new. I can't read books on LCDs really, they give me eye strain after about three or four hours of reading.

  • Seems rather early to have enough returned stock to do this. High rate of return/DoA devices perhaps?

  • op: Since it has neither a GPS nor a camera you won't be buying one then right?

    Seriously this is like saying a used car is cheaper than a new one. Wow what a concept. Then saying: if this used car had a 500 horsepower engine and gull wings it would be a great deal at this price.

  • Fire sale? (Score:4, Funny)

    by seven of five ( 578993 ) on Thursday March 29, 2012 @03:26PM (#39514891)
    Nuff said.

  • I am betting that at $139 this will very soon be considered overpriced for a locked in tab that does not have GPS or a SD card slot.

    Soon we will have the new google Tablet available at 199, and a bunch of others at bargain prices to compete.

    This is one "bargain" that most of us will be lucky to miss.

  • Lots of problems with the Fire: limited storage, no bluetooth, slow web browser, no camera.

  • Shameless plug to sell refurbed hardware (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    This is such an obvious, shameless plug by an Amazon supporter wanting to sell off their old refurb hardware Im surprised /. is allowing it to exist. Within minutes of posting the price had already been raised to $169 + shipping and continues to climb. Why not just advertise the kindle fire on the home page. Bah.

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