Kindle vs Mini

If I were to buy a new iPad mini today, I’d buy one totally specced out, like so.

If I were to buy a new Kindle Fire HDX today, I’d do the same thing.

The Kindle Fire has some usability issues I’m not entirely fond of, and suffers from Android’s Java-based app ecosystem. And the Kindle’s display is a friendlier size for my middle-age eyes, and retina-quality, too. So at that price, and with that screen… it would certainly tempt me away from Apple’s offering.

Apple had better put their best-ever Retina Display on the next iPad mini, probably due out next month. And I hope they’re giving serious thought to using a 64-bit A7 chip in there — or will the mini forever remain the 5C to the full-sized iPad’s 5S?

Margins will shrink, sure, if Apple does all this. But Amazon is moving aggressively, like they always do. And smartly, like they always do.