A Solid, Good Quality, Low-Priced Cover for Your Kindle Fire HD, September 15, 2012

Personally, I preferred a low-cost and no frills cover for my new Kindle Fire HD. The problem was that at first only Amazon’s far more expensive leather products were available, and there were few details about the alternatives. So I took a risk and bought the Marware Vibe Standing Case for Kindle Fire HD 7″.

I am delighted with the purchase. The case is well-built, and can be set either horizontally or vertically. There is a black elastic strap that easily stretches over the outside cover (from back to front) to protect the Kindle Fire HD even in a suitcase, backpack, or briefcase. And the case is anti-skid, so that it rests solidly on your table or desk.

And honestly? Although the Kindle Fire HD is a bit heavier with the case, it is far easier to grip safely and comfortably for long periods. That is especially important for me because arthritis in my hands makes gripping uncomfortable after just a few minutes.

The case is well made, it looks beautiful, and I am confident that it will protect my Kindle Fire HD even if I drop it.

All in all, I highly recommend this product, especially at almost half the price of the Amazon cases.

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]]> https://lap-tops.net/marware-vibe-standing-case-for-kindle-fire-hd-7-black-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-1003 Tyler Pomerhn Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:42:11 +0000 http://lap-tops.net/marware-vibe-standing-case-for-kindle-fire-hd-7-black-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-1003

Almost perfect case!, September 14, 2012

Bought this for my Kindle Fire HD that I just received today. Some pros and cons:

PROS
– Fits Kindle Fire HD 7″ perfectly, and is easy to remove and install. Clips hold the device firmly in place.
– Adds minimal bulk or weight to the device. There is barely any gap around the Fire, so you’re only adding about a millimeter, on all three dimensions, by adding this cover.
– Has an elastic strap to ensure the cover stays closed. This is a nice feature that my old Kindle Keyboard’s lighted case had, and I prefer an elastic closure, if possible.
– Great feel, smooth leather feels great in the hand. Inner liner is fuzzy and will protect the screen well. Love that I can get it in red, for the “fire” aspect of the Fire HD’s name.
– Stands up on its own in landscape mode (though see my concern, below).

CONS
– Case is really stiff for stand-ups; I’m sure this will work itself out, in time, and I rarely use the stand-up feature anyways.
– Major issue with how you orient the Fire HD – camera-right or camera-left. Depending on orientation, you’ll have partial functionality either way.

ORIENTATION ISSUE
– The issue is that, basically, you have two installation options:

1) Camera-to-the-right: This puts the HDMI/USB on the left, and power/headphone/volume on the bottom. This allows the camera to be “up” when you stand the unit up in the case and allows for the auto-sleep to work. However, it prohibits the Fire HD from charging or displaying on HDMI when the case is closed or deployed in “stand mode,” and prohibits use of non-Bluetooth headphones while propped on lap in portrait orientation.
2) Camera-to-the-left: This, I believe, is the desired installation option (and is, based on Amazon’s case). However, when standing the case up, it results in the camera being on the bottom, and auto-sleep will not work.

If you look at the Amazon-branded case, it specifically uses the orientation I, personally, prefer – Camera-to-the-left. They even have special cutouts for the USB and HDMI on the right. So I believe this is the desired installation method. Yet, in this orientation, the Marware case cannot auto-sleep or stand on its own and have the camera on top.

All in all, I recommend this case for Fire HD 7″ users. The price is much more reasonable than the stock Amazon-branded case, which I think is absolutely horrifically priced. I fail to understand how Amazon can, in good conscience, sell a technological marvel that is the Fire HD for an obscenely-low $199, and then charge 25% of the cost for a case! All of their cases are like this, which is ridiculous. Maybe they count on it, and make some of the money up on the case?

—UPDATED 17-Sep-2012—
Updated the above due to comments on how the case does, indeed, sleep the unit if you have it in the “wrong” orientation. Thanks to Leticia for making me double check this! Lowered stars to 4 due to the no-win situation this case presents, though it’s still an excellent-feeling case and a good value.

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]]> https://lap-tops.net/marware-3-pack-ultra-clear-screen-protector-for-kindle-fire-hd-7-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-1002 C. Wright Sat, 26 Jan 2013 13:24:03 +0000 http://lap-tops.net/marware-3-pack-ultra-clear-screen-protector-for-kindle-fire-hd-7-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-1002

Don’t waste your money, September 21, 2012

By 

C. Wright –

  

I received these today. After cleaning my screen with the enclosed cloth I removed the red tab on the corner of the protector as they instructed. It came off easily and I placed the corner with the black tab (that had instructions not to remove until protector was in place) at the top corner of my Kindle. I slowing peeled the backing down and across the screen, pressing out the bubbles as I did. When it was finally in place, I smoothed out the rest of the bubbles. Then I started to removed the black tab at the top corner. This one would not budge. I was finally able to remove the top layer of the tab but a thick white layer remained on my screen. I was able to scrape some of it off with my fingernail but the adhesive layer can still be seen. The small cardboard ‘bubble remover’ that was included also leaves scrape marks on the protector. Not happy with this at all.

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]]> https://lap-tops.net/marware-3-pack-ultra-clear-screen-protector-for-kindle-fire-hd-7-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-1001 diyfan2010 Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:41:16 +0000 http://lap-tops.net/marware-3-pack-ultra-clear-screen-protector-for-kindle-fire-hd-7-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-1001

Disappointed, September 21, 2012

I am able to put screen protectors on iPads and iPhones with no bubbles but I couldn’t manage it with these. After trying it twice, I gave up. I couldn’t bear to see my beautiful new Fire with bubbles on the screen. Yes. I followed all the directions.

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]]> https://lap-tops.net/marware-3-pack-ultra-clear-screen-protector-for-kindle-fire-hd-7-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-1000 Haley Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:37:44 +0000 http://lap-tops.net/marware-3-pack-ultra-clear-screen-protector-for-kindle-fire-hd-7-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-1000

Very Disappointed, September 22, 2012

These were not at all worth the money. I have been able to put screen protectors on my phone and iPod just fine, but this was not so easy. There is a small space around the edges of the screen which it does not cover. The bubble remover leaves scratches on the screen protector when I try to get all the bubbles out, which takes a very long time. Now the scratches are an annoyance when I am trying to read. The tab that helps to remove the backing from the protector leaves a residue when I removed it. I tried to scrape some of it off, but it still leaves a residue. I only bought these as I wanted to have the screen protectors right away and this is the only available one on Amazon for the HD 7”. I wish I could return these. Do not waste your money buying these.

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]]> https://lap-tops.net/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1-32gb-deep-grey/ebook-readers/#comment-999 B. Price Wed, 23 Jan 2013 13:41:32 +0000 http://lap-tops.net/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1-32gb-deep-grey/ebook-readers/#comment-999

THE Tablet for Students, but Great for All, August 18, 2012

By 

B. Price –

  

I ordered this tablet immediately when Amazon posted it with 1-day shipping and as of 9/22/2012 I haven’t had any issues as a few users seem to have reported. Don’t get discouraged if you get a lemon; just return it for another – Amazon has free returns/replacements in such cases.

* Hand Written Notes
– S Notes – Exports to PDF and also JPG. It has templates for various types of productivity. My favorites are the ruled paper, the meeting template (date, time, attendees, meeting notes) and the recipe template (I can imagine this being very useful for the kitchen, propped up in a case).
– Papyrus Beta – This free application is very nice and similar to S Note but has normal paper templates such as College Ruled, Wide Ruled, Narrow Ruled, Blank and 4 different Graph Paper types.
– ezPDF – Costs $3 and is what you’ll probably want to make annotations on lecture slides and whatnot.
– MOST applications allow you to rest your palm on the tablet while writing, others are not as well written. This all depends on the author of a specific app.
– SOME applications have nice erasers. Some times you can press the button on the S Pen to erase instead of write and some times you can just use your finger to erase while using the S Pen to write. This all depends on the author of a specific application.

* Hand Writing Instead of Typing – The default keyboard has an option that lets you hand write in any input field instead of typing. Long-press the settings (gear) button on the keyboard to select the T button which enables hand writing. Please see the User Images of this product for a good example of this.

* Multitasking – Splits the screen between two programs – It’s limited to their six programs (S Note, Internet, Video Player, Polaris Office, Gallery, Email) but those are some good options. As expected, it puts any two windows side-by-side and works seamlessly. Hopefully that functionality will be expanded to other programs.

* GPS – Fast and accurate. I am currently on the first floor of a two-story apartment building about ten feet away from the outer wall (sliding glass door) and Google Maps had my position within 40 meters almost instantly after turning on the GPS receiver. Within 35ish seconds it had my position accurate to 10 meters.

* S Pen – Comfortable to hold (I’m a 5’10″ tall guy and have normal sized hands). There’s an odd button on the side which adds extra functionality with certain gestures. I have no idea how it works because I’m pretty sure the S Pen isn’t powered in any way, but it’s more than just a stylus.

* Screen – Very sensitive. I’ve been taking notes for half of my classes on my tablet and it works well. I usually have the brightness set to 10-15% or slightly less in classrooms or at home because that’s all I really need but also to conserve battery life.

* Battery – While leaving it on all the time, wifi off when not using it, I manage to only charge my Note 10.1 once a week. Standard usage includes notes during seven hours of lecture each week and using it periodically throughout the day or in the evening.
– To really stretch your battery life you’ll need to disable some apps. I disabled Google+ and some of the default/Samsung apps that come with the device in Settings->Application Manager.

* Build Quality – Standard Samsung quality. The case has a lot of plastic and the back gives a little if you push on it but it definitely feels solid. Now that it’s in a case the build quality doesn’t matter any more.

* Speed
– Very smooth. I updated about 10 apps at the same time in the market, an operation which would nearly cripple my Galaxy S until it was done, and I couldn’t tell any difference in the smoothness of the Note 10.1. While I was exploring I ended up having 15-20 applications open at the same time but again I couldn’t tell any difference.
– Coming from a Galaxy S phone and hardly ever using a tablet before, I’m amazed by how fast this thing boots/restarts.

* Wifi – No complaints. It connects quickly and hasn’t had any issues.

* Sound – Good, loud and scared my cat when I started something on Google Play. She looked around like she does when our surround sound is on because she doesn’t understand what was making such a noise. I can’t tell any difference in quality between it and my laptop when watching the same video on both (the laptop was ~$1700 before a coupon).

* Rooting Friendly – Check out the forum for this tablet on xda developers for info. This device already has developers that say they’ll work on it and I’m sure more will sign up because the Note 10.1 stands out among the crowd.

* Universal Remote / IR Blaster
– Works well enough. I’m going to sell my Logitech Harmony One universal remote because the Peel application works but could be nicer. With my…

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]]> https://lap-tops.net/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1-32gb-deep-grey/ebook-readers/#comment-998 Alex Alexzander "Alex Alexzander" Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:45:30 +0000 http://lap-tops.net/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1-32gb-deep-grey/ebook-readers/#comment-998

Really like it, August 17, 2012

By 

Alex Alexzander “Alex Alexzander” (San Francisoc, CA) –

  

I didn’t buy mine from Amazon as I couldn’t find it on Amazon. I ended up going to my local BestBuy to pick it up. The reviews online were mostly okay except for The Verge which said it was sluggish and basically was down beat on it.

I decided to buy it and if I didn’t like it I would be returning it. I picked it up around 5:30PM on the 16th of August which is the release date. The first thing I did was get rid of all the widgets that are on the home screens. I suspect those might slow it down. I kept only one widget which is the clock / weather widget. I then downloaded all my favorite apps and began to arrange and configure it the way I wanted it.

It comes with Polaris Office, which is better than QuickOffice if you plan to create and edit word docs, Polaris is easier. To view documents and complex excel sheets I find QuickOffice often does the better job. I ed up keep both installed just in case.

I installed 14 games on it. All of which perform very well. There are my favorites, like FieldRunners, and newer ones like Final Fantasy, Ski Safari, Nova 3, Osmos HD, Amazing Alex and Zynga poker that I also really like. This quad core eats through anything with ease.

Got the latest Google Maps, which is so fantastic on this. You can save a Map so it’s available without a data connection. Perfect for these WiFi devices. I’m a fan of the new Google Play movies, music, books and Magazines too. But if you prefer Amazon or Nook, those are available as always. It comes with the B&N Nook Reader by default.

There are Galaxy Note 10.1 specific apps like Adobe’s PS Touch. I’ve been using Photoshop since 1996 so I am going to carefully review the built in lessons for PS Touch, a mobile version of Photoshop and see how far I can take that. If you are a subscriber to Adobe’s Cloud services you’re supposed to be able to edit a PSD with PS Touch, save it to the cloud, and then continue to edit it with Photoshop the desktop app.

There is also S Note. S Note and PS Touch are geared to work well with the new Samsung Galaxy S Pen. This was a primary reason for me to be interested in this particular tablet. The S Pen is so accurate that you can hand write whole sheets of handwritten text with it. I didn’t try to have it translated into actual text like type written text. I just left it as my handwriting. Really like it.

Now this new Note 10.1 also has a new Muli-tasking feature. I should say that it doesn’t multitask any app combo you want. Just a few apps blessed by Samsung which are: The base browser, not Chrome, their video player, Polaris Office, the picture gallery and their email app, not the GMail email app. Their email app can be used with POP, IMAP and Microsoft’s Exchange via the built in Active Sync. So I tend to use that email client for work email and I use GMail as my personal email client.

Now, according to The Verge, multitasking was horrible. Not so fast Verge. I don’t know what you guys are doing but I multitask’d just about every way you can on this and it works surprising well. I wrote notes while playing video. I played video while scrolling up and down on a web page. I copied text from an email to S Note, which both apps loaded in the side by side both on the screen simultaneously method. I had no trouble at all.

I bought Autodesk’s Sketchpad Pro and can draw with that just fine. I also bought Adobe Ideas, but haven’t yet played with that at all. Samsung also has their own kind of store and I am going to see if they have more S Pen specific apps. Really like the S Pen a lot. It’s exactly like a typical Wacom Stylus. It’s sharp, not that horrible eraser head large stylus you get stuck with if you want to use a stylus on the iPad. Although the iPad has Paper by 53, which I wish I had on here.

I’m really just getting started. I’ll have to update this review over the weekend. Only played with this new tab for about 4 to 6 hours now.

Check out Google’s Currents for news, and Pocket for saving articles for future reading. Both are great on this tablet. I think all the bases are covered with this tablet. Movies, games, magazines, office and productivity, art creation and editing. It does everything. And since it is Android, you have a real file system which makes email a breeze. Love this thing so far.

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]]> https://lap-tops.net/amazon-kindle-fire-hd-7-standing-leather-case-royal-purple-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-997 sd Sun, 20 Jan 2013 13:46:33 +0000 http://lap-tops.net/amazon-kindle-fire-hd-7-standing-leather-case-royal-purple-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-997

Disappointing, especially for the price, September 20, 2012

I’ll briefly summarize the things that work for this case to reinforce what has been stated already. That it is from Amazon itself and designed for the Kindle. The fit is snug, it is light, has a much better texture and feel than is conveyed in the pictures. The awesome sound from the speakers is unobstructed and the magnetic lift-to-wake lid is a nice touch, with convenient case cover buttons for the volume and power buttons.

However one of the key uses of the fire for me is to watch shows or videos while multi-tasking in the kitchen. So the fully adjustable stand position at first appeared as a positive. Then the flaw appeared,on smooth surfaces such as a granite counter or wood table the lid slips out from the back causing the kindle to fall flat on its back. This has happened repeatedly, and even when the lid is against another object, then the front will slide out. For how much this case cost (a quarter of the device price) this is unacceptable. If I can’t figure this out without some tacky workaround like taping something on, this will likely go back. I will be trying out some other cases to see how they work.

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]]> https://lap-tops.net/amazon-kindle-fire-hd-7-standing-leather-case-royal-purple-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-996 Thereviewperson Sun, 20 Jan 2013 13:29:20 +0000 http://lap-tops.net/amazon-kindle-fire-hd-7-standing-leather-case-royal-purple-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-996

Thereviewperson, September 17, 2012

Customer Video Review Length:: 2:11 Mins

I’d gladly give this case 5 stars if not the price. Should really be around $30. It fits the Fire HD like a glove, leaving all ports, microphone, etc. exposed for easy access. It’s solid, well built, and as a nice bonus, when flipped fully open with the flap all the way flush to the back, but would be even better if it would attach to the back somehow and stay there. It has a magnetic latch when closed, so it does not open when you don’t needed for it to be opened. The edges of the case and inside is plastic that is robber coated, so it gives a great feel. The stand position is very unstable but can be used for watching a movie.

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]]> https://lap-tops.net/amazon-kindle-fire-hd-7-standing-leather-case-royal-purple-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-995 jsh1120 "jsh1120" Sun, 20 Jan 2013 13:04:27 +0000 http://lap-tops.net/amazon-kindle-fire-hd-7-standing-leather-case-royal-purple-will-only-fit-kindle-fire-hd-7/ebook-readers/#comment-995

Overall a Good Design and Stylish Case, September 20, 2012

Purchased both this case and the Marware Axis case for our new Kindle Fire HD. Each has strengths and weaknesses. For those considering both cases, I’ll try to compare them.

() Weight. The Amazon case (AC) is MUCH thinner and lighter than the Marware case. Whether this an advantage or disadvantage depends on several considerations, but the fact remains that the AC adds little to the weight and bulk of the KFHD. The MC swaddles the KFHD in a significantly heavier and bulkier case. Advantage: AC in everyday use.

() Protection. The disadvantage of the MC in terms of weight is balanced by the protection it provides. The MC case is well padded; the AC is not. The MC includes a separate inner plastic shell that increases both shock protection and functionality. (See below.) The MC includes an elastic band to hold the cover closed; the AC relies exclusively on the weak magnetic closure to keep the cover closed. The AC is adequate in this regard but the MC is a sure thing. Advantage: MC

() Functionality. Again, different designs and different choices. Both covers provide for “sleep mode” when closed. The elastic band on the MC makes opening the cover more involved but it also provides a more secure closure and less of a chance that the cover can open when packed in a bag. Advantage: Depends on what’s important to you.

The AC provides covers over the KFHD’s speakers, and easy to feel button/rocker covers for power and volume. The MC’s internal plastic shell provides only cutouts. Advantage: AC. For those who have trouble locating the external buttons, it’s a BIG advantage for the AC.

The MC’s internal shell rotates from portrait to landscape and the case design provides a more stable stand with the cover forming a platform for the tablet in either postion. The AC uses the cover as an inverted V to act as a stand in landscape mode only. Although the AC’s cover can also be used to prop up the tablet in portrait mode, the 90 degree angle cannot be adjusted in that configuration, making it useless for reading. Advantage: MC

The placement of the MC in the inner shell dictates that the KFHD can only be charged with the cover open. Otherwise, the charge port (and HDMI port) are covered by the case’s spine. Marware touts this as an advantage in terms of protecting the ports from dust and damage. YMMV. It’s clear that it’s not an advantage for charging since the screen is unprotected. The AC has a cutout for the charge and hdmi ports. Significantly more convenient. Advantage AC.

Color and Cover Quality. This is a very subjective issue. My MC is in charcoal (gray really) and my AC is in saddle brown. The MC is relatively smooth “leather.” (Not high quality but not bad.) The AC is a pebble grain “leather.” I prefer the color and texture of the AC. It feels better in the hand and the thinner case just looks better to me. YMMV. For my part, Advantage: AC

Cost: The prices of the two covers are almost identical (about $45). Less expensive covers are available from Marware and much less expensive covers are (or will be) available from other sources. I’ve had good luck with Marware durability in the past and the design of the MC is more or less the same as others I’ve had. The AC may seem overpriced to some. Personally, I think the features and design are worth paying for. I can’t speak for durability but I’m optimistic about the AC. It’s a classy looking case (imo) and will likely stay that way.

Overall: I intend to keep the AC and return the MC. Less bulk and weight, better features, convenience, and ease of daily use are the deciding factors for me. If protection in rough environments, handling by a youngster, and a stable stand (especially in portrait orientation)were critical factors for me, I’d probably keep the MC. But if that were case, I’d probably wait for an Otterbox version for the KFHD.

Marware Axis Genuine Leather Rotating, Standing Case for Kindle Fire HD 7″, Charcoal (will only fit Kindle Fire HD 7″)

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