Amazon Kindle Fire vs Google Nexus 7. Which is better?

Last year, Amazon shocked the gadget loving world when they debuted the Amazon Kindle Fire, small form factor computer tablet with a 7" screen, 8G of storage and the ability play games, read books and playback movies on demand. Amazon offered all of this for the small form factor price of less than $200(US).

Kindle Fire- Not bad at all.
(amazon.com)

At first, Amazon barely broke even on each Fire sold and made a bet it would make a profit from apps, movies books and other items purchased from Amazon itself. Now, the parts used to make the Fire have dropped in price and Amazon is actually making a modest profit on each Fire it sells plus the app store money it banks every day.

The Nexus 7- Looking good.
(pocket-lint.com)

Not to be outdone, Google has now put its Nexus 7 on the market to compete with the Fire. Same size screen, but with the guts of its more powerful, and larger (10.1") competitors that allows it to process video, audio and other data more quickly. The Nexus 7 also has a better screen with higher definition and uses the latest iteration of the Android operating system called "Jellybean". Plus, Google sells the Nexus 7 for the same low price as the Fire- $200.

Uh-oh. two competitors for the exact same price? This looks like a battle royal of 7" tablets! How do you, as a consumer, make a smart buying decision when choosing between these two mini-tablets? Which one is the better choice? Which one is best for you and finally, which one should you buy?

Wired.com has compared these two tablets and has the scoop on both and what they offer to customers looking for a quality experience in the smaller tablet form.
Go there now to read the article and decide for yourself.

Oh- one more thing...

Rumors are strong in the computer world Apple will soon introduce a 7" tablet of their own. A mini-iPad would really cause a ruckus and turn the market on its ear.

Things are heating up! Stay tuned...

Windows 8 - Microsoft takes a chance on a new look.

The Microsoft Windows operating system gets a bad rap. Many speak about Windows with disdain and a sour face and harp incessantly about crashes, freezes and other OS maladies.

These people are wrong. Dead wrong. Since before Windows XP, the OS has generally been a stable system and the new Windows 8 promises the same trouble-free experience but with a graphical twist.

Will the new look be a hit with people used to the old look?
(Microsoft)

Just like the Windows Phone OS, the user will be greeted with a set of "tiles"  with each representing a different app. This new design has been called "Metro".For instance, one tile may represent the user's email account. Since the app is live, the tile will display the current number of unread messages. The user need only to click on the app to open the email client.

Other new features include:

• Internet Explorer 10- built to take advantage of the new Metro design.
• Powerful, but lightweight, W8 can be installed on nearly any computer made in the last 5-6 years.
• Windows Defender- an excellent antivirus program that used to be separate (but free) is now built in. 
• Media Center is now standard
• USB 3.0 integration means pictures and video can be downloaded faster than ever before. 

There's more- much more in fact. But the best news about Windows 8 may be the price to upgrade your current computer- only $40! So, if you're running XP, Windows 7 or just want the newest and fastest version of Windows, it will set you back less than dinner at a decent restaurant. 

Although it's not normally my policy to use Wikipedia as a link, there's a strong article detailing all Windows 8 has to offer. Go to it here. 

For a news of W8, no one knows the new OS better than Paul Thurrott. He's literally written the book on the subject and posts regular articles about new developments, tips and opinion on all things WS8. Take a look here.