My SIL has a Kindle HD, my brother a Transformer prime and I have a N7, We got to compare them over Thanksgiving and the overwhelming consensus was the N7 was clearly superior in usability and speed . My only caveat,is that I did have my screen crack (repaired under warranty by Asus). My brother also shattered his transformers screen, but that was after a drop and was covered by insurance. In the hand, the kindle felt a bit more robust than the N7, but the N7 has a more premium look and feel. Certainly without rooting and a rom replacement, if you're looking for full tablet functionality the Kindle isn't the way to go. Stock, it's strictly an Amazon provided content consumption device. On that note, since we are prime members I am considering getting a kindle HD for my wife. For me? No way!!!