Kindle Fire Starter Kit: Top 16 Apps for Amazon's Tablet

The Amazon Kindle Fire is one of the hottest holiday gifts this year. Millions of Americans will unwrap the Kindle Fire on Christmas and Hannukah. While the Kindle Fire has come under some scrutiny for problems with the touchscreen, silk browser and privacy settings, Amazon's tablet offers a number of opportunities for users to explore books, magazines and interactive programs on the go.

Compared to the Kindle E-Readers, the newest development for the Kindle Fire is The App Store. Users can download applications ranging from games to weather reports to use directly on their tablet. We took a look at some of the best game apps, best entertainment apps, most useful apps and top apps for kids.

Best Games

Angry Birds

The extremely popular Angry Birds game can be purchased for free in the Kindle Fire App Store. Users fling birds across the screen to try to strategically destroy structures and boundaries. This puzzle game is fun for people of all ages.

Atari's Greatest Hits

This popular retro game app includes classic arcade games and Atari 2600 titles. The games are available in bundles at $1 each or all 99 games can be purchased at once for $10.

Plants vs. Zombies

This absurd game app allows users to fight off mobs of zombies as they invade homes. Plants help fend off the zombies from eating human brains. The game requires users to solve puzzles and battle 26 different types of zombies. It can be downloaded for $2.99.

Doodle Jump

Doodle Jump first became a popular game on the iPod Touch and the iPhone. You can now play this classic mobile game on the Kindle Fire. The cost of the app is $1.

Best Entertainment Apps

Movies by Flixter

Movies allows you to find show times for movies, watch trailers and purchase tickets directly from your Kindle Fire. Users can also search new and upcoming DVD selections.

Pandora

The online radio is a desktop staple for music lovers. You can enjoy music on your Kindle Fire as well with this free app. The only caveat is that you will need to be connected to WiFi in order for the music to stream. You can manage your own personal stations, rate songs, skip others and leave music playing in the background while you catch up on some reading.

Hulu Plus and Netflix

Most importantly, the Kindle offers support for streaming from Netflix and Hulu Plus, which brings substantially more content to the tablet. Amazon Prime users will also have access to the enormous Prime library of movies and television shows. Kindle Fire users get one moth free of Amazon Prime services.

Most Useful Apps

Wikidroid for Wikipedia

This free Wikipedia app means searching for information is quick, easy and always at your fingertips. The Wikidroid app pulls information from the Wikipedia site, but slightly reformats them, so the articles are easy to read on your Kindle Fire. The app also has an easy search menu, which makes finding any information you need accessible in a matter of seconds.

AK Notepad

This free app provides users with a simple way to jot down notes, grocery lists and reminders. You can share the notes through email. If you are looking for a better way to sync documents on your computer, cell phone and Kindle Fire, you may want to test or purchase Evernote.

WiFi Analyzer

This useful app generates a list of all nearby WiFi signals and creates channel, time and signal graphs. The WiFi Analyzer also lets you change settings so you can use the strongest signal in your location.

Alarm Clock Xtreme Free

The Kindle Fire can be more than just a toy when you download the Alarm Clock XTreme. This App allows you to set an unlimited number of alarms. You can also change settings to specify the amount of time for each snooze as well as to set a maximum number of times you can hit that snooze button.

Amazon Price Check

This clever app from Amazon allows you to price check books and other items on your Kindle Fire. Over time, you can save significant amounts of money by double checking store prices compared to discounts offered in the Amazon Marketplace.

The Coupons App

This Kindle Fire App gives users access to real-time coupons for their location. You can scan coupons so long as they pop up on the tablet's screen meaning you can use coupons as soon as you find them while you're in a store. You can also add coupons to your calendar or send them to friends and family to use them at a later date.

Top Apps for Kids

iStoryBooks: This free app allows toddlers and young children to interact with storybooks through pictures, text and audio. The app is targeted for kids between the ages of 2 and 8 with stories for different reading levels. Some of the popular books included are: Cinderella, Snow White, A to ZX Animals, The World of Trucks and Children's Ramayana.

Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss: This app is $2.99 and gives children an interactive way to follow along with the Dr. Seuss classic. The app provides a book-like experience where children can read the book themselves, have the Kindle Fire read the book aloud, or use auto play. The book includes the original Dr. Seuss illustrations. Other Dr. Seuss books are also available in app form, including: The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Dr. Seuss's ABC, and more.

Kids Place - With Child Lock: This free program is the dream app for worried parents who may not trust their children with the Kindle Fire. The app allows parents to block certain programs and capabilities on the Kindle Fire so parents can control what their kids see and which apps they have access to. The app also allows parents to set a password PIN to protect parental data through a Child and Toddler lock.