The Amazon Kindle Fire HD is a new and improved version of the original Kindle Fire, and as its name suggests, comes fitted with a high-definition screen. The display is 7 inches across with native 1280x800 resolution and is comfortably sized for navigating the menus and apps of its Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.
Apart from its upgraded screen and software, there are a number of other improvements from its predecessor. Most notable perhaps a the built-in 1 megapixel camera on the front, which with a few minor tweaks, can be used to record videos. Other features include HDMI-out, Bluetooth, and of course Wi-Fi connectivity. Battery life is rated at 11 continuous hours of reading time per charge, enough for most people.
Its clear the Fire HD is not designed for high end device aficionados. Rather, it's a no-frills mobile computer that serves as a portal to Amazon's catalog of books, movies and music. We can't argue that its a great buy for those of you using Amazon's services extensively or for those wanting an affordable entertainment device. There are however more versatile tablets available in the same price range such as Google's Nexus 7.
Need to Know: Amazon Kindle Fire HD
1. High-resolution 1280x800 7-inch IPS touchscreen display helps make the most of default software. (The Good)
2. Default operating system is Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. (The Good)
3. Users will not be able to upgrade to later versions of Android (i.e. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean). (The Bad)
4. Provides less value for money than other notable 7-inch Android tablets like the Google Nexus 7. (The Bad)
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Richard Goodwin, Know Your MobileOverall, the Kindle Fire HD is a mixed bag of tricks. It looks great, is very cost-effective, and generally performs adequately at most tasks. For us though the UI was just too busy – it tries to do too much and doesn’t deliver a very coherent experience.It’s also far too focused on getting you to b...
- Chris Burns, SlashGearIf you’re deeply invested in the Amazon universe for content, this device is the best content delivery system you’re going to be able to buy today. It’s the biggest tablet Amazon makes at the moment and gives you access to all of your Amazon-held content in high definition, top to...
- What Hi-Fi team, What Hi-FiThe Kindle Fire HD definitely hits more than it misses. The tablet offers good value and a pleasing user experience so it’s definitely worth an audition, even with the iPad mini and Nexus 7 as serious rivals.
- Jim Martin, Android CentralIf you're after a 7in tablet that's very easy to use, you don't need GPS and don't want to stretch your budget to £200, the Kindle Fire HD is a good buy. However, although Google's Nexus 7 has half the storage for the same price, it's more versatile and has a better range of apps and games and...
- Madeline Bennett, The InquirerAmazon's tablet is a great buy for Kindle fans, has some handy features for business users and is certainly well-priced. But it's let down by sluggish performance and an unintuitive interface.
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