What's good
- Runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich by default
- Comes at a very affordable price
What's bad
- Internal storage is limited to 8GB
- Wall charger and other accessories need to be bought separately
The Kindle Fire 2 is more than just another e-book reader from Amazon. It comes from an entire line of Android-powered color screen-equipped tablet computers that don’t cost much but have an accompanying content ecosystem that will likely have you spending money on digital items in no time. It’s cheap and very easy to use. But what else does it have that the models from other tablet computer manufacturers don’t?
One of the first things you’ll notice about the 2nd-gen Kindle Fire is that it’s small and easy to carry around. It uses the same 7-inch touchscreen as its predecessor and has a native resolution of 1024x600 pixels. Also, it weighs just 400 grams and measures 11mm thick. As far as portability is concerned, the Kindle Fire 2 is excellent. This is great especially since it lasts up to 9 hours of video playback or Web surfing with Wi-Fi per full charge.
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich comes pre-installed as the default OS, as it runs on a 1.2GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430processor with 1GB of RAM. This means it can handle all kinds of movies and music formats quite well, though you’ll probably need to rely constantly on the cloud since there’s no way to physically expand the 8GB of internal storage. It’s also worth noting that a microSD card slot isn’t the only thing that’s missing from this version of the Kindle Fire. It lacks a built-in camera, Bluetooth, and doesn’t even come with a bundled wall charger. Charging needs to be done with a USB cable through its single USB port.
Despite its shortcomings, the Kindle Fire 2 is still a good choice for an entry-level Android tablet. Plus, at just a little over $150, it’s a steal. Not to mention, Amazon’s expansive digital library will be at your disposal. If you don’t wish to have any high-end features on your device, then you can’t get any better than this for the money.
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Sascha Segan, ITProPortalIf you’re really focused on budget, and absolutely want the cheapest tablet possible, then priced at £129 you can’t argue with the fact that the Kindle Fire is a great starter slate. It’s also very easy to use, and suitable as a gentle introduction to tablet computing for the...
- Eric Franklin, CnetThe Kindle Fire 2 improves on its predecessor in three key ways: faster performance, a better interface with cool new features, and a significant price reduction.
- John V., PhoneArenaAmazon seems like they're playing with fire with this tablet, mainly because it's competing in the space as its more prestigious offering in the Kindle Fire HD. Consumers will no doubt take notice of the Kindle Fire 2's $159 price point for a new tablet, but considering that it's only $40 less than...
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