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Fire HD 8 Tablet with Alexa, 8" HD Display, 16 GB, Black - with Special Offers (Previous Generation – 7th)
- Up to 12 hours of battery life, a vibrant 8" HD display, a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor, 1.5 GB of RAM, and Dolby Audio. More durable than the latest iPad.
- 16 or 32 GB of internal storage and a microSD slot for up to 256 GB of expandable storage
- Just ask Alexa for quick access to the information and entertainment you want. Ask questions, play music, check your calendar, get the news, weather, and more.
- Ask Alexa to call or message almost anyone, or make video calls to family and friends with a Fire tablet, Echo Spot, Echo Show, or the Alexa App. Instantly connect to enabled Echo devices.
- Enjoy millions of movies, TV shows, songs, Kindle eBooks, apps and games - including Netflix, Facebook, HBO, Spotify, and more
- Prime members get unlimited access to over a thousand books and magazines, millions of songs, and thousands of movies and TV episodes - at no additional cost
- Watch downloaded videos anywhere with a Prime membership, Netflix plan, or Showtime subscription
Customers also bought these items from Amazon Devices
- All-new Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet, 8” HD Display, 32 GB, 30% faster processor, designed for portable entertainment, (2022 release), Black
Climate Pledge Friendly
Products with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn moreProduct Certification (1)
Reducing CO2 products reduce their carbon footprint year after year. Certified by the Carbon Trust.
Fast and responsive
Enjoy your entertainment with a fast 1.3 GHz quad-core processor. Fire HD 8 offers 50% more RAM than Fire 7 for faster performance.
No more worrying about storage space
With 2x more internal storage than Fire 7, Fire HD 8 comes standard with 16 GB. Expand your tablet’s storage by up to 256 GB using a microSD card, and keep photos, movies, and compatible games and apps with you. Plus enjoy free unlimited cloud storage for all your Amazon content and photos taken with your Fire tablet.
Capture life's moments
Fire HD 8 features a 2 MP rear-facing camera for taking photos or shooting 720p video. The front-facing VGA camera is perfect for Skype calls with friends and family.
Vibrant HD display
Fire HD 8 features a 1280 x 800 high-definition display with over a million pixels (189 ppi) and a bright, vivid picture. Enjoy movies and games in a crisp, clear HD resolution, with less glare and more brightness thanks to a stunning IPS (in-plane-switching) LCD display.
Power when you need it
Now with up to 12 hours of mixed-use battery life, Fire HD 8 gives you the flexibility to go where the day takes you.
Stands up to everyday life
Amazon engineers Fire tablets to hold up against everyday life. As measured in tumble tests, Fire HD 8 is more durable than the latest iPad and 2x more durable than iPad mini 4 (and costs a lot less too).
Adjust the backlight for nighttime reading with Blue Shade.
Read
Choose from millions of Kindle eBook and magazine titles that you won't be able to find anywhere else. Over 1 million titles are priced at $2.99 or less. Or read as much as you want with a Kindle Unlimited subscription for just $9.99 a month. Connect with the largest online community of book lovers on Goodreads.
Read comfortably at night with Blue Shade, an exclusive Fire OS feature that automatically adjusts and optimizes the backlight for a more comfortable nighttime reading experience.
Listen
With millions of songs from thousands of artists, the Amazon Digital Music Store brings all your favorite music to your fingertips. Music you buy on your Fire tablet is saved to Your Music Library for free, and you can play or download it anytime.
Unlock more music with Amazon Music Unlimited, just $7.99 per month for Prime members ($9.99 per month for non-Prime members).
Audible offers more than 180,000 titles in audiobooks, including best sellers, romances, thrillers, and much more.
Watch
Enjoy all your favorite movies and TV shows on Amazon Video, Netflix, HBO NOW, Sling TV, and more. Discover hundreds of thousands of TV episodes and movies, plus fling Amazon Video content to your TV using Second Screen. Enhance your video experience with features you only get from Amazon, including On Deck for watching videos anywhere, ASAP for fast video streaming, and X-Ray to go behind the scenes of your favorite movies and TV shows while you watch.
Watch downloaded videos anywhere with a Prime membership, Netflix plan, or Showtime subscription—on a plane, on vacation, in the car, or wherever you don't have a wireless connection.
Play
Fire tablets feature instant access to over 600,000 of the most popular free and best-selling games, social media, premium TV and movie provider apps, and so much more.
Choose from top titles including Candy Crush Saga, Township, Mobile Strike, and more.
Alexa on Fire tablets
Alexa provides quick access to the entertainment you want, including music, games, audiobooks, and more. You can also ask Alexa questions, check your calendar, get news, find sports scores, and even control your smart home. Alexa hands-free is available when your tablet’s screen is on or the device is connected to power. Enabling Alexa hands-free may reduce battery life.
Everyday made easier
Alexa on Fire tablets helps make every day easier. Ask to set alarms and timers, check traffic, your calendar, to-do or shopping lists, and more. You can order millions of items with your voice, such as household and personal care products.
Calling and Messaging
Ask Alexa to call almost any local number, message your contacts, or video call friends and family who have a Fire tablet, Echo Spot, Echo Show, or have installed the iOS or Android Alexa App. You can also instantly connect with family and friends by asking Alexa to drop in on enabled Echo devices. For example, you can drop in to ask what time dinner will be ready, see the baby's nursery, or check in with a close relative. (Fire tablets currently do not support incoming Drop In requests or incoming Alexa Announcements.) Learn more
Voice control your smart home
Alexa works with compatible devices such as smart cameras, lights, switches, thermostats and cooking tools from Arlo, Philips Hue, TP-Link, Ecobee, Rachio, GE Appliances, and more. Switch on the lamp before getting out of bed, change the temperature on your thermostat while reading in your favorite chair, or dim the lights from the couch to watch a movie—just ask.
Stay informed
Now you can ask Alexa a question and get an immediate voice response. When you ask, Alexa can pull up your Flash Briefing, Wikipedia articles, news, sports scores, and more.
Be entertained
Whether you’re looking for your favorite playlist or need a quick joke, you can ask Alexa. Ask for a song, artist or genre, and stream directly over Wi-Fi. Alexa also provides voice control for Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and more.
Introducing For You
Fire OS includes For You, a dynamic and personalized page on the tablet home screen that makes it easy for customers to get back to reading, watching, listening, or playing—and to quickly find what's next. For You learns what you love to do on your tablet and then presents personalized recommendations across books, videos, songs, apps, and more. Get your weather, Prime photos, and more right from the For You home screen.
Find the things you love easier
Fire OS is the best entertainment experience on a tablet with quick access to the things you do most. The home screen includes dedicated content pages for books, games, and apps, video, music, audiobooks, and Newsstand. Powered by Amazon’s recommendations engine, you can quickly browse new books, movies, TV shows, music, apps, and games.
Share content with Family Library
Family Library links your Amazon account to that of your spouse or partner so you can easily share apps, games, audiobooks, and books, and it now allows Prime members to share their Prime Video content. Access your family's content across devices—both Amazon devices and free Amazon apps for other platforms, including iOS and Android.
Enhance your viewing experience
With ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction), Amazon movies and TV episodes are ready for you to watch instantly. ASAP dynamically adapts to your viewing habits.
On Deck automatically downloads Prime Video (for Prime members) and the first episodes of Amazon Original Series while your device isn’t in use, ensuring that there is always something new to enjoy instantly, even when offline.
Integrated on-device tech support
Screen Sharing brings Mayday-powered customer service to Fire tablets. Simply call customer service and Amazon experts can connect to your Fire tablet to co-pilot through features by drawing on your screen, walking you through how to do something yourself, or doing it for you—whatever works best.
Access your entertainment across all devices
Whispersync remembers how much you've watched, read, or listened to so you can pick up right where you left off, no matter which device you are using. Plus, with every Fire tablet, you get free, unlimited cloud storage for all your Amazon content including unlimited storage on photos you've taken with your Fire tablet.
Try Prime free for a month
If you haven't tried Amazon Prime in the past, we'll give you a 30-day free trial. Experience what millions of members already enjoy—unlimited streaming of thousands of hit movies and TV episodes, ad-free access to over two million songs, over a thousand Kindle books, and Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items. Learn more
Unlimited reading on any device
Prime Reading gives you unlimited access to over a thousand books, current magazines, comics, Kindle Singles, and more. With any device – including your phone, tablet, or Kindle – you can read however you want, whenever you want.
Stream thousands of movies and TV episodes with Prime Video
With Amazon Prime, members enjoy unlimited streaming of thousands of movies and TV episodes at no additional cost, including award-winning Amazon Original series like Jack Ryan and Sneaky Pete, and top HBO shows like True Blood, Girls, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
No Wi-Fi, no problem—Prime Video downloads
Exclusive to Prime members, download thousands of Prime Video movies and TV episodes. Watch downloaded videos anywhere—on a plane, on vacation, in the car, or wherever you don't have a wireless connection. Prime Video offers offline viewing at no additional cost.
Over 2 million songs free with Prime Music
Prime Music is a benefit of your Amazon Prime Membership, featuring a growing selection of over two million songs, always ad-free and on-demand. Unlock more music with Amazon Music Unlimited, just $7.99 per month for Prime members. Learn more about Unlimited
Add HBO, SHOWTIME and more to Prime
With Prime Video Channels, Prime members can also subscribe to over 100 premium and specialty channels like HBO and SHOWTIME to add and stream—no cable or satellite subscription necessary. Prime members can subscribe to any or all of these channels with a free trial.
Designed with kids in mind
When kids use Amazon FreeTime, it's like they have their very own personalized tablet. The background color and fonts change to a kid-friendly design and they only see the titles that you give them access to.
Over 20,000 kid-friendly titles with FreeTime Unlimited
Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is the first-ever an all-in-one subscription that brings together books, games, educational apps, movies, and TV shows—all the types of content that kids and parents love. From just $2.99 per month, enjoy unlimited access to content including titles from Disney, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, PBS, and more.
Perfect for parents
Amazon FreeTime is built from the ground up to help give parents peace of mind when it comes to tablet use. Parents can create a profile for each of their children and choose which books, apps, games, and videos they want to give their kids access to. Amazon FreeTime is free on every Fire tablet.
Fire Kids Edition tablets also available
The Fire 7 Kids Edition and Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablets include the Fire tablet, 1-year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, a Kid-Proof Case, plus a 2-year worry-free guarantee. Kids get access to 20,000 popular apps and games, videos, books and educational content from PBS Kids, Nickelodeon, Disney, and more with one year of FreeTime Unlimited. Best-in-class parental controls allow you to manage usage limits, content access, and educational goals.
Limit screen time, so they don’t just play
With Amazon FreeTime, parents can set daily limits for tablet use, or restrict certain categories—like games and video—while leaving unlimited time for reading.
Made with premium fabric, our slim, form-fitting case designed by Amazon conveniently allows your Fire tablet to rest in either landscape or portrait orientation so you can enjoy your content hands-free.
Easy to attach and remove, the cases are integrated with a magnetic closure to ensure your cover stays shut while on the go, and automatically puts your Fire tablet to sleep when it is closed and wakes it upon opening.
Explore beyond our cases, and accessorize your device with a wide selection of memory cards, screen protectors, extended warranty services, and more. Learn more
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2017
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Plays everything without screen jitter [NETFLIX & HULU & YOUTUBE + apps for video capture (nope)/then downloaded to the *card] AND has an exceptional app store, an extremely easy set-up, and it replaces the $219.00_09/06/16 boat anchor RECPAD 10 for about 1/3 the cost. WRONG, the app store is centric and fails to understand that a customer may want more than just a reader, as there are NO video capture apps that would do the job for youtube, and the AV values establish that there are no majors involved with this product.
REPOST #2 (2 days later), 14 days in, and it has worked similar to my ROKU 3 and Vizio flat screen from the second day of possession, and has become one of the first things I reach for after breakfast <grins>; so take what you want from the post, and enjoy the latest addition to the tablet world--now that it JUST WORKS:
Just a thought before you start this fun journey, as a sidebar: to search for a program you can't find in the Amazon app store, use your home computer (or the tablet in it's virgin state, grins, only after you install an AV) and go to the web search site you use and do this: playstore (space = and) name of the product. This should be sole directive reason for the entire installation, finding the apps you need to enjoy the tablet to it's fullest. And remember, while you will be gaining TWO GREAT APP STORES, the "playstore" has an ANDROID foundation, while the FIRE OS is an Amazon Fork of the android OS.
If you want to employ ANDROID, fully, use XDA (https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603), and this takes you directly to the GILLY10 reference for using his NO ROOT article: [HOW-TO] Install Google Play Store (Fire OS 5.X) (No Root/PC/ADB). FOUR sequential downloads, from top to bottom, AFTER you download TOTAL COMMANDER (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H4IHJ8M/ -and this one allows you to install TOTAL COMMANDER directly from their site)---and all of which comes AFTER you set-up a gmail.com account, plus go into SETTINGS/SECURITY/ENABLE APPS FROM UNKNOWN SOURCES (sic, and all of those items are mentioned in his dialogue).
Each single download, and #3 has two parts (so read the difference) as the second is expressly for the Fire HD 8 2017, where each will install with a pop-up that shows: "open (until) next (until) install (until) done (tapping each at the bottom of the install window)," which allows you to go to the next of four downloads, in the vertical sequence. And note that #3 is big, so it does take some time to create the file. Do not exit any of the segments of this paradigm until you see and tap "DONE". Then go back (left triangle icon) to the download page for the next one. After you have done all FOUR, shut down, wait about 30 seconds, then restart. It took me about seven minutes, but I'm a graybeard and slow was expected.
And, don't worry if you get it wrong (sic, as I did originally = impatient, didn't wait for the DONE to show); just go back to the beginning and start over, which might include a pop-up = "download again?:" tap YES. You can check whether the progression of downloads has successfully been implemented by going to the (new) PLAYSTORE app/icon (home page) and engaging it. If there is no reaction, it generally means that the dependencies between the four downloads have not been successful, and that is why you FULLY download them in the same progression, again. Simply put, you don't know where the dependency error has occurred, and starting all over solves that unknown problem. The watchword here is PATIENCE, because it is well worth the effort expended.
VOILA, you have a stable and NOT ROOTED tablet. That was extremely worrisome against not only the 90 day period from Amazon, but the two year period that I opted for with SQUARETRADE. Now, if I choose, the tablet can be reverted to factory settings from within the tablet, meaning NO ROOT action occurred. Don't forget to reverse the SECURITY SETTING = DISABLE APPS FROM UNKNOWN SOURCES after you have done this to ensure that vulnerability is closed.
And because the resident engine was only 16G, it is possible to move almost all apps directly to the Micro SD from the settings page. And the card storage slot is protected by a snap/flap, which should eliminate any possible card loss or dirt gaining access to the interior of the tablet.
And as observed during the 64G Samsung EVO card installation: if the softly inserted card starts to go into the receiver at an angle, pull it out and flip it over so the copper data leads are facing the installer like the unit's screen during this act (the top edge/removal rib will be reversed to the screen face): AGAIN, softly so that you don't BRICK either the card port or cause card damage while inserting the card (OOPPSS, Amazon, you goofed), which requires that the thumbnail push/card insertion is accepted by a click value that is felt and close the flap.
Yes, finding all of the Amazon CENTRIC apps at the top of the central page is a nuisance. To make this more amenable, hold a fingertip on an app, when it expands move it into the same space as another you want to reduce the real estate against and you have created a folder. Do this for all of the ones you don't want at the top, then maneuver them to a side and then downwards. You can also make folders for your preferred apps, making it easier to find them. Labor intensive, as it takes patience, but you will be rewarded with a central/home page more to your liking, against what is (initially) counter-intuitive: HORIZONTAL SWIPE (top task bar indicator HIGHLIGHTED) RECENT TO THE LEFT and working to the RIGHT from the HOME PAGE (BOOKS open), etc.
SQUARETRADE: opted for the two year warranty, and was expecting an email so that the tablet could be registered. I had to physically call them about the issue, since it was five days past the supposed delivery date. The individual I spoke with verified my email account with Amazon, and then sent me a registration form (aka, tap this block of type to open the registration area of their firm-online), which I did. I found the missing warranty on the resulting page, after sign-in [sic, use a different password against the primary Amazon account (duh)/name sign-in for their site]. In fact, it's suggested that an account be established with them, after the initial purchase, so that you don't go through the same turmoil I experienced. It seems that their Sales & Customer/Online Server actions don't necessarily update each other.
The AV is now KAPERSKY PREMIUM 5PC license, with the kernel for it from the google playstore. And after all of the various downloads were updated, which took about 18 hours of background/online activity, there was a notice from my AV that SILK is a dated browser. That might have not been germane, against online security, but the merge with BING told me I couldn't allow the precedence to occur. How many times has there been a comment in the news, particularly ZDNet and/or PC Magazine, regarding the various HOLES in either the search engine or software product created by them. I'm too old, and a fixed income dictates that my online activity be very secure (or as secure as humanly possible).
The tablet now runs CHROME, given I have to use my credit card online to pay for some of the product connectors for the tablet, and PAYPAL is very stringent as to how access is used. And because most people use some-kind of hibernation or sleep value (shown below in the MOKO wallet), it is appropriate to occasionally just turn the tablet off. Then a tablet restart triggers CHROME to check, in the background, if there is an update.
ADS were removed by the following method: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200671290&qid=1423353619&sr=1-1. Yes, it cost me $15.00, but I considered it part of the original cost. And, if I'm correct, I can "opt-in" for a modified advertising value (sic, Kindle SciFi or other genre).
Yes, sound was an issue, but using the Amazon appstore, find SOUND BOOST for the Kindle Fire. I can now hear PACMAN at arms length, and only used a 20% boost. Careful, remember the speakers are tablet size so you can ruin the BASS driver if you overload them.
Add the "MoKo Case for All-New Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet (7th Generation, 2017 Release Only) - Slim Folding Stand Cover for Fire HD 8, BLUE (with Auto Wake / Sleep)," and auto off/on pays for itself by sleeping the tablet when closed, yet POPS ON with a simple flap motion. This eliminates any lag from the tablet being OFF, yet has no observed effect on the battery to any degree (sic, tested against several sleep cycles). Only the BLUE so far, but they will probably add others as demand increases, plus the price point is just right. OOPPSS, just looked and it appears that they have harnessed the rainbow.
Add the OMOTON hardened glass (9H) screen, which involves easily understood instructions--almost a "NO FAULT VALUE--ONE TIME INSTALL," and you have protected the most vulnerable piece of real estate for the tablet. And you don't need another screen protector, as the OMOTON does resist fingerprints.
And to simplify adding movies for later viewing, when away from a wifi value, use the following Transcend dongle/USB 3.0 to move from any saved source to the MICRO-SD you are installing in the tablet: Amazon Store, Transcend USB 3.0 SDHC / SDXC / microSDHC / SDXC Card Reader, TS-RDF5K (Black). It's faster than the usb to micro-usb dongle/cable running at 2.0, and allows you to monitor what the children are watching.
- - - - - - - - - FOR FIRST TIME USERS, and that was me 14 days ago <grin>:
PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST, then:
Hello NEW USER: Simply read what this post suggests against (copy/paste WOULD BE FOR A FULL COMPUTER, while a tablet uses TAP = the action you need): https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603; then the next is: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00H4IHJ8M/ and TOTAL COMMANDER can be downloaded and installed directly from their site); and BEFORE you do them, use the SILK *BROWSER (* internet enabled search engine) to find "gmail, where you will create an email account expressly for the installation of pure ANDROID apps (apps = applications at the GOOGLE site); then go to SETTINGS (white gear with a hole in the center and tap), then find SECURITY on the right side and down just a bit, then APPS from unknown sources = slide the dot to the right and the enabled value should glow orange, tap the center icon for the home page, and you are just about ready to really enjoy a very decent piece of hardware.
And just before you start everything mentioned here, please choose an anti-virus = use that name in the Amazon app store. For this purpose I would suggest AVG. It's simple to install and FREE. From there please turn on your wifi (internet = the web) connection, which will allow the program to update in the background (i.e., it works without you seeing the activity, but will pop-up if there is anything "silly" going on. And silly is used to denote something happening that is wrong. If that happens, follow the program prompts; and, if it's confusing, quickly go to the wifi connection and disable it until you understand what is going on). Wait about 30 seconds, then start the JOURNEY.
And if you have a computer at home, and it's anti-virus has multiple license', you should be able to find the KERNEL (sic, base engine) for it in the Google playstore (right facing triangle that uses blue & green & red & yellow).
There are quite a few tricks for further down the road, such as Piriform's CCleaner or an equivalent (removes the history from online activity-stays in memory until erased, and ideally should be removed after every internet excursion), CM Security (which may not be needed initially, just a mention, as the AV should handle everything), plus too many others to discuss at this time.
Note: The two "HTTPS" values are in the dialogue below, but I separated them and show them above (don't use them until after you set-up the "gmail account and after you enable the security codicil mentioned") so that you would know what you are looking for: the first takes you directly to the SITE for the four downloads mentioned below and in the GILLY10 article, and the second allows you to install TOTAL COMMANDER while at that site (i.e., note the ".co.uk," it's a British site--and that's how fast it happens <grins> way over there to here in a flash).
Now there are three icons at the bottom of the home screen: triangle is a "BACK ICON," the circle invokes the "HOME PAGE," and the square shows "TABLET ACTIVITY". Note that you can simply delete the activity value if you swipe down from the top, then continue through the white blocks below it until you see "clear all." Also, read the values for the lateral display against the HEADER task bar (sic, highlight will show you where you are: RECENT & HOME & BOOKS & VIDEO & GAMES & SHOP & APPS & MUSIC, etc.).
Below is the full dialogue, corrected from my error in using TOTAL MANAGER (ooppss, I'm a graybeard (74) noob who has had his tablet for all of 14 days, and enjoyed the learning experience). Now I have a tablet that will do almost everything, and then some: It works just like my ROKU 3 & Vizio flat screen TV, can play games (suggest the "playstore"), and watch OTA (over the air) broadcasts from just about any source in my area (HISTORY, DIY, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and the list goes on and on. Enjoy the experience <grins>:
Warning this device is addicting!!!
Before I get into my review a little history. I've been in tech most of my life. I have learned over the years many times that new is not necessarily better, also that I generally wait until pain before upgrading. Well my daughter started me off on the Kindle bandwagon with a Kindle Paperwhite a few years back. I love the way it has a SUPER LONG BATTERY life, problem was it doesn't do color. Little bit of trivia for you, color e-ink readers were coming out, but tablets and iPads were the death knell for many eReaders; especially color as they were the cost of a tablet plus some.
Okay here is my review. I was hesitant to get a Fire at any cost as I had read many of the negative reviews in the past. When Amazon dropped the price to under $100 along with extended battery life of up to 12 hours I could no longer hold back from buying one. By the way normally I would wait longer to do a review, it is just that I have been so happy with the process and using this device I could not wait.
Before ordering I read the one star reviews first, something I always do. After that
I read the rest of the reviews. I strongly suggest you do the same. Actually doing this for all your purchases will save you a ton of money, that and Google.
I read one review that said you could not use a Bluetooth Keyboard and mouse. After reading another that said that it could be done and how, I decided to make my purchase. I had also read about troubles removing advertising, which I had no problem doing with my Paperwhite, but opted to purchase the more expensive All-New Fire HD 8 Tablet with no advertising option for a few dollars more just to avoid a possible hassle in the future.
Also forgot to mention that being an Amazon Prime member I received one day delivery. I was amazed as my Kindle and generic case arrived the following day. My account had already been added to the New Fire HD Tablet; Amazon how do you work so fast? Actually I didn't care. Well I charged up the beast jammed an SD card which has been removed I'll cover that later. Charged it up for a while and was off to the races.
Some of the PROS are NEGS also in the course of Kindle Life....
Pros:
*Browser is close to being a full browser and works
*Nice bright full color HD display
*Alexa plays, music, videos, news briefings, helps you shop Amazon, and I'm sure much more.
*You Fire comes preconfigured to access and order off Amazon (So make sure to password protect your Fire so that someone doesn't make a fire of their own.) This too could get habit forming.
CONS:
*To get the configuration I wanted my only color available was black. Mute point as my Kindle will be remaining in its case for the duration.
There is a slight learning curve involved with using Fire as it runs on a modified Android system.
* I don't know why but the Amazon Calendar feed from my Google Calendar changes colors of my colored schedule items. For some reason my banana colored reminders show up blue on my HD Fire. This is a small item and I have a one more small item so far. (by the way I'm sure in time I'll learn how to better use my Fire HD as this is just week one. Kindle does allow other APPS outside the Amazon Modified Android environment, and of course they don't say that they will work; I figured for now go with the Amazon tested environment.)
* Second APP issue is with Amazon Mail package which I have set up at the moment to pull my Google mail which it does flawlessly; however there is a slight display difference that I find a TAD annoying, and already know probably user error, but I can't find the setting to correct the following problem. In portrait mode you have a single clean message title and short description underneath (actually just a snippet from the first part of your received message) message display in one column; switch to landscape mode and you get a truncated version of the same from portrait on the left third of your display and a quick preview window on the right of the display. I could not figure out how to change this presentation and will learn to live with it, but wish that I could shut down or at least adjust the column size for this preview box in landscape.
* Forgot to mention I wish there was a way to have a "Reward if found contact ___ ______." Option for when your screen is locked. It is really cool that there is firmware installed to locate this device, but would also like whoever finds my misplaced Kindle the option of phoning me to return it, rather than being hunted down.... ( I want both ;) )
Enough of my ranting. This was not the easiest review for me as I decided to stick with the Kindle fire for the entire review. That means that I'm learning the Kindle Fire Write application at the same time.
Before I go may I say something about speed and chips. In computing one thing is clear you are only as fast as your slowest component. That is why I'm following Amazon's advice and will put in fast micro SD memory when I finally add to my Fire HD. Amazon had it in their documentation that you needed fast micro SD and my Fire even alerted me when I put in what is now considered sub-par for the Kindle in that it may affect performance. I chose to just stay at 32GB and will expand later with quality memory. Also, I really don't mind that the processor may be considered outdated by some as this Fire HD has performed fast and flawlessly so far. Not only does it access my home network well, but also Internet as much of the heavy lifting is done behind the scenes with Amazon servers and programming.
Lastly. I primarily bought the Fire HD most of all to be able to read books and articles that have colored print, picture, charts, and illustrations!!! It is replacing my Kindle Paperwhite with this 8" Fire HD and loving it. I also had dreams of using my Fire HD like a Tablet, which I have done fairly successfully IMHO so far. Buy with confidence this is a great little tablet. I did not pay for protection and will update should it fail in the first 90 days. I'm using it daily and doing my best to put it through its paces.
*note: Paid full price. Not Vine voice or any other "special" reviewers, just me.
PS: Can't do cut and paste with my ANKER keyboard, so I used my finger instead. Was able to copy to memory using mouse to highlight and select. Had I held mouse down longer I would have been able to paste too. Oh well like I said I'm learning. Also lost all my formating. bd92154.
Update: 25 March 2018. I still love my Kindle Fire. Additional observation
Pros: * Drop In Price.... * Durable With Case On. * Bluetooth Has Worked flawlessly With Everything I've tried * Great Display * Transferring Files Easy Using USB cable.
Cons: * Have To close applications often to get others to work. * MICRO SD stopped recognizing the 128GB chip I was using; New 64GB chip no problems * Sometimes Auto Cap And Spell goes Haywire like now :(
All in all I still Love my Fire Tablet. Just may Buy another as a spare. Amazon needs a full robust tablet version to be available for those that want to work faster!!!! I think there are those of us that would gladly jump to the $400 to $1,000 range for something more even if it was a true Android tablet offered by Amazon running Fire as an App.
5/3/2018: UPDATE... I still love my Kindle Fire HD 8" with no advertising... Definitely the worth the extra money in time savings alone... Problem: I use Google APPS on all my other platforms... Kindle Fire HD with current OS does not play nice nice with all GOOGLE APPS. :( That said there are many ways to work around the problem. Also this still has the best sound of any tablet that I've heard. I've noticed some high end true Android tablets putting the speakers on the short side versus the long side of the tablet; thus favoring portrait vice landscape movie viewing. My wish list for AMAZON is to come out with an even higher priced Fire 8" HD tablet with more gusto and a true Android operating system or just make an Android application that mimics the Kindle Fire OS with access to Amazon applications so when I find something better that I can still have touch and feel of my HD Fire Tablet. Either one would be worth paying for. TY again Amazon for such a great product and service.