I got my Fire HD 8 on release day and set up was a breeze. I side loaded the Google Play store (check Youtube, it's easy) and installed my favorite Google apps, Youtube, Google Play Music, Google 1, Google Drive,Google Docs and a slew of other apps I like from the Play Store that Amazon's app store does not provide and I'm loving the tablet. It's no speed demon but for the price I wasn't looking for cutting edge technology. I also bought the cover and the docking station and switch between the two easily as I retire to my bedroom for the night. I previously was using a Fire 6 tablet and a Samsung Galaxy tab S3. The Kindle Fire 6 was great for it's size and the Galaxy Tab was great (older now, less reliable battery life due to age) for the same reasons but this Kindle Fire HD 8 blends the best of both worlds for me regarding size. It's a nice companion to have near, lets me use the apps that I like, moderate gaming, lots of reading and now having both Amazon Music and Google Play Music, a slew of options for music. If you are looking for a workhorse you're better off with your iPad or mainstream Android tablet . If you are looking for a nice reliable multimedia hub, look no further than this tablet. The price is on point for the features it has provided thus far and I am happy with my purchase. it is a great middle of the road tablet and the price it can't be beat. I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because there is nothing revolutionary about this tablet. It's not a must have by any means but it fits the casual niche perfectly.
The big change with this year's HD 8 is the addition of new hands-free Alexa features. When enabled the tablet can take voice commands like Amazon Echo devices and even replicate a more expensive Echo Show in its 'Show Mode." I found the recognition to work great and it's a welcome feature on a low cost tablet. There's also a dock available that will automatically enable "show mode" and charge the device at the same time.
For the price it's hard to go wrong here. But you do get what you pay for in some ways : the warranty is only 90 days, and the aging processor is a bit sluggish on some web pages and apps. I suspect the new operating system combined with the 'always listening' feature running in the background impacts the overall performance.
The HD10 is my current pick for Amazon tablets. If you can afford it go with that. It performs better and has a larger, nicer screen. But if you're on a tight budget this tablet is adequate for the task.
UPDATED REVIEW 10/7/2018 James in customer service worked with me for several hours and we were able to make everything work, including my 400 GB micro sd card. My suggestion to anyone having issues is to factory reset, do all the updates (both hardware and software) and then insert your sd card and format it to "portable storage" which incidentally is not the "recommended" option. Next I selected for any content able to be stored to the sd card to be stored there. After taking these steps I was able to do the following: 1. Download my kindle books with their accompanying audible narration to the sd card and either read, listen or have immersion reading, 2. Transfer my personal mobi format books to the INTERNAL storage of the kindle fire device itself in the Kindle folder. Per customer service personal books cannot be read from a micro sd card but this was not an issue for me because even after downloading all my kindle apps there was plenty of space for my mobi files. 3. Transfer my personal videos to the sd card (created a Movie folder for them ). I hope this helps!
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Disappointing. My kindle arrived yesterday and customer service is already sending me a replacement. I purchased this new kindle specifically because it claims to support up to a 400 GB compatible micro sd card. The kindle I received would not communicate with the card for kindle ebooks or audible content. This despite the card being confirmed compatible by customer service as well as the kindle screen notification that the card had formatted correctly and was ready for use.
As to the kindle itself, it performed as expected without the micro sd card installed. It is unfortunately not comparable to the Kindle Fire 7 HDX in either screen view or device speed. As others have noted it is disappointing Amazon has chosen not to produce a current version of the 2013 Kindle Fire HDX. I have used mine for 5 years but alas the screen no longer responds reliably. My Kindle Fire 10 is far superior in both aspects, but of course is limited by size and weight as well as accepting a maximum 256 GB micro sd card.
I will update this review upon receipt of the replacement kindle. I am hoping this was just a singular defective device and not a larger issue of the 400 GB micro sd card compatibility. I am curious if anyone else has had this problem.
I am pleased. This is an improvement over the 7" inch older one, both in display and storage. The display quality is improved, but still not like my HDX. Easy set up. Only glitch I have found is the Sync is under Device Options, not at the top of Settings. Sound of speakers nice, ear buds even better. Holds a charge for a full day of use, even with intense graphic apps. Speaking of apps, some developers are trying to do harm to Amazon by not making their apps available in this new 2018 release. Whether they missed a deadline, or are just plain stubborn, I am unsure. Just be aware that some of your apps may not be available until the developers grow up! Sideloading is an option if you are so inclined. Afterall, Alexa shows as being Sideloaded! Overall great tablet in this price range. I have not used the SD storage, as last experience with older 7" , most things will not move to external storage app wise. Also, if you are already an Amazon fan, and replacing older tablet, you can use the last backup from your old tablet to speed things up with the setup of this one by using the backup to restore the settings you have been using. It is part of the setup process. You need to know the name of the tablet whose backup you will be using. Still no Carousel :(
What you need to ask yourself is... What do you need it for? At under $100 it performs exceptionally well for streaming on WiFi, movies, music, lite games and general amazon apps. The amazon OS (operating system) is on the android platform. The tablet is ready to use right out of the box. It operates focused on Amazon content and apps. For people who wish to use more google apps some extra downloads will need to be done to access those. It’s not straight forward or user friendly to accomplish that but it can be done to do that. The screen is pleasing graphically at 8 inches. Touch screen is responsive but can lag depending WiFi connection at times. It can operate in an off line mode without Alexa. The sound with Dolby is good within a couple feet for a personal devise (better than a smart phone). It’s light weight but aquard to carry around at its size. What this tablet is... it’s an entry level (inexpensive) tablet that will do and run all the basic stuff very well and Alexa is neat to be able to help. My main gripe is that reading about the benefits for the tablet that a case for it goes into great detail, however, it is not included, nor is it a part of what is included and is a bit misleading. That having been said, I am happy with the purchase. The battery has been preforming well at lite to normal use, with a reacharge overnight. I use my cell phone to hot spot a WiFi connection to the tablet on the go and a separate Bluetooth speaker for music, which also makes movies sound better. All in all, this tablet is a great choice if you know what to expect it’s not supposed to do or be. It is 3 times cheaper than say an iPad... so, affordable and great for entertainment uses... I enjoy using it!
Feature Product
- This bundle includes the Fire HD 8 Tablet with Special Offers, 16GB, Canary Yellow and the Amazon Standing Case (Charcoal Black) for Fire HD 8.
- The Fire HD 8 is a fast performance tablet with up to 10 hours of battery life, a vibrant 8" HD display, 1.5 GB of RAM and Dolby Audio-made for all day entertainment.
- Enjoy millions of movies, TV shows, songs, Kindle eBooks, apps and games - including Netflix, Facebook, HBO, Spotify and more.
- The Amazon Standing Case is designed by Amazon to protect your Fire HD 8 and with built-in stand for hands-free viewing in landscape or portrait orientation.
- The Amazon Standing Case automatically wake your tablet or put it to sleep by simply opening or closing the case.
Description
I use my Fire HD tablet to read books, listen to audio books and watch TV & movies. I really like how quick & easy it was to get the new tablet up & running. Great sound and picture
So far so good. I love the yellow color and it's easy to hold. I debated getting the fire HD 7 but wanted something with a longer battery life. It came on time but was misplaced, which is worrisome because it was pre-programmed with my Amazon account (something to think about when leaving delivery notices).
I have owned tablets of better quality, but I only used them to read and watch movies. This $50 product gets the job done at a great price.
First I want to thank Amazon for this gift I never thought I would win a prize. I love the kindle the screen is larger and the picture is good . It can be put into a docking bay to charge and watch . it has 16 GB internal storage. There is a slot for a sd card with up to 400 GB for extra storage. That is so much storage options. If you have prime you can download movies to watch while out of wifi range. I can watch crtv on this kindle from the silkie app . It won't run on my other kindle. I looked it up to see how much it cost and it is such a good bargain for all it does . Other tablets cost so much more. You can't go wrong if you buy this tablet. It would make a great gift.
Love the new Kindle Fire HD 8 tablet. I purchased it to use in my kitchen mostly for viewing live tv and streaming. It works great and I love the show mode dock. I love having the convenience of Alexa in my kitchen with hands free mode. If I need to ask a question, I just ask and then have the tablet resume my previous function. It's also great that it has my Kindle books there if I choose to read them in color. I do wish there was a cellular version + wifi so if I need data away from home I could connect.
I have had my new Fire HD for a couple of weeks now and think I'm going to like it. The new blue light feature is nice as I like to read at night. I'm a bit concerned as I have experienced a few problems but nothing that restarting it hasn't taken care of. Size is good. The screen is clear and easy to read from. I don't like that I can't remove so of the pre-programed items like Silk but have found a way to work around them. Overall, I'm giving it a 4 star review.
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