This is the next-generation Kindle Fire HD but with an updated operating system and new features, a redesigned shell (with the power and volume control buttons more readily accessible) and the power adapter included rather than as a separate $19.99 accessory. And all of this at a great price. When you consider the formerly separate cost of the adapter, you'd have spent $80 more just a couple of months ago for almost the same tablet.
NOTE: This is the base model of the three models that Amazon is shipping this year: the Kindle Fire HD, the Kindle Fire HDX, and the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9". Despite what I wrote above, this model is not really the successor for the Kindle Fire HD; it's the successor for the Kindle Fire. The successor for last year's Kindle Fire HD is this year's Kindle Fire HDX. I think a lot of reviewers are missing that point because of Amazon's unfortunate naming conventions.
The Amazon tablets are primarily content consumption devices, best suited for connecting to the Amazon ecosystem, including videos, music, books, apps, and so on. With the free Prime trial subscription, you can check out the Prime Instant Video options and watch movies and shows at no charge until the Free Trial expires automatically. For videos, music, and books, the Amazon selection is at or near the top of the list; for apps, much less so. Roughly 90% of the top 100 apps are available on Amazon.com, as well as 100,000 others, but that's only a small fraction of what is available with Google or Apple.
It's not quite as bad as it sounds because, while the competition has ten times as many apps, most of those apps are, um ... how shall I put this ... less than stellar (look up Sturgeon's Law). If there are specific apps you need or want, you definitely should double-check before purchasing to make sure that they are available. The apps that will likely never become available on the Kindle Fire ecosystem are those apps that require Google services (i.e., anything that uses Google location services). One ameloriating factor is that it is possible to side-load most of the apps from the Google Play store onto an Amazon tablet and a web search on side-loading apps onto Kindle Fire will show dozens of websites with detailed instructions. If the app you are sideloading requires a Google service to work, though, it will not run on the Fire, even if you manage to successfully install it.
It has an updated OS and updated feature software (but does not include the free unlimited Mayday customer support feature; you'll have to move up to the HDX to get that). The software updates include the ability to download some Prime Instant Videos to your device and watch them offline, enhanced accessibility, enhanced enterprise controls and features (so now it's better suited for office work), enhanced email client, enhanced parental controls, improved X-Ray features (now including lyrics for music, as well as additional information for both books and movies), integration with GoodReads (coming soon), and the like.
Where I noticed the biggest difference was the home screen. The default view is still the carousel but if you swipe upward, you'll see a more traditional icon view. The "Recommended for you" display on the home screen is now smaller and much less obtrusive (and it can be turned off in the settings). Amazon has also added multi-tasking of a sort, where swiping up from the bottom of the screen while you're in an app shows you the 20 most-recently-used items from your home screen, so you can quickly switch from one app to another without returning to the home screen.
There is also a left panel available on most screens (but not the home screen) and in some of the apps, with navigation links and settings to make it easier to navigate and control your tablet or to navigate within the app. If you tap the center of your display and then swipe left while you're reading a book, for example, you'll see a panel that shows you the table of contents, the About the Author link, the Sync to Furthest Page Read link, and so on.
The Kindle FreeTime option and the parental controls are still among the best in the business. If you want a tablet for a child and want to control what they can access, how long they can use the tablet at any given time, and the like, Amazon has you covered.
You can now also schedule "Quiet Time" on the tablet, where notification sounds and pop-up notifications are disabled, either on a temporary basis by simply pushing a button or on a scheduled basis. Frankly, I doubt I'll ever use this feature but if you're the type who likes to read or watch video until you fall asleep, it's kind of nice to be able to disable all sounds so that you don't get rudely awakened when, e.g., someone plays a new word in your Words with Friends game.
As I noted, the Kindle Fire HD does not support the new "Mayday" feature that Amazon has been advertising. However, if you swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the Settings option on the top right, and then select Help, you'll see various options, including Wifi information and troubleshooting tips, a comprehensive User Guide, information on providing feedback on select features, and information on contacting Customer Service via email or phone.
So what are the drawbacks? No camera or microphone, so no video conferencing, no Skype, no picture-taking. A little underpowered with a slightly reduced battery life and slightly higher weight when compared to the newest tablets (e.g., the Kindle Fire HDX has a quad-core processor, 11 hour battery life, and a 10.7 oz. weight compared to the Kindle Fire HD dual-core processor, 10 hour battery life, and 12.2 oz weight). On the other hand, you're paying $90 less for the Kindle Fire HD so you're getting a pretty good value.
Also, like the other Kindle Fire tablets, as well as the Apple iPad and the Google Nexus, the Kindle tablet line doesn't have a micro-SD slot, so the assumption is that you're consuming content from the cloud. This is fine when you're using your tablet with wifi; not so good when you're traveling and want to load up your tablet with content for the trip. If the latter is something you expect to do regularly, you might want to consider the 16GB version. Also, if all of your content is on iTunes or on Google Play, you would have to side-load everything onto the tablet. As is true of Apple and Google tablets, there's no way to automatically connect to the cloud storage of the competition.
Update: I was asked in the comments about downloading Prime Instant Videos. I verified that I can download Prime Instant Videos to my Kindle Fire HD. However, that option is not available for all movies and TV shows. It looks like they had to get the permission of the studios and not all of them said yes. So, for example, I was able to download "Casablanca" but not able to download "The Avengers" even though both are part of the Prime Instant Video collection and both are available for free streaming.
Update: There seems to be some questions (and some misinformation) about the Amazon Prime 30-day free trial that comes with these tablets. That 30-day free trial expires automatically unless you specifically renew; they will not charge your credit card. That differs from the experience when you explicitly sign up for the Prime 30-day free trial on the Amazon.com website. In the latter case, unless you cancel, your 30-day free trial membership will automatically convert to the annual membership.
Update: There also seem to be some questions about the "special offers" version of this tablet. The special offers consist of an image with a link on the startup screen for the tablet. Once you're past that screen, there is absolutely no difference between the "with special offers" and "without special offers" tablet. Typical offers include advertising a new game, special deals on specific Kindle books, special deals on tablet accessories, or even the occasional deal on the tablets or e-readers themselves (a particularly noteworthy deal was the offer of $100 off the latest e-reader). If you find the advertisements irritating, you can always go to the Manage Your Kindle page on Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/myk) and pay $15 to turn them off forever.
Update: How does this Kindle Fire HD differ from the previous generation Kindle Fire HD? (Although the real comparison should be with the previous generation base Kindle Fire, for more on that, see below.)
- It's a bit lighter (12.2 oz vs. 13.9 oz)
- It's a bit smaller (7.5" x 5.0" x 0.42" vs. 7.6" x 5.4" x 0.4")
- It's a bit faster (1.5GHz dual-core CPU compared to 1.2GHz)
- A redesigned shell with power and volume control buttons that are easy to find!
- The base version of the new Kindle Fire HD has 8 GB instead of 16 GB.
- No camera
- No HDMI out (but see the description above for details on how Amazon is providing a software solution for sharing your tablet screen on your television)
- No ambient light sensor, so the brightness is always set manually
- It contains a power adapter, something that was sold separately with last year's model
- It has an updated OS and updated feature software.
- It's $60 cheaper ($80 cheaper if you count the power adapter). Since last year's Kindle Fire HD had 16GB rather than 8GB, perhaps the comparison ought to be that it's $30 cheaper ($50 if you count the power adapter).
As I wrote above, this isn't the successor for the 2012 Kindle Fire HD; it's the successor for the base Kindle Fire. There were three tablets last year: Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, and Kindle Fire HD 8.9". There are three tablets this year: Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire HDX, and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9". If you bought the Kindle Fire HD last year, the equivalent model this year is the Kindle Fire HDX. So how does this year's base model compare with last year's base model?
- It's got a much better display (1280x800 vs. 1024x600), plus better technology driving the display (10-point multi-touch vs. 2-point multi-touch). The display is also brighter and cleaner. There really is no comparison.
- It's got better sound (including Dolby audio).
- It's much faster (1.5GHz OMAP 4470 vs. 1.2GHz OMAP4430).
- It's lighter (12.2 oz vs. 14.1 oz).
- It has better battery life (10 hours vs. 9 hours).
- It's $20 cheaper ($40 cheaper if you count the power adapter).
Last year's base model had no microphone or camera; neither does this year's. Last year's base model had no HDMI output; neither does this year's. Last year's base model had 8GB storage; so does this year's. Last year's base model had no ambient light sensor; neither does this year's. And so on... When you look at it that way, this is a heck of a deal.
How does the Kindle Fire HD compare to the competition? In this class, the major competition would be the 2012 Apple iPad Mini, which Apple is still selling, and the 2012 Google Nexus 7, which Google no longer sells but which is still available on Amazon.
Display:
HD: 1280x800 - 7" display (216 ppi)
Nexus: 1280x800 - 7" display (216 ppi)
iPad Mini: 1024x768 - 7.9" display (163 ppi)
These are all decent, previous-generation displays, with the iPad Mini both a winner (it has a larger screen) and a loser (it has lower resolution). It's worth noting that the aspect ratio of the HD and Nexus is 16:10 while the aspect ratio of the iPad Mini is 4:3. Where this matters is watching video. If you're watching an old television show, a 4:3 aspect ratio is fine. If you're watching a high-def movie, the 4:3 aspect ratio is going to leave large black bars on your screen and the video will be much more compressed than it would be on the HD and Nexus. Apple chose to maintain backward compatibility with prior devices rather than moving up.
Sound: The HD has Dolby Audio; the other two have standard stereo sound. The iPad Mini also makes the same mistake that Amazon made in its first-generation tablet: putting both speakers on the same side (in this case, at the bottom of the tablet). If you're watching a video, you'll have the tablet turned sideways and the sound will all come from the same side. The HD has the speakers placed in a more appropriate location.
Networking: All have dual-band wifi.
Size and Weight:
HD: 7.5" x 5.0" x 0.42" and 12.2 oz.
Nexus: 7.81" x 4.72" x 0.41" and 12 oz.
iPad Mini: 7.87" x 5.3" x 0.28" and 11 oz.
There's really nothing to choose from here. All three are small, thin, and light. The iPad Mini is the largest but it also has the largest screen, and it is the lightest and thinnest.
Processor:
HD: Dual-core 1.5GHz OMAP 4470, 1GB memory
Nexus: Dual-core 1.20 GHz Tegra 3.0, 1GB memory
iPad Mini: Dual-core A5, 0.5GB memory
The HD wins this round, although none of these is a real barn-burner, which is not a surprise at this price point. Both the HD and the Nexus have more RAM than does the Mini.
Cameras: Both the Nexus and the iPad Mini have 1.2 MP front and 5MP rear cameras. The HD has no camera. If you need a front-facing camera, you'll need to move up to the HDX. If you need a rear-facing camera, you'll need to move up to the 8.9" HDX.
Battery Life: HD = 10 hours; Nexus = 9.5 hours; iPad Mini = 10 hours.
Expansion: None of them have a microSD slot; they all assume that you'll be using their respective cloud systems.
Price: The HD is $139, the Nexus is approximately $165, and the iPad Mini is $299. The iPad Mini is priced very high for what it offers; Apple dropped the price only $30 (down from $329) when it debuted its 2013 iPad Mini with Retina display. The HD is really a great price but you don't get a camera with this model.
From my own perspective, there is no single clear winner, as each tablet has strengths and weaknesses. If you already have Amazon Prime, the HD is a no-brainer, with the access to the Prime Instant Video and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library. If you want apps, Apple and Google both have far more choices. If you want to watch movies, I'd pick either the HD or the Nexus, as Apple's aspect ratio and its lagging sound put it at the back of the pack. If price is a factor, then I'd pick the the HD, unless you really need a camera, in which case, I'd recommend the Nexus.
If you're heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, i.e., you already own an iPhone or iPad and all of your content is on iTunes, the HD really isn't the tablet for you. Similarly, if you love browsing Google Play for apps to play on your Samsung Galaxy phone, you're likely to be disappointed in the section available on Amazon (although, as I note above, most of the Google Play apps can be sideloaded onto the tablet). If you love your Google Now or Siri, neither of which will ever be available on Amazon, this isn't the tablet for you.
Update: It was pointed out to me in the comments that I missed a couple of alternatives that are worth considering. One alternative is the 2012 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" tablet, which is still available here on Amazon.com. (The 7" Kindle Fire HD is no longer available on Amazon but you might be able to find it at a local Best Buy or office superstore as those stores run through their inventory.) If you want a larger, true HD tablet for $229, the 2012 HD 8.9" tablet is pretty compelling. The only drawback is that it's a two-hander; this isn't a tablet you're going to be comfortable holding in one hand for very long. But sometimes the extra screen real estate is worth it.
A second alternative is the 2012 Barnes & Noble 7" Nook. This was a very good tablet in 2012 and it still holds up in 2013 as a bargain tablet. The specs make it competitive with the Kindle Fire HD and B&N is currently selling it for $129. It's an even more compelling deal because of two factors: the first is that it has a micro-SD slot, so you can expand its available capacity, and it provides access to the Google Play store, so you have the full range of Android apps. The one drawback is that there is reason to question whether B&N is going to remain in business, as it's been steadily losing money and market share over the past few years, with no signs yet of that stopping. Also, like the Kindle Fire HD, the Nook doesn't have a camera.
The bottom line: The Kindle Fire HD tablet is primarily intended as a viewport into Amazon content and Amazon services. If you have Amazon Prime and you have Amazon eBooks in your collection, this tablet is a no-brainer. The price is low, particularly for what you get, and it's a small, light, budget (without being cheap) tablet with a good display and good sound. This really is an excellent value.
Update:
Now that I have a Kindle Fire HDX tablet (see http://www.amazon.com/review/R2KVHBC7NMNOGU for my review), I'm in a little better position to talk about which one I'd recommend:
You should get the Kindle Fire HDX if:
- You're a techie who wants the latest and greatest, the best display, the fastest processor.
- You need a camera for Skype or other video app.
- You play graphics-intensive games (e.g., racing games).
- The size and weight matter to you, even in such small increments as this.
- You think you will need the Mayday technical support.
You should get the Kindle Fire HD if:
- Price is a factor. $90 cheaper is not an insignificant amount. This really is an excellent value for the money.
- You want an inexpensive tablet for a child (and, for this case, the lack of a camera might well be a plus)
- All you want is a basic tablet for reading books, playing music, watching the occasional video, playing Words with Friends, and the like. While the screen on the HD isn't as stunning as is it on the HDX, this is still a true HD screen and it is very good.
Note: I check back here pretty regularly. If you have questions, I'll be happy to try to answer them.
First off, I would like to say this tablet is a great deal for just $139.99. I tried finding a tablet for under $100 that would just work properly, and to let you know, it's impossible. Secondly, I want to tell you how I decided to buy this tablet.
I first bought the 9 inch Dragon touch tablet for 78$ but to be blunt it sucked. It was so slow that the web browser would always freeze, even if I did a simple Google search. I did not want to take a chance with it anymore and returned it after 2 days of using it; then I decided to give the kindle fire HD a chance.
Exterior: The exterior is well built. No loose pieces, and the plastic is very firm. My previous cheap tablet had plastic that felt it was going to snap if you held it too hard. Of course the iPad mini has a glass screen and aluminum body, but it also starts at $329. There are 2 ports: a micro usb and a headphone jack to plug in your headphones. The nice thing is that the micro usb is universal and finding a plug is cheap and easy to find. Although, amazon does include a very nice and not cheaply made cable/ wall charger along with your kindle. The previous kindle did not include them and they are worth $20. The buttons for the volume and power are a nice touch. I would not be surprised if new generation tablets will include these style buttons.
Only down side is there is no port for an SD card so you can store more memory. It would be a nice feature but if you really need all that storage, go buy a computer.
Display: One word, amazing. Maybe I am pushing it, but the screen is so clear. I own an iPhone 5 and my eyes prefer my kindle. I love reading on this machine and for the price, amazon did a good job with this one.
Internal/processor: I never owned the older versions of the kindle, so I won't be able to compare to them. I can say that this kindle is not slow. My previous tablet took a couple of seconds to respond to my touch but there is no delay on this kindle. As far as apps go, I downloaded that deer hunting game to test out if the kindle can handle it. The answer is yes, and didn't even struggle :).
WiFi: Surfing the web is awesome on this device. I watched a tv series(arrested development, which I do recommend) and the video playback was great. It was very smooth and even when I went outside the video was fine. I added the outside part because my 2010 MacBook pro starts to get a jittery WiFi connection when I bring it outside my house. But the overall speed is in between my iPhone 5 and MacBook pro, where it should be.
Battery: Yeah... I noticed the older version of the kindle was 11 hours and this one is 10 hours. But if you're on the kindle for 10 hours straight, time to GET A JOB! (Read update 10/23/13 lower in the review for true battery life)
Camera: I wish there was a camera and Mic in this kindle so I could Skype with my family. Keeping the price and size in mind you can't really blame amazon. Well, at least the NSA can't see me or hear what I'm doing. If you want those features then you can always buy the better version of the kindle. (Kindle HDX)
Sound: I don't know what the previous kindle sounded like, but this kindle has great speakers. I was in my room watching my show and my roommates(my parents..) told me to turn it down. I could understand everything that was said in the show and that's all that matters. If you bought this tablet to listen to quality music, I don't know what to tell you.
Setup: I've seen lots of people saying that the setup is a pain in the you know what. I was waiting to see what they were talking about but I had no issue. When I received my tablet, I turned on the screen and connected to my WiFi. I had no problems and then an amazon load screen came up and I said, here we goooo... The load screen only lasted 2 minutes and it was completed. I didn't have another one, nor did I have an issue setting up my kindle. My email, WiFi, amazon account, and other set ups went very smoothly without any issues.
I am not doubting that other people had problems with their tablets, no electronic device is perfect. Either amazon saw that there was a problem and fixed it, I got lucky with my tablet, or maybe so many people were trying to register their new kindle and amazon servers could not handle it. Wouldn't have been the first time a new product had its servers go down(obamacare, ios 7, COD servers, etc.)
Bluetooth: Haven't tried it yet, sorry! But apparently no one has any issues with it. 10/21/13 I have tested it out by hooking it up to my car and it works. I don't own a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard but you should not have a problem pairing them with the kindle.
SO, if you want a general summary, this is a fantastic tablet for the price. This tablet is probably the cheapest tablet that you can buy with it being dependable. There are a lot of cheaper tablets out there, but are only good if you want bald spots. Keep the price in mind when buying this tablet, this is why amazon offers a lot better kindles that cost more. This kindle is for someone that is on a budget, wants a device to surf the web,reading books, looking at photos, watching movies, playing games, and obviously "facebooking." If you want something more "show off-ie" then this isn't the kindle tablet for you.
Also, keep in mind Amazon is an extraordinary company. They are fair priced for almost everything they sell on their website, especially their books. I cannot thank them enough for saving me hundreds of dollars on books I need for college. For not being an electronics company like Apple, Samsung Sony etc, they can definitely give those companies a run for their money with their tablets. So thank you amazon for making a very affordable, dependable tablet!
I will update this if I see something out of the ordinary or if something goes wrong that shouldn't have.
P.S. If there spelling mistakes, sorry. I used my new kindle to type this all out. I figured it would be good practice.
UPDATE 10/21/13
First, I want to mention is that I am having sound glitches. When I'm watching a video the sound just shuts off and I have to press the rewind button 1 to 3 times. In doing so, the video loads itself again and the sound magically comes back on. I know it's a software issue because sometimes when I load my apps there is no sound even when it is turned on. I shut off the app (sometimes a couple of times) and the sound comes back. If anyone knows how to fix the issue or has the same problem, let me know. Thank you.
Another problem I have is trying to connect the micro usb cable in. I think it's a problem because the way the sides of the kindle are angled. Usually I plug in all my electronics at night, with no lights on. But with the kindle, I have to leave the light on so I can find the port to plug in the charger.
There is no flash player in the kindle, but that's no surprise since android and iPads don't either. There might be manual ways on installing it but I wouldn't know.
When you use you're kindle while charging it, it gets pretty warm. Not really a problem just something that was noticeable.
Now, time for some good news! The display is great outside, I can watch all my shows when the sun is out. This is a huge plus for me.
The true battery life. I tested it out by watching 4 episodes of a show that lasted about 22 minutes. Each show drained my battery 5%, keep in mind my display brightness was set around 75%. Doing the math, the battery life will last you roughly 7.5 hours when watching videos. When I web surf, read books, play a game here and there I would have enough battery life to last me a little less than 2 days. I think the battery life would be a lot better if there was a light sensor on the kindle, but there isn't. So if you want to save battery you need to manually change the brightness yourself because the kindle is not able to.
Two suggestions so far.
1. Amazon, I wish your kindle cases were cheaper. Two of your cases cost as much as the kindle itself! They do look nice and pretty cool but not for that price. Sorry, but I went with the 20$ marware case and it does the job.
2. Instead of offering $2 amazon music credit incentives when you buy certain products. A $2 amazon coins incentive would be incredible. Almost everything in the app store costs money and amazon coins would be very useful for a lot of your loyal customers.
11/26/13
My previous issue that I had with my kindle (sound disappearing) has been resolved. I am not sure what it was but I think it had something to do with the recent update.
Some people are angry and giving horrible reviews because this isn't like the previous generation Kindle Fire HD. READ THE PRODUCT DESCRIPTION BEFORE YOU BUY ANYTHING. This kindle fire HD is marketed as the improved, previous Kindle Fire, while the kindle fire HDX is the new and improved, previous kindle fire HD. I do not want to bash anybody, but I do not think that this Kindle should have such bad reviews because of others' stupid mistakes. So, if you are not on a budget and want an even greater tablet; the Kindle Fire HDX is what you should look into.
The other cool thing about the recent update is, if you bought a kindle with special offers, the lock screen now has a notification bar. Before it just showed the special offers on the screen. Now on the lock screen, at the top of the screen, it shows the time, battery life and other notification like new emails. Before you had to unlock the screen to see any of this. Nice touch Amazon!
Also, HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
Yes..this is my 6th Kindle Fire HD 7 and I am sharing my story so you are not discouraged! My previous Kindle Fire performed well and I decided to upgrade to the newer model with 16GB. My 2nd Kindle Fire arrived as a Christmas gift and the first week I used it, the unit crashed. Ouch! My previous generation-now referred to as "Old Faithful" -never failed me. I followed the onscreen instructions for Kindle#2 and rebooted my device. After using my device for about 30 minutes, it crashed again and the on-screen instructions said to reboot the reset the entire device. I reset the device and lost all my settings, then again after using the device it crashed. I was not a happy customer so I called Kindle Support.
If you are not bored yet...keep reading....
Kindle support told me NOT to reset the device, because this erases the memory on their support side and they are unable to resolve the issue from their end if I reset the device. They advised me to call them when this happens. After a conversation about my new device not working, they agreed to send me another Kindle.
Kindle #3, #4 and #5 all arrived...and I returned all of them when I discovered they were refurbished units. Since my device was brand new and I had only used it one week, I expected a brand new device as a replacement. On Kindle #6 I ended up placing a new order (rather than an exchange order) and then returned the refurbished units they continued to send me. Problem resolved.
It gets worse...
Kindle #6 crashed too! Within the first week...again!
This time I did not "reset the device" and instead I would reboot the device. I did this each time I turned on the Kindle. 100% of the time, when I turned on the power button, I would get the error message and my device would shut off and require a reboot. It would work after each reboot.
This is fascinating though... on the day when I brought my Kindle #6 outside my home and not longer had wifi, I made a great observation (I hope Kindle support reads this!). When I turned on the power button, the Kindle started automatically loading a software update! Wow... that was interesting and it actually took a few minutes to update. I'm not a genius..however I think the software update was causing the failure each time I powered my device. It was conflicting with the same wifi that would load new books to the device....and this caused it to crash. It's just a theory...however when you're on Kindle #6 then you seek any possibility for your frustration.
Summary...I love my Kindle and would never want to be without one, I only hate it when it does not work right out of the box. I had to walk through some challenges to get the device working and it was worth the frustration. Now, if someone could please tell me how to turn off the Wiki notes that keep appearing whenever I highlight...you'll be my very best friend! I did pay the upgrade to remove the ads and I still have those Wiki popups. Ugh!
Please, if you have time .....comment on my review below so I know what information you find useful or what you would like to see added to my review. Or just click the "like" or "dislike" button to save time. Your input is valuable feedback for me!
UPDATE: 23 days after returning my Christmas Kindle gift, I received a refund on my first Kindle and also was charged this: Restocking Fee Refund Deduction: ($25.94) although I was not informed of any restocking fee during my four phone conversations with Amazon. Amazon needs to be more specific on their "one year warranty" and their "restocking fees."
Thumbs down for the SIXTEEN PERCENT RESTOCKING FEE FOR A BRAND NEW KINDLE DEVICE!
I don't leave a whole lot of reviews... but after my dad's experiences with the Kindle Fire, I thought this is something that others might want to consider as a family tool. My dad is 74 years old and is not techno savvy. Bless his heart, the dvd player still gives him troubles. He lives on his own which for a while made him somewhat depressed because he felt like his days had passed and no one appreciated his era anymore. I tried to get him to go to music/video stores to get some of his oldies but goodies tunes-- but it was always more depressing for him to have the 19 year old clerk have no idea of who he was talking about. All of his favorite books had been deteriorating. So.... I got him a Kindle Fire. I preloaded it with some really neat country classic music like Anne Murray, C.W. McCall, and the early versions of Chris LeDeux. I also loaded it with some classic movies. I found an app that played serial radio westerns. I also found a ton of books by his favorite authors--audio and regular. He was a little intimidated at first, but this is one of his favorite things now. My teenage daughter gave him several tutorials. What was neat about the exchange was that my daughter was able to share things of "here and now" with him... but he was also able to share things with her "about the good ole days" as they were going through the books and the apps. He loved talking to her and she loved listening to the stories. He is not afraid to call her on the phone to learn new features. He's now a pro at the weather app. He likes reading the customer reviews on the books that he likes because now he sees that his era really isn't gone, it's just in a different format and location-- and people still appreciate the classics. He doesn't have a computer or email-- but each of our kindles do have an email address where you can email documents (including pictures)-- so we can email pictures of the kids events or news articles that might be helpful to what he has going on. He doesn't have to wait for it in the mail...it's instant sharing. It's also very easy for him to access because it pops up immediately when he turns on his Kindle. He doesn't have internet at the house... so he goes to McDonalds to have coffee with his crowd and download his latest books. He is now the envy of his McDonalds crowd. We did put parental controls on his Kindle -- but we explained that we did so that someone else couldn't do things with it should he lose or misplace it-- and we explained that we have the same controls on ours for the same reason.... so he didn't feel like we were treating him like a kid. I know this is a long review, but the bottom like is that it opened up a whole new world for my dad that he thought was gone. It has also had an awesome side effect of really giving our entire family a way to share more ideas and experiences with him. I just thought others might like to know that this more than just a toy for the younger generation, or a tool for the working generation....it's also a wonderful connection for seniors who need to know the are still remembered.
I pooled some cash together along with my siblings to purchase this Kindle for my Mother on her birthday the year before last. I must begin by saying that my Mother is one of the least tech-savvy people in my acquaintance; she becomes easily frustrated by new gadgets and requires assistance with nearly every function. Having said that, she refused to purchase a newer model phone (did not want to pay the extra bill), and at the time was carpooling to and from work with my Father, which meant she had to sit in a cafe at a major retailer for a few hours after work waiting for him to come pick her up. There is only so much shopping one can do when they are in the same store every single day for hours.
Anyway, after consulting with my brother (who is knowledgeable), we decided this tablet would be the first and best step to providing our Mom with a connection to the outside world while introducing her to newer technology. It took her the better part of a month to begin regularly using this Kindle. At first she was extremely frustrated and adamantly swearing she would never figure it out. I took a few hours one morning walking her through the account set-up process, downloading apps she would use, signing in to her emails and social networking accounts, and directing her to the functions of the tablet that she would likely use the most or need to know (how to find settings, etc). To date, she is a whiz with this tablet and is rarely seen without it. She takes it with her everywhere, lol. It is a staple item in her purse, and will even be found at her bedside each evening. A far cry from when she first received it.
We ordered the 16GB-plenty of storage for a beginner. Screen clarity is perfect. Wifi works perfectly. Touch screen and gliding features work well and accurately (you can always opt to use a stylus if preferred). Mom purchased a case/stand so she could easily view recipes or watch videos as the tablet stood alone. Installation and maintenance of programs/apps is simple as can be. Navigation is relatively simple for starters and experts alike. This is a quality device at an incredibly reasonable price point. For as much use as she's already gotten from this tablet, and for as well as it continues to function, I would recommend to anyone seeking a solid tablet for basic recreational use.
Feature Product
- 1280x800 high definition LCD display with over one million pixels
- Fast 1.5GHz dual-core processor
- Ultra-fast web browsing over built-in Wi-Fi
- Robust e-mail and calendar support for Gmail, Outlook, and more
Description
The new Kindle Fire HD is a full-featured HD tablet at an SD price. There's more to enjoy than ever before with a stunning HD display, faster performance, longer battery life, and lighter design
Faster Performance
Kindle Fire HD is over 60% faster than the previous generation Kindle Fire—a fast dual-core processor and an Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core ensure games and video run smoothly.
Longer Battery Life
The Kindle Fire HD battery lasts longer than the previous generation Kindle Fire—up to 10 hours of reading, surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music.
Streamlined New Design
Kindle Fire HD features a smaller bezel, cleaner lines, and optimized button placements. This all-new, streamlined design helps Kindle Fire HD disappear in your hands, so you can get lost in your viewing.
Custom Dolby Audio
Kindle Fire HD uses the power of Dolby Digital Plus to create a world class audio experience. Kindle Fire HD is designed to automatically optimize the audio profile based on what you're doing (with or without headphones), such as watching a movie or listening to music.
Perfect for the entire family
Kindle FreeTime is free on every new Kindle Fire. Parents can create a profile for each of their children and choose what books, apps, games, and videos they want to give their kids access to. Parents can also set daily limits for tablet use, or restrict certain categories-like games and video-while leaving unlimited time for reading.
Stay connected
With every Kindle Fire you can stay connected with a cloud-optimized web browser, our new e-mail app and full social media integration.
Silk, a cloud-optimized web browser, is faster and packed with new features like Reading View that removes all unnecessary images and other website clutter for a clean, easy-to-read version of the site.
The new e-mail app on Kindle Fire makes sending mail, viewing attachments, grouping conversations by subject, and syncing contacts simple and provides full support for popular e-mail providers.
Kindle Fire tablets are fully integrated with Facebook and Twitter, making it easy to connect and share with friends and family.
Be entertained
Rent or purchase the biggest new releases and most popular titles from every major movie studio and TV network. Stream instantly over Wi-Fi or download to enjoy later.
Kindle Fire is built for the best in gaming, with tilt, turn, and multi-touch controls.
See lyrics that display line by line while you listen to many of your favorite songs. You can also explore a more immersive artist experience with more photos, videos, and more.
Our interactive magazine experience allows you to start reading in just a few seconds with access to any back issue at any time on the cloud. All Kindle Magazines come with a 30-day free trial.
Get work done on Kindle
Kindle Fire tablets provide a robust Exchange email experience with ActiveSync, so you can check and reply to work e-mail on-the-go. View Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Kindle Fire tablets also support printing to your home or office's wireless printer.
Compare Kindle Fire tablets
| Kindle Fire HD | Kindle Fire HDX | Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" | |
| Starting Price | $139 | $229 | $379 |
| Screen Size | 7" | 7" | 8.9" |
| Resolution | 1280 x 800 | 1920 x 1200 | 2560 x 1600 |
| Processor | Dual-Core 1.5 GHz | Quad-Core 2.2 GHz | Quad-Core 2.2 GHz |
| Battery Life | 10 hrs mixed use | 11 hrs mixed use 17 hrs reading | 12 hrs mixed use 18 hrs reading |
| Audio | Dolby Audio, Dual Stereo Speakers | Dolby Audio, Dual stereo speakers, Built-in microphone | Dolby Audio, Dual stereo speakers, Built-in microphone |
| Wi-Fi | Dual band Wi-Fi | Dual band, dual antenna (MIMO) Wi-Fi | Dual band, dual antenna (MIMO) Wi-Fi |
| 4G | None | 4G Model Available | 4G Model Available |
| Camera | None | Front-facing HD camera | Front-facing HD camera 8 MP rear-facing camera |
| Storage | 8 or 16GB | 16, 32, or 64GB | 16, 32, or 64GB |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 5.0" x 0.42" | 7.3" x 5.0" x 0.35" | 9.1" x 6.2" x 0.31" |
| Weight | 12.2 oz | 10.7 oz 4G: 11.0 oz | 13.2 oz 4G: 13.5 oz |
| Customer Support | Email, web, phone | "Mayday" button + email, web, phone | "Mayday" button + email, web, phone |
Technical details
- Display: 7" high definition touchscreen; 1280x800 resolution at 216 ppi, video playback up to 720p, with IPS (in-plane switching) technology, advanced polarizing filter, and anti-glare technology
- Size and Weight: 7.5" x 5.0" x 0.42" (191 mm x 128 mm x 10.6 mm). 12.2 ounces (345 grams). Actual size and weight may vary by configuration and manufacturing process
- CPU & RAM: 1.5GHz Dual-Core CPU, with 1GB of RAM
- Storage: 8GB (4.8GB available to user) or 16GB (11.9GB available to user) of internal storage
- Battery Life: Up to 10 hours of reading, surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music. Battery life will vary based on device settings, usage, and other factors such as web browsing and downloading content. Actual results may vary
- Charge Time: Fully charges in under 6 hours using the micro-USB power adapter included in the box, or slightly longer with other micro-USB power adapters that you may already have
- Wi-Fi Connectivity: Dual-band, single-antenna Wi-Fi. Supports public and private Wi-Fi networks or hotspots that use the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standard with support for WEP, WPA, and WPA2 security using password authentication; does not support connecting to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks
- Ports: USB 2.0 (micro-B connector) port for connection to a PC or Macintosh computer or to charge your device with the included power adapter
- Audio: 3.5 mm stereo jack and integrated stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus audio engine
- Content Formats Supported: Kindle (AZW), KF8, TXT, PDF, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively, Audible Enhanced format (AAX), DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, Dolby Digital (AC-3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3), non-DRM AAC, MP3, MIDI, PCM/WAVE, OGG, WAV, M4V, MP4, AAC LC/LTP, HE-AACv1, HE-AACv2, MKV, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, HTML5, CSS3, 3GP, VP8 (WEBM)
- Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope
- Location Services: Location-based services via Wi-Fi
- Additional Features: External volume controls, built-in Bluetooth with support for A2DP compatible stereo headphones and speakers (no microphone support)
- Accessibility Features: Screen Reader, Explore by Touch, and Screen Magnifier, enabling access to the vast majority of Kindle Fire features. Screen Reader features IVONA's award-winning natural language text-to-speech voice. Also includes adjustable font sizes/color, and built-in Oxford dictionary.
- System Requirements: Kindle Fire HD is ready to use right out of the box—no setup, no software to install, no computer required to download content
- Warranty and Service: 1-year Limited Warranty and service included. Optional 2-year Extended Warranty available for U.S. customers sold separately.
- Included in the Box: Kindle Fire 7" HD tablet, USB 2.0 cable, 5W power adapter, and Quick Start Guide
UPDATED REVIEW: 10/18/2013 Well, I did call customer support, and they were awesome. They quickly replaced my Kindle and the new one has NO PROBLEMS and is absolutely everything I expected and wanted. I've had it for a week now and it's been smooth sailing, so I feel safe in updating my review to full marks - five stars!
ORIGINAL REVIEW 10/9/2013:
I love all the features and what it can do - so much access and connectivity. Being able to do email, supposed to be able to do office work (haven't found that app yet), video streaming, all my books, and so much more.
Biggest problem. It keeps rebooting. If it takes too long to try and authenticate (hangs up or freezes) then it's like it overloads the processors and so it reboots. If you take too long to make a decision on something, it might freeze up and reboot. Then, it gets stuck in this reboot loop where it will reboot every 20-30 seconds no matter what you do. You have to catch it before it does one of these reboots and do a hard boot on it - hold the power button for 30-50 seconds - and then let it sit five minutes before you turn it back on. Very annoying. I emailed customer support on it but have not heard back. So much for their automated "you'll have a response from us within 12 hours." I've had the device for 5 days and we'll see how this goes. I certainly haven't been scared off - I'm more tech savvy than that. It's just glitchy and I need to call the support team instead of email them. I'll do that and then update this review. For now, 4 stars because of the glitches. 10/9/2013
Late to the game for this product, I still figured I'd write a review on this guy for all the other stragglers looking for a cheap techy gift to satisfy silicone cravings of your friends and family members. For one, let me get this out of the way and say that I won this little guy at a holiday work party. But even if I had paid the full 49.99 plus tax retail price for this tablet, I'd still be reviewing it under the understanding that this piece of hardware was never meant to compete against an iPad or one of the similarly spec'd Galaxy tablets. Consider the Kindle Fire HD your $50 ticket to getting your foot in the door of what the tablet world has to offer. You don't have to go all out and spend nearly 10 times that amount just to see if being a tablet owner is right for you.
With a 7in display, 8 gigs of memory, and a 1.5 ghz dual core processor, this device is more attuned to streaming videos and music and some surfing the web. I'd say that for those uses, and some of the less demanding app games out on the marketplace, this device is perfectly suited. Web browsing is where it'll show most its faults, with laggy scrolling and consistently reloading and rearranging the page-layout of a webpage, it makes for annoying reading when your constantly having to look for where you last were reading. This maybe a problem with websites such as Gizmodo and affiliated sites, but still quite annoying.
The one thing I've forgotten to mention is how this tablet fares as a Kindle in itself. Having an iPad Air 2 myself, I'll admit that I find it more enjoyable to read from this smaller 7inch display than from my iPad. My eyes seem to get less strained reading off this screen than compared to the iPads higher resolution screen. I may be biased as well, since I prefer the Kindle app as opposed to Apple's equivalent.
Overall though I love this little device. Streaming videos and reading books on the Kindle app is what I mostly use it for, so take what I say with a grain of salt unless you plan to use the device similarly. I have intentionally left out the fact that your trapped inside Amazon's mobile OS, but go read other people's opinions about that, as it deserves its own review.
I don't know what people are talking about! I've had this kindle for years, since it came out in fact! I mean sure it's a little slow loading things up but that's because how old it is. Maybe I'm just biased because I treat my electronics like I would a movement sensitive bomb.....with the utmost care and delicacy, unlike most people who get angry and throw their phone just because someone unfriended them on Facebook. Nevertheless this kindle has caused me a few problems like not turning on (only happened 2 times since I've had it) but it happened so long ago that I can't remember if I just held the power button till it turned on or if I just set it down for a few hours and then tried it. But it worked out and it was back to normal so it's been by my side for years and I could honestly write 3 pages worth of review on why this is a good product but I'm lazy and don't want to
I love Kindles. I have owned three. This was my second. I still have it and it still works good. I have had it almost two years now. I have two complaints. Battery life after a few months of hard use will be terrible, I literally have to keep mine charging all the time even when in use. If not I might use it 20 minutes before it dies. The other issue is that one month after I received it the screen cracked while I was sitting there holding it. Weirdest thing. I had it in the palm of my hand with not pressure on the screen. I believe I did have it charging at the time though. Anyway. I was sitting there and I heard an odd noise. Out of no where it developed a crack in the screen that ran from top to bottom a little off center of the mifddle of the screen. Amazon has a one year warranty on things like battery but even though this was not due to my fault, they would not replace due to a crack in the screen. So I kept the Kindle.It did not seem to impede on performance. Now the same thing has happened to the same kindle. But it is almost two years old not so I would expect stuff like this to happen. As for my other experience with Kindles, one dropped on the floor and the screen shattered into a million pieces and the other just would not turn on after a few months. But, when there is an issue like that where it will not turn on, Amazon will send a new kindle as long as you send the broken one back.
I highly recommend Kindles mainly because the service that comes with it from Amazon. I love Amazon! They are always willing to resolve any issues I have with any products I buy from them!
I loved this device... LOVED IT... until a few months ago when Amazon did some sort of software update which rendered it a cripple. Suddenly, it doesn't respond quickly to touch (sometimes not at all) and I have to reboot... often. It is slow, slow, slow and the battery drains very quickly. I understand that the device is now 4 years old (bought in 2013), but honestly, you'd think that a liberal like Jeff Bezos might have the decency to keep his electronic devices out of the landfill when they are otherwise perfectly good - rather than forcing his customers to buy new devices (which I did today). I got my money's worth out of this Kindle, but I'm really sorry to see it go because it was a great product, rendered useless by greedy Jeff Bezos.
(All that said, I hope they honor my order after reading this review)
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