Amazon Kindle Fire HD
Colour screen, apps, mags and video. Is this the real iPad killer?
The Kindle has been one of tech’s success stories over recent years and, while the original colour-screen Fire didn’t make it over to the UK, Amazon has just announced a superior tablet in its place. The Fire HD is a colour seven-inch tablet akin to the Google Nexus 7, rather than Apple’s bigger 9.7-inch screen design. Resolution tops out at a HD-ready 1280×800 pixels and is loaded with technology to reduce screen glare, by 25% according to Amazon.
At 395 grams, it’s lightweight and, at 10.3mm, it’s thin. Six-footed gents (or ladies) might just squeeze it into a back pocket.
Arguably the main reason for the iPad’s success is the digital infrastructure that supports it – iTunes and the App Store – therefore any product or company wanting to make a decent stab at grabbing market share also needs to have a solid digital catalogue. If anyone can offer that, it’s Amazon. The Kindle Fire HD links directly to Amazon.co.uk, offering users an extraordinary amount of instant access to movies, music, TV shows, apps, magazines and newspapers. Downloading is as simple as clicking on the touchscreen.
How fast your content ends up on the device depends on your internet connection, but dual-band Wi-Fi means that you’ll get a good signal to your home router.
Both 16Gb and 32Gb iterations are available, which will store downloaded content directly on the device. Everything is backed up on Amazon’s free Cloud service for which you get 5Gb free. Extra storage bundles come in from £6 per month.
Like most digital businesses, advertising is crucial and the Kindle Fire HD will showcase ads on the lock screen, which could deter some consumers. For £10 a month you’ll be able to opt out.
Sound quality is pretty decent with Dolby Digital Plus powering the audio processing.
Kindle Fire HD runs Android and Amazon slaps its own interface on top, making navigating the device a little slicker. Amazon has also added its own features, such as X-Ray for Books – giving extra book info and annotations – and Whispersync for Games – meaning synchronisation with other Android devices. Battery is quoted at more than 11-hours continuous use.
However, the biggest attraction is the price. At £159 for the 16Gb model, it’s one of the cheapest tabs on the market, providing excellent value for money. The only other tablet that comes close in this price range is the excellent Google Nexus 7 by Asus.
£159 www.amazon.co.uk 
