Amazon has updated its Kindle Fire line-up with two new tablets. The tablets are called the Kindle Fire HDX and come in two screen size variants – 8.9-inches and 7-inches. The screen size of the tablets is the same as its predecessors but there is quite a bit that has changed starting from the looks, specifications powering the device and the OS. Amazon seems to be proud of the fact that the tablets are slimmer and lighter than their predecessor.
One design change that the tablets have seen is that the power and the volume buttons have been relocated to the back. We have seen other tablets implement this design and if you aren’t used to it, you may spend some time searching for the power button the first time you get your hands on the device.
The tablets will run a new version of Amazons OS, Fire OS 3.0 “Mojito” (the Amazon OS is based on Android). The OS will give you access to Amazon’s library of content including the books, movies and more. The app library for the Kindle Fire series devices is still growing.
X-Ray for music brings auto-scrolling lyrics to the song you are listening to. The app also has the ability to identify the song that’s playing in the TV show or movie that you are watching. Picking up information from IMDb, the app will give you trivia for the content you are watching.
You will also be able to share content from the tablets with your Smart TV or gaming console. You can stream the content from the tablet on your big screen display and use the tablet to get additional content about the TV show or movie you are watching.
Mayday is one more interesting feature about the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX tablets. If you are facing issues with the tablet, all you have to do is tap the Mayday button. In 15 seconds you will have a representative video chatting with you on the tablet. He will have access to the tablet and will be able to guide you through any issues you have or solve them for you. They also have the ability to draw on the tablet to highlight a button you can’t locate.
All the features of the tablet sound great but how do the tablets look in front of the competition in terms of specifications?
| Particulars | Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 | Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7 | Nexus 7 (second gen) | iPad Mini |
| Thickness | 7.8mm | 9mm | 8.7mm | 7.2mm |
| Weight | 384 grams | 311 grams | 299 grams | 312 grmas |
| Display Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD | LED backlit IPS LCD display | LED backlit IPS LCD display |
| Display size | 8.9-inches | 7-inches | 7-inches | 7.9-inches |
| Display Resolution | 2560×1600 | 1920×1200 | 1920×1200 | 1024×768 |
| OS | Fire OS 3.0 Mojito UI | Fire OS 3.0 Mojito UI | Android 4.3 | iOS 7 |
| Built-in storage | 16/32/64GB | 16/32/64GB | 16/32GB | 16/32/64GB |
| Expandable storage | No | No | No | No |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Quad-core 2.2 GHz Krait 400 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Quad-core 2.2 GHz Krait 400 | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4Pro Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait | Apple A5 Dual-core 1 GHz Cortex-A9 |
| RAM | 2GB | 2GB | 2GB | 512MB |
| Rear camera | 8MP | No | 5MP | 5MP |
| Front camera | Yes | 1.3MP | 1.2MP | 1.2MP |
| Battery | NA | NA | 3950mAH | NA |
| Price | $379 for Wi-Fi only and $479 for the Wi-Fi 4G | $299 for the Wi-Fi only and $329 for Wi-FI 4G | Rs. 23000 for the 32GB Wi-Fi only | Srtarts ar Rs. 20,000 |
From the above specifications table it is clear that Amazon has packed in some impressive power under the hood of the two tablets especially with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 Quad-core 2.2GHz Krait 400 CPU. We have seen the second gen Nexus 7 in action and the device has truly impressed us. The Kindle Fire HDX may take this to the next level. The iPad mini is the only tablet here that needs a serious upgrade to take on the competition in terms of both the hardware powering the device and the resolution of the display.
The added features to the Kindle Fire HDX tablets also seem interesting and if the Mayday feature works in India, it will be spectacular, taking tech support to a new level.
We can’t wait for Amazon to launch the HDX tablets in India and we will bring you a complete review of the tablets once they do.