Tag Archives: KindleFireHd

Amazon Prime is the first subscription video service with an offline option, on Kindle HDX

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Amazon Prime is the first subscription video service with an offline option, on Kindle HDX

As a part of delivering its newest lineup of Kindle Fire HDX tablets with Fire OS 3.0, Amazon also added a new feature to its Prime Instant Video subscription plan that Netflix, Hulu and the rest don't have: downloads. The company told AllThingsD that this ability applies to "tens of thousands" of items from NBC, Viacom, Sony, Warner Bros. and CBS, with downloads ready for up to 30 days, and viewable for up to 48 hours after users start watching. Amazon hasn't announced any plans to bring the feature to its older slates or other platforms, nor has it shared other details about how it works. We'll have to wait and see if the competition negotiates / implements similar features soon -- that we can't even watch some OITNB or House of Cards stored on a tablet during a plane ride without going to some third party tech like PlayOn seems absolutely silly.

Update: As a point of clarification, Amazon's product description reveals that offline playback for Amazon Prime videos is also possible on the newly released Kindle Fire HD. [Thanks, Quinn]

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Source: Amazon

Amazon refreshes Kindle Fire HD with new body, $139 price tag

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Amazon refreshes Kindle Fire HD with new body, $139 price tag

It's no surprise, of course, that the Kindle Fire HDX was the thing Amazon wanted to shout about from the Seattle mountaintops today. But Jeff Bezos had another little surprise up his impeccably tailored sleeves -- a surprise that makes the $229 HDX look downright extravagant. A warm (if decidedly overcast) Pacific Northwest welcome to the new Fire HD. Well, "new" is perhaps not entirely accurate. This Kindle shares a lot with its predecessor, though there are some notable changes. Namely, the body. See, if we're strictly talking form factor here, this guy is a dead ringer for the 7-inch HDX. Inside, however, you'll find last-gen processing power: a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and on the front, the same old 1,280 x 800 display. Still, not too shabby for $139 -- that's $60 less than the last version cost moments before this post went up.

That price also gets you access to Fire OS 3.0, aka "Mojito," Amazon's latest sugary rum of an operating system. Naturally, some of the new features just won't work on this hardware -- things like Mayday, which requires a microphone for use. Like the HDX, this slate plays nicely with those neat new Origami covers. You can pre-order one right this second, but you'll have to hang on until October 2nd before it actually starts shipping.

Philip Palermo contributed to this report.%Gallery-slideshow90901%

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Source: Amazon

Amazon’s Fire OS 3.0 ‘Mojito’ arrives just in time for those new tablets

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Amazon's Fire OS 30 'Mojito' arrives just in time for those new tablets

New hardware without a software refresh? Don't make Jeff Bezos laugh. Today's arrival of three new slates also marks the unveiling of the company's latest tablet operating system. And this time, it even has a name. See, Amazon's been using "Fire OS" internally to describe the software powering its tablet line, and now we get to use it as well, with the arrival of version 3.0. As ever, Bezos and Co. have based the OS on Android (Jelly Bean, this time out), with this year's codename being "Mojito" -- a move from candy names to sugary cocktails. The operating system will ship on the new HDX and HD devices. We weren't able to confirm that it will roll out to older devices, but an Amazon rep we spoke with implied that there's a good chance of that, given earlier precedents.

First thing's first: there's still no Google Play access. No surprise there, of course. After all, the company's in the habit of subsidizing the cost of its hardware based on future content sales. Still, as ever, the company was quick to point out the speed with which its proprietary app store has grown in recent years. UI-wise, things look familiar. Content is still king, with the home screen built around a river of apps, games, movies, music, et cetera. The company did respond to customer concerns, however, by adding a more familiar grid-style layout that you can access with a swipe up, which should appease all you Android users out there. Swipe from the right, and you'll see Quick Switch, which lets you switch between different recently used pieces of content.

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Amazon offering up Origami covers for those fancy new Kindle Fires

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Amazon offering up Origami covers for those fancy new Kindle Fires

So, imagine you just shelled out $200 or $300 for one of those new Kindle Fire HDXs, only to have it scratch in your backpack as you pull it out to gloat to one of your friends. Oh, you poor, poor soul. If only you'd had the foresight to pick up an Origami cover. Like the new tablets, the case goes up for pre-order today -- and will start shipping at the same time as their respective devices. Jeff Bezos was pretty keen to show the accessories off today, demonstrating how built-in magnets allow them to fold together in such a way that the tablets can be positioned in either landscape or portrait modes.

Neater still for the 8.9-inch version (the one with the rear-facing camera, mind), is a feature that triggers the photo app when the cover is slid down on the slate. Behold, magnetic magic that would leave the Insane Clown Posse pondering scientific inquiry for months to come. Amazon's made cases for both HDX models and the new HD. The polyurethane versions of the 7- and 8.9-inch HDX cases run $50 and $55, respectively, with the leather versions coming in at $65 and $70. The covers for the HD run $45 and $60.

Philip Palermo contributed to this report.%Gallery-slideshow90902%

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Leaked Kindle Fire render lends credence to incoming refresh

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Leaked Kindle Fire render lends credence to incoming refresh

The case for an incoming Kindle Fire update seems to be getting stronger every day -- not only have we seen benchmarks and alleged photos of the device, but now @evleaks seems to have come across an official render. The purported press image matches previous leaks in bezel size and design, but lacks the front-facing camera Amazon introduced with the Kindle Fire HD. This leads us to suspect that the render is of a non-HD model of Bezos' latest tablet. The flagship model is rumored to have a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, the aforementioned camera upfront and an OS based on Android 4.2.2. We're still waiting for Amazon to give the official word of course, but for Kindle users waiting for an upgrade, it's something to salivate over.

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Source: @evleaks (Twitter)

Amazon’s refreshed Kindle Fire HD allegedly leaked in new photos

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DNP Amazon's refreshed Kindle Fire HD leaked in new photos

According to the folks at BGR, you're looking at Amazon's next iteration of the Kindle Fire HD. While it isn't the first we've heard of the forthcoming tablet, it is the first we've seen, should these pictures prove to be authentic. There are a few obvious design changes, including the angular (and somewhat chunky) shape and the relocated power and volume buttons, which are now situated on the back of the device. BGR has only provided photos of the 7-inch version, but it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to expect something similar from the anticipated 8.9-inch model. If the benchmarks we came across last month are any indication, we can expect -- at least on the larger tablet -- a Snapdragon 800 SoC, Adreno 330 GPU and an improved display (2,560 x 1,600 for the 8.9-inch screen). To see more photos, head on over to the source link below.

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Source: BGR

Benchmarks hint at Snapdragon-based Kindle Fire HD with 2,560 x 1,600 display

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Benchmarks hint at Snapdragon-based Kindle Fire HD with 2,560 x 1,600 display

While benchmark leaks can be wobbly info-stones to tread upon, the arrival of some purported Kindle Fire HD scores could be the first steps toward a timely refresh. The results in question refer to a "Amazon KFAPWA" device with a reported Adreno 330 GPU, which by implication would likely mean a Snapdragon 800 SoC. The field that really leaps out, however, is that 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. If true, it could mean the 8.9-inch version is getting a bump from the previous iteration's 1,920 x 1,200 display. This certainly chimes with earlier reports, and, if nothing else, would certainly make that new browser UI all the more pretty to look at.

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Via: Android Community

Source: GFXBench

How would you change Amazon’s 7-inch Kindle Fire HD?

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Amazon Kindle Fire HD review 7inch

Yes, it's basically a trojan horse, convincing you to buy stuff from Amazon's online store, but at least it's beautiful. HD display, stereo sound and decent hardware propelled the Kindle Fire HD to second place when it first came out, right behind the original Nexus 7. Still, this is "How Would You Change," where we ask you to pretend that Jeff Bezos is listening to your ideas and show the world your innovative ideas on where the company can improve matters for generation three.

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BBC Sport app comes to Kindle Fire, now lets you filter out Chelsea news

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BBC Sport app comes to Kindle Fire, now lets you filter out Chelsea news

iOS users already had access to the BBC Sport app's customizable "quick links" feature, which provides more direct access to favorite sports, but an update has just taken the idea a bit further. Quick links now work across Android and the freshly-minted Kindle Fire version too, and they additionally allow you to filter news according to which football club(s) you want to follow and which bits of multi-million-pound transfer gossip you'd rather just ignore. Other, more general improvements include refreshed indexes for a total of 41 different sports and greater prominence given to major tournaments like Formula 1 and the Ashes. If you want to check out the app on a Kindle Fire or Fire HD, you'll need to be in the UK -- an international version is still in the works and will be "available soon." There's a hat-trick of relevant download links below.

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Source: Amazon Appstore, Google Play, iTunes

Path comes to Kindle Fire HD, proves stickers are inflammable

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DNP Path comes to Kindle Fire, proves stickers are inflammable

Life-sharing service Path has had a rollercoaster of a year. When it wasn't spamming its' userbase's contacts, it was uploading their personal information without consent. That doesn't seem to be slowing down its rate of expansion, though -- there aren't many mobile ecosystems where you can't find the stylized P. Starting today, we can add another platform to that burgeoning list, as the app is out on Kindle Fire HD. Now that it's available on the 7-inch, 8.9-inch WiFi and 8.9-inch 4G tablets, everyone with the shopping giant's other hardware foray can slap stickers wherever they may be.

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Source: Path Blog