For the third September in a row Seattle-based Amazon is giving us a new version of their Kindle Fire. Just like they did last year Amazon is giving us both a 7-inch and an 8.9-inch version plus a price reduction in last years model. The new edition called, Kindle Fire HDX, has several new improvements and features.
“It’s been just two years since we introduced the first Kindle Fire, and the team is innovating at an unbelievable speed,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO, in a press release. “2.2 GHz processor, 339 ppi display, new 34% lighter design, Fire OS 3.0, and new exclusive features like the Mayday button, X-Ray for Music, Second Screen, and Prime Instant Video downloads. We’ve worked hard to pack this much hardware, innovation, and customer obsession into these prices.”
The first thing you will notice when you first take your new Kindle Fire HDX out of the box is that it is lighter than the previous models of the tablet. The 7-inch version of the table is 10.7 ounces compared to the 12.2 ounces of last years Kindle Fire HD. While that might not sound like much it is noticeable when you hold the table in your hand especially if you are going to use it for an extended period of time.
When you turn on your new Kindle Fire HDX you will notice, on the menu across the top of the screen, the new mayday button. When you touch this button it will instantly connect you to a Kindle support representative 24/7. The representative will be able to see your screen, but not you, and guide you through all the features of you tablet. One example Amazon gives on a commercial is that when a father presses on the mayday button and asks the representative how to limit his daughters use of the table she directs him to free-time where he can set up an the limits.
The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core (APQ8074), 2.2 GHz is a major increase almost doubling that of last years 7-inch model that run at 1.2 GHz and since increased to 1.5 GHz. Some of the other new features is an upgrade in the operating system to a modified version of android 4.2.2 from last years modified 4.0.3, double the amount of RAM from 1 megabyte to 2, 1920px x 1200px resolution on the 7-inch and 2560px x 1600px on the 8.9-inch.
He new tablets will be a slightly hirer price with the 7-inch version starting at $229 and the 8.9-inch one starting at $379. The new Kindle Fire HDX4 though include the adapter in the box where last years Kindle Fire HD sold the adapter separately for $19 dollars. They started taking pre-orders for both versions yesterday. The wi-fi versoin of the 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX will start shipping on October 18, 2013; the 8.9-inch with wi-fi will ship on November 7,2013; the 4g version of the 7-inch with ship on November 14, 2013 and the 8.9-inch with 4g will ship on December 10, 2013.
