Amazon is shaking up the budget-tablet market with its 7-inch Kindle Fire HD. Priced at $199, the Kindle Fire HD has 16GB of storage, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor with Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics, 1280 x 800 HD or 215 ppi resolution, dual stereo speakers, dual-band antennas for 41% faster Wi-Fi than competition, front facing HD camera, 13.9-ounce weight, and customized software based on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The $199 Google Nexus 7 has only half the storage, although it has a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, has a better camera, is lighter by 2 ounces, runs on the latest Android operating system Jelly Bean, and has access to Google Play. Amazon though is also banking on its enormous library of digital content, cross-platform interoperability, and new exclusive apps like FreeTime and X-Ray.
What Else You Need To Know
- There's an updated version of the first-generation 7-inch Kindle Fire that's $40 cheaper than the entry-level Nexus 7. The device is touted to have 44% more power than the 2011 model, a bigger battery and twice the RAM at 1GB.
- Amazon also introduced a version of the Kindle Fire that has a 4G/LTE connectivity not found in the Nexus 7, and a bigger screen. This high-end Kindle Fire HD has an 8.9-inch HD display, 1920 x 1200 resolution (in the same range as the iPad), a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and comes with 4G/LTE. Pricing starts at $499 for Wi-Fi + 4G/LTE model, while the Wi-Fi only model starts at $299.
Other sources
While managing to retain the same price point the Amazon Kindle Fire HD is in many ways inferior to the Nexus 7 but still not to be taken lightly.- Mircea, Tablet News
Turns out Amazon does care a thing or two about hardware design. The 7-inch Kindle Fire HD is a thin-and-light thing of beauty with a very nice back for gripping.- Ross Miller, The Verge
- Android Central
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Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7-Inch available September 14th for $199
$199 now gets you the world’s most-advanced 7” tablet, with a stunning custom HD display, the fastest Wi-Fi, exclusive Dolby audio, powerful processor and graphics engine, and 16 GB of storage—all backed by the world’s best content ecosystem, the best cross-platform interoperability, and the best customer service
- Other
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Amazon's $199 Kindle Fire HD 7 hands-on pictures
The 7-inch Kindle Fire HD is a thin-and-light thing of beauty with a very nice back for gripping.
- TN
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Amazon Announces 7 Inch Kindle Fire HD, Priced at $199, Coming on September 14th
The new Kindle Fire uses no air gap between the display and the glass at the front, so we get clearer images and less glare.
- Android Central
- Kindle Fire vs. iPad vs. Nexus 7 vs. Surface RT vs Playbook
- Cell Phone Signal
- Here's What The New Kindle Fires Look Like Next To The Nexus 7 (AMZN)
- Legit Reviews
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Amazon Launches Kindle Fire HD Tablet At $199 - Takes on Google Nexus 7
Amazon is competing with Apple, Google and other technology companies for a piece of the booming mobile-device market.
- Chip Chick
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Nexus 7 vs. Kindle Fire HD 7″
Being a part of the Nexus brand of devices, Google’s 7″ tablet is going to be first to receive software updates
- All About Symbian
- Kindle Fire HD 7 hands-on
- Other
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Amazon's 7-inch Kindle Fire HD vs. Nexus 7 and other competition: by the numbers
Can Amazon's latest keep pace with a rapidly growing list of alternatives? If we're basing our answer on hardware alone, the outlook is positive.
- Mashable
- 7-Inch Shootout: New Kindle Fires vs. Nexus 7
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