Amazon's new tablet lineup is coming to the United Kingdom on October 25th: the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD is priced at £159 (16GB of storage) and £199 (32GB) and the slightly upgraded version of the 2011 Kindle Fire comes at £129 (8GB). Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos did not announce availability for the high-end 8.9-inch, 4G LTE ready Kindle Fire HD. The Kindle Fire HD 7 and the standard Kindle Fire have instant access to Amazon.co.uk's 22 million titles. But unlike their U.S. counterparts, they not include any of the Amazon Prime benefits such as Amazon's Instant Video service. UK owners will instead receive a one-month free trial of LoveFilm. The online retailer will be partnering with bookstore chain Waterstones to sell the devices.
What Else You Need To Know
- The new tablets will also be available in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. European pricing starts at €159 for the standard Fire and €199 for the 16GB Fire HD 7. Kindle device owners will see the Appstore for Android pop up for the first time.
- The Kindle Fire HD has a 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, front facing HD camera, and customized software based on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
- The updated version of the standard Kindle Fire is touted to be 44% more powerful than the 2011 model, has a bigger battery, twice the memory at 1GB, and ICS-based software.
- Also introduced was the updated low-end Kindle eReader, which will cost £69, a direct dollar-to-pound sign replacement from the U.S. edition. The ad-supported eReader boasts of new fonts, sharper text, and 15 percent faster page turns. The 9.7-inch Kindle DX eReader is headed for retirement.
Other sources
After what seems like an eternity of speculation, those in the UK will be able to get the new Kindle Fire models from October.- Chris Hall, Pocket-lint
Needless to say, the UK budget tablet market just got really interesting. And with Apple due to join the fray in mid-October, it looks like there'll be no shortage of competition for Google's Nexus 7 in the months ahead.- Alex Dobie , Android Central
- Other
- Kindle Fire and Fire HD 7 coming to the UK, priced at £129 and £159
- Pocket-lint
-
Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire land in the UK
The Kindle Fire HD will come in 16 and 32GB sizes, costing £159 and £199 respectively, neatly undercutting the price of the Nexus 7.
- Android Central
-
Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD coming to the UK for £129 and £159
Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD customers will also enjoy a free month of Amazon Prime, plus a free month of LOVEFiLM
- Expert Reviews
-
Kindle Fire HD announced for UK launch
It has another feature in common with the Sony tablet, limited guest accounts for kids - called Kindle Freetime. Here you can limit not only what apps they have access to, but also set time limits on usage. Unlike the Tablet S, the Fire isn't splashproof though, so complete peace-of-mind isn't quite there.
- Other
- Amazon brings Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD to the UK
- TechCrunch
-
Amazon Announces First Kindle Fire Tablets Outside Of The U.S., Starting At £129 In UK, €129 In France
The company already had Kindle retail partnerships with other companies, including the huge supermarket chain Tesco, which may also carry the Fire, although that has not yet been confirmed.
- Engadget
- Amazon's Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD arriving in the UK October 25th, starting at £129
- ITProPortal
- British buyers finally get their Kindle Fire, as Amazon takes on Google Nexus 7 and iPad
- Tech Radar
-
New Kindle Fire and 7" Kindle Fire HD hitting UK Oct. 25, DX gets the boot
In terms of specs, the European tablets will be identical to their North American counterparts, with the key differences coming from Amazon's services.
- Tech Radar
-
New Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD UK release date: Oct. 25
[T]he European continent recently saw the Appstore for Android pop up for the first time, so perhaps the early months will be a trial run for how Amazon does business where it never has before.
- More...