Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 Tablet Review

Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 Tablet Review

The Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 is part of the third generation of Amazon Kindle Fire tablet line. It can be purchased with either a WiFi connection only or with WiFi and a 4G cellular plan from either AT&T or Verizon. Buyers will also have the choice between 16, 32, and 64 GB of local storage, however there is no built in storage expansion. The tablet comes with a 1.2 MP camera on the front and 8 MP camera on the back. Some of the features for the cameras include LED flash and image stabilization. This version also comes with a screen resolution of 2560 x 1600 ppi, which is one of the highest among tablets in this size. The estimated battery life is 12 hours. We hope that you enjoy this Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 Tablet Review.

Like previous styles, the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9″ comes with Fire OS 3, a proprietary branch of the Android 4.2.2 operating system. It is preloaded with various apps from Amazon to make purchasing products and downloading media straight from Amazon convenient. Amazon also continues to offer a one-year subscription to their Amazon Prime service with purchase of the tablet. The Prime Service includes access to Amazon's streaming video library and Amazon Internet Radio among other benefits. The device is ad supported on top of the retail price but customers can pay extra for no advertisements.

New Features in 3rd Generation

Amazon added two new features to this rendition. The first and most prominent is the Mayday Button, which connects you to a live support operator through video chat. This free service allows users to get real-time answers to their technical questions about the device, as well as help to make purchases from Amazon. Amazon also added Second Screen, which allows users to display their screens on their televisions through supported devices.

Best Uses

While most tablets in this class focus on productivity, the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9″ is primarily for media consumption and online purchasing. Users can still retrieve email and edit documents but Amazon uses their tablets mainly to drive customers to their media and app store. Where other Android tablets access the Google Play Store, users of this device are restricted to the Amazon App Store to purchase apps. Amazon markets this as a platform to sell their services as well as an entry level tablet for people who just want a portable media player. The simple layout and limited options create a streamlined experience with direct access to the most popular features. Amazon also offers 5 GB of cloud storage for user created documents, as well as unlimited cloud storage for any digital media purchased through Amazon.

CNET and Engadget both give this product 4.5 out of 5 stars. PC World gives 4 out of 5 stars. We hope that you enjoyed this Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 Tablet Review.

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