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Early Prime Day deal shaves 45% off Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet this week
Snag Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet at its best price before Prime Day even arrives
With Prime Day just a week away, it's the perfect time to start shopping for early deals on some of Amazon's latest smart devices. As with every year, Amazon is dropping early deals to get shoppers excited about the big event, and this week a pretty sweet offer on the Fire HD 8 arrives for those looking for a cheap tablet. Usually going for $100, Amazon's taking 45% off this budget-friendly device and dropping it down to just $55 — essentially its Prime Day pricing, only a full week ahead of schedule.
Prime Day is a great time to pick up some of those items that have been wasting away on your wish list. It's also when you'll find unbeatable deals on all of Amazon's own gadgets. This year, you can find major deals on all of Amazon's Fire tablets and Kindles, along with an unbeatable deal on the latest 10" model: just .Amazon refreshed the Fire HD 10 just two months ago, but if you've been waiting for a sale, your patience has paid off. The 10" model usually goes for $150, but it's just under half off for Prime Day. At $80, this tablet is a total steal. With long battery life and 1080p display, it's the perfect device for watching Netflix or checking Twitter around the house. Plus, it's super easy to get the Play Store up and running, so you aren't limited from using all of your favorite Google apps.
Woot is offering brand-new Amazon Fire HD tablets for less than $50
And they come in yellow, the best color
Google may have given up on tablets, but Amazon is still holding on for dear life. The company's Fire tablets have always been about providing value to customers for low price points, and right now Woot is offering some of the lowest prices around on older generation Fire tablets — including the 2018 Fire HD 8 for just $49.99.
Amazon's Fire tablets rarely receive major OS updates, mostly because they are sold as simple media consumption devices, and Netflix or TikTok doesn't need Android 10 to function. However, the company has now surpassed everyone's low expectations by delivering Android 9 Pie to two of its older tablets.Amazon has now released Fire OS 7 for two of its older tablets, the Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen) and Fire 7 2019 (9th Gen). That's the same operating system that ships on the company's newest Fire HD 8 and 10, which uses Android 9 Pie as a base instead of Android 7.1 Nougat. That means you get Picture-in-Picture support for video, notification channels, more specific app permissions, improved battery life, and more.Most importantly, this doesn't appear to be a simple visual upgrade, like the Fire OS 6 update for the company's 2017 tablets was. Amazon didn't respond to our request for information on the updates, but we've installed the update on a Fire HD 8, and it is definitely based on Android 9 Pie.
Amazon's latest Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet drops to $90, its lowest price yet
It comes with a 2-year replacement guarantee because kids
Amazon's Fire tablets are some of the cheapest Android tablets you can get. They might not be the most powerful or attractive looking devices, but they're great for consuming content in the Amazon ecosystem. The newest models were released earlier this year, and we like the 8-inch version. The Kids Edition has handy features like child-proof casing and simple parental controls, and now it's been marked down to the lowest price yet of $89.99.
Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) review: One step closer to the combo tablet-smart display dream
For the first time ever, Amazon is making a 'Plus' variant of the Fire HD 8
Amazon's Fire tablets are popular for one, simple reason: they're really, really cheap. But what happens when you make a slightly-less-cheap Fire tablet? That's the question Amazon sought to answer with the Fire HD 8 Plus, a very-slightly-better version of the new Amazon Fire HD 8 last month, which was already a decent upgrade from previous Fire tablets in both hardware and software.With the HD 8 Plus, Amazon attempts to bring some quality of life improvements like more RAM and wireless charging—a rarity in any tablet—to the table. Combined with the wireless charging stand that essentially turns the HD 8 Plus into a detachable Echo Show, Amazon has what to date is probably the best version of a combination tablet smart display (even if it's not amazing as either).
Amazon's latest refresh of the Fire HD 8 is on sale for the first time in both its regular and kids editions. To top that off, the platform is also discounting a few other Fire tablets from the days of yore.The newest iteration of the Fire HD 8 came out about 6 weeks ago. There was a bit of fanfare over the fact that it came with a USB-C port and a Fire OS update to version 7 (based on Android 9 Pie). The HD 8 Plus also includes 50% more RAM and wireless charging, too. We put out a full review last week, go and check it out.
Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) review: The good, cheap Android tablet Google won't build
The first new Fire HD 8 tablet in two years isn't bad at all
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I think it's fair to say that Amazon's lineup of Fire tablets don't have the best reputation, particularly in the tech community. Fire tablets have historically paired bottom-of-the-barrel hardware with outdated versions of Android, and Amazon's extensive changes to the operating system aren't widely loved. The tablets also don't ship with the Google Play Store, though that at least is a quick fix.Amazon has been selling the same Fire HD 8 since 2018, but the company finally released a new model last month. It brings most of the improvements from last year's Fire HD 10 to the 8-inch lineup, including USB Type-C and faster performance, and I think it's a pretty great buy for $90. There's also the Fire HD 8 Plus, which we reviewed separately.
The Fire HD 8 is one of Amazon's most popular hardware products, but it has been overdue for a hardware refresh. Now the company has finally released a new version of the Fire HD 8, and there are even some features you don't normally see in a tablet — like Qi wireless charging.This time around, Amazon is releasing two devices in the Fire HD 8 lineup. There's an entry-level Fire HD 8, with 2GB RAM and 32GB of storage, and a Plus model with slightly better specifications and the addition of Qi wireless charging.
Amazon updates its 2017 7th generation Fire tablet lineup to FireOS 6 (Update: Not Nougat)
Amazon rarely delivers major OS updates to its Fire tablets
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- According to reports in our comments and on XDA Forums, the system upgrade seems to be FireOS 6 in name only. While a few of the system applications have been updated, the tablets still seem to be running Android 5.1 Lollipop under the hood.
Amazon's Fire tablets are media consumption devices first and foremost, and given their extremely low prices, it's perhaps not surprising that they rarely receive major OS updates. The last Fire tablet to receive a system upgrade beyond minor features was the 2014 Fire HD 6, which was updated from FireOS 4.x to 5.x. However, it seems like Amazon's entire line of 7th-generation Fire tablets is now receiving an update to Nougat.Amazon's support site says FireOS 6 is now available for the 7th-Gen Fire HD 10, Fire HD 8, and Fire 7, all of which were released in 2017. Before now, only FireOS 5.3 was available for the models, based on Android 5.1 Lollipop. By comparison, FireOS 6 is a modified build of Android 7.1 Nougat, the same software that the newer 8th-gen Fire HD 8 and 9th-gen Fire 7 launched with. The update notification hasn't yet appeared on my 7th-gen Fire HD 8, so the rollout could be in the early stages.I'm hesitant to give Amazon credit for updating its tablets to a four-year-old operating system, but it's certainly better than leaving them on Lollipop. The 2019 Fire HD 10 remains the company's only tablet running Android 9 Pie — here's hoping Amazon's 2018 models are next in line for an upgrade.
Tablets are a niche market these days, but Amazon's Fire series remains popular for people who read a lot of eBooks, or watch of Netflix and want something larger than their phone. Competitively priced at $80, the Fire 8 is already a bargain. Order two of them before March 16th, though, and you'll get off. Two tablets for $110 isn't a deal to be sniffed at, so if you're looking for a cheap tablet and feel like getting another one for a friend, this is the deal for you.
🔥Amazon fires off a Fire tablet fire sale with up to $30 off the Fire 7, Fire HD 8, and Fire HD 10🔥
Amazon's Fire family of tablets, all of which are currently discounted by as much as $30 for a limited time.
Android tablets seem to exist in a state of permanent limbo, as an ever-smaller number of manufacturers seem interested in bringing them to market. The writing has been on the wall for some time, but after Google announced that it was no longer working to develop new Android-based tablets last year, the fate of Android tablets seems bleaker than ever. The one outlier in this product category is Amazon's Fire family of tablets, all of which are currently discounted by as much as $30 for a limited time.
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After leaks have shown virtually everything the Pixel 4 has to offer, Netflix doesn't seem to care if someone spots the yet-to-be-unveiled phone on its website. The company has updated its lists of devices supporting HD and HDR10 playback to include a number of new flagships like the Samsung Galaxy Note10, Fold, and Tab S6, plus the Asus ROG Phone II – among them, you'll also find the unreleased Pixel 4 and 4 XL.
Android tablets have become sort of a joke in the tech sphere — there are no good apps is the refrain. And, well, that's sort of true: Android's tablet applications generally aren't as robust as those available on other platforms. Even so, tablets as a form factor are unparalleled for casual media consumption, and if Android is your operating system of choice (and since you're reading this, I'll guess that it is), there are plenty of interesting hardware choices.Now, the de facto tablet for most people is, of course, the iPad. For one, its apps are flatly better than Android's — the charge that Android tablet apps are generally just blown-up phone apps is one still largely grounded in fact. On top of that, the hardware is excellent, and iPads as far back as 2014's Air are still receiving major OS updates. Google, on the other hand, hasn't manufactured an Android tablet since 2015's interesting but ill-fated Pixel C, and the company gave up on tablet hardware entirely following cold reception to the Chrome OS-powered Pixel Slate. Google Senior VP of Devices and Services Rick Osterloh said in a tweet that the company's software teams are still "100% committed" to tablet OS development, but given Android's history on tablets, that claim seems dubious.Whether it's because you've paid for a ton of Android apps and games or you're just really averse to Apple's software, though, there are reasons to want an Android tablet — and plenty of companies that aren't Google are still making them. We don't see the greater landscape of Android tablets changing any time soon, but if you want one, these are some of your best options.
Amazon is basically the only reputable company that sells super-cheap Android tablets, and one of their volume sellers just got even cheaper. The Fire HD 8 is currently discounted to .98 with the Show Mode charging stand bundled in, a discount of $30 compared to its regular going price and $40 compared to MSRP.Make no mistake — the Fire HD 8 is not a performance powerhouse. You're probably better off buying something used if you need to do intensive tasks. But it is a great tablet for basic things like reading and consuming media. Plus, the included Show Mode charging stand, regularly , lets the tablet act as a detachable Amazon smart display of sorts. It's not a bad combo for $80.
Amazon's Fire tablets are probably the most popular Android tablets ever created — mostly because they're cheap. The 'Special Offers' versions of the Fire 7, Fire HD 8, and Fire HD 10 are now 30-33% off, if you're an Amazon Prime member.The least expensive of the bunch is the Fire 7, which is now $34.99 ($15 off). It has a 1024x600 IPS screen, 8GB of storage (with microSD card support), a Mediatek MT8127 processor, and 1GB of RAM. Not the best hardware in the world, but enough for streaming video and light gaming.Next is the Fire HD 8, priced at $49.99 ($30 off). As the name implies, it has a larger 8-inch screen, with a slightly-better resolution of 800x1280. Other specifications include a Mediatek MT8163 processor, 16GB of storage (with microSD support), and 1.5GB of RAM.
Just a few days after Google's "Dump your valentine" discount, Amazon has come up with its own deals, in time for February 14. These offers are more relevant, though, and are worth considering if you're short of gift ideas. Most of the giant's connected home devices are on sale, including Echo speakers and smart displays, Fire TVs, cameras, and even Kindles.Amazon's speakers have been marked down several times in the last few weeks, including deals on the Echo Plus and Echo Input, but the retailer is going stronger now to rival Google's bundles. Among the most appealing deals, there's a $15 discount on the Echo Input so you can bring Alexa to any regular speaker or audio system for just $20. If you'd rather buy a smart product from the get-go, Amazon is taking some dollars off most of its Echo line-up.
Could you or someone you know use a knockin'-around tablet? Considering the holidays are kind of right around the corner (December's five short weeks away!), I'm guessing the answer is yes. Amazon's running a killer deal on its eight-inch Fire tablet, which is currently going for as low as 60 bucks.If you're looking for something to read comics, futz around on social media, or watch videos on, this is a hard deal to beat. All models of the Fire HD 8 are currently $20 off; that means the 16-gigabyte model with ads is just $59.99. Ad-free versions and ones with higher storage capacity are discounted, too — depending on what you want, prices go up to $104.99 — but that base model is at a really tempting price point.
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Amazon catapulted us into the age of budget Android tablets years ago with the original Fire, and its slates (surprisingly) still make up a large segment of the Android tablet market. That's not because of any particularly innovative designs or features. Amazon releases cheap new Fire tablets all the time that look almost exactly like the previous version. That's the case today with the new Fire HD 8. It's like the old HD 8 but with hands-free Alexa support.Amazon keeps the focus of the Fire tablets very, very mainstream. Thus, we get specs like "HD display with over 1 million pixels." You can get a little more detail if you dig in. That display is 1280x800, and there's a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor with just 1.5 GB of RAM. You don't need a ton of RAM with Amazon's simplified Fire OS, which is still based on Android Lollipop.You'd be hard-pressed to spot any difference between the new tablet and the last refresh. As far as we can tell, the only improvement is hands-free Alexa. So, you can shout at the tablet from across the room and have it do things with Amazon Alexa. The Fire HD 8 comes in black, yellow, blue, and red colors for $79.99 with 16GB of storage—32GB will cost you $109.99. Both versions ship on October 4th. The same device will also come in a Kids variant with a rugged case and no-questions-asked warranty.
Amazon's Fire tablets aren't exactly exciting, but they're probably the most successful Android-powered slates. The Kids Edition tablets have been particularly popular, but they only came in 8 and 7-inch variants. Now, there's a 10-inch version. Amazon is also pushing out an update to regular Fire tablets so they can double as an Echo Show. You can even get a charging dock to complete the transformation.Let's start with that new Kids Edition tablet, which sports a 10-inch 1920x1200 display and 32GB of storage. Like the smaller versions, the new HD 10 has a big rubber bumper around the edge and simplified software. It comes with a 1-year FreeTime subscription for access to apps, games, books, and videos. After that, it's $2.99 per month.The no-questions-asked 2-year warranty means even if your kid smashes the Fire HD 10 Kids Edition, Amazon will replace it at no charge. You can order it right now for $199.99 for shipping on July 11th.Show Mode isn't included on Kids Edition tablets, but it will arrive on all current-gen Fire tablets starting on July 2nd. Show Mode is essentially a hands-free Alexa experience with on-screen information like you'd get with the $160 Echo Show. You can ask Alexa to show camera feeds, weather, trending news, and more. When you exit Show Mode, it's a regular tablet again.
Amazon will offer Show Mode docks for the 8-inch and 7-inch Fire HD tablets. They keep the tablets charged and propped up so you can see the display from across the room. The Show Mode Charging Dock for Fire HD 8 is $34.99 (regularly $39.99), and the 10-inch version is $49.99 (regularly $54.99). They will ship on July 12th.