latest
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=430&h=300&dpr=1.5)
Amazon's Fire tablets are slow, but you can give them a little pep with a few simple tweaks
Speed up your Fire tablet with these tips and tricks
While slate devices can be expensive, Amazon Fire tablets offer incredible value for as low as $60. These versatile devices are budget-friendly and family-friendly. Speed is their greatest drawback. If your Fire Tablet runs at snail's speed, there are easy ways to enhance the speed and functionality of Fire OS. Your sub-$100 tablet won't magically perform like high-end options such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+, but the tips below give it a boost.
The Fire Max 11 is the biggest and most expensive slate in Amazon’s value-for-money tablet portfolio. The tablet ditches its cheaper siblings' plastic shell in favor of a matte aluminum chassis for a premium look. So, selecting a case to retain that beautiful aluminum shell's look is important; shelling out over $200 for the Fire Max 11 is quite an investment. These handpicked Fire Max 11 case recommendations should get you started.
How to add a profile on an Amazon Fire tablet
Share your Fire tablet while keeping your personal settings and content separate
While it's not necessary to add a profile to an Amazon Fire tablet, having one certainly has its advantages. It allows you to personalize your experience and share the device with others while maintaining your individual settings, preferences, bookmarks, and other content. It can also be particularly convenient to ensure age-appropriate content when sharing a device with children to facilitate parental control.
6 reasons to buy an Amazon Fire HD tablet
These affordable tablets may not be the best on the market, but there are a few perks beyond saving a few bucks
Amazon doesn't wander into the hardware side of tech very often. The Ring lineup of doorbells and security cameras are obviously quite popular, and Alexa devices have become the go-to virtual assistant for the best smart home performance. However, as far as personal devices go, the e-commerce giant typically leaves smartphones and computers to the experts.
Amazon's new Fire Kids Pro tablets are designed to win over older kids
But will it matter if they can't watch YouTube?
Amazon's Fire tablets are some of the best budget Android devices you can buy today. While they'll never truly compete head-to-head with Samsung's Galaxy Tabs or Apple's iPad on specs alone, once you get the Google Play Store sideloaded, they're great for browsing the web and streaming your favorite movies on the go. Amazon just refreshed its 10.1" Fire HD tablets today with improved specs and an all-new design, but it has also focused on expanding its Kids lineup of tablets for older children.Intended for kids ages 6 to 12, Fire Kids Pro is an all-in-one package that includes the latest Fire HD 10 tablet, a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, and a two-year warranty for $199. Unlike the previous Kids models, the Pro version features a slimmer plastic case designed to survive bumps and drops without looking like a Fisher-Price toy. Amazon Kids+ now offers a more extensive library of content alongside the new tablet, with a curated selection of apps, games, movies, and books aimed at older kids and pre-teens. After the one-year subscription is up, parents will have to shell out $4.99 per month (or $2.99 per month for Prime members) to continue with the membership.
Apple announced a bunch of new stuff today at its spring event, including several new iPad models. As Android fans, we're more than a little jealous — our ecosystem of choice just doesn't have a go-to option the way Apple's does. But that's not to say we're without options altogether. We actually think iPads are great, but if you want a bigger portable screen without having to learn a new OS's quirks, here are some of the best picks on our side of the wall.
Amazon Fire tablets will soon have a dashboard for smart home devices
The controls are accessible from a new navigation bar icon
Amazon Fire tablets already have deep integration with smart home products, since the Alexa digital assistant comes standard on every model. However, the tablets will soon have even easier ways of controlling smart home devices, thanks to a new button on the navigation bar.
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.
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 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
Read update
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.
We have our issues with Amazon's Fire Tablets, but there's no denying that they're easily the best super-cheap Android tablets out there. They may not ship with Google services on board, but that's fixable, and for what Amazon charges, they really are an excellent value (especially for kids who tend to... abuse electronics). But it can be difficult to know which model is worth your time and money. Amazon currently sells three models of Fire tablets, along with Kids versions of each, and refurbished versions of last-gen models also show up for sale occasionally.Thankfully, there are really only two models out of Amazon's entire lineup you should consider. Here, we'll go over what they are, and what the best option is for your needs.
Amazon's Fire tablets are incredibly cheap for the hardware you get, and the current-generation Fire HD 8 isn't actually a bad device — as long as you stick to media consumption and gaming. The Fire HD 8 has been discounted to just $49.99 in a one-day sale, $30 below the usual price.The current Fire HD 8 tablet was released in 2017, and the specific model on sale has an 8-inch 1280x800 IPS screen, a MediaTek MT8163V/B processor, 1.5GB RAM, and 16GB of internal storage (with a microSD card slot). On the software side of things, you get Fire OS 6, based on Android 7.1 Nougat. The model on sale is also the 'Special Offers' variant, so you get ads on the lockscreen.
At the beginning of the month, Amazon introduced its revamped Fire HD 10 tablet, bringing some improvements such as USB-C connectivity and a faster processor over the previous iteration. The new device is now available on the retailer's site, both in adult and kids editions, selling for $150 and $200, respectively.In addition to the upgraded SoC and port, the new Fire HD 10 tablets are powered by Android Pie, which Amazon brands as Fire OS 7. This may seem outdated given Android 10 is out, but it's a significant improvement compared to other Amazon tablets that are still running Android 7.0 Nougat. The updated version is also said to be 30% faster than the previous one while selling for the same price.In terms of components, the Fire HD 10 offers a 10.1-inch 1080p display, 32 or 64GB of storage, 2GB of RAM, and two 2MP front and rear-facing cameras. Thankfully, there's still a 3.5mm jack, which can be particularly convenient if you want to watch your favorite show during your flight. The all-new edition comes in revised colors, namely black, plum, blue, and white. If you'd rather go ad-free and get yours "without special offers," you'll have to pay an extra $15 and stick with black, which is rather odd as this is only a software limitation. More surprisingly, the edition with no ads won't ship before November 7, which makes it seem like Amazon really wants people to buy the commercially-supported product. Lastly, if you need more storage, there's a 64GB version available for an extra $40, which may not make a lot of sense since there's a built-in MicroSD slot.
Amazon's Fire tablets usually cut a lot of corners to reach low prices, but the Fire HD 10 has been a good all-around device for a while now (as long as you don't mind installing the Play Store yourself). A refreshed version of the Fire HD 10 was announced today, with updates to both the hardware and software.Amazon has finally jumped on the USB Type-C train, so you can share chargers between your tablet, phone, laptop, and anything else with the now-universal port. There's also a "new octa-core 2.0 GHz processor," and a developer page confirms the HD 10 runs Android 9 Pie (branded as Fire OS 7). Amazon's other tablets use either Android 7.0 Nougat or Android 5 Lollipop.
Amazon's Fire tablets aren't anything special, but they are good enough for watching movies and playing games. The latest version of the Fire 7 has now dropped to $30 for Prime members, a reduction of $20 from the usual price.The hardware in the 9th-gen Fire 7 is undeniably low end, but is still capable of most tasks you can throw at it. You get a 1024 x 600 IPS screen, 1GB of RAM, a MediaTek MT8163V processor, Bluetooth 4.1, and 802.11 a/b/g/n dual-band Wi-Fi. The model on sale has 16GB of internal storage, but there's a microSD card slot for additional storage.
Not many companies sell tablets in two-packs, but some of Amazon's offerings are so cheap that it just makes sense. The Fire HD 8, which normally goes for $79.99 on its own, has been discounted to $99.98 for a two-pack (or $159.98 if you need 32GB).Previously, we've seen these at $49.99 apiece (basically the same price), but the price only dipped that low for Black Friday. For how much the HD 8 costs, you can't expect a spec monster. You get an 8.0" 800p IPS display, a 1.3GHz MediaTek quad-core processor, 1.5GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of storage with microSD expansion, a 2MP main camera, a 0.3MP selfie cam (yes, really), and a 4,750mAh battery. That's probably enough for a kid (likely the tablet's target market), but don't expect to complete any intense tasks with it.The two-pack of 16GB models can be had for $99.98, which is $60 less than you'd pay if you bought them separately. Upgrading to 32GB means you'll have to pay $159.98, which is also $60 less than they'd cost individually. You have a variety of color combinations to choose from, though some are currently backordered. Hit the source link below to grab some cheap tablets of your very own.Source: Amazon
Amazon makes some pretty great hardware these days, from Alexa-powered smart speakers to the cheap-but-still-pretty-good Fire tablets. Most of Amazon's hardware lineup is currently on sale, with notable deals including the Echo for $99 ($80 off) and the Fire 7 tablet with special offers for $39.99 ($10 off).The Amazon Echo probably doesn't need an introduction, but if you live under a rock, it's a smart speaker with Amazon's Alexa voice assistant. It's currently $80 off, and the more-durable Amazon Tap is $30 off. The Echo Dot is sadly only $5 off, but if it makes you feel better, everyone who nabbed a free Echo Dot on Friday is not actually getting it.Amazon's Fire tablets are included in the sale. All of them run the company's fork of Android 5.0, called Fire OS, but you can install the Google Play Store without too much trouble. You can find all the products below.
Did you miss out on Amazon hardware on Amazon Prime Day? Well, we've got good news for you - Best Buy's one-day sale is slashing prices on Echo and Fire products, in some instances making them even lower than Amazon had them on Prime Day. If you've been in the market for Amazon-branded electronics, now would be the time to grab them.
Earlier this month, Amazon unveiled new Fire tablets. The new models aren't really much different from the previous generation - just a bit thinner and lighter for the most part. Now Amazon is clearing its inventory, and you can get the previous-gen Fire tablet with special offers for just $39.99.The specs weren't impressive when it was released in 2015, and they sure aren't any more impressive in 2017 - but that should be implied by the price tag. You get a 7" 1024x600 screen, quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek CPU with 1GB of RAM, microUSB port, and headphone jack. The $39.99 model comes with 8GB of internal storage (with 4.5GB available out of the box), but the 16GB model is also discounted to $59.99. You can also use a microSD card for more storage.Like all of Amazon's tablet offerings, this model comes with Fire OS, a fork of Android 5.0 Lollipop without any Google services or apps. Thankfully, it is very easy to sideload the Play Store, and there are a few custom ROMs available too.This tablet should be fine for basic media consumption, but you definitely won't be able to play graphically-intensive games or do any serious productive work. Keep in mind that this also has 'special offers,' which displays Amazon ads on your lockscreen. Removing those ads isn't too difficult, especially if you already know how to use ADB.Source: Amazon