Amazon is releasing October 11, 2017 the All-New Fire HD 10" tablet, with higher resolution, speed, and Alexa voice control.
Also, many are not aware that the latest Fire tablet models (FIRE OS 5+) can be set up to use Google Play Store. I'll do a separate article on that soon. No rooting or system modifications are involved.
10/1/17 Update - Original article 9/26/17
I've found that the earlier, simple instructions to add Google Play Store and Services to Fire tablets with Fire OS 5 and above, now require somewhat different Google files, depending on which generation Fire tablet you have or will have soon. There are also situations in which older files work better now for many, but some of the Google Play files will auto-update with time. There are workarounds for various minor problems encountered by some, and I'll explain these, although maybe not until after a deadline I have for mid-October. I've updated the general reference chart of current available Kindle eReaders and tablets internationally.
Of interest, maybe: Amazon is still showing the 2016 Fire HD 6" tablet available in the 16 GB version, adding "Only 1 left in stock (more on the way)" and citing Oct 3 as a possible delivery day for the one still in stock. I've seen unhappiness that this pocketable and light, book-sized tablet might be ended, so this could be good news (or just a mistake).
Here is 1) Amazon's current Fire tablet comparison table for the 3 main tablets
(7", 8" 10" models but not the special "Kids Editions")
and 2) their tablet comparison page for all 5 editions.
 All New Fire 10 The "Essentials Bundle" saves $15. This new 10" Fire tablet has 1080p full HD display (1920 x 1900), a fast quad-core processor, doubled memory (2 GB RAM), 32 or 64 GB internal storage plus up to 256 GB expandable storage via a microSD card slot, up to 10 hours mixed-use battery life, and more tested durability than the iPad Pro 10.5" at considerably lower cost. The cameras are modest, keeping that cost down, while it offers FLING (to TV) technology. The bundled option adds the Amazon cover and screen protector at $15 less than if bought separately. This is the first Fire tablet with the Alexa Hands-free voice feature. "... pause videos, play music, open apps, show sports scores, display the weather, and more — just ask (available soon via software update)" |
All New Fire HD tablets released earlier in 2017
 All New Fire 7 Thinner and lighter, improved 7" IPS display, battery life now up to 8 hrs, faster performance, improved Wi-Fi connectivity. 8 GB or 16 GB. Up to 256 GB expandable storage via microSD card. |  All New Fire HD 8 Over 1 million pixels, widescreen 8" 1280 x 800 HD display, up to 12 hrs of battery life, and 16 GB of storage. Up to 256 GB expandable storage via microSD card. |
 All New Fire 7 Kids Ed. As above, but with 16 GB of storage and with a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited* (see article explaining benefits, a kid-proof case, and a 2-yr worry-free guarantee. |  All New Fire HD 8 Kids Ed As , now with an 8" screen, with 32 GB of storage and with a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited* (see article explaining benefits), a kid-proof case, and a 2-yr worry-free guarantee |
* Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, Amazon adds, "now offers over 15,000 age-appropriate books, videos, educational apps, and games, plus access to over 55,000 hand-curated websites and YouTube videos, plus Parent Dashboard and Discussion Cards."
 Accessories for the tablets (also, UK page) |
For now -- For those in the UK, you'll see the same new tablets HERE. Canadian and International Fire tablets are probably ordered from the U.S. pages above, these days, unless sold direct by Amazon in your countries. See direct links for international Amazon stores
Amazon's All-New Fire tablet announcements highlight the following:
Features that each "All-New Fire" tablets have(and the "kids" versions of course)Alexa - Just press and ask to play videos, enjoy music, listen to audiobooks, ask questions, shop, find news, display the weather, and more on your Fire tablet. The new Fire HD 10" tablet being released October 11, 2017 has "Hands-Free feature -- no need to press a button, instead, "just ask" (I assume you preface the Alexa requests with the word "Alexa" (to wake up that feature) as is done on the original Amazon Echo.
Quad-core 1.3 GHz processor - Quickly and easily switch between apps, stream movies, and browse the web without waiting for your tablet to catch up.
Durability - As measured in tumble tests, Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 are both more durable than the latest generation iPad.
Front- and rear-facing cameras - Video chat with friends and family with the front-facing camera; take and share photos, and save them for later with free, unlimited cloud storage for all photos taken on Fire devices.
Fast Wi-Fi connectivity - dual-band Wi-Fi with support.
Screen Sharing customer service - let an Amazon expert guide you remotely through any feature on your screen, available 24x7, 365 days a year - for free.
Amazon-exclusive features - Alexa, ASAP, X-Ray, Second Screen, Amazon FreeTime, Family Library, Blue Shade, On Deck, Prime Video downloads, and more.
World-class content ecosystem - Access to millions of movies, TV shows, songs, books, magazines, apps, and games - with free, unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content.
New color options - Black, Punch Red, Marine Blue, and Canary Yellow.
Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. Top 100 free bestsellers. Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.
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Sigh. I miss the older HD tablets with HDMI outs so we can watch downloaded Prime video on our TV. As we live a mobile (travelling) lifestyle, streaming to TV is simply not cost effective.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed my (still here) 8.9" Kindle Fire HD 8.9" with HDMI out.
DeleteThe later HDX's if you can find them used, were the best fire tablets ever made. But the fantastic specs meant they cost more than most would pay (not to mention, without access to Google Play). These MIRROR -- which means if you have cell phone access w/ hot-spot (called "internet sharing" feature, by AT&T), you can share WiFi to do the connection handshake and then drop the Internet connection for the rest of the time, with no data charges adding up. "Fling" technology, which the latest tablets have instead of Mirroring, requires an Internet connection the whole time + then Internet data charges to your cell phone, but the main upside has been being able to 'fling' your tablet video to the TV where all can watch, and then your tablet is free to do other things, while the Amazon Cloud handles the processing for the TV streaming that all can watch on the big screen. But the latter feature is worthless for your mobile lifestyle.
On the other hand, a Miracast-compatible display adapter (like the Amazon Fire TV -- I still am on the original Fire TV box) is also needed for any mirroring.
DeleteThanks for the response, Andrys. We have the Kindle Fire HD 7" and the HDMI port crapped out sometime last Spring. We've been watching downloaded content on the tiny screen....scratch that. We WERE watching content on the tiny screen until it got to be not fun anymore!
ReplyDeleteI did not know one could establish a wifi handshake between devices and then turn off the data connection and still have a connection between devices going. I had always assumed the Fire TV devices required full access to a data connection at all times because the promotional literature never said anything about running it off line and the Fire TV products are all branded as "Streaming Media Player." We also have the Moto G Play (4th gen.) unlocked phone which Amazon partnered with to replace their Fire Phone. In other words, I can also download Prime video content to the Motorola phone. Now I wonder if I can mirror the Motorola phone to our TV using a Fire TV stick without a data connection. That would be a game changer for us!
roberto, since you have the KF 7" that has an HDMI-out, that means it doesn't have the unusually high display resolution that the Yr 2013 devices had. I still have that 8.9" Kindle Fire HD with the HDMI out but I don't use it. LOVE the 2560 x 1600 on the 8.9" yr. 2013 HDX though.
DeleteRe the initial handshake that you do need an Internet connection for, to use mirroring, I read in a few articles that this was an important difference between the 'Fling' (to TV) feature and the normal Miracast mirroring. 'Fling' is great since it frees up the tablet for other uses because the smart TV or Fire TV box handles the processing in Amazon's Cloud, which means 'Fling' requires the Internet connection all the time.
There was a list on Amazon's site, of devices that support mirroring to the FireTV (and to the slower, more likely to resort to buffering Fire Stick). My Windows phone (on AT&T) supports Internet Sharing really well. During the election at one phone bank, the campaign headquarters here lost their Wifi - the network modem-router combo just stopped working, even with various hotspot devices they had. At one table for four people making phone calls, I put my phone down and set to On the WiFi sharing to use for calls via the Internet. Worked well, for the almost 2 hours it was used when 4 people were relying on it. Didn't use much data since each callee interaction just required a static screen and it was all text.
Whenever my directv's modem-router has a lapse, I turn on the phone Internet sharing for a while until the
directv wiFi is working again.