Kindle Fire HDX / HD 2013-14 Info from later reviews

The information included here is from earlier blog articles that led off with limited-time Sales information that doesn't apply normally.  This separate blog page includes some review excerpts with more unusual assessments from those blog articles.
  The pricing shown on this page is normal pricing at the time this was written.

Reminder
MayDay, a unique feature, is the 24hr video customer-support available on the new line of HDX tablets at the press of a button.  Not only can the Amazon representative answer questions on the live (one-way) video (2-way audio), they can show you where on the tablet you should click to get what you want but also do it for you while you're watching.

Note: The budget basic Kindle Fire HD, however, does NOT have the MayDay feature.

  While many might feel they won't need this feature, most of us know how much easier it is for those new to any tablet and to Amazon's unique Kindle Fire program features (X-ray, parental controls, Miracast, Collections, downloading of free Prime Instant Video for Prime members, etc.) to actually use the tablets they've bought or been gifted. &I've found that many don't know they exist and have no idea how to get to them (since most prefer not to plow through users' guides.

The Kindle Fire HD/HDX Line for 2013-2014+
For easy reference, am repeating the small comparison table, and each product page has a chart with more details.
  The Yr 2012 8.9" HD with microHDMI-Out port is currently sold by Amazon, so is included in the graphic.

Regular pricing bases plus Amazon links for the new HDX models and the new basic HD 7"
  ALL have Dolby Audio Dual Stereo Speakers and Dual band WiFi, while the HDX models have dual antennas also.

Starting prices are with special offers that they say will offer more savings than Lighting deals.

Kindle Fire HD 7" - $139   Basic "family" tablet, HD Gen2 8 and 16GB options Display: 1280 x 800, 216 PPI Ram: 1GB    No Mayday No camera or mic (no Skype) No HDMI-out: Use 'Fling'- NO Miracast Dual-core 1.5 GHz processor

Kindle Fire HDX 7" - $229   'Personal' HDX tablet 16, 32 or 64GB options Display: 1920 x 1200, 323 PPI Ram: 2GB Front-facing, 720p camera No HDMI-out: Use 'Fling' or Miracast Quad-core 2.2 GHz processor

Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" - $379   'Does it all' HDX tablet 16, 32, or 64GB options Display: 2560 x 1600, 339 PPI Ram: 2GBfling Adds 8MB rear-facing camera No HDMI-out: Use 'Fling' or Miracast Quad-core 2.2 GHz processor

  (The 1st generation HD 8.9" remains available, normally starting at $229) **.  See why you might want the Yr 2012 HD 8.9" 1st Gen model instead but you'd be missing many new features you might want (info in original new-HDX's blog article).


On January 9, ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes for Ziff-Davis's Hardware 2.0 area headlined an article that will surprise some but which reflects points made by several articles I cited in December:

  "Why the Kindle Fire HDX is a far better tablet than the iPad"

' Summary: I used to think that the iPad was the king of the tablets, but not any more. It's time to whip the crown away from Apple and give it to its rightful holder – Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX.

...what Apple bought to market Amazon has improved upon dramatically. '

He spells out the usual large pricing difference points as you increase storage size, as anyone who knows how important multimedia files are to tablets will realize.  But it used to be that people assumed the iPad would be superior in capabilities and that the Kindle Fire offerings were just made with less-expensive materials.
  Not so with the Yr 2013 line.  These currently set the standard for the combination of hardware and features now (although those who use Apple apps on their phones and love them will do well to get an Apple tablet to use those same apps on their tablet).  It's just that Apple is not keeping up because they don't feel they need to.

He continues:

' Side-by-side, the display on the Kindle Fire HDX blows away that of the iPad. Not only do colors look superior and more vivid, but also the brightness is better and the way blacks are handled – especially in video – is much more even. '

  He also finds it easier to use outdoors, with less glare in his case, and goes on to give reasons for the other reasons he gives that include:
  "Super-fast Hardware
  "Excellent WiFi range" (for him, it continues working well at the periphery of his system where the iPad starts having difficulties -- and this was true for other reviewers with even the previous HD models vs the Google Nexus tablets, although router-tablet settings sometimes need to be fine-tuned for the various brands).
  "Superior on-screen keyboard"
  "Better Speakers"
  "Better email and calendar apps" (that does surprise me)
  "The Mayday button" (Help "in the palm of your hand"... "when you need it")

Note that he doesn't go into the Kindle Fire line's unique features as shown in previous articles here (and that includes especially useful parental controls and program features in general:
  1. Overview of New Features
  2. Things to Know about the new features

  Those two blog articles have clarifications for some points that have puzzled some.

In another article today, the Salt Lake City Tribune carries Bree Fowler's story for The Associated Press today on "Review: Kindle FreeTime gives parents peace" -- it's a brief one but many aren't aware of how well thought out these features are relative to the other current tablet offerings.  Since AP articles are well-circulated of course, it'll be getting more play today.

Note #2 - The HDX 8.9" does not often go on sale, relative to the smaller ones.  It is decidedly lighter than my 7" HD tablet and is a joy.
  My two favorite electronics (besides non-portable larger HDTV viewing) are the (1) Microsoft Surface Pro 2 laptop/tablet combo that runs ALL full Windows programs in the most speedy way I've ever experienced (but I won't link you to Amazon's 3rd party sellers for these as they are charging too much due to some shortages) and the (2) Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, which I recommend getting with at least 32GB storage.  It's great for both HD videos, including 16:9 format, magazines with reading-view and beautifully enlargeable images (as with the iPad), and two-page reading with larger fonts -- all while remaining very light now.

  I use my phone's "Internet sharing" to give the HDX its 4G used as WiFi when I'm outside and wanting to use my HDX that has no LTE/4G cellular network feature, as I didn't get that model because I already have a good data plan that allows me to share the phone's 4G -- but those who have one of the now popular Family Sharing plans with AT&T or Verizon will find an additional tablet adds only $10 to a current data plan.  LTE/4G capability itself (for the fewer who want it) costs an add'l $100~ on the Kindle Fires and about $130 on the Apple iPad -- that's before you add a data plan for it.

---

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.

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button