Amazon has introduced the third generation of Kindle Fire, the Kindle Fire HDX. The devices come in 7-inch and 8.9-inch models, and features a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 series processor, and 2GBs of RAM (double that of its predecessors).
The displays have been enhanced, and there is readily available tech support with a readymade Mayday button built in, and help just 15 seconds away. The Kindle Fire HDX also sports new enterprise features.
Jeff Bezos (Founder and CEO, Amazon): It’s been just two years since we introduced the first Kindle Fire, and the team is innovating at an unbelievable speed.
Lets look at the Kindle Fire HDX features in more details:
Design: Amazon integrated the capacitive touch layer directly into the glass display on Fire HDX, leaving a lighter single layer instead of the typical 2-layer display stack. The Kindle Fire HDX 8.9” frame is a single-piece of machined magnesium with a blend of glass and nylon molded onto the unibody to create openings for the antennas.
Processor: Quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor running at 2.2 GHz. Provides over 3x the processing power compared to the previous generation, and 2x more memory, says Amazon. The four cores can each run at 2.2GHz, providing 28 billion instructions per second.
Display: Pixel density of 323 ppi for 7-inch models and 339 ppi for 8.9-inch models. 100% sRGB color accuracy, reduced glare, dynamic image contrast, and improved brightness.
OS: Powered by the latest version of Fire OS—Fire OS 3.0 ‘Mojito’, with “hundreds of new and upgraded features”, according to Amazon. If an app runs on Android, it can run on Fire OS.
Graphics: The Adreno 330 graphics engine on Kindle Fire HDX delivers 4x the graphics performance of the previous generation Kindle Fire HD, says Amazon.
Sound: Dual stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus audio and virtual 5.1 multi-channel surround sound.
Camera: Front-facing HD camera, plus a new 8 megapixel wide- aperture rear-facing camera on the 8.9” Fire HDX with 1080p HD video.
Mayday button: The Mayday button connects users who to an Amazon expert who can guide them remotely through any feature—24×7, 365 days a year, and it’s free. 15 seconds or less is the Mayday response time goal, says Amazon.
Enterprise features: New enterprise features include hardware and software-encryption, Kerberos Intranet, secure Wi-Fi connections, VPN integration, and wireless printing. Management solutions range from Amazon’s Whispercast service to third-party vendors like AirWatch, Citrix, Fiberlink, Good Technology, and SOTI.
Weight: At 13.2 ounces, the 8.9” Kindle Fire HDX is 34% lighter than the previous generation.
Prime instant video: Offline viewing. If you are new to Prime, you get one free month of Amazon Prime when you purchase Fire HDX.
Accessibility features: Accessibility tools include Screen Reader, Explore by Touch, and Screen Magnifier.
Battery life: Up to 11 hours of mixed use and 17 hours of reading.
Pricing and availability: The 7” Kindle Fire HDX is $229, and will begin shipping October 18. The 4G version is $329, and will begin shipping November 14. The 8.9” Kindle Fire HDX is $379, and will begin shipping on November 7. The 4G version is $479, and will begin shipping December 10. All the tablets are available for preorder.
Both HDX 7” and 8.9” are available with 4G LTE wireless, on AT&T and Verizon.
[Image courtesy: Amazon]