A tablet to get Fired up over
Amazon’s HD punches above its weight
A GREAT VALUE, USEFUL DEVICE FOR ANY HOME
There are a plethora of tablets available these days, from the top makers as well as lowercost alternatives. The problem with lower-priced tablets, those under €100 or so is that they can often be dreadfully slow and clunky to use. However, Amazon’s Fire HD 8 has been refreshed for 2018, and it aims to give a better user experience, access to the world of Amazon and still be great value. Unboxing the Fire reveals its slim form. It weighs 360g, and is comfortable to hold with a nice screen surround that allows you to rest your hands as you use it. On the side, is the power button, a micro-USB port and volume buttons. Also on the side is a 3.5mm socket for headphones and the microphone input. This version of the Fire has 16GB of storage built in, but there is a Micro SD slot, letting you add storage.
The Fire HD has two cameras, including a 2MP rear camera for photos that also shoots video in 720p HD. The VGA camera on the front is also 2MP and works fine for things like Skype calls.
The screen is surprisingly good for the price. It has a decent 1280x800 display and videos look bright and crisp. Amazon have also done a good job at removing screen glare.
There is a clever feature called Blue Shade that optimises the Fire’s backlight for a reading experience that I found easy on the eyes.
This is a tablet for reading and watching and it does both well. You have access to the Kindle eBook store with its millions of titles, and to Amazon’s Prime Video. As well as Amazon’s own video service, you can also access Netflix.
There are some clever innovations in here that set the Fire apart from other tablets. It has the digital assistant, Alexa, built in so you can interact with her exactly as you would with an Amzon Echo device.
The performance, or speed isn’t brilliant. I found the Fire HD lagged a little, but it’s forgivable in a tablet at this price. Also, the Amazon themed interface takes getting used to, so iOS or Android users might find it a little curious at first.
With Amazon-only features like WhisperSync and Show Mode the Fire 8 HD is ideal for sitting or bedroom use. There’s plenty of great content available and the price makes the Fire 8 HD a great value, useful device for any home.