27.05.2013, 18:42 clock
With the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 has Spring 2013 started to sell its first tablet with a screen size of about 7 inches in Germany after the device was already buying about half a year in the United States. We have a Kindle Fire HD 8.9 appointed to the editorial and review what is good for the intermediate sizes tablet with Amazon’s Android derivative.
Why only a short test?
that we devote the Kindle Fire HD to full-blown test devices, for two reasons: Firstly, the Kindle Fire HD is indeed equipped with Android 8.9, but which with a highly customized version, though based on AOSP, so the shared Google source code of Android, but it is missing one crucial feature: the Google license. This means that none of the proprietary Google apps installed on the device, as well as access to the Play Store and other Google services play is missing. Say: If you want a smartphone or tablet understood as a full-fledged Android device that is connected to Google’s ecosystem will be disappointed here. A main focus in our short test is therefore the work of the question of how well can compete against Amazon’s offer to the Google Play with these services.
The second reason for the brevity of this test is the fact that we have tested the device before. At least indirectly, because the Kindle Fire HD 8.9, its hardware is almost identical to the Kindle Fire HD 7.0, except for a slightly stronger CPU and of course the screen diagonal. Whoever is interested in the Kindle Fire HD 8.9, you should read our review of the Kindle Fire HD 7.0, because the experience in terms of feel and hardware are mostly directly transferable to the larger sister. Our second focus in the test is the question of whether and how the Kindle Fire HD hardware “aged in dignity” is whether they can do so even today convince.
>> Kindle Fire HD 8.9 from AmazonKindle Fire HD 8.9: The hardware
If you pick the Kindle Fire HD from his unadorned and Kindle typical cardboard box, one has a well made, but with 567 grams quite bulky piece of hardware in your hand. Thanks to the dimensions of 240 x 164 x 8.8 mm, the device can be in portrait mode or in a (large) hand hold, although this is recommended for continuous use is not necessarily. The well casing is manufactured from brushed plastic on the back, which is longitudinally pierced by a metal strip. In those, the stereo speakers are embedded, which, like the Kindle Fire HD 7.0 point to the more desirable attitude in landscape mode and use the cupped hands of the user’s body for the purpose of sound-creation. The buttons provide equally good as the smaller model pressure points, but are not blindly identifiable by touch – without time one has difficulty according to spontaneously change or disable the display volume. Unfortunately, the housing front (between the display glass and the margin) and rear (b etween metal and plastic and the grooves of the speaker jacks) quite a large gap dimensions on here could over time accumulate dirt.
front of the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is absolutely symmetrical, except on the basis of (below average) 1.3 MP front camera, there is hardly a way to detect which way is up and down. The fingers of the user thanks to the wide edge on each side have enough space to hold the device so that the screen is not covered.
diplay the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 in the close-up ( Note: The background of the eBook app is set to a sepia color)
Thanks to the Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, has the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 an effective pixel density of 254 ppi. The display is then also one of the great strengths of tablets: Movies, apps, videos and of course text may not be even nominally as sharp as on the Nexus 10 (300 ppi), in everyday life takes you hardly notice the difference, however. Especially since the IPS panel of the Kindle Fire HD has other qualities: It is bright and has good contrast and viewing angles, but also a subtle yellow tinge. A minor drawback: the screen is highly reflective in sunlight
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can not complain too about the sound itself: The integrated speakers are strong and clear, and even manage to bring out the bass and treble for a device of this class appropriate. Even watching a movie you never feel the urge to pick up the headphones. Otherwise, it must be said that the unit is level one that is intended for use in the living room: GPS does not exist, no 3G module, but WLAN with dual antennas, which are designed to ensure a highly secure and fast connection (we were in the test but no difference to other devices with “normal” wireless find). From the device memory there are two variants: An integrated 16 GB, the other with 32 GB of internal memory, a slot for micro-SD card
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In terms of battery, the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 shows durable: 6,000 mAh capacity ensure that the device by holding longer than average. How long is of course highly dependent on usage, but longer than Nexus 7 in any case. Here for the sake of fairness which must also be argued that the lack of Google services also eliminated a lot of potential synchronization needs.
is to be notednegative, that the built-in TI OMAP 4470 dual-core SoC 1.5 GHz maximum clock along with 1 GB of RAM on the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 a little lagging the requirements, in particular the full HD display is – yes, even if this 4460 is slightly faster than the TI OMAP chip with 1.2 GHz in the Kindle Fire HD 7.0. Although the tablet never Ruckelorgien brings to the screen, but the performance is not enough also by far the perceived fluid of Android on devices with a current quad core CPU approach, not to mention all of iOS. When scrolling or when notifications are wiped out, the FPS number is noticeably into the basement and there is always the feeling that finger taps on the screen will be registered only with a significant time lag. It is expressly not for games, even a demanding titles like Need for Speed: Most Wanted ran smoothly on the Kindle Fire HD
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Conclusion: The slight performance weaknesses in 2D are not a “deal breaker” and maybe Amazon can optimize its software here and there still, yet it must be noted that other tablets in this price range have more power
. >> Kindle Fire HD 8.9 from Amazon
Kindle Fire HD 8.9: software and ecosystem
Amazon now seems to have its software based on Jelly Bean. The keyboard, which also controls a wiper function à la Swype and the Notification Bar, which can wipe up all over the notification area, and not just at the bottom now, point at least out. However, we have encountered in any system menu full details of the Android version.
core of the Kindle software remains the carousel, which presents the user with the most recently used media (apps, books, websites, music albums and so on). Upstairs there is the media categories that you can enter each in a submenu, including media related to purchase through Amazon. The carousel is and will remain comfortable and focused on media buying on Amazon. Adapt to your own ideas, there is not much in the Kindle UI.
Some key elements of Android remain however, about the pull down notification bar and the software buttons on the bottom, but the hide to the Kindle Fire HD automatically as soon as an application, for example a game switches to full screen mode. The bar can then be brought back to the foreground when needed via a small tab-like button – virtually. Moreover, Amazon has defused the confusing operation of the bar that we had complained when testing the Kindle Fire HD 7.0: Now always remains on the narrower side of the screen – the bottom in portrait mode, in landscape right. The user is clearly understandable
,. While turning only the alignment of the buttons, but not their position changes
especially excited we were, like Amazon has now expanded its ecosystem, and especially adapted to the German market. When seven incher stood us at the time only the U.S. version available, so we were able to test the software though, are not looking at the shopping experience was but possible.
To anticipate the conclusion: Amazon makes it extremely easy for the user, new movies, books, music albums and so on to acquire. Of course only if they are located in the network of Amazon offers. It starts with the fact that the own Amazon account is already set up for delivery on the device and listen in to the constantly displayed offerings that Amazon typically aligned with the preferences of the user and of other users with similar tastes. The Kindle Fire is accordingly not only a media consumption device, but also a shopping device, but it also makes no bones about it. Let’s take a look at the different market segments, serving Amazon.
Music the offer looks very good – almost any reasonably popular music album are available to purchase as MP3s. Anyone ever bought MP3s from Amazon before the device is activated, it will automatically own online store, the Amazon Cloud Music calls. There you can also upload your own tracks in the MP3 format – but limited to 250 songs, those who want more, you have to pay. With Google Play Music prices are often slightly higher, this one has 20,000 tracks with enough space for your own music.
the movies Amazon binds to its own service Lovefilm.de. The user can for 30 days whose films in video-on-demand streaming for free when buying repertoire, then the service will cost 6.99 euros a month. The subscription can be increased also the option to have physical rental DVDs and BluRays come into the house. This is for movie fans without access to a video store also advisable because the VoD offer from LOVEFiLM is rather mediocre. While many classics are included, but you are looking for the latest blockbusters in vain. Who the age of the films does not matter, but finds plenty of beads on offer from Amazon.
is similar for TV series from: From smashers such as “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men” or “Game of Thrones” no trace, but at least you can “Big Bang Theory”, various “Stargate” – derivatives and the “Gilmore Girls” View – when you want them. Too bad that there are not all the seasons of many series available, “Fringe” is, for example, only up to 3 Season, although even in Germany the 5th and final season has already aired. It is encouraging that a large portion of the video material is in HD, less that times no English original versions of movies and series, however, are available again. Nevertheless, the offer is significantly larger than that of Google.
things apps and Games has fortunately done a lot: apparently for app developers is the setting of their own applications in the Amazon Appstore / App Store only a extra effort represents, so many of the important Android apps are also represented on Amazon – some are missing but then Dropbox, Instagram, Firefox, and of course all apps from Google for example. Here, the user has to use the net or downloaded from another Android APK files. Since this is technically complicated for lay people, one must renounce app updates, and this approach is even illegal for paid apps, no alternative. Overall, the app offer but Amazon has clearly improved, especially now also offer the web works and supports remote installations.
Central for Amazon eBooks are naturally . As the Group is the market leader, and the offer can only be described as outstanding. While each title is not available here – but that’s up to the publishers, the ePublishing block per se. Books when purchased are immediately on the device, the read status is synced across all devices and Kindle apps away. Compared to an e-ink device like the Kindle or the Kindle classic Paper Light the display of the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is stressful for the eyes but in the long run. Who has no problem to read long texts on screens and occasionally pause for a while, you can use the Kindle Fire as a good HD eReader replacement.
Compared to the Google Play services Amazon can score so in the areas of books and movies / series, in the Apps and Games Google has the edge in terms of music, both offer almost the same level. Passed to the Amazon ecosystem victory? Definitely not, then all the Amazon services, apart from Lovefilm, can be applied to a normal Android device to use with Google Play connectivity, if you value it.
Generallyshame: Furthermore, can the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 use only a single Amazon account at once. As a family-tablet, the device can not be used so easily, even if they agree that you are purchasing in the future all media on an account, retains all previously acquired books, MP3 albums, etc. “scattered” >> Kindle Fire HD 8.9 from Amazon
Our conclusion to the Kindle Fire HD 8.9
The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is a solid Tablet strengths (display, sound) and weaknesses (weight, performance). Since the price war rages on in the market for Android devices, we recommend the unit but only to those who do not value the play services of Google or the ability to use alternative services. Too bad the Kindle Fire series is not as open as their Google counterparts because most Amazon Services can be on a Google Play-compatible device easily retrofitted, the other way around, it is much more difficult. So the decision for the Kindle Fire HD remains a decision for Amazon’s ecosystem. If you only looking for a device on which he can occasionally look a few games or HD movies and comfortably surf the net, but can access reassured.
Our rating for Kindle Fire HD 8.9
processing and haptics: 4/5
Nice unit with good workmanship, but:. gaps, poorly visu keys and high weight
display: 4/5
bright and quite sharp, but with a slight yellow tint and mirror display
. performance. 3/5
In 2013, a little weak on the chest, especially in light of the Full HD display
Connectivity: 3/5
Fast-Fi and micro HDMI-out, Bluetooth 3.0, but only a few sensors, no NFC or GPS
. software: 3/5
UI okay, but little Invidualisierung. Relaxed shopping experience, but only in the “Walled Garden” from Amazon.
supported video formats, but full HD capable and great sound from the speakers
. and battery life. 4/5
much time per battery charge, but rather a device for the home
Overall: 3.4 / 5
>> Kindle Fire HD 8.9 from Amazon
Gallery for Kindle Fire HD 8.9
>> Kindle Fire HD 8.9 from Amazon
Kindle Fire HD 8.9 in the short-Test: wildfire or flash in the pan
5 – 4 Vote (s)
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