Amazon Kindle Fire HDX: A better iPad - ABC Online

Lighter, sharper, more comfortable – Amazon’s new tablet Kindle Fire HDX has all the prerequisites, even to outdo the iPad. As the newcomer beats the test? Excellent

For over a year, Apple has a surprise enemies: the All-retailer Amazon has decided to conquer the tablet market. If anyone Apple can do something to counter, then the company of Jeff Bezos, because it has a special business philosophy on their side: devices are Amazon only to contents for sale – unlike Apple, where app and music store, much less . contribute to sales as iPhones, iPads and computers

HDX 8.9 The Kindle Fire, the Amazon brings in the coming week on the market, is therefore to have been from 379 euros – 100 euros cheaper than the cheapest iPad Air . Anyone who is not satisfied with the entry-level model must, forking out 50 or 100 euros and will receive 32 or 64 gigabytes. At Apple, the same memory expansion costs equal to 90 and 180 euros. (2048 x 2560 x 1600 points vs. 1536.) Its screen is slightly smaller in size considerably sharper: Nevertheless, the Fire HDX 8.9 not saving model, on the contrary. Also the test in the office and outside shows that the display of HDX Fire trumps the iPad Air: He is a little brighter and more defined, which pays just outdoors

Surprisingly easy

.Here, the Amazon tablet is not even 100 grams (almost a quarter) lighter than the iPad Air – this can be observed in everyday life immediately. Closely similar as in Apple, however, the binding to the Amazon system. The manufacturer’s shop is built directly into any application (books, music, movies, apps). This is accepted at Apple – but with a tablet based on Android, actually one wishes also have access to Google’s Play Store, especially since this is still much better equipped than Amazon’s own Appstore. With a few tricks that can be done – as well as the subsequent installation of Flash on the HDX Fire, although this unloved, but often necessary extension. Amazon itself, not the buyer may ask for such tricks, but you put the no technical hurdles in the way. On Fire HDX run normal Android apps, like any other tablet with this system

During operation of the Fire tablet is the OS a certain special way, however, is not to the detriment of the customer. The centerpiece is the “carousel” to appear on all the content and apps that you last used. The Fire HDX makes no distinction between different types of content – such as e-books, music or movies. The iPad, however, you must scan only the appropriate app. In order to also meet traditional users, the carousel can now also slide out of the way and instead use an area that looks like a typical Android homescreen.

Everything hits

If you’ve played a while with the Fire HDX, you realize just how smoothly everything runs. No stuttering, no lag – this is the merit of the fast processor. However, the battery life is very good. In practice, the promised Amazon twelve hours are indeed more difficult to achieve, but ten hours is realistic despite maximum screen brightness. The sound quality is also excellent, even if the tablet is lying flat on the table – thanks to the beveled edges, in which the speakers are working. Unlike the 7-inch model, the Fire HDX 8.9 has a real camera on the back that shoots quite reasonable photos – at least compared to other tablets. Soon it will be the model with UMTS / LTE enter (LTE only for Vodafone), but I have tested the Wi-Fi version

unfortunately missing is Kindle FreeTime. Their offspring so that parents will be able to set up a protected access over which they can dispense time and finely rights. However, the current child protection functions are exemplary in comparison to the competition already. Too bad that Amazon waives the HDMI socket. Instead, you have to be coupled wirelessly to the TV Miracast standard. Since this is currently hardly supported a current model, you need a corresponding receiver (from 40 euros). Less convinced me have the origami cover that Amazon sells for about 50 euros: you can indeed fold cool and use as a stand help, but weigh almost as much as the tablet itself

Conclusion: Successful iPad alternative

Kindle Fire HDX outperforms Apple’s iPad Air in most disciplines. It is not a 5-0 victory, more of a 5:4, but that there ever a manufacturer succeeds to deliver a better tablet, is a small miracle.

Specifications of the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9

screen	8.9 inch, 2560 x 1600 dots
processor	2.2 GHz, quad-core
Memory	2 gigabytes
graphics card	integrated
Memory	16/32/64 gigabytes
card reader	no
radio	B / G / N
Bluetooth	V4.0
camera	8 MP rear, front HD
connections	MicroUSB
Battery	10 hours
Operating System	Fire OS 3.0 (based on Android 4.2)
Dimensions	231 x 158 x 7.8 mm
Weight	374 grams
price (11/13)	379/429/479 €

Overview: Amazon Kindle Fire HDX