Amazon’s Fire tablets are some of the most high-profile, ultra-affordable tablets around. It undercuts more expensive brands in price while also offering many of the same features. Of course, they are no match to the iPad but what else do you expect at such a price?

Amazon has launched many tablets in recent years but the 2019 Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids edition have been the crown of company’s tablet segment for years. However, that’s changing now, the US giant has introduced the next generation Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids tablets that are said to be better than ever.

The new tablets are having many improved features, for starters, the Fire 7 and 7 Kids tablet carries a 30% faster 2GHz quad-core processor and double the RAM of the previous generation. Moreover, the battery has also been increased by 40% meaning users will now enjoy up to 10 hours of continuous browsing, watching videos, and more.

Talking about the display, the tablets come with a 7-inch display (1024 x 600 pixels resolution). It goes without saying that they feature support for Alexa voice assistant.

Both devices still take about 5 hours to completely charge so, there’s not much improvement in the charging speed. However, the tablets now come with a USB-C port, and the power adaptor is also included in the box.

The camera on both the devices is the same as the Fire HD 8, there is a 2MP camera on both the front and rear of the tablets. The camera is capable of recording 720p video and offers better video call quality.

The specifications are the same for both the tablets, however, the Fire 7 Kids comes with that kids-proof protective cover and a one-year subscription of Amazon Kids+.

The pre-order for both of these new tablets starts today, with the Fire 7 priced at $59.99 and the Fire 7 Kids coming in at $109.99. Head over here to pre-order.

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The Amazon Fire series has just received an interesting new update. The new software release will have the affordable Android tablet be functional as a smart home hub for users, allowing them to control other smart home devices.

Earlier this week, the company started the roll out of the new update to a handful of Fire tablets. This update brings a Smart Home button to Device Dashboard, as per a PhoneArena report. At the moment, only a small number of Fire tablets have received the update, but that is only due to the staggered release from the company. The update will be available in four models, which include Amazon Fire 7 (2019), Amazon Fire HD 8 (2018), Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020), or Amazon Fire HD 10 (2019).

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After the new update, Fire tablet users will notice a new Smart Home button on the left corner of the navigation bar. This button will be accessible to users through any screen, meaning, users are just a tap away from controlling any compatible Alexa enabled smart home device from their tablets. In other words, users would be able to control any smart speaker, lights, cameras, thermostats, switches, and more.

While this isn’t a particularly large update, it does add a major utility and functionality to the existing Android tablets from Amazon. It would also things a bit more convenient for to Alexa enabled smart home devices’ owners. The update should soon reach out to a broader userbase, so keep on the lookout for the new software.

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Amazon updates its Fire HD 8 lineup of entry-level 8-inch tablets. The series now consists of three models namely ‘Regular’, ‘Plus’, and ‘Kids Edition’. All of them come with USB Type-C, better processor as well as more RAM and storage than the previous generation (2018 models).

Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) Specifications

According to Amazon, the new tablets are powered by a new 2.0GHz quad-core processor, which increases the performance by 30%. For the unaware, the last-gen models came with a 1.3GHz quad-core processor.

The internal storage also gets a bump as they now come in 32GB and 64GB variants. If that’s not enough, users can further expand the storage up to 1TB via microSD card. As for the RAM is concerned, the ‘Regular’ and ‘Kids Edition’ feature a 2GB module, whereas the ‘Plus’ model comes with 3GB RAM.

Further, the ‘Kids Edition’ ships with a colorful ‘kid-proof’ case as usual. It is also eligible for a 2-year extended replacement program and customers also get a year subscription of Amazon’ FreeTime service for parental controls as well as for managing content.

The ‘Plus’ version, on the other hand, is the only model in the series to support Qi wireless charging. It also ships with a faster 9W charger and comes with a free six months subscription of Kindle Unlimited service.

However, all three models sport a similar 8-inch 1280 x 800 display from the previous generation. But unlike the older models, they feature USB Type-C port instead of MicroUSB port.

Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020) Pricing and Availability

The ‘Regular’ variant starts at $89.99 and also comes in a limited time two-pack bundle worth $159.99. Whereas, the ‘Plus’ model starts at $109.99. Amazon is also offering a bundle priced at $139.99, which includes Angreat ‘Made for Amazon Wireless Charging Dock’.

Last but not least, the ‘Kids Edition’ costs $139.99. All three models are already up for pre-order on Amazon and are expected to ship from June 3.

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(Via)

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