The improved Fire OS now feels less restricting, but Amazon’s app selection is still weak. There is no MicroSD slot just like on the Nexus 7 and Apple’s iPads, you’ll have to live with the internal storage you pay for when you buy the device. Ports are minimal, with the headphone jack on the right edge (in portrait orientation), and the Micro USB charging port on the left edge.
We never got used to this – especially the placement of the power button. When holding the device this way, the power button is on the bottom, a couple inches from the left edge, and the volume rocker is on the top, also near the left side. That might be fine for some, but we actually like to read books and magazines on our Kindle in portrait orientation. They’re also laid out for holding the device in landscape orientation, with the power on the left and volume rocker on the right. The tablet’s buttons are also on the back, rather than the sides, which makes them harder to find, although they are recessed. It was a great look in the 90s, but it doesn’t make a good tablet in 2013.Īfter holding the HDX in our hands for prolonged periods, we found ourselves missing the rounded edges of the Nexus 7 (or the last-generation Kindle Fire). The matte plastic backside of the HDX is a collection of angles and flat edges that reminds us of the F117 Nighthawk stealth plane. It’s the angled sides and back, and the HDX’s button layout that bothers us. The HDX is also heavier and thicker than the Nexus 7. For starters, the device is about a half-inch wider, though shorter, than the Nexus 7, which makes it less pocket-friendly. The rest of the HDX’s exterior is not thrilling. When you plug in the charger or headphones, the cable connectors jut upward. Video reviewīecause the HDX’s edges are angled, the ports aren’t straight. Whether the Kindle Fire HDX (which starts at $230 for the 7-inch model we tested, just like the Nexus 7) is the best choice depends on how much you care about app selection (where Amazon still lags far, far behind), how amenable you are to Amazon’s content ecosystem, and whether or not you’ll find many of the tablet’s unique features useful or fun. The Rep can walk you through any issues with the help of on-screen illustrations.īut Amazon faces stiff competition from Google’s excellent Nexus 7 and the upcoming iPad Mini 2.
With the third-generation Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon has made its tablet novice-friendly, thanks to the addition of Mayday, a feature that lets you call up an Amazon customer service rep with a couple of taps.
#DOES MY OLDER KINDLE FIRE HAVE BLUETOOTH ANDROID#
Since its original iteration in 2011, the Kindle Fire has been solid choice for novice tablet users and those more interested in consuming content than running dozens of apps or fiddling with the finer details of the underlying Android operating system.