Amazon's
new Kindle Fire HDX tablet resembles Google's Nexus 7 in many ways -
from its light weight to its sharp display. Both tablets run a version
of Google's Android operating system, and they even have the same
starting price of $229.
The similarities end when you turn them on.
Amazon.com
modifies Android so much that it no longer resembles Android. The
company calls it Fire OS 3.0, or Mojito. Amazon's services are front and
center on the Fire, and Google's are nowhere to be found. It's the
other way around on the Nexus 7 and other Android devices. For a day or
two, I even forgot the Kindle Fire can do much more.
Regular
customers of Amazon will appreciate that integration. A row of tabs at
the top of the screen offers quick access to various Amazon services,
including e-books, music, videos and audiobooks, the latter from the
Audible business that Amazon bought in 2008. Another tab gets you
Amazon's shopping site, where you can buy television sets, vacuum
cleaners and tennis rackets. The Kindle is already tied to your Amazon
account, so it's easy - perhaps too easy - to just click and buy.
You
also get Amazon's excellent recommendation technology. Browsing the
e-book section, "The Great Gatsby" came up, likely because I had just
added a movie version to my video watch list. Kindle versions of "Buffy
The Vampire Slayer" comic books came up, likely because I own the entire
television series on DVD. Under music, digital copies of physical CDs I
had purchased were waiting for me, along with recommendations for other
songs and albums from artists in my shopping history.
If
you spring for Amazon's $79-a-year Prime membership, you also get quick
access to thousands of free movies and television episodes and the
ability to borrow one e-book a month from a select list. For the first
time, you can download the free Prime video to watch on a plane or
anywhere else lacking an Internet connection. On older Kindle Fires and
other devices, you're limited to streaming, which requires a constant
Internet connection.
Amazon plans to start
shipping the smaller version of the Kindle Fire HDX on October 18. Like
the Nexus 7, it has a 7-inch screen, measured diagonally. A larger,
8.9-inch version is expected Nov. 7 and starts at $379. Amazon is also
updating last year's 7-inch HD model, lowering the price to $139 but
cutting a few features including the camera.
All
three models expand on an X-Ray feature that Amazon introduced last
year. While watching a movie or TV show on older Fires, you can get a
list of actors appearing in that scene. Click on one for more
information, mostly culled from Amazon's IMDb celebrity-database
service. With the new devices, you also get summaries on major
characters and opportunities to buy songs played during the show. You
also get trivia and goofs, such as a lottery ticket having the wrong
code in one scene of "Breaking Bad." You can jump directly to that scene
with a click. When playing music, you also see lyrics for selected
tunes, perfect for sing-alongs.
My favorite
new feature is Mayday on the HDX. It's free, live technical support 24
hours a day, seven days a week. A tech adviser appears in a small window
on your Kindle, but the adviser can only hear you and see what's on
your screen. Advisers can guide you by highlighting certain settings and
buttons with a virtual orange marker. Advisers can also take control of
your device and do the task for you, though you're better off learning
to do it yourself.
I tried three times to
stump the tech advisers. For the most part, I found them patient and
knowledgeable. It appeared to me they were really thinking through the
problem, rather than following a script, as I typically find with my
cable company. That said, one late-night staffer was willing to give up
easily and dismiss my issue as a device malfunction, until I nudged him
to walk me through the steps to discover one I had inadvertently
skipped.
I'll wait until the support center is
fully staffed and trained before making a final judgment, but I'm
pleased with what I've seen so far. I particularly like the security
protocols; the adviser made sure to pause the screen sharing whenever I
typed a password.
As devices get complex, we
could use more of this type of offering. I'm hoping Amazon's approach to
customer service gets adopted by Apple, Samsung and other rivals.
As
for the hardware, the 7-inch HDX has a screen resolution of 323 pixels
per inch, which is the same as the Nexus 7 and better than Apple's iPad
Mini and Samsung's Galaxy Note 8.0.
For
streaming video, I didn't see much difference in video quality, largely
because of limitations in what's being sent over Wi-Fi. The differences
are more pronounced with video downloads and e-books. Text on the HDX
and the Nexus 7 is sharp, whereas letters bleed on the iPad and the
Note.
The Apple and Samsung tablets do have
slightly larger screens, about an inch longer diagonally. But both are
also heavier and more expensive. The Nexus 7 is the lightest at 10.2
ounces, while the HDX weighs 10.7 ounces.
The
HDX's front-facing camera is 1 megapixel, which is comparable with the
Nexus 7 but much poorer than phones and tablets with rear cameras. The
HDX does have one of the fastest processors for a tablet, but unless
you're playing games or doing other data-intensive tasks, it won't make
much difference.
One area where the HDX falls
short is in app selection. The iPad Mini reigns with access to the
thousands of apps adapted for tablets. But even compared with other
Android tablets, the HDX doesn't have as wide a selection, as Kindles
work only with Amazon's app store, not Google's broader Play store.
But
I was surprised to see one Amazon video rival, Hulu Plus, available.
And Netflix is supposed to get an update that works with the HDX by the
time it ships. You won't find everything at Amazon's app store, but
you'll find plenty to keep you busy. And if an app isn't available, you
might still be able to access the service through Amazon's Silk Web
browser.
I've been skeptical with the Kindle
Fires in the past because they don't do everything other Android tablets
can do. But after trying out the HDX, I find it a worthy contender.
Ultimately, it comes down to whether you regularly buy from Amazon and
want to make its content work easily on your device.
(The author is technology writer for AP)
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