![]() ![]() ![]() New features include a new interface, designed to make things even simpler for kids to get to grips with and the addition of kid-friendly Audible audiobooks to the Fire for Kids Unlimited subscription package. It still includes a one-year subscription to the Amazon Fire for Kids Unlimited service and Amazon’s two-year, no-questions-asked, damage and breakage warranty. As before, this package includes the 32GB regular Fire HD 8 tablet with a simplified kid-friendly interface and a colourful impact bumper case for protection. Whenever you drop the tablet in its case and on the stand, it begins to charge and fires up Show Mode automatically.įinally, Amazon is making some changes to the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition. This comprises a case – which connects to the tablet’s micro-USB port and provides a couple of charging pins on the rear – and a simple hinged stand that can be connected to any USB power source. This feature first debuted in the US earlier this year and is designed to work alongside the new Show Mode Charging Dock, which you can buy in a bundle with the Fire HD 8. It shows the time, news, hints and tips on how to use Alexa, and adds visual aids to various Alexa queries, such as timers and questions about the weather. Next is Amazon’s “Show Mode”, a feature that fires up an onscreen display similar to what you see on the company’s Echo Show speaker. Alexa on the Fire HD 8 operates just like an Echo speaker does, including the ability to make calls and drop in on friends and family via their Echo speakers. First up, the Fire HD 8 receives hands-free Alexa support, allowing it to respond to the “Alexa” keyword without you having to touch the tablet. More interesting are the changes Amazon has made to its Fire OS software. Amazon Fire HD 8 (2018) review: Fire OS and Alexa This helps increase the quality of your weekly video calls to your Brexit-voting grandma in the Midlands. The rear 2-megapixel camera hasn’t changed, and quality is just as disappointing as before with washed-out colours and noisy images, but the front-facing camera has been upgraded to a 720p unit. One thing that does a better job is the new Fire HD 8’s camera capabilities. The version without them is £10 more expensive for both. Special offers are ads that automatically show on the screen when you turn on the tablet before unlocking it. Both are great value for money and nothing rivals them at this price for sheer usability.Īmazon continues to offer two further variants of the Fire HD 8: versions with and without “Special Offers”. Amazon Fire HD 8 (2018) review: Price and competitionĪt £80, the new 16GB Fire HD 8 remains the same price as the model it replaces, as does the 32GB model at £100. There are also a few tweaks to the Kids Edition of the tablet, notably a new interface and the addition of child-friendly audiobooks. The biggest change is that the Fire HD 8 now supports hands-free Alexa and “Show Mode”, which transforms the tablet into a cheaper version of Amazon’s Echo Show smart speaker. That’s it for new hardware: the rest is precisely as it was before. So what’s new? The front-facing camera is now 720p, up from 640 x 480, and the tablet’s microSD slot can take cards up to 400GB in capacity, rather than 256GB. READ NEXT: Our guide to the best tablets you can buy Amazon Fire HD 8 (2018) review: What you need to know That’s because it’s essentially the same tablet as the previous model, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The new Amazon Fire HD 8 is finally available and, if you were considering buying one with the hopes of a sizeable upgrade, it’s probably worth waiting a little longer. In 2018, that trend continued with a handful of small updates to Amazon’s middle-child tablet. It helps, too, that Amazon continues to improve the tablets year on year. £59.99 Check price Amazon Fire HD 8 (2018) reviewĪmazon’s tablets may not be the last word in power or luxury, but they do the job for a low price, and make great gifts for kids. ![]()
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