Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024) review: A cheap tablet hampered by outdated software

The latest Amazon Fire HD 8, updated last month and starting at $100, is a modest refresh, offering more RAM, a nominally upgraded camera and some new AI features. The general sales pitch, however, remains the same: You get a just-competent tablet for the essentials at a dirt-cheap (and often-discounted) price, and in exchange, Amazon gets to plant another appliance for its own apps and services in your home. Nothing about this update drastically changes that agreement, but after using the tablet for the past month (and after using older Fire tablets for years prior), it may be time to demand more from Amazon’s end of the bargain. It’s definitely a cheap tablet Physically, the new Fire HD 8 is nearly identical to the last one. It is, without a doubt, A Budget Tablet — it’s nowhere near premium, but it doesn’t feel distractingly cheap either. At just under eight inches tall and 0.37 inches thick, it’s small enough for most kids to operate without much struggle and most adults to carry with one hand. If you care more about your tablet’s travel-friendliness than its virtues as a miniature TV, this size should be fine. The whole thing is lightweight at 0.74 pounds, so it’s not an anchor in your bag. Its textured plastic frame is somewhat slippery but altogether sturdy, with no creaking or flexing. Its gently rounded edges dig comfortably into your palms. There are fairly thick bezels around the display, but I’ve never minded those on a tablet — they give your thumbs a... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2024-11-15 14:19:25 UTC ]

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Apple's AirPods Pro drop back to $199, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

We've been keeping tabs on the best TV deals ahead of this weekend's Super Bowl, but there are plenty of noteworthy tech deals going on for those who aren't looking to overhaul their living room. Apple's AirPods Pro, for instance, are back down to an all-time low of $199, while Amazon is running... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-02-10 16:29:46 UTC ]
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Amazon’s 2022 Kindle drops to a record low of $75

If one of your goals for 2023 is to read more, a new Kindle might inspire you to stick to that intention. Amazon has discounted its entry-level e-reader. Right now, you can get the ad-supported model, in either Black or Denim, for $75 or $25 off its usual $100 price. The 25 percent discount... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-02-05 21:19:08 UTC ]
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Sonos gear is on sale ahead of the Super Bowl, plus the rest of this week's best tech deals

Even if you won't be watching the Super Bowl, you can still take advantage of the sales brands are running on home theater equipment ahead of the game. Sonos, which rarely offers discounts, just announced deals on some of their soundbars and smart speakers. TVs from Samsung are on sale too. This... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-02-03 17:15:02 UTC ]
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Kindle Unlimited Pricing: Is It Worth It?

We look at Kindle Unlimited pricing, catalog, free trial, and the rest of its elements in order to determine if it’s worth it for you. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-02-03 11:32:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite now comes in two new colors

Kindle's Paperwhite 5 launched in 2021, but Amazon has just spruced up the models a bit with a couple of new colors and put them on sale for good measure. You can now grab them in Agave Green and Denim, with the regular 16GB variant priced at $110 (27 percent/$40 off) and the Signature version... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-02-02 09:51:00 UTC ]
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How Jazz Can Unlock Your Team’s Next Breakthrough

“Generative conversations,” in which multiple perspectives are integrated to kindle new solutions, are a powerful way to address the complex challenges facing organizations. Experts from Wharton and SEB explain the neuroscience behind why they work. …Read More Continue reading at Knowledge@Wharton

[ Knowledge@Wharton | 2023-01-27 21:22:49 UTC ]
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Amazon's Fire tablets are up to 43 percent off, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

This week, Apple announced and set the release date for the new MacBook Pros and both Amazon and Best Buy rushed to offer a slight discount on pre orders. Amazon also knocked a hefty 40 percent off many of their Fire Tablets, including the new Fire HD 8. Bose's QC II earbuds are back down to... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-01-20 17:15:19 UTC ]
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Amazon's Kindle Kids e-readers are up to $50 off right now

Amazon is selling the 2022 Kindle Kids at a discount for the first time since it was released in September last year. The e-reader is currently on sale for $85 or $35 less than its retail price of $120. If your child wants a device with a bigger screen, though, the Kindle Paperwhite for Kids is... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-01-20 12:40:21 UTC ]
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5 boundary-pushing laptops I’m dying to get my hands on in 2023

There’s nothing more exciting to me than a laptop with unique features or an out-of-the-box design. While a slew of brand spanking new laptops were announced at CES this year, there were some that really stood out from the rest. From RGB keyboards on Chromebooks to portable laptops so thin... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2023-01-18 11:45:00 UTC ]
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25 of The Best Kindle Unlimited Books to Read in 2023

Looking for your next great read? Want to take advantage of Kindle Unlimited? Here are 25 of the best Kindle Unlimited books of 2023, including The Last Final Girl by Stephen Graham Jones, Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby, and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-01-16 11:36:00 UTC ]
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The Morning After: Disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried started a newsletter

Sure, it may not sound like the spiciest headline, but Sam Bankman-Fried is in a weird place to be starting a Substack. He’s facing up to 115 years in prison if he’s convicted of federal fraud and conspiracy charges. And yet the embattled founder of collapsed crypto exchange FTX – who pleaded... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-01-13 12:15:24 UTC ]
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The Morning After: The best of CES 2023

After canceling our CES plans in 2022 (and there wasn’t even a show in 2021), the Engadget team sent a dozen staffers to this year’s CES. The show wasn't as busy as in pre-pandemic years, but many events were packed, and companies had plenty of announcements to dig into. So, what was the best of... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-01-09 12:38:01 UTC ]
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Amazon's Kindle Scribe is on sale for the first time, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

When we weren't distracted by all the cool stuff at CES, we found some pretty great deals on tech that you can buy right now. Amazon's just-released Kindle Scribe, with both reading and writing capabilities, saw its first-ever discount and Razer discounted many of their 2022 Blade 15 gaming... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-01-06 19:05:41 UTC ]
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The Morning After: Lenovo made an e-ink tablet to rival Amazon’s Scribe

The CES conveyor belt of PCs doesn’t let up. Lenovo has been busy. Let’s start with its latest YogaBook, the dual-screen YogaBook 9i. Instead of folding like a conventional laptop, this… thing unfurls a screen atop another, with a slimline keyboard at the bottom. Thankfully, as well as the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-01-06 12:15:23 UTC ]
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Amazon's Kindle Scribe drops to $295 with its first discount

If you've been looking to grab Amazon's Kindle Scribe but didn't want to jump in at full price, the company has rolled out the first set of discounts on its new top-end e-reader with note-taking support. Depending on which configuration you want, the deals take $45 to $60 off the device's... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-01-05 20:40:33 UTC ]
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9 Mystery Series From Kindle Unlimited

On the hunt for mysteries? Check out nine of the best Kindle Unlimited mystery series available now, including Vivien Chien's Noodle Shop Mystery series. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-12-19 11:37:00 UTC ]
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Amazon to End Print Textbook Rentals, Overhaul Magazine and Newspaper Subscriptions

Amazon is discontinuing its print textbook rental program, and will phase out print and digital magazine and newspaper subscriptions as well, though some magazines and newspapers will remain available through Kindle Unlimited. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-14 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Watch the newest commercials from Amazon, Society6, Disney and more

Amazon shows off its notepad-like Kindle Scribe, “the first Kindle for reading and writing.” Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2022-12-12 18:44:20 UTC ]
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Amazon Kindle Scribe Review: Read and Write on this Pricey Ebook Reader

You can read ebooks, write notes, or mark up PDFs on this new slate, but your wallet will feel a lot lighter. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2022-12-08 14:00:00 UTC ]
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The Morning After: Apple has ‘fully resumed’ advertising on Twitter, according to Elon Musk

According to Elon Musk, Apple has “fully resumed” advertising on Twitter. The billionaire made the comment during a Twitter Spaces conversation he broadcast from his private plane on Saturday evening. On November 28th, Musk claimed Apple had “mostly stopped advertising on Twitter” and threatened... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-12-05 12:15:07 UTC ]
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