Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024) review: A cheap tablet hampered by outdated software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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Engadget Podcast: Kindle Scribe review and the rise of Twitter clones

Finally, a Kindle you can write on! This week, we dive into Cherlynn’s review of the Kindle Scribe, Amazon’s first e-reader that can also capture handwritten notes. The hardware is great, but as usual, Amazon’s software feels half-baked. Also, Devindra and Cherlynn discuss the rise of new... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-12-02 13:30:56 UTC ]
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The Morning After: Our verdict on Amazon’s Kindle Scribe

We’ve talked a few times about the appeal of capable digital styluses and e-ink note-taking. Surely, it’s the perfect study tool? This time, Amazon tries it out. The Kindle Scribe, at $340, is costlier than a basic e-ink reader, but it has stylus input, high latency and a few more tricks.This is... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-12-01 12:15:57 UTC ]
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Amazon Kindle Scribe review: Better than pen and paper but not the competition

When I turned 10, I was finally allowed to own a pen. At school, that was when we moved from pencils to ink, and our parents were told to get us all-new stationery. That was also the year we learned to write in cursive, because we were finally big kids and cursive writing meant we could… sign... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-30 14:00:19 UTC ]
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Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is a slick but limited handwriting tablet

The latest Kindle looks beyond mere content consumption, with mixed results. The Kindle Scribe is unlike any other device Amazon has built before.Read Full Story Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2022-11-30 09:00:00 UTC ]
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The best Cyber Monday tech deals for 2022: discounts on earbuds, laptops, smartwatches and more

For the past couple of years, Cyber Monday has been almost an extension of Black Friday. In the tech deals space, lots of the discounts and sales we saw at the end of last week are still available now as Cyber Monday deals. There are some new ones, though, which means that even if you bought... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-28 14:20:31 UTC ]
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The best Cyber Monday deals on tablets that we could find

If you're looking to pick up a new tablet for the holidays, a number of slates we recommend are on sale for Cyber Monday. Most of the best discounts are holdovers from Black Friday, but that still means a range of iPads, Amazon Fire tablets and Microsoft Surface PCs are down to their lowest... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-28 14:00:12 UTC ]
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Best Buy’s best Cyber Monday deals: Laptops, TVs, tablets and more

Cyber Monday is in full effect, and the deals are hopping. If you haven’t already started your shopping, now’s the time—wait even just a little too long and you could miss out on fantastic discounts. Stock can and does run out early, as Best Buy warns in its Black Friday FAQ. Many of... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2022-11-28 10:05:00 UTC ]
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How Alexa, Echo, and other devices became a drag on Amazon’s revenue

Sure, R&D is expensive, but the issues run deeper. When Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced earlier this week that Amazon would be conducting layoffs, he called out one team in particular: devices and books, which is responsible for products including Alexa, Kindle readers, Echo smart speakers,... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2022-11-26 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The best Black Friday tech deals for 2022: discounts on TVs, laptops, smartwatches and more

Black Friday is finally here and if you haven't started your holiday shopping, now's the best time to do so. While we've seen some of our favorite gadgets go on sale since the start of November, today's the day you're almost guaranteed to find the best prices of the year across laptops, TVs,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-25 13:51:19 UTC ]
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Best Buy’s best Black Friday deals: Laptops, TVs, tablets and more

Black Friday is here at last, and the deals are hopping. If you haven’t already started your shopping, now’s the time—wait even just a little too long and you could miss out on fantastic discounts. Stock can and does run out early, as Best Buy warns in its Black Friday FAQ. Many of today’s... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2022-11-25 10:05:00 UTC ]
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The best Black Friday Amazon deals on Kindles, Echo speakers, Fire TV devices and more

Now that Amazon has not one but two Prime Days per year, you might think they'd run out of deals. Not so. The world's largest retailer has plenty of deals to go around for Black Friday, including these discounts on their own devices. And for this sale, you don't even have to be a Prime member to... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-25 08:00:21 UTC ]
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The best early Black Friday tech deals for 2022

Black Friday may still be a few hours away, but we're already seeing a bunch of great deals on our favorite tech. This comes after a slow trickle of deals popping up across the web ever since the start of November. While we don't have the supply chain issues we did last year, it's still a good... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-24 17:30:45 UTC ]
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Amazon's new Kindle drops to $85 for Black Friday

Amazon's latest entry-level Kindle has received its first discount in time for Black Friday. The company is selling the 2022 ad-supported Kindle for $85, or $15 below the official price. That makes it tempting if you're planning a gift for the bookworm in your life, or have just been waiting for... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-24 13:30:55 UTC ]
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Best Buy’s best Black Friday deals: Laptops, TVs, Apple gear, and more

Black Friday is just one day away, but the deals have already begun reaching their peak. You don’t need to wait to make your purchases—in fact, if you do, you run the risk of missing out on fantastic discounts. Stock can run out early, as Best Buy warns in its Black Friday FAQ. Many of... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2022-11-24 09:59:00 UTC ]
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Apple's 10.2-inch iPad drops to $270, plus the best early Black Friday deals so far

Though Black Friday is technically a week away, we're already seeing a barrage of sales that we expect to carry over into the shopping holiday. Several of Apple's iPads, Apple Watches and MacBooks are available at their lowest prices to date, for instance, as are a plethora of devices from... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-18 17:15:53 UTC ]
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Amazon's Black Friday sale brings Kindle e-readers back to all-time lows

Amazon's Black Friday deals have started going live, and its Echo Show displays, Fire tablets and Fire TV devices are already being sold at a discount. Also on sale? Its Kindle e-readers, some of which are now listed for the lowest prices we've seen for them on the website. The Kindle Paperwhite... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-18 13:13:24 UTC ]
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Best Buy’s best Black Friday deals: TVs, laptops, Apple gear, and more

As per modern tradition, Black Friday deals are already here, well before Thanksgiving. You don’t have to wait to save money—in fact, if you do, you run the risk of missing out. Not everything will remain in stock, as Best Buy warns in its Black Friday FAQ. Many of today’s best-known tech... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2022-11-17 19:44:06 UTC ]
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The best gifts for travelers in 2022

Be it for work or play, many people are taking trips again, which makes travel-related gifts an excellent idea. Whether your loved ones are globetrotters or frequent business travelers, it’s time to look into upgrading their existing on-the-go kit. We’ve curated a list of various items your... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-11-16 14:15:03 UTC ]
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Amazon Changes Kindle eBook Return Policy, Ends Lending Between Kindle Users, and More

What's going on with Kindle? See what changes are coming to return policies, file formats, and ebook lending at Amazon. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-10-19 10:40:00 UTC ]
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Which Kindle should you buy? What to look for in an Amazon e-reader

Screen sizes! Storage! Lighting! With prices ranging from $100 to $350, some features might prove more valuable than others. I don’t want to spoil the punchline of this article, but Amazon’s Kindle e-reader lineup runs from inexpensive to expensive. And with the introduction of the latest... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2022-10-14 08:05:00 UTC ]
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