Amazon Kindle Fire Priced at $199, Release Date is November 15 – Tech Specs Revealed
Amazon has announced the Kindle Fire, the companies first true entry into the tablet market, and what is seen by many as the first real iPad competitor. Backed by Amazon’s massive content library of movies, TV, songs, magazines, books, and apps, the Kindle fire is priced at $199 and is set to be released to US markets on November 15, 2011. Orders are said to be shipping out on a first-come first-serve basis, and you can pre-order the device now through Amazon.com
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Now lets get to the interesting stuff:
Kindle Fire Tech Specs
Most of the anticipated specs are true and some of the technical details are even better than the original rumors, like a dual-core CPU, not to mention the lower price point:
- 7″ multi-touch color IPS display
- 1024×600 pixel resolution at 169 ppi
- Dual-Core CPU
- 512MB RAM
- Wi-Fi – 802.11b/g/n
- 8GB internal storage
- Unlimited cloud storage of Amazon content
- 8 hour battery life
- USB 2.0 micro port
- Top mounted speakers and audio jack
- Runs highly modified Android 2.3 OS
- Tied to Amazon account for immediate setup, no tethering to PC / Mac required
- Amazon Silk cloud-accelerated web browser
- Free month of Amazon prime with purchase
- 1 year warranty
- 7.5″ x 4.7″ x 0.45″
- 14.6 ounces (weighs slightly less than a pound at 0.9lbs or 414 grams)
Noticeably absent from the tech specs are: no camera, no microphone, no 3G access, no GPS, but for the very low price of $199 the lack of certain features isn’t too surprising.
You can read more about the Kindle Fire on Amazon.com
Alongside the Kindle Fire tablet, Amazon also released a variety of new Kindle readers, including the new Kindle Touch
, which has a 6″ e-Ink multi-touch display and is also offered in a 3G version. Amazon’s e-readers are not really viewed as competitors to the iPad, whereas the Kindle Fire tablet clearly is, and it will be interesting to see if the device puts any dents in Apple’s longstanding tablet market domination.
Amazon Kindle Fire’s first TV commercial is below, quoting Voltaire:
[…] their new Nexus 7 tablet, aimed squarely at competing with the iPad, Microsofts Surface, and Kindle Fire. The tablet is very competitively priced starting at $199 for the 8GB version and the 16GB version […]
Magazine question…
Anyone knows if I can copy an image from a magazine page on kindle fire? Say if I see something inspirational I want to clip out and save.
I’ve been browsing on-line more than 3 hours these days, yet I never discovered any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all webmasters and bloggers made just right content as you did, the net shall be much more useful than ever before.
I have one pre-ordered. I also own a iPad 2 3G, plus a Kindle 3 wifi 3G, but I was thinking it would be nice to have the Fire to take with me when I go out to eat and the place has wifi. I can combine my ebooks, plus checking out the web all on one device. I don’t believe it will ever replace my iPad 2, but I love gadgets and am excited to try it out!!
Sorry but a 7 inch screen (half the size of the iPad) makes it a nice Media player but not a Tablet. Comes out too small for really comfortable web browsing. For reading email and eBooks and playing games it’s ok but it just wont work the more serious apps that differentiate the iPad from the iPod. I hope Apple produces a competing 7 inch device, but it should be a larger iPod not a smaller iPad.
That’s why is is called an e-reader, not an ipad genius
Does it do email? If not, then what’s the point of having wifi and a browser? Oh, yes, to buy stuff from Amazon! I guess I could use the web portal, but I’d like a proper client.
Tempting, very tempting. I might get one for the missus and see how that pans out.
Just seen that it does have an email client built in. Now seriously resisting the urge to order one.
$199? This just went on my Christmas list, I’m a sucker for gadgets.
Another way to announce the product is: The Amazon Kindle Fire, for people who don’t yet own an iPad and are too cheap to buy one!
I think it will scrape the low end market and be the dominant Android tab, not to mention cannibalize other Kindles, but it won’t hurt the iPad much. The iPad is too easy to own if you already have an iPhone, and that’s always been Apple’s intention. On the contrary, Android has no consistency between phone and tablet, so there is no natural upsell or purchase path.
That said, I might get one of these for the heck of it.
[…] you’re anxious to compare the new Kindle Fire tablet to the iPad 2, or even the Nook Color, than this handy chart from The Verge makes it nice and […]
[…] Update: Amazon launched the $199 Amazon Kindle Fire, the tech specs are better than expected and you can rea… […]