Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 7- and 8.9-inch slates have only seen limited shores since they were formally announced, but today the company said they're now available for pre-order in more than "170 countries and territories around the world." We could try and list all the new tablet markets, but it's easier to say that until now, they've only found spots in Amazon stores in the US, Europe and Japan. We're not surprised to see the hardware get a much wider release, given that the e-tailer revealed its plan to take the Appstore global last month. The only other nugget in the PR is an expected shipping date of June 13th. Head over to your local Amazon portal to confirm if your region is one of the lucky 170.

Update: Amazon's issued a second PR saying those international plans for the Appstore are no longer plans -- it's now up and running in "nearly 200 countries."

Filed under: Tablets, Amazon

Comments

Source: Amazon

Amazon makes a pretty good case for its Kindle Fire HD and Paperwhite with prices as low as $199 and $119 respectively, but it turns out there's more at work than just special offers to keep them affordable. In an interview with the BBC, the company's head honcho Jeff Bezos revealed that they can keep the price tags reasonable since they don't turn a profit on the devices. "Basically, we sell the hardware at our cost, so it is break even on the hardware," Bezos said. "We're not trying to make money on the hardware." Instead, Amazon banks on making a buck when owners of the slates and e-readers purchase books, movies, games and other content through their digital storefront. This doesn't exactly come as a surprise, but we're glad that Jeff's confirmed our suspicions.

Filed under: Tablets, Amazon

Comments

Source: BBC

Rovio teased a certain film-inspired Angry Birds picture a long, long last week, and as expected, it's another new game -- Angry Birds Star Wars. Our furious feathered friends are assuming the likenesses of characters from the epic saga, with the trusty Red Bird taking on Luke Skywalker's role. It wouldn't be the Rebel Alliance without a dark side to fight, which is where the Pigs fit into the storyline; even the music and levels for gravity-based play will hark back to the film franchise. In addition to the software, details of related merchandise have also been uncovered, including table games, toys and costumes. The game is out on November 8th for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Kindle Fire and computers, and if it follows the original storyline, we wonder how Red Bird's going to feel about his porcine family history.

Filed under: Gaming, Mobile

Comments

Via: Joystiq

Source: USA Today, Idle Hands blog

Amazon's Cloud Drive has rounded out its European tour with releases in the remaining major markets: Spain and Italy. Pricing in these regions matches that of the UK, Germany and France, with 8 euros (around $10) netting you 20GB of storage for a year, on top of the complimentary 5GB you get for signing up. You'll be able to access this space through your browser, desktop apps, or any of the new Kindle Fires when they start hitting Euro doorsteps at the end of the month. Plus, Amazon's giving US customers the ability to share files with whomever they choose, and Mac users worldwide can now upload their iPhoto library hassle-free. With Cloud Drive now available, the Appstore ready to roll, and Fire hardware making its way to the Continent, we're starting to think Amazon quite likes it there.

Filed under: Storage, Internet, Software, Amazon

Comments

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that more Americans than ever now own tablets, but if you'd ever wanted some quantifiable data to go along with that homespun wisdom, then the Pew Research Center is glad to help. According to its latest report, 22 percent of US adults now own a tablet of some form. While the iPad remains the dominant player in the space with a 52 percent market share, this figure starkly contrasts the 81 percent share that Pew reported in 2011. As you might expect, Android tablets have made significant inroads and now account for 48 percent of the overall tablet space. Leading the Android charge is the Kindle Fire, which alone accounts for 21 percent of all tablets sold. It's worth pointing out that Pew's survey was conducted before the release of either the Nexus 7 or the Kindle Fire HD, which means that even the most recent information is a bit behind the curve. You'll find a press release after the break that provides a much broader take on Pew's latest findings in the mobile space, but those who want to go straight to the meat should hit up the source link below.

Filed under: Tablets, Mobile, Apple, Amazon

Comments

Via: Computerworld

Source: Pew Research Center

Sure, you can certainly snag one of those shiny new Amazon slates straight from the source, but if that famed, speedy shipping isn't your style, then a trip to the nearest Staples would be recommended. The "That Was Easy" retailer announced earlier it's now inviting all parties interested in picking up an all-new, 7-inch Kindle Fire HD, a revamped Kindle Fire or that $69 Kindle to visit its brick-and-mortar stores -- where, starting today, folks will be able to buy any of the aforementioned devices. While these Kindles can be found listed on the Staples website (see below), the company didn't mention whether it actually plans to sell them online -- perhaps they're just there in case you're in need of a little bit of guidance.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Source: Staples (Kindle Fire), (Kindle Fire HD)

If you had your heart set on a Kindle Fire, Fire HD 7 or Reader, you can now plunk down your plastic and receive one as fast as your shipper can wheel it over. The 1,280 x 800 Fire HD 7-inch model, which we recently put through the wringer, is available in a 16GB version for $199, and Amazon says the 32GB version will arrive October 25th. As we noted, it carries a new dual-band WiFi system for greater surfing speed, dual speakers, a front HD camera and a TI-made dual-core ARM Cortex A-9 processor. The updated Kindle Fire can be had as well for $159, with double the RAM of the last version, a new processor and a bigger battery. Finally, the new Kindle Reader is also up for grabs at an ad-supported cost of $69, while the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD should be along in November at $299 ($499 for a 4G version). So, if you're already looking ahead to a certain holiday, check the sources to see how to get one.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Source: Amazon (1), (2), (3)

Huge week for Amazon, last week. But all that Kindly goodness was nearly upstaged by lock-screen ad nonsense. When I searched on the keyword "amazon" in my RSS tech folder, Friday and Saturday of last week looked like two big parade floats: "OMG, there are ads on the new Kindle tablet!" and "Praise the heavens, you can disable the ads!"

Tempest in a teapot, those ads. And Amazon took the wrong approach to removing them.

Filed under: Tablets, Internet

Comments

You'd be forgiven for wondering just what Amazon was up to with Special Offers ads on the Kindle Fire HD: we were given the hope that we could opt out from them, only to watch that dream dashed moments later. Amazon must have been listening to frustrations over the mixed messages, as it just let Engadget and others in the media know that yes, you'll have the option to drop the ads after all. Pay $15 after picking up the new tablet and those lock screen promos will disappear forever. There's no sign that there will be a Kindle Fire shipping with ads missing from the get-go, but you know what they say about gift horses. You can find Amazon's full statement to us after the break.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Source: TechCrunch

There's a certain amount of self-contradiction going on if you're visiting a brick-and-mortar store to pre-order a device that's all about e-commerce. If you relish the irony, Best Buy will gladly let you reserve Amazon's $69 Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, upgraded Kindle Fire and both sizes of the Kindle Fire HD (including the LTE model) at both regular locations and Best Buy Mobile. The retailer isn't as specific with its in-stock dates as Amazon: beyond the $69 Kindle's September 14th date, we're only promised a generic October release for the Paperwhite and 7-inch Kindle Fires, while the 8.9-inch tablets will be available "before Christmas." Not the quickest path to getting a new Kindle in your hands, then, but it may be the best way to get a hands-on before clinching the deal.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Source: Android Police

When you pick up that new Kindle Fire HD this fall, one of the first things you'll notice is an updated version of Amazon's Silk web browser with a Trending Now section. It's a clever trick that takes advantage of Silk's server-based caching to find out what sites are popular among owners. That sounds good on the surface, but it doesn't take much effort to realize that there are privacy concerns already in the air -- Amazon is sharing personal web habits with a wider audience, after all. While the section is unlikely to include any identifying information, there's no immediate sign that tablet owners can keep their behavior private, and that could create some indignation among those who'd prefer to surf in isolation. We've asked Amazon if there will be an opt-out escape hatch and will let you know if there's a definitive answer. In the meantime, we wouldn't necessarily worry. Silk shouldn't be caching your e-mail, and it's only likely to ever show pages that have far more traffic than anything you'd be embarrassed to show to others. As far as we can tell, your secret knitting obsession should be safe.

Update: A spokesperson has confirmed that the option to disable Silk's caching is still available, and that switching it off will cut you out of Trending Now; that's a very all-or-nothing approach, but it'll likely suit those put off by the browser's predictive approach in the first place. Secure pages are still out of the picture as well, which should keep those private Twitter messages out of the equation.

Filed under: Tablets, Internet

Comments

Source: TechCrunch

The new Kindle Fire range was barely out of the oven before Amazon drew flak for its plans to include Special Offers on the lock screen for US models. In plainer language, the tablets ship with ads built-in -- and unlike e-paper Kindles, there's no option to pay for an ad-free variant from the start. But don't cancel your pre-order just yet. Amazon's support has since confirmed to an Engadget reader that the option to remove the ads will be "announced soon." Although full details aren't forthcoming, we wouldn't be surprised if history repeats and owners have to pay a fee to cover the lost ad subsidies. You can see the relevant snippet of Amazon's response e-mail, in all its tenuous grasp of English, after the break.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Update: Since we've posted, CNET has talked to a spokesperson who claims that there will be "no way" to remove ads. We're getting to the bottom of this, although it's clear there's at least a schism between what PR and support staff understand.

Update 2: We've gotten in touch with Amazon ourselves, and they say that there's been a mix-up in support -- there won't be any opt-out choice. Sorry, folks. If you don't like ads, you'll have to hope there's a change of heart between now and launch.

Update 3: Look at that. In the space of a day, Amazon has changed its tune and says it will let you pay $15 (post-sale) to opt out of Special Offers ads.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Amazon's roster of fresh Kindle Fire slates won't just be delivering content for your entertainment, they'll also be serving up ads. That's right, each of the new tablets will greet users with "Special Offers" on their lock screens like some of the firm's other e-readers, which matches previous rumors nicely. While the low-end Kindle and Paperwhite devices come in both subsidized and ad-free flavors, its tablet brethren aren't getting the same treatment. Also, there's no word if you'll be able to avoid gracing the advertisements with your eyeballs in exchange for some additional cash once you have the hardware in hand. Alongside messages from other companies, the folks in Seattle promise to offer a $5 credit for both the Amazon MP3 and Instant Video Stores.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Via: The Verge

Source: Amazon

In case you haven't heard, Amazon happily took the wraps off of its new Kindle Fire lineup during today's earlier event in Santa Monica, California. And, for those living in the UK, you, too, can have the online retail giant take your money for one of these slates pretty soon -- well, at least for a couple of the fresh models. As far as pricing goes, the entry-level Kindle Fire will cost a mere £129 (around $205), while the 7-inch Fire HD takes on the slightly heftier price of £159 and £199 for the 16 and 32GB, respectively. Obviously, this leaves out that 8.9-incher Fire HD, though it looks like Amazon's only bringing the smaller Fires to the United Kingdom, as there's no mention of the company's larger tablet anywhere on the site. Still, folks looking to pre-order can do so now at the source link below, but better hurry, since Amazon does note they're all being fulfilled on a "first come, first served" basis.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Source: Amazon (Kindle Fire), (Kindle Fire HD)

Ever wanted Amazon's X-ray for books to play nice with those school publications as well? If so, you're in the luck. The outfit announced today that X-ray for Textbooks will provide a library of terms to lend a hand with your studies alongside a similar function for movies that's powered by IMDB. Of course, the helpful tech will land with the trio of new slates that were also unveiled at the event.

Filed under: Tablets, Software

Comments

Amazon just solved one of the bigger dilemmas for parents buying that new Kindle Fire HD -- how to keep the kids in a safe zone for content. It's introducing Kindle FreeTime, a special mode that makes it easier for younguns to navigate while letting the adults create separate profiles dictating what children can access and for how long. The filters are separated by media type, and Amazon even turns the background from black to blue to reassure parents by the glow of the screen on Junior's face. We'd call the parental control a long overdue feature, although we're sure Amazon also sees it as a chance to scoop up an extra Kindle Fire sale or two among families.

Gallery: Amazon unveils Kindle FreeTime

Follow the Amazon liveblog here!

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

There have been surprisingly few if any concrete leaks of Amazon's future Kindle Fire plans, even with the follow-up's appearance likely just hours away. Thankfully, we may have been given a last-minute peek into the company's strategy after an Engadget reader tipped us to some unusual activity in an app's hardware usage logs. At least a pair of hits have come from a new device identifying itself as "AmazonKFTT" instead of the much plainer "AmazonKindleFire" language attached to the original model. There's also signs that Amazon has upgraded the OS underneath to Android 4.0.3. We wouldn't anticipate this particular slate carrying a quad-core chip to tackle the Nexus 7 head-on, though -- unless the KFTT variant is just a firmware-updated Kindle Fire with a name change, the next generation should still have at least one dual-core tablet in the range. Here's hoping there are a few more surprises in store by the time Amazon takes the stage on Thursday.

[Thanks, Jared]

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

If you can't quite scrounge up the $200 it takes to buy a quality 7-inch slab these days, Amazon may have a solution for you: sell them your attention. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company plans to develop an ad-supported tablet that would display advertisements whenever the screen is turned on. Sound familiar? Like Amazon's existing ad-supported Kindles, a subsided tablet would ring in at a lower price tag then its ad-free counterparts. WSJ's sources also mentioned that some versions of the device would be WiFi-only, potentially helping Amazon lower the price even further. No word yet, if you'll be able to buy your way out of the ads later, of course.

Update: Care for a thicker plot? CNET is now reporting that Amazon will reveal two new Kindle Fire tablets next week -- a 7-incher and a slightly reworked version of the original. While a brand new slab could be an obvious contender for the 7-inch tablet crown, a refreshed version of Amazon's original hardware could very well fit the ad-supported bill. Check out CNET's full report at the source link below.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Source: Wall Street Journal, CNET

It looks like Nokia's strategy to become the go-to company for location-based services is gaining traction, as anonymous sources of Reuters suggest that Amazon will tap the Finnish company to provide mapping data for its upcoming tablet. The report contends that location-aware features will be core to Amazon's Kindle Fire successor, which is widely expected to debut on September 6th. If true, the move represents a continuation of Amazon's desire to create an ecosystem that's far removed from Google own content offerings. On the plus side, it brings the possibility that some excellent offline navigation capabilities may be in the pipeline. Whatever the case may be, we're sure to know the truth very shortly.

Filed under: GPS, Tablets, Software

Comments

Source: Reuters

Amazon's Appstore has been doing brisk business stateside, and is now ready to sell its wares to Europeans in Germany, France, Italy, the UK and Spain. If you sign up, you'll be able to create reviews and make one-click payments, and will have access to a huge library of apps from top-tier brands, as well as localized content. The company said purchases can be used "across a customer's Android devices," which will let you buy an app once, and use it on any of your tablets or smartphones that support the OS. If you'd like to check it out, or get one of Amazon's Free Apps of the Day, check the PR for all the details.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets

Comments

An earlier portrait of the second quarter's tablet market share made it quite clear that the iPad was on a rebound, if it was ever in a slump to start with. All those numbers focused on platforms and not brands, however -- we didn't know how the individual makers were doing. If IHS iSuppli's figures are on the ball, there's even more of a discrepancy if you break down the period's results by manufacturer. The iPad staked out 69.6 percent of tablet shipments in the spring. That wasn't just an 11-point jump over a year earlier; it was a level of share Apple hasn't had since the Motorola Xoom was just cutting its teeth early in 2011.

As for the rest? Transformer Pads kept ASUS growing, but it's not a pretty sight if you're making an Android reader tablet; both Amazon and Barnes & Noble shed roughly a point and a half each, which is no small amount relative to their size. Samsung also lost share by this after its deliveries of Galaxy Tabs mostly stayed flat. We'd add that there's some wiggle room as to real performance knowing that units shipped and sold aren't always one and the same. Most of these companies are leaving clues regarding upcoming tablet refreshes that might level the playing field, some not so subtle, but it's currently Apple's game to win.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Your back may be straining from the textbooks, laptop, gym gear and lunch in that dangling overstuffed messenger, but you're still gonna want to save room for one more item -- a tablet. After all, while you can surf, tweet, play games and watch video from your other devices, there's nothing like doing it from a simple glass window that sits in the palm of your hand. As the hardware gets more powerful, these devices are rapidly becoming versatile enough to let you justify leaving the laptop at home on less-intensive days, so why not check out our picks of the finest devices you should be using and abusing before, during and after class.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

It's becoming a habit of Amazon's to report on the rise of the e-book at the expense of physical texts, and their latest announcement is no different. Sales figures show that in the UK, 114 Kindle purchases have been made for every 100 printed copies so far in 2012. A similar statistic was achieved in the US last year, but whether these are true indications of e-book supremacy is up for discussion. Free downloads were excluded from the tally, but those released via Kindle Direct Publishing without a paper twin were counted. The Guardian also notes that these are unaudited figures, so there may be a digit awry here or there. And with a few physical stores still around, there's no need to panic-buy that Kindle just yet.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Well, looky here. Engadget's very own parent company AOL has released its Play music player app for Kindle Fire, and the interface here is actually considerably different from what you'd get on the straight Android version, available in Google Play. The product people behind the application say they re-tooled the design to match the Fire's 7-inch, 1,024 x 600 screen (and also, the tablet's heavily skinned UI, based on Android). Other than the facelift, there seems to be a good deal of overlap in functionality between this and the Google Play version: access to more than 55,000 Shoutcast radio stations and the ability to share favorite songs over Twitter and Facebook. Also like the main Android version, there's a so-called CD Listening Party feature that opens up free, complete albums, with selections changing weekly. (Naturally, you can also use the app to listen to your own MP3s stored locally on the device, but you probably gathered that.) Play will be available as a free, ad-supported app, though you can also get an advert-free version for 99 cents. Download on Thursday, though (that would be Thursday, Eastern Standard Time), and you can get the premium one gratis.

Gallery: AOL Play for Kindle Fire

Filed under: Tablets, Software

Comments

While we expect Amazon to refresh its Kindle Fire tablet sooner rather than later, Demos Parneros, president of US retail for Staples, has told Reuters that the online book-seller has bigger plans. Amazon apparently aims to introduce five or six new devices (or SKUs, stock-keeping units), though as noted by Android Central's Phil Nickinson, these could thin out to just two tablet models and several storage variants. According to the exec, the tablets will come in a range of sizes and would include a new ten-inch device -- going directly against another popular tablet. No word on whether these five or six device would include a smartphone, as screen sizes get increasingly closer. Amazon has also announced that it'll be creating a new R&D hub in London, focusing on its services and APIs for TVs, consoles, smartphones and PCs, aimed squarely at rolling these out across the globe. The original Kindle Fire -- and its Android app store -- is still not available outside of America. However, public plans for the new Amazon base currently center on relocating both Lovefilm and Pushbutton to this new hub. However, it's been about a year; about time for Europe to get a taste of Amazon's wallet-friendly tab.

Filed under: Tablets

Comments