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Engadget's tablet buyer's guide: spring 2013 edition
Much like bears, tablet designers are coming out of hibernation: there have been a handful of noteworthy models reaching the wild after a few months of silence. Most of these are the Windows 8- and RT-based tablets that didn't quite make the cut for the holidays, and we're launching our 2013 spring tablet buyer's guide with a dedicated Windows section to accommodate a distinct and rapidly filling category. Just be careful before you commit to a purchase, wherever your allegiances lie: Mobile World Congress brought us tablets that haven't quite shipped yet, like the FonePad and Galaxy Note 8.0. (We've included a heads-up in those situations where waiting a few weeks, or months, may be wisest.) As chaotic as spring can be, our guide might just provide some kind of stability if you're shopping for your next slate.
The Kindle Fire HD vs Kindle Fire: What's changed?
Well, Amazon unveiled a trio of tablets today, with last year's champ elbowed out of the spotlight by the Kindle Fire HD with its beefier processor and display. While we'll pour one out for the downgraded former flagship, we here at Engadget are more concerned with stacking the stats side-by-side to see what's changed in the 12 months since were here last. If you're curious yourself, why not join us after the break, but be warned, things are gonna get seriously nerdy.
Amazon unveils new Kindle Fire with doubled RAM, 44 percent better performance and $159 price
Amazon has officially unveiled the 2012 vintage of the Kindle Fire, which is reportedly 44 percent more powerful than its predecessor. The service-orientated slate (as opposed to a gadget, which CEO Jeff Bezos claims nobody wants) comes with a bigger battery, a new processor and 1GB RAM -- double that of the 2011 model. The only other change comes in the form of a front-facing camera, unlike its closest rival. Internally, the device is called the Kindle SD as it now plays second-fiddle to a pair of Kindle Fire HD devices with 1,920 x 1,200 displays, but will be called the "new" Kindle Fire in public. Amazon has also slashed the price of the hardware, which at $159 is $40 cheaper than Google's Nexus 7 -- as well as competing with e-book tablet adversaries Kobo Arc and the forthcoming Nook Tablet replacement with an "incredible" 243ppi display, unless Barnes & Noble are also producing SD and HD hardware. It'll begin shipping on September 14th, with pre-orders expected to begin very soon. %Gallery-164584% %Gallery-164613%
WSJ: Amazon is building an ad-supported tablet (update: two Kindle Fire devices coming next week)
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.
AllThingsD: New Kindle Fire will feature 1,280 x 800 resolution, ship in Q3 2012
Rumors and scuttlebutt are already afoot: Amazon is ramping up to release a Kindle Fire successor later this year. It certainly seems reasonable enough; come November the original $200 slate will be a year old, outpaced by the young Nexus 7. According to AllThingsD, however, Amazon aims to keep things fresh -- updating the tablet with a thinner profile, a 1,280 x 800 resolution display and a built-in camera. According to sources "familiar with Amazon's plans," the tablet is slated for a late Q3 launch, agreeing with its previously rumored July / August debut. The finer details -- like the unit's price and internal specs -- are still MIA, but we'll let you know if the rumor mill churns out anything new. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Amazon's new Kindle Fire set to debut in early August? (update: maybe July)
We knew that there would be another Kindle Fire at some point, but we didn't know when it would arrive, or exactly what it'd look like. If the latest report from the China Times is true, however, we can expect Amazon's new slate to ship around August 7th. Like the first Fire, this new version will be built by Quanta, with a metal chassis and displays provided by LG and Panasonic. Other details, like its size or the contents within said metallic frame, are still nowhere to be found. What we can tell you is that the new tablet can't get here fast enough for Amazon given the Fire's declining sales numbers and its fresh competition from Mountain View. Update: Looks like something was lost in translation -- it turns out the China Times report actually states that the new Kindle Fire is set to make its appearance in July or August, not specifically on August 7th.
