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| Amazon Kindle Fire HD |
Amazon’s move into ebooks, MP3s and movie streaming (via LoveFilm) leaves few pies for the company’s fingers to get in, and with the Kindle Fire HD it’s combined all its services into one mega-pie of media consumption.
The Kindle Fire HD is a chunkier tablet than its 7in rivals, and a rather nondescript one too, but the lightly rubberised back panel does make it comfortable to carry and a little less likely to slip from your grasp than some others. It’s solid too, although we wouldn’t expect to see it come out on top from a fight with the pavement.
A well-stocked walled garden
Although it’s an Android tablet, the operating system has been heavily modified to make it more user-friendly. That also means the Fire HD doesn’t connect to the Google Play app, movie and music store, but it does have alternatives.
Amazon curates its own version of the full app store, and it covers most bases (Spotify, Sonos, Netflix, plus many popular games), but still misses some big-hitters (YouTube and Sky’s apps, for example). A click on the Videos tab takes you to LoveFilm, for which a free one-month trial is included (it’s £4.99 thereafter). The app is beautiful and lets you stream thousands of movies, although the catalogue is still light on new blockbusters and you can’t download movies to watch later.
You can transfer files from your PC at least, and wherever they come from the Kindle delivers them with lovely contrast and detail, and vibrant but natural colours.
For music you’ve far more options. MP3s from Amazon are stored in the Cloud for free and can be downloaded to the Kindle, or you can opt for Spotify or transfer your own files (lossless FLAC is supported, too).
We like the Kindle’s sound quality: it’s fairly rich and full-bodied with decent punch in the mid-range and treble, and good clarity. Even the speakers are decent.
f you’re all about media, the Kindle Fire HD makes a compelling case for itself, especially if you’re a keen Amazon shopper.
Amazon curates its own app store, and it covers most bases, including Spotify, Sonos and Netflix
TECH SPECS
Operating system Custom Android Screen 7in Resolution 1280 x 800 pixels Processor 1.2GHz Storage 16GB, 32GB Expansion card slot No HDMI output Yes Battery life (music/video) 10 hours Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 3G No Bluetooth Yes Dimensions (hwd) 19 x 14 x 1cm Weight 395g
Rating ★★★★
FOR Sharp, vibrant video; smooth, enjoyable sound; user-friendly; LoveFilm integration
AGAINST Ring-fenced system; no option to download videos; bigger than rivals
VERDICT A great option for heavy media consumers, Amazon or Lovefilm fans and those looking for a first, user-friendly tablet
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