Customer Reviews

Kindle Fire HDX 8.9", HDX Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB - Includes Special Offers

Decided to upgrade to the larger screen and faster processing from my 7"KFHD and so far am delighted with my purchase.

So, some points;

- the high output charger is included in the box - well done Amazon
- the screen is fantastic, both in terms of the larger size and picture quality.
- streaming video quality is superb.
- sound quality from the two speakers is excellent.
- the tablet itself is very slim and light to hold - any extra weight comes with a protective cover, which I would suggest is a must for a high value piece of kit.
- I have no issues at all with the power and volume buttons being on the back; in fact I think they are more intuitive to use there.
- I bought the biggest on-board storage as there is no expansion capability.
- an extra tenner to remove the adverts on start-up is worth paying - the default images are very good.
- immediate access to all the music, books and apps I have ever bought from Amazon.
- Very fast download of stuff over my home Wi-Fi network.
- the Silk browser has been improved, and internet pages load very quickly.
- simplicity itself to set up my e-mail accounts, and I was up and running in a couple of minutes.
- both front and rear-facing cameras are very good, and there is a pre-loaded app to control them (unlike on the earlier KFHD).
- downloading the excellent OfficeSuite Pro7 app allows me to view and easily edit documents and presentations that I give for work.
- I opted for the 3/4G connectivity as I travel a lot with work and can't always get easy access to Wi-Fi network - you can set up a PAYG contract with Vodaphone.
- downloading the free Citrix Receiver app allows me easy access to my work desktop.
- there are plenty of apps from the Amazon store for my needs

I have an Otterbox case for it as I find the added protection a plus, it allows secure standing at three working angles, and as a bonus find it easier to hold free hand than the origami case (though that does look pretty).

I'm very pleased with this - I keep seeing comparisons with the i-pads, which are irrelevant to me - I like this for what it is, not for how much better or worse it is than something else.

First some context. I use computers all the time when I was working and now that I have retired and spend much of my time researching, writing and publishing books. I use a PC much of the time but when travelling find that a tablet is clearly easier to transport and provides the accessibility I need for emails, the Internet, access to film and books/magazines. I initially purchased an Asus Transformer for this purpose, then the more transportable Kindle HD 7" and now the HDX. What I want from a tablet is reliability, good battery life and ease of use to let me do the things I want to do.

The new HDX certainly fulfils those needs. Though I had a slight problem with setup that I could not sort out myself and needed telephone support from Amazon (excellent, quick solution), it proved remarkably simple and all the documents and apps that I had on the HD were there ready to use. Ditto the books that I had already purchased. One recurrent theme in American reviews and, it seems to be unjustifiably low scores as a result, is the question of office apps on the system. It was simply a case of adding a free word processing, presentation, spreadsheet app and the problem is solved.

The HDX is an excellent piece of kit. I went for the 64GB storage as there are no card slots (something for another incarnation I hope) and this is ample for my needs. The screen is excellent, apps load quickly (both to get on the system and then once loaded), Silk has been improved and is much quicker. The tablet is light and sleek and is easy to hold in one hand, though I find it better to rest it on something for ease of use. The cameras are good and video streams like a dream. I'm not entirely convinced by moving the buttons to the rear of the Kindle--necessary to keep the Kindle thin--but they are certainly bigger and therefore easier to use than on the HD. Overall, the HDX allows me to do what I want and I would certainly recommend it as a significantly cheaper alternative to Apple Air.

I thought I'd update my review (12 December) after over a month's regular use. Getting one of the origami covers--also an excellent if expensive item--was a good decision. Not only does it put the Kindle into shut-down mode when closed but it also protects and helps to clean the screen. I use my Kindle for a variety of things but especially reading and the ability to place my growing number of books easily into different collections has made finding the books when I need them considerably easier. I already had an app capable of doing this but the Kindle solution is eminently more elegant. In fact, the more I use the Kindle, the more elegant and responsive I find it, something aided by modifying the settings t suit my needs. I've used the machine for word-processing using both the built in keyboard (fine for short emails or blogs) and a Bluetooth keyboard for longer documents. Silk has proved a responsive and quick way of accessing the Internet and the emailing app has proved invaluable and also highly responsive. Battery life is good--I've averaged 9.5 hours before needing to re-charge--but have found that turning off Wi-Fi does extend this time. Overall, my initial feelings about the Kindle have been reinforced by using it. It really is an excellent tablet.

I've been using the Kindle Fire for some time now and have been largely happy, however, within a few moments of using the new Kindle Fire HDX, the improvements are palpable and pleasing.

The first thing to comment on, is the weight, despite the larger screen, it is now comfortable to wield one handed and significantly lighter than the older Fire and Fire HD. The shell is slimmer and has a nice soft grip finish on the rear and beveled edges which make it more comfortable to hold, and your fingers will glide effortlessly across the screen which is notably more responsive. The bookshelf interface has been significantly improved (although I'd like more flexibility on how to sort my files and apps - eg, I'd like my current book to remain at the front of the queue even if I decide to download a slew of new titles for later). If you are a keen reader, but find your wallet is a little on the lean side, you'll can also find a substantive catalogue of free or heavily discounted titles to browse through which should have something to suit all tastes.

If you've never used the Lovefilm service, there is a 30 day free trial for you to sample. Streaming is superb and I've not has a single issue with buffering films of TV programmes I've opted to watch. [My main gripe with Lovefilm is that the content is mostly quite old, but I still found stuff I wanted to see (eg Vikings) and the range of HD content has improved.] The display is just as superb and the clarity and depth of colour and detail are superb. Sound is impressive too for such a small device, and the two speakers offer stereo sound, although it is inevitably a little thin compared to the cinema experience - you can opt to use earphones (not supplied), so select a good pair and you'll be much more impressed with the experience. Personally, I still prefer watching my media on larger screens with full surround sound, so it's fortunate I can also have the same streaming experience on my smart TV or via my playstation or xbox for no extra cost.

If you've purchased music CDs from Amazon in the past, you may be pleasantly suprised to find electronic versions are available to you to stream from the cloud or download directly to your kindle. Whilst this is great, I've noticed that the tracks are not always correctly identified and this may lead to some confusion when creating a playlist. That strange issue aside, I found music streamed smoothly and I had no buffering issues either.

The silk browser is another step forward. The interface is snappier and feels much more responsive than in the previous models, and connectivity has so far proven to be more reliable too. Sadly, the browser doesn't support flash, so you'll have difficulty with sites that rely on flash media player, but generally pages load quickly and you can switch rapidly between multiple tabs - I've not been able to count the upper limit, but you will be advised when you reach it. The lack of flash support is an annoyance because it is still prevalent across the web.

There is both a front and rear (with led flash) facing camera. The rear camera is OK, it can record 1080p video clips, but at only 8mp, there are definitely better ways to take photos for better results, even if the screen does make a great viewfinder. The front camera can manage 720p video, so it does a decent job with skype messaging. Overall the camera features are good, but they could do with some improvements in future models.

There are a number of Apps available from the Amazon App store (rather than Googleplay) - I'm not really a big app or social media user, so this isn't a major feature for me and whilst there are some that I use which are absent, but I still have my smartphone for those. However, browsing through the selection you'll find many of the standards like Angry Birds, Tetris Bejeweled, Facebook, Twitter, iPlayer and YouTube. There is also a "free app of the day" which might offer up a bargain once in a while as it cycles through the range games and productivity apps that are on offer. If there are any glaring omissions from the library, I honestly couldn't tell you what they are.

Battery life is working out to be around 8-9 hours depending on use. The fact that the unit is sealed and batteries can't be easily replaced is also a little disappointing. It's not entirely surprising in our current era of corporately enforced technological obsolescence, but it would have been nice if we could at least have the option of being able to carry around a spare to extend usage.

I've gone for the 32GB model, which is more than sufficient for my needs, and for dragging and dropping files I can use the USB connections to link it to my PC , but the inclusion of a memory expansion slot could have increased the flexibility of the model. I have tge 4G version, but I'm not especially keen on being locked into Vodafone as the de facto service provider. I was able to pair up a bluetooth keyboard and microphone really easily and found them to function perfectly.

Overall, there are a few things that I think could be improved:

Battery life could be better and it would be useful to have the option to change batteries if needed.
More flexibility to allow the customer to choose who provides their 4G service.
Browser should support Flash whilst it it still so prevalent on the web.
A memory expansion slot would be advantageous.
Improved camera resolution and greater parity between the functionality and features of the front and rear cameras.

However, I absolutely love my Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 and it does everything I need it to do well (reading, email, web browsing and media streaming) and I'm glad I've made the switch.

I was a little bit worried that the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" would disappoint and be neither an effective tablet nor a great e-reader. I needn't have worried - this machine performs brilliantly both as a tablet and an e-reader. It is quick in action, light in weight and has the most superb screen display I have ever seen. Well done Amazon - you certainly got this one spot on in every way!

I bought the HDX 8.9 64GB being under the impression it would be a step up from the previous generation Kindle Fire HD, and in some respects it is, in other ways however it fails to impress.

Firstly the pros:
-The screen is superb. Probably the best available at the moment on a device this size.
-The speakers are also top of their class. The sound they produce is beyond anything you would expect.
-I really like the new design, and it is so light to hold. It looks like a quality product.
-It comes with a charger! The last generation didn't.

Now for the cons:
-Whilst the hardware has significantly improved, Amazon's software has not. Now dubbed Fire OS, it seems to be far more bug prone and unreliable than before. 50 per cent of the time the various Amazon stores refuse to load, often requiring a shutdown. Considering the power of the tablet there is also a significant amount of lag and stuttering even when just scrolling through the ever present carousel.
-I knew how Amazon handled films on the device, via their LoveFilm service, but having now experienced BlinkBox and GooglePlay's offering, and seen how they allow you to download films or TV episodes individually. LoveFilm seems antiquated in insisting on a subscription service. Why can't I purchase or rent films and pay as I go?
-Each section of content has it own store, books, music etc. On the HDX these stores don't seem to be formatted correctly, the book and magazine store look frankly awful, with content arranged bizarrely and mis-aligned, this is just sloppy coding on Amazon's part. Not a big issue but still not what you would expect.
-Amazon's magazine and newspaper offering is lazy. Each publication is offered as it's own app. There is no conformity across each app. They are designed to offer one free issue and then you need to take a subscription to continue with the next issue. Why can't I buy issues as and when I feel like it? Again GooglePlay offers this service. Looking at the store not one of the publications I have looked at has been given more than a 3 star review, mainly due to people being charged and then not getting what they have paid for!

Having owned the device since its UK release date I find it hard to recommend. The 8.9 HDX is no longer selling at a budget price, yet for a far cheaper outlay I could get more functionality from a stock Android tablet. Why sell the device with such large storage capacity when there is no facility to download films or even access some of the larger (and better) Android games, which Amazon seem to have no plan to port across anytime soon (PVZ2?).

In short good hardware but why bother if nothing you offer makes use of the extra power? �420 to read books and access the internet? All these issues could be sorted via software updates, something tells me they won't be though.

brilliant screen, easy to work an all the information you need, at your finger tips,via may day GREAT for older people

I have been looking forward to the release of this tablet for some time having previously owned the original Nexus 7. I had found myself purely using my tablet for web browsing and media consuemtion; being a combination of video's, music and games, this along with me being a large Amazon shopper meant that this tablet made sense for me.

I couldn't decide between the 7 or 8.9 version so decided to buy both and then decide after handling them and return the other. For me the 8.9 feels much nicer to hold, is not noticibely heavier in hand as the weight is more spread out and has the added advantage of a very acceptable 8mp rear camera (comparable with smartphone).

The main selling point of this tablet is the screen which looks absoloutly amazing and is as good as if not better than my friends new ipad air, and infact on some videos it actually shows up the poor quality of the streaming. The sound is perfectly acceptable for a tablet and it feels well made, my one dissapointment being how much fingerprints show up on not just the screen but the whole case.

The Mayday feature worked well, taking about 30 seconds to answer and the person on the other end being UK based!!

Coming from a Nexus 7 tablet and my phone being a HTC One with Sense, I have found Amazons OS Fire to be easy to use and whilst not as customisable as normal android it is very intuative (more like the Apple OS) and easy to both set-up and use. The only shame is that native Google apps like Gmail and Maps are not available.

Overall very pleased with this device, however if you go for the larger memory with 4g etc, it does start to look very expensive and on the same price as an ipad air...only time will tell if it can compete. However the lower memory wi-fi versions really do look good value for money, and these are what I would recommend.

Any questions feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you.

Just unboxed... so easy to set up everything from wi-fi connections to mail to social networking. This tablet is amazingly quick web pages load super fast on silk.

The tablet build quality is just awesome, I have read many reviews that are negative about on/off and volume buttons but I had no issue with operating without looking. The camera seems quite good but need to fully test it but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it had HDR and panoramic mode.

Downloading of apps seems so much faster than the old HD fire and for the price the 64GB gives heaps of space.

Amazon you have made a fantastic product well done!!!!!

My wife has a Fire HD 7ins and I have been impressed by that, but there are times when a larger screen would be useful, so I asked for the HDX 8.9. I am very pleased with it as a handy alternative to my desktop pc. It is very light, a very good screen (both colour and definition) and the charger included is a plus over the Fire HD.
I do not find the adverts intrusive. The Silk browser is easy to use. I have not set my Fire up for emails as I prefer to keep them on my pc, but there is always webmail as a reasonable alternative if required.

The tablet is absolutley brilliant. The definition is so clear and bright, in fact watching i-player on it is better than on my HD TV.
The Kindle Fire is extremely easy to use and downloading extra apps is no problem. I was able to set it up myself and I'm in my seventies.