Amazon's new Fire HD 8 tablets let you use Alexa without speaking

J. Fingas@jonfingasSeptember 21, 2022 9:00 AMIn this post: news, Amazon, gear, Fire, Fireplace High definition 8, tablet, young ones, Alexa, cellularAmazon

Amazon is revamping its 8-inch tablets for the first time in two decades, but their most important improvement could possibly rest in the software. The firm has released new Fire Hd 8 styles that introduce a “Tap to Alexa” element. You can not only regulate the assistant solely employing contact, but pair with a supporting Bluetooth swap or use text-to-speech to have commands spoken for you. This is significantly handy for persons with speech and mobility disabilities, but could also be beneficial if you just do not want to talk (say, to steer clear of waking your infant).

There are some meaningful hardware upgrades. Amazon promises 30 per cent a lot quicker performance as a result of a new six-main processor, and the design and style is billed as thinner, lighter and additional resilient than its predecessor. You can also assume a slightly for a longer time 13-hour battery lifetime. You are restricted to 2GB of RAM and wired charging on the foundation design , but an uprated Hearth Hd 8 Plus (pictured over) bumps up to 3GB of RAM although adding wireless charging, quicker wired charging and a increased-excellent 5-megapixel digital camera.

Never expect extraordinary advancements in other parts. The 2022 Fire High definition 8 starts off at $100 with the exact 32GB of (thankfully expandable) storage, and tops out at 64GB. You can shell out $120 for the 32GB In addition model, which also has a 64GB option. You really don’t want to buy 1 to get Tap to Alexa, at minimum. Amazon is generating the feature accessible now for 8th-generation or more recent Fireplace tablets in the US, British isles, Germany and Japan.

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Parents could recognize the expanded child-friendly assortment, however. The Hearth Hd 8 Children consists of the familiar two-yr “fear-cost-free” guarantee, 12 months-extensive Young ones+ subscription and rugged situation for $150, but you can find now Disney Princess- and Mickey Mouse-themed variants for $160. You can also purchase a $150 Little ones Pro tablet (demonstrated at center) for ages 6-12 that offers mum or dad-managed retail outlet entry in addition to the other Young children edition perks. As in the past, these may possibly stand for the greatest values — you can give young kinds a tablet that will with any luck , survive decades of tough-and-tumble use.

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