Amazon’s new dock combines the best parts of the Fire and Echo Show
Two new docks from Amazon will allow you to turn your Amazon Fire tablet into something approximating an Echo Show.
The ‘Show Mode Charging Dock’ is available in two sizes; one for the Fire HD 8 ($39.99, or around £37.50) and one for the Fire HD 10 ($54.99, or around £42), and will be available in the US from July 12th. No UK release has been announced yet, and when asked for comment on a possible UK release an Amazon spokesperson said, “we have nothing further to share at this time.”
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The product works by automatically placing your tablet into ‘Show Mode’, which is a feature that will be rolling out to Amazon Fire tablets via a forthcoming firmware update.
While in this mode, the tablet will behave much like a regular Amazon Echo Show. You’ll be able to make video calls, watch news bulletins, or watch Amazon Prime Video content.
The best of both worlds
Although we liked the build and sound quality of the Amazon Echo Show when we reviewed it, we didn’t like how non-portable it was. It felt strange to try and watch video content on a device with a small screen that you’d probably place on a side table or kitchen counter.
In contrast, the Amazon Fire tablets have been consistently excellent budget tablets, which have always made far more sense for video content.
The new docks thus feel like a best of both worlds solution, offering the portability of a tablet when you need it, with the hands-free voice control of a device you could happily use for listening to music or reading recipes when it’s in your kitchen.
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Our one reservation based on what’s been announced so far is that there doesn’t seem to be any mention of an audio-out jack on the dock, which we think would be the perfect accessory to let the Fire tablet control your music while it’s docked. Then again, the Fire’s existing Bluetooth connectivity could more than likely achieve this just fine.
Are you tempted to buy a stand for your Amazon Fire rather than a full-blown Amazon Echo Show? Let us know @TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.