Amazon has taken the wraps off a new version of the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 tablet.
It may look virtually identical to last year’s model – and be identically named to boot – but the new Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 has some notable improvements over last year’s angular flagship tablet.
True, its 8.9-inch display has the same 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution as the previous version. But then, that remains one of the sharpest tablet displays in the business, with 30 percent more pixels than the iPad Air.
What is new is the latest HDX 8.9’s 2.5GHz Snapdragon 805 CPU. According to Amazon, its graphics chip is 70 percent faster than last year’s model.
It seems this is necessary for the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX to run the new version of Fire OS, which includes the nifty Firefly tool that made its debut with the much-ignored Amazon Fire Phone. In case this passed you by (don’t worry, it did most people) Firefly lets you quickly identify items and music using the tablet’s camera and microphone, and you’ll then be taken to an appropriate purchase page on Amazon.
Another new internal component is the HDX 8.9’s Dolby Atmos sound engine, which is said to improve sound when headphones are worn.
The new premium Kindle Fire is also a better productivity tool than before, with a new keyboard accessory and support for Office documents.
You can pre-order the new Amazon Kindle Fire HDX today from the Amazon website, with the release date set for November 4. Prices start from £329 for the 16GB model. Yep, that’s the same as last year’s version.
Read More: Best tablets 2014
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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.
