Amazon Kindle Fire 7 HDX - Everyeye.it

Posted on 07/10/2013 from Emanuele Boncimino
September was a month full of presentations for the technology sector. The dances are open to the IFA but some manufacturers have preferred event reserved for noisy rooms or booths. This was the case of Microsoft’s Surface and Amazon that showed a few days ago the new Kindle Fire HDX . The company of Jeff Bezos, perhaps to underline the period of austerity in which he travels the Western world, has replaced the large hangar last year with a more discreet headquarters in Seattle. The CEO during the presentation can not hold back the barbs to competitors and rebukes them: “(we) gain when people use the devices, not when they buy them.” Ram breakthrough of this line of thinking is the 7-inch model of the Kindle Fire HDX you will have to deal with the renewed edition of the Nexus 7, the iPad Mini and a growing number of opponents. The objective is quite clear: sell digital goods and services rather than devices.

The Amazon tablet itself as a distributor of digital products, ebooks, movies, TV series and app. Nevertheless, it has an equipment of all respect. The seven-inch HDX continues to be subjected to slimming. The new dimensions (185 mm long, 127mm high, often 9 mm) and weight (300 g) allow you to comfortably carry it with you or keep it in your hand without difficulty, unless you have in mind a telethon. The 4G version weighs 10 grams more than the WiFi model above.

The rounded lines of the previous models are replaced by cuts and many edges. On the left edge is the volume rocker and the micro USB socket on the opposite side there is the power button and the audio jack. Although the physical keys are large enough to be easily, does not stand out as well. The circular shape could confuse the user especially when you rotate the tablet and most times you can not find the correct orientation. The rubberized surface of the back is able to ensure a good grip. The rear panel on which stands the Amazon logo in the center, declines firmly at the edges. On the slope of hard plastic that forms the upper house the two microphones and speakers system ( Dolby Digital Plus ). The diffusion of the audio is from the edge of the terminal, so as to avoid damping of the sound when the device is resting on a floor. There is no type of output to a display device ( MHL or HDMI ). Three models will be sold ( 16, 32, 64 GB ) at prices ranging from 229 to 309 dollars. For the 4G model we must add $ 100. It lacks a micro SD slot but a good portion of the content will continue to be available on the archive cloud.

The display achieves a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels and has a good color fidelity . The dynamic contrast ratio ensures an adjustment to individual pixels rather than a radical change in brightness (400 nit). Going from closed to wide open spaces irradiated by sunlight the change takes place in a subtle way and automatic. Does not reach the heights that touch screens e-ink of his cousin Paperwhite but a high pixel density (323 ppi ) approach the definition of the text to the more defined the printed paper. As it was the first Nexus 7 this HDX does not have a rear camera, there is only the front for video calls. The producer does not reveal megapixel says instead that it is capable of producing shots and footage from 720p . To get two rooms you will have to choose the model by 9 inches.

Quad-core processor Snapdragon 800 , the 2 GB of RAM and the Adreno GPU 330 provide high performance. Although the vocation of the tablet are the audio and video streams (in addition to ebook) grow pale with some of the latest 3D games. The journalists have sacrificed themselves playing several sessions of Real Racing 3 and Asphalt 8 that turned fluids without any slowdown. In spite of a thinner profile the battery ensures greater autonomy. The company claims that you can use the tablet for 11 hours straight. If the main interest is reading is the dedicated mode: we will be saving energy and a consequent increase of the time of use that will come to 17 hours . The latter data only slightly differ from those of an ebook reader.

The tablet mounts the 3.0 version of OS Fire code name Mojito , operating system built on a Jelly Bean purged from Google apps and the Play Store . The changes relate to a greater extent the graphics (very similar to iOS) in fact the mechanical system management remain similar to Android . The base has been adapted so as to make Amazon-centric the Google product. The interface, with colors fade to gray and very stylized icons that keeps its carousel with open content in chronological order. At the top there is a bar with links to specific categories and a search icon. Under the timeline, however, one can see all the applications on your tablet. Just take a swype up and you will have the characteristic front grille very dear to Android users.
A special mention goes Mayday , or personal support available 24 hours a day throughout the year. Just send the request for help, and in 15 seconds you start a connection with a person of flesh and bones. The attendant service center will hear only the requests, instead the user will also be able to see it. The technician will have free access to all the content and applications of the device to provide support in a personalized way. It is preferred guided assistance towards solving the problem through some indications that appear on the screen but you may need a drastic intervention. This is one of many features that you rarely see in the old continent, at least in the short term.
The application Second Screen should allow you to share audio and video content but at the moment it fails to give the best of themselves. Unfortunately there are few compatible devices ( PlayStation 3 and 4, Samsung Smart TV ). It is rumored impending support Chromecast Google and the much-discussed September top-box Amazon. Far more interesting X-ray be able to present additional content of the media being played. When you watch a film you can get more information about the music you just heard with reference to the soundtrack, the cast and even some anecdotes about the set. Amazon relies on the online service IMDb to present all this extra stuff. Listening to a song instead will be displayed by scrolling the lyrics that give you a great excuse to whip up a karaoke session .
Also updated the business: the app for emails is now more robust, the browser Silk loads pages in a flash, support is added to the wireless printers, file encryption, a native client VPN as well as specific solutions for companies like Citrix . FreeTime responds to the request for verification of the smallest. Parents can choose how long their children can use the tablet and how (read rather than watch a movie or listen to music). On the social front there Goodreads to share your favorite books with their friends.
In principle, the adaptations required for developers to make their software compatible with Mojito are few. Amazon has invested heavily in the application support HTML 5, but this does not seem to attract developers. The app typical of bigg give way to products that are still too immature. Despite the giant of online commerce has a respectable position for videos, music and books offered; apps are not comparable to those hosted on Play Store or App Store .