Computer Tablets – Part II
By Wayne Maruna

    Last month’s Taberna Tribune computer article provided an overview of tablets and mentioned there were four primary tablet operating systems.  This month, I will focus on the Amazon Fire OS (Operating System), which is a highly customized version of Google’s Android operating system that also powers many of today’s smart phones.

    Whereas Google’s Android system is the basis for many different brands of tablets, including Asus, Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, and Sony, Amazon’s Fire OS is unique to Amazon’s own devices.  Amazon tablet models change almost yearly.  Currently their offerings include the Fire HD 6, Fire 7, Fire HD 8, and Fire HD 10.  The numbers correspond with the diagonal screen measurement within a tenth of an inch.  Prices start at $50 for the 7, $70 for the 6 (more because it has a higher resolution screen), $150 for the 8, and $230 for the 10.  The starting prices include 8GB of storage on all but the 10 which starts at 16GB, and all can and should be upgraded.  Starting prices also include ‘Special Offers’ which is a euphemistic term for ads contained in the tablets’ lock screens.  You can hand Amazon an additional $15 to remove the ads from any of the tablets.

    Program applications are obtained through the Amazon App Store.  Despite the Android underpinnings, Amazon locks their tablets out of the Google Play Store (Google’s name for their app store.)  Amazon has fewer apps available, and if you are used to certain apps on your Android phone or tablet, you may be frustrated by their lack of availability in the Amazon store, most notably the Google Chrome browser (Amazon wants you to use their unique ‘Silk’ browser).

    The Fire tablets have been scaled back, hardware wise, in their 2015-2016 versions, meaning less RAM, slower processors, and lower screen resolutions.  I assume this was done to reduce costs in order to lower the selling price.  Amazon wants to get these into users’ hands so they can entice them to purchase more content (books, movies, music, games), and there is a lot of in-your-face emphasis on this.

    The current version 5.0 of Fire OS is called Bellini.  To Amazon’s credit, they have also made the latest version available for update to their 2014 models. Bellini displays app icons in a matrix format similar to the iPad and Android tablets, replacing the former revolving carousel approach.  As a person accustomed to the Apple and Android formats, this is a welcome change.

    Below are comments based on my personal experience with two Fire tablets, the current top-of-the-line Fire 10, and the former top-of-the-line 2014 model, Fire HDX 8.9.  
 
Amazon Fire HD 10

  
    The specs: a 10.1” screen (measured diagonally), 8.5” wide and 5.3” high for a total screen surface of 45.05 sq. inches, fractionally more than the iPad Air.  Its weight of 15.24 ounces is a couple of eyelashes less than the iPad.  Unlike the iPad’s 4:3 width to height ratio, it has a wide-screen 16:10 ratio common to all current Fire offerings,  but its large size makes the width to height ratio even more pronounced. Where the Fire 10 falls short is in pixel density at only 149 ppi (pixels per inch, compared to the iPad’s 264).  Additionally, the Fire 10 comes with only 1GB of RAM compared to 2GB in both the iPad Air 2 and Amazon’s 2014 Fire HDX 8.9. Storage is available in 16 or 32GB size, but you can expand storage with up to a 128GB Micro SD memory card, and Amazon offers free unlimited cloud storage for all Amazon content. The Fire 10 is Wi-Fi only, no cellular option.

The experience: The low pixel density is evident if one is accustomed to a better screen, but it’s not terrible. If this were your first and only tablet you would likely not notice it.  Videos look decent and the speakers sound good as well.  But with only 1GB of system memory and the choice of a lesser CPU, there is noticeable system lag when opening apps or switching from one to another.  Wireless connectivity was also a bit of an issue from time to time.  The large size and aspect ratio also make it less comfortable to hold in portrait mode for any length of time. The 32GB model was on sale in early 2016 for $210, which made it a steal compared to the iPad if one primarily wants to read books or watch movies.  Amazon Prime members get access to Amazon Underground with its $20K worth of free apps and games. The Fire 10’s best use might be for watching movies.

Amazon Fire HDX 8.9
Amazon still offers the Fire HDX 8.9 new at prices around $400, but used models show up regularly on Amazon and eBay. The last model was the 2014 version, and it is a very good tablet. The 64GB model I tested for this comparison was purchased used on eBay for a fraction of its original price, and arrived looking brand new. Everything the Fire 10 lacks – speed, consistent connectivity, and screen clarity – the HDX 8.9 has. Its 339 ppi density is among the highest available and it shows. With 2GB of RAM and a 2.5 GHz processor, everything is clear and snappy. Amazon makes its latest Fire OS 5.0 (Bellini) update available to the 2014 but not the 2013 model. Its square inch screen size (16:10 ratio) is 19% smaller than that of the iPad, but at 13.2 ounces it is also a couple ounces lighter. The limited Amazon app store and lack of an SD card expansion slot are its only downsides.

Next month I will detail my impressions of the iPad and Apple app store, along with a Google Nexus and its Google Play Store.