Amazon Announces New Fire HD 8 Tablet

[tubemonkey]

This new Fire tab will ship with Fire OS 6 (based on Android 7.1 Nougat). It'll be the first Fire tab to have it. Current Fire tabs use Fire OS 5 (based on Android 5.1 Lollipop). For reference, the latest version of Android is 9.0 Pie.

Fire OS 6 for Tablets

The Fire HD 8 (2018) tablet will ship with Fire OS 6. Fire OS 6 is based on Android Nougat (Android 7.1.2, level 25).

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

This new Fire tab will ship with Fire OS 6 (based on Android 7.1 Nougat). It'll be the first Fire tab to have it. Current Fire tabs use Fire OS 5 (based on Android 5.1 Lollipop). For reference, the latest version of Android is 9.0 Pie.

Good grief, I was thinking it was around 5 or 6. Time flies.

[Barbara1955]

Well here is a selling point... You can add 400 gig SDCard. Tempting since I just added a 256 to my Fire 10 its Full.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I have last year's 8-inch. It's been having charging issues, so if there's a good Black Friday price on the new version, I may buy it. Or maybe jump up to the 10-inch.

I got the ten last Black Friday to mostly replace the old 8.9HD (first gen) which was starting to act up. It doesn't feel heavier. The screen is good enough and the microSD is handy. So is the OTG support. It's currently my primary media consumption system.
Of course, at that price it was a no brainer: double the capacity at a third the price.

[DiapDealer]

I got the new 10, too. The only time it's uncomfortable for me is reading in bed. It's not really too heavy; I just can't hold it comfortably and turn pages when lying on my back. I've tried multiple cases for it: hand straps, grab "knobs"--even caseless. Nothing seems to work for me, though. For everything else, it works just fine. If the 8 would fill that nightime void, I'd consider it.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I got the new 10, too. The only time it's uncomfortable for me is reading in bed. It's not really too heavy; I just can't hold it comfortably and turn pages when lying on my back. I've tried multiple cases for it: hand straps, grab "knobs"--even caseless. Nothing seems to work for me, though. For everything else, it works just fine. If the 8 would fill that nightime void, I'd consider it.

Amazon should give Alexa a reading mode.

"Alexa, engage reading mode."

"engage night mode, change font to xyz, dim screen, brighten screen, next, next, back, next chapter, look up character Fido, next... stop reading mode and turn off."

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

I got the ten last Black Friday to mostly replace the old 8.9HD (first gen) which was starting to act up. It doesn't feel heavier. The screen is good enough and the microSD is handy. So is the OTG support. It's currently my primary media consumption system.
Of course, at that price it was a no brainer: double the capacity at a third the price.

Hmmm.... $80 for the tablet. $250 for the uSD card (well, likely much less than that list price). One of my co-workers picked up a pair for $422 Cdn (~$321 US or 276 €) for his video camera.

[Barbara1955]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I got the new 10, too. The only time it's uncomfortable for me is reading in bed. It's not really too heavy; I just can't hold it comfortably and turn pages when lying on my back. I've tried multiple cases for it: hand straps, grab "knobs"--even caseless. Nothing seems to work for me, though. For everything else, it works just fine. If the 8 would fill that nightime void, I'd consider it.

My trick to reading in bed is to lock the Fire in Portrait... lay on my side & lay the fire on its side... case keeps it from sliding around.

[Barbara1955]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Hmmm.... $80 for the tablet. $250 for the uSD card (well, likely much less than that list price). One of my co-workers picked up a pair for $422 Cdn (~$321 US or 276 €) for his video camera.

This Works Great .... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Check this one out https://www.amazon.com/Sandisk-Ultra...70_&dpSrc=srch
on Sale for $152...

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Barbara1955

My trick to reading in bed is to lock the Fire in Portrait... lay on my side & lay the fire on its side... case keeps it from sliding around.

That would work great. Except for someone who doesn't like lying on their side.

Even when I've attempted to endure "side-reading," the constant battle with partial-pillow/eye-blockage wears me out.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Amazon should give Alexa a reading mode.

"Alexa, engage reading mode."

"engage night mode, change font to xyz, dim screen, brighten screen, next, next, back, next chapter, look up character Fido, next... stop reading mode and turn off."

Look around. Somebody has probably already crafted a SKILL set to do those things. If not, you can be the first:

https://www.engadget.com/2018/04/19/...ll-blueprints/

Or, just email Bezos and suggest it. They accept suggestions.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

That would work great. Except for someone who doesn't like lying on their side.

Even when I've attempted to endure "side-reading," the constant battle with partial-pillow/eye-blockage wears me out.

I have an easel type case on mine.
I read in dual column landscape so I lock it in easel mode, prop a pillow or two under my chin and rest the tablet against the headboard. Works until I doze off. For some books that is overnight.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

I have an easel type case on mine.
I read in dual column landscape so I lock it in easel mode, prop a pillow or two under my chin and rest the tablet against the headboard. Works until I doze off. For some books that is overnight.

My idea is a big belly-pillow which has a (mostly) vertical face that I can velcro the tablet to. It's either that or rig up something that I can swing in from the wall and attach the tablet to. Either way, I'll need to contend with potential damage (to both myself AND the equipment) should I fall asleep with either solution "engaged"

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

My idea is a big belly-pillow which has a (mostly) vertical face that I can velcro the tablet to. It's either that or rig up something that I can swing in from the wall and attach the tablet to. Either way, I'll need to contend with potential damage (to both myself AND the equipment) should I fall asleep with either solution "engaged"

It might be safer to drop a harness from the ceiling and use a bluetooth remote or an Alexa skill to turn the pages.

[Barbara1955]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

That would work great. Except for someone who doesn't like lying on their side.

Even when I've attempted to endure "side-reading," the constant battle with partial-pillow/eye-blockage wears me out.

I cant lay on my back any more... I get Stiff cant move

TTS will read to you & Turn pages

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...l_72er0d6ja0_e