Introducing the All-New Fire HD 8 Reader’s Edition

[tubemonkey]

Introducing the All-New Fire HD 8 Reader’s Edition: the Best Tablet for Reading

New Reader’s Edition comes with the all-new Fire HD 8, a year of Kindle Unlimited, and a limited edition leather cover—all for only $249.99

With Blue Shade, an exclusive Fire OS “Bellini” feature that limits sleep-suppressing blue wavelength light to provide comfortable nighttime reading on a tablet before bed

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 7, 2015--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today introduced the Fire HD 8 Reader’s Edition, which combines the all-new Fire HD 8, a year of Kindle Unlimited with access to over 1 million books, and a limited edition leather cover for only $249.99. Reader’s Edition also includes Blue Shade, an innovative new feature that adjusts and optimizes the display on your Fire HD 8 tablet to reduce blue light exposure before bedtime. Fire HD 8 Reader’s Edition is available for pre-order starting today at: www.amazon.com/FireHD8ReadersEdition.

[tubemonkey]

This is just the Fire HD8 bundled with a year of Kindle Unlimited and a really expensive leather case. If you have no interest in KU, then don't waste your money on this bundle.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

This is just the Fire HD8 bundled with a year of Kindle Unlimited and a really expensive leather case. If you have no interest in KU, then don't waste your money on this bundle.

Also, the HD 8 is currently on sale for $129, making this even less of a deal.

[tubemonkey]

I find it amusing at times the things that Amazon considers to be worthy of a press release.

[Yolina]

The leather case looks nice though

[paulak39]

Is the "blue shade" feature available on all Fire HD 8 tablets, or is there a special Reader's Edition of the 8" tablet?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by paulak39

Is the "blue shade" feature available on all Fire HD 8 tablets, or is there a special Reader's Edition of the 8" tablet?

I read somewhere that it was supposed to be available on all of the current generation tablets.

[CRussel]

Not available on my HD8. At least not yet. This is a good way for them to push folks on to their Fire tablets for reading. The HD8 is a nice size, very light, and a good choice for reading. Except for the problems with reading at night. Though given a choice, I still prefer my Voyage for reading. (And the HD8 has had lots of crash issues around the SD card. Good news is, you wouldn't need an SD card if what you're doing with it is reading.)

[tubemonkey]

The biggest problem with the HD 8 is its poor display resolution:

Amazon Fire Resolution

• Fire HDX 8.9" (2014) --> 2560 x 1600 - 339 ppi
• Fire HDX 8.9" (2013) --> 2560 x 1600 - 339 ppi

• Fire HDX 7.0" (2013) --> 1920 x 1200 - 323 ppi
• Fire Phone 4.7" (2014) --> 1280 x 720 - 315 ppi

• Fire HD 8.9" (2012) --> 1920 x 1200 - 254 ppi
• Fire HD 6.0" (2014) --> 1280 x 800 - 252 ppi

• Fire HD 7.0" (2014) --> 1280 x 800 - 216 ppi
• Fire HD 7.0" (2013) --> 1280 x 800 - 216 ppi
• Fire HD 7.0" (2012) --> 1280 x 800 - 216 ppi

• Fire HD 8.0" (2015) --> 1280 x 800 - 189 ppi

• Fire 7.0" (2015) --> 1024 x 600 - 171 ppi
• Fire 7.0" (2012) --> 1024 x 600 - 169 ppi
• Fire 7.0" (2011) --> 1024 x 600 - 169 ppi

• Fire HD 10.1" (2015) --> 1280 x 800 - 149 ppi

[barryem]

I have a couple of 8" Android tablets with that same screen resolution as well as one that's full HD. I can tell the difference when reading plain text, for example in the Kindle app, although I don't use these for reading since I have a Kindle. Other than that it's very hard to see any difference. Videos look equally good on all of them. Reading while browsing the web is a bit easier on the full HD one but not much.

The only time the difference really matters a lot is when reading comic books, something I don't do much of. The full HD makes a big difference there.

Barry

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by barryem

I have a couple of 8" Android tablets with that same screen resolution as well as one that's full HD. I can tell the difference when reading plain text, for example in the Kindle app, although I don't use these for reading since I have a Kindle. Other than that it's very hard to see any difference. Videos look equally good on all of them. Reading while browsing the web is a bit easier on the full HD one but not much.

And yet, Amazon is touting this as a reading tablet.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Not available on my HD8. At least not yet.

This feature is part of Fire OS 5.1.1, which is being rolled out now. It also includes enhanced parental controls.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by jhowell

This feature is part of Fire OS 5.1.1, which is being rolled out now. It also includes enhanced parental controls.

Are you sure it's being rolled out? It's still not on the Amazon help page.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by barryem

I have a couple of 8" Android tablets with that same screen resolution as well as one that's full HD. I can tell the difference when reading plain text, for example in the Kindle app, although I don't use these for reading since I have a Kindle. Other than that it's very hard to see any difference. Videos look equally good on all of them. Reading while browsing the web is a bit easier on the full HD one but not much.

The only time the difference really matters a lot is when reading comic books, something I don't do much of. The full HD makes a big difference there.

Barry

I'm always surprised when I see people say that videos look good on lower resolution tablets. My hubby recently got a Samsung Tab S2 9.7 tablet. I took a look at a video he was watching and the first thing I asked him was doesn't this video come in HD? It was a very noticeable difference compared to my Samsung Tab S 8.4 which has 359 ppi. His has 264 ppi and I didn't think it looked good for videos.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by booklover6

Are you sure it's being rolled out? It's still not on the Amazon help page.

It has definitely started rolling out. Some people on the xda developers forum are upset that it closes a loophole that allowed jailbreaking of the previous firmware version. It is also mentioned on Amazon's Source Code Notice page.