And now, hands-free Alexa is coming to the Fire HD 8, which has been updated for 2018. Here’s what’s new:
Faster quad-core processorUpgraded front camera (now 720p)MicroSD storage up to 400GBHands-free Alexa
You will also be able to buy it from Argos, Currys PC World, John Lewis, very.co.uk and littlewoods.com. It costs £79.99 / US$79.99, the same as the current model, but if you want 32GB of internal storage rather than 16GB, you’ll pay £99.99 / US$99.99. And as ever, it’s £10 more on those prices if you don’t want adverts on the lock screen. Something new is the Show Mode Charging Dock (see below for details). This has been available for a month or two in the US, but it’s brand new in the UK. You can buy the new Fire HD 8 and the Dock as a bundle for £109.99, which includes the 16GB version of the tablet. Later this year the Dock will be available to buy separately for £39.99 and also works with the 2017 version of the HD 8. For those in the US, you can already buy it for $39.99. Colour options are the same as before: Black, Marine Blue, Punch Red, and Canary Yellow.
Kids Edition
There’s no waiting for the kids’ version of the new tablet. This is also available to pre-order immediately, and will also ship on 4 October. The bundle includes the 32GB version of the new Fire HD 8 plus these extras:
Bumper case in blue, pink or yellowYear’s subscription to Fire For KidsTwo-year warranty which covers accidental damage
The changes are internal: a slightly more powerful processor allows Alexa to respond even if the screen is off (in standby mode) and unlike the 2017 model, hands-free Alexa works even if the tablet isn’t connected to its charger. Here are the main specs:
Show Mode Dock
If you have an Echo Show or Spot, you’ll already know what Show mode is all about. It adds visuals to Alexa’s responses, more often than not making them more useful. For example, ask about today’s weather and you’ll see more details on screen, plus a forecast for the next few days.
It’s the same on the Fire HD 8. You can enable Show Mode by saying, “Alexa, enable Show Mode”. You don’t actually need the Show Mode Dock: it’s really for convenience. It comes in two parts. The Dock itself has an adjustable hinge so you can get the right angle and comes with a mains power adapter. The other piece is a cover which clips onto the Fire tablet and plugs into its USB port so it can charge via the two pogo pins on the dock. Magnets align the tablet when you put it in the dock and Show Mode is switched on automatically when you do so.
We’ll bring you a full review of the HD 8 shortly. Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
