The Kindle Fire HD, touted by Amazon as the "world's most advanced 7" tablet" is more of a media "ecosystem" than iPad competitor, according to respected review sources. The Kindle Fire successor is painted as two separate devices: one geared towards the consumption of books, games, movies, ect., and the other poised as a modern tablet that just isn't up to snuff against its competition. Latinos Post has compiled a roundup of reviews for the Fire HD, highlighting some recurrent themes that critics' analysis share.
"Even if you step up and pay the extra $15 to disable Offers on your Kindle Fire HD, you can never and will never shake the feeling that this is less a tablet and more of a tool for shopping -- a Trojan Horse that's let into your home thanks to its low price and then unleashes a legion of must-buy items to completely compromise any walls you've built around your budget.
If you can get past that decidedly subsidized feeling, you do have a compelling package in your hands. The HD is fast, has a nice design, a beautiful screen, proper stereo speakers and, of course, oodles and oodles of premium content. For casual users looking for an inexpensive yet powerful tablet, the Kindle Fire HD should absolutely be at the top of your shopping list. But, for those looking to do more, and do more rapidly, the Nexus 7 is still the king of this diminutive hill."
"The Kindle Fire HD is a mighty fine device. Amazon's increased the speed and performance throughout, improved the display (obviously) and added even more awesome features. If you don't mind the slightly subsidized feeling, or pay for the opt-out, you'll surely be in for an enjoyable experience. In the end we can't help but feel like this tablet is just as much for shopping and browsing Amazon.com than it is for searching the web and enjoying movies.
In terms of Amazon's complete ecosystem of games, apps, videos, movies, books, music and more this is the perfect tablet. Deep down however for those looking to do more with their tablet like what we see with the iPad and the Nexus 7 - the Kindle Fire still has a little ways to go. If Amazon will ever take it there is a different story."
"There are two devices in this review. The first is something like an appliance - a window through which you casually view content, a way to listen to music, an e-reader for the train ride home. On that device, things like a big app selection or elaborate user experience take a back seat to content selection, price point, and simplicity. On that device, it's not about going toe-to-toe with the competition in every way (as Amazon seems to want to do), it's about offering a lot of fun stuff to consumers, and getting them to consume more. As that device, the Fire HD is a complete success. A marvel of bottom-line engineering and incredibly clever subsidies. It's a really, really good tablet for doing some very specific things.
But there's a second tablet in the review as well. One that gets compared to the iPad and Nexus 7. One that I expect to do more than just show me movies or help me shop. One that should be a companion for all kinds of things I want to do, that doesn't feel limited, that doesn't respond to my touches slowly, that doesn't make me wait.
As that device, the Fire HD still has a long way to go. I think it can get there, but it isn't there yet."
"The Kindle Fire HD is not a general-purpose tablet, despite Amazon's claims that it's "the best tablet at any price." It's not.
Instead, despite some shortcomings, the device is a simple, elegant way to tap into the vast Amazon ecosystem of books, media, movies, music and video, and it does a superb job of it.
If you're looking for a true general-purpose tablet in the smaller 7-in. size, you should look elsewhere, especially to the Google Nexus 7, which takes full advantage of the latest Android iteration, Jelly Bean. But if you're a fan of Amazon and its entertainment services, buying this tablet is a no-brainer. Even if you already have a first-generation Kindle Fire, you may want to try it out. Once you see the improved screen and new features such as X-Ray for Movies and X-Ray for Books, you may well decide it's time for an upgrade."
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