Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Fire 7 tablet, 7" display, 32 GB, (2019 release), Black

Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2021

Digital Storage Capacity: 32 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: PlumStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

I got this new Fire 7 9th generation KIndle to replace my original 5th generation model which has been behaving weirdly and annoyingly lately. So far, all is good. It boots up fast, it doesn't randomly decide I have not read a book that I am currently halfway through, and refuse to open to the last page I read. It does not give me messages that my internal storage is low, even though I have basically nothing there except what came pre-installed; and I put in a 32 gig SD card which has tons of space on it. So I was getting more annoyed by the day with the old Fire. This new one, I have not even put an SD card in it, as I got one with the 32 gig storage capacity. When I look at the storage in the new model, almost none of it is used, even with all the junk that comes pre-installed. I may not ever add an SD card, if it keeps working properly without it. It seems to work the same way as the older model, with regard to turning pages, going to the hoe page, flipping to the store to buy a book, I am not happy with the "upgrade" in the software that was plopped into the old one, and which came with the new one. I find it a little harder to actually find what I am looking for in my library with the new supposedly easier program. But I guess I will live with it. I give the touch screen 4 stars because it is either too sensitive or not sensitive enough, and that may just be my fingers. No touch screen works right for me, never mind the device. I do not use Alexa, have no idea hay it is good for, and don't plan to learn. But I gave the same model Fire to a friend who loves Alexa and uses it constantly, and says it works great. So I am happy that it is a useful feature for someone.
All in all, I think KIndle is the best thing. Ten years ago I moved to Ghana, and the only book store in my town is a backpacker used book store, that runs heavy with romance novels and scifi in German. I was buying books from Amazon when I visited family in the US, and carrying them back, an incredible waste of weight in my luggage which could be put to better use. I started chatting up a KIndle user in the airport one day, and got my first black and white, KIndle, the one with the physical keyboard, as soon as I got to my sister's house some 18 hours later.
It is a joy to have something so light weight, so easy to turn the pages, so easy to buy new books. I appreciate it more as the years go by and the arthritis in my thumbs and wrists gets worse, and holding an actual book becomes painful. So for many reasons I am a great fan of the Kindle. I like that I can get movies and TV series via Amazon Prime, and the screen on the Kindle Fire is excellent, clear, with good color and contrast.. So if you are still wondering whether it is better to buy the Kindle Fire, or just download the reading app on your cell phone, get the Fire. The price is excellent.
And by the way, I have friends who have the Kids version of Kindle Fire, and it seems to be a war horse, gets dropped, lays on the floor, gets fought over by siblings, has a ton of educational stuff on it, and some clever games that promote learning skills like sequencing. For 2 year olds, there are all kinds of things with basic preschool material available. And I actually think using the device promotes hand-eye coordination. So yes! Go Kindle!

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MBeshada

An Amazing Device for the Price

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2022

Digital Storage Capacity: 16 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: BlackStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

I purchased 2 of these devices for Christmas, 2021 for 10 bucks off when you purchase 2 from the already sale price of $34. That means this baby cost me all of $29. So, when I review the tablet please realize I am reviewing a device that cost the price of lunch for 2. First of all, it is a little dated but still works very, very well for my use. A micro USB charger and cable are included. When I first started the tablet it already had my name, books and apps updated ready to download. So, I pretty much just charged it and it was ready to go.

The tablet is small, which is exactly what I wanted. It fits right in my coat pocket. For opening one tab or one app at a time it works great. There is a lag when you have one or more tabs or apps open and try to open another. I found it ironic that the only app that is slow so far is the Amazon shopping app! Reading on the tablet is great except in bright sunlight. But, I have to be realistic. If I'm outside I have better things to do than to read or be on a tablet. But for on the go, this thing is perfect. It is a great in between for a phone and an ipad which I am not bringing out of the house.

With this included charger I get a full charge in just a few hours. Real world battery life was right at 7 hours.

Does the tablet look as good as my iPad mini? Of course not. But, I wasn't expecting it to. For reading, the display is just fine. For the few apps that I use, it looks okay. For checking email, it looks great. I don't intend to video chat or take pictures with it so the low resolution on the camera is a non issue for me.

The app store from Amazon is limited compared to the Google Play Store. But, I have to be honest, I have yet to not find an app that I needed but was unable to find on the Amazon app store. I thought I couldn't find an app for my pet cam but found that to be an Alexa skill. I activated the skill and it worked just fine.

The regular price of the tablet is 50 bucks. I don't think I would pay that but I would wait for it to go on sale during prime day or black Friday. But for 29 bucks this is a great spend.

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Leopoldo C Napuli

You Get What You Pay For

Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2021

Digital Storage Capacity: 16 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: BlackStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

Got this because reading on my phone put a strain on my eyes but I didn't want to bring around my larger 10" tablets (tab s6 and a tab a7). And no way was I going to shell out $300 for an oasis. Since I have a Fire 4k TV, I didn't mind only being able to use apps from the Amazon store.

Mainly using it to read manga and light novels, but I did use a 256Gb micro sd card to download movies that I've purchased. The lower resolution screen does make reading a little strenuous because the low pixel density makes the letters a little blurry for my eyes.

Thought the lower resolution would make it horrible to watch content on it but it's surprisingly good. I know it's a lower resolution screen but just pick the best quality and it won't look all pixelated. audio is also surprisingly good for a single speaker. Sure, it's not room-filling loud, but you'll hear it clearly at arm's length at the highest volume without distortion.

Battery life, at first, was absolutely horrible. brought it to work one day and after an 8 hr shift, with a reading time of about an hour with 50% brightness, was at 40%. wtf right? wifi and bt were off but, I had the special offers ad thing going.
**tip** after getting an oasis, I played around with settings to increase battery life for reading. I went ahead and paid to remove the special offers ad thing and I turned on low power mode to be constantly on and my battery life went from 8 hours to 2 days.

ended up getting a 32Gb kindle oasis 2017 for the price of a new paperwhite 8Gb. 2nd hand of course. the doubled pixel density made reading easy at any distance as well as the positioning of the led lights had no strain on my eyes. also, having dedicated page turn buttons meant that I didn't have to keep changing my hand position to change the page. don't forget that ridiculously long battery life. I read often, about 2 hours on workdays and maybe 5 on off days. after a week, it'll be at 50% with 50% brightness.

now I use the fire 7 while I'm at home and the oasis when I go out. primarily because of screen reflection. the fire 7 needs a particular angle to read well with varying light sources. don't have that issue at home.

in conclusion, fire 7 is a decent all-rounder for the price. streaming media content is enjoyable but for reading, I'd suggest just going with an e-reader with 300 PPI. if you want to increase battery life, remove the special offers and keep low power mode on. I don't use this for other things besides reading and streaming media so I can't comment on the other performance aspects of the tablet.

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CJ

Nifty little budget tablet for reading, games and music

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2020

Digital Storage Capacity: 16 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: BlackStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

I got this for Christmas because my sister knows how much I love reading graphic novels but can't read them on my regular kindle or my kindle app on my laptop. Since I'm recovering from surgery, I've spent a ton of time on my little Fire 7 (I got a 64g card to add to it as well). I have always used Apple products, so adjusting to the Fire was a little challenging. After having the tablet for a little more than 3 weeks, here's the breakdown of what I like:
-Great control of functions; screen brightness, bedtime color vs daylight color, I love how I can just pull the top of the screen down to get to the main settings I want
-Connectivity; very functional to connect to spotty wifi and Bluetooth headphones. I paired the Amazon Basics blutetooth wireless headphones with it and after a little struggle of only connecting to one ear or the other, they worked out really well when they both paired.
-Reading; I love that I can buy books directly on the Fire instead of "purchase and send to" from the website. I love the controls it has for the kindle, and that I can also easily get magazines or newspapers as well as graphic novels. The guided panel-by-panel reading of the graphic novels on the fire is amazing because it allows me to follow the story in the correct order so I'm not going back and re-reading. Reading regular books is also nice, but the experience is not necessarily any more astounding than on the lowest-level kindle (which I also have) except that the interface on the fire for finding your books and collections is a bit more user-friendly.
-Listening; I have a large Audible library and I love that it's so easily accessible on the device to see my books and explore others as well as purchase them directly. Book sound quality is tinny just streaming from the tablet but it's not exactly designed for that, and when connecting to headphones it's great. Now that I have the fire, I feel that I'll use my prime music more; before I hardly even remembered I had it but now I'm optimistic I'll stream more music due to the ease of it being right there.
-Games; I've been playing solitaire and toy blast every day for hours (recovering from surgery remember) and the graphics are good. Ads are annoying but when the tablet is in airplane mode it works out great as ads don't play but you can still play the game. I've also installed some word games that are nice and don't have any glitches either.
What I don't love:
-Pre-installed apps; I don't want to put my email on it, or use the camera, or use half the apps that have come with it. I'd like to remove them, at least from my screen so it's easier to find what I do use, but I have not found a user-friendly way to do that for any of them.
-Battery life when wifi is on; this sucks the life down pretty quickly. I'd say I get 5 hours of use before I'm at 40% when wifi is on and I'm playing a game and listening to a book. Pretty easy solve, but I dread what streaming a show would do to the battery life.
-the ads or "special offers;" yes I understand this is how you can get a pretty functional tablet for $30 on holiday sales, but even on airplane mode I'm getting the lock screen advertising games or dog food. It feels like a bit of an invasion of privacy.
-the notifications of amazon wish list items on sale or even sales; I know an item I have on my list is on sale Amazon, but that does not mean I want to order it right now or that I actually need it. I'd like to turn off the notifications but I don't want to miss notifications of my actual orders from amazon.

Now, this is clearly no iPad or even and iPhone. It's not going to blow you out of the water regarding usability, but it is a great tablet if you want basic things from it. The battery life will limit you, but on airplane mode it's much better. If I was an actual gamer, or avid TV streamer, I wouldn't look to a Kindle 7 for my needs. At the price point of a $30 dollar tablet (during sales) you really can't beat the product if you're wired in to all different elements of the Amazon empire like Kindle, Audible, Goodreads, Prime, photo storage, Music and Video. Even if you're like me and use it for maybe 4 things instead of as a replacement for a computer or something, you'll still enjoy the experience. I stuck a mini pop socket on the back of it and holding it is even more comfortable for my smaller hands.

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Erica

Amazing streaming device.

Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024

Digital Storage Capacity: 16 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: BlackStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

This device is one of my favorites an it's great. You can travel with it on vacation an use in your hotel room, cabins, vacation rental, air bnb, as long as you have Wi-Fi. an stream thousands of movies, TV shows an more all free with this fire TV stick. I have one on each bedroom tv, the kitchen TV , an living room tv's I definitely would recommend this item an I definitely will buy again. 👍💯

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Odessa

Depending On Your Use, This Might Not Be For You

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2019

Digital Storage Capacity: 16 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: BlackStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

For starters, I love Amazon. Who doesn't?

And my old Ipad is starting to finally kick the proverbial dust after years of abuse. The battery is finally starting to take forever to charge, and there's lagging issues due to it being so old, and the updates are just killing it more. But it is still beloved to my four year old, who somehow commandeered it.

All that being said, I was so excited when it finally came in! It looked awesome, was a little different with the controls all at the top, including the volume, power, charging port, and headphone jack, with the speaker not at the bottom of the device but on the left side, which was an odd placement I thought after I put a case on it, and I typically hold it where the speaker is located. The opposite side close to the top is the slot for an SD card. There are no front buttons as it's fully touchscreen also.

I already knew before going in that you could not use Goggle Play, although I'm sure there's a way to get around it. I basically wanted to use it for videos for both myself and my daughter, games, and the occasional book and web browsing. Now, keep in mind we have super fast Internet. When I first started the Fire tablet, there was the required set up process, which didn't take long, just the basics such as adding wifi, signing in, etc. I did purchase the tablet with "special offers" as it did not bother me to see the ads on the lock screen. Once on, it was a pretty nice setup, especially for those that are already "in" with Amazon as it shows a Home screen with my recent book/audiobook purchases up top, then all my apps below it, the next page shows Books, and includes some books from my library as well as recommendations below it, Videos is next, followed by Games, Shop (which was so odd as it shows things I've looked at), Apps, Music, and Newsstand.

So basically, if you do a lot of Amazon shopping, listen to Audible as well as Amazon Music, watch Amazon videos, and read Kindle books, then this might be for you.

If you don't use Amazon that frequently, then I'd recommend looking elsewhere for a regular tablet, one that is not hardwired for their Amazon customers.

Now in my personal use, because I do use a lot of their services, I do like it. But it's also dang annoying. I suppose it's coming from having owned Apple devices, and Samsung devices that I find this tablet to lag tremendously. Actual startup from the time you press the power button takes about 40 seconds to pop on. Not too shabby, but there is a lag from opening the lock screen to opening apps that isn't apparent in a good quality Apple or Samsung product. And let's not forget the horrible lag from going from one profile to the next. It takes forever, and at this point, I finally erased the profile I set up for my daughter. I loved that I would be able to limit her usage as we already do that, but in this way she couldn't even get on without my code. You can download what apps they can use, and manage their profile fully, which is great! But on the flip side, I can't seem to figure out how to get back to my profile without shutting the whole thing down or restarting it as it opens right to her page versus the lock screen when opened back up.

And as I previously stated, you can use the Amazon apps, but there aren't as many apps as can be found in Apple. There are some I love to use, and they do not have them available at all, which sucks. Amazon's browsing is called Silk, and works fine, although I still find it slow with fast Internet. The quality of the screen and the battery are two other issues that are definitely cheap and sub par. The screen quality on browsing has the slightly blurred look of a cheap android tablet. Words are ok, such as in an article, but pictures are blurred, and even video is not that clear or crisp. The battery is also very weak I've found. I've had my phone on since six this morning, and turned the tablet on around 10 this morning. My phone, which I've used all morning to make calls, text, watch a few video's, look at FB, browse, etc., is down to 76% battery. The tablet, which I've used to download four apps and had maybe about 20 minutes of use and has been on standby is down to 75%. The battery does not last long at all. If you watch even a few videos on the tablet, you can easily watch the percentage slowly bottom out.

The camera is what you would normally find on a cheap tablet, and I wasn't expecting much nor did I get much in return. The kindle portion is fantastic, and I can read easily on it, but I also own a Kindle, and I prefer that to this as the glare is greatly reduced even though you can change the page color and brightness of the screen. I do like seeing the book covers in color though, and maps or things throughout the book that would normally be colored, but otherwise it is still nice to be able to read on it well. Alexa works totally well, and it's easy to use, and I like the fact that you can use Alexa to play some games. My daughter is fascinated with her.

In all, this is an okay basic entry tablet that's good for watching videos, and is more tuned towards Prime members who have a lot of Amazon features already. I'm going to keep it as I wanted something cheap for my youngest daughter to watch videos and keep her occupied, and for my occasional browsing. But if you want a crystal clear screen, no lag, and better selection of apps, then I would definitely recommend going with an Apple or different Android device.

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JAS

Awesome Product!!!

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2019

Digital Storage Capacity: 16 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: Twilight BlueStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

First and foremost, FOR THIS PRICE is a great product!! Unbeatable, I must say; it's a lot more that you can expect!! I am surprised this thing is such a high quality product for just few bucks (I bought mine on eBay for $39,99, but later I found it's the same price here at Amazon).

AMAZON x100: It is true its operation is 100% based on a Amazon environment, and that its Android OS is a special version (with some limitations); however I use Amazon store and services a lot, so that does not bother me at all. The inconveniences that are annoying for me I have overcome them satisfactorily...

TRILLIONS OF ICONS: For example there are tons of Amazon App icons in the main screen that I don't use, and the app they belong to cannot be uninstalled (or at least I haven't found the way to do it). Well you can stop their services so they don't use tablet's resources, and occupy less memory and space that way; but the icons are still there. Also, they are not allowed to be stored in a folder (by long pressing each icon) so you have to deal with that bunch of icons in the main screen, which is very annoying (to my liking). But today I finally discovered a TRICK ;) to store them in a folder (Yeah!), so goodbye to those disturbing icons that I don't use (I just see 1 folder). My screen is already clean now, and only with the Apps that "I" use.

AMAZON'S ANDROID: As for the OS limitations, the only one I could not overcome is that I have an annual subscription to Norton antivirus, and I have it installed on my Desktop, Laptop and Smartphone; unfortunately it cannot be installed on Fire 7 (9th gen). Today I contacted Norton technical support and they confirmed it; they say it cannot be installed due to the version of Android that Amazon uses on their tablets, which is limited and also different, with a very specific configuration that meets their tablets. Well instead I installed a free anitvirus that is going well for now (hope it protects me enough).

STORAGE: As in every smartphone or tablet, internal memory is a concern of all of us (it quickly gets full); and this Fire 7 is not the exception. However it has 10.63GB for user's available internal storage (of 16GB it comes with) and I still have 8GB and something FREE, but this is because I use a 32GB MicroSD (it accepts up to 512GB) and configured all apps to store things over there. This is a good advice for all smartphone/tablet users. Oh yes, also Amazon gives you 5GB for Free in their cloud for you to store your stuff (pics, docs, music, or whatever you want). That's space you won't use in your Fire's storage so that's a nice gift.

BATTERY: The battery life is awesome; what I've tested so far it gave me about 8 hours while Spotify downloaded my entire playlists for offline use. After that I gave it the second charge and have it playing music for about 5 continue hrs and the battery still has 70% remaining.

SPAM: There's something that bothers me a bit which is the advertising of Amazon stuff when I unlock the screen. I haven't found how to stop it so after various attempts to get rid of it I ended up accepting to live with it. I just swipe my finger from the bottom of the screen and advertising is quickly gone.

KEYBOARD: It can be set in several languages (well that's standard; I just downloaded the Spanish dictionary so it checks my spelling), but something that I liked is that it includes the Swipe method of "writing" (you enter words by sliding a finger from the first letter to the last; you lift only between words). I love that method and have used it in my smartphones for years now so I'm glad I found it here too.

MORE TO COME: I'm so excited with my new Fire that I want to explore more functions, for example Alexa, and more other stuff that comes with the tablet. I will find the time for that later, but for now, I am very happy with what I've got.

MY CONCLUSION: I am 200% satisfied with this product, I think it works sensational, at a very satisfactory speed. It plays my Spotify and MP3s playlists without problem, pairing it with my JBL Flip 4 speaker was fast and easy (and it sounds spectacular), the WiFi works perfectly, the email configuration was super fast and without problems, etc etc etc. What a good product!! And for this price, even better!!

7 people found this helpful

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Monique J.

6 Month UPDATE

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2020

Digital Storage Capacity: 16 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: Twilight BlueStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

UPDATE: It's been about 6 months now. I use this tablet daily. Yes, every single day.
First the good. I still love this little tablet. I do NOT use it for anything other than entertainment, email etc. I have an ipad and laptop for work, school etc. For the most part I don't leave the house too often without it. I've had a couple of issues that arent a big deal for me but may be for you.
Battery life. It could definitely be better. I've used the tablet for several hours straight only a couple of times but I did need to charge it in the car while I was out.
If your wifi is at all sketchy, expect lag. On a strong signal there hasn't been any problem. At least with my unit.
Reading, I read a lot. No, seriously 2 or 3 books a week. Not those little 400 page ones either. I carry my old faithful kindle touch to read during the day. I began having trouble with eyestrain reading on the tablet. So while you can absolutely read on this tablet, which I do at night, just be aware.
Games, Amazon needs to SERIOUSLY step up their game in this department. I've been mildly irritated a couple of times after porting games by the lack of support from dev's. for the Amazon platform. Did I cave and install google play. Yes I did. YouTube is your friend. However, there have been a couple of issues even with that and game crashes have been an issue. So, I stopped playing them. Too much hassle.
In summary, for what I use it for, this tablet has been great and I will continue to use it as long as it lasts. The size and weight are fantastic. Keeping my review at 5 stars because the issues that have come up weren't a deal breaker for me. I'm definitely getting my money's worth.

This little tablet was a great investment for me. I can carry this with my phone for short jaunts out around town and be able to do almost everything I need to do on a device. It has NOT of course replaced my laptop, nor has it replaced my larger iPad. Those are for work. This is for entertainment.
I read a lot. I still have my 4gen touch kindle that I will use until it dies, and for long reading sessions at home that's what I use. For shorter reading or perusing magazines or comics I use this. In the event that I'm waiting for a notification and decide to read or check email, this is a handy thing to have in my bag.
Let's talk about my bag, it is now LIGHTER. Ladies did you read that? With this I can carry something smaller than a diaper bag. (Gasp) or a briefcase, whichever.
I've watched a few shows on the tablet. I personally didn't have any issues. They looked good and I used headphones so I didn't worry about sound.
Alexa of course is handy and the fire tablet synced right up with our echo dots. No problems there.
I can go on and on. I really like it. I also bought one for my 17 year old boy and HE even loves his. Finally got that kid to start reading more. Yes, with a fire tablet.

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Professor Nishanth

An amazing refresh of the base Fire tablet at an affordable price

Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2019

Digital Storage Capacity: 16 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: BlackStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

Original review (June 9, 2019) and three updates placed at the end of the original review (June 10, 2019, June 14, 2019, and June 21, 2019, respectively).

ORIGINAL REVIEW: June 9, 2019 (5/5 stars)
UPDATED REVIEW: June 21, 2019 (4/5 stars)

For background information, I am a professor and a tech geek. I have used Amazon devices for around eight years now. I currently own three Kindle e-readers (Kindle Touch, Kindle Paperwhite 3rd generation, and Kindle 10). I also own four Amazon Fire tablets (2015 Fire 7 -5th generation, 2019 Fire 7 – 9th generation, 2017 Fire HD 8 - 7th generation and 2018 Fire HD 8 –8th generation) and 3 Echo devices (1st generation Echo, 2nd generation Echo Dot, and 3rd generation Echo Dot). Please note that I have traded-in some of the dated versions of the above-listed products to get upgraded versions (more on this under the “Saving Money on Purchases” section).

This device is Amazon’s most recently refreshed (2019 – 9th generation) Fire tablet 7 inch at an outstanding price. The Fire 7 (9th generation) is definitely slightly better than the previous generation. The combination of quality and value are really tough to beat and the tablet does well overall. This is a comprehensive review, but for those looking for the bottom line, scroll down to the bottom to see some feedback on how to save money on purchasing the Fire and my final recommendations.

Below is my summary of the “Fire 7.” I have spent the past few days playing around with the Fire, using it, and reading other online reviews about this version to ensure the comprehensiveness and accuracy of information provided in this review. For reference purposes, this Fire model was last refreshed in 2017. This review has overlaps with my review of the Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet because both of these are essentially the same tablet but to a different audience.

-THE BOX: The Fire 7 tablet, a quick-start guide, basic safety instructions, 5W wall adapter, and a USB cord (around 3 foot or 36 inches). The item arrived sealed and packaged well.

- AVAILABILITY: Black, Twilight Blue, Plum, and Sage are the base colors variants. Additionally, covers can be purchased for $29.99 in the same color scheme as the Fire tablet from Amazon. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend these overpriced covers. There are several other high quality and aesthetically pleasing covers that can be found on Amazon that are affordable, well rated, and function better.

- Key things that have not changed from the prior Fire 7 model:
--- Display size remains the same
--- PPI remains the same at 171
--- RAM remains the same at 1 GB of RAM.
--- Speaker and microphone remains the same (mono speaker with built-in microphone)
--- Size specifications remain the same
--- Warranty remains the same (90-day limited warranty)

- Summary of key aspects (listed in order of importance) that have changed in this version (Fire 7: 2019: 9th generation) from prior generation Fire 7 tablet (2017: 7th generation). For the below comparison, the new version will be listed as Fire 2019 and the previous model as Fire 2017.
--- Fire 2019: Increased storage options (16 GB or 32 GB) as compared to prior version Fire 2017 (8 GB or 16 GB).
--- Battery life has declined to 7 hours (1-hour reduction) from prior version.
--- Charge time has decreased from 6 hours (Fire 2017) to 4 hours (Fire 2019). This is a major plus because it would take forever to charge these tablets). Again, please note that this claim (regarding charging time) holds true only if an Amazon wall outlet is used. The tablet usually notifies you when you are using a non-compatible wall outlet and cable. I have tested charging speeds on third-party wall ports and noticed a substantial increase in charging time as compared to using an Amazon wall outlet. So, ideally, consumers should use only the Amazon wall outlet for fast charging.
--- The new processor based on specs provided by Amazon to developers Fire 7 2019 [Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A53 (1.3 GHz)] vs. Fire 7 2017 [Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A7 (1.3 GHz)] is a bit faster. Again, this is my initial assessment. This would require additional testing and I will put in these numbers at a later time when they become available.
--- Camera quality has improved 2 MP front and rear-facing cameras with 720p HD video recording as compared to the prior version.
--- Slight decrease in weight (0.3 oz/9 grams)
--- Light sensor added (mentioned in developer information page).
--- Three new colors added (Twilight Blue, Plum, and Sage) in addition to Black.

- Technical specs and other details:
--- Size: 7.6” x 4.5” x 0.4” (192 x 115 x 9.6 mm).
--- 171 pixel per inch (PPI) with IPS display technology and advanced polarizing filter. This basically means that there is a bright display with vivid colors and whiter whites for a great viewing experience from all angles.
--- 7-inch screen, 1024 x 600 resolution with SD video playback
--- Internal Storage: 16 or 32 GB
--- External Storage: expandable storage using MicroSD card for up to 512 GB + unlimited cloud storage for Amazon digital content purchases.
--- Weight: 10.1 oz/286 grams
--- Amazon’s digital assistant: Hands-free Alexa enabled. This option basically converts the device into a stand-alone device that can do multiple functions. For instance, if you are cooking and want help, you can ask Alexa to pull up the instructions for “Mashed Potatoes” and it will do so.
--- Warranty and Service: 90-day limited warranty and service included. U.S. customers can purchase an extended warranty for 1, 2 or 3 years (though I might not personally recommend this for such an affordable product like the Fire 7)
--- Camera: 2MP VGA front-facing camera and rear-facing HD camera
--- Sensors: Accelerometer and light sensor
--- Battery life: Up to 7 hours of battery life
--- Fully charges in 4 hours (if Amazon wall outlet is used)
--- Single-antenna dual-band Wi-Fi. Uses 802.11a/b/g/n with WEP, WPA, and WPA2 security using password authentication. No support offered to connect to ad-hoc (or peer-to-peer) Wi-Fi networks.
--- Bluetooth 4.1 LE
--- Ports: USB 2.0 (micro-B connector) to connect to the computer or for charging the device with the included power adapter; MicroSDXC slot for external storage, and 3.5 mm stereo jack and integrated speaker.

- Some limitations (to be expected because of this tablet being sold at a bargain price and also being the base model of the Fire series):
--- No HD video viewing available
--- Camera specs are sub-par as compared to other costlier tablets (again this might sound oxymoronic...but just pointing it out)
--- Max volume is below average (because of the mono-speaker)
--- Sound quality is average
--- Amazon’s ecosystem is not as massive compared to the Google Play Store and Apple Play Store.
--- Amazon’s Silk browser is not as intuitive and user-friendly as more prominent competitors (Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, etc.).
--- Some reviewers have claimed that the external storage (MicroSDXC card) is not as responsive as the internal storage (this is not something I have experienced).
--- Because of concerns dealing with volume and sound quality using this model for listening to music, or watching TV shows, movies, etc. might require headphones or a speaker.

-Fire 7: 2019 Tablet Kids edition: Please note that Amazon has updated their Fire 7 Kids Edition too. Since, this is for a different audience, I will not deal with it in this review.

- Comparison between Fire 7 (this version – 2019 release) and Fire HD 8 (2018 release – mid-tier model):
--- Charge time: Fire HD 8 (6 hours) vs. Fire 7 (4 hours)
--- Display Size: Fire HD 8 (8 inches) vs. Fire 7 (7 inches)
--- Video playback: Fire HD 8 (HD video playback) vs. Fire 7 (SD video playback)
--- Resolution: Fire HD 8 (1280 * 800; 189 PPI) vs. Fire 7 (1024 *600; 171 PPI)
--- RAM: Fire HD 8 (1.5 GB RAM) vs. Fire 7 (1 GB RAM)
--- Battery life: Fire HD 8 (10 hours) vs. Fire 7 (7 hours),
--- Speaker: Fire HD 8 (Dolby Atmos, dual stereo speakers) vs. Fire 7 (Mono speaker)
--- Weight: Fire HD 8 (12.8 oz, 363 g) vs. Fire 7 (10.1 oz, 286 g)
--- Expandable Storage (internal storage remains same): Fire HD 8 (expandable by to 400 GB) vs. Fire 7 (expandable by up to 512 GB).
--- Colors: Fire HD 8 (Black, Marine Blue, Punch Red, Canary Yellow) vs.. Fire 7 (Black, Twilight Blue, Plum, Sage)
--- Cost: Fire HD 8 (16 GB - $79.99; 32 GB - $109.99) vs. Fire HD 7 (16 GB - $49.99; 32 GB - $69.99)
--- Multi-touch: Fire HD 8 (10-point) vs. Fire 7 (5-point)
--- Processors, software version, and cameras remain the same on both units.

- Comparison between Fire 7 (this version – 2019 release) and Fire HD 10 (2017 release – mid-tier model):
--- Charge time: Fire HD 10 (5 hours) vs. Fire 7 (4 hours)
--- Display Size: Fire HD 10 (10.1 inches) vs. Fire 7 (7 inches)
--- Video playback: Fire HD 10 (HD video playback; 1080p HD resolution) vs. Fire 7 (SD video playback)
--- Resolution: Fire HD 10 (1920 * 1200; 224 PPI) vs. Fire 7 (1024 *600; 171 PPI)
--- Processor: Fire HD 10 [2xARM Cortex-A72 (1.8 GHz), 2xARM Cortex-A53 (1.4 GHz)] vs. Fire 7 inch (ARM Cortex-A53 Quad-Core 1.3 GHz) (basically Fire HD 10 would be substantially faster than either the Fire 7 or Fire HD 8)
--- RAM: Fire HD 10 (2 GB RAM) vs. Fire 7 (1 GB RAM)
--- Battery life: Fire HD 10 (10 hours) vs. Fire 7 (7 hours),
--- Speaker: Fire HD 10 (Dolby Atmos, dual stereo speakers) vs. Fire 7 (Mono speaker)
--- Camera: Fire HD 10 (0.3 MP front-facing and 2 MP rear-facing camera) vs. Fire 7 (2 MP front-facing and rear-facing camera)
--- Weight: Fire HD 10 (17.7 oz, 500 g) vs. Fire 7 (10.1 oz, 286 g)
--- Internal Storage: Fire HD 10 [32 GB (25.4 GB available to user) or 64 GB (54.1 GB available to user)] vs. Fire 7 [(internal storage remains same - 16 GB (9.4 GB available to user) or 32 GB (23.6 GB available to user)]
--- Expandable Storage: Fire HD 10 (expandable by to 256 GB) vs. Fire 7 (expandable by up to 512 GB).
--- Colors: Fire HD 10 (Black, Marine Blue, Punch Red) vs.. Fire 7 (Black, Twilight Blue, Plum, Sage)
--- Cost: Fire HD 10 (32 GB - $149.99; 32 GB - $189.99) vs. Fire 7 (16 GB - $49.99; 32 GB - $69.99)
--- Multi-touch: Fire HD 10 (10-point) vs. Fire 7 (5-point)

** If you are considering buying the Fire HD 10, I would wait on it as there is a high probability that this model will be refreshed this year as the last update was in 2017 (Amazon seems to follow a 2-year refresh cycle though this is not always the case).

- Some useful features on Fire Tablets (not a comprehensive list)
--- Accessibility: “VoiceView and Screen Magnifier enable access to the vast majority of Fire tablet features. VoiceView features text-to-speech voice. Fire OS 5 also includes system wide closed caption settings, adjustable font sizes up to 50% larger, and a variety of book reading text adjustments such as adjustable colors and text spacing. Also includes adjustable font sizes/color, and built-in Oxford dictionary.”
--- Surfing the web using Amazon’s web browser - Silk
--- Watching movies, TV shows and listening to music.
--- Ability to read Kindle books.
--- Ability to read the news using Washington Times
--- Other apps (games, educational tools, etc. available in Amazon’s app store) plus several prominent apps included like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
--- Ability to get set-up email apps, calendar, etc.
--- Ability to play games that can be downloaded from the app store.

- Testing:
Wi-Fi: I was able to connect to the Wi-Fi network without any technical difficulties. The process was pretty straightforward.

- Saving money on purchasing the Fire:
--- For users who want more storage, I would strongly recommend getting the Fire 7 (16 GB) and then purchasing a microSD card as opposed to getting the costlier Fire 7 (32 GB tablet). For context, users can get a 64 GB microSD card for around $12 (users might be able to get a cheaper microSD card on Amazon prime day) on Amazon which is cheaper than paying an additional $20 for Fire 7 32 GB. Additionally, the user gets more storage by getting a microSD card.
--- The initial purchase with a promo discount entitles the user to a ($10 app store credit value), so you are essentially paying $ 39.99 for the 16 GB Fire 7 tablet.
--- The cost for the 16 GB Fire 7 will be $49.99 (with special offers) or 32 GB Fire 7 for $69.99 (with special offers). Customers can disable special offers later by paying $20 if they purchase the Fire with special offers. Personally, I would recommend going the route of getting the special offers and then disabling it. The special offers only appear when the Kindle is locked/asleep and are non-intrusive. I have 6 devices, all of which have special offers and have never had an issue. However, if the user does not like the special offers, you can purchase the Fire with special offers and then remove the special offers..
--- You can easily trade-in your prior Fire for Amazon credit (for $5-$15 depending on version and condition), which also entitles them to receive an additional 25% discount towards their new Fire.
--- As previously mentioned, I would recommend avoiding purchasing extended warranty on this item.
--- My recommendation would be to purchase this item during a sale event (for instance, Amazon Prime day is coming up in July). The customer can get this tablet for around $20 off during Prime day (based on prior sales analysis), and then stack the trade-in price and the 25% discount to get this item for a minimal cost (maybe you can snag it for $20 in total or lesser if everything is applied correctly). However, one thing to keep in mind is that Amazon might decide to remove the trade-in gift card and 25% discount at any point.

-Quality comment: Some customers have critiqued the prior version (Fire 7: 2017) for lack of long-term quality. Again, please remember that this product is sold for $49.99 and goes on sale for around $ 29.99. How much more can one expect for a product this affordable? I have used my prior Fire 7 (2015) for 4 years without any issues (Honestly, I am surprised it lasted this long). Additionally, it definitely is more durable than my iPad. Additionally, with the immense technological breakthroughs occurring at lightening speed, any tablet will be obsolete in a few years. So, it might be logically better to get an affordable average end tablet than investing in a high end one (unless you need a high-end one for your specific use).

- Conclusion:
To sum up my review, this is the basic Amazon Fire 7 tablet. No bells and whistles, but it does the job. Limitations include sound quality, volume quality, and potential issues with MicroSDXC Card access, and basic app store. Updates worth noting in this version include the new color options, a slight decrease in weight, increase in storage (internal and external), slightly faster processor, slightly improved cameras, and slight decrease in battery life (though this might be a more accurate representation of the life of the battery). The bottom line is that if you are looking to get a super affordable tablet that is well-rated, small, lightweight, and can complete most of the basic and some intermediate tasks along with basic entertainment, then this Fire tablet is the way to go. So, I am giving it 5/5 stars in spite of its limitations because it is really hard (if not impossible) to find a better deal at this price point.

- UPDATE # 1 (June 10, 2019): Fire HD 8
I would personally recommend the Fire HD 8 (mid-tier model) as opposed to this Fire 7 (the model reviewed) for a few more dollars. This can be purchased after following the cost-saving suggestions previously listed. My reasons are several and include: the 8 inch screen (as compared to 7 inches), higher resolution (189 PPI vs. 171 PPI), increased RAM (1.5 GB vs. 1 GB), battery life (10 hours vs. 7 hours), and the feature I appreciate the most - Dolby Atmos, dual stereo speakers (which can make a world of difference while watching or listening to something). I own both the 7 and the 8 inch, and there is a spectacular difference in sound quality and volume between the two. Besides, most phones now have an average screen size of around 5.5 inches (many companies are moving towards a 6 inches average). So, having a 7-inch tablet might not per se make a major difference for customers because it is similar in size to their phone (unless they want to use this device as a back-up device to prevent wear and tear on their phone). Additionally, since charging takes a substantial amount of time, I would rather have a tablet with longer battery life (Fire HD 8) than shorter (Fire 7). However, please note that the last argument cuts both ways as the new Fire 7 (4 hours) charges quicker as compared to the Fire HD 8 (6 hours).

- UPDATE # 2 (June 15, 2019): Amazon FreeTime Unlimited
- Amazon FreeTime Unlimited ($2.99/month after free subscription period)
--- Amazon FreeTime Unlimited is a subscription that offers over “20,000 books, movies, TV shows, apps and games for kids 3-12. Age Filters ensure kids see age-appropriate content. Parents can add content to kids' profiles to give them more access to apps and games.” “In FreeTime, kids do not have access to social media or Alexa. In-app purchases require parent approval. Parents can exit FreeTime using a passcode.” Another unique feature is Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited in Spanish!
--- Parents also have the option “to set educational goals and curfews (using FreeTime Unlimited), and manage content for up to 4 child profiles (option given during initial set-up of the tablet) with easy-to-use parental controls.”
--- Generally speaking - FreeTime Unlimited offers unbeatable value – I mean where else on earth can you get kid-friendly and generally holistic content for $2.99/month (after trial subscription ends).
*FreeTime unlimited has several nifty features that I cannot cover because of space limitations. Parents have a lot of flexibility in choosing and curating content for children, permitting downloads, and even setting the tablet to turn-off after a preset amount of use or at a set time and turn on at a set time.

UPDATE # 3 (June 21, 2019): Battery Life and Software
Some customers have complained about the low and unpredictable battery life for this new device. I have experienced occasional battery fluctuations (my prior Fire seemed to have better battery life). So, I am docking a star. Some other reviewers have also experienced overheating of this device. Other than the occasional overheating that occur in all devices (when complex programs/apps are used for an extended period of time), I haven’t experienced anything major until now. Additionally, some customers have also complained about the new Fire OS causing problems. I have experienced occasional staggering of the OS and app closures but nothing major as described by other reviewers. I will continue my testing to see if other issues surface but just wanted to give a heads-up to customers so they are prepared in case they experience any issues in the future and want to contact Amazon about it.

Please also note several resources were used in the compilation of this review but most of this review was based on my personal testing of the product.

Whenever I make any purchase, I try to do a thorough and accurate job with the review. My reviews are my honest and comprehensive assessment of the product. I always post future updates and corrections based on new information if deemed necessary. Additionally, I always include photos of products to verify both that I purchased this product and to back up appropriate claims in the review. If you have any feedback or questions or corrections, leave a note in the comments section. Thank you!

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Rick

I can finally recommend the Fire 7

Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2019

Digital Storage Capacity: 16 GBOffer Type: Lockscreen Ad-SupportedColor: BlackStyle: Fire 7Verified Purchase

I having been buying the smaller Fire tablets (7 inch) since the beginning and I can now recommend to buy this tablet. I have other sized Fire tablets (8 Inch) and a new ipad, plus the new Kindle paper white, but the Fire 7 is my go to tablet. What I use it for. Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, Youtube. Kindle reader for books and bible. Audible books from audible. Podcasts (stitcher). Comixology for comics (old school Marvel fan!). Instagram (I do not use facebook). Home automation with Alexa (control of my lights, ring alarm, alarms, and basic questions) works great both hands free as well as pressing the home button. I also play light games on it, Word search, Temple run, Angry Birds series of games, Yahtzee, Subway Surfer, Crossy Roads, and a few others. I also listen to Amazon prime music (Apple music does not work on this device). I mainly use my Apple air buds when watching and listening and it sounds fantastic. Picture quality is great. This is a snappy little tablet and my favorite size. It feels good in the hand with the solid plastic build (compared to the Fire 8 inch, which feels more "cheap"). It is a great tablet to use while lying in bed, which is mainly when I use it (ipad 9.7 is to heavy). I feel that Amazon finally got it right with this new 2019 version. The previous versions are painfully slow to load anything, and that is why I never would recommend them especially for a child. These new tablets are so much better, my wife wants one, and I will be buying them for my kids, something I would not even consider before, because of the frustration of the slowness (and the reason my kids took over the ipad and iphones in the first place). As you can see this is a consumption device, meant for fun..not a computer or workhorse. I should mention you can check email and use the tablet for video chatting and dropping in on other echo devices which works really well and my kids have fun using it, I should also mention that I am a Prime member and take advantage of the Prime photo storage, which any picture that I take on my iphone, pops up on my Fire Tablet. I should also mention why I use this for reading more than my paper white, it is because I like the "page curl effect" and the way it highlights my passages on books (I still use my paper white..but this is just a preference). The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the 2mp camera (which I do not use much) and the battery life, which is actually not bad, but Amazon asked for a "star" rating on those two features as well as tablet as a whole. At $50 you can not go wrong. Plus if you have a previous version, just trade it in. I got $10 knocked off and an additional 20% savings. I think I paid about $33. I will be trading in my 8 inch Fire for this size as well. Great little tablet!

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