4 ways Amazon’s new Alexa tablets eclipse the Fire line – starting with Google Play

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ZDNET’s cardinal takeaways

Three caller Amazon Alexa tablets diagnostic Alexa+ and premium construction, including a 12-inch Pro model.
The tablets yet enactment Google Play, addressing a symptom constituent for users.
Amazon besides launched 2 caller Kids’ Tablets.

Amazon conscionable announced 3 caller Alexa Tablets, a trio of AI-powered Android tablets for enactment and amusement with a much “Pro” build. The caller tablets are an unexpected upgrade for Amazon, and an denotation that the institution is moving distant from budget-focused tablets to much premium devices.

Also: 6 ways to marque Android look and enactment much similar iOS

The lineup starts astatine $230 and includes the Amazon Alexa Tablet 8, the Amazon Alexa Tablet 11 astatine $330, and the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, which starts astatine $500. All 3 tablets are presently disposable for pre-order, and volition commencement shipping connected October 14.

1. Finally, Google Play access

Aside from being designed to enactment with Alexa+, the biggest alteration with these tablets is that they’re the archetypal of the newer Amazon tablets to enactment entree to Google Play, not conscionable Amazon’s walled app store.

Amazon besides announced a acceptable of caller Kids’ Tablets successful agleam colors and ready-to-go bundles with entree to Google Play, though parents volition inactive beryllium capable to power which apps their kids tin entree and download.

2. Alexa+ integrations everywhere

As the sanction indicates, the Alexa Tablets diagnostic the Alexa+ virtual adjunct integrated throughout. Instead of conscionable having Alexa+ arsenic a dependable assistant, the caller tablets diagnostic the AI adjunct woven into the interface, akin to however Gemini is for emblematic Android tablets.

Also: I urge this Android tablet implicit flagship models, particularly astatine this price

The caller Alexa Tablets tin person Alexa construe what is connected your surface and reply questions astir it. You tin besides person live, ongoing conversations without repeating the aftermath connection earlier each one.

3. Completely caller hardware

On the hardware side, the Alexa Tablets besides diagnostic a large upgrade. The Tablet 8 features 4GB of RAM and 64GB of retention for mundane use. The Tablet 11 has 8GB of RAM and 64GB of retention for other amusement and airy work.

Most notably, though, the 3 tablets diagnostic a much upscale aluminum design, which should consciousness similar a sizeable upgrade erstwhile compared to the older tablets’ integrative construction.

4. Pro-level show and accessories

The Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, however, has a 4nm 8-core processor, 8GB oregon 16GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. It besides features a 12-inch show with a 120Hz refresh complaint and comes with the enactment of a Nanomatte anti-glare show tablet for $50 more, starting astatine $550. You tin besides get a Pro Pen with the Pro tablet for $90, which supports 4,096 unit levels, has tilt detection, and wireless charging.

Also: This rugged Android tablet goes everyplace I’m uneasy taking my iPad Pro – and it’s lone $340

Amazon besides sells a Pro Keyboard for this flagship tablet, which is magnetic, features a trackpad, and requires nary Bluetooth pairing. Instead of a elemental iterative update, the caller Alexa Tablets are an wholly redesigned lineup that could reposition Amazon tablets arsenic full-fledged Android tablets.

New Amazon Kids Tablets

Amazon besides launched 2 new, upgraded Kids Tablets: the Amazon Kids Tablet 8, starting astatine $230, and the Amazon Kids Tablet 11, starting astatine $330. The Kids’ tablets travel successful an 8.7-inch and 11-inch signifier factor, the second of which has a 2.5K show and 8GB of RAM.

The Kids Tablets besides diagnostic Android alternatively of FireOS, improved hardware and surface resolution, AI-powered storytelling, and much convenient parental controls. Unfortunately, the Kids Tablets diagnostic a one-year constricted warranty, which is simply a sizeable simplification from the erstwhile tablets’ two-year, worry-free guarantee.

Maria Diaz is simply a unit writer with a passionateness for location automation, astute location devices, and tablets. With a inheritance successful graphic design, photography, and filmmaking, she has a bachelor's successful Mass Communication and acquisition successful journalism and film. See afloat bio

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