Kindle Fire HD Gives Amazon A Record Sales Performance: Here’s Why
Online retail (e-tailer?) giant Amazon reports record-setting sales for the Kindle e-reader over the past weekend, thanks largely to the Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX 7? platform.
“We’re excited that so many customers have chosen Kindle this holiday season—and it’s just getting started!” said Neil Lindsay, Vice President of Amazon Kindle said via press release. “Our new Kindle Fire tablets and Kindle e-readers are the best we’ve ever built, and we can’t wait for customers to unwrap their gifts this holiday.”
The Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX 7? were the top-selling items in Amazon’s big weekend. With entry-level pricing at $69, it’s easy to see how Amazon is able to move so many of the tablet/e-reader, which is available at Amazon.com and via traditional brick-and-mortar retail outlets like Best Buy, Radio Shack and Staples.
The Kindle Fire HDX 7? landed a coveted spot on CNET’s Top Holiday Tablet list, alongside the likes of the Apple iPad (in Mini and Air platforms), the Google Nexus 7, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and, oh yeah, big sister Kindle Fire HDX 8.9?. Each of the two Kindle models listed received four out of 5 stars; among the virtues extolled for the Kindle Fire HDX are:
- fast and powerful page-loading performance
- sharp screen
- lightweight design
The CNET reviewers liked the equal performance and smaller price tag on the 7? version of the Kindle Fire HDX. The 8.9? Kindle Fire HDX is ranked as CNET’s “best media consumption tablet.” They recommend the HDX platform over the standard Kindle Fire HD—which still landed three stars.
More than half of Amazon customers reviewing the Kindle Fire HD 7? model, with base-level options, ranked it at five out of five stars. Detractors of the tablet don’t like the blue-colored tint around their e-books on the display, an issue Amazon approached proactively, saying the color halo is a result of the LED technology the unit uses to achieve optimal color performance. It’s not so much a defect as it is a side effect, from the sounds of it. Other users suggest reading with white text on a black background to solve the issue.
What do you think of the Kindle Fire HD? Is it on your Holiday wish list? What is your preferred e-reader?
