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Fire 7 2022 vs Fire 7 2019: top 10 new features and improvements

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Fire 7 2022 vs Fire 7 2019: top 10 new features and improvements

After about 3 years, Amazon finally refreshed the most affordable Android tablet on the planet, Fire 7. The 12th Gen Fire 7 (2022) was announced in May and released in June. Many Fire tablet owners wonder about the difference between Fire 7 2022 and Fire 7 2019.

As a successor to the 9th Gen Fire 7 (2019), Fire 7 2022 offers some valuable upgrades and changes.

This Fire tablet guide explains the top 10 new features and improvements of Fire 7 2022 vs Fire 7 2019, including

  1. Fire OS 8
  2. Faster CPU and GPU
  3. More (double) RAM
  4. USB-C
  5. WiFi 5 (802.11ac)
  6. Bluetooth 5.0
  7. Longer battery life
  8. VP9 codecs
  9. Widevine DRM L1 support
  10. Inflation tax (just to make it 10)

Some comparison was also extended to the current Fire HD 8 (10th Gen) and Fire HD 10 (11th Gen) to help you decide whether Fire 7 2022 is the right tablet for you.

Fire OS 8

Fire 7 2022 is the first Amazon device that ships with Fire OS 8, which is based on Android 11.

As a comparison, Fire 7 2019 (9th Gen) was updated to Fire OS 7, which is based on Android 9. The latest Fire HD 8 (2020, 10th gen) and Fire HD 10 (2021, 11th gen) are also running on Fire OS 7.

Although the latest version of Android is Android 12, Android 11 is still a major leap from Android 9 (Android Pie).

Some of the Android 10 and Android 11 features will benefit all users. For example,

You may check this guide on using new features in Fire OS 8.… Read the rest

How to use the 15 special keys and 11 keyboard shortcuts on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

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use the 15 special keys and 11 keyboard shortcuts on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)

The official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus) is one of the most useful accessories if you need to type a lot on the Fire HD 10 tablet. But some owners are confused about the 15 special keys and are not aware of the keyboard shortcuts that can improve their productivity greatly.

This Fire tablet how-to guide explains the meaning and usage of the 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus). The available keyboard shortcuts are also explained to help you improve your productivity.

If you want to know how to pair or configure the keyboard, please check this guide.

You may check Fire Tablet Buyers' Guide to see whether you should buy the Bluetooth keyboard as a productivity bundle.

What are the 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

There are 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus). 13 of them are located in the top row, and the other two are left to the space bar, as illustrated below.

These special keys offer a few unique features and functions for Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus).

Please note, these special keys work for Amazon Fire HD tablets only. If you pair the keyboard with tablets of other brands, some of them may not work.

15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)
15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)

Now, let’s go through these 15 special keys one by one.… Read the rest

How to Use Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2019,2021), Fire HD 10 Plus, Fire HD 8 (2020, 2022), and Fire HD 8 Plus (2030, 2022)?

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Use Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD Plus (2021)Split Screen is a new feature introduced in the 11th Gen of Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus.  It allows you to use two apps side by side concurrently.

This Fire tablet guide explains what Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021) is, how to launch apps in the Split Screen mode, and how to manage and resize screen size for Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021).

Please note, although 9th Gen Fire HD 10 (2019), 10th Gen Fire HD 8 (2020), and Fire HD 8 Plus (2021) also are on Fire OS 7.3, the split-screen feature currently is exclusive for the 11th Gen of Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021). It is unclear whether Amazon will port back this feature to these older devices. This feature is now available on all Fire HD devices  (8″ and 10″) with Fire OS 7 or Fire OS 8.

Fire 7 2022 (12th Gen) and Fire HD 8 2022 (12th Gen) are both shipped with Fire OS 8.  But the split-screen is supported on Fire HD 8 2022 and is NOT supported on Fire 7 2022.

What is Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD Plus (2021)?

On Android, the split-screen feature was introduced in Android Nougat (7.0).  Fire OS 6 is derived from Android 7.1. But Amazon did not implement it, possibly due to the low memory configurations on previous Fire HD tablets.

Now, Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021) have 3GB and 4GB RAM, respectively. So, Amazon finally added this multi-window feature.… Read the rest

Fire HD 10 Plus vs Fire HD 10 2021 vs Fire HD 10 2019

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Fire HD 10 Plus vs Fire HD 10 2021 vs Fire HD 10 2019As a refreshed version of the Fire HD 10 tablet, Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen) offers a moderate update over Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen).  Fire HD 10 Plus is the first “Plus” version of the Fire HD 10 series, apparently inspired by the moderate success of the Fire HD 8 Plus. This Fire tablet guide explains the new features of Fire HD 10 2021 (11th gen) compared to Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen) and the difference between Fire HD 10 Plus vs Fire HD 10 2021 to help you decide whether you should get the new Fire HD 10, or the new Fire HD10 Plus. The productivity bundle for the 11th Gen Fire HD 10, Fire HD 10 Kids,  and Fire HD 10 Kids Pro are also explained.

Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen) vs Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen): what's not changed?

The 11th Gen of Fire HD 10 is not a significant upgrade to the 9th Gen. A lot of key features and specs (and the price) still keep unchanged.

Chipset (CPU/GPU)

The tablet is still powered by the same MediaTek MT8183 (64-bit octa-core). It is a decent entry-level mobile chip and is probably still the fastest processor for a tablet under $150. Anyway, for most Fire HD 10 tablet owners, the chipset should be sufficient.  You may get a bit frustrated if you play heavy games or render videos on the tablet.

Fire OS 7

Both Fire HD 2021 (11th Gen) and  Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen) were released with Fire OS 7, which is based on Android Pie (Android 9). Most Android devices released in 2021 are on Android 11.… Read the rest

Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen): everything you need to know

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Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen): everything you need to knowFire HD10 2019 (Fire HD 9th Gen) is an updated model for Fire HD 10 2017 (7th Gen). It is a significant update with some new features and improvements and at the same affordable price.

As Amazon stopped the Fire HDX series of tablets, Fire HD 10 is the “flagship” tablet from Amazon. And Amazon now refreshes the tablet every two years.  Fire HD 10 and Fire 7 were updated from 7th Gen to the 9th Gen in 2019.

This Fire tablet buying guide explains everything you need to know about Fire HD 10 9th Gen: the new features, pros and cons (review) of Fire HD 10 2019, alternatives to this tablet, and answers to questions you may have about this tablet.

Please note, the successor of Fire HD 10 2019 is Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen). You can find the updated features here.

Top 9 new  features of Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen)

The 9th Gen of Fire HD 10 looks similar to the previous 7th gen Fire HD 10. Actually, the ports, buttons, cameras, and speakers are located almost in identical locations. The dimensions are also almost identical.

But don't be fooled by the look. There are some excellent new features. Here are the top 9 new features (compared to Fire HD 10 2017).

USB-C port

Finally, Amazon ditched the vintage micro USB port with the future-proof  USB-C port on Fire HD 10 9th Gen.

The USB-C port offers numerous advantages. For example:

  • The connector is symmetric. You can easily insert the cable into the port without turning on the light.
  • More protocols can be supported.
  • You can use more USB accessories without needing USB-OTG.
… Read the rest