Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7 and 8.9-inch tablets launch in UK

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The Amazon Kindle Fire HDX was initially launched in the US a few weeks ago but now it looks like Amazon is taking the fight to the iPad Mini here in the UK

Amazon has unveiled the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7-inch and 8.9-inch tablets along with an updated Kindle Fire HD for the UK. Amazon's new range of tablets will be looking to steal the thunder from Apple's potential iPad Mini 2 launch next week.

The new Kindle Fire HDX tablets are not only lighter and thinner than the previous generation they also come with Amazon's new HDX display which the company is boasting as their best yet.

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7-inch specs

The first in the lineup is the Kindle Fire HDX which will come with a 7-inch HDX display boasting an impressive 1920x1200 resolution at 323ppi along with 100 per cent sRGB colour accuracy which should mean brighter more vivid colours when looking at images or watching video.

The HDX 7-inch also comes with dynamic image contrast which means that not only will the tablet adjust the brightness of the display dependent on its surroundings it'll also adjust the contrast of the display which should mean better viewing in direct sunlight.

Inside you'll find a 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor making it not only three times faster than the previous Kindle Fire HD but faster even than some flagship smartphones like the HTC One max.

There's also 2GB of RAM which should mean that it's more than capable of switching between movies, books and apps without any hesitation.

Finally you'll find dual speakers powered by Dolby Digital Plus along with a 720p front-facing camera for video calls. You'll also be able to get the Kindle Fire HDX with 3G and 4G through Vodafone.

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9-inch specs

The HDX 8.9 is, according to Amazon, the lightest large screen tablet available weighing in at 374g making it 34 per cent lighter than the previous Kindle Fire HD 8.9.

You also get a HDX display boasting a mighty 2560x1600 at 339ppi making it an even higher resolution display than the HDX 7.

The HDX 8.9 does however come with the same hardware specs as the HDX 7 boasting the same 2.2Ghz Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor and 2GB RAM.

There's no word on storage however if you look at the US options available the UK pricing would suggest that Amazon will be offering the 8.9-inch with 16GB storage.

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX with Fire OS 3.0 'Mojito'

Both tablets will come running Amazon's latest Fire OS 3.0 'Mojito' which will bring with it a whole host of new features including a totally new email client, Silk browser and calendar.

You'll also get VPN integration, enterprise compatibility and the ability to wirelessly print as well as Amazon FreeTime, a feature which Amazon introduced allowing parents to control what content their children have access too.

Amazon Mayday button

Of course what everyone will be talking about is the Mayday button, a service which at the press of a button, will provide live tech support in the form of a one-way video chat with an advisor.

Whilst you'll be able to see them, they won't be able to see you help avoiding any privacy issues, they'll also be able to remotely control your device showing you tips by drawing arrows or writing on the display, or helping you solve any tech problems.

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX price and release date

The Kindle Fire HDX 7-inch will start at £199 for 16GB WiFi-only and £269 with 4G making it clear that Amazon is not only gunning for the Google Nexus 7 2013 but also for the upcoming iPad Mini 2, it'll also be launching in 32 and 64GB versions.

UK pricing for the 16GB HDX 8.9-inch starts at £329 for WiFi-only whilst the 4G version will set you back £399 with shipping starting on 13th December for both tablets. You'll also be able to get the HDX 8.9 in 32 and 64GB versions as well.