Amazon is running a one-day deal on the Kindle Fire HD 8.9. You can knock $50 off the price of any model by using the code FIREDHD89 at checkout.
That means you can get an entry level model for just $249, or a top-of-the line model with 4G LTE and 64GB of storage for $549.
The Kindle Fire HD features an 8.9 inch, 1920 x 1200 pixel display, 1GB of RAM, and a TI OMAP 4470 dual core processor.
Amazon offers the following models:
- 16GB WiFi-only for $299 ($249 today)
- 32GB WiFi-only model for $369 ($319 today)
- 32GB 4G LTE model for $499 ($449 today)
- 32GB 4G LTE model for $499 ($449 today)
Prices are $15 higher if you opt for a model without “special offers,” which are Amazon’s ads on the home screen and lock screen.
Each Kindle Fire comes with a custom version of Android 4.0 featuring Amazon’s carousel-style app launcher and Amazon’s music, video, and book apps and stores.
But if you’re hoping to pick up one of these relatively inexpensive tablets, remove Amazon’s software and install CyanogenMod or another custom ROM… you may be able to do that soon.
While the entire Kindle Fire HD line features locked bootloaders, which has slowed hackers down a bit, developer verygreen has already made some progress getting around the locked bootloader and is busy porting CyanogenMod 10 to run on Amazon’s 8.9 inch tablets.
You can follow his progress at the xda-developers forum.
On the other hand, there are a couple of good reasons to stick with Amazon’s software. The company offers Amazon Prime subscribers access to thousands of movies and TV shows for $79 per year, and Prime members can also borrow one book per month from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library.
Neither of those features are accessible unless you’re using Amazon’s software (although some folks have managed to get the Amazon Instant Video app to work with other versions of Android).
The article says “access to thousands of movies and TV shows for $79 per month”
It should say “access to thousands of movies and TV shows for $79 per YEAR”