Skip to main content

How good can a $150 tablet be? The new Amazon Fire HD 10 raises the bar

Clearly an HD bargain

We’ve gotten our hot little hands on Amazon’s latest tablet, the Amazon Fire HD 10, and while a high-end electronic slate thing can set you back close to a thousand bucks, Amazon has somehow figured out how to make us happy for just $150. That’s right, the newest Amazon tech toy features a full HD screen, 2gb of RAM, 10 hours of real-world battery life and 32gb of memory, and there’s an SD card slot for bumping that up.

Naturally, Alexa is hiding inside the Fire HD 10, ready to do your bidding (and shopping on Amazon.com, of course). And while there’s a lot to like about the Fire HD 10, there are a few sore points as well: the main camera maxes out at a 2004-spec two megapixels, the speakers sound good or bad depending on the position of the tablet, and you can’t exactly make it your primary gaming rig. But watch streaming shows? Read books? Shop for those books and shows? All good. We put the new Fire HD 10 tablet to the test, so check out our full review.

The original portable tech addiction

You know what iconic tech device debuted almost 30 years ago? No? Let’s just say there were mentions of “spinach” when it came to market. That’s right, the original Nintendo Game Boy portable first hit shelves in 1989, with it’s spinach-colored screen and pop-in cartridges.

Now, it looks like Nintendo may be thinking of taking a page from the past for a future product. According to a Twitter post by a Japanese user that tracks trademark applications, the company that has two successful retro console launches on the market already may be prepping a portable handset for the devices big birthday party in 2019. The trademark also covers clothes, consoles, chotchkies and other things related to the Game Boy brand.

It could just be a trademark protection move, but we’re hoping it’s a logical follow-up to the Nintendo Classic and S-NES Classic consoles. But, please, Nintendo: a color screen this time?

Get thee to a trackery

Are you a Porsche fan? Of course you are. So why limit yourself to that one German autobahn burner in the garage when you can drive pretty much all of them?

That’s the idea behind Porsche’s new “subscription service” for their cars is called Porsche Passport. Naturally, it’s very affordable: just $2,000 a month to pick from a queue of nine models, or $3,000 a month to get behind the wheel of anything in the 22-car lineup. The fees cover taxes, registration, maintenance and detailing, but not speeding tickets. Think it’s a crazy idea? Maybe it is, but Audi and Volvo aren’t far behind, so maybe it isn’t.

We’ve got more news on our Facebook page and YouTube channel, and be sure to tune in to this week’s DT podcasts: Close to the Metal (computers and such) on Tuesday, Trends with Benefits (general tech shenanigans)  on Thursdays, and Between the Streams (movie and TV topics) every Friday.

Bill Roberson
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I focus on producing Digital Trends' 'DT Daily' video news program along with photographing items we get in for review. I…
Apple One, Ubisoft Forward wrap-up, life on Mars, and more | Digital Trends Live
digital trends live episode 457 curiosity at work on mars  artist s concept

On this Digital Trends Live, host Greg Nibler talks the top tech stories of the day, including how Twitter and Google handle preelection misinformation, Apple's accidental reveal of Apple One, an Ubisoft Forward wrap-up, the Mars Curiosity rover begins its search for life, and more.

 

Read more
Work/Life: How to remain focused during times of distraction
worklife episode 26 featured

On this episode of Work/Life, Ciara Pressler, author of Pregame and Game Plan, talks with Greg Nibler about how to remain focused during the constant distractions, chaos, and confusion of the current climate, whether it’s pandemic fatigue, protests, wildfires, the election, or any number of other things out of our control that can take our attention or bog us down.

“There’s a lot going on,” Pressler said, “so how do we focus when there’s so much going on?” The first step of gaining focus, she says, is to acknowledge what’s going on -- not just with the constant barrage of news, but with yourself. “You might not be feeling like working at 100%, and that’s ok!” she says.

Read more
Oracle eyes TikTok, Oculus 2, LG’s dual-screen phone | Digital Trends Live
The Oculus Quest 2 on a table.

On this Digital Trends Live, host Greg Nibler takes on the top tech news of the day, including Oracle’s bid for TikTok, Facebook removes false fire posts, LG’s dual-screen smartphone, Oculus 2 is coming, and more.

John Velasco joins the program to rate the various models of robotic vacuums on the market, including the Shark IQ, the Roborock S6 Max V, the iRobot Roomba S9+, and more.
Julia Daviy

Read more