Categories
Close
Menu
Menu
Close
Search
Search

Featured Articles

[EasyDNNnews:IfNotExists:Image]
News

Amazon announces its Fire smartphone

[EasyDNNnews:EndIf:Image]
Mark

Share:

Print

Rate article:

No rating
Rate this article:
No rating

Online retailer Amazon has announced its first smartphone. The new device is simply known as Fire - the same branding used to differentiate the company’s multimedia tablets from its eBook readers - and will launch next week on the AT&T network in the USA.

Fire will run Amazon’s own version of Android on a quad-core 2.2 GHz processor. It offers a 4.7-inch HD display, a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera, a 2.1 megapixel front-facing camera, 4G connectivity and stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus virtual surround sound.

Image

There are four cameras and four infrared LEDs built into the front of the Fire phone to offer 3D effects on some applications and the User Interface. It means the handset can respond to movements of the user’s head as well as their hands; this ‘Dynamic Perspective’ enables shoppers to look more closely at certain products and to play games that adjust the character’s viewpoint when the user looks round obstacles. It’s also possible to operate some features - such as scrolling online or turning eBook pages - by tilting the phone.

In addition, a new ‘Firefly’ feature can recognise products, music, films and text via the phone’s camera and microphone - making it easier to buy via Amazon’s web service.

Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon.com, said “Fire Phone puts everything you love about Amazon in the palm of your hand - instant access to Amazon’s vast content ecosystem and exclusive features like the Mayday button, ASAP [Advanced Streaming and Prediction], Second Screen, X-Ray, free unlimited photo storage, and more. The Firefly button lets you identify printed web and email addresses, phone numbers, QR and bar codes, artwork, and over 100 million items, including songs, movies, TV shows, and products - and take action in seconds. We invented a new sensor system called Dynamic Perspective that recognizes where a user’s head is relative to the device - we use it to offer customers a more immersive experience, one-handed navigation, and gestures that actually work. And this is only the beginning - the most powerful inventions are the ones that empower others to unleash their creativity - that’s why today we are launching the Dynamic Perspective SDK and the Firefly SDK - we can’t wait to see how developers surprise us.”

US pricing is $649 (£382) SIM-free for the version with 32GB memory (a 64GB model is also available) or from $199 (£117) with a two-year contract. There's currently no availability in other countries.

Comments

Collapse Expand Comments (0)
You don't have permission to post comments.

Opinion Articles

ExclusiveNFC... but not as you know it

Mark Bridge writes:

There's more to NFC than mobile payments... and there's more to mobile payments than NFC.

The latest audio accessories from Nokia use 'contactless' NFC technology to speed up Bluetooth connections. Simply touch a compatible Nokia phone against the Play 360° loudspeaker and your music will play through the speaker. There's no need to bother with conventional Bluetooth pairing.

ExclusiveThis week at The Fonecast: 18th June 2011

Mark Bridge writes:

Sometimes it seems that everyone and everything is out to get you. Recently, Nokia's been in that position – but this week it looks as though RIM is taking over as the mobile industry's whipping-boy.

ExclusiveApp discovery gets smarter

Mark Bridge writes:

I've written previously about the changes happening to mobile application stores. Last week I was talking to Todd Levy about the family-friendly application store he's planning to launch. He explained how BloomWorlds would be curated to provide trusted reviews that weren't skewed by the app developers themselves.

ExclusiveBox Breaking in the UK

Mark Bridge writes:

In this week's podcast feature, Iain Graham has been taking a look at 'box breaking' in the UK. Box breaking can take a variety of forms but it generally involves buying a 'pay as you go' mobile phone at a price that's subsidised in part by a mobile network - and selling it at a higher price to someone who won't connect it to the original network. The package of phone and SIM card is effectively 'broken', with the SIM often sold separately.

RSS
First6869707173757677Last

Recent Podcasts

ExclusivePodcast from Mobile World Congress 2015

Mark Bridge learns about the mobile technology trends at Mobile World Congress 2015 by chatting to James Rosewell of 51Degrees, Dr Kevin Curran from the IEEE and Chris Millington of Doro.

They talk about wearable devices, wireless charging, mobile operating systems and much more... including some of their favourite products from the exhibition.

ExclusiveLooking back at February: from security scares to multiple MVNOs

We're taking a look back at the biggest mobile industry news stories from February 2015, including allegations that the UK's security service tried to breach SIM card security by hacking into one of the world's biggest SIM producers.

We also talk about the planned BT and EE merger, the creation of two new UK virtual networks, some acquisitions in the mobile payment arena and a new Ubuntu smartphone.

ExclusiveA month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

We're back with a month of mobile industry news, including takeover talks and takeover rumours. O2 and Three are said to be discussing a merger... but is there any truth in the suggestions that BlackBerry could be up for grabs?

We also discuss Apple's record-breaking quarterly figures, the highlights of CES and the launch of Microsoft Windows 10, as well as saying farewell to the current version of Google Glass.

RSS
12345678910Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Archive Calendar

«July 2026»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
293012345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
272829303112
3456789

Archive