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When we reviewed the Kindle Fire HD last year, we were bitterly disappointed. Mainly because it was a good little device that just didn’t have any of the great Amazon features available for Australians. That’s about to change, however, with the news overnight that Amazon will make the Kindle Fire HD available for shipping to Australia. Hurrah!
The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 and the smaller, 7-inch Kindle Fire HD will both be available to Australia as of June 13.
The main differences between the two models are actually fairly apparent: the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD has a 1280×800 resolution while the larger, 8.9-inch model has 1920 x 1200, the 7-inch model has a slower dual-core processor, clocking in at 1.2GHz compared to 1.5GHz on the larger model, and the battery is smaller at 4400mAh instead of 6000mAh in the larger model.
Given the differences in battery and resolution, specifically, it might be worth actually investing the extra cash to get yourself a faster Kindle Fire HD.
The 7-inch Kindle Fire HD will set you back $US214 for the 16GB model, with a 32GB model also available for $244. The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 starts at $US284 for the 16GB variant, while the larger 32GB option rings up at $US314.
No word yet on how much retailers like Dick Smith and BIG W will charge for the Kindle Fire HD, but it’s a pretty sure bet that they’ll both be stocking the device given the fact that Amazon prominently calls them out on its international retailer page.
Our friends over at Ausdroid pointed out last night that the Kindle Fire HD news comes as Amazon launches its Appstore in Australia, meaning you will be able to download apps for the devices from Amazon’s own service. We’re still unsure if all the great Amazon Instant Video content will come to Australia, but goddamnit we hope so. [Amazon]