Amazon launched its low-cost Amazon Fire tablet on September 17, Thursday, which at $50 is substantially cheaper than the $270 Apple iPad Mini. Just three months before the year-end holiday season, the 7-inch basic yet "powerful" computer is ideal for reading books, watching videos, playing games, and shopping online.
The Amazon Fire tablet includes a quad-core processor, 1024 pixel x 600 pixel resolution, front and rear-facing camera, and 8 gigabytes (GB) of storage with the option to upgrade to 128 GB, according to ABC News. Amazon's budget tablet also has 7 hours of battery life.
Consumers can enjoy even more savings by purchasing five Amazon Fire tablets. The sixth one is free.
One drawback of the low-cost tablet is that ads appear on the screen saver. Removing them costs an extra $15, according to The Times of India.
Another perk of the mini computer is Amazon Prime. The $100-per-year service offers a blend of music, videos, and free shipping.
Amazon also unveiled new versions of bigger and pricier tablet computers. It is preparing to battle Apple, which recently launched new iPhones and an iPad, during the holiday shopping season.
Last year Amazon unveiled its Fire Phone. The smartphone produced low sales figures and is thus not available at Amazon.com.
However, Amazon has several stocking stuffers in the works. They include an 8-inch Fire HD tablet, starting at $150. Meanwhile, its 10-inch Fire HD tablet will have a $230 price point, which is $170 cheaper than an iPad with a similar display size.
Pre-orders for the Amazon Fire tablet will start September 17, Thursday. Shipments are scheduled to begin in two weeks.