Amazon launches Kindle Fire HDX

Amazon’s new 8.9 inch tablet features a higher-resolution display, a faster processor, and longer battery life than last year’s model. The new Kindle HDX 8.9 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, features a 2560 x 1600 pixel display, and offers up to 12 hours of battery life with mixed-use, or 18 hours if you’re just using it to read eBooks.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 shares a lot of DNA with its 7 inch sibling. Both pack 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage or more, optional 4G LTE, and the same speedy Qualcomm processor.

They also both run the latest version of the Kindle Fire OS with the company’s new “Mayday” live support button, built-in OfficeSuite software, and enterprise features including encryption.

But the larger model has a higher-resolution display, an 8MP rear-facing camera (in addition to the front-facing HD camera), and even longer battery life.

The Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 is also surprisingly thin and light for a tablet of its size. It measures 9.1″ x 6.2″ x 0.31″ and weighs just 13.2 ounces.

If you don’t need the spec bump, the original Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is still available for $269 and up. That model has a 1920 x 1200 pixel display, a TI OMAP 4 dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life. It measures 0.35 inches thick and weighs 20 ounces (or 1.25 pounds).