Amazon has announced a new accessory for its Fire HD 8 and HD 10 tablets called the Show Mode Charging Dock. Costing $39.99 for the smaller tablet and $54.99 for the larger one, the dock lets you charge your Fire tablet simply by slotting it into the dock itself. That’s pretty convenient on its own, but there’s more to it.
According to Amazon, when docking your Fire, the tablet will automatically convert to a new interface called Show Mode. Essentially, Show Mode is a version of the same interface as an Echo Show. This means you can do all the normal stuff you would do with an Echo Show right on your Fire tablet. You can ask Alexa questions, view daily briefings, place video calls, play music, and more.
“Last year, we introduced Alexa hands-free on the Fire HD 10 and customers are loving it—in fact, the Fire HD 10 is now our highest-rated Fire tablet,” said Kevin Keith, General Manager, Amazon Devices. “We’re now taking that Alexa experience one step further with Show Mode and the Show Mode Charging Dock. Place your tablet into the dock and it transforms into a more immersive Alexa experience—just ask to see the weather, news, a TV show, make a video call, and more; pick up your tablet from the dock to access your favorite apps, books, and websites. It’s a whole new way for customers to use and enjoy their Fire tablets.”
Amazon recommends connecting an external Bluetooth speaker for “even richer audio sound,” but we all know it’s because the Fire’s speaker is trash.
Anyway, the dock is available for preorder now with orders going out July 12th. Those who preorder will get a discount of $5, lowering the prices to $34.99 and $49.99, respectively. A software update will roll out on July 2nd that gives you access to Show Mode. For reference, those with a Fire 7 tablet won’t be able to access the new feature.
