AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from Ars Technica, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.

---

Amazon has introduced a new line of tablets called Alexa Tablets, marking a significant shift from its long-running Fire brand. For fifteen years, Fire tablets ran a custom version of Android known as Fire OS that lacked Google integration and relied on Amazon’s own app store. That store closed last year, but the new devices are now fully certified by Google to run standard Android with the Play Store and access to all major apps. This represents a stark contrast to Amazon’s Fire Sticks, which use a custom Linux-based operating system called Vega OS.

The lineup includes three models featuring redesigned aluminum bodies. The base model, the Alexa Tablet 8, starts at $230, while the mid-range Alexa Tablet 11 costs $330. Both use budget MediaTek processors and feature 16:10 display ratios optimized for video. The top-tier device, the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, begins at $500 and offers a taller 3:2 screen ratio better suited for multitasking. It includes an optional matte display upgrade, a keyboard, and a stylus, powered by a more advanced MediaTek Dimensity 8400 processor with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

These tablets run on full Android, allowing users to access Google apps like Gemini for artificial intelligence tasks alongside Amazon’s Alexa Plus voice assistant. While the devices are priced higher than previous Fire models, they remain competitive in 2026 against rivals like Apple’s iPad Mini at $600 and the base iPad at $450. Preorders are currently open with shipping scheduled for October 14.