Amazon launches six new Fire products, starting from $49.99

[HEXUS]

Four new tablets, the Fire TV stick bundled with voice remote, and a 4K Fire TV box.

Read more.

[watercooled]

$49.99 = £49.99. Nice!

[keithwalton]

$ equals £ most of the time for electrical goods,

Exchange rate is currently $1.55 = £1

But our price includes VAT @ 20% there's does not include sales tax which varies frequently and is different in each state. So $1.55 = £1.20

When you then factor in import duties into EU and add a margin for currency fluctuation and rounding up to the nearest .99 you end up with your $ = £

If the transatlantic trade and investment partnership ever kicks off then things might get a little cheaper

[cjs150]

So the Fire HD is not in fact full HD but the poxy 720p version that unscrupulous electric goods manufacturers try to dupe people with?

Nice try, no sale

[Saracen]

$ equals £ most of the time for electrical goods,

Exchange rate is currently $1.55 = £1

But our price includes VAT @ 20% there's does not include sales tax which varies frequently and is different in each state. So $1.55 = £1.20

When you then factor in import duties into EU and add a margin for currency fluctuation and rounding up to the nearest .99 you end up with your $ = £

If the transatlantic trade and investment partnership ever kicks off then things might get a little cheaper

There must be one heck of a currency fluctuation margin for that to work.

Yes, our price includes VAT, and yes, there's import duty too (which does indeed vary, but most items are berween about 3 and 8%).

But even so, that only accounts for part of the difference, leaving a considerabke chunk left for the currency ripoff charge so many companies apply.

[peterb]

There must be one heck of a currency fluctuation margin for that to work.

Yes, our price includes VAT, and yes, there's import duty too (which does indeed vary, but most items are berween about 3 and 8%).

But even so, that only accounts for part of the difference, leaving a considerabke chunk left for the currency ripoff charge so many companies apply.

It gets more complicated than that though, as the items are made in the Far East, so Yen/Dollar and Yen/pound or Yen/Euro exchange rates come into play!

But looking at the fire, the ex-VAT price is £41 deducting 5% import tax gives £39, and at $1.50 to the pound, the equivalent US price would be around $57 so still a mark up of $8, or about £5.50. (all calculations are approximate)

[sykobee]

The only compelling product here is the Fire Tablet for Children, or "Kids Edition" as Amazon call it - and that for the replacement policy and free content only. It will be a very popular Christmas present.

[nichomach]

The stick bundle's advertised on the UK site for £44.99, which isn't bad at all as far as exchange rates go.

[jimborae]

The only compelling product here is the Fire Tablet for Children, or "Kids Edition" as Amazon call it - and that for the replacement policy and free content only. It will be a very popular Christmas present.

Fire TV Box is the most compelling for me. I have 2 of the rev.1 and have pre-ordered the new version already. They make great Kodi streaming boxes as well as all the other services.

[eiamhere69]

So, they are going forvthe cheap end of the market, but with cheaper than cheap hardware.

They seem to be wanting to boost their margins, yet increase user base also.

If they want to sell many devices to force expensive (restricted / hobbled) media and adverts diwn peoples throats, they can at least offer reasonable hardware and or decent price (relative to the hardware)

I know they want to try and cut in at the bottom of the market as they clearly feel they should sell more, but this is dated spec.

We've had a refresh of old tech (Kitkat) making android more efficient for older systems, there won't be another.

[Neostar]

You know what this means... yes the price for the old HDX range will go up on ebay