ok guys i updated op because gizmodo also changed the text. now with all models and such...sry if you maybe thought the big version is $159

maybe i will buy the $200 version when we will get that in germany. should be enough for little bit internet and so on...

I'm a total noob when it comes to tablet PC's but I might need one for all the iOS/Android games which release in the future. Would this tablet be a good choice for this kind of usage? What OS does amazon use?

no clue whats with the $159 model but:

Kindle Fire HD (7-inch) $199 with full specs and release date: http://www.theverge.com/products/kindle-fire-hd-7-inch/6097

Kindle Fire HD (8.9-inch) $299 with full specs and release date: http://www.theverge.com/products/kindle-fire-hd-8-9-inch/6092

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 4G LTE (8.9-inch) $499 with full specs and release date: http://www.theverge.com/products/kindle-fire-hd-4g-lte-8-9-inch/6099

hrm...not quite as attractive.

It is a heavily skinned version of Android. If you don't like it you can remove and flash an Android ROM you like. It is very good for media, no idea how Amazon appstore is though. As far as ı know there is no Google Play Store.

Hmmm... this sounded good untill i clicked the link and saw this:

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/6/3298418/new-kindle-fire-hd-special-offers

All new Kindle Fire models are ad-supported

Amazon's new lineup of tablets don't just differ from the original Kindle Fire in their hardware. Like last year's cheapest Kindle e-reader, all three new models — that's the Fire, the HD 7, and the HD 8.9 — will display Amazon's "Special Offers" promotions and advertisements on their lock screens. Unlike the low-end Kindle, however, Amazon isn't offering the devices in more expensive, ad-free models, nor is it making mention of any way to opt out for a fee.

Considering the aggressive pricing of the new Fires we imagine many people won't mind, especially as the offers include deals such as a $5 credit for Amazon's movie and music services. Not everyone is going to be comfortable with paying for devices that advertise at you, on the other hand, so it's notable that Amazon doesn't seem to be giving customers the option.

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It’s a slippery slope.. I can handle ads in an app but on my device? I don't like the sound of that

That's an important question. Amazon has their own fork of Android. The version for the last Fire was based on Android 2.2, IIRC. I don't think anybody knows what version this device is based on. Could be 2.2 that Amazon has continued to refine, could be a version 4.0 derivative with all the Google stripped out and replaced with Amazon.

It was based on 2.3. Pretty much every rumor indicated that this is based on Android 4. The device seems quite zippy so I think it is true.

I'm waiting for the Surface before I make a decision on whether or not I even want a Tablet. My Galaxy Note does everything I need right now and I still have a laptop for long trips.

Thanks for the correction on Android version. Doesn't seem that zippy to me, though:

That's the 7" HD version. In other benchmarks for other devices, the OMAP 4470 in the 9" Fire has roughly double the graphics performance of the 4460 in the 7" HD Fire, but the 9" device also has twice the pixels, so I wouldn't expect it to be any more performant.