Amazon today issued a huge update for its Fire Phone .
The update brings a number of new features, including the ability to translate text to and from several different languages, and a new artwork-recognition tool that can identify 2,000 famous paintings.
If you're one of the few Fire Phone enthusiasts out there, the overhaul also includes a new feature dubbed Best Shot, which lets you see three versions of a photo so you can choose which is best. You can also now turn character counts on or off, choose from seven pre-loaded keyboard languages, block calls from unwanted contacts, and control music from the lock screen. Other new features include: custom ringtones, the ability to edit documents using the pre-loaded WPS Office app, connect to a corporate VPN, sync calendars across other Fire devices, and read and scroll through Kindle books without having to touch the screen with Auto-Scroll.
The update also includes "dozens" of system updates for enhanced battery performance and "hundreds" of other bug fixes and improvements to help it run better overall.
Released in June, the Fire Phone has not exactly been a hit. From AT&T exclusivity to a lackluster app selection, not even 3D effects could persuade people to ditch their iPhone, Android smartphone, or Windows Phone. Three weeks after its launch, the phone had nabbed just 0.02 percent of the North American market, and two months after its debut, Amazon discounted the handset to just 99 cents on contract.
The Fire Phone received a "good" rating of 3.5-out-of-five stars in PCMag's review, earning high marks for its solid build and unique features. But a heavy focus on selling users Amazon products and a limited app selection on the Fire operating system did it no favors.
For more, see What's Wrong With the Amazon Fire Phone?
If you want the Fire Phone, meanwhile, Amazon has extended free shipping on it and other select Amazon devices. All customers can now get free two-day shipping through 4 p.m. PT on Dec. 22 and free one-day shipping on Dec. 23 until noon PT on Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Fire HD, Fire HD Kids Edition, Kindle Fire HDX 7, Fire HDX 8.9, Amazon Fire TV, and Fire phone.
Last-minute deals on Amazon devices, meanwhile, include:
- $20 off Amazon Fire TV (now $79) through 12/28
- $25 off Fire HD 7 (now $114) through 12/27
- $30 off Kindle (now $59) through 12/27
- $20 off Kindle Paperwhite (now $99) through 12/27
- 30 percent off 32 and 64GB Fire HDX 8.9 (starting at $300) for one day only on 12/22