Amazon Kindle Fire (2012)

While the entry-level Kindle Fire is a price leader at $159, it doesn't quite measure up to this year's crop of $199 tablets.

Amazon Kindle Fire (2012) : Angle

The $159 Amazon Kindle Fire is a somewhat faster version of last year's model.

Like other Kindle Fire models, the $159 Kindle Fire has a simplified Android interface that relies heavily on Amazon services.

The Kindle Fire's home screen is primary a carousel of recently used items, with a text menu at the top.

The $159 Kindle Fire has a pair of speakers om the bottom.

The Kindle Fire's soft-touch back is easy to hold.

The $159 Kindle Fire has no hardware volume buttons, which was also a complaint about last year's model.

The $159 Kindle Fire is smaller than the $199 Kindle Fire HD, with a dimmer screen.