<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"On the eve of one the biggest smartphone rollouts of the year from Apple, attention turned to the possible launch of a new smartphone from another tech heavyweight: Amazon. In a report posted last Friday, former Wall Street Journal reporter Jessica Lessin cited a source that claimed Amazon was considering offering a smartphone to consumers for free.\nHowever, in a rare break from the company\u2019s usual silence on such rumors, Amazon has stepped forward to deny the claims made in the original report. Amazon spokesperson Drew Herdener told Mashable, \u201CWe have no plans to offer a phone this year.\u201D\nSEE ALSO: Report: Amazon Tests a Wireless Network in California\nThis latest Amazon smartphone chatter is just the latest in a long string rumors that have surrounded the company following the success of its Kindle line of e-readers.\nAs early as 2011 reports surfaced that the company had a smartphone planned for the following year, then in 2012 reports claimed the company was testing out a smartphone with a 4- to 5-inch screen. Finally, in May of this year the Wall Street Journal claimed that Amazon was working on a smartphone with a 3D screen.\nAnd while the prospect of a free smartphone from Amazon is exciting to consider, Herdener says, \u201Cif we were to launch a phone in the future, it would not be free.\u201D\nBONUS: Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is Good, But No iPad Killer [REVIEW]\n\n\n\nKindle Fire HD 8.9 4G LTE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnboxing the Kindle Fire HD 8.9\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nUnboxing the Kindle Fire HD 8.9\nThe back of the box\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle Fire HD 8.9 in one Hand\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle Fire HD 8.9 Edge\nNote the power button and volume rocker. To the left is one of the Dolby speakers. To the right is the 3.5 mm audio jack.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle Fire HD 8.9 Back\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle Fire HD 8.9 (right), iPad 4th Gen (left)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Drawing\nYes, you can draw on this tablet as well as the iPad.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Asphalt 7\nGame play is smooth, but graphics are not when it comes to graphically-intensive actioners like Asphalt.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Carousel View\nWhile Amazon's carousel interface is simple and easy-to-use, the app and task icons are giant on this larger screen. They also highlight the tablet's occasional missteps. I can't remember what that blank icon represents.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Carousel and Quick Links\nIf you hold the tablet in landscape mode, you can see the more detailed quick links below.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Andry Birds Star Wars\nGames like Angry Birds look fantastic on the HD screen and gameplay is ultra-smooth.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Game Access\nKindles' App store has a wide selection of games, but the tablet has the odd habit of always asking, after you think you've downloaded the game, if you want to download the whole game (this is typically for storage space consideration).\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Magazine App\nMany of the magazine publishers have apps that let you download and manage issues. This is Vanity Fair. I had some trouble downloading the latest issue--it just kept failing, but did manage to download and view and older one.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Magazine - Vanity Fair\nVanity Fair is a stunner on the Kindle Fire HD. However, it does usually force you into portrait mode. At one point, it switched into landscape and then got stuck that way. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Mail Interface\nSetting up multiple e-mail accounts on the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is easy and the mail interface is among the best in large-screen tablet space.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Music\nAmazon has a vast music library and smartly lets you store either locally or in your own personal cloud.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Settings and Notifications\nA sweep down from the top of the screen reveals settings and notifications.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Silk Browser New Tab\nAmazon's Silk browser  looks sharp and generally works well. However, I did encounter some crashes and never noticed it retrieving pages faster than other browsers.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Skype App\nIs it just me or does this interface look a little over-matched by the large a screen.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKindle HD Twitter or Silk Browser\nWhen you tweet, you have a choice.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nImage: Flickr, Adrienne\u00A0Third"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2013/09/09/amazon-no-free-smartphone/>