Amazon Fire Phone

Innovative software ; Dynamic Perspective works well

Huge Amazon lock-in ; Overpriced ; No Google apps

Overall though, despite offering adequate performance, the Fire Phone’s display is a bit of a let down. Considering the SIM-free cost is $649 and akin to the absolute best handsets on the market, there’s no reason consumers should settle for anything...

Mayday provides quick access to tech support ; Comes with free year of Prime membership ; Good call quality

Exclusive to AT&T, no global options ; 3D effects can cause motion sickness ; Limited ecosystem ; Dynamic Perspective and Firefly need some work ; Unique features hamper battery life and performance

Amazon's debut phone isn't bad, per se, but there's little incentive for anyone to switch carriers or platforms to buy it. Its unique features don't provide enough utility, and come at the expense of both battery life and performance.

Takes good pictures ; Mostly solid battery life ; Lots of genuinely cool ideas about smartphones

Confusing, complex interface ; Bland, boring design ; Often ugly software ; Smartphones shouldn't just be stores

Amazon makes great stores – it doesn't yet make great smartphones

3D effects are fun and occasionally useful. Mayday is the industry's best tech support. Perfect integration with all of Amazon's media services. $199 gets you 32GB of integrated storage and a free year of Amazon Prime

Very focused on selling you things from Amazon. Fewer apps than standard Android phones. Hardware and benchmark results aren't quite top-tier. Poor e-mail support

Amazon is at its best when it's either less expensive or simpler than its competitors. Its core Prime delivery service succeeds on both measures: It undercuts many other retailers and makes it effortlessly easy to compare, buy, and receive products...

If you want the fastest way to buy things on Amazon, this is your dream device. Comes with a free year of Amazon Prime. Firefly’s performance is impressive. Very good camera with wide aperture and optical stabilization. Unlimited online storage for...

Specs lag behind similarly priced phones. Uninspired physical design. Speakers get loud, but the sound is harsh. No Google Play Store. Old Bluetooth spec means you can’t use it with most fitness trackers

Unbeatable price; Access to Amazon Prime content; Amazon Underground app store makes paid apps free; Impressive parental controls ; Short battery life; Sluggish performance; Low-resolution screen; Poor camera quality ; The $50 Amazon Fire tablet is...

Short battery life; Sluggish performance; Low-resolution screen; Poor camera quality ; The $50 Amazon Fire tablet is sluggish, but it delivers easy access to Amazon content on a decent display for a very, very low price.

The $50 Amazon Fire tablet is sluggish, but it delivers easy access to Amazon content on a decent display for a very, very low price.

Cheap as chips ; Good battery life ; Sturdy build

Laggy processor ; Weak screen

A cut-price tablet that's understandably rough around the edges

Solid, understated design; Comes with one year of Prime membership; Amazon Instant Video app; Fun Dynamic Perspective display ; Heavy, given small screen size; Lower-resolution screen than competitors'; Below-average battery life; Limited voice...

Heavy, given small screen size; Lower-resolution screen than competitors'; Below-average battery life; Limited voice controls ; Amazon's first phone boasts some head-turning innovations, but it doesn't do enough to compete with the top handsets.

Amazon's first phone boasts some head-turning innovations, but it doesn't do enough to compete with the top handsets.