Nikon brings Wi-Fi and improvements to D5300 DSLR, plus pricey 58mm pro-level prime lens

There are several noteworthy improvements in Nikon D5300 Black Friday Deal's new D5300 APS-C (DX) DSLR from its predecessor, the D5200. One of Nikon's best-selling and most popular models, the midrange 24.1-megapixel D5300's smaller and lighter body has improved ergonomics - there's more surface area on the grip for a tighter hold and more clearance between your fingers and the lens. Despite the body being smaller, the vari-angle flip-out LCD got bigger (3.2 inches from 3 inches in the D5200). With the Expeed 4 image processor the ISO range has increased (100-12,800). But the big addition is that Wi-Fi is now built into the camera ­- a first for Nikon DSLRs.

Another big change, Nikon has removed the optical low pass (anti-aliasing) filter from the 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, to improve the image quality of stills and videos - a trend that's happening with many new cameras. The D5300 has the same 39-point autofocus system and 5 frames-per-second continuous shooting as the D5200. There's also Nikon's Scene Reconigtion System that uses the 2,016-pixel RGB metering system to automatically select exposure, AF, and white balance based on the scene conditions.

Wi-Fi has been available in Nikon cameras via an optional adapter, but the D5300 will be the first to have it built in. It's also the first Nikon DSLR to have onboard GPS, which lets you geotag your images before you upload or e-mail them from the camera via a connected smartphone or tablet. You can also use a connected smart device as an external monitor for remote shooting.

For video capture, Nikon has added Full HD 1080p at 60p. There are nine special effects you can use to edit in-camera, including a "HDR painting" feature that lets you alter the colors of an image to make it look as if it was shot as a high-dynamic range photo.

The D5300 is on sale now for $1,400, which comes with the AF-S Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR kit lens; if you're stepping up and you already have a set of Nikkor DX lenses, you can pick up just the body for $800. The camera comes in three colors: black, red, and a new gray option.

AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G lens

In addition to the D5300, Nikon has also announced a new pro-level prime lens, the AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G. Carrying the legacy of popular Noct Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 lens, this fixed 58mm focal length (35mm/FX equivalent; 87mm DX/cropped format) is ideal for shooting portraits, landscapes, and street photography, Nikon says, but it's all about achieving bokeh - that artistic background blurring - with the nine-blade diaphragm. Made for low-light capture, the lens has Nikon's Nano Crystal coating to avoid ghosting and flare. The Silent Wave Motor operates quietly when autofocusing, which is key for recording video.

This premium lens will go on sale later this month for $1,700.

Source: Digitaltrends

Nikon D5300 specs, features, and price

<Nikon D5300 Black Friday Dealimg src="http://www.associatednews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/nik530.jpg">

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the D5300, the first Nikon DX-format digital SLR camera to offer built-in Wi-Fi and GPS functions.

The Nikon D5300 will be available November-mid onwards across India in Black, Red and Grey color variants at an MRP of Rs. 54,450 for the body only, Rs. 59,950 with 18-55mm VR lens, and Rs. 75,950 with 18-140mm VR lens.

The Nikon D5300 features an effective pixel count of 24.2-megapixels and a Nikon DX-format CMOS sensor. Measuring 125 x 98 x 76 mm (4.9 x 3.9 x 3 inches) and weighing 530 g (1 lb 2.7 oz) the D5300 is slightly smaller and lighter than its predecessor.

The D5300′s built-in Wi-Fi connectivity feature can be used for transmitting images to a smart device for sharing as well as for remote shooting.

Built-in GPS also means images can be geotagged with latitude, longitude, and altitude data, without the use of external adapters. Full HD 1080p video can now also be recorded at 60/50 fps and a new pentamirror increases viewfinder magnification to approx. 0.82x.

Speaking on the announcement, Hiroshi Takashina, Managing Director, Nikon India said that the D5300 features Nikon's latest innovative technologies, allowing users to instantly shoot, store and share images.

Sajjan Kumar, Vice President-Imaging, Nikon India, elaborated explaining that It's also been upgraded to use the Nikon EXPEED 4 image processing engine which enables a larger ISO range of 100 to 12,800 (expandable to 25,600 equivalent) though the camera still has a top continuous burst speed of 5 frames per second.

Source: Associatednews

Nikon Releases Cryptic Teaser for New DSLR Camera

<Nikon D5300 Cheapp>A man stands in an open field, a soft breeze rustling long strands of green grass around him. He gazes out at the landscape.

Though that scene might seem like a perfect opener for a gritty, independent film or a self-reflective novel, it's actually the beginning of Nikon's new teaser ad. Viewers watch a mysterious man, clad in a beige trench coat, as he adjusts something unseen with a couple of clicks. Right when he lifts what we know to be a camera to his face, the scene changes back to him in the midst of the gloomy landscape.

That teaser doesn't show the camera but it includes a very important sound that excited many camera fiends online - the distinct click of an old-school shutter. That small clue paired with one line of dialogue at the end - "It's in my hands again" - seem to hint that Nikon will release a retro-styled DSLR camera.

Little else is known beyond hearsay, with Nikon Rumors conjecturing that the full-frame camera will be called the Nikon DF, for "digital fusion." The post also claims the camera will include the same autofocus system found in the D610 and that it will offer settings for aspect ratios of 1:1, 3:2 and 16:9.

On its official site, Nikon explains the short video as the first in a series called Pure Photography. The videos follow a photographer traveling through Scotland as he "reunites with his creative self during this uniquely ambitious trip."

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Image: YouTube, Nikon Asia

BONUS: 5 Fun DIY Camera Kits

Source: Mashable

Nikon brings Wi-Fi and improvements to D5300 DSLR, plus pricey 58mm pro-level prime lens

There are several noteworthy improvements in Nikon's new Nikon D5300 Coupons APS-C (DX) DSLR from its predecessor, the D5200. One of Nikon's best-selling and most popular models, the midrange 24.1-megapixel D5300's smaller and lighter body has improved ergonomics - there's more surface area on the grip for a tighter hold and more clearance between your fingers and the lens. Despite the body being smaller, the vari-angle flip-out LCD got bigger (3.2 inches from 3 inches in the D5200). With the Expeed 4 image processor the ISO range has increased (100-12,800). But the big addition is that Wi-Fi is now built into the camera ­- a first for Nikon DSLRs.

Another big change, Nikon has removed the optical low pass (anti-aliasing) filter from the 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, to improve the image quality of stills and videos - a trend that's happening with many new cameras. The D5300 has the same 39-point autofocus system and 5 frames-per-second continuous shooting as the D5200. There's also Nikon's Scene Reconigtion System that uses the 2,016-pixel RGB metering system to automatically select exposure, AF, and white balance based on the scene conditions.

Wi-Fi has been available in Nikon cameras via an optional adapter, but the D5300 will be the first to have it built in. It's also the first Nikon DSLR to have onboard GPS, which lets you geotag your images before you upload or e-mail them from the camera via a connected smartphone or tablet. You can also use a connected smart device as an external monitor for remote shooting.

For video capture, Nikon has added Full HD 1080p at 60p. There are nine special effects you can use to edit in-camera, including a "HDR painting" feature that lets you alter the colors of an image to make it look as if it was shot as a high-dynamic range photo.

The D5300 is on sale now for $1,400, which comes with the AF-S Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR kit lens; if you're stepping up and you already have a set of Nikkor DX lenses, you can pick up just the body for $800. The camera comes in three colors: black, red, and a new gray option.

AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G lens

In addition to the D5300, Nikon has also announced a new pro-level prime lens, the AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G. Carrying the legacy of popular Noct Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 lens, this fixed 58mm focal length (35mm/FX equivalent; 87mm DX/cropped format) is ideal for shooting portraits, landscapes, and street photography, Nikon says, but it's all about achieving bokeh - that artistic background blurring - with the nine-blade diaphragm. Made for low-light capture, the lens has Nikon's Nano Crystal coating to avoid ghosting and flare. The Silent Wave Motor operates quietly when autofocusing, which is key for recording video.

This premium lens will go on sale later this month for $1,700.

Source: Digitaltrends

Nikon D5300 DSLR Unveiled, 24.2MP Successor to the D5200

Posted on 18. Oct, 2013 by Steve in Digital Cameras

Nikon D5300 Cheap-with-18-140mm-Nikkor-lens.jpg">Nikon has unveiled the successor to the popular Nikon D5200 digital SLR, which the company launched almost one year ago, the new model is named Nikon D5300. The new Nikon D5300 will start to ship early next month with a retail price that is just under $800 for the camera body. The D5300 and the D5200 both share a similar body design, but there are minor differences or improvements that the D5300 has to offer buyers.

The improvements list is short and consists of features that enhance the photographic abilities of the camera and a feature that brings the camera up-to-date with a new digital camera market trend.

Improvements that will help the overall performance of the new Nikon D5300 over the now-old D5200 include a newly designed and higher resolution CMOS image sensor along with a brand new image processor.

Between the Nikon D5200 and the new Nikon D5300, the 24.2 megapixel D5300 has just 0.1 megapixels more resolution than the 24.1 megapixel D5200, however the D5300′s sensor has no built-in OLPF (optical low pass filter) and Nikon say's that will help with image clarity, both the old D5200 and new D5300 use similarly sized DX-format CMOS image sensors.

Nikon D5300 digital SLR gallery:

The new image processor that you will be getting with the upcoming Nikon D5300 is Nikon's newly developed EXPEED 4 image processor. According to Nikon, the new EXPEED 4 offers fast performance while 'maximizing energy efficiency, reducing image noise and delivering true-to-life colors'. The D5200 digital SLR features the EXPEED 3 image processing engine.

After the new image sensor and processor the only other major new feature included with the new Nikon D5300 digital SLR is Wi-Fi. The camera will be shipped with Wi-Fi capabilities built-in that don't need any external accessories like the Nikon WU-1a. The built-in Wi-Fi will let you pair your D5300 to your mobile devices iOS or Android after you install the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility free app. Also the Wi-Fi working with the cameras built-in GPS can geo-tag files all without external accessories.

However, with the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility app you will be able to complete functions like remote shooting where you can use your mobile device as a live view enabled wireless remote for snapping photos, wireless transferring of photo and video files, manual file upload for sending files to your mobile device even when you're not paired to the device (the image just downloads later when you are paired).

After you consider all of those differences the Nikon D5300 isn't really a radically new camera compared to the out-going Nikon D5200. However nobody should have expected a totally different camera given the very short gap between the two cameras launches, the D5200 was launched November of last year.

Some big similarities include Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps, continuous Shooting up to 5 fps, expandable ISO from 100-25600, 39-Point auto-focusing system, active D-Lighting and built-in HDR, Nikon F mount support, and an at eye-level pentamirror optical viewfinder.

From an exterior design perspective you can really see the lack of a re-design in the D5300 compared to the D5200. The only difference in looks is the vari-angle LCD is now 3.2-inches with the D5300 instead of 3.1-inches. Even with the color options the new Nikon D5300 is much like the D5200, the new camera will be offered in Black, Red or Grey colors.

Camera seller B&H Photo Video is offering pre-orders for the Nikon D5300 body at $796.95 (same price for each color) and they are offering a body+14-140mm telephoto zoom lens kit (pictured first above) for $1,396.95. With this particular retailer you can expect your pre-ordered D5300 camera to ship on November 14, 2013 according to notice put on each listing.

Tags: 1080p, 3.2-inch Vari-Angle LCD, 720p hd, active D-Lighting, auto-focus system, cmos sensor, digital camera, dslr, DX-format DSLR, full hd, FullHD, gps, hd, hdmi, hdr, image stabilization system, interchangeable lens, memory card, Nikon, Nikon D5300, Nikon dslr, Nikon Expeed 4, Nikon F mount, Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility, optical low pass filter, optical viewfinder, pentamirror optical viewfinder, sd memory card, sdhc memory card, sdxc memory card, tilt LCD, Video, wi-fi

Source: Digital-cameras-planet

Camera Deals of the Day: Save up to $600 on Nikon DSLR bundles; refurb Nikon D600 body $1,325; Canon 5D Mark III body $2,550 and much more!

<Nikon D5300 Couponsp>by William Brawley

Happy hump day! We've found a big selection of DSLR-related deals for you to browse through this morning! There's a new promotion for Nikon DSLR bundles from B&H Photo Video, as well as a new set of Canon mail-in rebates. We've also uncovered some great discounts on Canon and Nikon DSLRs, plus special savings on a fast Canon prime lens. Lastly, we found a nice little bargain on some cool neoprene DSLR lens pouches to safely haul you new glass. Check back tomorrow for all new camera deals and discounts.

• Save up to $600 on Nikon DSLR when bundled with lenses and speedlights - Free Shipping
  B&H has started a new Nikon promotion where you can get up to $600 off with select bundles of lenses and speedlights. Eligible DSLRs run the full gamut of Nikon models from the the D3100 and D5200 to the D800 and D4. Visit the special promotion page for all the details and various configuration of bundles with corresponding discounts. Offers expire at different times depending on the models, but most expire on Nov. 11.
  Read ourNikon D3100 review, Nikon D5200 review, Nikon D800 review and Nikon D4 overview for more details.
  
• Mail-in rebates on select Canon EF lenses - Free Shipping
  Canon has a new round of mail-in rebates for select full-frame EF lenses, the vast majority of which are L-series lenses. Eligible lenses include the EF 17-40mm f/4L with $100 off, the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with $300 off or both EF 24-70mm L zoom lenses in either f/2.8 II or f/4 IS versions at $300 off. See the full selection of lenses at Adorama, B&H or on the official mail-in rebate form (PDF).
  Read ourCanon lens reviews for more details.
  
• Canon 5D Mark III body - $2,550 (compare to $3,100) - Free Shipping
  BigValueInc via eBay has the Canon 5D Mark III body-only for $2,549.99 with free shipping. Limited quantity available.
  Read ourCanon 5D Mark III review for more details.
  
• Refurbished Nikon D600 body - $1,325 (compare to $1,897 new) - Free Shipping
  RobertsCamera via eBay has the Refurbished Nikon D600 body for just $1,325 with free shipping. Limited quantity available.
  Read ourNikon D600 review for more details.
  
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens - $1,259 (compare to $1,619) - Free Shipping
  Adorama has a special deal on the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens for a final checkout price of $1,259 with free shipping, plus extra accessories like an Adorama lens cleaning kit, 16GB USB flash drive and a 72mm filter kit. In addition to the $150 mail-in rebate (PDF), Adorama is tacking on additional discounts for this lens. You must go all the way to checkout to see the final lowest price.
  Read ourCanon 50mm f/1.2L lens review for more details.
  
• Neoprene DSLR lens pouch 4-pack - $10 (compare to $15) - Free Shipping
  Hottest Deal Ever via eBay (98.9% positive feedback) has a Neoprene DSLR Lens Pouch 4-Pack for $9.95 with free shipping.

Source: Imaging-resource

2013 trick-or-treat times, Halloween events

Here's a list of local trick-or-treat/Halloween events:

* Brookville - Halloween will be celebrated Thursday, Oct. 31.

The parade will be held at 5 p.m., starting at the Y.M.C.A. and ending at the Brookville Fire Dept. on Madison Avenue.

Trick-or-treating will begin at 5:30 p.m., immediately after the parade, and will continue until 8 p.m.

* Big Run Borough - Big Run Borough will hold trick or treat from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.

Trick or treaters are to go only to homes with the porch light on.

* Canoe Township - Trick-or-treating will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26.

* McCalmont Township - Trick-or-treating will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31.

The volunteer fire department will be on patrol for the safety of the children.

* Punxsutawney Borough - The Punxsutawney Fire Department's annual Halloween parade will take place on Thursday, Oct. 31.

The parade forms at Napa Auto Parts parking lot on Union Street at 5:30 p.m., with the parade marching at 6 p.m. to Barclay Square, where costumes nyc union square will be judged on the bandstand.

Trick-or-treating will follow until 9 p.m.

Trick-or-treaters are to go only to homes with the porch light on.

* Punxsutawney Halloween Fest, noon to 8 p.m, Saturday, Oct. 26, Barclay Square.

* Young Township - Young Township will hold trick or treat from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. Trick or treaters are to only go to homes with the porch light on.

Don't see your free trick-or-treat event listed?

Email mreiter@punxsutawneyspirit.com or call 938-8740.

Source: Punxsutawneyspirit

Easy, Edible Ideas for a Delicious Halloween

Whipping up a batch of halloween cakes ideas-inspired treats shouldn't require a scary amount of time or energy.

Because by the time you've carved an army of pumpkins, costumed your pint-sized ghouls, purchased bushels of candy, and hung the requisite number of fake spider webs and black cat cutouts, time and patience for cooking up spooky grub may be in short supply.

So we've gathered a gaggle of ideas - vampire doughnuts, candied apple skulls, goblet graves and doughnut spiders - from Matthew Mead's new book, "Halloween Spooktacular," for setting a spooky tone for your Halloween table without setting you back.

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GOBLET GRAVE

Head to the craft store (or online) and pick up a silicone skull and crossbones ice cube tray. Fill each cavity with plain Greek yogurt, then use an offset spatula to smooth the tops and remove any excess yogurt from the tray. Freeze until solid (overnight is best).

Let the cubes soften at room temperature for several minutes, then remove the ice cubes from the tray. Arrange the cubes in a small bowl set over a larger bowl of crushed ice. Serve alongside goblets of grape juice.

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CANDIED APPLE CRANIUMS

Wash and dry 6 Red Delicious apples. Insert a 6- to 8-inch crab apple twig (cleaned) or a large frozen pop or candy stick. Set aside. Place 12 ounces of white candy melts in a medium heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the candy has melted.

One at a time, dunk each apple into the candy melts, spooning it up the sides and over the top for an even coating. Set the coated apples upright on a sheet of waxed paper to set.

Meanwhile, use a rolling pin to roll out Tootsie Rolls until flat. Use a paring knife to cut round eyes and a heart-shaped nose from the flattened Tootsie Rolls. "Glue" the eyes and nose (mount the "heart" upside down) to the apples using piping gel or a bit of purchased frosting.

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VAMPIRE DOUGHNUTS

Make a stack of honey-glazed doughnuts on a large serving tray. Use a bamboo skewer to poke two fang holes in the top of each, then dribble red gel food coloring (sold in tubes in the grocer's baking aisle) coming out of the holes and down the sides of the doughnuts.

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DOUGHNUT SPIDER

Set a chocolate glazed doughnut in the center of a large serving platter. Place a chocolate cake doughnut up against it. The glazed doughnut forms the spider's body; the cake doughnut is the head. Place 2 chocolate doughnut holes on top of the cake doughnut to form eyes (use a dab of frosting to hold them in place). Top each doughnut hole with a dab of white or yellow frosting, then gently press a chocolate chip into each.

For the legs, arrange three sets of three chocolate doughnut holes coming off of each side of the "body" doughnut. If desired, additional frosting can be used to keep the leg doughnut holes in place.

Source: Go

HALLOWEEN 2013: Enter this year's costume photo contest

OK, all you ghosts, goblins, pirates, fairy princesses and Miley Cyrus wanna-be's. (You know who you are).

It's time to show the world your fantasy self.

The Press-Enterprise is bringing back its online Halloween costume contest 2013 contest.

Winners will receive four VIP tickets or two regular admission tickets to Field of Screams: The Haunted Stadium in Lake Elsinore.

It's easy to enter. Click here to get started.

Deadline to enter is Oct. 24. Entries will be posted online, and winners will be notified by e-mail. Their tickets will be at Will Call at Lake Elsinore Diamond Stadium, home of Field of Screams and of the Storm baseball team.

Source: Pe

Apple's iPhone 5S outsells cheaper iPhone 5c two to one

Where Apple stands in the smartphone market is clear: The iPhone is the one to beat. It's simultaneously a leader in specs and a vanity status symbol. The high end is its territory.

So when shoppers were given the choice between the latest iPhone and the ever so slightly cheaper iPhone 5C, they decided to go big or go home. Data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) shows that the newest flagship iPhone 5s iphone cases potty training for boys video is outselling the cheaper one by more than two to one.

According to CIRP (via All Things D), the 5S accounted for 64% of total handset sales for Apple in the last days of September. The 5C only took 27% of sales, and the now two-year-old 4S making up the rest.

In some ways, this is good news for Apple. The 5C is cheaper, and presumably comes at a lower margin. Analysts feared that if a lower-margin product ate up some of Apple's own market share, its profit margins would eventually suffer. IHS says that the cost of building and shipping the iPhone 5S is only 30% of the sticker price. That's the gold mine that makes Apple shareholders rich. Then again, there was plenty of reason to accept the lower margins because the higher-end already bought them. Maps with pinpoints indicating which cell phones people use corresponds very well to a map showing income inequality.

In the map above, made by data visualization expert Eric Fischer, the red dots represent geolocated tweets from iPhone users; the green dots are from Google Androids. Manhattan and the well-heeled parts of Brooklyn and the New Jersey waterfront make up iPhone country. Central Brooklyn, Jersey City, and Newark have a much higher concentration of Android phones. Anecdotally, it seems like all of the beautiful, successful people in the world (even those paid by Microsoft to hawk Windows Phone), are iPhone users already. Of course Apple realizes the need to grab some of the middle shelf.

So if a middle-class buyer decides to get an Apple product, he or she knows that the product is a status symbol. Why get a brightly colored one that advertises that you didn't go all the way?

Of course, this is still early days, a time when die-hard Apple zealots and early adopters buy stupid amounts of electronics. When the holiday season comes and people give them as gifts, the cheaper iPhone might sell a little faster. For the geeks, however, you can't go halfway on a status symbol.

This story originally appeared on Minyanville. FACEBOOK: SAMSUNG: APPLE: Apple's iPhone Rollout and Samsung's Fingerprint-Acquisition Fakeout For Samsung, All Roads Lead Away From Android Facebook Acquires Data Compression Company to Further Internet.org Mission
Source: Usatoday

New Amazon Kindle Fire HDX review: It's hot stuff

<sterlingp>NEW YORK - When Amazon unveiled the Kindle Fire HD tablet last year, the company's hype machine burst into overdrive. "The best tablet at any price," Amazon proclaimed.

Kindle Fire HD was and is a very good tablet, a viable option against strong competition from Google, Apple and others, and an excellent value, especially now at $139. But the best at any price? Sorry, can't go there.

Amazon wisely cooled things down with the introduction of the brand-new Kindle Fire HDX tablets. That's so even as the HDX raises the bar with more robust specs and new features, most prominently a live tech-support innovation called Mayday.

As with the Fire HD, HDX models come in 8.9-inch and 7-inch screen sizes (the latter being the one I reviewed). They boast outstanding stereo speakers and a scrolling carousel-type interface that intermingles icons for movies, apps, books and other content. Android is buried underneath.

These tablets provide a smooth passageway to Amazon's vast digital treasure trove of eBooks, movies, music and other content, especially for customers who prefer Amazon's ecosystem to say Google's or Apple's. And as before you can tap into the flicks and TV shows made available to subscribers of Amazon's $79-a-year Prime service.

Here are three new or expanded features that Amazon hopes will fire up interest in its new tablet line, while dousing the competition:

You used to have to stream the Prime content, but with the latest HD and HDX models you now have the choice to download tens of thousands of movies and TV shows as well. That's a big plus for anyone stuck on an airplane for hours without Wi-Fi.

The Prime Instant Video downloads feature is one of the key ways Amazon hopes to make its tablet stand out against rivals, especially since Amazon makes its content available (through free apps) to competitors. It's funny that way in tech: how companies are partners and rivals at the same time.

AN EVEN MORE DETAILED X-RAY

Amazon is also expanding the X-Ray features that were available on prior models. With X-Ray when an actor wanders into a movie scene you can pull up biographical data on him or her (supplied by Amazon-owned IMDb ) as you're watching. New this time around is trivia. For example, I learned while streaming Flashdance that Kevin Costner was runner-up for the role given to Michael Nouri. Also new: X-Ray identifies any music playing in a scene. You can jump right to the store to buy a song and jump to scenes featuring other titles from the soundtrack.

Yet another new X-Ray feature lets you follow line-by-line lyrics on certain songs.

MAYDAY PERSONALIZED HELP

To me the real killer differentiator in the Fire HDX tablets (but not Fire HD) is Mayday. When you're not sure how to do or discover something - finding out if your tablet has the latest software update, adding bookmarks to a Web page, learning how to use Kindle FreeTime to establish time limits and choose material your kids can safely access - you hit Mayday.

Within 15 seconds, a small window pops open on the screen with a live tech support rep who you can see but who cannot see you. But the rep can see precisely what's on your screen and share control. He or she can draw circles or arrows to demonstrate what needs to be done and, if you wish, do things for you. Amazon says the rep cannot see your password, should you have to enter it at any point. The rep can pull up your account info if need be.

Amazon is staffing up so that people will be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos insisting during a recent interview that the company will be Mayday-ready Christmas day. Mayday staffers appeared quickly and politely responded to my questions at all hours of the day and night, but the true test comes once all users have access to the Mayday feature.

Amazon is promising another fresh feature for its latest Fire devices called Second Screen that will let you fling shows and movies from your tablet to a big-screen TV. Second Screen (which I couldn't test) hasn't launched yet and will only work initially on Sony PS3s and PS4s and Samsung TVs. A related feature will let you wirelessly "mirror" or display on the TV what is on your tablet if you attach a special Miracast dongle. We've seen similar mirroring on other tablets.

OTHER NOTES ON THE NEW HARDWARE

Amazon has moved power and volume controls to the back. It was sometimes a minor nuisance to get at them when I had on the new magnetic "Origami" cover accessory that folds into a stand for the tablet.

The 7-inch and 8.9-inch models have front-facing HD cameras; only the larger tablet has a rear-facing one as well.

Amazon says you can get up to 11 hours of battery life in mixed use and up to 17 hours for reading in between charges. But I got less than five hours, a disappointing result, even considering my very harsh testing conditions (streaming a movie over Wi-Fi, brightness cranked up to the max).

Amazon now claims more than 80,000 third-party apps in its app store, but that's a fraction compared with what Android and iOS have available.

That's one of the reasons why it's still hard to declare the Kindle Fire HDX as the best tablet at any price. But I like it a lot. And it's very good for people seeking an affordable and solid tablet. I expect lots of folks to be gleefully shouting Mayday.

E-mail: ebaig@usatoday.com; Follow @edbaig on Twitter.

--

BOTTOM LINE ON AMAZON KINDLE FIRE HDX

Pro. Mayday live tech-support feature. X-Ray for movies, music. Vast amount of available Amazon content. Great reading features.

Con. Battery disappointed in test. Relatively few third-party apps compared with major competitors. 7-inch model lacks rear camera.

Pricing/availability.

* 7-inch model (unit tested) ships Oct. 18 with Wi-Fi only and starts at $229 with 16GB and rises to $269 for 32GB and $309 for 64GB. A $329 (on up) version that adds a 4G cellular option ships Nov. 14.

* The $379 Wi-Fi-only 8.9-inch model ships Nov. 14, with a $479 4G version coming Dec. 10.
(Prices mentioned here factor in what Amazon refers to as, "special offers," meaning ads. You can do away with the ads if you pay more.)

Source: Usatoday