Amazon is discontinuing its budget Fire tablets and replacing them with premium Alexa Tablets starting at $229.99, featuring aluminum bodies, faster processors, and crucially, Google Play services for the first time. Available in 8, 11, and 12-inch sizes starting October 14, the tablets integrate Alexa AI throughout the interface and promise significantly better app compatibility than previous Fire models.
Amazon announced a new lineup of Alexa Tablets running Android with Google Play access, starting at $229.99, designed to compete with Apple's iPad. The flagship 12-inch Pro model costs $499.99 and features a MediaTek Dimensity 8400 chip, 120Hz display, and optional Nanomatte finish, undercutting comparable iPad models while offering larger displays and higher refresh rates.
Bitdefender researchers discovered Midnight Mimosa, a malware campaign preinstalled in firmware on low-cost MediaTek Android devices that runs with system privileges to commit ad fraud, collect device data, and operate botnets. The malware cannot be uninstalled and ships under rotating system package names, with 13 related apps also found on Google Play communicating with the same control servers.