Amazon on Thursday unveiled a new line of higher-priced Alexa tablets and announced it would discontinue its budget-friendly Fire series, marking a significant shift in the e-commerce giant's device strategy. The new tablets, available in 8-inch, 11-inch, and 12-inch models, start at $230 and go up to $550. All devices became available for pre-order on Thursday and will ship on October 14. Amazon stated that the Alexa tablets' improved speed and performance, AI capabilities, and upgraded design justify their higher price tags.