Know Before the Bell: Amazon’s Phone, Apple Earnings and Flights to Israel Halted

Airlines halt flights to Israel, and Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) is bringing “Fire” to your fingers.

Strong earnings, strong home sales and tepid inflation sent stocks higher on Tuesday as the Dow and S&P 500 closed at their second-highest levels of the year.

For the first time since the Gulf War, U.S. airlines suspended service in Israel. Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), United Continental (NYSE:UAL) and US Airways (NYSE:LCC) scrapped flights to Tel Aviv, with the Federal Aviation Administration banning flights until around noon Wednesday. This after a rocket landed near Tel Aviv’s airport.

Gadget lovers still love their iPhones. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) sold more than 35 million of them between in the company’s third quarter. And some folks may be holding back for the bigger-screen iPhones expected soon.

Apple’s quarterly revenue hit a record of nearly $37.5 billion. However, iPad sales were weak.

Amazon’s first smartphone, the Fire Phone, hits store shelves on Friday. We’re getting some mixed reviews about the third phone available for $200 at AT&T (NYSE:T) with a two-year contract.

According to reviews, the pros of the phone include: it can scan millions of Amazon items, the screen holds up well in sunlight, and it comes with a free year of Amazon Prime. The cons: it’s missing key apps, the battery doesn’t last a full day and the learning curve is steep.