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  1. #1
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    My Amazon Fire Tablet

    I just purchased an Amazon Fire Tablet. 7 inch display. I bought the cheaper one with lesser internal memory (8 GB), as my tablet needs are not demanding. I just wanted something bigger than a phone, but smaller than a laptop to allow actual mobility.

    It has an Amazon propriety OS (not android) which to date has been smooth and reliable. Downside is android apps (i've been told) generally do not run on it. But given Amazon is a giant, there seems to be a big range of apps specifically for the Fire. Its web browser is called Silk, works as any browser does.

    Amazon has the device hard wired to regularly urge you to buy things (including the Silk browser, which offers "recommendations"). You get a really good product for a fairly low cost, in exchange for tolerating the marketing, seems to be the idea.

    Anyone else own a Fire? Any comments or expert tips? I use it to play games when on airplanes, so post if you know of any cool games (preferably free apps).

  2. #2
    Gohills flip-flops wearer
    withnallstoke's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan
    Any comments or expert tips?
    Rebel mate.

    Stick the piece of shit in a bin.

    There is a limit to the amount of cack we can buy without exceeding our gullibillity.
    Find yours.

  3. #3
    Gohills flip-flops wearer
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    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan
    I use it to play games when on airplanes
    Have you tried magnetic chess?

    The pieces don't float when they get soaked in ale or potentially disturbed by turbulance.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by withnallstoke
    Rebel mate. Stick the piece of shit in a bin. There is a limit to the amount of cack we can buy without exceeding our gullibillity.
    And what device did you use to post your lovely messages?

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat

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    As Bugs Bunny would say (regarding Yosemite Sam):

    "Nyah...Of course, you know...This means war"...

  6. #6
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan
    Anyone else own a Fire?
    no - for the sales nagging reasons you mention - though you could flash a new rom - https://forum.xda-developers.com/ama...ig-development

    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan
    as my tablet needs are not demanding. I just wanted something bigger than a phone
    I bought a 7 inch tablet back in october - asus z370cg - 5 or 6 k baht - I use mine to read books mostly , and watch movies / series on the plane and browse TD while on the sh1tter
    If you torture data for enough time , you can get it to say what you want.

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat Slick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan
    It has an Amazon propriety OS (not android) which to date has been smooth and reliable. Downside is android apps (i've been told) generally do not run on it.
    Pretty sure it's android based and will play android apps and play store but they cockblock you from it.

    Ive got one and it's good for what it does. The issue is being blocked from downloading the google play app & going full custom with the thing. Android is good for shit like this but they block you from it. I was looking into the workaround for it but there was a recent update that blocked it again and nobody had an easy solution yet (as of 6 weeks ago)

    It's good if you get books from US amazon with a credit card and works globally in that regard but unless the google play app workaround is figured out for this update and it's not exhaustingly aggravating I'll be getting another android based tablet and fucking off amazon fire & going back to e-ink for tablet reading.

    Its piss easy to DL books through Pirate Bay but is sucks sometimes because a lot of books will have text 'mistakes' that make reading them unpleasant and lose a lot of flow.

    But for "just a tablet" and no association with books or reading there are way better choices out there with google play store accessibility native on the thing without having to rebuild the thing out of the box.

  8. #8
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Should have asked first.

    Proprietary crap, unless you can sideload Kodi to it.

  9. #9
    Thailand Expat Slick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda
    Proprietary crap, unless you can sideload Kodi to it.
    I wouldn't call it crap, it's perfect and fluid if you use Amazon US (or any region, the US has the broadest selection) the books & metadata load flawlessly and instantly with even the shittiest connection.

    There are google play workarounds that come out for most versions, once that happens then it's a regular ole tablet pretty much.

  10. #10
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    I suppose if you can't afford much, you'd probably think it was a bargain.

  11. #11
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    My phone is Android based, and while Android does much well, its also sometimes stumbles. I don't know that its hands down miles better. My phone also sometimes tries to sell me things, the provider making me aware of "special offers" to increase the data plan, upgrade to a better phone, and the like. Seems to be the norm. Though the volume is not nearly what the Amazon tablet pumps at me.

    Re: the suggestion I try to "android it", my experience with tech is if you try to work around too much, its often hours spent getting nowhere or creating probs you did not have before.

    I could have afforded more, I am not that poor, but I don't need what more would have been. I am a fan of avoiding the useless spend.

    Thanks for the posts, the viewpoints banter is useful.

  12. #12
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan View Post
    My phone is Android based, and while Android does much well, its also sometimes stumbles. I don't know that its hands down miles better. My phone also sometimes tries to sell me things, the provider making me aware of "special offers" to increase the data plan, upgrade to a better phone, and the like. Seems to be the norm.
    Easily blocked.

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat Slick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan
    I don't know that its hands down miles better.
    It's miles better due to being able to fully customize your piece through google play nativity. And just because your phone is clunky doesn't mean other devices will be. Hundreds of variables.

    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan
    my experience with tech is if you try to work around too much, its often hours spent getting nowhere or creating probs you did not have before.
    This is true but for me it's not as big of an issue as I bought the fire for its Amazon e-book compatibility. If you didn't buy yours for this reason then there would be way better choices out there. Still, it's cheap so it's no loss really.

    Do you read on it? I would make use of the amazon e-book thing imho. Airports & shit you can download books in a second to read and not carry actual books around.

  14. #14
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    DrB0b's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slick View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan
    I don't know that its hands down miles better.
    It's miles better due to being able to fully customize your piece through google play nativity. And just because your phone is clunky doesn't mean other devices will be. Hundreds of variables.

    Quote Originally Posted by UrbanMan
    my experience with tech is if you try to work around too much, its often hours spent getting nowhere or creating probs you did not have before.
    This is true but for me it's not as big of an issue as I bought the fire for its Amazon e-book compatibility
    Kindle app works perfectly well on Android and IOS, there's absolutely no reason to buy an Amazon device to read Amazon ebooks unless you want an e-ink device.
    The Above Post May Contain Strong Language, Flashing Lights, or Violent Scenes.

  15. #15
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    What's wrong with a kindle. I live on mine.
    Just asking......


  16. #16
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    Ah, I see. you can put the kindle stuff on a different type of tablet.
    Who'd have known.
    Still, I read consistently and the little kindle thing works pretty well.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by crackerjack101 View Post
    What's wrong with a kindle. I live on mine.
    Just asking......

    e-ink? I hate what the screen does when you change page, totally ruins the experience for me. My main reading device is an ipad air 2 with Kindle, Readly, TLS, Granta, Feedly and Comic Zeal. Covers everything I need although it does give me the occasional nasty wallop on the nose when I read in bed.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrB0b View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by crackerjack101 View Post
    What's wrong with a kindle. I live on mine.
    Just asking......

    e-ink? I hate what the screen does when you change page, totally ruins the experience for me. My main reading device is an ipad air 2 with Kindle, Readly, TLS, Granta, Feedly and Comic Zeal. Covers everything I need although it does give me the occasional nasty wallop on the nose when I read in bed.
    I don't understand. I just touch the right side of the screen and there's the next page. seems to work fine. OK sometimes you have to double hit but that's no big deal.

    I laughed at your comment re; reading in bed. I regularly do that.

  19. #19
    Thailand Expat Slick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrB0b
    Kindle app works perfectly well on Android and IOS, there's absolutely no reason to buy an Amazon device to read Amazon ebooks unless you want an e-ink device.
    Unless you are in the market for a cheapie tablet and read amazon books, then it makes a lot of sense. I have the kindle app on several devices and it the kindle/amazon app works best on the fire tablet (better than iOS) and worst on the paper white. It's not the same as iOS or android.

    Quote Originally Posted by crackerjack101
    Ah, I see. you can put the kindle stuff on a different type of tablet.
    Through the kindle app but it's not as good as on the fire the way the library's work & and the different views & shit. I have thousands of books & use Calibre library on my Mac to organize and transfer to kindle. Can also download any book format from Pirate Bay and convert to Kindle format etc....

    But if not reading on it, then there are better options.

  20. #20
    Thailand Expat Slick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrB0b
    I hate what the screen does when you change page, totally ruins the experience for me
    You talking about the old original e-ink one? The paper white is badass and reading on a backlit, glaring tablet sucks.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slick View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by DrB0b
    I hate what the screen does when you change page, totally ruins the experience for me
    You talking about the old original e-ink one? The paper white is badass and reading on a backlit, glaring tablet sucks.
    Haven't tried the paperwhite. Does the screen still turn black when you change page? JJ, older e-ink kindles had a very noticeable transition between pages, that's what I meant.

  22. #22
    Thailand Expat Slick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrB0b
    Does the screen still turn black when you change page?
    No it doesn't turn black but there is a slight page transition. Not nearly as bad as the OG kindle.

    I never noticed anything on the paper white and the way it's lit is great too. Can read in the dark without an external light but not backlit like a tablet, per se.

    I mean it's nothing worse than changing pages on an actual book. The OG kindle sort of went blank for a split second then a new page would clairify. Not so with the paper white.

    I read exclusively on the paper white at home & offshore cause the battery lasts literally days/weeks so there is zero worry about dead batteries & I always have something to pass the time. Fire is good too but for strictly reading the paper white kills it.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slick
    I read exclusively on the paper white at home & offshore cause the battery lasts literally days/weeks so there is zero worry about dead batteries & I always have something to pass the time.
    Seconded.

    I use a phone for games, internet etc. Kindle for reading books. Battery lasts weeks.

  24. #24
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    I started reading via ebooks in 2004 - converted from regular books as no weight to carry around large amounts of books

    first I used a I used a dell axim x50v - resistive touch screen , but physical dpad to change pages - this was used for 6 years - 3.7 inch screen

    when I bought a galaxy s2 I used it as my reader and phone/computer - 4.5 inch screen was fine

    2012 I bought a note 2 - 5.5 inch screen and I used it as my reader and phone/computer up until october last year

    I bought a 7 inch tablet - asus z370cg - this is my reader now ( note 2 is still my phone/messenger ) - it is also useful as a movie machine and browser

    I debated on getting the tablet as it is an extra device - was thinking about upgrading the phone to a 6 inch screen ( either samsung or asus ) but still happy with the note 2 and less battery drain during flights

    adding another device like a paperwhite will not be on the agenda as it is designed to be locked to amazon store and it is another device

  25. #25
    Thailand Expat

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    Need just one device that does it all...If you build it, they will come...(And sum willl cum...Heh)...

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