6.2.1 update: What changes have you noticed?

[JoeyBlaze]

I haven't received the update yet, but I'm wondering what the changes are. I already know about being able to delete items from the carousel. For those who have already received the update, What else has changed?

[janicew]

Besides removing items from the carousel, there is the ability to lock WiFi with a passcode. This is in response to adding some parental controls.

There is also supposed to be "smoother scrolling" which many are reporting is true. I haven't had the update long enough to pass judgement.

[JoeyBlaze]

Cool thanks, so not much of a huge update. Some useful stuff though. I just want page numbers!

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by JoeyBlaze

Cool thanks, so not much of a huge update. Some useful stuff though. I just want page numbers!

Under Device is now shows Internal and App storage.

I also noticed a List view which may or may not be new but I never noticed it till after the update.

It is a really lackluster update. The ability to temporarily delete icons from the Carousel is okay but we should have the ability to make the carousel disappear or at least a toggle switch to keep newly opened items from having their icons automatically displayed in the Carousel. As it is, everytime you open an item it will appear in the Carousel. You can delete it, but the next time you open it it comes right back to the Carousel.

[JoeyBlaze]

The carousel really has to go. It's a completely useless feature that takes up the majority of the home screen.

[ssahnan]

Maybe all kindle fires aren't made equal. I for one was one who was getting annoying touchscreen sensitivity issues where button presses just wouldn't always register. I just sideloaded the update and while I should realistically try it some more before I pass judgement,in my limited time with it post update I am seeing a significant improvement in touchscreen response.


I know we all hate the carousel, but when it's definitely plastered on every fire commercial and ad out there, not going to get something as radical as eliminating it all together. I think a delete option has gone a long way to 'fixing it'. I think what it ultimately needs is a control panel to adjust what items can show up in the carousel, i.e., no web pages or whatever else you dont want in there. I for one, while i still do hate it, I do use it more then I thought it would so if it could be tweaked a few steps more as in making it customizable, I would probably keep it over eliminating it off my homescreen

[sadievan]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Under Device is now shows Internal and App storage.

I also noticed a List view which may or may not be new but I never noticed it till after the update.

I'm still on 6.2 and if I hit the menu button in the Books or Docs screen I get an option for Grid or List view.

Carol

[JoeyBlaze]

Maybe all kindle fires aren't made equal. I for one was one who was getting annoying touchscreen sensitivity issues where button presses just wouldn't always register. I just sideloaded the update and while I should realistically try it some more before I pass judgement,in my limited time with it post update I am seeing a significant improvement in touchscreen response.


I know we all hate the carousel, but when it's definitely plastered on every fire commercial and ad out there, not going to get something as radical as eliminating it all together. I think a delete option has gone a long way to 'fixing it'. I think what it ultimately needs is a control panel to adjust what items can show up in the carousel, i.e., no web pages or whatever else you dont want in there. I for one, while i still do hate it, I do use it more then I thought it would so if it could be tweaked a few steps more as in making it customizable, I would probably keep it over eliminating it off my homescreen

I def don't disagree. If the update fixes all the little bugs like shotty scrolling and unresponsive touchscreen, it's certainly a welcome update. The update to the carousel is def a big improvement as well.
There are just so many little things we still want that I'm sure will come with time. Like you say, being able to customize the carousel would be great. Collections, page numbers, etc..

[jduck]

I like the new feature of being able to delete items from the carousel. I think of the carousel as a 'most recently-used everything' and only really use it to quickly find those recent items, so I don't mind the clutter way back in the list where I never go, but some things (like web pages) are irrelevant in that regard. Just being able to delete individual items is all I really need.

Now, as soon as someone gets rooting working with 6.2.1 (I'm sure people are furiously working on it) I'll hopefully be able to get my google calendar syncing and I'll be back to happy again :-)

[JoeyBlaze]

I still don't have the update....how much better is scrolling now? While it isn't too bad for me, it's certainly not as smooth as the ipad. Can the scolling be compared to the ipad now after the update?

[weatherman]

I personally don't hate the carousel - I think of it sort of like WebOS "Cards". That said I definitely think it could be improved. A simple option to check off which types of stuff should appear there (i.e. books, newspapers, movies and games but not apps) would be a great improvement, as would a two-finger swipe to get rid of something from the stack, and the option to bring up the carousel (or home screen) without having to tap on the menu button, then hit the home button - a simple multitouch gesture of some sort, or slide up from the bottom or something. For ***** sake, this is a multitouch device, why don't they use some of that capability to make up for the poor navigation and controls brought on by the lack of buttons?!

Argh. My level of frustration with Amazon has gone up since the last OS update, not down.

[ssahnan]

Originally Posted by JoeyBlaze

I still don't have the update....how much better is scrolling now? While it isn't too bad for me, it's certainly not as smooth as the ipad. Can the scolling be compared to the ipad now after the update?

Depends, the scrolling in general seems better as far as wandering around the fire, scrolling within the silb browser, not so much. It's remarkable just how unbelievably bad that browser turned out to be compared to how it was touted pre-launch. I find it unusable. I do use my fire for other things besides reading kindle ebooks but when it comes to browsing, i go to my iphone 4s or ipad2. I guess other browsers can be installed on the fire but I have such an aversion built up to web browsing on that thing from the silk experience, I think i'm just programmed to never use it for that now

I still haven't encountered a double click yet either so maybe for some not a great update for me, it's starting to feel more like a real tablet. Feels a little zippier deleting stuff off the carousel was great too

[drjpreston]

I just finished the update. The touch is noticeably quicker and more responsive. I like the idea of the carousel. The ability to leaf back through the many books that I have and see their covers help me decide what to read next. I am glad to have the new ability to delete. My wife and I share our account. I just deleted over 100 books of hers that was on my carousel until today. Over all responsiveness and scrolling seems better as well. I like it. Great job Amazon.

[carld]

It looks like the update removes root access and the ability to easily re-root. I'm guessing there will be a new rooting process in a few days, but for now, that ability is gone.

New Kindle Fire Update Breaks Root And Stops You Re-Rooting