Can you download apps from Amazon.com BEFORE owning the Fire?

JoeyBlaze · 12-14-2011, 04:31 PM

Hi all,

I will be getting a Kindle Fire for Christmas. I see that Amazon offers one free app a day and they currently have some listed for 10 cents. My question is, since I do not have the device yet, is there a way I can download these apps now and have them on my account, then when I get the fire just load them on? I tried downloading the apps on my PC from amazon.com, but when I click "Get App" it just prompts me to download the Amazon app store (which I can't do on the PC). Anything I can do to secure these apps now in preperation for Dec 25th?

Thanks for any help.

susan_cassidy · 12-14-2011, 04:35 PM

You need to have an Android device before you can buy apps from Amazon, I believe.

JoeyBlaze · 12-14-2011, 04:38 PM

OK thanks, I guess I'll just have to wait.

jduck · 12-15-2011, 04:19 PM

Actually you're in luck. You don't need a REAL android device. You can use a simulated one.

Download the free bluestacks player and install it on your pc. Used to be win7 only but I believe they have it for XP now. You can find it using google.

Next, the step you have already done, pick a free app you want on amazon's website and click on the get button. Put in your email address. You will receive in that email a link where you can download the Amazon Appstore apk (Amazon_Appstore-release.apk). Download that apk file to your pc.

Now, open the folder where your bluestacks player is installed (probably c:\program files (x86)\bluestacks or c:\program files\bluestacks depending on your windows version) and locate the file HD-ApkHandler.exe.

Drag the amazon appstore apk file you downloaded onto the HD-ApkHandler.exe icon and that will install the apk into bluestacks. Fire it up and you're off and running!

Once you have registered the bluestacks player in the appstore, you can browse and make purchases from the website and they stay in your account, ready to download to your Fire when you get it. You do not actually need to download anything to your bluestacks player unless you want to.

JoeyBlaze · 12-15-2011, 04:47 PM

Gonna try this when I get home. If it works....you da man/woman

jduck · 12-15-2011, 04:59 PM

It worked for me :-) I wasted a lot of time trying to get the Android SDK emulator to work - it ran but wouldn't reliably talk on the network - and then found Bluestacks the day before I got my Fire. At least I got one extra free app with it!

redbees · 12-15-2011, 05:14 PM

jduck,

Thanks for this info on the bluestacks player! I only recently got the Fire and missed out on some great free apps that I tried unsuccessfully to download from Amazon. I wish I'd known sooner, but this is good for future reference. Karma to you.

Also, welcome to MobileRead!

wizwor · 12-15-2011, 07:33 PM

I don't see the apps in the bluestacks player once installed. Is this tip just to enable purchases for those without a Fire?

JoeyBlaze · 12-15-2011, 07:56 PM

By George it worked!!! Jduck, you are AWESOME!!!!! Thank you so much!!

salsaguy · 12-16-2011, 01:48 AM

Will this also help those that only have a fire and no other android device and cant download apk files from the market? If so I don't mind getting the Apk in the Pc first and then xfering it to the fire with usb

jduck · 12-16-2011, 09:09 PM

wizwor - you can theoretically install the apps in the bluestacks player once purchased from Amazon, but to be honest I never actually tried any. The point is just to get you where you can purchase apps without an actual device, but I guess if you wanted to use them ahead of time you might be able to!

Salsaguy if you mean the android market, I was not able to get it to work with bluestacks, maybe for a reason similar to why you have to root the fire to install it. So I don't think it helps with that.

12-14-2011, 04:31 PM	#1
JoeyBlaze Enthusiast Posts: 34 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle Fire	Can you download apps from Amazon.com BEFORE owning the Fire? Hi all, I will be getting a Kindle Fire for Christmas. I see that Amazon offers one free app a day and they currently have some listed for 10 cents. My question is, since I do not have the device yet, is there a way I can download these apps now and have them on my account, then when I get the fire just load them on? I tried downloading the apps on my PC from amazon.com, but when I click "Get App" it just prompts me to download the Amazon app store (which I can't do on the PC). Anything I can do to secure these apps now in preperation for Dec 25th? Thanks for any help.

12-15-2011, 05:14 PM	#7
redbees Enthusiast Posts: 128 Karma: 52196 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: US Device: Paperwhite 2, Nexus 7	jduck, Thanks for this info on the bluestacks player! I only recently got the Fire and missed out on some great free apps that I tried unsuccessfully to download from Amazon. I wish I'd known sooner, but this is good for future reference. Karma to you. Also, welcome to MobileRead! Last edited by redbees; 12-16-2011 at 12:07 AM.

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12-14-2011, 04:35 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	You need to have an Android device before you can buy apps from Amazon, I believe.

12-14-2011, 04:38 PM	#3
JoeyBlaze Enthusiast Posts: 34 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle Fire	OK thanks, I guess I'll just have to wait.

12-15-2011, 04:19 PM	#4
jduck Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 2282 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: kindle Fire	Actually you're in luck. You don't need a REAL android device. You can use a simulated one. Download the free bluestacks player and install it on your pc. Used to be win7 only but I believe they have it for XP now. You can find it using google. Next, the step you have already done, pick a free app you want on amazon's website and click on the get button. Put in your email address. You will receive in that email a link where you can download the Amazon Appstore apk (Amazon_Appstore-release.apk). Download that apk file to your pc. Now, open the folder where your bluestacks player is installed (probably c:\program files (x86)\bluestacks or c:\program files\bluestacks depending on your windows version) and locate the file HD-ApkHandler.exe. Drag the amazon appstore apk file you downloaded onto the HD-ApkHandler.exe icon and that will install the apk into bluestacks. Fire it up and you're off and running! Once you have registered the bluestacks player in the appstore, you can browse and make purchases from the website and they stay in your account, ready to download to your Fire when you get it. You do not actually need to download anything to your bluestacks player unless you want to.

12-15-2011, 04:47 PM	#5
JoeyBlaze Enthusiast Posts: 34 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle Fire	Gonna try this when I get home. If it works....you da man/woman

12-15-2011, 04:59 PM	#6
jduck Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 2282 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: kindle Fire	It worked for me :-) I wasted a lot of time trying to get the Android SDK emulator to work - it ran but wouldn't reliably talk on the network - and then found Bluestacks the day before I got my Fire. At least I got one extra free app with it!

12-15-2011, 07:33 PM	#8
wizwor Wizard Posts: 1,068 Karma: 23867385 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: kindle, fire	I don't see the apps in the bluestacks player once installed. Is this tip just to enable purchases for those without a Fire?

12-15-2011, 07:56 PM	#9
JoeyBlaze Enthusiast Posts: 34 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle Fire	By George it worked!!! Jduck, you are AWESOME!!!!! Thank you so much!!

12-16-2011, 01:48 AM	#10
salsaguy Addict Posts: 381 Karma: 30500 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Kindle Fire (1st Gen), Kindle Touch, KFHD 8.9 No Ads	Will this also help those that only have a fire and no other android device and cant download apk files from the market? If so I don't mind getting the Apk in the Pc first and then xfering it to the fire with usb

12-16-2011, 09:09 PM	#11
jduck Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 2282 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: kindle Fire	wizwor - you can theoretically install the apps in the bluestacks player once purchased from Amazon, but to be honest I never actually tried any. The point is just to get you where you can purchase apps without an actual device, but I guess if you wanted to use them ahead of time you might be able to! Salsaguy if you mean the android market, I was not able to get it to work with bluestacks, maybe for a reason similar to why you have to root the fire to install it. So I don't think it helps with that.

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