My Kindle Fire Observations and Review

[jswinden]

This will be a project in the making which I will add to as I have more time to explore my new Fire.

No Two-page Landscape View:
I'm sad about this as I like the way the Kindle for iPad app does have this option. I hope they add it in the future.

Dimming the Screen Beyond the Lowest Setting:
I already see that the screen backlighting is to bright for my dark room reading preference even when it is turned as far down as the Fire settings allow. No problem. I googled and found the apk file for Screen Filter and installed using ES File Explorer (available for free through the Amazon app store). Screen Filter works well with the Fire and I highly recommend it low light reading. You can set it to turn the backlighting to your favorite level, then when you click to run the app it lowers the screen brightness. click again and it closes the app and returns the screen brightness to the current system setting. Simple and effective!

How to Sideload Apps:
I recommend that you install the free ES File Explorer available through the Amazon App Store. You will need an app like it to install sideloaded *.apk files which are apps BTW.

1. Tap Quick Settings, More, Device, then click On to enable Allow Installation of Applications from Unknown Sources.
2. Google your app and search for the APK file. Try looking on the developer's website.
3. Download the APK file to your computer.
4. Copy the APK file to the root on the Fire via a USB connection to your computer. After copied, disconnect the Fire from the computer by clicking Disconnect on the bottom of the Fire's screen and then unplug the USB cable.
5. Start ES File Explorer and select the APK file then select install when prompted.
6. All done.

Easily Import Google Contacts during Gmail Setup:
If you have already set up a Google account with contacts, then you can easily import those contacts when setting up the Fire's email app for your Gmail account.

1. Set up your Gmail account in the Fire Email app by entering the Gmail address and password.
2. The app will test the email address to ensure it is a valid account, then it prompts you as to whether you want to import your Google contacts. The prompt is in the form of a checkbox option.
3. Select the checkbox and click Finish and the Gmail account is set up and your Google Contacts now are in the Fire's Contacts app. It was insanely simple and easy and fast.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by jswinden

This will be a project in the making which I will add to as I have more time to explore my new Fire.

Dimming the Screen Beyond the Lowest Setting:
I already see that the screen backlighting is to bright for my dark room reading preference even when it is turned as far down as the Fire settings allow. No problem. I googled and found the apk file for Screen Filter and installed using ES File Explorer (available for free through the Amazon app store). Screen Filter works well with the Fire and I highly recommend it low light reading. You can set it to turn the backlighting to your favorite level, then when you click to run the app it lowers the screen brightness. click again and it closes the app and returns the screen brightness to the current system setting. Simple and effective!

Thanks for the tip on the Screen app! I use Quick settings on my phone but think I will give that one a try too.

[jswinden]

I had purchased one app from Amazon for my phone and it automatically showed up on my Fire. Cloud works!

Edit: it was not installed but there was an icon allowing me to install.

[jswinden]

If you have Google/Gmail contacts you can import them into the built in Contacts app when you set up you Gmail to work on the Fire.

[jswinden]

I read for at least a couple of hours late tonight. The screen is really gorgeous, though it has too much glare from the glass. This causes a mirror-like reflectivity in some lighting conditions. I will definitely have to find a non-glare screen protector. But even with the glare my eyes were not as tired as they usually are after reading that long late at night.

Text rendering is extremely sharp, unlike the very fuzzy text on my iPad.

I did notice that the web browser kept stalling. Apps that use the web worked well, but several times the browser would go into a loop trying to load a page, including MR pages.

The browser couldn't keep up with page positioning on this website. It could remember which page number in the thread but not the location on that page. I had to scroll down a LOT!

I love the onscreen keyboard. It is much easier to use than the one on my iPad.

[gweminence]

Originally Posted by jswinden

If you have Google/Gmail contacts you can import them into the built in Contacts app when you set up you Gmail to work on the Fire.

How? I set up gmail in the email app, then opened the contact app to import like you said, but there was no option, just 'import from internal storage' or 'export to internal storage'...but no way to import gmail contacts.

[camorgan]

@Gwen: I just figured out this one myself.

From your Fire browser, go to your Google contacts page. At the top right you'll see a link for Export.

Click Export, and export your contacts in vcard format. It will put the file on your Fire.

Go back to the Contacts app and import from internal and they should all populate your contact list.

A direct option to sync would be nicer but at least this works and I rarely have to add anyone new these days.

[jswinden]

Actually, it is MUCH simpler than all that. When I set up my Gmail account in the Fire Email app it first tested the email address to ensure it was a valid account, then it prompted me as to whether I wanted to import my contacts. The prompt was in the form of a checkbox option. It was insanely simple and easy and fast. Now you must have already set up a Google account for this to work, of course.

[jswinden]

I think the browser is okay--just okay. It is NOT stellar, and it is NOT rubbish. I think I would characterize it as average and adequate. I do NOT find it to have the greased lightning speed that was advertised, but it is comparable in speed to my iPad Safari browser.

However, I did encounter a several minutes session last night where the Silk browser refused to load any web pages or update the ones loaded. That included the MR pages! I thought my WiFi connection might be bad but then I noticed that the Fire had no issue with the apps that connect to the internet. I picked up my iPad and was able to connect via Safari. Finally the Fire got over it and started connecting again. Later on I encountered the same issue again. I am wondering if this was due to the server farm Amazon uses to supply the Silk browser with web pages? Perhaps their servers went gaga for a few minutes. I think I'll try Opera.