Google Play store & multi-user support

avantman42 · 04-11-2013, 05:34 AM

I'd like a new 7" tablet because my old one died. The Kindle Fire is just within budget, and looks like it has a better screen than my old one (one thing I didn't like about the old one).

I've tried googling and looking here, but I can't work out for sure if the Fire would do what I want. There are two things in particular:

Access to the Google Play store. From what I can tell, the Fire doesn't have this out of the box. Can it be added?

Multi-user support. My wife and I would both like to use the tablet, with our own settings. I know the Fire has an app (Playtime?) that allows a parent to set up profiles for their kids, but can the profile be set up with full access? If so, that would probably do what we want.

DiapDealer · 04-11-2013, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avantman42

Access to the Google Play store. From what I can tell, the Fire doesn't have this out of the box. Can it be added?

I'm pretty sure Google Play is off the table unless you're willing to root the device.

avantman42 · 04-11-2013, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm pretty sure Google Play is off the table unless you're willing to root the device.

I thought that might be the case. I'd prefer not to root it, but I don't have a particularly strong objection.

Kwality · 04-11-2013, 08:14 AM

There is a work around as Eweforia posted in another thread. I quote:

Quote:

Install Google Play Store Apps on Kindle Fire When You Don’t Have an Android Device
How to Install Google Play Store Apps on a Kindle Fire When You Don’t Have Another Android Device--No rooting, no USB cables; just your Kindle Fire and a PC

I put it all together and wrote down the instructions here:

https://eweforia.wordpress.com/2013/...ndroid-device/

Hopefully this will help some folks. I now have the entire Google Play Store available for my Kindle. -- Eweforia

tubemonkey · 04-11-2013, 08:28 AM

The things I didn't like about my Fire HD 8.9 were the carousel, lack of folder organization, and lack of key apps.

To solve these problems, I added 1Mobile Market from the Fire's browser. This gave me an app store where I was able to get apps Amazon didn't offer. The first one I downloaded was ADW Launcher. That gave me an Android feel and the ability to have multiple screens with folder organization for my apps and wallpaper I could change at will.

Now I'm happy with my Fire and it does what I need it to do without rooting.

avantman42 · 04-11-2013, 08:48 AM

I've just found this, which says that it's not possible to browse the web when using Freetime, which means that we wouldn't be able to use that to set up profiles for myself and my wife

So I guess the only way to get it to do what we want is to root it. Oh well, thanks everyone for your help.

Barbara1955 · 04-11-2013, 09:29 AM

Why not buy 2? FreeTime is not free.

tubemonkey · 04-11-2013, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie1

FreeTime is not free.

FreeTime is free. The paid version is FreeTime Unlimited; a content subscription service.

avantman42 · 04-11-2013, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie1

Why not buy 2? FreeTime is not free.

My budget is about £120 or so. One Kindle Fire with special offers costs £129. Two cost £258, which is significantly over-budget.

Barbara1955 · 04-11-2013, 01:26 PM

Don't understand the money But do understand budgets LOL. Buy 1 now & in about a month buy 2nd one. Still be cheaper than BlackBerry.

avantman42 · 04-11-2013, 05:59 PM

I can't afford to buy one now and another in a month. All that said, though, I think we may just wait a while and buy a Nexus 7. It's an extra £30, but it appears to have everything we want out of the box.

Thanks again to everyone that helped.

GlenBarrington · 04-11-2013, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwality

There is a work around as Eweforia posted in another thread. I quote:

Thanks! I had to make a few minor modifications. I had to load the Win7 version of Bluestacks which, oddly, claims to be in beta while the Win8 version does not. However the Win7 version works fine.

Also I don't have dropbox, and didn't feel like trying to set it up. But I do have Box.com and that works just fine. I suspect any internet based online drive service that you have installed on your Fire should work.

At any rate I have Moon+ Reader Pro installed on my 1st gen Kindle fire. It works well and doesn't seem to have any problems on the Public domain books that come with it. I haven't tried importing any books yet. But that autoscroll will come in handy at the gym when I'm on the treadmill!

Again, thanks for the link!

04-11-2013, 05:34 AM	#1
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Google Play store & multi-user support I'd like a new 7" tablet because my old one died. The Kindle Fire is just within budget, and looks like it has a better screen than my old one (one thing I didn't like about the old one). I've tried googling and looking here, but I can't work out for sure if the Fire would do what I want. There are two things in particular: Access to the Google Play store. From what I can tell, the Fire doesn't have this out of the box. Can it be added? Multi-user support. My wife and I would both like to use the tablet, with our own settings. I know the Fire has an app (Playtime?) that allows a parent to set up profiles for their kids, but can the profile be set up with full access? If so, that would probably do what we want.

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04-11-2013, 08:28 AM	#5
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,746 Karma: 158575914 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	The things I didn't like about my Fire HD 8.9 were the carousel, lack of folder organization, and lack of key apps. To solve these problems, I added 1Mobile Market from the Fire's browser. This gave me an app store where I was able to get apps Amazon didn't offer. The first one I downloaded was ADW Launcher. That gave me an Android feel and the ability to have multiple screens with folder organization for my apps and wallpaper I could change at will. Now I'm happy with my Fire and it does what I need it to do without rooting.

04-11-2013, 08:48 AM	#6
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I've just found this, which says that it's not possible to browse the web when using Freetime, which means that we wouldn't be able to use that to set up profiles for myself and my wife So I guess the only way to get it to do what we want is to root it. Oh well, thanks everyone for your help.

04-11-2013, 09:29 AM	#7
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,455 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	Why not buy 2? FreeTime is not free.

04-11-2013, 01:26 PM	#10
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,455 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	Don't understand the money But do understand budgets LOL. Buy 1 now & in about a month buy 2nd one. Still be cheaper than BlackBerry.

04-11-2013, 05:59 PM	#11
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I can't afford to buy one now and another in a month. All that said, though, I think we may just wait a while and buy a Nexus 7. It's an extra £30, but it appears to have everything we want out of the box. Thanks again to everyone that helped.

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