Pre-Christmas update coming for Kindle Fire

carld · 12-12-2011, 09:38 AM

Quote:

“In less than two weeks, we’re rolling out an over-the-air update to Kindle Fire,” said Drew Herdener, a company spokesman.

There will be improvements in performance and multitouch navigation, and customers will have the option of editing the list of items that show what they have recently been doing.

As Kindle Fire Faces Critics, Remedies Are Promised

It looks like they have some very welcome updates planned.

Jessica Lares · 12-12-2011, 09:49 AM

Woohoo!

SCION · 12-12-2011, 10:06 AM

Fab!!!

sadievan · 12-12-2011, 10:20 AM

Good news. Thanks.

Carol

markkenzy · 12-12-2011, 10:22 AM

Looks like I have to....re-root again

jswinden · 12-12-2011, 10:35 AM

Take that article with a grain of salt. I think the author is as bad as most of the bloggers I've read. Take a look at this quote:

Quote:

All the individual grievances — recorded on Amazon’s own Web site — received a measure of confirmation last week when Jakob Nielsen, a usability expert, denounced the Fire, saying it offered “a disappointingly poor” experience.

This is the guy who posted, or was linked to, in at least two threads here in the past week or two patting himself on the back for a great usability study he conducted. Yep, that's the one, the usability study that used four test subjects!

if the author of that article believes that Jakob Nielsen is a usability expert then i have to question anything he wrote.

If you read that article without knowing the true state of things, you would think that most customers are disgruntled and returning their Fires and that Fire sales were lackluster. However, it seems clear that Fire sales are at least 3 to 5 million and the issues he discusses seem rather minor to most of the owners. Yellow journalism strikes again.

carld · 12-12-2011, 12:10 PM

@jswinden

Yeah, I didn't think much of Nielsen being involved (just sort of

and moved on). But I think the information on the update is solid and confirmed by Amazon.

nynaevelan · 12-12-2011, 12:36 PM

Whether it is true or not, and it is great that Amazon is dedicating some time to resolve issues, when is the Touch team going to address it's issues, or does these not register with Amazon?

obsessed2 · 12-12-2011, 12:59 PM

Usability expert? How precisely does one become a usability expert? What a joke. Hey, what do you do for a living? I'm a usability expert. On what? Can you turn a wrench and replace a water pump? Doubtful. Usability expert! I thought I heard it all ...

Maybe I'm the usability expert because I have NOT accidentally turned off the Fire even one time. Nor do I have anything to hide from my wife and kids. If you are so pathetic to be looking at a dating site when you said were playing Angry Birds I think you have bigger problems than privacy on the Kindle Fire.

BTW, I welcome the update as it shows that Amazon actually cares and stands by their products. The Fire will not go down the same annals of history as the Edsel.

Usability expert.

Blossom · 12-12-2011, 02:01 PM

Keep sending in feedback regardless through the app. Just last night I let Amazon know I am not happy that every time I clear my history all the defaults sites reappear I deleted on the start page in Silk. I want it to works like Opera's Speed Dial otherwise it's useless.

If we want to see stuff fixed they have to know about it.

jswinden · 12-12-2011, 02:33 PM

Oh great, now MSNBC.com has picked up the stupid NYT artlicle quoting:

Quote:

The New York Times reported that Amazon will roll out a Kindle Fire update "in less than two weeks," citing a company spokesman. The cause for the update? Fixes for problems that have concerned many early users.

They linked to their article with this text, "Kindle Fire to get update after fierce criticism." WTF. One stupid idiot makes an unsubstantiated claim then other news agencies pick it up as though it was the gospel truth. In fact, number one this would be the third major update as we are currently on 6.2, and number two, both articles make it seem that there is a huge revolt against the Fire, an Occupy Fire protest of sorts.

To be honest, I've heard more complaints against the iPad than against the Fire. The NYT reporter obviously had a grudge against the Fire as is evident from the article.

sadievan · 12-12-2011, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by obsessed2

If you are so pathetic to be looking at a dating site when you said were playing Angry Birds I think you have bigger problems than privacy on the Kindle Fire.

Usability expert.

Carol

robertc88 · 12-12-2011, 04:53 PM

So how many are not happy with the Carousel? We all know the majority so that is one of the bigger issues and I'm still not returning it regardless. Anything else being addressed with this update is very minor as far as I'm concerned.

sirmaru · 12-12-2011, 05:11 PM

I'm keeping mine but have noticed that the Tune In Pro App does NOT have volume controls. Playing MP3 files does provide volume controls.

Using Badass Battery Monitor and then using the formula: ((100 / percent battery energy expended) * screen wake time) projects my total battery wake time to only 5.5 hours which is only equal to 4.75 hours at the 15% refresh alert. I am using it in Sleep Mode so as not to upset the Badass formulas.

That compares with the advertised 7 hours of total wake time or just 6 hours allowing for the 15% refresh alert.

I was hoping for more battery wake time.

With all of that the Kindle Fire is GREAT and I have no intention of returning it. I can use it for eReading, a portable radio (I wish I had a volume control) and a great Bible source using Tecarta Bible Resources.

So far 85% of my battery energy is used to read eBooks, 5% for the Kindle System Resources including the screen and just 10% for everything else.

I find the Carousel great for getting to what I was doing before I went into Sleep Mode without searching menus. The latest used Apps are always right on top.

I did notice this negative article on the Fire here, most of with which I disagree:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/st...nts/51839620/1

TechnoCat · 12-12-2011, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robertc88

So how many are not happy with the Carousel?

I don't like the Carousel but that just means I view it as one extra press...

Press 'Home' to get the main menu
Ignoring the Carousel, press the category (Docs, Books, Apps,etc)
Select desired new items.

In a month or so I'd expect good launcher integration and perhaps to replace the Carousel, but if they improve it a bit I'll be happy with it also.

12-12-2011, 05:11 PM	#14
sirmaru Wizard Posts: 2,426 Karma: 6561538 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Kindle PW 2013, HDX 2013, Galaxy S5 2014	I'm keeping mine but have noticed that the Tune In Pro App does NOT have volume controls. Playing MP3 files does provide volume controls. Using Badass Battery Monitor and then using the formula: ((100 / percent battery energy expended) * screen wake time) projects my total battery wake time to only 5.5 hours which is only equal to 4.75 hours at the 15% refresh alert. I am using it in Sleep Mode so as not to upset the Badass formulas. That compares with the advertised 7 hours of total wake time or just 6 hours allowing for the 15% refresh alert. I was hoping for more battery wake time. With all of that the Kindle Fire is GREAT and I have no intention of returning it. I can use it for eReading, a portable radio (I wish I had a volume control) and a great Bible source using Tecarta Bible Resources. So far 85% of my battery energy is used to read eBooks, 5% for the Kindle System Resources including the screen and just 10% for everything else. I find the Carousel great for getting to what I was doing before I went into Sleep Mode without searching menus. The latest used Apps are always right on top. I did notice this negative article on the Fire here, most of with which I disagree: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/st...nts/51839620/1 Last edited by sirmaru; 12-12-2011 at 05:16 PM.

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12-12-2011, 09:49 AM	#2
Jessica Lares Wizard Posts: 2,240 Karma: 5759170 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Near Dallas, Texas, USA Device: iPad Mini, iPod Touch (5th gen)	Woohoo!

12-12-2011, 10:06 AM	#3
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	Fab!!!

12-12-2011, 10:20 AM	#4
sadievan Wizard Posts: 1,933 Karma: 5477576 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, iPhone, Kobo LC	Good news. Thanks. Carol

12-12-2011, 10:22 AM	#5
markkenzy Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: Nook simple touch, Kindle Fire	Looks like I have to....re-root again

12-12-2011, 12:10 PM	#7
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	@jswinden Yeah, I didn't think much of Nielsen being involved (just sort of and moved on). But I think the information on the update is solid and confirmed by Amazon.

12-12-2011, 12:36 PM	#8
nynaevelan eBook Junkie Posts: 1,526 Karma: 1464018 Join Date: May 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle Fire 2020, Kindle PW2	Whether it is true or not, and it is great that Amazon is dedicating some time to resolve issues, when is the Touch team going to address it's issues, or does these not register with Amazon?

12-12-2011, 12:59 PM	#9
obsessed2 Wizard Posts: 1,041 Karma: 4694121 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Device: Pocket Edge X 2 , Edge, gTab, Kindle Fire, Nextbook 7S	Usability expert? How precisely does one become a usability expert? What a joke. Hey, what do you do for a living? I'm a usability expert. On what? Can you turn a wrench and replace a water pump? Doubtful. Usability expert! I thought I heard it all ... Maybe I'm the usability expert because I have NOT accidentally turned off the Fire even one time. Nor do I have anything to hide from my wife and kids. If you are so pathetic to be looking at a dating site when you said were playing Angry Birds I think you have bigger problems than privacy on the Kindle Fire. BTW, I welcome the update as it shows that Amazon actually cares and stands by their products. The Fire will not go down the same annals of history as the Edsel. Usability expert.

12-12-2011, 02:01 PM	#10
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	Keep sending in feedback regardless through the app. Just last night I let Amazon know I am not happy that every time I clear my history all the defaults sites reappear I deleted on the start page in Silk. I want it to works like Opera's Speed Dial otherwise it's useless. If we want to see stuff fixed they have to know about it.

12-12-2011, 04:53 PM	#13
robertc88 Fanatic Posts: 555 Karma: 1579999 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: none	So how many are not happy with the Carousel? We all know the majority so that is one of the bigger issues and I'm still not returning it regardless. Anything else being addressed with this update is very minor as far as I'm concerned.