Kindle Fire Tips & Tricks & How-To's

[SamuraiXSendai]

Originally Posted by robertc88

WFAN SportsRadio 66 out of NYC I believe.

Can you do multiply things at the same time with whatever you listen to with TuneIn?

It's a CBS station, right? Tune in used to have these, but they have been removed - CBS wants to be able to monetize the advertising on net listening - they have their own app. I don't know if there is a Kindle Fire compatible one yet - i have it on my phone.

[SamuraiXSendai]

Originally Posted by robertc88

It looks like listening to other radio stations on different apps will be available in the background with ICS unless I'm misunderstanding. I sure am anxious to be able to do so with the sports talk station I mentioned.

Has there been some news about an ICS update? I was under the impression Amazon was in no hurry to do an update. That would be good news (hope I missed it)

[beej231]

Somewhere here I read that an app killer or task killer isn't necessary and actually may be harmful on Android devices. I was using one and found that I constantly had all kinds of apps opened that I hadn't used. I stopped using the app killer and it appears that when I leave an app it does not stay open and I have not seen apps running in the background that I have not used. GOOD ADVICE

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by beej231

Somewhere here I read that an app killer or task killer isn't necessary and actually may be harmful on Android devices. I was using one and found that I constantly had all kinds of apps opened that I hadn't used. I stopped using the app killer and it appears that when I leave an app it does not stay open and I have not seen apps running in the background that I have not used. GOOD ADVICE

Some apps run services in the background. so they stay open. A Task Killer will show you this while Fire's application listing wont. I always ignore the services. The only apps I had trouble closing is Doggcatcher and Mantano but I know how to fix that now.

[beej231]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Some apps run services in the background. so they stay open. A Task Killer will show you this while Fire's application listing wont. I always ignore the services. The only apps I had trouble closing is Doggcatcher and Mantano but I know how to fix that now.

Ah, it sounds a lot like Windows in that respect. Actually I have been checking with the app killers but not killing. I do seem to have less stuff running in the background. I have decided not to worry about it. It's not a phone. I'm unlikely to need it in an emergency.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by beej231

Ah, it sounds a lot like Windows in that respect. Actually I have been checking with the app killers but not killing. I do seem to have less stuff running in the background. I have decided not to worry about it. It's not a phone. I'm unlikely to need it in an emergency.

Yes very much so. The problem is killing a service it just starts back up. It's different then closing an app.

[beej231]

I saw a Youtube video for loading the ICS interface without rooting which I did and it worked out fine. I can choose between the ICS launcher or the tired Kindle book shelves. Of course the kid (it's almost all kids doing these videos) recommended that you DO root your device to get more "functionality."

My question is, what does the Kindle Fire lack in functionality? Is it just the broader choice of apps that is attractive or is there something the Fire is missing. I haven't found anything that I needed to do that I couldn't do but I'm a casual user. What's lacking?

Thoughts?
Barb

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by beej231

I saw a Youtube video for loading the ICS interface without rooting which I did and it worked out fine. I can choose between the ICS launcher or the tired Kindle book shelves. Of course the kid (it's almost all kids doing these videos) recommended that you DO root your device to get more "functionality."

My question is, what does the Kindle Fire lack in functionality? Is it just the broader choice of apps that is attractive or is there something the Fire is missing. I haven't found anything that I needed to do that I couldn't do but I'm a casual user. What's lacking?

Thoughts?
Barb

I don't know about Ice cream sandwich but I use Go! Launcher and really like it. It gives me a normal Android home screen that I can use widgets with. I can better organize my apps and it takes just a tap to switch back to Amazon's Launcher. The only issue is the wallpaper defaults to the Amazon's but I just ignore it.

[toomanybooks]

I would like to root the Kindle, remove the preinstalled apps and deroot the kindle. Can I do this and if I go back to an unrooted Kindle Fire will the preinstalled apps reappear? What is the safest relatively uncomplicated rooter out there?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[beej231]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I don't know about Ice cream sandwich but I use Go! Launcher and really like it. It gives me a normal Android home screen that I can use widgets with. I can better organize my apps and it takes just a tap to switch back to Amazon's Launcher. The only issue is the wallpaper defaults to the Amazon's but I just ignore it.

I tried that one too. What functionality do you think the Kindle Fire lacks. Do ppl want the Android Market, Google Apps? What's missing?

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by beej231

I tried that one too. What functionality do you think the Kindle Fire lacks. Do ppl want the Android Market, Google Apps? What's missing?

For me it was Widgets and the ability to put my home screen the way I want it minus the wallpaper. the shortcut feature does not work on the Fire. This is something I like to have but other then that it does almost everything a normal tablet does. there is no google sync unless you install the market. So apps that use that feature are useless.

[salsaguy]

Just heard this one on the latest Kindle Chronicles podcast #181
When using the KF keyboard, if you hold down the period " . " it will pop up a submenu keyboard with 14 of the most common punctuation marks in 2 rows of 7.

You keep your finger pressed down with out lifting, then slide to the one you want to choose and then lift up to insert that character.
Pretty cool.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by salsaguy

Just heard this one on the latest Kindle Chronicles podcast #181
When using the KF keyboard, if you hold down the period " . " it will pop up a submenu keyboard with 14 of the most common punctuation marks in 2 rows of 7.

You keep your finger pressed down with out lifting, then slide to the one you want to choose and then lift up to insert that character.
Pretty cool.

Trying it now...

!-+!!

Cool! It works!

[salsaguy]

My pleasure and yes it is cool.

[MikeGolf]

Originally Posted by salsaguy

Just heard this one on the latest Kindle Chronicles podcast #181
When using the KF keyboard, if you hold down the period " . " it will pop up a submenu keyboard with 14 of the most common punctuation marks in 2 rows of 7.

You keep your finger pressed down with out lifting, then slide to the one you want to choose and then lift up to insert that character.
Pretty cool.

(Ok now it's time to play with holding down keys) that is just too cool!

I just realized the numbers are above the qwerty row and are activated with a long press and slide. 1236780. Of course the symbols are automatically available for selection between words. Just look above the keyboard, where the auto complete line is.