Kindle Fire Phone - Hands On Review - Page 4

tubemonkey · 10-29-2014, 01:50 PM

Amazon is sitting on a lot of inventory. Time for a fire sale.

kennyc · 10-29-2014, 02:00 PM

Maybe they will give them away with Prime membership?

tubemonkey · 10-29-2014, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Maybe they will give them away with Prime membership?

I like that idea

Jessica Lares · 10-29-2014, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I like that idea

Me too. Not sure what I'd do with one though.

tubemonkey · 10-29-2014, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

Me too. Not sure what I'd do with one though.

It's a Fire Mini; a pocket-sized tablet. A media player to compete against the iPod touch.

Jessica Lares · 10-30-2014, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

It's a Fire Mini; a pocket-sized tablet. A media player to compete against the iPod touch.

Mmm, but I already have a 64GB iPod Touch.

tubemonkey · 12-02-2014, 06:52 PM

I finally opened my Fire Phone. Nice build, though a bit on the thin side. It'll bulk up once I get a case for it. Still haven't decided. Leaning toward the Poetic Revolution.

* First Impressions --> the UI is a nightmare. It's worse than the tablets. The first thing I did was to replace the apps in the dock. I removed - Phone, Messaging, Email, Silk Browser and replaced them with - TuneIn Radio, Slacker, Prime Music, Pandora.

After that, I downloaded a bunch of apps and shoved 'em into folders. Then I moved the app dock to the top to eliminate the carousel. Now when I turn the phone on, it opens to app folders.

* Bluetooth --> paired nicely without a hitch to two different speakers - Amazon Echo and Photive Hydra. Really great sound from both. I was surprised at how loud the smaller Photive got.

* SIM Card --> not supplied.

* Fire OS 3.6.8 --> why hasn't Amazon upgraded the OS for the phone to OS 4.5.1 (the one used on the newer Fire tablets)? I don't like using two very different UIs when switching from the phone to the HD 6. Of the two OSs, OS 4.5 is superior to OS 3.6.

* Music --> why is there a separate app for Prime Music? Why isn't it integrated into their music app like it is on the Fire tablets? Also, why is Prime Stations missing?

* Primary Use --> I'm using this phone as a tablet - it's a pocket-sized Fire HDX.

* Value --> it's worth the $100 I paid for it. If I had to pay $200 with the current OS, it's a no go.

...more later
.

Barbara1955 · 12-02-2014, 07:10 PM

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A1AD8OEJ10P2K4

This is the case I decided to go with!

Alohamora · 12-02-2014, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I finally opened my Fire Phone. Nice build, though a bit on the thin side. It'll bulk up once I get a case for it. Still haven't decided. Leaning toward the Poetic Revolution.

Now for first impressions -- the UI is a nightmare. It's worse than the tablets. The first thing I did was to replace the apps in the dock. I removed - Phone, Messaging, Email, and Silk Browser. I replaced them with - TuneIn Radio, Slacker, Prime Music, and Pandora.

After that, I downloaded a bunch of apps and shoved 'em into folders. Then I moved the app dock to the top to eliminate the carousel. Now when I turn the phone on, it opens to app folders.

...more later

Inquiring minds want to know... how?

I wouldn't mind the carousel if I could turn of the preview area below it. Preview is just a waste of screen space.

tubemonkey · 12-02-2014, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alohamora

Inquiring minds want to know... how?

I wouldn't mind the carousel if I could turn of the preview area below it. Preview is just a waste of screen space.

The carousel isn't really eliminated. What I did was to eliminate it from view.

When looking at the home screen, the carousel is on the top and the app dock on the bottom. Place your finger on one of the apps in the app dock and flick it to the top. Now the app dock is on the top and your apps on the bottom. Leave it that way. Then when you turn the phone on, it always returns to that view. If you want the carousel back, pull the app dock to the bottom.

Barbara1955 · 12-02-2014, 07:43 PM

Betting you can turn those suggestions on the bottom Off... You can on the Fire Tablets ... Tho I cant remember how

Found it.... go to settings> Applications>Amazon Home Recommendations> choses show or Hide.

tubemonkey · 12-02-2014, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alohamora

I wouldn't mind the carousel if I could turn of the preview area below it. Preview is just a waste of screen space.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie1

Betting you can turn those suggestions on the bottom Off... You can on the Fire Tablets ... Tho I cant remember how

Try this -- Settings --> Applications & Parental Controls --> Turn off product recommendations --> Recommendations --> Off

Barbara1955 · 12-02-2014, 07:55 PM

They don't bother me cause I use my tablet in Landscape mode. Mostly

Thanks TM I found it just before you posted

booklover6 · 12-02-2014, 08:08 PM

Monkey, does it come with a Sim card?

tubemonkey · 12-02-2014, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by booklover6

Monkey, does it come with a Sim card?

No; it asked me to put one in and I skipped it.

12-02-2014, 06:52 PM	#52
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,853 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	I finally opened my Fire Phone. Nice build, though a bit on the thin side. It'll bulk up once I get a case for it. Still haven't decided. Leaning toward the Poetic Revolution. * First Impressions --> the UI is a nightmare. It's worse than the tablets. The first thing I did was to replace the apps in the dock. I removed - Phone, Messaging, Email, Silk Browser and replaced them with - TuneIn Radio, Slacker, Prime Music, Pandora. After that, I downloaded a bunch of apps and shoved 'em into folders. Then I moved the app dock to the top to eliminate the carousel. Now when I turn the phone on, it opens to app folders. * Bluetooth --> paired nicely without a hitch to two different speakers - Amazon Echo and Photive Hydra. Really great sound from both. I was surprised at how loud the smaller Photive got. * SIM Card --> not supplied. * Fire OS 3.6.8 --> why hasn't Amazon upgraded the OS for the phone to OS 4.5.1 (the one used on the newer Fire tablets)? I don't like using two very different UIs when switching from the phone to the HD 6. Of the two OSs, OS 4.5 is superior to OS 3.6. * Music --> why is there a separate app for Prime Music? Why isn't it integrated into their music app like it is on the Fire tablets? Also, why is Prime Stations missing? * Primary Use --> I'm using this phone as a tablet - it's a pocket-sized Fire HDX. * Value --> it's worth the $100 I paid for it. If I had to pay $200 with the current OS, it's a no go. ...more later . Last edited by tubemonkey; 12-03-2014 at 11:11 AM.

12-02-2014, 07:43 PM	#56
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,455 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	Betting you can turn those suggestions on the bottom Off... You can on the Fire Tablets ... Tho I cant remember how Found it.... go to settings> Applications>Amazon Home Recommendations> choses show or Hide. Last edited by Barbara1955; 12-02-2014 at 07:52 PM.

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10-29-2014, 01:50 PM	#46
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,853 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Amazon is sitting on a lot of inventory. Time for a fire sale.

10-29-2014, 02:00 PM	#47
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	Maybe they will give them away with Prime membership?

12-02-2014, 07:10 PM	#53
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,455 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A1AD8OEJ10P2K4 This is the case I decided to go with!

12-02-2014, 07:55 PM	#58
Barbara1955 Non-Techy Posts: 4,455 Karma: 15499273 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: WV---USA Device: Samsung Cell Phone & Amazon Fires & Kobo eReaders	They don't bother me cause I use my tablet in Landscape mode. Mostly Thanks TM I found it just before you posted

12-02-2014, 08:08 PM	#59
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,545 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre 1, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle, Kobo Libre Colour	Monkey, does it come with a Sim card?