Will registration of Amazon devices become compulsory?

bonacker · 11-11-2022, 10:28 AM

I know this is a *Kindle* forum, not a Fire forum, but whenever I've asked a question in the Fire forum (which is mostly moribund, nothing new in it since September), I haven't gotten a reply. Feel free to delete or redirect this post elsewhere.

The firmware of My Fire HD 10, the next to latest version (I forget the year), just got updated. I've had several different sizes of Fire tablets over the years and have never registered any of them. I sideload all my apps from apkmirror or the app's website like VLC's etc.

After an update, it's always tricky to be able to get past the "Register your device with Amazon" screen. This time I noticed that in order to get the "skip" button for registration, you have to start the registration process and then revert back a couple of times. At first, it looks like you must register in order to use the tablet. Amazon wants you to think it's required and hides the "skip" option sort of like how they hide developer options.

My question is do you think there will come a time that Amazon will absolutely require that a device be registered before allowing use of it? They already make it look like that's the case and make you jump through hoops to get around it.

Deskisamess · 11-11-2022, 02:18 PM

Why not buy a plain vanilla android tablet and stay away from the Fire tablets all together? If you don't want the tie to Amazon, don't buy their tablet.

I haven't used a Fire tablet in years. I had several, back in the day, and pretty much learned to really dislike them. They made one that was great for its time, the Fire HDX. Every other one I used after that was more disappointing than the last.

JSWolf · 11-11-2022, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonacker

My question is do you think there will come a time that Amazon will absolutely require that a device be registered before allowing use of it? They already make it look like that's the case and make you jump through hoops to get around it.

Kindle, Fire, Firestick, Alexa all need to be registered.

tekkasit · 11-12-2022, 09:20 AM

From Amazon's POV, there is no reason to let users of these devices use them for anything else outside the Amazon ecosystem.

Amazon sells these devices for very thin margins because they are meant to be a salesman to let users buy more Amazon products/services or at least stay within the Amazon ecosystem.

bonacker · 11-13-2022, 04:54 AM

> Why not buy a plain vanilla android tablet ...

Because the Fire tablets are much cheaper and to date have, for me, very few disadvantages. Their build quality and screens are much better than the cheaper Androids and the Fires are much cheaper than the better, name brand Android tablets with similar screen res etc. During those Amazon sale periods, the 10" Fires sell for only $75.

> Kindle, Fire, Firestick, Alexa all need to be registered.

I don't know about Firestick. Yes, Alexa, of course, needs to be registered.

I have had Basic Kindles and have a Voyage and they were/are not registered. There are a few features that require registration like creating folders, I forget exactly what they were -- but sideloading AZW3, PDF, and text files and displaying, changing fonts etc. and searching them have always been permitted without registration.

> From Amazon's POV, there is no reason to let users of these devices use them for anything else outside the Amazon ecosystem. Amazon sells these devices for very thin margins because they are meant to be a salesman to let users buy more Amazon products/services or at least stay within the Amazon ecosystem.

If that's so -- and I agree that it is -- why has Amazon allowed the full use of unregistered tablets and allowed mostly full use of its ereaders as long as one brings their own content?

On the Fires, I run the Termux app which allows me to have a command line Linux tablet as well as run all the Android GUI and media apps. All that at a fraction of the price of an iPad or regular Android of similar quality.

But I gather no one knows if Amazon will eventually render its ereaders and tablets unusable without joining the "Amazon Ecosystem" as per my original question.

katadelos · 11-13-2022, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonacker

But I gather no one knows if Amazon will eventually render its ereaders and tablets unusable without joining the "Amazon Ecosystem" as per my original question.

The crystal ball that we use to divine Amazons future intentions is broken at the moment, sorry.

11-11-2022, 10:28 AM	#1
bonacker Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Device: Fire HD 10, 11th Gen.	Will registration of Amazon devices become compulsory? I know this is a Kindle forum, not a Fire forum, but whenever I've asked a question in the Fire forum (which is mostly moribund, nothing new in it since September), I haven't gotten a reply. Feel free to delete or redirect this post elsewhere. The firmware of My Fire HD 10, the next to latest version (I forget the year), just got updated. I've had several different sizes of Fire tablets over the years and have never registered any of them. I sideload all my apps from apkmirror or the app's website like VLC's etc. After an update, it's always tricky to be able to get past the "Register your device with Amazon" screen. This time I noticed that in order to get the "skip" button for registration, you have to start the registration process and then revert back a couple of times. At first, it looks like you must register in order to use the tablet. Amazon wants you to think it's required and hides the "skip" option sort of like how they hide developer options. My question is do you think there will come a time that Amazon will absolutely require that a device be registered before allowing use of it? They already make it look like that's the case and make you jump through hoops to get around it.

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11-11-2022, 02:18 PM	#2
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,752 Karma: 45301087 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 13 Pro, iPad mini, iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8", Scribe 2022	Why not buy a plain vanilla android tablet and stay away from the Fire tablets all together? If you don't want the tie to Amazon, don't buy their tablet. I haven't used a Fire tablet in years. I had several, back in the day, and pretty much learned to really dislike them. They made one that was great for its time, the Fire HDX. Every other one I used after that was more disappointing than the last.

11-12-2022, 09:20 AM	#4
tekkasit Groupie Posts: 176 Karma: 200056 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Device: Kindle Scribe, K3, Voyage, Oasis 3	From Amazon's POV, there is no reason to let users of these devices use them for anything else outside the Amazon ecosystem. Amazon sells these devices for very thin margins because they are meant to be a salesman to let users buy more Amazon products/services or at least stay within the Amazon ecosystem.

11-13-2022, 04:54 AM	#5
bonacker Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2014 Device: Fire HD 10, 11th Gen.	> Why not buy a plain vanilla android tablet ... Because the Fire tablets are much cheaper and to date have, for me, very few disadvantages. Their build quality and screens are much better than the cheaper Androids and the Fires are much cheaper than the better, name brand Android tablets with similar screen res etc. During those Amazon sale periods, the 10" Fires sell for only $75. > Kindle, Fire, Firestick, Alexa all need to be registered. I don't know about Firestick. Yes, Alexa, of course, needs to be registered. I have had Basic Kindles and have a Voyage and they were/are not registered. There are a few features that require registration like creating folders, I forget exactly what they were -- but sideloading AZW3, PDF, and text files and displaying, changing fonts etc. and searching them have always been permitted without registration. > From Amazon's POV, there is no reason to let users of these devices use them for anything else outside the Amazon ecosystem. Amazon sells these devices for very thin margins because they are meant to be a salesman to let users buy more Amazon products/services or at least stay within the Amazon ecosystem. If that's so -- and I agree that it is -- why has Amazon allowed the full use of unregistered tablets and allowed mostly full use of its ereaders as long as one brings their own content? On the Fires, I run the Termux app which allows me to have a command line Linux tablet as well as run all the Android GUI and media apps. All that at a fraction of the price of an iPad or regular Android of similar quality. But I gather no one knows if Amazon will eventually render its ereaders and tablets unusable without joining the "Amazon Ecosystem" as per my original question.

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