Alexa Coming to Fire Tablets

Hopefully for those with said Fire tablets the Alexa feature will work better than the crappy Alexa app does on them. The Alexa app on my iOS devices works way better and faster than the app does on my Fire HD 6. On the HD 6 it is so slow that I often think it has crashed when it hasn't. Just slow. And it won't stay in the Playing Now screen very long without screwing up. I realize this is the Alexa app and not the Alexa feature, but still Amazon is known for crappy software and FW. And their hardware is not that great any more either. My Fire HD 6 will completely drain a fully charged battery in four or five days of no usage at all. Charge battery, let sit unused for five days, and wallah a dead Fire HD 6. I have to leave it plugged in.

[Barbara1955]

Actually Alexa they added IS the APP! Except you now cant Uninstall it! Well at least I could Turn it Off.

[pgnds]

I have the app. This is more then the app. You can,t ask the app to play music or ask ?,
get your news, I like it

[HarryT]

I use Siri all the time on my iPhone and iPad. Can anyone who's used both make a comparison between them?

Originally Posted by HarryT

I use Siri all the time on my iPhone and iPad. Can anyone who's used both make a comparison between them?

They a very similar Harry. Of course you can do things with Siri like dictate text messages and emails that Alexa cannot do. However you can ask Alexa to play music, look up answers to questions, and control home items like lights, switches, thermostats, etc. Siri can also do that. I too use Siri on occasion, and I think it can probably do more, but Siri has been around a long time compared to Alexa so it should be way more advanced and polished. The one main difference in Alexa is that if you use an Echo or Dot then you can just say "Alexa, do ..." rather than having to pull out your phone or tablet and physically activate Siri (or Alexa on Tap/phones/tablets/Fire TVs).

[HarryT]

Thanks, Jack - that's very helpful. Shame there's no speech to text capability; that's a feature I use frequently on my iPad. It works amazingly well.

[tubemonkey]

After playing with Alexa on my Fire 7, I find that it's not a useful feature for me because the tablet is too large and its speaker is too weak.

I'll be interested if Amazon ever gets around to offering it in Android phones; but not until then.

[Josieb1]

My Fire HD 8 has been upgraded and i've got the Alexa app now. I'm totally confused though p, how am I supposed to use it?

I read that I need to hold the home button down to activate it. That brings up a search circle but that's all, I've done that within the app and from the home screen.

I feel a real pratt talking to a tablet that completely ignores me

The settings history is empty.

[Barbara1955]

You could start by asking for the book you are reading...see what happens

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by Katie1

You could start by asking for the book you are reading...see what happens

Alexa doesn't read kindle books in the U.K. Even on an Echo or Dot.

I've tried asking for weather, prime music and my audiobook but I can't see that Alexa is even listening. As I said the history in settings is empty and that is supossed to keep a record of any requests. I don't know exactly how I am supossed to ask Alexa anything as it would seem what I am doing, which is pressing the "O" home button and talking to my Fire, isn't working.

[Josieb1]

It appears Amazon are being their normal obnoxious self. The Alexa app in the U.K. Which is preinstalled does not work like it does in the US. It's been added for the "convenience" of those buying an Echo or Dot!

I'be added it to the unwanted but can't uninstall apps folder.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I don't know exactly how I am supossed to ask Alexa anything as it would seem what I am doing, which is pressing the "O" home button and talking to my Fire, isn't working.

I press and hold the home button, the "O" in the center of the bottom menu. After about a second it beeps and a blue line with a green center appears near the bottom of the screen. Release the button. Alexa is then listening and responds to spoken requests.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

It appears Amazon are being their normal obnoxious self. The Alexa app in the U.K. Which is preinstalled does not work like it does in the US. It's been added for the "convenience" of those buying an Echo or Dot!

So what on Earth is it actually for, then? How does having a Fire tablet help people who have an Echo or Dot?

[Ricky D'Angelo]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

My Fire HD 8 has been upgraded and i've got the Alexa app now. I'm totally confused though p, how am I supposed to use it?

I read that I need to hold the home button down to activate it. That brings up a search circle but that's all, I've done that within the app and from the home screen.

I feel a real pratt talking to a tablet that completely ignores me

The settings history is empty.

I felt like a dork talking to my fire tab and it ignored me too

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by HarryT

So what on Earth is it actually for, then? How does having a Fire tablet help people who have an Echo or Dot?

I wish I knew

This is an extract of the email Amazon customer services sent me.

"I'm sorry to hear about the trouble that you're having with Alexa app on your Kindle Fire device.

I understand your concern regarding accessing Alexa App on your Kindle Fire device.

I've checked and see that, as the OS of Kindle Fire devices is updated, Alexa is pre-installed app in the new version of the software and I'm afraid to inform you that this cannot be used in UK and it cannot be deleted from your device as it is pre-installed.

We're receiving the same query from many of our customers and I'd like to inform you that we've escalated this issue to our technical team and they are working to resolve this issue.

Further, I'd like to inform you that Amazon Alexa App is a companion to Echo device for setup, remote control, and enhanced features. Hence you require the device to use the Alexa app."