Gen 3 Kindle Fires

[Barbara1955]

I seem to have no problem going from Silk to MSN or Google... guess for a Non-Techy I smarter than I thought! Nope no sideloading! I do no side loading nor hacking of any kind. I have epub ebooks from Sony & several other places I get them so Not locked into Amazon on book purchses. I have Movies from YouTube Universal & Vudu so not buying them from just Amazon. I have AudioBooks from Amazon & other place...tho they end up with the music LOL
Look I not trying to sell Fire to anyone But IF your not happy with what ever you have go into the other forums & figure out what you would be happy with. cripe! This was such a simple thread the OP wanting to know who upgrading or not. Maybe you need help Learnig how to use what you have... then go to the right forum & ask I sure there are people that will help you. Quit complining & go get help!

[DuaneAA]

Originally Posted by Katie1

DuaneAA Try this one http://www.amazon.com/Removable-Wire...oards+for+fire

or this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I had the last one works Great!

Originally Posted by Mivo

The ones that come with a built-in stand, or that are part of a cover/case, tend to have uncomfortably small keys. They work in a pinch, still beat the virtual keyboard, and you don't have to carry around something that's separate, but after a bit of trying to get friendly with the small keys, I picked up a "super slim" Bluetooth keyboard that is extremely flat and compact (no number block and such), but has regularly sized keys. They're "shorter" than normal keys, but do still have a "click".

It's a generic one for all sorts of computers and devices, not just Android (but worked out of the box). Mine's called "Wintech MKB-27P" and looks like this, but that's probably just some generic, rebranded product.

The advantage of the "cover-like" smaller one that I also have is the better mobility and a built in lithium battery instead of the two AA batteries (I guess some people might feel this is a downside). It looks like this (the device is a Nexus 7, but the Fire will have very similar dimensions). But yes, the keys are a little small for me, at least for typing longer documents comfortably.

Still, it's amazing how suitable for work these small devices become if paired with an external keyboard.

Thanks for the input.

If I get one of the new kindle fires, I will probably hold off for awhile on the keyboard. The only time I could really see using the keyboard is if I am traveling. And I already have a Microsoft Surface Pro which meets my on the road needs. So most likely the Fire would be left at home.

I have an old Bluetooth keyboard in storage somewhere that folded in half for storage and then expanded out to a full-sized keyboard when in use. I do prefer something with close to full-sized key spacing.

Thanks,
Duane

[DuaneAA]

Originally Posted by wizwor

I'm a nester and have avoided using a tablet for work to date. I have a small laptop that is very portable and performs admirably. When I work, I plug it onto a pair of monitors, a keyboard, and a mouse.

I have my eye on the Surface, though. I can see it BT'ing to the same devices and being a better road warrior.

I have a Surface Pro. I got it because, to the rest of the world, it looks like a full-up windows computer rather than a tablet. With it, I can remotely log into my computer at work, which I can't do with an Ipad or Android tablet.

But being a windows machine, it has the normal windows pc style glitches. Mine was working fine at home. I went to my Mom's in Minnesota on vacation and it worked fine. Then I get back home and it says it has a good strong signal to my home network, but can't see the internet. I had to fiddle around and restore back to the configuration before the last update push and then manual reconnect it to my network before everything started working right again.

If you are going to get one, I would recommend holding off until Windows 8.1 comes pre-installed. My Surface was my first brush with windows 8.0, and the learning curve is sort of steep for a device I only use sporadically. You don't realize how much you use the Start button, particularly when you are trying to troubleshoot a problem, until it is suddenly gone.

Duane

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DuaneAA

You don't realize how much you use the Start button, particularly when you are trying to troubleshoot a problem, until it is suddenly gone.

Duane

Personally speaking, I don't miss the "Start" button on my Surface Pro at all. Forgive me if you already know this, but you are aware that the "Windows Logo" below the display on the Surface Pro is a button that takes you to the start screen?

The "tiled" interface of the Win8 start screen is awkward to use with a mouse, but I think it works extremely well on the touchscreen of the Surface Pro.

[Barbara1955]

IF you decide to buy the Fire Try the Blue Tooth keyboard you have...nothing to lose since you already have it LOL As for going onto your computer Amazon has an app for that ... I just got it for Free a few weeks ago having a ball playing with it Called Splashtop Remote Desktop HD I have only played with it in the apt so not sure of the range.

[DuaneAA]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Personally speaking, I don't miss the "Start" button on my Surface Pro at all. Forgive me if you already know this, but you are aware that the "Windows Logo" below the display on the Surface Pro is a button that takes you to the start screen?

The "tiled" interface of the Win8 start screen is awkward to use with a mouse, but I think it works extremely well on the touchscreen of the Surface Pro.

Probably my biggest problem is that I have had the Surface for 8 months and in that time I have probably used it for less than ten hours, so I have never gotten very far up the learning curve.

I was aware the windows icon will take you to the tile interface screen. What I was referring to was missing the icon in the lower left corner to take you to the list of all the software loaded on the machine or to the control panel when you need to fix something. I finally discovered you have to swipe from the right side of the screen to get to the control panel. And for a battery powered device, why is the battery status monitor so well hidden?

I guess I just need to spend more time using it to learn all the details.

Duane

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by Katie1

I seem to have no problem going from Silk to MSN or Google... guess for a Non-Techy I smarter than I thought!

Silk is the default web browser. Dolphin can be side-loaded. What is this "MSN" and "Google" web browsers that you are referring to?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

What is this "MSN" and "Google" web browsers that you are referring to?

IE and Chrome?

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

IE and Chrome?

That's what I thought too, but those browsers are not available on a Kindle Fire. It's possible to install Chrome (I'm using it on my KFHD) but that requires rooting and sideloading... two things that Katie1 said she didn't do.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

That's what I thought too, but those browsers are not available on a Kindle Fire. It's possible to install Chrome (I'm using it on my KFHD) but that requires rooting and sideloading... two things that Katie1 said she didn't do.

It doesn't require rooting to get Chrome onto a FHD. I have it on my unrooted FHD.

[Barbara1955]

When I 1st got my Fire HD I went into Silk & Picked the Browser... . pull the window down press the + more infromation ...Applications scroll down to Silk....then under general Pick your Browser...oops mine Bing LOL [same as MSN] Anyway every time I go into Silk the search bar when I looking for something onlie goes into Bing/MSN. Now if I want to search thru Yahoo or Google I go to the Bookmarks instead & pick them! Just like you do on a computer!

You dont need to Root to get Chrome there are several FREE apps on Amazon that work great with the Fire. Apps for Yahoo Well most anyting you want!

[WillysJeepMan]

Originally Posted by Katie1

When I 1st got my Fire HD I went into Silk & Picked the Browser... . pull the window down press the + more infromation ...Applications scroll down to Silk....then under general Pick your Browser...oops mine Bing LOL [same as MSN] Anyway every time I go into Silk the search bar when I looking for something onlie goes into Bing/MSN. Now if I want to search thru Yahoo or Google I go to the Bookmarks instead & pick them! Just like you do on a computer!

You dont need to Root to get Chrome there are several FREE apps on Amazon that work great with the Fire. Apps for Yahoo Well most anyting you want!

"guess for a Non-Techy I smarter than I thought!"
Guess again. Selecting a default search engine is NOT the same as selecting a different web browser.

You said, "I do no side loading nor hacking of any kind."

If you want Chrome, you DO need to sideload install it. Since you don't side load, then you aren't using Chrome... you are stuck with Silk as your web browser.

My previous comments and cautions stand.

[Barbara1955]

Silk is to Fire same as IE is to computer. My Search Engine is Bing. Crome IS not the same as IE Its a search engine once you get onto the internet....

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Katie1

Silk is to Fire same as IE is to computer. My Search Engine is Bing. Crome IS not the same as IE Its a search engine once you get onto the internet....

Chrome is definitely NOT a search engine...it is either a web browser or an operating system, both created by Google. Google is an extremely large technology company that got its start by creating an amazing search engine, so maybe that's why you think that Chrome = search engine. I can assure you, though, that this is not the case. Chrome is definitely not now, nor has it ever been, a search engine.

Shari