Concerns with Lack of Apps for Fire

Leep · 10-10-2011, 12:05 PM

Recently there have been several articles about apps for the new Kindle Fire. These discussions indicate that the Fire will not take apps from the Marketplace and will be limited to the Amazon App store.

My impression is that the Apps in the Amazon store are severely lacking. Anyone else have that impression? Since there are several apps that I use regularly on my smartphone that I would want to have available on the Fire, I am seriously thinking about cancelling my Fire order. Anyone have further information on this subject?

cheers

SCION · 10-10-2011, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leep

Recently there have been several articles about apps for the new Kindle Fire. These discussions indicate that the Fire will not take apps from the Marketplace and will be limited to the Amazon App store.

My impression is that the Apps in the Amazon store are severely lacking. Anyone else have that impression? Since there are several apps that I use regularly on my smartphone that I would want to have available on the Fire, I am seriously thinking about cancelling my Fire order. Anyone have further information on this subject?

cheers

It's not surprising the you would only have access to Amazon's app store. What specific apps are you seeking that aren't there?

Leep · 10-10-2011, 12:21 PM

Some of my favorite Apps are Business Calendar (it syncs with Google Calendar; Weatherbug (the paid version is not as good as the free one); DW contacts (because it takes postal addresses and email addresses as well as phone numbers and syncs with a computer; and Dropbox.

cheers

SCION · 10-10-2011, 12:27 PM

Wow, I didn't realize Dropbox isn't there (just checked). I can understand your concern.

wallcraft · 10-10-2011, 01:55 PM

Access to the Kindle Fire is a reason for more developers to publish their apps in the Amazon Store.

There have been reports that you will be able to side-load .apk files onto the Fire, see for example Amazon: The Kindle Fire Will Get Rooted but we won't know for sure until the device is released.

Leep · 10-10-2011, 02:34 PM

Thanks wallcraft. I did see that article and agree that it looks promising.

I guess that I'm somewhat disappointed that it's starting to look like Amazon is adopting 'a big brother attitude' that will need to be circumvented by hacking.

cheers

shinew · 10-10-2011, 03:19 PM

Based on how successful the rumored pre-order quantity has been, I wouldn't worry about the lack of apps for Kindle Fire. Dropbox will surely make one available as soon as Kindle Fire releases since they have been taking the amazon kindle app approach - making the app available in every platform.

From years of using iphone/ipad & mac, my experience is that there really is no need to have gazillon apps available on a specific platform, all they need is to have few very well made key apps available to make the device/platform successful, other apps are mostly just inferior duplicates that confuse the consumers rather than helping them making the right decision.

beckywc · 10-10-2011, 06:36 PM

I think as we get closer to release date and lot of apps will start to pop up in their app store. Currently from the links I've read from Amazons developer site they are testing all apps submitted for inclusion to the app store to make sure they are optimized to the Fire. They have been testing the apps currently in the app store to make sure they are optimized and run smoothly on the Fire.

They have also ask developers to submit their apps ASAP if they want them included by launch date, as some apps may require a week to test.

Shack70 · 10-10-2011, 06:48 PM

I don't see the number pf apps being the problem. If anything I think you will eventually find apps that only on the Amazon App Store and build specifically for the Fire tablet.

=X= · 10-10-2011, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leep

My impression is that the Apps in the Amazon store are severely lacking. Anyone else have that impression?

Yes I feel the same exact way. You just cannot compare 450K apps to 10K, granted a good amount are garbage, but then again that applies to every market out there.

I really like having access to the appstore, but I would never want to be restricted to the appstore.

=X=

jxh11215 · 10-10-2011, 08:11 PM

I have found that most of the apps that I want from the appstore that aren't there are content apps. Now I know why.
Hbo, Directv, etc. Also some banking and my SiriusXM app. I'm of two minds about the Dropbox app. It's a direct competitor to their Cloud app, but perhaps they will see the benefit of clogging up someone else's servers while using their device.

I'm just hoping that they allow external content (movies, music, TV).

tlc · 10-11-2011, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shinew

Dropbox will surely make one available as soon as Kindle Fire releases since they have been taking the amazon kindle app approach - making the app available in every platform.

It's probably not a matter of Dropbox 'making one available'. Amazon is probably blocking it because they want you to pay to use their cloud.

gweminence · 10-11-2011, 06:27 PM

Download the android market .apk. Install apps.

Simple.

Shack70 · 10-11-2011, 06:28 PM

You can always use the Dropbox website if there is no app at first

Blossom · 10-11-2011, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shack70

You can always use the Dropbox website if there is no app at first

You can sideload the Dropbox app. You can grab a copy at their site.
Unless they block sideloading some apps they will have no control over.

10-10-2011, 12:05 PM	#1
Leep Guru Posts: 739 Karma: 1018859 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Near Seattle Device: kindle1, K3, K3G (thanks MR), iTouch, Kindle Touch	Concerns with Lack of Apps for Fire Recently there have been several articles about apps for the new Kindle Fire. These discussions indicate that the Fire will not take apps from the Marketplace and will be limited to the Amazon App store. My impression is that the Apps in the Amazon store are severely lacking. Anyone else have that impression? Since there are several apps that I use regularly on my smartphone that I would want to have available on the Fire, I am seriously thinking about cancelling my Fire order. Anyone have further information on this subject? cheers

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10-10-2011, 12:21 PM	#3
Leep Guru Posts: 739 Karma: 1018859 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Near Seattle Device: kindle1, K3, K3G (thanks MR), iTouch, Kindle Touch	Some of my favorite Apps are Business Calendar (it syncs with Google Calendar; Weatherbug (the paid version is not as good as the free one); DW contacts (because it takes postal addresses and email addresses as well as phone numbers and syncs with a computer; and Dropbox. cheers

10-10-2011, 12:27 PM	#4
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	Wow, I didn't realize Dropbox isn't there (just checked). I can understand your concern.

10-10-2011, 01:55 PM	#5
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Access to the Kindle Fire is a reason for more developers to publish their apps in the Amazon Store. There have been reports that you will be able to side-load .apk files onto the Fire, see for example Amazon: The Kindle Fire Will Get Rooted but we won't know for sure until the device is released.

10-10-2011, 02:34 PM	#6
Leep Guru Posts: 739 Karma: 1018859 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Near Seattle Device: kindle1, K3, K3G (thanks MR), iTouch, Kindle Touch	Thanks wallcraft. I did see that article and agree that it looks promising. I guess that I'm somewhat disappointed that it's starting to look like Amazon is adopting 'a big brother attitude' that will need to be circumvented by hacking. cheers

10-10-2011, 03:19 PM	#7
shinew Addict Posts: 309 Karma: 1008082 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NYC Device: Kindle PW, K4 Touch, iPad2, Samsung Galaxy S II	Based on how successful the rumored pre-order quantity has been, I wouldn't worry about the lack of apps for Kindle Fire. Dropbox will surely make one available as soon as Kindle Fire releases since they have been taking the amazon kindle app approach - making the app available in every platform. From years of using iphone/ipad & mac, my experience is that there really is no need to have gazillon apps available on a specific platform, all they need is to have few very well made key apps available to make the device/platform successful, other apps are mostly just inferior duplicates that confuse the consumers rather than helping them making the right decision.

10-10-2011, 06:36 PM	#8
beckywc Addict Posts: 272 Karma: 1050426 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: California Device: iPad Mini w/Retina, Kindle 3, Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, & Asus Transformer	I think as we get closer to release date and lot of apps will start to pop up in their app store. Currently from the links I've read from Amazons developer site they are testing all apps submitted for inclusion to the app store to make sure they are optimized to the Fire. They have been testing the apps currently in the app store to make sure they are optimized and run smoothly on the Fire. They have also ask developers to submit their apps ASAP if they want them included by launch date, as some apps may require a week to test.

10-10-2011, 06:48 PM	#9
Shack70 Guru Posts: 775 Karma: 1043626 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: York, Pa Device: Kindle Fire 10", Honor 8 Android Phone	I don't see the number pf apps being the problem. If anything I think you will eventually find apps that only on the Amazon App Store and build specifically for the Fire tablet.

10-10-2011, 08:11 PM	#11
jxh11215 Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 142 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: Kindle 1 & Kindle 2	I have found that most of the apps that I want from the appstore that aren't there are content apps. Now I know why. Hbo, Directv, etc. Also some banking and my SiriusXM app. I'm of two minds about the Dropbox app. It's a direct competitor to their Cloud app, but perhaps they will see the benefit of clogging up someone else's servers while using their device. I'm just hoping that they allow external content (movies, music, TV).

10-11-2011, 06:27 PM	#13
gweminence Fat Guy Posts: 408 Karma: 24165 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle Voyage	Download the android market .apk. Install apps. Simple.

10-11-2011, 06:28 PM	#14
Shack70 Guru Posts: 775 Karma: 1043626 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: York, Pa Device: Kindle Fire 10", Honor 8 Android Phone	You can always use the Dropbox website if there is no app at first

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