HD Fire HD 8" Tablet (2015)

[booklover6]

There is no discussion thread for this tablet. So I have started one. Feel free to post whatever you like about the Amazon Fire HD 8" tablet.

Due to the odd spate of unannounced discounts, I decided to get one. I'd always wanted to try an 8" tablet. For that price ($99 16GB Tangerine), it was a good time to try it.

First of all the orange color, while pretty, is very "in your face." I put a "clear" plastic shell on it, which mutes the color somewhat.

I've done a little reading on it, and it seems just fine, though I still prefer to use Moon+ Reader over the Amazon app.

Watching a nature TV show on Netflix now, and the screen is fabulous. Maybe I'll actually watch more video, now.

For a hundred bucks, it's a pretty good tablet!

[CWatkinsNash]

I really like my HD 8. Moving up from the HD 7 (2014), I was surprised what a difference that inch makes. It's thinner, too, which feels nicer when holding it. I got the Reader's Edition so I wasn't able to choose color but it's in that nice leather case so I'm not complaining. I smell it often.

I've read quite a bit on it, mostly using Aldiko Premium, but also the Amazon app. Haven't watched much video on it yet, but when I go to Florida in May to visit my mom, it'll get a work out. That's when my HD 7 got the most video / music use.

I think the feature that will make the most difference to me in the long run is the SD slot. I still need to get a bigger mSD card before my trip, but it's really nice to not have to worry so much about the space my multimedia content takes up.

[booklover6]

I actually like reading on it better than reading on the Fire HD 6, even though the resolution is not as good. I don't know why I like it better. Maybe the size, maybe just because it's new.

However, I have experienced an issue with Kindle Unlimited books and the Fire HD 8. Multiple times! Attempting to open a book (which has been opened previously, and is still an active book), I get a message that says "this book has DRM and can't be opened." The only option is to delete and download again. Quite annoying!

[CWatkinsNash]

I like reading on it better than my HD 7, too. The screen seems to have more balanced contrast or something... Hard to explain. I hesitate to use the word "clarity", but the perception of improved clarity is there for me. Might also be a difference in the glass layer? I don't know, but something seems different / improved.

I've not had that issue with any KU books, yet. Hope that gets sorted! That must be extremely irritating.

[Dusky Rose]

I wasn't planning to, but I got one a couple of weeks ago when they had the $50 off sale.

I've got an iPad mini, have had a regular sized one (which my Dear Hubby took over) and a Windows tablet. I ended up getting rid of the Windows as it drove me crazy trying to get it set up and running. (Although DH loves his, but he only has a few programs on it for his quad-coptor and 3D printing stuff.)

Love my mini's but wanted to play with the Kindle Fire.

Very nice machine. The OS could be a bit better, but I like the fact I can use an SD card and a file manager and carry my whole library with my like I do on the Mini. The Kindle program is okay, and I can read on it without thinking about it much.

I could only find Aldiko that I've used before for the epubs, and bought the premium version since I liked it on the Androids. But I really don't like the Kindle version. I'll have to play with it more, but I can't find how to change the touch settings for the side of the machine, and have to touch the bottom to turn pages. And I'm having troubles with other stuff from the bottom instead of a page turn.

Any other recommendations for epub files?

This is also the first time I've played seriously with Amazon's Whisper Sync. My Voyage isn't wanting to connect to my wifi anymore, so I've just been sideloading it.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Dusky Rose

I could only find Aldiko that I've used before for the epubs, and bought the premium version since I liked it on the Androids. But I really don't like the Kindle version. I'll have to play with it more, but I can't find how to change the touch settings for the side of the machine, and have to touch the bottom to turn pages. And I'm having troubles with other stuff from the bottom instead of a page turn.

I use Aldiko Premium, and while mine turns by swiping, I find that it's not as responsive as it is on other devices. I used to have the non-Amazon apk of the free version sideloaded and it was a lot snappier, but I use a lot of the premium features now so I have to use the Amazon version.

I was recently using sideloaded PocketBook (Google Play link) and there are a lot of things I liked about it. I've been considering re-installing it. I don't actually recall why I stopped using it.

[Dusky Rose]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

I was recently using sideloaded PocketBook (Google Play link) and there are a lot of things I liked about it. I've been considering re-installing it. I don't actually recall why I stopped using it.

Thanks, I'll look into that one.

I just got the feeling that the Fire Aldiko is dumbed down somehow. I liked it fine on the android machines.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Dusky Rose

Thanks, I'll look into that one.

I just got the feeling that the Fire Aldiko is dumbed down somehow. I liked it fine on the android machines.

Yeah, I feel like Aldiko had a lot more options than what I'm seeing in the fire version, in addition to the performance issues. I still like it, but it just feels off.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Dusky Rose

Thanks, I'll look into that one.

I just got the feeling that the Fire Aldiko is dumbed down somehow. I liked it fine on the android machines.

You can backup the Aldiko app you have on your Android using ES File manager and then sideload it to the Fire.

[crane3]

When I got my Fire 8.9, 4gen, Amazon didn't have an Aldiko premium so I just side loaded the the Google Play version; had to reload each time Aldiko updated. Now with OS 5.1.1 & Google Play store installed, I get Aldiko updated automatically; had to have the Fire go to Google store so it can see that Aldiko premium was installed tho.

I do have a problem with the "latest" version as I do get a full page advert that I think occurs on the 1st time direct opening of Aldiko. Now, I use Aldiko for the cataloging my library & reading public library books; do like how Aldiko has "collections" implemented but Mantano does it better with being able to have sub-collections.....

Then I use MoonReader mostly for reading..

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by crane3

When I got my Fire 8.9, 4gen, Amazon didn't have an Aldiko premium so I just side loaded the the Google Play version; had to reload each time Aldiko updated. Now with OS 5.1.1 & Google Play store installed, I get Aldiko updated automatically; had to have the Fire go to Google store so it can see that Aldiko premium was installed tho.

I do have a problem with the "latest" version as I do get a full page advert that I think occurs on the 1st time direct opening of Aldiko. Now, I use Aldiko for the cataloging my library & reading public library books; do like how Aldiko has "collections" implemented but Mantano does it better with being able to have sub-collections.....

Then I use MoonReader mostly for reading..

If you use Calibre you should try the Calibre Companion app. It's the best for cataloging on an Android device. You can use it to browse your books and open in your preferred reading app.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

If you use Calibre you should try the Calibre Companion app. It's the best for cataloging on an Android device. You can use it to browse your books and open in your preferred reading app.

I wholeheartedly agree. I find it to be indispensable and it works wonderfully on my Fire. I only wish I had something like it for my Windows tablet, as running a full install of calibre on that can get to be a bit much.

[crane3]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

If you use Calibre you should try the Calibre Companion app. It's the best for cataloging on an Android device. You can use it to browse your books and open in your preferred reading app.

The 1st thing I need to do is to "sync" the Aldiko library with the Calibre. I just started & am now finished with the "B"s.

I do hope that the "grouping" of both Calibre & Calibre Companion works like/similar to "collections"; don't know if CC has changed/fixed the select by group to only show the items in the group & not everything else since I've read one has to do a "long press" to do that simple thing which is really "normal".

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by crane3

The 1st thing I need to do is to "sync" the Aldiko library with the Calibre. I just started & am now finished with the "B"s.

I do hope that the "grouping" of both Calibre & Calibre Companion works like/similar to "collections"; don't know if CC has changed/fixed the select by group to only show the items in the group & not everything else since I've read one has to do a "long press" to do that simple thing which is really "normal".

If you use Calibre Companion, there's no need to sync Aldiko. CC has hierarchical grouping now which is like collections.

[crane3]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

If you use Calibre Companion, there's no need to sync Aldiko. CC has hierarchical grouping now which is like collections.

I should have been more explicit. The Aldiko library has more ebooks than the Calibre; it's a long story.

I started with Calibre & donated; then got Aldiko & found the libraries are setup similar eve tho Calibre dosen't have collections & decided just to use Aldiko. Then the "crash" came as I tried out MoonReader; no go even tho my "device"/Aldiko had registered for DRM use. The file is in the same place on the same tablet; what do you mean I cannot use another reader when the "device" is supposed to be able to read DRM books?

Then I did as much of running ebooks thru Calibre to remove the DRM for the ebooks that had DRM. This step had Calibre not having all the books installed into its library & so it is "out of sync" with Aldiko.

I just finished the "Ds"; may take the rest of the month to finish but most like less as what is left were PD books without DRM.

THANK YOU for letting me know that CC has hierarchical grouping. Am now anxious to finish syncing before buying anymore books.