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How would you change Amazon's Kindle Fire?
The Kindle Fire is less a tablet and more a $200 window into Amazon's storefront. The 7-inch slate that shares its DNA with the BlackBerry PlayBook lacks any physical features bar a micro-USB port, headphone jack and speaker. Internally, that 1GHz CPU is paired up with 512MB of RAM and 8GB storage, with no option for increased size, Bluetooth, 5GHz WiFi or 3G. Performance was fine inside the company's carousel sandbox, but step outside and things became outrageously herky-jerky, especially in the Silk browser, which didn't live up to its name. We found that there was plenty we'd like to change to make it more of a useful tablet, but did we miss the point? You probably had one bought for you in the Holidays and it's had three or four months solid use since then, so what do you think? Is it a good companion on your daily commute, did it justify winning our E-Reader of the year prize and if Jeff Bezos was reading all of your comments in anticipation for version two, what would you demand he changes?
Twitter's Android and iOS app get updates; out on Kindle Fire now, Nook soon
The official Twitter app has just received an update on iOS and Android, bringing new features to both platforms, plus an "optimized" Ice Cream Sandwich experience as seen above. The app is also currently available on Amazon's Appstore for the Kindle Fire now, and the company says it will pop up in the Barnes & Noble Nook Store February 23rd. For both Android and IOS the app has brought back / added a swipe gesture to reply to, reweet or favorite something without leaving your timeline, plus a notification on the Find Friends feature that it will be uploading their address book to Twitter's server -- a welcome change after the Path fiasco. The iOS-specific changes are the return of copy and paste, more options to share or save links in tweets, a mark all read for DMs and configurable font sizes. While it is optimized for ICS, on our CyanogenMod 9 tablet, the layout still looked reminiscent of the Gingerbread version instead of the iPad's richer layout. Hit the source links below to give it a look yourself and let us know if it's beating out your favorite mobile app yet.
Amazon elbows past Samsung for No. 2 tablet spot in Q4, according to IHS
Amazon had some serious trombone action going on last year -- what with all the horn tooting it did about Kindle Fire demand. Turns out Amazon was on to something, as the company has apparently grabbed the No. 2 spot from Samsung for tablet sales in the last quarter, according to research firm IHS iSuppli. Based on its numbers, Amazon sold 3.89 million tablets during the fourth quarter, eclipsing Samsung's 2.14 million units. The numbers equal a 14 percent share of the tablet market for Amazon while Samsung grabbed an 8 percent share, down from 11 percent in the third quarter. The brisk sales came at a price for Amazon, which saw fourth-quarter profits drop since it sold Kindle Fire tablets at a loss. Amazon's tablet sales also were still below the 15.4 million iPads sold by Apple for the period. All the competition is apparently taking a bite out of Apple's market share, however, which fell to 62 percent in 2011, compared to 87 percent in 2010. Samsung did manage to hold on to the No. 2 spot for the year, but with rumors already swirling about new iPads plus the Galaxy Note 10.1, the tablet wars aren't likely to cool off anytime soon.
Amazon's second-gen, possibly larger Kindle Fire to set off at end of Q2?
Still anticipating the Kindle Fire's successor? Well, here's some gossip from the Far East for you Bezos fans. According to the well-connected China Times of Taiwan, it's been informed by parts suppliers that Amazon's next tablet does not yet have a finalized specification, though it hinted that a 10-inch OEM device from Foxconn could be a potential candidate. Amazon's chain of manufacturers -- including Quanta, ACES, Prime View, Singatron, CviLux and the newly added Foxconn -- is allegedly scheduled to supply sample parts in March, followed by mass production (assembled by Quanta and Foxconn, naturally) in May or June before releasing to market by the end of Q2.Additionally, China Times understands that as an attempt to further reduce manufacturing costs, Amazon will also be personally picking and approving parts; as opposed to the olden days where Quanta took full care of the first Kindle Fire. This is surely a bad sign for Quanta in the short run, but hey, cheaper tablets sell well. The real question is: do people actually want a larger Kindle Fire? We're a tad skeptical at this point.
Refresh Roundup: week of February 6th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
SlingPlayer for Kindle Fire available tomorrow for $30 in the Amazon Appstore
Though Sling Media has long been offering apps for Android phones and tablets, Kindle Fire owners have until now been left out in the cold (you know, the whole lack-of-Android-Market-access thing). Tomorrow, though, Fire owners can get their fill of live and recorded TV when the SlingPlayer app goes on sale in the Amazon Appstore. With a price of $29.99, you'll pay the same as you would for any of Sling's other mobile apps, and as far as we could tell when we first got hands-on at CES, the interface is about the same as what you'd get on an Android handset. In case you need a refresher, we've got a gallery of images below, and we've posted that source link early, though you'll have to twiddle your thumbs until tomorrow when you can officially get your download on.
Kindle Fire firmware update 6.2.2 brings full-screen browsing
The fine folks over at Amazon have further flushed out the firmware on its fiercely popular Fire tablet. Upgrading your Kindle Fire to version 6.2.2 will bring a handful of small performance tweaks, bugs fixes and, most notably, add a full-screen mode to the device's Silk browser. If you've gone ahead and rooted your Fire, applying the firmware bump will kill superuser access -- although a fresh build of BurritoRoot 2 should get you back on the straight and narrow. The new code is being pushed out over-the-air as we type, while those that enjoy the endorphin rush associated with instant gratification -- and know how to manually update a Kindle -- can find a link to the 6.2.2 firmware file below. Happy updating!
SlingPlayer for Kindle Fire headed your way (hands-on)
The SlingPlayer for Kindle Fire was hiding amongst its siblings on the CES floor so of course we had to stop by and check it out. It fits right in the family of products, but the first version due to hit the AmazonAppstore this month for $29 will not include the guide or onscreen remote. You will of course be able to view the source's native guide and navigate via onscreen buttons, but the buttons just won't look like your source's remote. SlingMedia also confirmed for us that an additional subscription is not in the future (in case you were worried) and that an embeddable Flash player will be available soon so you can place shift your TV using any webpage you like.
Nyko Kindle Fire power case, Vita speaker stand hands-on
When you've got a bad case of the short-battery life blues, Nyko, it seems, is almost always around to augment your troubles away. We hoped to drop by the outfit's CES booth to see if it's upcoming Vita Power Grip could do for Sony's next generation portable as it did for Nintendo's 3DS, but we were told that the grip wasn't quite ready for prime-time. Instead, we got a look at a pair of Nyko speaker stands for the PlayStation Vita and the Kindle Fire, as well as a battery powered case for Amazon's slate. The PSV's speaker stand is what you'd expect -- an iPod dock for the PlayStation Vita -- but the Kindle Fire varient is a bit more substantial, packing a onboard batter not for recharging the tablet, but for amplifying the speakers. The Kindle power case is interesting too, not only does the it promise to double your Amazonian slab's battery life, but it also relocates the device's power button to the front. Sound like your kind of design revision? Hit the break for our hands-on video.
Amazon marks 'best holiday' for Kindle devices, fills stockings full of cash
It was yet another solid year for Amazon's Kindle family of products. The mega online retailer sent out its yearly post-Christmas card, bragging about moving "well over one million Kindle devices per week" for December, making it the best holiday yet for the e-reader / tablet line, according to the company. Three Kindles held the top spots on the site's list of best sellers, led by the Fire, the Touch and the plain old fourth generation Kindle. No exact numbers from Amazon, as per usual, but it looks to have been a pretty green Christmas for Bezos and co. Jingle all the way to the celebratory press release after the jump.
Kindle Fire root reignited, beats 6.2.1 update
Amazon's latest attempt to lock down root access on its Kindle Fire has been, well, routed. It took the tinkerers mere days to catch up and the new root file is now up for grabs, courtesy of Android Police and a few good devs. The method is app-based and looks to be disarmingly simple, but the usual warnings apply; mess up those software internals and bam, you've voided your warranty. Those still willing to dabble can find the full details at the source link below.
Amazon stops blocking rival e-reading apps on Kindle Fire
People just keep digging up interesting little tidbits in the latest Fire firmware update. It may have killed the ability to root but, it did grant access to the Android Market website (even if you still can't install apps from it). Now some users have noticed that competing e-reader apps are available through the Amazon App Store. The rival readers were allowed into the shop, but hidden from view on the Fire. Now that's changed and Amazon's tablet, even with out Super User, is getting just a tiny bit more consumer-friendly.
Kindle Fire stops blocking Android Market site, hijacking your browser
Some of you may have noticed, when perusing the interwebs on your Kindle Fire, that a certain Google-branded Market refused to load in the slate's Silk browser. In fact, it automatically redirected you to the Amazon App store in an unsettling bit of URL hijacking. Well, with the latest update to the tablet, that slightly befuddling restriction has been lifted and the questionable behavior rectified. Presumably this was originally intended to save customers confusion and support staff headaches when trying to install an app from the Android Market failed. But, actually intercepting and redirecting a user isn't becoming of a company that expects us to trust it with our data -- especially our browsing and financial info. Thankfully now, you can visit the Market in all its glory on your Fire, just don't expect to install apps from it any time soon (...at least not without some hacking).
Kindle Fire's 6.2.1 update breaks root, disables SuperOneClick utility
Just when you thought it was safe to root your Kindle Fire with a single click, Amazon has clamped down on homebrewing enthusiasts. The company has begun pushing out an update for the $199 tablet that breaks the root, disabling the SuperOneClick utility in the process. If you've rooted your tablet and are still running a version of the Amazon-flavored Gingerbread, you're susceptible to the update any time you're connected to a WiFi network. However, if you've already made the leap to another version of Android, such as CM7, you can bypass this and any future software updates. There are some improvements with 6.2.1 though, as smoother scrolling, password protected WiFi use and the ability to remove recently used items from the home screen carousel are among the upgrades. If you're looking to read up on the issue before taking action, roll up your sleeves and hit the links below. [Thanks, Brad]
VMware View delivers virtual Windows machines on Linux, OS X and Kindle Fire
There are very few places left in this world where you can't access a virtualized Windows PC. VMware has its, well, wares available on almost every platform imaginable. Its View client, for connecting to remotely-hosted enterprise servers has become a particularly integral part of the company's plan to put powerful virtualization tools at the tips of your fingers. After debuting on the iPad back in March, followed shortly afterwards by an Android edition, VMware View is now coming to Mac and Linux machines as well as the Kindle Fire. The feature set doesn't contain many surprises, but full screen support in Lion makes a welcome appearance in the list. The app should already be appearing in the Amazon App Store and the Ubuntu Software Center, though you wont find it in the Mac App Store... at least not yet. Check out the complete PR after the break.
iGloLEDset brings the party to the Kindle Fire, helps you lighten the mood (video)
Back when we first saw what iGloLEDset could do on an iPhone, few would've thought an Amazon tablet would exist today. But it does, and let's face it: the Kindle Fire could benefit from a colorful personality lift. You can make it happen if you're willing to take on the $299 price tag that's slapped on a set of remotely controlled LEDs. Aside from its app introduction to the Fire, nothing changes, so you'll get identical features to those using the bulbs on another Android or iOS device. Certainly a commodity, but no one could blame you for wanting to add a pinch of geek spice to the season's festivities. Surprise! Video demo is after the break.
IDC: iPad maintains tablet dominance, HP's TouchPad fire sale burned brightly
While the Android tablets continue to roll in, Apple can still lay claim to the lion's share of the tablet market according to IDC's latest report. Its research suggests that the iPad holds onto 61.5 percent of the worldwide market share, down from 63.3 percent last quarter. Android devices in total also saw a slight contraction, down from 33.2 percent to 32.4 percent. This is partly explained by the HP TouchPad's final hurrah, which rocketed the ill-fated webOS tablet up to third place with a 5 percent of share of tablet sales and an estimated 903,354 devices sold. Samsung maintained its Honeycomb tablet crown, nabbing 5.6 percent of all tablet sales. The Korean manufacturer was closely tailed by Barnes and Noble's Nook Color with 4.5 percent and Asus, arriving at fifth place with a four percent share. Tablets in total sold less than the analysts had predicted, although growth has still exploded 264 percent compared to this time last year. Meanwhile, E-readers outperformed estimates, with 6.5 million E-readers sold in the third quarter, up 165.9 percent from last year. IDC expects some disruptive new tablets will spice up the fourth quarter results and you can take a look at its findings and predictions at the full press release below.
Kindle devices selling at a rate of one million a week ahead of holidays
Amazon tends not to be all that specific when it comes to Kindle sales figures, so it's always nice to see a number from the retail giant, even if it's as broad as the one it released today. According to the company, Kindle products have moved at a rate of "more than one million per week" for the past three weeks. That number includes the currently available members of the e-reading family, including the fourth generation Kindle, the Kindle Touch (both the WiFi and 3G versions) and the Fire. According to Amazon, the latter is "the most successful product we've ever launched," having topped the company's sales charts for 11 weeks. Press info after the jump.
OnLive intros apps for iOS and Android, refreshes its wireless controller, we go hands-on (video)
Look, games like Fruit Ninja can be addicting and all, but we've many times pondered what playing a proper title -- the kind intended for the latest consoles and PCs -- would be like on a tablet or smartphone. Of course, we've seen some fantastic results from Tegra 3 and been notably impressed by Infinity Blade 2 on iOS, but starting today, OnLive is set to one-up the limitations of locally run mobile games with its new app. Whether you're using an Android, iOS device or even a Kindle Fire, you'll now be able to play games from the OnLive ecosystem while you're on the move over 3G, LTE or WiFi, rather than merely spectating in OnLive Viewer. Better yet, the OnLive app itself is completely free and any games purchased can be used across devices, and currently, 25 titles have been optimized for touch-based controls, including a tweaked version of L.A. Noire. However, if you're more inclined to use tactile controls you'll be pleased to know that the company also has a soon to be released, revised version of its wireless controller. Outwardly, the updated controller is looks identical to the outgoing MicroConsole pack-in model, but this one connects to Macs, PCs and just about any mobile device thanks to new "adaptive wireless" technology. Those seeking extra low latency can use its bundled USB dongle to link up to four of the controllers and a single Bluetooth headset for voice chat with one PC. The gamepad's media controls can also navigate iTunes in addition to playback of Brag Clips within OnLive. When it debuts, you can expect to pick one up for about $50 (£39.99 in the UK). OnLive CEO Steve Perlman was kind enough to walk us through using this new bit of kit, so head on past the break for our full impressions and to see the controller in action. %Gallery-141278%
Kindle Fire gets unofficial Ice Cream Sandwich port, mixes temperature metaphors
Kindle Fire owners are becoming increasingly spoilt for choice when it comes to developmental OS releases. Sidling up alongside CyanogenMod 7, Android's latest and greatest version has made an appearance: the Ice Cream Sandwich is on Fire. XDA-Developers forum member g1011999 has been kind enough to offer up the shot you see above, with the promise of a kernel release in the near future. As is often the case with these works in progress, it's not perfect just yet. While hardware acceleration and touch input are ticking along, both audio and WiFi are proving trickier to pin down, so we'd recommend interested non-tinkerers hold out a little longer. You can, however, whet your appetite with a brief video rundown after the break.
