Hey everyone! I am not new to Android, but I have only had the Kindle Fire for a few days now. I am having a blast with it! I knew that XDA would be the place to come for all my KF hacking needs and you didn't disappoint. Within hours of my KF being handed over by MR. UPS, I was rooted and customizing.
You even saved me from having to go through it all over again because I was informed of the 6.2.2 update before it even hit and was able to prevent it from coming OTA. I manually updated the following day with the file provided here.
So I just wanted to stop in and say Hello, and thanks for all the great information and help! I can't wait until the ICS ROM is running with video and sound so I can load it, too. Sadly, those are two key functions in my desire for the KF so I have to wait for my ICS love.
Hello and welcome.
ICS is actually possibly farther along than you think. Sound appears to be solved.
Video works sometimes. My biggest issue at the moment is the CPU seems to be pegged, so you can just see the power dropping off.
But all in all, ICS is such an improvement that I'm going to try to run it as my daily.
Does the ICS rom still allow access to the Amazon features, or only via apps like Amazon MP3, Kindle, etc?
HI, yes the KF is turning into quite a nice little device.
Kindle app works well on ICS, I love the interface with ICS. No more tiny fonts like with CM7.
The Amazon Prime Videos will not work with ICS, however I could get Prime videos running under DolphinHD when i set user agent to desktop on CM7. Web Videos are currently hit and miss on ICS but I am sure once that JackpotClavin (You rock sir) has done his magic we can access Prime Videos again via the web browser.
Have not tested MP3 from Amazon, but Google Music does work.
Related
So I bought the Kindle Fire, thinking it would be locked down, with no sideloading capability, but I figured for $200 it would be a decent deal. It is.
However, thanks to XDA, I am going to be getting a lot more out of this thing! I followed the instructions of how to root on Mac, and then installed the Market. GMail didn't want to work at first, but running Docs and Music, it seems to work fine. Speaking of Music, I have finally found a use for it! Now, I can have my iTunes library on the Kindle Fire. Sure, it won't work without wifi, but my music alone is ~35GB, and I have my 64GB iPhone 4S on me at all times if I'm away from home anyways, so no big deal there.
Continuing on with the Kindle, I got Dropbox, Enngadget, and Mozy off of the market, and a bunch of the Google Apps from a file linked here. I found that for some reason, the Android Market doesn't allow the NYTimes app, or Google Earth, to be installed on the Kindle Fire. That didn't stop me, however, and after getting an old NYTimes APK that couldn't be updated, I finally found the latest one, and got that going.
I also installed the root/unroot program to get Amazon video working.
In conclusion, this thing is pretty awesome now! Even though I have to use an alternate launcher to get to the Market, I have kept the default interface as the default, and the apps show up in the stock app shelf, just like they belong there. Everything works 100%, AFAIK!
GSMinCT said:
So I bought the Kindle Fire, thinking it would be locked down, with no sideloading capability, but I figured for $200 it would be a decent deal. It is.
However, thanks to XDA, I am going to be getting a lot more out of this thing! I followed the instructions of how to root on Mac, and then installed the Market. GMail didn't want to work at first, but running Docs and Music, it seems to work fine. Speaking of Music, I have finally found a use for it! Now, I can have my iTunes library on the Kindle Fire. Sure, it won't work without wifi, but my music alone is ~35GB, and I have my 64GB iPhone 4S on me at all times if I'm away from home anyways, so no big deal there.
Continuing on with the Kindle, I got Dropbox, Enngadget, and Mozy off of the market, and a bunch of the Google Apps from a file linked here. I found that for some reason, the Android Market doesn't allow the NYTimes app, or Google Earth, to be installed on the Kindle Fire. That didn't stop me, however, and after getting an old NYTimes APK that couldn't be updated, I finally found the latest one, and got that going.
I also installed the root/unroot program to get Amazon video working.
In conclusion, this thing is pretty awesome now! Even though I have to use an alternate launcher to get to the Market, I have kept the default interface as the default, and the apps show up in the stock app shelf, just like they belong there. Everything works 100%, AFAIK!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm, the Fire never was locked down, if you just allow installation from unknown sources, you can sideload most apps.
turtlebits said:
Umm, the Fire never was locked down, if you just allow installation from unknown sources, you can sideload most apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct, but it was much easier to get the APKs and keep them updated through the Market than via side-loading.
However, when buying it, I thought that it would be a totally locked down experience- I didn't think we'd see side-loading at all without some serious hacking, or the ability to run just about anything while keeping the Kindle experience and ecosystem.
Desperately looking for the latest nytimes apk
where is the said link to download the apps?
The latest versio of NYtimes i found is 1.6.8, which is not good enough.
hub
GSMinCT said:
Even though I have to use an alternate launcher to get to the Market
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sure about that?
Ive been trying to get tablet apps to load in my market on ics for the last couple days. Specifically, id like to get CNN because the phone one doesn't look good on the fire. Is there a way to get them to show up in the android market, and if not, is there a way to get them to work on the kf at all? Thanks.
You can try to side load it.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=13048857&postcount=9
Doesn't show on the market due to settings the KF uses. It requires Honeycom or higher, which won't work on the Stock Rom.. I would think you have a shot side loading it though if you are using ICS.
I have not bothered with ICS yet... no sound and video and I don't see the point because that is what I got my Fire for.
krelvinaz said:
You can try to side load it.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=13048857&postcount=9
Doesn't show on the market due to settings the KF uses. It requires Honeycom or higher, which won't work on the Stock Rom.. I would think you have a shot side loading it though if you are using ICS.
I have not bothered with ICS yet... no sound and video and I don't see the point because that is what I got my Fire for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I sideloaded the CNN tablet app from that link and all good. The phone version crashed on video, this does not. CM7 here.
Sent with Tapatalk / Kindle Fire / CM7 ROM
That is good news... I'd like to try it, but until ICS works with video and sound....
Am I missing something? I installed that app and it appears just to be the phone version. Also, doesn't the table version require at least honeycomb?
He is running ICS which is above honeycomb.
Yeah that's the problem. I'm trying to get the Cnn tablet widgrt to work on ice but as of now I can only get the phone version. Has anyone got it to work?
I can't wait to put a decently stable ICS on this thing because of these issues.
Is there a way to trick the market into showing "incompatable" apps?
Even for compatible Honeycomb/ICS app versions, the better tablet layouts in some apps were designed pretty specifically for the popular 10" screen size and the app will revert to the basic phone layout when it detects a screen size below a certain cut-off. These apps either need to change the cut-off that they're looking for or include another layout option that is optimized for 7-8" tablet screens.
From what I remember from playing around with ICS on my Nook Color, the otherwise excellent IMDB app is an example of this unfortunate limitation.
I can't get any apps such as facebook or twitter to show up in the market
App Update
I have the CNN app for Tablets from the previous posts but it is an older version, does anyone have the latest version to download.
The older version runs on my ICS tab but won't let me download or update because it says it's incompatible with my device.
Hi,
So looked over the various posts and used the search. My question is really around the performance benefits of install a custom ROM vs the current Amazon ROM.
I read a fair amount of PDF's/magazines via edPDF, and i hate the lag when going from page to page, does a custom ROM help with that? The only other thing i used the kindle for are my book, which i see i can just download the default kindle reader and videos.
So given the above any help? If the performance is better which ROM should i go for?
thx
markjo77 said:
Hi,
So looked over the various posts and used the search. My question is really around the performance benefits of install a custom ROM vs the current Amazon ROM.
I read a fair amount of PDF's/magazines via edPDF, and i hate the lag when going from page to page, does a custom ROM help with that? The only other thing i used the kindle for are my book, which i see i can just download the default kindle reader and videos.
So given the above any help? If the performance is better which ROM should i go for?
thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Kindle Fire comes with a modified version of android 2.3 (gingerbread). Basically, as you can see, the launcher is different, there is an amazon app market instead of the android play store, and many of the stock google apps that come with an android powered device have been removed and either replaced with amazons desired equivalent or simply left out. The kindle has a specific build in video browser that is linked into their video streaming service that you will not be able to get with a custom rom to the best of my knowledge. The same goes with the kindle reader. There is a kindle reader on the android play store but it is not the same as you will get with a stock rom. Custom roms basically undo the changes amazon made to the gingerbread os and unlock the restrictions those changes created (i.e. more apps on the android play store, google stock apps, more flexibility in software customization...). If you want to continue reading magazines and PDF's I would suggest you stick with the stock rom simply because it's built to do that. If you want more freedom with what your kindle can do and would like to use it as a fully functioning tablet and not just an e reader with a few perks then you should go with a custom rom. Currently the developers are hard at work perfecting Android 4.0 by building a functioning 3.0 kernel (the current kernel they have implemented with their custom roms does not allow for hardware accelerated graphics such as advanced games or video streaming apps like netflix or hulu). The previous generation rom equivalent to a custom version of android gingerbread, referred to as CM7 (cyanogenmod 7) does support hardware accelerated graphics and functions fully with the exception of one draw back. Android 2.3 was built with the idea of physical buttons being present on the devices it powered such as you would find on a phone with the standard menu, home, back and search buttons. Where the kindle fire only has one physical button all builds of CM7 for the Kindle Fire have a custom row of touch buttons at the bottom of the screen that take up a little but still annoying amount of space. This is in my opinion the only drawback to the custom roms running gingerbread for the kindle fire and is fixed in the ICS rom as android 4.0 is built with touch screen buttons in mind and minimal use of physical buttons. I hope this helped, let me know if you need any more help.
Thank you for taking time to send such a detailed reply. think I might wait for Android 4.
The only thing with the fire that gets me is the time it takes to go from page to page on magazines...
isaiahhhhh said:
The Kindle Fire comes with a modified version of android 2.3 (gingerbread). Basically, as you can see, the launcher is different, there is an amazon app market instead of the android play store, and many of the stock google apps that come with an android powered device have been removed and either replaced with amazons desired equivalent or simply left out. The kindle has a specific build in video browser that is linked into their video streaming service that you will not be able to get with a custom rom to the best of my knowledge. The same goes with the kindle reader. There is a kindle reader on the android play store but it is not the same as you will get with a stock rom. Custom roms basically undo the changes amazon made to the gingerbread os and unlock the restrictions those changes created (i.e. more apps on the android play store, google stock apps, more flexibility in software customization...). If you want to continue reading magazines and PDF's I would suggest you stick with the stock rom simply because it's built to do that. If you want more freedom with what your kindle can do and would like to use it as a fully functioning tablet and not just an e reader with a few perks then you should go with a custom rom. Currently the developers are hard at work perfecting Android 4.0 by building a functioning 3.0 kernel (the current kernel they have implemented with their custom roms does not allow for hardware accelerated graphics such as advanced games or video streaming apps like netflix or hulu). The previous generation rom equivalent to a custom version of android gingerbread, referred to as CM7 (cyanogenmod 7) does support hardware accelerated graphics and functions fully with the exception of one draw back. Android 2.3 was built with the idea of physical buttons being present on the devices it powered such as you would find on a phone with the standard menu, home, back and search buttons. Where the kindle fire only has one physical button all builds of CM7 for the Kindle Fire have a custom row of touch buttons at the bottom of the screen that take up a little but still annoying amount of space. This is in my opinion the only drawback to the custom roms running gingerbread for the kindle fire and is fixed in the ICS rom as android 4.0 is built with touch screen buttons in mind and minimal use of physical buttons. I hope this helped, let me know if you need any more help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't about Zmooth or Button Savior to replace the CM7 soft buttons. I really prefer Zmooth since it's quicker and never in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
airmaxx23 said:
Don't about Zmooth or Button Savior to replace the CM7 soft buttons. I really prefer Zmooth since it's quicker and never in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess i'm not familiar with that, I never really used CM7, I flashed it and then almost instantly upgraded to CM9 because I liked the fact that it was being updated so frequently.
isaiahhhhh said:
I guess i'm not familiar with that, I never really used CM7, I flashed it and then almost instantly upgraded to CM9 because I liked the fact that it was being updated so frequently.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once they have HWA working I'll be switching to CM9.
I'm using twa_priv's Jelly Bean ROM with SGT7 enhancements on my (first-generation) Kindle Fire, and wanted to install and use WhatsApp on this device.
Not having an Android phone, I found that the instructions here worked well: use Bluestacks on my PC to help get the needed code to install and start up WhatsApp. But when I actually tried to enter a chat on WhatsApp, the application kept crashing.
After seeing that someone else was having the same problem, and looking through the logcat.txt, I figured out that the crash has something to do with a bitmap/image operation in WhatsApp. That led me to a workaround, and now I can use WhatsApp on my Kindle Fire running CM10.
The relevant setting is found in Settings -> Chat preferences -> Wallpaper. I simply set it to "No wallpaper" (it's the conversation, not the background, that matters to me!). But I found it also works if I choose an image somewhere in my filesystem ("Android System"); selecting "WhatsApp" prompts me to download the WhatsApp Wallpaper package, which I don't really care to do. Just don't set it to "Default" -- that's what leads to the app crashing.
This workaround works using WhatsApp Messenger 2.8.4930. Hope this helps others!
Update for WhatsApp 2.9.2871
With the latest version of WhatsApp as of this writing (2.9.2871) running on twa_priv's version of the CM10.1 port, I no longer have to set the chat wallpaper to "No wallpaper" to avoid a crash when entering chats. I'm not sure whether it's because of a fix in CM10.1 or in WhatsApp, but that's one less workaround needed. Hurray!
ezekiel_quacks said:
With the latest version of WhatsApp as of this writing (2.9.2871) running on twa_priv's version of the CM10.1 port, I no longer have to set the chat wallpaper to "No wallpaper" to avoid a crash when entering chats. I'm not sure whether it's because of a fix in CM10.1 or in WhatsApp, but that's one less workaround needed. Hurray!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have recently bought a kindle fire and was hoping to use whatsapp on it. I was pleased to find the recent messages re this, however I am a middle-aged grandmother and I'm sorry but they may just as well be written in an alien language from another planet! Is there any way instructions can be given to me that I could easily follow? Thank you for any help.
you can use Whatsapp if you are willing to use a custom ROM...
mario's mum said:
I have recently bought a kindle fire and was hoping to use whatsapp on it. I was pleased to find the recent messages re this, however I am a middle-aged grandmother and I'm sorry but they may just as well be written in an alien language from another planet! Is there any way instructions can be given to me that I could easily follow? Thank you for any help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before I attempt to do so, I'd have to first ask some preliminary questions:
1. Which version of the Kindle Fire are you using? My instructions were based on my experiences on the first generation Kindle Fire, so if you have something different, then I'm not 100% sure this will work for you.
2. Are you running the default software/firmware for the Kindle Fire?
3. If so, are you willing to install a custom firmware (like the various kinds being discussed on these forums), or would you prefer to stick with the default firmware? Installing a custom firmware ("flashing a custom ROM") is not for the technologically faint of heart, even though it's in practical terms not that difficult.
I'm not sure if my instructions will work with the default ("stock") firmware on any version of the Kindle Fire. But depending on your answers, I might still be able to offer some pointers...
ezekiel_quacks said:
Before I attempt to do so, I'd have to first ask some preliminary questions:
1. Which version of the Kindle Fire are you using? My instructions were based on my experiences on the first generation Kindle Fire, so if you have something different, then I'm not 100% sure this will work for you.
2. Are you running the default software/firmware for the Kindle Fire?
3. If so, are you willing to install a custom firmware (like the various kinds being discussed on these forums), or would you prefer to stick with the default firmware? Installing a custom firmware ("flashing a custom ROM") is not for the technologically faint of heart, even though it's in practical terms not that difficult.
I'm not sure if my instructions will work with the default ("stock") firmware on any version of the Kindle Fire. But depending on your answers, I might still be able to offer some pointers...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you,
1. How can I find this out? I've looked on the box and the two small leaflets that came with it and all I can see is Model Number D01400? I have literally just bought it.
2. I presume I am running the default/firmware as I haven't made any changes or downloaded anything - would you agree?
3. I'm willing to give anything a go - as long as I can understand what I am supposed to be doing and also as long as it is not going to cause any lasting damage.
Actually I think I should not have bought the kindle and what I wanted was an android tablet - my mistake. But if by installing anything you suggest this would enable me to download Whatsapp - and any other app that Amazon does not seem to allow - then I would be happy. Is this what may be achieved?
Thanks again, sorry I'm not good at all this technical stuff!
mario's mum said:
Thank you,
1. How can I find this out? I've looked on the box and the two small leaflets that came with it and all I can see is Model Number D01400? I have literally just bought it.
2. I presume I am running the default/firmware as I haven't made any changes or downloaded anything - would you agree?
3. I'm willing to give anything a go - as long as I can understand what I am supposed to be doing and also as long as it is not going to cause any lasting damage.
Actually I think I should not have bought the kindle and what I wanted was an android tablet - my mistake. But if by installing anything you suggest this would enable me to download Whatsapp - and any other app that Amazon does not seem to allow - then I would be happy. Is this what may be achieved?
Thanks again, sorry I'm not good at all this technical stuff!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Swipe down from the top of the screen. And press more, from there go to the device section, What does the software version say?
read the beginner's guide first
mario's mum said:
Actually I think I should not have bought the kindle and what I wanted was an android tablet - my mistake. But if by installing anything you suggest this would enable me to download Whatsapp - and any other app that Amazon does not seem to allow - then I would be happy. Is this what may be achieved?
Thanks again, sorry I'm not good at all this technical stuff!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, let me be the first to say that I admire your courage, at least! :good: You need to understand, though, that you probably have to do more than just install some app -- this is more like completely replacing the operating system (e.g., Windows) on your PC with another one (e.g., MacOS X). If you make it through these minefields, you'll effectively have a pretty fully functional Android tablet, but it's generally more for the technically minded (i.e., geeks) to attempt and maintain.
Maybe a good first step would be for you to go here and read through a Beginner's Guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1552547. If that's too intimidating, then you probably won't be able to get to the point where I can help you install Whatsapp on your Kindle Fire.
ezekiel_quacks said:
Well, let me be the first to say that I admire your courage, at least! :good: You need to understand, though, that you probably have to do more than just install some app -- this is more like completely replacing the operating system (e.g., Windows) on your PC with another one (e.g., MacOS X). If you make it through these minefields, you'll effectively have a pretty fully functional Android tablet, but it's generally more for the technically minded (i.e., geeks) to attempt and maintain.
Maybe a good first step would be for you to go here and read through a Beginner's Guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1552547. If that's too intimidating, then you probably won't be able to get to the point where I can help you install Whatsapp on your Kindle Fire.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello again, thanks for that - but after reading what you've said I don't think my courage extends that far! Anyway, not just so I can Whatsapp when I've got it on my phone. I'm hoping I'll get used to the kindle in time - while I save up for what I really wanted in the first place!
Thanks again.
might be just as well...
mario's mum said:
Hello again, thanks for that - but after reading what you've said I don't think my courage extends that far! Anyway, not just so I can Whatsapp when I've got it on my phone. I'm hoping I'll get used to the kindle in time - while I save up for what I really wanted in the first place!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may find that the Kindle Fire, other than its awkward launcher, may fit the bill just fine as you get used to it. Try browsing the Amazon App Store, and you will probably find most of the apps you'd regularly use on a generic Android tablet. As for Whatsapp, you can't really run it with the same account on more than one device at the same time anyway, so it might be just as well that you only use it on your phone. :cyclops:
ezekiel_quacks said:
You may find that the Kindle Fire, other than its awkward launcher, may fit the bill just fine as you get used to it. Try browsing the Amazon App Store, and you will probably find most of the apps you'd regularly use on a generic Android tablet. As for Whatsapp, you can't really run it with the same account on more than one device at the same time anyway, so it might be just as well that you only use it on your phone. :cyclops:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh that's made me feel a bit better about the Whatsapp!, and you're right I am getting used to it. Thanks for your advice.
Aplogies for bumping an old thread
I have a rooted Kindle Fire (first generation).
I would like to install WhatsApp Messenger on it. I don't have a CUSTOM-ROM. This is rooted without any customizations.
Is there something I can do, to get this started? Any pointers in the right direction are appreciated.
Well, it's been over a year since my original post, and I no longer run Whatsapp on my Kindle Fire now, so I can't be sure what works now. But I'd suggest you follow the links in the first post on this thread for starters, and see if that gets you anywhere.
Hello Fire Folk,
I decided to go ahead take the plunge and let my 2017 Fire HD tablets do their thing and update to 5.6.2.0. Well, the too-good-to-be-true advertising lulled me in anyway ("Show Mode!? You mean I can finally use my Fire Tablet for multi-room audio? And I can stop calling half the Alexa devices in the house "Alexa" while I call the others "Computer" and we can all live as one big happy, desegregated family?! And I can play Spotify on any of the devices and make drop in calls until my heart's content!??" Well, we're not quite there yet...
Anyway, the purpose of my post... Is anyone else noticing the annoying "Ghost" notifications (where it's just a blank white bar at the top, popping up regularly, but if you tap on it/long-touch it enough it eventually reveals its true self) appearing more frequently now? I have three HD 8s and one HD 10 and the background app is running rampant on all of them, resulting in super-frustrating and function-impairing crumminess. Fortunately, the 10 has root and on that tablet I can put this resource-gobbling ghost in its place. However, I'm at a loss on the Fire 8s. In the past I've tried various "no root" app freezing applications but I've never really found one that truly is capable of doing what it claims to be able to accomplish. Does anyone have any tips? I know for a while we could run that one script and make magic happen but can no longer use that trick. :-/
The background ghost app is "Tachyon Calling App" and I gather it's part of the messaging system that is supposed to make the Fire, post 5.6.2.0 update, more "Show"-like. But it runs wiiiild. I'll grabbed a few screenshots which tell a little more about this background pest and will include them below. If you've upgraded to the latest OS and haven't noticed this yet, I hope you never do, but I'd be surprised should you not soon become well-acquainted.
Oh also, my tablets all have Play Store et al. installed and I'm using Action Launcher, if that might have any impact on why I'm experiencing this conflict.
Thanks all! I've been lurking in the Fire section for a long time now and decided to finally make a profile, interact, etc. I am very appreciative to many people here for sharing the awesome findings/discoveries/techniques you've brought forward. I am still holding out hope - some day - even if it's 2046 and these tablets are beyond obsolete/somehow still manage to exist in physical form somewhere in the world, that we will get root access on HD 8! ??????
Screenshots w. additional details:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/album.php?albumid=15035
Having this same problem on a Fire 8 that's got the Play Store loaded. Also my model doesn't even have a sim card, does yours?
This is a new one. Never heard of or seen this app in any Amazon tablet I own (and I own several from the Fire 7 all the way to 10). Just from doing a general search, it appears it belongs to tachyon Mobility. At least that's the most likely culprit. For whatever reason it's on a device I have no idea unless you own a Samsung phone or tablet. I've seen other Samsung apps and Hardware configurations on Motorola devices but never on an Amazon device. If you don't mind uploading a copy of the APK, I can decompile it and take a look inside and see what it actually does or at least try. For now disable it by changing the file name to: appname.apk_ because some system apps like that may become useful in the future. By the way if you are rooted on the HD 10 Google 'rooted activity launcher'. Download the APK from the GitHub source. You can use that activity launcher to launch almost every system app that has a user interface. If this application does you can launch it with rooted activity launcher and see what it does.