Yes, pretty much the opposite of what everyone else is asking for.
I bought the Fire HD 10 without ads, and some of the games I play require adverts for certain features to work. I didn't think it'd cause issues like this, I just assumed I would avoid all the built in ones.
Is there a way of enabling the usual Google adverts you get on most android devices, without reverting to the built in Amazon adverts?
I've installed Play store and the bits that were needed to get that working.
Related
Not that everything on the Internet is gospel, but for some reason folks were advertising the Redbox app. available on the Kindle Fire.
http://fireapps.blogspot.com/2011/11/free-apps-redbox-and-lose-it.html
However, trying to install RedBox results in the message that the app. is incompatible with the Kindle Fire.
Anyone know why?
Redbox may not yet have support for it yet? I dunno. Asus claimed that netflix would be available for the eeepad, yet took several weeks for netflix to officially support the device let alone honeycomb tablets altogether. Don't take it like they're not going to support it as there is obviously a large user base already, it would seem they could only benefit by supporting the the kindle and its users.
Amazon on the other hand... Well I've got Netflix on mine atm and its working like a champ. I can't say that they won't allow redbox, but if they allow netflix there is no real reason for them to discriminate against redbox.
What do I know, I know nothing of the corporate powers that be.
Going to the Amazon page for the redbox app, it shows not compatible for my Fire.
Don't know why that is but possibly it uses location APIs that are blocked/unavailable on the Fire.
I remember reading that Amazon wouldn't allow apps on the Kindle Fire that utilized hardware not available on the device (i.e: GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer, etc.).
In this case since the Redbox app utilizes (somewhat heavily) GPS that might be the reason. Only reason I could think of is because of the utilization of GPS in this app.
Redbox app won't install
Just in case someone else wants to try side-loading this app, I tried and it won't install.
I found a download site for com.redbox.android.activity.apk and tried installing it with appInstaller. No joy.
There is something about this app. that is definitely incompatible with the Fire. I'm hoping that Amazon isn't just blocking the app. Maybe Redbox will update their app so that it WILL run.
Long time reader, first time posting.
Install requires root.
Squirrel LLC just released an android version of their app Reflector ($7). This app can be installed fairly simply on the FireTV, turning it into an airplay receiver for screen sharing and display extension, not just video or audio playing.
This requires root (instructions here) and the google play store (instructions here- they are for kindle, but work) before you can install this program.
Once you have the play store installed and you are signed in, you will be able to install apps remotely. This is much easier, as the play store is somewhat difficult to navigate on the Fire TV itself. However, Google will think the Fire TV is not compatible with Reflector.
To circumvent compatibility restrictions, download Market Helper and install on your FireTV (sideload instructions here). This will allow you to spoof your device type and install the app. I used the Nexus 7 as the device type. Make sure you've run google play services and signed into the play store before you run this, so it can read your id. The activate buttons are invisible until you are selecting them, so just press down and over until you find what you want.
After setting up your Fire TV to look like a Nexus 7, head back to the play store and set Reflector to install remotely.
From here, you can use any airplay device to broadcast to the Fire TV!
Couldn't you use snappea instead of google play?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I wasn't able to get this to work in Extend Desktop mode with my Mac. Since there's only a 15 minute refund period, I already got the refund, so it's possible I was doing something wrong, but the Play description didn't mention Extend Desktop mode. I don't see how I was doing anything wrong though, since the only settings in the app is the Name and the Password (and I didn't set a password). I did remember to turn off AirPlay in my other AirPlay app before trying Reflector.
Prior to this, I was already using AirReceiver to handle IOS mirroring. If all you want is IOS mirroring, I believe it was less expensive. Since it was bought through the Amazon store, it shows up with an icon on main screen (in my Apps and Recent sections). I don't recall if you can buy it on the FireTV or not, but I think so. A Voice search for Air Receiver brings it up.
Thanks!
Hey Guys,
Sid from Squirrels here!
Thanks for the walkthrough and the instructions. We're glad you got everything working!
We've actually submitted Reflector to the Amazon Fire TV store. The approval process is a bit more lengthy and involved than normal Google Play submissions.
As for extended desktop from a computer. It should work alright. I'de be interested in seeing logs from this to see why it didn't work for you. You can email our support team and they'll be happy to get it working!
Thanks again for the instructions.
So why root?? Why not just side load reflector??
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
1975jamie said:
So why root?? Why not just side load reflector??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reflector is a paid app, and I have no experience sideloading paid apps / getting a signed apk out of one. I found it to be easier to root and install the play store than to bother with that. If you are aware of an easy method to get the APK out of a paid app, I'd love to hear it- I always pay for my apps, but sometimes I need to install them in a dev environment where the play store isn't available, and I'd like to know.
If you're concerned about rooting, I'd consider the advantages. Rooting is a piece of cake now thanks to Towelroot, and it gives you uped duper more functionality than you have without it, especially if you are using this device to run XBMC primarily.
sidneykeith said:
Hey Guys,
Sid from Squirrels here!
Thanks for the walkthrough and the instructions. We're glad you got everything working!
We've actually submitted Reflector to the Amazon Fire TV store. The approval process is a bit more lengthy and involved than normal Google Play submissions.
As for extended desktop from a computer. It should work alright. I'de be interested in seeing logs from this to see why it didn't work for you. You can email our support team and they'll be happy to get it working!
Thanks again for the instructions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the good customer support. I figured it was the Amazon store's lengthy submission process that was holding things up and not an actual compatibility issue, which is why I decided to hack this together.
I own no other Amazon devices (and probably won't), so it's to my advantage to keep all my purchases within one ecosystem. You may consider adding a little walkthrough on how to use the google play store to run your app on the firetv to your page, if you guys aren't fearful of the wrath of Bezos. I'm sure there are a lot of people like me who bought the firetv for the android, not the amazon.
Taige said:
I wasn't able to get this to work in Extend Desktop mode with my Mac. Since there's only a 15 minute refund period, I already got the refund, so it's possible I was doing something wrong, but the Play description didn't mention Extend Desktop mode. I don't see how I was doing anything wrong though, since the only settings in the app is the Name and the Password (and I didn't set a password). I did remember to turn off AirPlay in my other AirPlay app before trying Reflector.
Prior to this, I was already using AirReceiver to handle IOS mirroring. If all you want is IOS mirroring, I believe it was less expensive. Since it was bought through the Amazon store, it shows up with an icon on main screen (in my Apps and Recent sections). I don't recall if you can buy it on the FireTV or not, but I think so. A Voice search for Air Receiver brings it up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what happened there for you. Extended display was the default for me. That being said, the other app could have interfered, or maybe your settings in OSX weren't correct. I wish I could help you more, but Airplay is finicky enough as it is, without adding third party software. Maybe get in touch with Sid about that.
If anyone else is interested in this, my brother managed to get airsquirrel to work with reflector on the firetv, but it seemed to be more laggy than with true airplay. I'm not sure if that was the fault of his laptop or the software, so that might be worth looking into if you're a diehard windows user like I used to be.
hotterpop said:
Reflector is a paid app, and I have no experience sideloading paid apps / getting a signed apk out of one. I found it to be easier to root and install the play store than to bother with that. If you are aware of an easy method to get the APK out of a paid app, I'd love to hear it- I always pay for my apps, but sometimes I need to install them in a dev environment where the play store isn't available, and I'd like to know.
If you're concerned about rooting, I'd consider the advantages. Rooting is a piece of cake now thanks to Towelroot, and it gives you uped duper more functionality than you have without it, especially if you are using this device to run XBMC primarily.
Thanks for the good customer support. I figured it was the Amazon store's lengthy submission process that was holding things up and not an actual compatibility issue, which is why I decided to hack this together.
I own no other Amazon devices (and probably won't), so it's to my advantage to keep all my purchases within one ecosystem. You may consider adding a little walkthrough on how to use the google play store to run your app on the firetv to your page, if you guys aren't fearful of the wrath of Bezos. I'm sure there are a lot of people like me who bought the firetv for the android, not the amazon.
I'm not sure what happened there for you. Extended display was the default for me. That being said, the other app could have interfered, or maybe your settings in OSX weren't correct. I wish I could help you more, but Airplay is finicky enough as it is, without adding third party software. Maybe get in touch with Sid about that.
If anyone else is interested in this, my brother managed to get airsquirrel to work with reflector on the firetv, but it seemed to be more laggy than with true airplay. I'm not sure if that was the fault of his laptop or the software, so that might be worth looking into if you're a diehard windows user like I used to be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an android phone that I download the google play app to and then use Es file explorer to back up the app. Then sideload it to the firetv.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
EDIT: I have things working now. Sorry for the superfluous post. I have YouTube installed from the Play Store and it's playing videos just fine, as well as a non-google application. Thanks for reading.
Ordered a new Kindle Fire HD 8" model...
Upon taking it out of the box, I logged in, and it required a reboot almost immediately. It is running OS 5.3.3.0. This is my first Kindle Fire, it's a replacement for an aging Nexus 7 (2013).
I use a tablet for general utility purposes, but I'm pretty heavily invested in the Google ecosystem. The fact that the Kindle can't even access my google drive is highly disappointing.
Now, I've tried a few solutions sideloading apk's but the tablet seems to know to block the installation of things like google play services, as it fails every time. Anyone know of any other solutions for getting other things like YouTube, or Google Sheets installed?
I'm not above rooting or ROM's if that's a solution... But so far, a cursory search hasn't yielded anything that works for 5.3.3.0.
Google Services (Play Store) can be installed followinf this: https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603. Mine is on 5.3.3.0 noch, Play Store works without problems.
Root seems not possible at the moment, not that critical. I am not sure about disabling the lock-screen ads, I was just looking for the thread myself.
Have fun
I really would like to have the best of both worlds! I like the almost every Amazon has implemented on the Fire HE 10, except their apps and app store. And I like everything about Google Play services and their apps. Here on CAR are many threads on topics to customize one world over the other. But not anything I would characterize as the best of both worlds.
Most Amazon topics are generally like tips. And Google topics generally involve a complete wipe of Amazon's implementation of launcher and product offering.
Is there anyone who has created an implementation that utilizes the best of both? It seems as though I've read all the posts or searched all the posts here and nothing that really says to me this is the solution. I would especially like to see a custom rom like we see for our phones.
cfedata said:
I really would like to have the best of both worlds! I like the almost every Amazon has implemented on the Fire HE 10, except their apps and app store. And I like everything about Google Play services and their apps. Here on CAR are many threads on topics to customize one world over the other. But not anything I would characterize as the best of both worlds.
Most Amazon topics are generally like tips. And Google topics generally involve a complete wipe of Amazon's implementation of launcher and product offering.
Is there anyone who has created an implementation that utilizes the best of both? It seems as though I've read all the posts or searched all the posts here and nothing that really says to me this is the solution. I would especially like to see a custom rom like we see for our phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check around here for my tips, hacks etc. I have been trying to build a ROM for a bit. It may not be possible on this device (as long as it's bootloader locked), at least not like the Fire 7. Either FlashFire won't install one on the HD 10, or Amazon did something that doesn't allow the traditional updater-scripts or FlashFire to do their job properly. I suspect they removed something from a .bin file or modified it like they did the bootanimation.bin (FireOS stock bootanimation is written into the bootanimation bin file in /system/bin. So if you don't replace the bin file, and try to change bootanimation, it would fail.) So far I have been doing it the slow way: replacing the Amazon apps one by one, with Android. My hope is to create a 'ROM' that way, and at some point distribute the system.img.
cfedata
Follow DragonFire1024's posts about the FIre HD and you have a great approximation of both worlds. I have Alexa and Google Assistant voice activated on all my Fire HD's. The Amazon Appstore is pretty useless in my opinion. Once you get the Google Play store installed, you'll probably never use it. I tend to sideload apps on all my devices anyway but the Play Store is occasionally useful for updates. Just make sure you have "Do Not auto-update apps" selected in your Play Store settings since some updates for certain apps make them unusable or unstable on the Fire HD's
A few hours ago I've bought Minecraft from the play store via my phone so that my nephew could play.
Now I've opened the play store on my Fire Toolboxed HD 10 plus but Minecraft does not show up as owned. Instead of all gives me the price of 6,99€ to be able to install it.
Is Minecraft the first App on the play store that needs to be payed for multiple times depending on how many devices you want to install it on?
Just these days I've bought two tool apps on the play store via my phone and was instantly able to install them in the tablet as well.
If anyone has a clue what's going on and could help me out, that would be great.
Edit:
As an update for anyone reading... When I went to "My Apps & Games" on the play store and there to "Library" it was displayed as the first of 15 apps under recommended and I could simply install it from there.
Even though the issue is basically solved, I'd still be curious about what's up with that.
Sounds like amazon just making it harder and harder for world domination. I just realised how many amazon things I've now got. Scary
mojospur said:
Sounds like amazon just making it harder and harder for world domination. I just realised how many amazon things I've now got. Scary
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In retrospect I want to believe that the play store just needed a 'little' more time to update things...
The HD tablet is the only Amazon device I own and with it toolboxed, it doesn't even phone home. I also don't use any other assistants and cortana on PC is switched off as well. And finally I use script blocker extensions in my pc browser, so that's that. I get why they want the data they can get, but no reason to help them by using devices that are not really necessary. Widgets on the phone and e.g. tasker can do the same (for those who can't do without)