Computers & Electronics

Amazon Fire HD 8 & 10 Tablets - General Info & Tips

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Jan 31, 2007
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I have the 7th gen Fire 8 Tablet - been having issue with bit of lag when playing game on it.

Its not a very demanding game, puzzles/candy crush sort of thing. Any tips? I tried closing all background apps.
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Aznkid2000 wrote: I have the 7th gen Fire 8 Tablet - been having issue with bit of lag when playing game on it.

Its not a very demanding game, puzzles/candy crush sort of thing. Any tips? I tried closing all background apps.
Are you using a microSD card to expand memory? If so, might be too slow.
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Scote64 wrote: Are you using a microSD card to expand memory? If so, might be too slow.
no, its installed to the internal storage
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Does anyone have a 5th Gen 2015 tablet with Google Play installed on it? Are you able to download/install the Echelon Fit app? It won't bring it up on my tablet.
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when u use the firetools to debloat..can u still use showmode alexa? tia...i ordered the 2020 8inch HD firetablet for like 69$ bucks all in..not bad price!
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I can't answer because I haven't used firetools. However, some things to be aware of.
I use it in Show Mode most of the tijme. I even have the show mode dock that I bought in Florida 3 years ago.

1. Your country needs to be the US for Show Mode to work. Canada doesn't support it.
2. Show Mode on the Fire Tablet is finicky. It turns itself off after awhile and needs to be re-invoked.
3. For whatever reason, brightness turns itself down presumably to save energy so it needs to be adjusted pretty much daily.
4. The tablet automatically goes into clock mode at night and doesn't go back into show mode until you invoke it manually or wait for it to kick in. I think it's 8 or 10 AM - I'm not sure as I typically turn it on manually every day.
5. Show Mode on the tablet doesn't have anywhere near the features of an Echo Show. For example, I have a Ring doorbell. Live View works on my Echo Show 5 but not on the Fire Tablet in Show Mode unless I create a custom routine in Alexa. My Echo Show has a smart home display that I can simply swipe to. The tablet doesn't have that. That's the tip of the iceberg of what works on the Echo Show and doesn't work on the Tablet in Show Mode.

As a result, my Fire tablet has really been relegated to a secondary device. If you check the Show Mode reviews of the tablet, they are generally positive but they're mainly from 2018 when it first appeared. I think a review done after using for a few months would be different.
Phils
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Jan 12, 2017
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Phils wrote: I can't answer because I haven't used firetools. However, some things to be aware of.
I use it in Show Mode most of the tijme. I even have the show mode dock that I bought in Florida 3 years ago.

1. Your country needs to be the US for Show Mode to work. Canada doesn't support it.
2. Show Mode on the Fire Tablet is finicky. It turns itself off after awhile and needs to be re-invoked.
3. For whatever reason, brightness turns itself down presumably to save energy so it needs to be adjusted pretty much daily.
4. The tablet automatically goes into clock mode at night and doesn't go back into show mode until you invoke it manually or wait for it to kick in. I think it's 8 or 10 AM - I'm not sure as I typically turn it on manually every day.
5. Show Mode on the tablet doesn't have anywhere near the features of an Echo Show. For example, I have a Ring doorbell. Live View works on my Echo Show 5 but not on the Fire Tablet in Show Mode unless I create a custom routine in Alexa. My Echo Show has a smart home display that I can simply swipe to. The tablet doesn't have that. That's the tip of the iceberg of what works on the Echo Show and doesn't work on the Tablet in Show Mode.

As a result, my Fire tablet has really been relegated to a secondary device. If you check the Show Mode reviews of the tablet, they are generally positive but they're mainly from 2018 when it first appeared. I think a review done after using for a few months would be different.
ya some functions of alexa on the tablets don't work like on the echo shows! mine doesn't show the full date at the bottom of the left corner < MON, MAR 22> that would be nice to have...also NO device shows the clock in BIG LETTERS in middle of the screen, i would love to have that option... it only shows the small clock at the top left of screen.. i'd like it to say 8:36 AM in big bold letters in the middle of screen!

fire tablet HD 8 show mode has been great for me...it doesn't auto shut off...i've had it on for the last 24 hours plugged in..in developers option i have ' keep device screen on at all times during charging' thats why maybe, its plugged in 24/7 in my case , if it does crash and goes to the fireOS home screen, i can always say"activate show mode" and it takes me back to showmode ...why doesn't it work when u say"play <name of video> on youtube , that line works great on the firestick 4k tv!

play <name of video> on Vevo! *u need to have vevo skill enabled* works on the lenovo m10 tablet showmode but does NOT work on amazon tablet or firestick tho

also u cannot set a custom ringtone or alarm/timer tone in alexa? so locked down!
*SIG: Ryzen R5 2600 cpu w/ ASrock B450M OCd to 4.0ghz@1.265v stock cooler 16gb ram win10 pro w/radeon rx460 rogers Gigabit<< xb1 gamertag: mikka2017 >>
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Random question: I LOVE that the usb plug in/outlet is on the top, so smart - are all new tablets/phones designed like that now?
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mikka2017 wrote: fire tablet HD 8 show mode has been great for me...it doesn't auto shut off...i've had it on for the last 24 hours plugged in..in developers option i have ' keep device screen on at all times during charging' thats why maybe, its plugged in 24/7 in my case , if it does crash and goes to the fireOS home screen, i can always say"activate show mode" and it takes me back to showmode ...why doesn't it work when u say"play <name of video> on youtube , that line works great on the firestick 4k tv!
I leave mine in Show Mode normally, plugged in on a stand, and it turns the screen on automatically when the camera detects motion.

Just two issues: the camera activation feature is enabled from 7am to 10pm and there's no way to change that (an inadvertent oversight by Amazon), and it stops working until the next day every time there's a firmware update, which is often.
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Silly question using the Fire OS: I cannot seem to find the 'Trashbin' because I want to recover a file. Where can I find it? TX.
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tranquility922 wrote: Silly question using the Fire OS: I cannot seem to find the 'Trashbin' because I want to recover a file. Where can I find it? TX.
AFAIK, there is no trashbin as per se in any Android OS devices.
Once a file is deleted, it is usually gone but still available to retrieve (provided that sector area has not being re-written over the 'old' data with new data) by a data recovery app.

There was an apk called "ES File Explorer" that does deletion to its own trashbin before you permanently delete the content at another time. This was long ago that I noticed that feature but never used it.
The latest Mixplorer might have this same feature ... not 100% sure.

It is wise to backup your important files/data to an external storage/cloud .. just like you do backups with your PC.
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Anyway finding navigating through their 'file explorer' to be very user-UNfriendly? I'm finding it exceeding difficult to do simple tasks like moving files from one folder to another...it's really horrible and I wonder if there's a solution? (Still on the Fire OS if that makes any difference.)
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tranquility922 wrote: Anyway finding navigating through their 'file explorer' to be very user-UNfriendly? I'm finding it exceeding difficult to do simple tasks like moving files from one folder to another...it's really horrible and I wonder if there's a solution? (Still on the Fire OS if that makes any difference.)
Try the free version MiXplorer app from its developer's webforum (LINK) or make a search @ apkmirror.com
It works without google play/service/manager if you decide not to install or debloat Amazon apps with Fire Toolkit (Latest version 17.0).
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Another silly question: if I decide to use the toolkit to lose the Fire OS and switch to real Android, will my installed apps disappear or still exist?
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tranquility922 wrote: Another silly question: if I decide to use the toolkit to lose the Fire OS and switch to real Android, will my installed apps disappear or still exist?
You are still with Fire OS.
The toolkit only helps to debloat Amazon apps either remove or hidden.
With the toolkit, you install google play/service/manager in order to access google store for apps.
See first page for steps/requirements.

Some paid apps can function without 'google services' requirement. There are mods, too

Note: You do not need to create an Amazon account if you do not want Amazon content or visit Amazon store for apps.
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not sure if I did something incorrectly but just allowed the Live NetTv update to automatically kick in & I broke something (Live NetTV app wouldn't open).


So I had to go to https://www.livenettv.bz/ and download the Amazon FireTV version & re-install for the app to work.
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anyone else have LiveNet Tv app automatically uninstalled? What the heck - got a notification that LiveNet app is disabled & removed due to security risks or something.......(from Google)



EDIT - looks like Google disabled Live Net TV, so I was able to re-enable the app. Whew!!
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I deleted Automate app. I hope the lock screen ads won,t come back.
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tranquility922 wrote: Another silly question: if I decide to use the toolkit to lose the Fire OS and switch to real Android, will my installed apps disappear or still exist?
I am a new Fire Tablet user. Just got a HD8.
I had used Tool Box. So far I am please with it.

The Google Play Store sits on top Fire OS. Without Fire OS , it won,t function.
For this, Notification for Apps installed through Google will not work. U won,t get Gmail, Ymail etc notifications of new mail etc.

You will find also your device is uncertify for Google under Play Store. but all apps works. I also loaded my ASUS File Manager app.

I am using Nova Launcher but may want to try Microsoft Launcher. later.
There is no bluetooth on/off indicator (bad). U do not kNow wgether your blue tooth is on/off.
I have 128gb card as external storage. Set as not part of internal since there is 32gb internal.

One bad thing, I was browsing around deleted an Google app( Google Pay) I had never installed. Turns out I deleted Google services as well. Use Tool Box to re install. Service.

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