20
Dec
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Amazon, Barnes & Noble Pushing Updates To Their Respective Tablets That Break Root Access

Posted by in Kindle Fire, News, Nook Tablet

Amazon started pushing an update to the Kindle Fire yesterday, and two words that no Android geek wants to hear were muttered shortly after: breaks root. Unlike the previous update to the Fire, this update can't be re-rooted using SuperOneClick.

It's not all bad in Fire-world, though; for the un-rooted, this update brings a number of fixes and performance enhancements to the sub-$200 device:

  • You can now remove books, apps or other content from the carousel of recently used items on the home screen.
  • Scrolling is smoother.
  • There’s an option to require a password to turn on WiFi (which could help prevent kids from purchasing apps without a parents' permission).

19
Dec
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[Deal Alert] Gameloft Offering 6 Games For $0.99 Each In The Amazon Appstore, Most For The Kindle Fire

Posted by in Android OS, Deals, Games, Kindle Fire, News

Owners of Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet have a great chance to expand their gaming portfolio right now thanks to Gameloft. One of the most popular game developers for Android is offering a handful of games for just $0.99 in the Amazon Appstore, most of them special Kindle Fire editions.

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Among the discounted titles are Order & Chaos, Block Breaker 3 Unlimited, UNO, and Asphalt 6: Adrenaline. Those who don't own a Kindle Fire can still get Hero of Sparta HD or Shadow Guardian HD at a deeply discounted price. There's no word on how long these prices will last, so grab a game or two while you can here!

29
Nov
kfire-update

Kindle Fire Gets An Update That Breaks Root – Don't Worry, You Can Root Again

Posted by in Development, Kindle Fire, News, Tablets

Amazon has begun pushing a software update to Kindle Fire owners, updating the tablet's software to version 6.2. The online shopping giant kept quiet about just what the update included however. Given this (lack of) information, the real story here is that the update breaks root. Additionally, the Fire is configured to update automatically over WiFi, and there isn't an immediately apparent way to stop it.

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There is a bright side, however. After your Fire updates, regaining root access is not only possible, but easy, using SuperOneClick. For instructions, head over to the discussion on XDA Forums. It's worth mentioning that the update may wipe the Android Market app and custom keyboards, along with your root privileges.

29
Nov
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CyanogenMod 7 Makes Its Way To The Kindle Fire - Still A Bit Buggy, But Nearly Usable

Posted by in Kindle Fire, News

Just two short weeks after the Kindle Fire received its first dose of Android development goodness (read: root), the first full custom ROM has made its way to the device. The ROM is question is, of course, CyanogenMod 7, the most widely distributed custom ROM among Android devices.

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Basically everything works, though there are a few glitches. The touchscreen was initially on the receiving end of one said glitch, as the alignment was off by 90 degrees. The developer behind the port, JackpotClavin, has since fixed this issue, so touch should be good to go now. Wi-Fi isn't 100% up-to-snuff just yet, though, as it will scan and find networks, but it is unable to connect.

16
Nov
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Good News – The Android Market Can Now Be Installed On Amazon's Kindle Fire

Posted by in Applications, Development, Kindle Fire, News

Since before the launch of Amazon's Kindle Fire, the Android community has been atwitter, planning to break through the shopping giant's custom Android variant to achieve a true Android experience. Coming one step closer to that, BriefMobile has provided detailed instructions on how to get the Android Market running on Amazon's affordable 7" slate.

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Of course, the Kindle Fire is not compatible with all the apps in the Market, so you may notice a few missing. Hopefully developers will be adding support for the Fire in the future, but for now, there are still plenty of reasons you want the Market on Amazon's Android tablet.

16
Nov
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Is Amazon Deliberately Hiding Non-Kindle eReader Apps From Kindle Fire Owners?

Posted by in Amazon, Kindle Fire, News

It sure seems that way, according to Android Guys. They claim competing eBook apps such as Kobo and Aldiko don't appear in search results when using the Amazon Appstore on a Kindle Fire tablet. Additionally, eBook reader developer BlueFire claims that while his app is listed as Kindle Fire-compatible on the Amazon Appstore, it too fails to show up in search results on the device.

We've not heard of many apps mysteriously not showing up in the Fire's app list (presumably Amazon had lots of time to work on ensuring most apps on its store would be compatible) for a lack of compatibility, so if this does turn out to be true, we can probably assume that Amazon made a conscious decision to keep competitors' apps out of the hands of users.

14
Nov
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Amazon Kindle Fire Review Roundup: For $199, It's A Great Tablet, With Only The Odd Bug And Bad Review To Throw It Off

Posted by in Amazon, Kindle Fire, Reviews

The Kindle Fire is just about ready to launch, and not since the launch of the Motorola XOOM has an Android tablet been so hotly anticipated. With a little help from the mainstream media, consequent consumer excitement, and - last but certainly not least - Amazon's front page (all things manufacturers like ASUS could only dream of), it has skyrocketed to the top of many tech enthusiasts' holiday shopping lists. And at $199, it won't break the bank, either; the only thing that could possibly hold it back now would be, well, an underwhelming user experience. So has Amazon ironed out the kinks?

07
Nov
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Barnes & Noble NOOK Tablet Vs. Amazon Kindle Fire: FIGHT!

Posted by in Kindle Fire, News, Nook Tablet

When the Amazon Kindle Fire was announced, we were all pretty excited about its tablet-meets-e-reader form factor, low price, and powerful hardware. Barnes & Noble has fired back this morning with an equally impressive device (and in some aspects even more so), albeit with a slightly higher price tag. As always, both devices offer features that make them unique from each other -- but, at the end of the day, which one is the better choice?

Let's throw both devices in the ring and see how they fare with one another, shall we? First up, specs:

NOOK Tablet

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  • 7-inch IPS lamination display
  • 1GHz dual-core processor
  • 1GB RAM
  • 16GB storage with SD card slot
  • 400 grams
  • 9 Hours of video playback, 11.5 hours of read-time
  • $249

Amazon Kindle Fire

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  • 7-inch IPS display
  • 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP4 processor
  • 512MB RAM
  • 8GB internal storage, no SD card slot
  • 413 grams
  • 7.5 hours locally-stored video playback, 8 hours read-time
  • $199

With specs out of the way, let's take a closer look at each one to get a better idea of which device is the better buy this holiday season.

03
Nov
nook-tablet-scoop

Information Surrounding Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet Slips Out - Look Out Kindle Fire

Posted by in News, Nook Tablet, Tablets

Looking to keep pace with Amazon, it seems Barnes & Noble has something up their sleeve this month - the Nook Tablet. Coming to market in just under two weeks, the Nook Tablet is a dead ringer for the Nook Color, but it brings to the table substantially pumped up specs that, in some ways, surpass its nearest competition - the Kindle Fire.

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A nice set of photocopied documents leaked out today, giving us all the details we need about the Nook Tablet - it's set to launch November 16th at a cool $249. Yes, that is about $50 higher than the Kindle Fire, but wait till you see the specs:

  • OMAP 4 Dual-Core Processor at 1.2GHz
  • 1GB RAM
  • 16GB On Board Storage
  • 7" VividView IPS Display at 1024x600 (169ppi)
  • About 8 Hours of Battery Life
  • A Trim(mer) 8.1 x 5 x .48" Form Factor

As you can see, the Nook Tablet actually bests Amazon's Fire in terms of both storage and RAM.

19
Oct
kindlefirerootcomp

There's A Bounty Out For The Kindle Fire: $200 For Reversible Root, $800 For "Basic" Honeycomb Or Ice Cream Sandwich Port

Posted by in Development, Honeycomb 3.0/3.1/3.2, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, Kindle Fire, News, Tablets

It looks like the HP Touchpad isn't the only tablet to have a bounty placed on its head - Kindle Fire Forum is now offering a substantial reward to the first person who's able to provide a reliable, reversible root method, or either a Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich port for Amazon's Android tablet.

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The forum is offering a prize of $200 for a root method, and a whopping $800 for a "Basic" Honeycomb or ICS port. The original post outlines the goals like so:

Reliable Reversable Root Method - This one is self explanatory.

Basic Android Port – The stock Android home screen and apps boot.

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