Tag Archives: Fire Tablet

UPDATE: Oops! Something went wrong with FreeTime

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Someone from Amazon posted an update on the Amazon Device forum on Monday to the “Oops! Something went wrong” error message problem for FreeTime. Note that this is NOT a permanent fix, but is meant to allow people to use their tablets while Amazon is working on the fix.

First Measure: Device Reboot

  1. Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds
  2. Turn back on the device

Second Measure: Clearing FreeTime App Data

  1. Switch to adult profile on the tablet

  2. Tap on the Settings icon

  3. Tap on Apps & Games row

  4. Tap on Manage All Applications

  5. Swipe right to see all applications (ALL will be underlined in orange)

  6. Scroll down and select FreeTime

  7. Tap CLEAR CACHE

  8. Tap MANAGE SPACE

  9. Tap OK on the Are you sure you want to clear data from Amazon FreeTime popup window that appears

More to come on this story!

Mother’s Day Sale: Amazon Kindles, tablets and devices

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Sunday, May 13th is Mother’r Day here in the US. To celebrate Mom’s big day, Amazon is having a big device sale with deals on e-readers, tablets, Fire TV and Echo devices. (May is also graduation month and these also make great gifts for a graduate!)

On offer are the following items:

E-ink e-readers:

Kindle E-reader – Black, 6″ Glare-Free Touchscreen Display, Wi-Fi, Built-In Audible – Includes Special Offers – $59.99 ($20 off)

Kindle Paperwhite E-reader – Black, 6″ High-Resolution Display (300 ppi) with Built-in Light, Wi-Fi – Includes Special Offers – $99.99 ($20 off)

Kindle for Kids Bundle with the latest Kindle E-reader, 2-Year Worry-Free Guarantee, choice of color cover – $79.99

Tablets:

Fire 7 Tablet with Alexa, 7″ Display, 8 GB, Black – with Special Offers – $39.99 ($10 off)

Fire HD 8 Tablet with Alexa, 8″ HD Display, 16 GB, Black – with Special Offers – $59.99 ($20 off)

Fire HD 10 Tablet with Alexa Hands-Free, 10.1″ 1080p Full HD Display, 32 GB, Black – with Special Offers – $119.99 ($30 off)

Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet, 7″ Display, 16 GB, choice of color Kid-Proof Case – $79.99 ($20 off)

Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet, 8″ HD Display, 32 GB, choice of color Kid-Proof Case – $99.99 ($30 off)

Fire TV

Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote | Streaming Media Player – $29.99 ($10 off)

Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD and Alexa Voice Remote (Pendant Design) | Streaming Media Player – $49.99 ($20 off)

Fire TV with 4K Ultra HD (2017 Edition, Pendant) + HD Antenna Bundle – $69.98 ($20 off)

Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote + Echo Dot (Black) – $64.98 ($25 off)

Echo family of devices:

Echo Dot (2nd Generation) – Smart speaker with Alexa – Black – $39.99 ($10 off)

Echo (2nd Generation) – Smart speaker with Alexa – choice of finish – $84.99 ($15 off)

Amazon Tap – Alexa-Enabled Portable Bluetooth Speaker – $99.99 ($30 off)

Echo Spot – Choice of Black or White – $109.99 ($20 off)

Echo Show – Choice of Black or White – $159.99 ($70 off)

Amazon Cloud Cam Security Camera, Works with Alexa – $99.99 ($20 off)

You can see all of the available device deals on one page here.

 (Note to my kids: I have most of these, LOL!)

Great prices on Echo family, Kindles and Fire Tablet devices

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This week, Amazon is having some supper sales on devices in the Echo, Kindle and Fire families. The following items are currently on sale through August 26, 2017:

Alexa/Echo Devices:

Amazon Echo – $100 (Normally $179.99) Available in Black and White. Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $20 each!

Echo Dot – $45 (Normally $49.99) Available in Black and White. Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $9 each!

Amazon Tap – $100 (Normally $129.99)  This is the Alexa-Enabled Portable Bluetooth Speaker that can also be used hands free.  Available in Black only.  Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $20 each!

(Note: the Echo devices are actually on sale through September 4, 2017.)

Kindles:

Kindle – $60 (Regularly $79.99) Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $12 each.

Kindle Paperwhite – $100 (Regularly $119.99)  Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $20 each.

Kindle Voyage – $180  (Regularly $199.99)  Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $36 each.

Kindle Essentials Bundle – $95 (Regularly $129.97) Includes Kindle, cover and power adapter.

Kindle for Kids Bundle – $80 (Regularly $124.98) Includes Kindle, cover and 2-year guarantee.

Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle – $135 (Regularly $179.97) Includes Kindle Paperwhite, leather cover and power adapter.

Kindle Paperwhite Travel Bundle – $180 (Regularly $269.97) Includes Kindle Paperwhite, leather cover, power adapter and travel case.

Kindle Voyage Essentials Bundle – $235 (Regularly $279.97) Includes Kindle Voyage, leather cover, and power adapter.

Kindle Voyage Travel Bundle – $285 (Regularly $374.96) Includes Kindle Voyage, leather cover, power adapter and travel case.

Note: Prices are for devices with special offers. Most bundles offer a choice of cover color. There is also an option to add a three month membership to Kindle Unlimited for only $1.99. (Restrictions apply.)

Fire Tablets:

All-New Fire 7 Tablet with Alexa, 7″ Display, 8GB – $40 (Regularly $49.99) Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $8 each.

All-New Fire HD 8 Tablet with Alexa, 8″ HD Display, 16 GB – $60 (Regularly $79.99) Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $12 each.

All-New Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet, 7″ Display, 16 GB – $80 (Regularly $99.99) Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $16 each.

All-New Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet, 8″ HD Display, 32 GB – $99 (Regularly $129.99) Amazon is also offering this for 5 monthly payments of $20 each.

All-New Fire 7 Essentials Bundle – $63 (Regularly $87.97) Includes tablet, cover and screen protector.

All-New Fire HD 8 Essentials Bundle with Fire HD 8 Tablet (16 GB, Black) – $88 Includes tablet, cover and screen protector.

These prices, especially for the Amazon Echo, are really tempting. I would like an Echo for the basement – I am thinking that Alexa will get me more motivated to do laundry, LOL!

What about you? Do these prices or the options of a low monthly payment plan tempt you?

Valentines Day Kindle Device Deals

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paperwhite_bwNothing says I love you like a new e-reader or tablet – well, for some of us anyway. 🙂 If you are one of those people or know someone who is, Amazon had put its line of e-ink readers and most of the Fire tablets on sale. Prices average $20 or more off regular list prices.

Right now you can find the following at special pricing:

Basic Kindle ($20 off)
Paperwhite ($20 off)
Voyage ($20 off)

Fire Tablet ($10 off)
Fire Tablet Variety Pack ($20 off)
Fire Kid’s Edition ($20 off)

Kindle Essentials Bundle ($35 off)
Kindle for Kids Bundle ($20 off)
Kindle Paperwhite Bundle ($40 off)

Also note that most of these feature the option to purchase on a monthly payment plan.

So what do you think? Is a e-reader or a tablet a good Valentine’s gift?

Daily Links and Deals: Amazon’s next-gen Echo may be a giant speaker with a touchscreen

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daily_links_1Daily Links for Tuesday, November 29,  2016:

Amazon’s next-gen Echo may be a giant speaker with a touchscreen (PC World) I could enjoy this. Then,  I wouldn’t have to stop the music and say, “Alexa, what song is this?”

$89 Linux laptop? Check out the new Pinebook from Raspberry Pi rival Pine (ZD Net) I’ve never used Linux, but I would give this a try when its available….

Playing with Fire: Hacking Amazon’s $50 Fire tablet (Lilputing) If you want to try hacking your tablet but are afraid of bricking it, you may want to start with the $50 version.

AT&T launches streaming TV service to compete with Vue, Sling (ComputerWorld) Another service aimed at cord-cutters. And, the pricing may not be as clear cut as it seems.

AT&T just declared war on an open internet (and us) (The Verge) Related to the piece above. This sounds like a net neutrality nightmare.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Not So Much, Said the Cat by Michael Swanwick. You can also find The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year by Jonathan Strahan for $1.99.

Today’s Deals include slippers, pajamas and Back to the Future movies. I am sensing a trend here….

 

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is Seveneves by Neal Stephenson. The Romance Daily Find is A Virgin River Christmas (Virgin River Series #4) by Robyn Carr.

Barnes and Noble also has a selection of NOOK Books Under $2.99.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Furiously Happy A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson. The Extra Daily Deal is The Tourist by Robert Dickinson.

You can buy 2, get 1 free and save on Fern Michaels’ holiday romance titles until November 30.

There is also a selection of Great Reads Under $5 and Bargain Reads in Fiction, in Mystery and other genres. The Kobo Aura One (and the Aura Edition 2 e-readers are now available for order at the Kobo store. Get free shipping through December 31, 2016 on devices. (The Aura One is still out of stock until early 2017.)

iTunes’ still has a collection of limited-time deals that includes A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Google Books has a selection of Topsellers Under $10.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Amazon’s Black Friday Device Deals have already started

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bf_device-deals

If you have been waiting for a deal on a  Amazon device, the savings are already here. Amazon’s Black Friday Deals have already started! So far this morning, I have found the following:

All-New Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote ($29.99) Amazon’s streaming stick with Alexa voice assistance built in. There are also deals on the Fire TV and bundles with an antenna or for gaming.

Echo Dot (2nd Generation) ($39.99) Save $10 off the regular price. These can turn an existing stereo into a voice-activated system and are small enough to put almost anywhere. I even found a new case for the Dot that lets you customize the look!

Amazon Echo (139.99) – Save $40 off the original Alexa device. This powerful hands-free voice-activated speaker is meant to be used in one location, although there are bases available to make it portable.

Amazon Tap ($89.99) Save $40 on this Alexa enabled portable Bluetooth speaker. Unlike the Echo and the Dot, the Tap is not voice-activated, but uses a button to a trigger the Alexa voice system.

Fire Tablet ($33.33) Save $16.66 on Amazon’s lowest price tablet.from the Fire line. This 7″ device is also Alexa-enabled. You can also find various bundles at special prices, including the Fire Essentials bundle ($51.31) and the Fire Kids Edition ($74.99).

All-New Fire HD 8 Tablet ($59.99) Save $30 on the 2nd generation of Amazon’s 8″ tablet. Alexa-enabled, comes in 16 and 35 GB configurations and 4 colors.

If you are looking for an e-reader deal, you can get a basic Kindle for $50 ($30 off), a Kindle Paperwhite for $100 ($20 off) and a Kindle Voyage.for $170 ($30 off).

Amazon also has a great selection of Certified Refurbished devices available. These come with a full one-year warranty. You can find deals on Paperwhites ($80), a Kindle Voyage ($120) and the Amazon Echo ($120) here.

Are any of these on your holiday wish list?

Did your Fire tablet just de-register … again?

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50_fireBack in April, there was a huge a problem with Fire tablets suddenly de-registering themselves. That issue predominantly affected the 8.9 Fire models.

There are multiple threads on the Amazon forums (such as the latest post on this thread), that indicates that the problem is back and it is affecting a lot more Fire tablets this time around. This time around, the problem seems to be involving the $50 fires and Fire tablets purchased for children that are running Freetime.

There are multiple descriptions of the devices spontaneously de-registering, profiles lost, and pins that will not work on the devices. Content, game progress and other data are also disappearing from the tablets. Many Fire owner owners have multiple Fires registered to their account and are reporting that it is the newer devices that are de-registering while the older ones are not. Some customers are also having a problem getting the devices to re-register when they try to correct the problem.

April’s de-registration issue was rumored to be a software glitch and this one may also be tied to a software update. One customer noted in this thread:

My two Fire Tabs for my young children spontaneously deregistered yesterday while they were charging, all content, progress and profiles appear to be lost and require you to start over completely. I put in a message to support and I have an email from them acknowledging this as a known problem on their end (server-side) and their only solution was to re-register and start over anew, losing any saved data and game progress. [Emphasis added]

It is also not clear from the forums if this problem also affects e-ink Kindles, particularly those for children. Some people are referring to problems with their children’s Kindle, but as people often interchange the name Kindle and Fire, I am not clear on which devices this problem actually affects.

More on this as additional info becomes available.

Related Update: Freetime update causes problems for children’s Fire tablets

Sunday Daily Deals: Amazon Tap, Fire TV and Tablets on Sale

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TapToday, lots of books and devices on sale; Get 20$ off the Amazon Tap and various model Fire Tablets. You can also get $15 the Fire TV  and several bundles.

Deals of the Day for Sunday, June 12, 2016:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes a selection of over 15 popular books for 2.99 each.

In Today’s Deals, there are so many goodies today. You can find a Goal Zero 23000 Yeti 400 Solar Generator and 40% off Vanguard 10×42 Sprit ED Binoculars.

Amazon is having a huge sale on devices! For a limited time, here’s what you can find:

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is Canyon Sacrifice by Scott Graham for $1.99.The Romance Daily Find is Ignite: The Wildwood Series by Karen Erickson for 99 cents.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Deja Dead:  A Temperance Brennan Novel by Kathy Reichs for $1.99.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-death Experiences by Jeffrey Long for $1.99.

Google has a selection of Hot Deals This Week.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

What’s Your Fire Tablet Worth? Amazon is taking trade-ins

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fire_tradeinAs I mentioned in today’s Daily Links and Deals post, starting today, Amazon’s is selling $50 Fire Tablet in colors. Both the  8GB and 16GB versions are available in blue, magenta and tangerine, as well as basic black. If you are looking to buy one of the new colors or a larger version and have an old Fire you want to get rid of, you may be interested in Amazon’s trade-in program for the Fire.

For a limited time, you can trade-in your Fire for an Amazon Gift Card and a coupon for a 20% bonus savings good towards the purchase of a new Fire Tablet. Simply identify your Fire, complete the paperwork and send it in. Once Amazon verifies the condition, you will get the gift card and bonus coupon.

Amazon is accepting trade-ins on both working and non’working Fires. Models acceptable for trade-in are:

  • *Kindle Fire, 1st and 2nd generations.
  • *Kindle Fire HD 7″ 2nd and 3rd generations
  • *Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ Wi-Fi and 8.9″ Wi-Fi + 4G LTE
  • *Kindle Fire HDX 7″ Wi-Fi and Kindle Fire HDX 7″ Wi-Fi + 4G LTE
  • *Kindle Fire HDX 8.9″ Wi-Fi and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9″ Wi-Fi + 4G LTE
  • Fire HD 6 Wi-Fi
  • Fire HD 7 Wi-Fi
  • Fire HDX 8.9 Wi-Fi
  • Fire HDX 8.9 Wi-Fi + 4G LTE

*Note the name change: The earliest versions were referred to as Kindle Fires; later versions dropped the Kindle from the name.

There is a page where you can see pictures to help determine you model. I also wrote a post a while back on identifying your Kindle model which may help. Amazon Kindle customer service can help if all else fails.

You can apply your coupon to the following Fire tablets:

Several caveats on this deal. The time frame on the offer is extremely limited. Trade-ins must be completed by May 9, 2016, so if you are interested, you need to act quickly. Other limits, terms and conditions apply.

Also, be aware that the trade-in values are much, much  lower than you probably could get on eBay or another venue: Amazon’s offer for a 1st generation Kindle Fire is $5 in either working or non-working condition.  The value for a working Fire HD 6 is listed at only $11. The real value here is probably the 20% off bonus.

While Amazon has offered trade-in programs for the Kindle before, this is the first time I have seen one exclusively for the Fire.

Are you interested?

Note that Amazon has updated its Trade-in Program to include more devices.  You can find more details in this post about trade-ins.

Unhappy with Your OS 5 Fire Tablet Update?

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fire HDXEarlier this week, my Fire HD 6 updated to OS 5.1.1 Bellini. I started to write a post on the topic, , but there didn’t seem to be a lot of fuss about it so I put it on hold. Today, however,  I seem to be getting a lot of hits on an old Fire OS update post looking for information on the latest update for the tire Tablets.  And, so….

Last December, Amazon said that they would provide an update to OS “Bellini” for older Fire tablets. That 5.1.1 update rolled out  over the last week for a lot of people  and there have been a lot of complaints. For the record, my own personal  comment was “Yuck!” Add in the recent update for the Paperwhite and there are a lot of unhappy customers.

A look on the Amazon discussion forums shows some interesting threads on the topic:

Complaints range from anger at the change, tales of features not working to stories of children coming to their parents in tears because they can’t figure out what happened.

Personally, I can understand the frustration. The night before the update, I was reading a book on my Scribd app. The next day, it was like a totally different device. That’s one thing that doesn’t happen with a physical book.! It wasn;t that big of a shock for me because had already used the Bellini OS on the $49 Fire 7. If you are used to the older OS, it is quite different. I hate the fact that I have to be more careful abut swiping the lock screen now. The new OS is much more sensitive to where you swipe than the older version was.

In an unusual move for Amazon, they are allowing customers who own certain models to downgrade the OS back to the old version, OS 4. Check your Manage Your Content and Devices page to see if your model is  eligible for the downgrade. (See photo.)

device option os updateThere are a couple of caveats, however. Downgrading involves a factory reset, meaning that you will lose everything on your Fire. Everything will have to be reinstalled from the cloud, so make sure you have synced and backed up all your personal documents. All your apps and anything sideloaded will have to be reinstalled.

Also be aware that your downgrade may not happen right away. You initiate the downgrade from the Manage Your Content and Devices page and it can take up to 72 hours. You must leave you device turned on with wi-fi enable and make sure your battery is charged at least 50%.

Amazon has a help page with instructions specifically  for  downgrading here. Even if you downgrade, you will still have the option to upgrade at a later time.

So, how do you feel about the update? Love it or hate it? Are you downgrading or deciding to live with it?