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No Google Apps? You have to be kidding.

O

OldDogEyes

Newbie
Color me stupid for not looking, but I thought "it's an Android device... It'll have the core Google apps..."

Nope.

I don't care what else you have to say about the Kindle Fire, I use Gmail, Reader, Docs, etc though-out the day.

My wife and kids will probably want to keep this thing, but if it were up to me, it'd be going back to Amazon today. Seriously.

And don't tell me about rooting or side-loading Android Market. Most users of this device won't be able to accomplish that.

What a fu***ng piece of crap.
 
Really should have looked into it before buying it.

Also rooting isnt at all hard. Download drivers for the device allow USB debugging and click root :)
 
jackdsparker94 said:
Really should have looked into it before buying it.

Also rooting isnt at all hard. Download drivers for the device allow USB debugging and click root :)
Click to expand...


Yep, pretty much this. I think i spent 5 minutes researching this before i saw it used amazons app store and not googles. Just because it uses Android doesnt mean its the exact same as any other android device. Its open source so anyone can change it.

The KF mail app works for gmail and you can access the mobile google docs website just fine. Yes, its not the app but it works.
 
jackdsparker94 said:
Really should have looked into it before buying it.
Click to expand...

True this...

The fact is that my wife wanted this, so I really didn't need to research it. We were ordering the thing.

But that doesn't mean that I can't have an opinion...

jackdsparker94 said:
Also rooting isnt at all hard. Download drivers for the device allow USB debugging and click root :)
Click to expand...


As for rooting, been down that path with a Nook Color. No thanks. Too many problems. Yeah, I know many report a perfect experience after rooting. I'm not one of them.

Everytime I think about rooting my Evo 4G, I look at the "stable build" forum on Cyanagenmod and see how many problems folks are having with the "stable build" and what features of the phone still don't work reliably.

From the looks of the product reviews on Amazon, my opinion is in the minority.

I wonder if the reason that the Google apps aren't available on the Amazon Apps store is because of a Google restriction or Amazon's unwillingness to carry them...? Anyone know?

Thanks...
 
OldDogEyes said:
True this...

The fact is that my wife wanted this, so I really didn't need to research it. We were ordering the thing.

But that doesn't mean that I can't have an opinion...




As for rooting, been down that path with a Nook Color. No thanks. Too many problems. Yeah, I know many report a perfect experience after rooting. I'm not one of them.

Everytime I think about rooting my Evo 4G, I look at the "stable build" forum on Cyanagenmod and see how many problems folks are having with the "stable build" and what features of the phone still don't work reliably.

From the looks of the product reviews on Amazon, my opinion is in the minority.

I wonder if the reason that the Google apps aren't available on the Amazon Apps store is because of a Google restriction or Amazon's unwillingness to carry them...? Anyone know?

Thanks...
Click to expand...


yeah i had problems with cyangenmod too but only went to change the lockscreen and it wouldnt unlock then it bricked my 2x!

now im on stock 2.2 plus Root

now going back to amazon they apparently lose money buidling and releasing the Kindle Fire so they use there own app market and music store to make there money back, people have also reported, say for arguments sake "fruit ninja" it costs in the android market and you cant download it again for the kindle, you will have to buy it again (to make money)

This is why people are making roms for it, so you can get GoogleMail and fully working android market so you dont have to do this stuff

thanks, Jack
 
What p*ssed me off was finding out that, since it doesn't use Google's App Market, any apps you bought there and want to install on the Fire have to be re-purchased, this time from the Amazon App Market (provided that the app is even offered there).

I had one app I had bought that has been installed on three different Android smartphones that I had to buy all over again to install on the Fire.
 
Root It!!!

If not, then you need to go spend $300+ more to get a "better" tablet. Still not be as good since it might be a size you don't want or something.

The Nook Tablet also does not have all of the apps or android market by default.

Android is like Linux on the PC, its made to let you do all this "hacking" to the devices you run it on to make the device run better and how YOU want it to run.
 
grvthang said:
What p*ssed me off was finding out that, since it doesn't use Google's App Market, any apps you bought there and want to install on the Fire have to be re-purchased, this time from the Amazon App Market (provided that the app is even offered there).

I had one app I had bought that has been installed on three different Android smartphones that I had to buy all over again to install on the Fire.
Click to expand...

Not sure this will work in all cases but I downloaded easy installer and emailed myself an apk I bought off the android market and it installed fine.
 
Are you all ready for a shocking piece of news? There is actually a market for a device that just reads books, handles email, has a browser, and streams videos and music!!!
You would think that every single sentient person in the world would expect a $200 device to do everything a device can possibly do, but no - there are actually total brainless morons out there who will shell out $200 for a device that does not allow you to do something as vitally important as installing your own live wallpapers!
 
Just root it... I've never rooted anything before this (too afraid to brick my phone), but when I got it in the mail and realized it didn't have Google stuff (Market, docs, gmail, google music, etc) I looked in to rooting. It's really relatively simple. Just download the ADB, add a couple lines to 2 text files, run 2 commands in the command prompt, download SuperOneClick and click root. Then I installed the google framework and Market with 2 apks, and this thing has all the functionality I could wish for.
 
It's not a tablet. Thinking that it was one was the 1st error.
It is for reading, music, tv, movies and games.

It does not take the place of your phone nor your home pc. But it's great when you get on a plane. ;)
 
grvthang said:
What p*ssed me off was finding out that, since it doesn't use Google's App Market, any apps you bought there and want to install on the Fire have to be re-purchased, this time from the Amazon App Market (provided that the app is even offered there).

I had one app I had bought that has been installed on three different Android smartphones that I had to buy all over again to install on the Fire.
Click to expand...

The apps you purchase for the Kindle Fire will be available for use on other Android devices if you install the Amazon Appstore on them.

It is one way Amazon is trying to subvert the Android Market.
 
Kindle fire has good features and build quality for its price range. Its designed to make amazon money. Rooting is easy and adding the google market should also be easy. Getting pissed at your own oversite is silly. My biggest issue is the lack of a camera. Kids love playing with cameras and I think it would have rounded out the package.
 
DaManWitDaPlan said:
Just root it... I've never rooted anything before this (too afraid to brick my phone), but when I got it in the mail and realized it didn't have Google stuff (Market, docs, gmail, google music, etc) I looked in to rooting. It's really relatively simple. Just download the ADB, add a couple lines to 2 text files, run 2 commands in the command prompt, download SuperOneClick and click root. Then I installed the google framework and Market with 2 apks, and this thing has all the functionality I could wish for.
Click to expand...

Well said, I was also very surprised as to how easy it was to root it. I feel bad for anyone who bricks their KF, because it really isn't hard! There are some excellent youtube tutorial videos.
 
DaManWitDaPlan said:
Just root it... I've never rooted anything before this (too afraid to brick my phone), but when I got it in the mail and realized it didn't have Google stuff (Market, docs, gmail, google music, etc) I looked in to rooting. It's really relatively simple. Just download the ADB, add a couple lines to 2 text files, run 2 commands in the command prompt, download SuperOneClick and click root. Then I installed the google framework and Market with 2 apks, and this thing has all the functionality I could wish for.
Click to expand...


Where did you go to get all the needed files and instruction on how to root it and then add google stuff??
 
ZachMob said:
The apps you purchase for the Kindle Fire will be available for use on other Android devices if you install the Amazon Appstore on them.

It is one way Amazon is trying to subvert the Android Market.
Click to expand...

^This. I've checked the Amazon Appstore religiously almost every day since it was released, and have 255 apps I've gotten for free.
 
yzingerr said:
Isn't gmaps useless without gps?
Click to expand...

Navigation, a program within Google Maps, would be useless but you can still have a map program for getting driving directions or just browsing. Mapquest seems to be ok and is available on the Amazon App store for free.
 
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