Kindle Fire Phone - Hands On Review

[tomsem]

Just got an update to Silk browser. Maybe it is somehow 'better' but what I notice first is that it no longer scrolls with tilt gesture.

[Blossom]

That explains why my battery is dead. Amazon and their OTA updates. At least Google waits till you say it's okay.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[Barbara1955]

LOL it went Back to the Old Look .... As it was on the Fire HD 2/3rd Gen

[Blossom]

I'm pretty sure we use to have a margin setting on the Kindle part of this phone. Where the heck it go!?!?

Sent from my XT1528

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I'm pretty sure we use to have a margin setting on the Kindle part of this phone. Where the heck it go!?!?

Sent from my XT1528

I don't think it ever had a margin setting. But memory does not always serve. It certainly does not have one now.

While my Fire Phone is still in heavy use, I don't use it for reading much any longer, mostly because I am using a Kindle more (since getting a Voyage a few months ago) and I just got fed up with the Kindle app on Fire Phone and its many quirks. I have also put my Fire tablets out to pasture, and I don't think I'll be getting another one, ever. Eventually whatever smartphone replaces my Fire Phone will be my 'primary reading tablet'. (I do use my iPad for reading some things, and would use the Kindle app more if they'd add keyboard support for turning pages, etc., as it spends much of its time in a stand with paired keyboard.)

In the meantime I have dusted off my Moto G (2013?) so I can have a better Kindle and Audible experience in a small form factor. It is slower and needs more frequent charging, but otherwise I prefer it to my Fire HD6 (since the latter has failed to update properly and no longer works as it should).

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I don't think it ever had a margin setting. But memory does not always serve. It certainly does not have one now.

While my Fire Phone is still in heavy use, I don't use it for reading much any longer, mostly because I am using a Kindle more (since getting a Voyage a few months ago) and I just got fed up with the Kindle app on Fire Phone and its many quirks. I have also put my Fire tablets out to pasture, and I don't think I'll be getting another one, ever. Eventually whatever smartphone replaces my Fire Phone will be my 'primary reading tablet'. (I do use my iPad for reading some things, and would use the Kindle app more if they'd add keyboard support for turning pages, etc., as it spends much of its time in a stand with paired keyboard.)

In the meantime I have dusted off my Moto G (2013?) so I can have a better Kindle and Audible experience in a small form factor. It is slower and needs more frequent charging, but otherwise I prefer it to my Fire HD6 (since the latter has failed to update properly and no longer works as it should).

As luck would have it, I just checked my Fire HD6, and it reported a number of 'system component updates' are ready to install (13 total). The Kindle app now has Page Flip, Audible app has Channels and the Music app supports Amazon Music, and the Firefly app is back! So it looks like they have fixed many or all of the update issues I've had for a number of months. So there is new life for my HD6!

[Blossom]

I prefer my Fire Phone. I could have swore there was a margin setting. Ah well. I only use the Kindle app for immersion reading but still. I installed Google Play Books and I use that to read on. Takes very little space and syncs across my devices. It looks beautiful on the Fire Phone with it's high PPI.

Sent from my XT1528

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I prefer my Fire Phone. I could have swore there was a margin setting. Ah well. I only use the Kindle app for immersion reading but still. I installed Google Play Books and I use that to read on. Takes very little space and syncs across my devices. It looks beautiful on the Fire Phone with it's high PPI.

Sent from my XT1528

I may have to try that (Google Play Books on Fire).

I do get tired of having to side-load apps, though, and most of the time it is easier just to use a different device with a decent app store. Facebook app keeps complaining that it is 'out of date' and LinkedIn is no longer available, evidence that Amazon appstore is not improving, and falling further behind.

Immersion reading doesn't work very smoothly on my Fire Phone, it is better on iOS and Android - and I like not having to separately manage audiobook storage when removing the ebook. And sync between text and audio is flakey, keeps asking if I want to go to the wrong location when switching modes. Annoying.

Scrolling mode (which I'm enamored of) is not smooth either, and eventually I lost patience with it. And newer features like 'enhanced typography' and page flip are becoming harder for me to do without.

Headset control (pause/resume) frequently stops responding (on lock screen, wired or wireless headset). Not sure what is going on there, but it is annoying and not an issue with any of my other devices.

But I'm not ready to spend $300+ to replace it just yet.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I prefer my Fire Phone. I could have swore there was a margin setting. Ah well. I only use the Kindle app for immersion reading but still. I installed Google Play Books and I use that to read on. Takes very little space and syncs across my devices. It looks beautiful on the Fire Phone with it's high PPI.

Sent from my XT1528

So do you use play books with google voice for text to speech? Are you side loading books into the play app?

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by booklover6

So do you use play books with google voice for text to speech? Are you side loading books into the play app?

Mostly sideloading. I have purchase some books from them but nothing I've read yet. I uploaded my epubs. I never use TTS.

Sent from my XT1528

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I may have to try that (Google Play Books on Fire).

I do get tired of having to side-load apps, though, and most of the time it is easier just to use a different device with a decent app store. Facebook app keeps complaining that it is 'out of date' and LinkedIn is no longer available, evidence that Amazon appstore is not improving, and falling further behind.

Immersion reading doesn't work very smoothly on my Fire Phone, it is better on iOS and Android - and I like not having to separately manage audiobook storage when removing the ebook. And sync between text and audio is flakey, keeps asking if I want to go to the wrong location when switching modes. Annoying.

Scrolling mode (which I'm enamored of) is not smooth either, and eventually I lost patience with it. And newer features like 'enhanced typography' and page flip are becoming harder for me to do without.

Headset control (pause/resume) frequently stops responding (on lock screen, wired or wireless headset). Not sure what is going on there, but it is annoying and not an issue with any of my other devices.

But I'm not ready to spend $300+ to replace it just yet.

It's easy to install Google Play on the Phone.

Sent from my XT1528

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Mostly sideloading. I have purchase some books from them but nothing I've read yet. I uploaded my epubs. I never use TTS.

Sent from my XT1528

I would imagine that the map thumbnails (that appear when you select a 'place' name) do not work on Fire devices. Love that feature, Amazon, please copy!

And yes, I am also curious about whether TTS works, guessing that it does.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Blossom

It's easy to install Google Play on the Phone.

Sent from my XT1528

Can you recommend a recipe for this? Last time I tried it, it did not work very well.

Also I'm already having issues with performance (have to restart every couple of days to clear it), and don't want to make things worse.

[Alohamora]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I prefer my Fire Phone. I could have swore there was a margin setting. Ah well. I only use the Kindle app for immersion reading but still. I installed Google Play Books and I use that to read on. Takes very little space and syncs across my devices. It looks beautiful on the Fire Phone with it's high PPI.

Sent from my XT1528

For what it's worth, I remember the same as you, that margins used to be adjustable.

Not that it matters any more, my fire phone has been mostly retired in favor of an Android 6 phone with a larger screen. Except for music, I still think the phone has the best headphone output for music playback of all my devices.

[Blossom]

The Fire Phone had the highest PPI (315)of all my devices. Even higher than my Nexus. This is why I prefer it to read on it. I need a better case though. Mines metal and I don't like the way it feels.

Sent from my XT1528