Kindle Fire HD 7" Tablet Sale: $40 off 'for a limited time' ... Today, $159 for 16GB and $189 for 32GB

Kindle Fire HD on sale again, this time at $40 off both 16GB & 32GB models

Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 7" tablet page is showing, wthout other announcements, a sale for a limited time.  $159 for the 16G model and $189 for the 32GB one (the latter is recommended if you want a lot of media files on it).

Remember that if you paid a higher price at Amazon itself within the last 30 days, you can ask Amazon Kindle Support for a credit (1-866-321-8851 or contact them this way).  A difference-credit has been the case for a few years, at least -- and of course that's somewhat based on the fact there is always a 30-day full refund offer on any new Kindle if you don't want it after all, as Amazon seems to feel very secure about its positives.

I'm going to include here some thoughts and info I wrote for the $30 off sale they had on June 30 for a limited time also, as most new readers won't have seen it and some might be interested.

  As with the Kindle Fire HD, the production-halted Nook tablets do have a great display, with somewhat higher resolution than on the Kindle.   B&N doesn't, as Amazon does, allow straight downloading of any apps from any other sites though, including vendors' own sites.  So, any app you bought from Amazon.com for any other tablet you may have been using has to be re-purchased from Google Play.

  But Google Store access on the Nook is a plus if you don't mind a lack of customer support compared with Amazon and don't care if you can't get apps from other app stores as can be done with the Kindle Fires.  Flash video sites like network broadcasting ones (series episodes, etc.) would require a user find a way to get the older Flash file on an Android tablet using OS v4.x because of the wall put up by B&N against that type of download.

  16 or 32 GB storage?
  Although I tend to recommend lower-priced items as a rule, I recommend, for some, getting the 32-Gig-storage version for the $189 (normally $229) because multimedia files (graphics galore in complex apps and games, plus videos especially) are just very large and with 32GB you wouldn't need to worry often about what to swap out (to the Cloud) next before doing something else you want to do.

  However, for the sale-priced $159 16 GB-storage model, if you've no interest in the 32-GB model for $189, the Cloud storage (free and unlimited for any Amazon digital purchases) is meant for holding apps, music, and books until you need them and then they're easily downloadable.

  The Amazon PRIME program, as regular readers of the Amazon forums and this blog know, is a feature that's popular (and along with all this goes the X-Ray feature on many of their instant videos).

  The free trial on any new Kindle Fire gives the owner an idea of whether or not to pay the $79/yr (equiv to $6.58/mo.) for the Prime program's free 2-day shipping of physical products and then the bonus features of free instant videos (thousands of older movies and tv series, the latter having some very popular just-ended season series which are now exclusive to Amazon).
  Also included is the free borrowing of one Kindle book per calendar month from the Prime Lending Library, with no waiting time or due dates.


Amazon considered #1 "most desirable brand" in the U.S. market, per Clear's report this year
"According to a new “Brand Desire” study by M&C Saatchi’s brand consultancy division Clear, Amazon leads in the U.S. market as the most desirable brand.  Clear surveyed consumers in the U.S., U.K., and Australia about 678 different brands."

For those interested in the details or to see the reasons given:

' Per news.investors.com:
  In the U.S., it interviewed 4,600 consumers about 245 familiar brands.
...
  The Reese's brand, owned by Hershey (HSY), ranked No. 2, followed by Disney, owned by Walt Disney (DIS).
...
  While Amazon kept up its allure, Apple (AAPL) lost some of its luster.  Its brand desirability dropped to No. 50 from No. 8 in 2012 as the brand wavered and lost focus, according to the report.

  "Starting with an onslaught of too many products in the fall of 2012, the debacle of Maps' reliability, as well as 'function over feeling' branding, has affected its reputation for providing technology that truly matters," the report found."

[My note: That seems unduly harsh and likely not accurate, as survey wording is key.  As we all know, Apple is doing just fine.  What's ultimately important in our modern world is the bottom line, and its customers are devoted and, for any of the above factors, pretty forgiving, from what I've encountered.]

... "Amazon’s desirability stems from the great success of the Kindle Fire HD, a steady stream of perks for Amazon Prime members, an increased focus on its Prime Instant Video, and a continued stream of meaningful innovation such as Amazon Lockers.  Amazon has truly transformed from a marketplace for shopping to a digital hub for consumers to manage their lives,” states Clear in a press release via Investor’s Business Daily.

"However, Apple was still the top-rated brand in the British and Australian markets"

Will end this here, so I can get this one out earlier.


  For daily free ebooks, check the following links:

Temporarily-free books - Non-classics USA: by:    Publication Date      Bestselling   High-ratings UK: PubDate   Popular The Kindle Daily Deal What is 3G? and "WiFi"?       Battery Care Highly-rated under $1,  Newest: $1-$2, $2-$3

Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK):    Top 100 free UK-Only:    Top 100 free Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. USEFUL for your Kindle Keyboard (U.S. only, currently):   99c Notepad 1.1,   99c Calculator,   99c Calendar,   99c Converter

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button

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Kindle Fire HD Sale returns for Father's Day, thru' June 15 - $20 off any Kindle Fire HD tablet. Some other Amazon specials.

Today's Amazon pages show a RETURN of the discount of $20 off any Kindle Fire HD tablet, this time through June 15, 2013 when using the same special promotional code.

See the information page with the title "Father's Day Sale."

The Promo Code DADSFIRE, used at checkout, will get you the $20 off any of these HD models.  Although it mentions that this discount with code is good through June 15, they add (as they did last time) "Offer good while supplies last," which is wording commonly seen in any of these time-limited offers.

That means:
  The 16 GB Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tablet would start at $179 for this time period, when using the promo code.
  The 32 GB Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tablet would start at $209 (the 32 GB one is my recommendation, due to the large size of multimedia files.

    The models with 'Special Offers' shown on the opening lock screen
    are always priced $15 lower than the ones without the special offers.

  The 16 GB Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch model would start at $249.
  The 32 GB Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch model would start at $279.

  The 32 GB KFHD 8.9-inch tablet with 4G LTE cellular network access: $399.
  The 64 GB KFHD 8.9-inch tablet with 4G LTE cellular network access: $479.

    For comparison on pricing with the 4G LTE models,
    The 32 GB Apple iPad 4G LTE tablet starts at $729 (vs the $399 KFire HD 4G LTE).


This is just another quick alert.  The promotional info page has a thumbnail for every model, so click on any for specific information on that model.

(I saw this announced by a gadget news site last night, but the Amazon pages had not changed to show this, so they apparently got advance word.)

NOTE: If you bought a Kindle Fire between June 9 and June 12,, Amazon tends to give credits if the price is reduced within 30 days of your purchase, so call 1-866-321-8851 or contact them at http://amzn.to/kcallme


In the meantime, Amazon is still in larger sale mode and pricing aggressively for
  .  Father's Day in general
  . "Gifts for Dads & Grads in Electronics" through 6/17/13, and
  . "June Audio Month" deals, up to 50% Off Select Items, through 6/30/13



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Kindle Fire HD Sale through June 8 - $20 off any Kindle Fire HD tablet. Some other Amazon specials.

Today's Amazon pages show a discount of $20 off any Kindle Fire HD tablet through June 8, 2013 when using a special promotional code.

See the information page with the title "Father's Day Sale."

The Promo Code DADSFIRE, used at checkout, will get you the $20 off any of these HD models.  Although it mentions that this discount with code is good through June 8, they add "Offer good while supplies last," which is wording commonly seen in any of these time-limited offers.

That means:
  The 16 GB Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tablet would start at $179 for this time period, when using the promo code.
  The 32 GB Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tablet would start at $209 (the 32 GB one is my recommendation, due to the large size of multimedia files.

    The models with 'Special Offers' shown on the opening lock screen
    are always priced $15 lower than the ones without the special offers.

  The 16 GB Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch model would start at $249.
  The 32 GB Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch model would start at $279.

  The 32 GB KFHD 8.9-inch tablet with 4G LTE cellular network access: $399.
  The 64 GB KFHD 8.9-inch tablet with 4G LTE cellular network access: $479.

    For comparison on pricing with the 4G LTE models,
    The 32 GB Apple iPad 4G LTE tablet starts at $729 (vs the $399 KFire HD 4G LTE).


This is just another quick alert.  The promotional info page has a thumbnail for every model, so click on any for specific information on that model.

In the meantime, Amazon is in larger sale mode again and pricing aggressively for
  .  Father's Day in general
  . "Gifts for Dads & Grads in Electronics" through 6/17/13, and
  . "June Audio Month" deals, up to 50% Off Select Items, through 6/30/13



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Kindle App for iOS and Kindle Fire News: Kindle Fire HD Sale -'FIRE4MOM' promo code gets $20 off as Mother's Day offer on Kindle Fire HD 7-inch. tablet. Kindle for iOS update v3.7 adds accessibility for the visually impaired

Promo code FIRE4MOM brings $20 off for any Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tablet through Mother's Day, May 12, 2013. (US only)

That means the price for the 16 GB model will be $179, and for the 32 GB model it'll be $209.

As before, I highly recommend, because of the size of multimedia files, the 32 GB model; think of it as deciding on an additional built-in 16GB SD Card for the additional $30.  It'll help avoid having to swap apps in and out of the Kindle Fire HD to keep from running low on space (which can slow down some program processes). This is for the standard Kindle Fire HD with 'Special Offers' on the Lock Screen only, and many do prefer to know about Amazon's special offers.  If you don't like that idea, $15 more does away with them.  Many of us choose to keep them though.

Be sure to know that Amazon's promo codes cannot be applied to orders placed with 1-click purchasing, so you'd need to turn that off if wanting to use the promo code.

Also, they specify only one promo-code purchase per customer.


Kindle for iOS: the new Accessibility Features
Amazon's forum announcement of these new accessibility features for its Kindle reading apps for Apple iPhones, tablets, and iPod touch (those running iOS 5.0 or higher) is followed by Kindle customer comments that include advice by Apple device owners about where to find the various features and how to use them.  Worth a look if you've one of these devices.

  There is good general info and help on these apps at the Amazon Kindle for iOS Help page.

The new features, using Apple's VoiceOver technology, are aimed at visually impaired users and include the ability to have read aloud to you ~1.8 million Kindle Store titles, added navigational help, as well as more accessible X-Ray and sharing features.

Important also is that Amazon promises a similar update for NON-iOS versions of the app eventually, and it would be a good use for the Ivona Software they acquired in January, already used in the Kindle Fire for text-to-speech, voice commands and "Explore by Touch."  Ivona offers voice and language portfolios with 44 voices in 17 languages

  Lifehacker describes the use of Siri's voice for this, pointing out that it's not done with a tap of a button.  "You have to enable VoiceOver in the accessibility settings in iOS before you can have Siri read to you, and even then she only takes one line at a time as you move your finger down the page...For those who are blind or have poor vision, VoiceOver support makes navigating the Kindle app and reading books possible."

  Here are more details, from the Amazon Kindle forum announcement and thread:

' New accessibility features of the Kindle app enable blind and visually impaired customers to:
- Read aloud over 1.5 million titles available in the Kindle Store using Apple's VoiceOver technology. Over 300,000 of these books are exclusive to the Kindle Store. Over 700,000 books are less than $4.99; over a million are less than $9.99.
- Seamlessly navigate within their library or within a book, with consistent title, menu and button names; navigate to a specific page within a book and sort books in the library by author or title.
- Read character-by-character, word-by-word, line-by-line, or continuously, as well as move forward or backward in the text.
- Search for a book within their library or search within their book and navigate to specific text.
- Add and delete notes, bookmarks, and highlights.
- Use customer-favorite features like X-Ray, End Actions and sharing on Facebook and Twitter.
- Look up words in the dictionary and Wikipedia.
- Customize the reading experience including changing the font, text size, background color, margin, and brightness.
- Use iOS accessibility features like Zoom, Assistive Touch, and Stereo to Mono, as well as peripheral braille displays.

Other new features include:
- Easily rate and review books by accessing `Before you go...' directly from The `Go to' menu
- Enhancements to `Before you go...' including the ability to download a free sample and email yourself a reminder about recommended books.
- Additional Font Selection for Japan - Hiragino Mincho ProN (Serif)

These new accessibility features are available first on the Kindle app for iOS and accessibility features will be added to other Kindle apps in the future. Customers can download the new Kindle for iOS app for free from the App Store on iPad, iPhone or iPod touch or at http://www.itunes.com/appstore.  Blind and visually impaired customers interested in using a Kindle app can also choose Kindle for PC with Accessibility Plugin, a free application for Windows PC's.

You can download [for free] a quick reference guide here: Kindle for iOS Accessibility Gestures - Quick Reference Guide.

If you need assistance with this update, please drop by the Kindle Help Forum '

---

Current Kindle Models, worldwide for reference, plus free-ebook search links.

  NOTES on newer Kindles.

US: Updated Kindle Fire 2 Basic  7" tablet - $159 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB - $199/$229 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 16/32GB - $269/$299 Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G 32/64GB - $399/$499 Kindle NoTouch ("Kindle") - $69/$89 Kindle Touch WiFi - $99 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $119/$139 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi+3G - $179/$199 Kindle Keybd 3G - $139/$159, Free slow web Kindle DX - $379 $299 Discontinued

UK: Kindle Basic, NoTouch - £69 Kindle Touch WiFi, UK - ~£89 Refurb'd Kindle Keyboard 3G, UK - £149   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - £109 Kindle Paperwhite 3G, UK - £169 Kindle Fire 2, UK -  £129 Kindle Fire HD 7" 16/32GB, UK - £159/199 Canada - Kindlestore, CDN-$ Kindle Basic, NoTouch - $79 Kindle Paperwhite, WiFi - $129 Kindle Paperwhite, 3G - $199

*OTHER International* Kindle NoTouch Basic - $89 Kindle Touch WiFi - $139 Kindle Keybd 3G - $189   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB Paperwhite WiFi $139, 3G/Wifi $199 France Boutique Kindle Deutschland - Kindle Store Italia - Kindle Store Spain - Tienda Kindle Brazil - Amazon Brazil China - Amazon China [?] Japan - Amazon Japan

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

  *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button


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Kindle Fire News: Why a Kindle Fire HD? Why price reductions - why not free? Real questions as headlined. UPDATED

Kindle-related news over the last few days

Apologies to Kindle-Edition blog subscribers, as I needed to be away the last few days.  I used my tablet to look at the news and, as far as the Kindle world goes, not much was happening except tons of reactions to the reduction in prices on the Kindle Fire 8.9" HD and what it all means, including the expansion of the tablets to Europe and Japan.

  The reviews of the 8.9" model were similar to what we've read before but far less detailed.  They were actually more restatements of the product page information, so those past reviews, linked, are a bit more informative.  At the end, in response to people in the forums asking whether to get a Kindle Fire HD 7" or 8.9" (if wanting a Kindle Fire HD at all), I'll add links to a couple of earlier blog articles and the earlier basic comparison chart of Kindle Fire HD, Google Nexus, and Apple iPad mini, so those are the most popular 7" to 9" models.

BUT, a reaction column that most struck me was one that didn't wonder why the prices are now lower but asks instead when will Kindles (the topic being tablets) become free, and the writer, Beth Bacon, for Digital Book World, asks further why one would get one when the Apple iPad is available, which she considers more fully featured.
  She seems sincere in thinking most wanting a tablet would prefer a pure Android tablet or a Microsoft OS or spend $230+ more for the most basic iPad because, as she explains, Kindle owners would mainly want to read books and Kindle books can be read on an Apple while Apple books can't be read on any other system.

?  Hasn't the general complaint by general gadget writers and news-site commenters been that Amazon's attitude is wholly proprietary and you HAVE to buy a Kindle to read their books?  Yet it's Apple, she points out, that keeps other devices unable to read Apple iStore books.  And this is written as a Plus!

  As many know, you can read a Kindle book on almost every operating system under the sun, which can make words on an LCD screen somewhat hard to read.  You don't need a Kindle at all, to read a Kindle book.

  But what many general gadget reporters aren't familiar with are the many convenient features the Kindle Team has given their devices, and just a few of these are;
  1. Syncing of the reading of a book among all your devices (Apple doesn't even try);
  2. a free, private, password-protected personal webpage for your annotations on all your books;
  3. features that tell you which actors are in the current streaming Instant Video scene you're watching;
  4. the quickly-findable X-Ray'd info on any character or event name in a book you're reading, and
  5. if you choose a Prime Shipping program feature for free 2-day shipments of physical purchases, you also get the now 16,300+ no-fee Prime Eligible instant videos to watch at any time.

  On Friday, before leaving, I did respond to The Digital Books World article, and Bacon was good enough to print it (this is not always the case when a commenter adds some conflicting information).  Here's what I wrote -- not even mentioning the 5 points above! -- plus a correction I'm making:

' Andrys on March 15, 2013 at 8:42 pm said: [to]
Why would anyone buy a Kindle when there are full-featured tablets like Apple’s $500 one or the $900 Microsoft Surface Pro?

Factors include what features people are looking for.  David makes good points about ease of accessibility to the media mentioned.

Others:
1. A microHDMI port out to an HDTV (the Apple doesn’t have this) and people have used it to watch their Kindle tablet videos (even Prime Instant) on hotel HDTVs that way. **

2. A stereo set of speakers that are placed on on each end when watching movies or TV show videos and with Dolby Stereo for unusual spatial qualities and automated frequency emphasis depending on whether it’s speech or music.
  The iPad has two small speakers almost side by side on one short end – no stereo effect during movies unless you put on headphones or use external speakers

3. Amazon allows apps from "unknown sources" (Non-Amazon app stores) and Kindle Fire users can download, direct to the tablet, the popular Dolphin browser which supports the older Adobe Flash Reader still available that can be used easily, despite Adobe’s dropped support for mobile devices using the later Android 4.x systems.

  Because of this, Kindle Fire users can watch free network TV full-episodes like ABC’s entire primetime programs (and some daytime shows) when they missed an episode, as the network TV websites still use Flash for that, and Apple's Steve Jobs disdained running Flash on iOS, depending on sites to use HTML5. ***

4. The 7" size is proving very popular and Amazon’s has Retina-type high resolution while Apple’s iPad mini has lower, standard resolution but costs more.

5. It's like deciding not to bill for purchase of an economy car (giving them away instead) when an advertised-full-featured car is available (and when the fuller-featured car does not have some high-valued features that the less-expensive car does have).

6. There are now many Android app stores, including 1mobile.com, which carries over 200,000 apps, which are directly downloadable and usable for Kindle Fire devices. '

Here's the blog article on how to install non-Amazon appstore apps, which is done with Amazon's own settings option (an option which Barnes and Noble kept off the Nook system so that people have to find risky 'rooted' solutions to get the same features, which is one reason the Nook tablets haven't done as well in market share, in addition to having far less of an ecosystem for tablet entertainment).

In-depth Reviews comparing the Kindle Fire HDs, the Google Nexus and the Apple
Here are what reviews-in-depth reported in comparisons of similar-sized tablets, which found aspects not touched upon by the more superficial reviews citing pure speed or direct access to Google Play (and I would recommend that those who love games most get a Nexus and those who want apps that are compatible with their iPhones get the iPad models)

  1. Reviews of Kindle Fire HD 7 vs Nexus

  2. More on iPad mini vs Kindle Fire HD


Also, I'm placing below, the basic comparison table I put together in September, which has been updated for changing prices (please let me know if I've missed anything in that).

QUICK table of differences in features for price, with Google Nexus and IPad mini

Kindle Fire HD 7" $199 7-inch display 1280 x 800 resolution 216 ppi 16GB storage 1GB RAM Dual stereo speakers   w/ Dolby Plus HDMI-Out to HDTV Front-facing camera, 1.2MP Dual core TI OMAP 4470 w/ Imagination PowerVR 3D graphics core Dual band, 2 antenna WiFi Battery-life claim: 11 hrs Customized Android, does Amazon store w/setting that allows apps from other app stores 50,000 apps + access to getjar.com, 1mobile.com, etc for google-play apps $10 more for a charger if you need one  Older Kindle & smart phone chargers work $15 add'l: no lockscreen ad $229 for 32GB model ($269 for 16GB 8.9" 1920x1200 resolution, 254 ppi) ($299 for 32GB 8.9" 1920x1200 resolution, 254 ppi)

Google Nexus 7" $199 7-inch display 1280 x 800 resolution 216 ppi 8GB storage (up'd to 16GB) 1GB RAM One mono speaker * No HDMI-out to HDTV Front-facing camera < 1 MP Quad core Tegra 3 Basic WiFi Battery-life claim: 9-10 hrs Pure Android and can do direct Google Play store ~600,000 apps $249 for 32GB model

Apple iPad mini 7.9 inch/ $329 7.9-inch display 1024 x 768 resolution 163 ppi 16GB storage 512MB? Per A5 chip specs. TBC. Built-in speakers *   Nov. 2, Apple finally added an 's' to 'speaker' * No HDMI out to HDTV ** Front (HD) & Back (to 1080p) cameras Dual-core A5 Dual-Band WiFi Battery-life claim: 10 hrs iOS 6 275,000 heavily-curated tablet-optimized apps  (Can also run small iPhone apps - any w/ Retina resources can scale w/o pixelating. 450,000 add'l.) 23% & 53% lighter than iPad. Lighter than the other tablets. $429 for 32GB model

  * iPad mini: See Speaker discussion - to be changed when Apple changes its iPad mini specs page.
    Update - On Nov. 2, Apple finally updated their iPad-Mini specs page to show "Built-in speakers" instead of "Built-in speaker" -- something I requested they do since Specs pages are official reference pages.  The speaker grilles are about an inch or two apart, on one short side, and maybe that's why they don't mention 'stereo' after the correction.  The whole thing has been bizarre.  This might be the first iPad w/ two speakers with separate baffles but they can do nothing for movies or videos viewed the usual way, as they are close together on just one side.

    Google Nexus: See Nexus owner forum thread about the speaker.

** Those w/ Apple TV's can do AirPlay Mirroring to them.
   Contributor Tom Semple adds: Apple's new $49 "Lightning" adapter can provide HDMI out.

***Tom Semple adds he uses Puffin app to access Flash video on his iPad.

**** 7" HD Kindle Fire pricing was changed from $249 to $229 on April 11, 2013.

Table updated March 19, 2013, April 11, 2013

For the initial comparison article, I didn't include the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet HD,
which has higher display resolution - but it has no cameras, not even one for Skype (important for family & friends who like to communicate via video chat), and B&N will not allow owners to enable installation of apps from non-B&N sources.  I may do an additional table later though.

---

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Update v7.2.3 for Kindle Fire HD 7-inch model

NEW SOFTWARE UPDATE v7.2.3 for the Kindle Fire HD 7" tablet - bug fixes and performance improvements

This blog entry also includes links to earlier articles with tips on how to add needed apps from other sources to the Kindle Fire plus Flash player work arounds, as well as some comparison reviews.

Commenter kindleowner alerted us to the update 7.23 received over-the-air by a few without a notice by Amazon the last two days.  I saw an added post about it in the Kindle Community Forums Wednesday and one in Mobileread Forums quoting a poster in XDA Developer forums.  But that was all I noticed as of early Thursday morning.  Then kindleowner saw the update go live on the Amazon software page and let us know later Thursday morning (thank you!).

The new update -- v7.2.3 for Kindle Fire HD 7" -- will automatically download and install for most Kindle Fire customers.  My Kindle Fire HD 7" is still on v7.2.2, and sync'g my device didn't seem to show an update file there that could be clicked on, but it takes a while to deliver these huge files and they're installed normally when the Kindle is not being used but WiFi is accessible.
  UK Link is: Kindle Fire HD 7" v7.2.3, UK.

Amazon notes only that the update "includes bug fixes and performance improvements" and that, as usual, it will be delivered automatically via wireless.

However, one fix was noted yesterday:

' Posted on Dec 13, 2012 12:09:47 PM PST
Chuck1 says:
Just received the 7.2.3, and it fixed the "destroying of all my calender appointments" after each update..."'

Checking which software version you have.
I checked by swiping down my Top Menu, then clicking on "More" and then "Settings," where I looked at "Device," then "About" and saw that I still have System Version 7.2.2.
  Since I am experiencing no problems with it, I might wait for it to be delivered automatically rather than get the file and manually install it.

  For those who prefer to do the updates via USB cable because you don't have WiFi, the update files are at the Amazon server locations linked above.

IF Downloading Version 7.2.3

This update automatically downloads and installs for most Kindle Fire customers; however, you can initiate the software update from your Kindle or manually download the software update via USB (some use the excellent WiFi File Explorer PRO app rather than the USB cable hookup).

Again -- before you begin, confirm your current software version:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap More.
2. Tap Device, and then tap About.

The instructions for manually downloading, if needed, the update via USB are at the software update pages mentioned above.  Most will find it more convenient to have it arrive via the automated download.

NOTE that when it does, your Kindle Fire will reboot and sometimes it does that twice, so don't be alarmed when it happens while it's idle and you're nearby.

EARLIER posts on Kindle Fire HD

  . Getting non-Amazon apps on Kindle Fires (non-HD Kindle Fires have storage space limitations)
  . More comparisons on iPad mini and Kindle Fire HD
  . Basic Features Comparison Table for iPad mini, Google Nexus 7", Kindle Fire HD 7"
  . Comparison reviews of the Kindle Fire HD 7" and Google Nexus 7" tablets
  . Step-by-step guide for installing a working Adobe Flash player when needed.
  . Google Maps, Street View and other apps on my Kindle Fire, via enabling one device setting
  . Downloading and playing YouTube videos on Kindle Fire HD
  . Using the camera and Video, Panorama mode, Time Lapses
  . App for WiFi file transfers w/o cable.

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books  
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.   Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
  Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

 *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
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Updates for new Kindle Fires to add: Swype keyboard, very basic Camera app, Kindle Free Time Unlimited

NEW FEATURES in latest updates for the Kindle Fire HD 7-inch and Kindle Fire 2 tablets

The two new updates -- v7.2.2 for Kindle Fire HD 7" and v10.2.3 for Kindle fire 2 -- will automatically download and install for most Kindle Fire customers.
  UK Links are: Kindle Fire HD 7" v7.2.2, UK and Kindle Fire 2, v10.2.3, UK.

GeckoFriend and Betsy the Quilter at Kindleboards.com discovered the updates ready to go on the Amazon servers and they include features people have requested -- one for the front-facing camera app for the 7" HD model and the long-awaited SWYPE keyboard mode for both newer 7" models.  Moderator Ann in Arlington points out that the 8.9" Kfire HD tablet already has the camera app built in and comes Swype-featured, which I hadn't noticed

Amazon's sending these over the air already
I just found that I received my v7.2.2 update over the air - Checked by swiping down my Top Menu to get "More" and then "Settings," where I looked at "Device," then "About" and saw that I already have System Version 7.2.2.

  Keyboard
The Swype Keyboard mode is accessed by just starting to draw a line through the keyboard characters you want 'typed' pausing slightly at each letter.  I just did 'erstwhile' that way and it worked right away.  Had never used it before.  I could type it faster, but others love this feature.

  Camera
Although we mentioned on Nov. 10 the HD Camera app, which has unusually fast and thorough customer support from the appmaker and repeated earlier instructions on how to activate the many front-facing camera features such as panoramic mode, time-lapses and video via the ES File Explorer, Amazon is now offering their own (very basic) camera app.

  NOTE that the new Camera app is initiated with an icon of a camera in the Photos section (top menu - Home screen) but it's limited to taking a picture and, as with the more flexible basic mode using ES File Explorer (free) and also the HD Camera app, the basic camera function allows you to send the photos through email or to your Dropbox, for instance.

For those who don't want to wait for the software update to arrive over the air, you can *start* the update from the Kindle Fire (see the appropriate software update page for each on how to do that -- essentially it's sync'g the Kindle Fire with the servers via the option on your top-menu quick-settings row but they want you to make sure you have a full battery before doing the sync).

  For those who prefer to do the updates via USB cable because you don't have WiFi), the update files are at the Amazon server locations linked above.

The Kindle Fire HD 7" update includes the following, in Amazon's words (Amazon kept changing the software-update page wording on new features while I was writing this blog and driving me bonkers).

• Camera app. You can now use the front-facing web camera to take pictures of yourself with an included camera app in the Photos library.
    [It earlier said "New and improved keyboard functionalities" and now says]
  Swype.  Swype is a keyboard feature that provides a fast way to enter text.  It lets you create a word by drawing through letters.  Swype also provides additional keyboard functions like copy and paste [ YAY ] and the ability to change the keyboard language.
  
• Japanese support Customers can now select Japanese as the device language.
  [This was dropped as a stated new feature while I was typing this article.
  But I do see it in my updated software under 'Keyboards.']
  
• Location based services will now be part of the parental control settings and will appear on the page where you can set parental control for individual apps/features [Amazon removed this while I was copying it, but the feature is in the new software.]
  
• Kindle FreeTime Unlimited. Kindle FreeTime Unlimited is a subscription service you can choose to sign up for within Kindle FreeTime. Parents can subscribe children's profiles to a wide variety of videos, apps, and games appropriate for ages 3-8. For more information, see www.amazon.com/freetimeunlimited.

The newer Basic Kindle Fire 2 doesn't have a camera, so no camera app for those.

 UK residents: NOTE that the UK listing doesn't include FreeTime Unlimited.

IF Downloading Version 7.2.2 or 10.2.3

This update automatically downloads and installs for most Kindle Fire customers; however, you can initiate the software update from your Kindle or manually download the software update via USB (some use WiFi File Explorer PRO app rather than USB).

Before you begin, confirm your current software version:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap More.
2. Tap Device, and then tap About.

The instructions for manually downloading, if needed, the update via USB are at the software update pages mentioned.  Most will find it more convenient to have it arrive via the automated download.

NOTE that when it does, your Kindle Fire will reboot and sometimes it does that twice, so don't be alarmed when it happens while it's idle and you're nearby.

EARLIER posts on Kindle Fire HD
  . Basic Features Comparison Table for iPad mini, Google Nexus 7", Kindle Fire HD 7"
  . Comparison reviews of the Kindle Fire HD 7" and Google Nexus 7" tablets
  . Step-by-step guide for installing a working Adobe Flash player when needed.
  . Google Maps, Street View and other apps on my Kindle Fire, via enabling one device setting
  . Downloading and playing YouTube videos on Kindle Fire HD
  . Using the camera and Video, Panorama mode, Time Lapses
  . App for WiFi file transfers w/o cable.

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books  
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.   Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
  Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

 *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button
Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
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Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Kindle Fire HD 7" Update v7.2.1 READY. FreeTime. Opt in/out of personalized recommendations. Set default device language.

KINDLE FIRE UPDATE v7.2.1 is here, and it automatically downloads and installs for most Kindle Fire customers

For those who don't want to wait, you can *start* the update from your Kindle Fire HD (see below for how to do that).
  For those who prefer to do it manually via USB, the update file has been placed on the Amazon servers.

The update includes (1) the Kindle FreeTime feature; (2) a requested setting to opt in or out of personalized recommendations below the carousel on the Home page; and (3) the ability to set the default device language to one of six languages.

Here's the Amazon explanation as it appears at the update page:

' The software update will include:

• Kindle FreeTime, a tablet experience just for kids allowing parents to set daily screen time limits, and give access to appropriate content for each child.
• A setting so customers can control whether or not personalized recommendations appear below the carousel on the device homepage.
• Ability for customers to set the default device language to one of six languages, including English (US), English (UK), German, French, Italian, and Spanish.

Download Version 7.2.1

This update automatically downloads and installs for most Kindle Fire customers; however, you can initiate the software update from your Kindle or manually download the software update via USB.

Before you begin, confirm your current software version:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap More.
2. Tap Device, and then tap About.

If you see a System Version other than "Current Version: 7.2.1," follow one of the steps below to download the latest version:

To start the automatic download of a Kindle software update:

1. Connect to a Wi-Fi network and fully charge your battery.
2. From the top of your device, swipe down, then tap Sync.
3. The software update automatically downloads in the background and installs after the download is complete and the device is asleep. '

The instructions for manually downloading the update via USB are at that software update page but, as mentioned, most will find it more convenient to have it arrive via the automated download.
  NOTE that when it does, your Kindle Fire HD ("KFHD") will reboot and sometimes it does that twice, so don't be alarmed when it happens while it's idle and you're nearby.


EARLIER posts on Kindle Fire HD

• Comparison reviews of the Kindle Fire HD 7" and Google Nexus 7" tablets
  
• Basic Features Comparison Table for iPad mini, Google Nexus 7", Kindle Fire HD 7"
  
• Step-by-step guide for installing a working Adobe Flash player when needed.
  
• KFHD Tips - Flash video, Using the camera and Video, Panorama mode, App for WiFi file transfers w/o cable.

---

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books   Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.   Liked-books under $1 UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones     Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.   *Click* to Return to the HOME PAGE.  Or click on the web browser's BACK button Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

Send to Kindle

(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!

Bits and pieces - 09-27-09 - Update

Lots of news this last week.  Catching up here...
UPDATE 9/28/09 to add alternative smaller photos of the Kindle DX screen.  See bottom of this blog article for the smaller ones.

Len Edgerly's The Kindle Chronicles podcast continues with its weekly good stuff, and the last two weeks brought us a couple of really fun, interesting interviews.

 Friday's interview: Brad Stone.
  "Brad Stone, technology reporter in The New York Times’s San Francisco bureau, talks about secrecy at Apple and Amazon,  Dan Brown,  a Kindle developer apps store,  and the brilliant description his 22-year-old daughter had of his Kindle recently."

A trip to Belmont Library, Massachusetts:
  "Maureen Connors, left in photo, is director of the Belmont, Mass., Public Library.  She and Emily Smith, technology librarian, told me all about their impressive Kindle experiment on a visit I made to the library on Sept. 16."
  Len also provides video of the checking-out process for Kindles, including a mobile-light version also.

GOOGLE BRINGS US LIFE MAGAZINE, full original run 1936 to 1972
Google announced its partnership with LIFE Inc. "...to digitize LIFE Magazine's entire run as a weekly: over 1,860 issues, covering the years from 1936 to 1972."  I found out via a retweet by Jan Zlendich of the original tweet by @idigg of this great news.

 Don't miss The LIFE photography collection with its 10 million images, 97% of which were not published in the magazine.  These are all included in the Web and Image searches of Google.

FREE ONLINE TEXTBOOKS Offered by The University Press of Florida
The University Press of Florida will be offering free online textbooks and reduced-price print copies.  Nice trend!  

' The plan is to eventually provide free online textbooks for every general education class taught at any of Florida's 11 state universities, said Meredith Babb, director of the press.
  All they can do is offer the free books, Babb said. Professors can decide to adopt them or not.
  "Eight hundred dollars a semester [for textbooks] is stupid," she said. "Maybe the students will force the professors into some of these options. That would be nice." '

 Most of the textbooks are being made available in print as well, at 40 to 50% less than the prices of similar textbooks at other stores, she added.
  They also plan to make the e-books available in as many formats as possible.
  Thanks to Suzanne Preate and DigitalKoans for the tweeted information.

MICROSOFT'S COURIER TABLET
This pleasant surprise has even Apple stalwarts excited.  After stories that the Mac Tablet/iPAD will likely go for $800 next year when it is ever released, this one is likely to be not much cheaper, but Windows has always charged less, which is why it has about 95% of the business market despite the quality of the Apple offerings.

  GottaBeMobile summarizes the Gizmodo scoop with additional pictures and embeds the video, but here's the easier-to-read Youtube video of a computer rendering of what the 'tablet' may be able to do (these are inevitably smoother than the actual processes) .  It's said to be a prototype in the last stages of development.

  The Los Angeles Times's David Colker asks: "...but is it real?"
  Microsoft is coyly neither confirming or denying any of it :-).  ' "We do not comment on unreleased products," company spokesman Doug Free said. '

  The article points out that everything shown in the videoclip is done with fingers or stylus and no keyboard is shown. While the video'd tablet user is shown making many handwritten notes, handwriting recognition isn't shown in the video even though Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system is said to have handwriting recognition features.  That would be something.  This seems far down the road and if Apple does anything that it's rumored to be doing on a tablet, they may be out with theirs, supposedly, in February.


MY KINDLE DX - a bit off-topic about my new camera that took a picture of it)
  I got a new camera for a trip because I didn't want to bring two cameras as I had 3 years ago on my last trip.  This one will do the work of two.  Its megazoom lens goes from 28mm to 560mm with excellent clarity, though smaller cameras like this one with this kind of long-zoom flexibility always have a bit more noise/grain and also 'purple fringing' or chromatic aberration seen in big enlargements than the larger cameras will.  However, in-camera adjustments by the manufacturer at the time of shooting can cause other problems, and the fringing at 100% size (which is huge) is easily eliminated with the $25 PT lens utility, which is painless and amazing and sold by 'word of mouth' among photo nuts.

  I bought the older one (Canon SX10 IS), which is increasing in price these days because the new one (Canon SX20 IS) crams more megapixels into the same sized sensor and produces more noise and chromatic aberration than the older model.  This is okay with 4 x 6 photos but not as good at 8x10 and above.
  The attraction of the SX20 is its High Definition video.

  At any rate long-distance shots are amazingly clear and it gets closeups of things I cannot even see in the default wider/normal shooting settings.  If anyone reading has one of these, I saw good recommendations at dpreview.com forums (Amazon now owns dpreview.com, a fantastic site) to choose to shoot with sharpness =-1 and contrast =-1 and then you can edit afterward and wind up getting a very clean photo in the big enlargments.

  So, I took a photo of my DX at the ice cream shop to see if it could render the text and screen better than my other camera did, and it does.  It should, since it costs more. But it's better than I expected.  As you can see, the screen is extremely readable.

  UPDATE 9/28 - I was reminded that the photo I had originally put up was larger than the browser screen and when some browsers, by default, then resize-down the photo to make sure the full shot fits the screen, the resized version is barely legible.  So now I've now substituted the cropped version that you probably just clicked on above (it leaves the font size the same but cuts out the bottom of the Kindle) and a smaller, full shot which will fit a browser window.

(Apologies for all the experimenting.) Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!