I know some of you have the Kindle Fire HD. Since I can't find the answer to my questions in the device's FAQ's, I figure I'd ask you. I received the Kindle Fire HD as a gift. I did order the faster charger from Amazon, but it will take a few days for it to get here. In the meantime, the Fire came with very little charge on it. I followed the directions to plug it into my computer to charge. Stupid me shut the computer off, so that was a wasted night. I am trying again this morning with the computer on (DUH!). When I turned on the Fire, it said that it would take even longer to charge if I was using it, so I turned it off. It is now turned off, and plugged into the computer. With the regular Kindle, when I plugged it in to charge, a yellow light came on. When it was finished charging, the light turned green. With the Fire, no lights come on at all, so I have no idea if it's charging or not. Am I doing this correctly? It says it takes THIRTEEN????? hours to charge via computer without the "faster" charger. Has that been your experience?
Joan I got a kindle fire on black friday. It must be the old way of charging as when i plug it into the computer the yellow light comes on and turns green when charged so I can't help you much. Doesn't amazon have user manual on their site? I looked up some things through that but then ordered the kindle fire owner's manual but steve weber and it has helped a lot so far. Don't get a lot of time to use it but am reading the bible (our church is reading it and i hope to catch up the rest of them) and some on line things. Do you know how to delete a site, my grandson was toying with it and got me on amazon u.k. but i can't seem to get it changed to usa. I don't understand the euro and am sure that would not work for usa anyway. I also ordered the charger but not shipped yet. also have tried to get on your site on the kindle but so far it messes up on the spelling so when i have more time will try again. Here's hoping 2013 is a better year for all. Happy New Year.
Hi Joan, I love my kindle fire it is not hd but I will tell you it does take a long time to charge even with the direct wall plug @ 4 hrs. I can't believe they didn't include that with firehd but 12 hours may actually be how long it takes!!!
Well, I charged it via the computer - still only at 86%, but that's because I went out, and the power went off for a second, shutting down my computer. It's really annoying that there's no light that tells you it's charging and when it's finished. You would think will all of that technology they could put in a charge light.
Other than that, I love it. I was having trouble with my old Kindle (the first generation original version). It didn't light up, so it was hard to see at night in bed with just the small bedside lamp on. The Fire HD has a built in back light, so it was actually TOO bright last night. It can be adjusted though, which I will do tonight.
Just one other little complaint. In the old Kindle, I could name my collections of books and keep them organized my own way. I had them listed under three categories - Books not yet read; books finished; books unfinished - didn't like. In this version, as far as I can see, you have the option of listing them by title or author, but not under your own collection titles.
I'm sure once I get around to reading all of the instructions, I'll find out much more.
I've got the NookHD+ and the resolution is fantastic. It is synced to my computer. I clicked on the calendar app and was delighted to see my Hotmail calendar come up. Also was able to link my three e-mail addresses. I charge it as a plug in to the wall. Holds a charge well and charges quickly.
I also got a Kindle Fire HD for Christmas. It was a present from me to me (actually I had some money left over that my kids gave me for Christmas to take a 2 week trip to see my relatives, so they actually bought most of it for me!) Anyway, I am in the need of a users manual & since DorielMI recommended the one by Steve Weber I think I will order that one. I know that there are so many features that I don't even know about, so I think it is wise to get a manual. (Should have been included, but then it's just another way to make a buck!) The one thing I hope it shows me is how to delete some of the apps that I'm not using that I shouldn't have downloaded in the first place.
ElaineH, I only have the kindle fire so my manual is for the fire but he may have one for the fire hd. There are some things mentioned for the hd though. I like to have written instructions in front of me. I did read a lot of the information on the kindle itself but then when you want to try it you don't have the print in front of you. I love the idea of getting on the internet with it although have not tried another wifi except through my router. I haven't had an exceptionally long charge time after I charged the first time although may be 3 hours, just plug it in when i am not using it. as you know a caregiver doesn't get a lot of time to use it.
Doriel MI when you buy a kindle you get a month of Amazon Prime free so I could download that manual for free . I'm still confused about a lot of things but I'll just have to give it time problem is now I just want to sit here & play with it! I'm typing this on my Kindle .
Joan, I strongly recommend a high quality UPS for anyone living in Florida. It needs to react quickly to loss of power, deal with brownouts and surges and to protect your computer. Cheap UPS' don't do a good job. I can recommend the APC Back-UPS Pro 1000. You probably could do with a less powerful model. I bet the 700 model would be fine and $40 cheaper. Every time you lose power and your computer shuts down there is a chance of damage to your computer.
These things are much less expensive than they used to be.
I'm sure all of you will appreciate this "manual" story I am about to share with you. Sid went to school for electronics - repairing the electronic equipment of the day - TV's, radios, etc. He worked for 40 years in retail electronics. He actually understood those 100 page "user manuals" that came with the equipment. He could not understand why no one else understood them. It drove him crazy when people would bring their recently purchased items back to him, telling him that they didn't work. He always asked - Did you read the manual? Of course, no one did. For years, he and those who worked for him had an expression they did not share with the public - RTFM!!!! Translated - Read the ^%$#* Manual. Whenever I purchased a new electronic toy, and asked him how it worked, he always said to me - RTFM!! In those days, I would just depend upon him to set it up and work it. Thanks to AD, now he can't even pause the remote on the TV DVR by himself. :(
Well, as I told you when I purchased my new smartphone, I don't read manuals. I play around with the device to figure it out. True to form, I am doing that with the Kindle Fire. It even takes some ingenuity to find the "how to's" that are built into it. Regardless of whether or not I read them, the manuals should COME WITH THE UNIT. NOOOOOO, not in the 21st century. They make you BUY the @#$%* thing, which I am going to try to avoid, just on principle.
I managed to figure out how to charge it and how to find where it says how much power is left on it. Eventually, I may give in and buy the manual. Maybe.
In the meantime, I am LOVING the Kindle Fire. I don't want to leave the house without it in my purse.
To add to your story, Joang, I finally bought a Smartphone. No manual either except on-line, but I've only referred to it once or twice. I usually figure things out for myself. today I downloaded the app from the bank for mobile banking. Got signed in ok, but the page that came up only had my 3 accounts listed - and I couldn't get any further, to pay bills, etc. Went on-line on my computer and went to chat with a rep. Asked him where I go from here - his reply was, "did you click on the menu?" I replied, "of course not". He laughed. Pressed the menu - and voila.....that's where I needed to go!
So glad to hear that other's don't read the manual either. Right now I have my Christmas tree on the floor and trying to figure out how to take it apart so I can get it back in the box.....NO MANUAL to tell me how to do this. My SIL put the tree up for me since he is so tall and I couldn't reach the top of the 7 1/2 foot tree. I was busy and didn't pay any attention on how he did that...so I now I have my Christmas tree on the floor to enjoy for a few more days..The question is.....SHOULD I PUT THE DECORATIONS BACK ON???
I'm tempted to leave our tree up for the year cause it's very pretty and besides, I a) don't have the energy to put it all away and, b) don't anticipate having the energy to put it all back up again next year. Of course, this is the same rationalization i've used once or twice regarding washing dishes: you wash them only to dirty and wash them over again - I can be such a lazy bum at times!
Fiona68.....Have you heard of paper plates?? That is what I use and have for years except when I have company. I figure what I save on running the dishwasher pays for the paper plates.
Well with all these new 'smart' devices there usu. is no printed manual but I usually find everything online or through my kids but that aside I did read the kindle fire manual and learned some tricks. I got it at the library, where I work ...most libraries have one or access to one.... For the few tricks I learned I would not recommend buying one but you can borrow one Free! In most places now you can even browse the library card catalog online and put a hold on a book and they will call or email you when it comes in.
I agree with grendelsma2-see if you can get online access to the local/state library and see if they have a digital copy of the manual you can "borrow". I just did that yesterday with our local library which gives me access to all the online/digital content for all libraries in the state. I decided I no longer wanted to buy ebooks from Amazon (or other sources) if I didn't have to. Trying to save as much as possible since I have no idea how long this journey will be.
I learned to type way back in high school. I am a very fast, accurate typist, so I found it a bit annoying to have to use the one finger method on the Kindle. But THEN, I discovered its neat little secret. All I do is type a couple of letters, and it lists choices of words it thinks I am going to type. All I have to do it tap the word and it appears in what I am typing. How cool is that?
I know...I too love my new Kindle Fire I purchased for my Christmas gift to me. I love the word choice thing since I am the world's worse speller.
I have sent for the manual and it will be here Tuesday. Betweem the Kindle and my new smart phone I got in Oct. I am brain dead from trying to figure out how and how not to do both of them. Had I known that the Kindle Fire would offer so many different things I would never given up my little "dumb" cell phone that fit so much easier in my jean pocket and was so simple a 4 year old could use it. I'm wondering if I can have two cell phones using the same phone number and I am tempted to get coverage back on my original one plus on the new "smart phone...NOT for dummies".
When I ask my grandkids how to do this or that on the smart phone...they tell me so fast and don't have me try to do it that it makes me dizzy and I can't remember between uses because it is seldom I use what I have asked them to teach me.
I tell my grandchildren they talk faster than I can hear!... Judith.
I hate it when my 10 year old grandson looks at me in wonder when I tell him that I don't understand how to do things on my SmartPhone. I use it ONLY as a telephone. Should have kept my little flip phone. I LOVED that one. It didn't even 'text". I don't want to 'read' messges from my children, I want them to call me, or better yet, tell me in person!
Okay, here I am again with another question. I just love my Fire, BUT, I can't see to read in the sun. The old Kindle was specially designed to be able to read outside. I can't see anything on this one when I take it outside, no matter how I adjust the brightness. Is this the way it is, or is there a setting I'm missing?
Sorry to say...but, I believe that is the way it is. I take my Fire out on the patio and I also take the card board off the back of a steno table and hold it at the top of my Fire if the sun is bright...then I can read it. I'm trying to figure out a way I can attach it to my cover I bought for my Fire and then I won't have to hold it. I love my cover.
It has a backlit LCD screen. There's really not very much you can do to make a backlit LCD screen visible in the sun. Some people have some success with turning up the contrast, using a glare-reducing screen cover and shading the screen.
But it's still a backlit LCD screen - and those are difficult to see in direct sunlight.
It differences in technology. In sum, if you want color and a back lit panel, it will have problems in sunlight. The technology has been improving, the latest iPads are doing better in this regard, but still, the Kindle B&W models are superior in some lighting situations (bright light) and worse in others (darkness).
Interesting - I just received a Kindle Fire HD for mother's day. Thought about buying the manual, but I like the library idea. Now if I can only figure out how!!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Kindle Fire. I don't know how I lived without it. No more staying up late at the computer. I get comfy and into bed early with my Fire. I can play Scrabble that I used to play on the computer. I have a bunch of other games I can play. I check and write email, check the message boards, and write as I am doing now, read the news, and read my books. The only problem with it is that I can't take it outside. The advantage of the original Kindle that I had was that I could read perfectly in the sunlight. The Fire is lousy in sunlight, so I saved my old Kindle for outside reading.
Then the old Kindle slipped out of its case, fell on its head and died. I live in Florida, so I read on the patio or at the pool a lot. So for $69, I bought a plain Kindle e-reader with WiFi. Free shipping. I didn't get the paperwhite, but I am quite satisfied with the plain one.
And another perk from the Fire - because I no longer sit at the computer at night and eat ice cream, cookies, and every piece of junk food known to man, I have lost just under 30 lbs.