In the wake of user complaints about web browsing speeds and other performance issues, Amazon has told the New York Times that it will be releasing a software update for the Kindle Fire "in less than two weeks." That timeframe would put this new software update about a month after the 6.2 update released at the end of November.
The improvements will include performance updates and (finally) the ability to edit the list of recently used items on the home-screen carousel. A tipster has also informed us that this OTA software update should include performance updates related to Silk browser, whose performance when used via Amazon's cloud servers has not quite lived up to Amazon's original claims.
The New York Times also repeats speculation that there will be another version of the Kindle Fire in the Spring. During the Kindle Fire's launch, when asked about the possibility of a larger Kindle Fire in the future, Amazon coyly told Engadget only "stay tuned." We'd happily take another size option for the Fire, but in the meanwhile we'll settle for that software update.
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The Kindle Inferno. You heard it here first.
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 10:33 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend (7) Flag actions
Followed by the Kindle Blaze.
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 10:38 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
great name. Kindle Fury, Kindle Brio……Amazon are set for the next 10 years :).
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 11:00 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Kindle Thunder! Kindle Bender! Kindle Rocky! Kindle Duo/Uno!
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 11:12 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I dunno I think Kindle Conflagration has a nice ring to it.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 2:12 AM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
Kindle Apocalypse
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 6:23 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Kindle Combust
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 3:09 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Kindle Frost sounds nice too. :D
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 10:23 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I heard that Amazon have also copyrighted Kindle Earth, Kindle Air and Kindle Water. We could have a whole family. Water might be a waterproof one, Earth might be rugged and indestructible and Air would force an injunction by Apple.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 10:51 AM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
And to think I just put my Kindle Fire into it’s box to return it to Amazon next week, oh well.
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 10:38 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Did you realize what I eventually did? It’s ok for $200, but I’d rather save my money to get something better and fully featured. Plus, the performance was just plain laggy.
The Fire won’t be silly smooth until the underlying OS is based off of Ice Cream Sandwich with hardware acceleration and all other optimizations.
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 10:59 PM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
The horrible browser and PDF magazines killed it for me. It just became a pain to use.
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 11:09 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I bought mine the day it was released, the BB personnel didn’t even know they had them in stock.. Needless to say, after toying with it for a day I returned it.. Too laggy, slow ‘Silk’ and scrolling a webpage was a heart attack…
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 11:53 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I think Kindle Fire’s main function are for e-book reading, which I think explains the absence of amazing specs.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 10:26 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
No one wants to read on an LCD screen, especially when they can buy a eInk Kindle for $79 instead of $200.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 12:17 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’m sick of this whole eink vs LCD myth. Yes, the computer screen you use at the office might be a pain in the ass on your eyes, but tablets like the Fire and iPad use very high quality IPS screens. As long as you don’t crank the brightness all the way up, they don’t cause the majority of people eye strain. There have been studies to this fact. Look it up and stop spreading nonsense. .
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 4:20 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Well I speak for myself in saying that I tried to read a book on my Kindle Fire and I was in pain a few minutes after. I read on my eInk Kindle for hours with no problem.
I think the majority of people would rather read on an eInk display.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 5:47 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
No offence but I am going to go ahead and say that’s shenanigans. You were in pain after a few minutes? Really…? Do you own an iPad or other tablet? How about a smartphone like the iPhone? Do you check email on them? How about blogs like this one? Guess what, that all involves READING. How’s that eye strain? You in pain all day using these devices? Pain after a few minutes? I bet not.
Reading an ebook, is just that reading. It’s not going to cause you anymore eye strain on an iPad or Kindle Fire then you would get using these devices for anything else that involves letters laid out into words that you read.
Seriously, do a little research instead of repeating common wisDUMB. There have been studies on this. As long as your device is a quality LCD similar to the IPS that the Fire and iPad use, you are fine. In fact there are certain instances, like having low levels of light, that an eink display would likely cause more eye strain then a LCD.
Posted on Dec 13, 2011 | 5:30 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
By a few minutes I mean like 10-15 minutes of constant reading. No, I am not staring at my iPhone for 15 minutes at a time reading text.
Maybe my eyes are so screwed up that it does matter to me. I notice a difference right away in the screens on the iPad, Fire and a normal Kindle right away. I usually have to turn the brightness all the way down, change the background color to sepia and make the font rather large (I’m 21, I can see small text) to even have a few minutes of enjoyable reading on an LCD screen. This is true on the iPad, the iPhone and the Kindle Fire. Meanwhile, I am perfectly fine reading on my Kindle with the text size on the 2nd smallest option with no problem.
I don’t need some “study” to tell me what is better for myself. I also don’t need to “do a little research” to learn what I am comfortable reading. Everyones eyes are different and I know many more people who get headaches or eye strain from reading on an LCD screen compared to an eInk Kindle or Nook. Glare is also an issue you seem to be ignoring here.
I also have the Kindle lighted case, so no problems with low light :-)
Posted on Dec 13, 2011 | 6:53 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
A few minutes = 10 – 15? Classic, moving the goal post. No one means 15 mins when they say “a few.”
Even at 10 to 15 I am going to call shenanigans. I’ll ask again do you own a tablet like the iPad? If so do you email on it or regularly read blogs like this one? If so you can easily blow by 10 to 15 mins in a sitting. That’s not even asking you if you have a laptop or a desktop PC which likely uses an LCD too. You have to have something, otherwise you couldn’t be posting here. Maybe you use an old CRT screen, but somehow I doubt it.
Glare is only an issue in direct light. That can be avoided. If you are going to make an exception for the disadvantages e-ink has in low-light, then you must also make exceptions for the disadvantages LCD’s have in direct light.
Posted on Dec 14, 2011 | 9:59 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
What’s with it already being version 6.2? Are they really counting the eBook OS versions into the equation?
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 10:45 PM EST reply Recommend (2) Flag actions
And still no way to stop kids from going on a shopping spree.
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 10:54 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I am sure they will add parental controls soon ala iOS…
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 11:12 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
coo. Got one yesteday on mistake and i’m loving it.
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 10:55 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I hate it when I get home from a hard day’s work and realize I accidentally bought a boatload of gadgets…
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 8:27 AM EST reply Recommend (3) Flag actions
I wonder if they’re ever going to update it with the ICS framework..
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 | 11:58 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I think I came across an article about Nook Tablet running a customized version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. I think ICS updates will also come with this device soon.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 10:29 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
It certainly needs it. On eof my work friends bought one in the US and brought it home. It is a nice, simple concept but it is so inconsistent in response. The browser is just plain rubbish.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 4:43 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Ugh. Kindle Blowback.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 7:19 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
CM takes care of all of those problems and its not even a fully functional rom yet…. Amazon is trying to push diarrhea up a hill with a rake.
Unless you actually use these readers for reading…books?
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 7:39 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Oh man, that made me laugh. I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard that before.
I got this for my mom as a Xmas present, hoping she likes it to browse Internet. Now I’m wondering if I should return and wait??
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 8:17 AM EST via mobile reply Recommend Flag actions
You could always try it out when you get it, to see if you think she’d like it. I have one and love it, and my mom is hoping to get one for Christmas as well. I think it’ll be perfect for her. I love it for reading books (e-ink is nice, but I’ve always wanted a color reader), magazines (Zinio, not Amazon), casual web browsing, Hulu/Netflix, and a few of my favorite apps. For more serious browsing or a wider variety of apps, I already have an iPad (or computer), so this isn’t my primary device. I love it for what it is, but if you want something more full-featured, you might want to go with an iPad or one of the pure Android tablets.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 8:35 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
First thing i thought when i saw this was "oh look, another product shipped with promises that they claim will be available in a patch “in the next few weeks”
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 8:35 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I have to say I have been underwhelmed by the Fire so far. The display is very nice, but that’s really the only thing I can compliment. Everything else about it seems like a $200 tablet where I thought I was going to be getting a steal for locking into Amazon’s content. So unless CM7/9 comes to it before my return period is up I think it’s going back and I’ll just have to spend more if I really want a tablet.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 8:58 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I’ll welcome these updates with open arms. I love my Fire, but the most annoying aspect is the browser, the part of it I use the most. The Page Back button doesn’t always work, and load times, on certain pages, are a pain. Luckily loading the Verge is not one of those. Also, it may be hardware related, but my wifi keeps kicking in and out, and I have a great signal at my place. If they can fix that with an update, that’d be great as well.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 10:02 AM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Wifi turns off when the Fire goes to sleep…I hope they make that an option in new update
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 1:49 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Can you install Spare Parts from the AM? If so, set Wireless Sleep to Never
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 6:41 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Well, even when Im using it, it cuts out. I know its not my router because everything else I own has great reception. Who konws
Posted on Dec 13, 2011 | 12:55 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
Definitely some kinks that need to be worked out, but I generally really have enjoyed using it.
I was surprised at the tone of the nytimes article since my view is that the kinks are minor given the functionality and price point. Seems like the expectations are unrealistic – I guess everyone expects “magic” with every device.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 12:11 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
Pssst…. I don’t have any problems with my browser at all, slick, smooth and quick enough… Wait… This is a Nook Tab let.. NVM!
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 2:27 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I think the biggest complaint I have about the Kindle Fire is the lack of parental controls. My step-son purchased one, and his mother and I are astonished at the lack of parental controls. The device is persistent in the acceptance of a “one click purchase” model with no way of locking purchases behind a password. There are also a ton of instant watch prime movies that are rated R and NC-17 right next to children oriented movies. We trust him, but it is his friends that we are worried about. Disabling and re-enabling purchase capability on the device is becoming a real pain in the ass.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 3:13 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
I have a Kindle Fire and am happy. It’s no iPad 2, but it’s also $300 cheaper. The browser works fine and I find the size and weight much more enjoyable for e-books then a 10 inch tablet. It’s a solid product and well worth $200.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 4:22 PM EST reply Recommend (1) Flag actions
I want one. This seems like the perfect tablet – price, size,. and content.
Posted on Dec 12, 2011 | 7:44 PM EST reply Recommend Flag actions
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