MBought the kf for my wife today and I took one look at the launcher and was confused to put it politely. I'm an owner of a transformer prime and galaxy nexus and I love ice. I'm wondering if there is a post you guys could point me to or tell me what the pros and cons will be of rooting this device and running a custom rom? More specifically, there are certain books, NY wife tells me, that say ''kindle fire edition'' or something like that. Would you lose the ability to get those books after a root?
vballrkc said:
MBought the kf for my wife today and I took one look at the launcher and was confused to put it politely. I'm an owner of a transformer prime and galaxy nexus and I love ice. I'm wondering if there is a post you guys could point me to or tell me what the pros and cons will be of rooting this device and running a custom rom? More specifically, there are certain books, NY wife tells me, that say ''kindle fire edition'' or something like that. Would you lose the ability to get those books after a root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just some of my opinion :
After rooting the device (not installing a custom rom, only root, you will still be using the Amazon version of Android), you can install full Android Market, alternate launcher(can be switched between Amazon Launcher and alternate launcher you installed.) So in this case you can still enjoy services / app that amazon provides for kindle fire.
If you install a custom rom (CM7[GingerBread] or CM9 [Ice Cream Sandwich], you may gain some more performance but some Amazon services may not work perfectly.
I installed CM7 before and now on CM9, CM7 has less bug and more functional than CM9 I think. Right now CM9 for Fire is still under development and not a stable version for everyone to use. It cannot play HD Youtube and the Hardware Acceleration is not functioning, it also has SOD(Sleep of death) problem that may halt the device and require a reboot.
For more information on custom ROM, you can visit this for the post for CM7 and CM9:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1309
You shouldn't lose the books if you install CM7. Just download the Kindle App and it's pretty much the same thing as using a normal kindle. All of my books that I purchased for my regular kindle transferred over to the Kindle App. Also all the books I downloaded from torrents also showed up in my kindle library when I installed them in the Kindle folder on my KF.
You can install go launcher ex without root and make it look more androidish. That may help
Rooting will disable your KF's ability to stream Amazon video content. To get around this, you can use OTA rootkeeper to unroot or root your KF with one click (though it won't do the initial root). I suspect that installing CM will permanently disable this capability. So, if Amazon video streaming is important, be careful about switching ROMs.
Related
Hey all, just wondering what the Fire experience is like in Canada? I just ordered one today, and having second thoughts after reading that Canadians aren't able to get through the registration phase on the device.
All I want is something that I can surf with, run apps/games that I install myself, and music/video streamed over wifi.
So, did I make a mistake, or what? I'm sure at some point soon there will be a custom Android ROM and everything will work then, but am concerned that the stock ROM won't be useful for me.
Thanks!
I have a kindle fire and I'm in Canada as well. I had no problems registering any US only kindle devices in Canada. I even got Prime to work, but I'm using a DNS re-routing service called Unblock US. You can install any apps that you like, however I couldn't install any apps from the amazon app store as it said that it was not available in my area. It must be because I didn't have a US credit card as my 1 purchase 1 click payment method. I installed Google's market and sideload everything that isn't there (facebook, twitter, etc). I'm using it to listen to Pandora and Netflix US in Toronto and I'm using Go Launcher EX. It's great! The kindle is a great device for Canadians, assuming that you're a bit technically savvy and you're willing to root the device. As Amazon released the source code for their port and ICS is also open source, it's only a matter of time until ICS is ported to Kindle Fire. You didn't make a mistake. I'm sure that you'll enjoy the device.
Thanks! I hadn't seen the Europe or Australia threads when I posted mine. Thanks for the confirmation though!
so i got this thing last night i have it rooted with android market and im not sure where to go next i have a couple of questions first being what else is there to put on here looking for something unique. i love ics but not sure is changing it all around will allow me to access amazon appstore idk what to do next? any info on where to go from here would be appreciated ....... so basically is cm7 fully functional, does amazon appstore work with it and is it worth it to change it thanks for info
Ics is still misdingg hardware decoding so no youtube or other streaming services. Cm7 is fully functional to the best of my knowledge, but you lose instant video if you leave stock. The appstore works on cm7 and cm9 I believe, its silk, instant video, and the stock reader that gets lost.
Hello all,
Long time member of XDA, and love of android devices.
I just got a KF and am pretty excited to see what this thing can do.
I am interested in rooting it, mainly for all my android games that I have but dont want to lose any features.
So far this sounds like CM7 is the way to go due to no HD on CM9?
However by rooting I lose the Amazon interface completely right? This I would maybe like due to the e-books I have as well.
Any suggestions on best ROM, kernels?
Recommended Recoverys/root methods?
Thanks!
+1 on best rooting method. I get mine Wed.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=23537660&postcount=1011
Rooting Basics
ssmercurys said:
Hello all,
Long time member of XDA, and love of android devices.
I just got a KF and am pretty excited to see what this thing can do.
I am interested in rooting it, mainly for all my android games that I have but dont want to lose any features.
So far this sounds like CM7 is the way to go due to no HD on CM9?
However by rooting I lose the Amazon interface completely right? This I would maybe like due to the e-books I have as well.
Any suggestions on best ROM, kernels?
Recommended Recoverys/root methods?
:
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you want to have your cake and eat it too!
Well you can, sort of.
Rooting the Fire by itself, doesn't remove the kindle interface, although it does affect the ability to buy or watch a movie from Amazon unless you temporarily unroot the device, which is easy to do with an unroot app. What rooting does is give you control over the Fire so you can download from other markets other than Amazon and install other Android roms.
Even using the stock Kindle you can read other books on it. I use a program on my win PC,Calibre, to download and convert other books onto the kindle, works great.
But, not as much fun as installing and playing around with other roms. Using a good recovery program like TWRP, will let you backup and restore both the stock Kindle any any of the other Android versions you install. The KFU program link in post #3 in this thread is a good start to get your device rooted, new boot program, and recovery program. I did mine without it, step by step, but it sounds pretty easy and reliable. I would suggest reading up on it first though.
I'm using the rooted stock kindle, Cyanogenmod 7, and the Energy version of ICS. It has a few bugs, no video hardware assist but other than that runs well. The key is being able to backup and restore, so if you don't like one version, you just go back to another.
my expiriences
Personally ive installed a couple Roms cm7 being my favorite but I reverted back to the of stock Rom and just use go launcher ex. Rooting is worth it if you don't have amazon prime but if you do the amazon instant video is a loss but with the android market installed then you can still buy movies with that. Twrp is also needed but my favorite is simple changing the annoying rotating wallpaper.
I'm new to the Kindle Fire party as well... I managed to use the Kindle Fire Utility to perm root, install TWRP, and then FireFireFire. Following that, I installed the CM7 rom by Whistlestop and it seems to be running fine so far.
My only question is this:
Since I just got my Kindle Fire, I have Amazon Prime and want to use instant video. Is there any easy way to get instant video running on the CM7 Kindle Fire? I understand the need and method to hide root or temporarily unroot, but I've seen posts saying install some amazon account stuff, then the app.
Are there any simple steps to take in order to do this properly and watch my amazon prime instant videos on cm7?
( example: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1347745 )
I have joined the ranks of the kindle fire with the 139 deal. I was about to drop on a ipad2 3g referb but jumped on the KF. I'm looking to root and install the go lanucher Ex and Play store.
My questions
1. How is the stock KF on battery life compaired to the CM7 rom?
2. I love how my Galaxy S2 functions and way to recreate that on the KF?
Greetings,
What are the trade-offs and benefits of installing full Android (CyanogenMod most likely) versus just installing the Google Play store? It seems like with the Google Play store you would have 90% of things right there. Just trying to identify if I need to install CM. I do like having Amazon's music/video service working on my Fire HD (v2012).
Thanks
Side note: I do run CynogenMod on my Galaxy SIII.
Hi!!
SteveOaks said:
Greetings,
What are the trade-offs and benefits of installing full Android (CyanogenMod most likely) versus just installing the Google Play store? It seems like with the Google Play store you would have 90% of things right there. Just trying to identify if I need to install CM. I do like having Amazon's music/video service working on my Fire HD (v2012).
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read cyanogenmod features, you will not regret installing
cyanogenmod disadvantage:
amazon will lose services
Not sure which amazon music/video service you were referring to but I thought I'd point out that last I checked the Google mp3 cloud service holds way more music than Amazon's for free. I mean even before I flashed cm I started using it just because of that and my mp3 collection is only around 2 thousand songs, whereas I think amazon does it by time limit. Another upside is some apps won't appear in the Google play store when running the amazon os that the kindle is perfectly able to run, but they do however show up in cm based OS's. Not to mention it's way easier to install whatever launcher you want without risk of softbricking in the event of you forgetting to set permissions, oh and wallpaper works without having to apply a fix. I feel a bit biased towards using non-stock roms because stock seems never to be enough for me but weigh it how you will.
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HD running CM10.1 Tablet UI using xda-developers app
Hi,
Any ways I can install a 3rd party fresh ROM on my Kindle Fire HD 8 2017 edition? I am sorry for any confusion but did not find anything myself here.
I would like to know this as well as I just purchased one and while I like Amazon FreeTime for my kids, the lack of a REAL YouTube app makes the tab useless IMO as I'm a YouTube Red account holder and need to be able to save video offline for my son to watch while on the road. Standard Android parental controls are the best as I get to pick and choose what apps a child can use.
enjoycool said:
Hi,
Any ways I can install a 3rd party fresh ROM on my Kindle Fire HD 8 2017 edition? I am sorry for any confusion but did not find anything myself here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
(V)eGa said:
I would like to know this as well as I just purchased one and while I like Amazon FreeTime for my kids, the lack of a REAL YouTube app makes the tab useless IMO as I'm a YouTube Red account holder and need to be able to save video offline for my son to watch while on the road. Standard Android parental controls are the best as I get to pick and choose what apps a child can use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Currently there is no root for FireOS 5.3.2.1 or above. Without root, you can't install a custom ROM. When, or if root is found, it will be some time thereafter before a custom ROM might be available.
(V)eGa said:
I would like to know this as well as I just purchased one and while I like Amazon FreeTime for my kids, the lack of a REAL YouTube app makes the tab useless IMO as I'm a YouTube Red account holder and need to be able to save video offline for my son to watch while on the road. Standard Android parental controls are the best as I get to pick and choose what apps a child can use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If YouTube is your only intention, then follow this thread. This will let you install All Google things without any problem.
If you understand things properly, you can also install newer version of those from the sources. Working fine for me. My intention is not to register my tab with Amazon but to lock apps so that my kids to not go anywhere wrong.
I just brought my Fire HD 10 2017 (12/15/17). I have it looking/ running almost like stock android. I have the play store, a few Google apps, an app draw & no adds on my lock screen. All without root. Iam still, however, fighting with getting live wallpaper to work & the lock screen wall paper changed.
Ahhhhh man I got so excited when I saw this thread then what a major let down. Any progress on root for the 7th gen. HD 8? I know you guys figured it out for the 10", but I 'm stuck with an 8" I got for Christmas so I went out and bought a SM-T580 10.1" Samsung Galaxy Tab A so I can have fun with root, custom ROMs, etc etc. I hope somebody can tell me some good news on the progress of rooting the 2017 7th gen. Kindle Fire HD 8. What about TWRP for it? No chance bc no root access I'd assume but I'm a noob, lolol. Cheers
Intelli69 said:
Ahhhhh man I got so excited when I saw this thread then what a major let down. Any progress on root for the 7th gen. HD 8? I know you guys figured it out for the 10", but I 'm stuck with an 8" I got for Christmas so I went out and bought a SM-T580 10.1" Samsung Galaxy Tab A so I can have fun with root, custom ROMs, etc etc. I hope somebody can tell me some good news on the progress of rooting the 2017 7th gen. Kindle Fire HD 8. What about TWRP for it? No chance bc no root access I'd assume but I'm a noob, lolol. Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, this is currently the major thread looking for root. And, I'm really sad to say this, but the odds are very very high that there will not be TWRP available to this device, ever. Not because it's very hard to compile TWRP for MediaTek, but Amazon keeps their bootloaders locked down, forever. It will be impossible to install TWRP until we crack the bootloader, which is one of the hardest things in Android Exploiiting.