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How to use the 15 special keys and 11 keyboard shortcuts on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

Last updated on: September 1, 2021, first published on: September 2, 2021 Leave a Comment

The official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus) is one of the most useful accessories if you need to type a lot on the Fire HD 10 tablet. But some owners are confused about the 15 special keys and are not aware of the keyboard shortcuts that can improve their productivity greatly.

This guide explains the meaning and usage of the 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus). The available keyboard shortcuts are also explained to help you improve your productivity.

If you want to know how to pair or configure the keyboard, please check this guide.

What are the 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

There are 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus). 13 of them are located in the top row, and the other two are left to the space bar, as illustrated below.

These special keys offer a few unique features and functions for Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus).

Please note, these special keys work for Amazon Fire HD tablets only. If you pair the keyboard with tablets of other brands, some of them may not work.

15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)

Now, let’s go through these 15 special keys one by one.

1. Home Key

Home key: 15 special keys on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021

The Home key allows you to return to the home screen of the Fire HD tablet.

… Read the rest

How to use the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

Last updated on: September 3, 2021, first published on: July 25, 2021 4 Comments

With the release of the 11th Gen of Amazon Fire HD 10 (and Fire HD 10 Plus), Amazon introduced the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus). The wireless keyboard cover is also part of the productivity bundle for Fire HD 10 2021.

This Fire tablet guide explains the advantages (and disadvantages) of the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus), how to attach and remove the wireless keyboard cover from Fire HD 10 2021, how to pair the wireless keyboard with Fire HD 10 2021, and how to use the official wireless keyboard on Fire HD 10 2021 and Fire HD Plus.

What is the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?

The official wireless keyboard cover for Amazon Fire HD 2021 actually is not an Amazon product. It is made for Amazon by Fintie, which is an Ohio-based accessories maker. Of course, just like the Fire tablet, the keyboard cover is manufactured in China.

The wireless keyboard covers consisted of a wireless keyboard and a back cover. When folded, the keyboard acts as the front cover to protect the screen.

When opened, you can have a laptop-like setup. But you can tilt the screen only up to 110-120 degrees. So the range of the viewing angle is limited with most laptops.

These two pieces are connected magnetically. The magnetic force is quite strong. But it is still easy to detach the back cover from the keyboard.

Fire HD 10 2021 (or Fire HD 10 Plus) is fitted onto the back cover, which then connects to the Bluetooth keyboard magnetically with the aid of four notches.As… Read the rest

How to Use Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD Plus (2021)?

Last updated on: September 3, 2021, first published on: July 10, 2021 Leave a Comment

Split Screen is a new feature introduced in the 11th Gen of Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus. It allows you to use two apps side by side concurrently.

This Fire tablet guide explains what Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021) is, how to launch apps in the Split Screen mode, and how to manage and resize screen size for Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021).

Please note, although 9th Gen Fire HD 10 (2019), 10th Gen Fire HD 8 (2020), and Fire HD 8 Plus (2021) also are on Fire OS 7.3, the split-screen feature currently is exclusive for the 11th Gen of Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021). It is unclear whether Amazon will port back this feature to these older devices.

What is Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD Plus (2021)?

On Android, the split-screen feature was introduced in Android Nougat (7.0). Fire OS 6 is derived from Android 7.1. But Amazon did not implement it, possibly due to the low memory configurations on previous Fire HD tablets.

Now, Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus (2021) have 3GB and 4GB RAM, respectively. So, Amazon finally added this multi-window feature.

In a nutshell, the Split Screen on Fire HD 10(2021) and Fire HD 10 Plus allow you to use two apps side-by-side concurrently.

For example, you can browse the website and open a note-taking app at the same time. In this way, you can quickly copy contents from the browser app to the note-taking app. Of course, there are many different combinations depending on your needs.… Read the rest

Fire HD 10 Plus vs Fire HD 10 2021 vs Fire HD 10 2019

Last updated on: September 3, 2021, first published on: June 19, 2021 Leave a Comment

As a refreshed version of the Fire HD 10 tablet, Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen) offers a moderate update over Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen). Fire HD 10 Plus is the first “Plus” version of the Fire HD 10 series, apparently inspired by the moderate success of the Fire HD 8 Plus.

This Fire tablet guide explains the new features of Fire HD 10 2021 (11th gen) compared to Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen) and the difference between Fire HD 10 Plus vs Fire HD 10 2021 to help you decide whether you should get the new Fire HD 10, or the new Fire HD10 Plus. The productivity bundle for the 11th Gen Fire HD 10, Fire HD 10 Kids, and Fire HD 10 Kids Pro are also explained.

Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen) vs Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen): what’s not changed?

The 11th Gen of Fire HD 10 is not a significant upgrade to the 9th Gen. A lot of key features and specs (and the price) still keep unchanged.

Chipset (CPU/GPU)

The tablet is still powered by the same MediaTek MT8183 (64-bit octa-core).

It is a decent entry-level mobile chip and is probably still the fastest processor for a tablet under $150.

Anyway, for most Fire HD 10 tablet owners, the chipset should be sufficient. You may get a bit frustrated if you play heavy games or render videos on the tablet.

Fire OS 7

Both Fire HD 2021 (11th Gen) and Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen) were released with Fire OS 7, which is based on Android Pie (Android 9).

Most Android devices released in 2021 are on Android 11.… Read the rest

The ultimate guide of USB-C fast charging on Fire HD 10 2019, Fire HD 8 2020, and Fire HD 8 Plus

Last updated on: June 19, 2021, first published on: October 14, 2020 7 Comments

The addition of a USB-C port on Fire HD 2021 (11th Gen), Fire HD 10 Plus, Fire HD10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen), and Fire HD 8 Plus makes these Fire tablets support 15W USB-C fast charging and be compatible with more USB accessories.

This Fire tablet guide explains what USB-C fast charging (PD) is, how to use it to charge your Fire HD tablets faster, and known problem and caveats of using fast charging on Fire HD tablets.

Please note, this guide only applies to Fire HD tablet with a USB-C port. Currently, Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen), Fire HD 10 Plus, Fire HD10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen), and Fire HD 8 Plus have the USB-C Port. Older generations and Fire 7 only have a micro USB port.

What is USB-C fast charging (USB PD)?

For the 10th gen Fire HD 8 (Fire HD 2020), Amazon stated:

Fully charge in under 5 hours using the USB-C cable and 5W power adapter included in the box. Fully charge in under 4 hours with 9W adapter (sold separately), and under 3 hours with 15W adapter and USB type C to C cable (adapter and cable sold separately).

Essentially, you can fully charge Fire HD 8 2020 or Fire HD 8 Plus (and Fire HD 10 2019 and Fire HD 10 2021) within 3 hours with the fast charging. It shortens the charging time by 40%.

So, what is the USB-C fast charging on Fire HD 8 2020 and Fire HD10 2019?

Actually, it is not “fast” charging. It is a standard USB-C charging.

The technology, or the standard, behind it is USB Power Delivery (PD) 2.0.… Read the rest

Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) vs Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen) vs Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen)

Last updated on: June 19, 2021, first published on: September 11, 2020 4 Comments

Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) vs Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen) vs Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen) Amazon announced two models for the 10th generation of Fire HD 8: Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 8 Plus, instead of traditionally one, as the successor of Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen).

So, what are the differences between Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) vs Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen) vs Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen)?

This Fire tablet guide explains the significant differences among Fire HD 8 Plus (2020), Fire HD 8 2020 (10th gen), and Fire HD 2018 (8th Gen) to help you understand the benefits of the improvements.

Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) vs Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen)

Fire HD 8 Plus and Fire HD 8 2020 share identical dimensions and ports. So the cases for these two tablets are interchangeable.

The hardware inside these two tablets is almost identical with two exceptions (read on). Both tablets also run the identical software with almost identical Fire OS 7.3 (which is based on Android Pie/9.0). This also means it is very easy to add Google Play Store to both tablets. You can also use the micro SD card as internal storage on both devices as well.

There are two major differences between Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) and Fire HD 8 2020.

Difference 1. Fire HD 8 Plus has a 3GB RAM

Amazon increased the RAM in Fire HD 8 (10 gen)to 2GB (from 1.5GB in previous generations). And Fire HD 8 Plus further increases the RAM to 3GB.

So, Fire HD 8 Plus is the Fire HD tablet with the largest RAM, currently. Remember, the latest Fire HD 10 (Fire HD 10 2019) only has 2GB RAM.

More RAM is good news for heavy users. … Read the rest

How to use the micro SD card on Fire HD 10 (9th Gen and 11th Gen), Fire HD 8 (8th and 10th Gen) and Fire 7 (9th Gen)?

Last updated on: June 19, 2021, first published on: January 2, 2020 28 Comments

With the release of Fire OS 6 on Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen) and Fire 7 2019 (9th Gen), and Fire OS 7 on Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 2020 (10th gen), Fire HD 8 Plus (2020) you have the new option of using the micro SD card as the tablet (internal) storage (adoptable storage) to expand the internal storage on these 3 5 devices.

This guide explains the new option and the pros and cons of using the micro SD card as adoptable storage on Fire HD 10 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 (8th Gen), Fire 7 (9th Gen). Fire HD 8 2020 (10th Gen), Fire HD 8 Plus 2020, Fire HD 10 2021 (11th gen) and Fire HD 10 Plus. It also explains when you need to use the adoptable storage option.

The guide also shows you how to use the micro SD card as internal storage, and how to manage the SD card on Fire HD 10 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 (8th Gen), and Fire 7 (9th Gen).

What is the new option of using the Micro SD card on Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 (8th Gen) and Fire 7 (9th Gen)?

In addition to using the SD card as external storage, you can now use micro SD card as internal storage (adoptable storage) on Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen), Fire HD 10 Plus, Fire 7 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen), Fire HD 2020 (10th Gen), and Fire HD 8 Plus (2020).

Since Android Marshmallow (Android 6.0), Google added adoptable storage for the micro SD in Android devices.… Read the rest

Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen): everything you need to know

Last updated on: June 19, 2021, first published on: November 23, 2019 16 Comments

Fire HD10 2019 (Fire HD 9th Gen) is an updated model for Fire HD 10 2017 (7th Gen). It is a significant update with some new features and improvements and at the same affordable price.

As Amazon stopped the Fire HDX series of tablets, Fire HD 10 is the “flagship” tablet from Amazon. And Amazon now refreshes the tablet every two years. Fire HD 10 and Fire 7 were updated from 7th Gen to the 9th Gen in 2019.

This guide explains everything you need to know about Fire HD 10 9th Gen: the new features, pros and cons (review) of Fire HD 10 2019, alternatives to this tablet, and answers to questions you may have about this tablet.

Please note, the successor of Fire HD 10 2019 is Fire HD 10 2021 (11th Gen). You can find the updated features here.

Top 9 new features of Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen)

The 9th Gen of Fire HD 10 looks similar to the previous 7th gen Fire HD 10. Actually, the ports, buttons, cameras, and speakers are located almost in identical locations. The dimensions are also almost identical.

But don’t be fooled by the look. There are some excellent new features. Here are the top 9 new features (compared to Fire HD 10 2017).

USB-C port

Finally, Amazon ditched the vintage micro USB port with the future-proof USB-C port on Fire HD 10 9th Gen.

The USB-C port offers numerous advantages. For example:

The connector is symmetric. You can easily insert the cable into the port without turning on the light.
More protocols can be supported.
You can use more USB accessories without needing USB-OTG.
You may charge the tablet faster (read on) with a standard charger with USB-C Power Delivery.

… Read the rest

How to install Google Play Store on Amazon Fire Tablet: Fire 6, Fire 7, Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10?

Last updated on: June 19, 2021, first published on: December 9, 2018 156 Comments

install Google Play Store on Amazon Fire Tablet: Fire HD 7, Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10

Google Play store is the store for Android devices. Although Amazon App store and the pre-installed Amazon apps are sufficient for some owners, many users may need to install Google Play Store on Amazon tablet to get more value from their Fire 6, Fire 7, HD 8 or HD 10.

This fire guide explains steps of installing Google Play Store on Amazon Fire tablet, and show you how to download and install the 4 correct APK files.

This guide applies to all Amazon fire tablets with Fore OS 5 or newer. So, you can follow this guide to install Google Play Store on Amazon fire tablets including Fire 6, Fire 7, Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10 from 4th gen to 8th gen, including the Kids edition.

Why do I need to manually install Google Play Store on Amazon fire tablet?

In a nutshell, Amazon tablet is an Android tablet. Fire OS in Amazon tablet is based on Android.

In the past, Amazon tried very hard to make it difficult to install Google Play store on the Fire tablet. But since Fire OS 5 (corresponds to Android Lollipop 5.1), Amazon apparently stopped the efforts.

But you should not expect Google Play store or any Google services on Amazon products: they are direct competitors on all fronts: Amazon Appstore vs Google Play store, Amazon Fire TV vs Google Chromecast, Amazon Echo vs Google Home, Amazon Video vs Google Play TV movies + YouTube Prime, Amazon Cloud vs Google Cloud ….

The relationship between Google and Amazon is so intense that Amazon bars Google Chromecast and Google Home in the platform. You can buy everything from Amazon except Chromecast and Google Home.… Read the rest

How to setup a Google account on Amazon Fire tablet?

Last updated on: December 9, 2018, first published on: March 31, 2015 146 Comments

Update (2018):

For Fire Tablet 4th gen to 8th gen (Fire HD 7, Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10), you may check this guide to find out how to install Google Play Store directly on the tablet.

Some links to APK files in this post were broken. Please use this guide if you want to install Google Play store or use any Google services on your Amazon Fire tablet.

Update (2016): What works and what doesn’t when set up a Google account on Amazon Fire tablet?

1. For Fire tablet 5th generation (Settings–Device options –Device model)

If you have own the current generation (5th) of Fire tablet, you can use Google Play store as well. Just install the 4APK files, and run one ADB command. Everything should work, including the Google Play store. You can update Play services and all apps through the Play store.

For Chromecast users, screencast (screen mirroring) also works!!

Yes, the $50 fire tablet can run Google Play store and almost all Google apps without issues.

2. For all previous generations of Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, and Kindle Fire HDX tablets

Almost all Google apps except Google Play store, work on all previous generation of Kindle Fire tablets. This is very likely blocked by Amazon. But you can install Google apps APK files directly. GMail, YouTube,… almost all Google apps should work after you install the 4 APK files and run one ADB command.

In this case, although Google Play store does not work on these tablets, you still need to install it because some other Google apps require it.

Because you cannot update Google Play services through the Play store, you need manually install the latest version of Play services using APK files.… Read the rest

How to use the 15 special keys and 11 keyboard shortcuts on the official wireless keyboard for Amazon Fire HD 10 2021 (and Fire HD 10 Plus)?