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Fire Tablet Buyer’s Guide 2022

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Fire Tablet Buyer's Guide 2022

Amazon Fire tablet (Fire 7, Fire HD 8, and Fire HD 10) is the most affordable Android tablet on the planet. Fire tablet buyer’s guide 2022 help you decide:

  • Is a Fire tablet right for me?
  • Which Fire tablet is for me?
  • How to get the best deal on a Fire tablet.

In this Fire tablet buyer’s guide 2022, I will first explain the difference between the Fire tablet and the Android tablet, when you may consider buying a Fire tablet, and when you should not consider the Fire tablet at all. The current (2022) models of Amazon Fire tablets are compared to explain the differences among these available models in 2022. You can then decide whether you should get the 7″ Fire 7 or 8″ and 10″ HD tablet based on your budget usage, portability, and special needs.

Fire tablet buyer’s guide 2022 also explains what are the additional features or upgrades in the Plus version for Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 10. Kids edition is also discussed in detail so that you may know whether you should consider it.

This Fire tablet buyer’s guide 2022 finally explains why you should not buy a Fire tablet of the old generation and why you should avoid the refurbished Fire tablet.

Difference between the Fire tablet and the Android tablet

Amazon Fire tablet is not exactly an Android tablet, although it is often quoted as the most affordable Android tablet.

Amazon Fire tablet differs from a “normal” Android tablet in a few aspects, including:

  • No official Google Play Store access. The official app store is Amazon’s Appstore, whose app pool is less than 1/10 of Google Play.
  • No Google-related apps, for example, Gmail, YouTube, Photos, and Chrome.
… 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)?

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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)

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.

You may check Fire Tablet Buyers’ Guide to see whether you should buy the Bluetooth keyboard as a productivity bundle.

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)
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.… Read the rest

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

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Use Split Screen on Fire HD 10 (2021) and Fire HD Plus (2021)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.

Fire 7 2022 (12th Gen) is shipped with Fire OS 8. Split-screen is also supported. This guide also applies to Fire 7 2022.

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.… Read the rest

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

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

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USB-C fast charging on Fire HD 10 2019, Fire HD 8 2020, and Fire HD 8 PlusThe 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 problems and caveats of using fast charging on Fire HD tablets.

Please note, this guide only applies to Fire HD tablets 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. Fire 7 2022 (12th Gen) now also switched to the USB-C port and therefore this guide also applies to the 12th Gen Fire 7 (2022)

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 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?… 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)?

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use micro SD cardWith the release of Fire OS 6 on Fire HD 8 2018 (8th Gen) and Fire 7 2019 (9th Gen), Fire OS 7 on Fire HD 10 2019 (9th Gen), Fire HD 8 2020 (10th gen), Fire HD 8 Plus (2020), and Fire OS 8 on Fire 7 2022, 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),  Fire HD 8 Plus (2020), and Fire 7 2022 (12th Gen).… Read the rest