Category Archives: Android

How To Take Screenshots On The Samsung Galaxy Player 4 & Galaxy Player 5

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

If you have a Samsung Galaxy Player 4 or Galaxy Player 5 device running the default Android 2.3.5, there is no easy way to take screenshots. (Which is surprising, since Samsung’s Galaxy line of tablets usually include a screenshot button … Continue reading →

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Apple’s iPad Mini vs Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

Apparently, the release of the iPad Mini actually caused an uptick in Kindle Fire HD sales. I’m not surprised by this – the $130 dollar price differential is quite a difference. Additionally, the Kindle Fire HD has a better display … Continue reading →

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Install Android 4.1 Jelly Bean On A First-Gen Kindle Fire

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

Ars Technica has a good article on the process, along with the pros and cons of doing so. It appears the first-gen Kindle Fire hardware has enough power to at least handle Android 4.1, (though by rooting your tablet, you … Continue reading →

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Barnes & Noble Announces Nook HD And Nook HD+ 7 And 9 Inch Tablets

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

Today Barnes & Noble announced two new Nook tablets – the Nook HD, a 7 inch device, and the Nook HD+, a 9 inch device. The Nook HD has a substantially upgraded display with a 1440 x 900 resolution, and … Continue reading →

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The Apple iPad 3 vs. the Kindle Fire HD – Amazon’s reductionist ethos

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

Let’s talk about shiny toys. Specifically, the new Kindle Fire HD. I read a lot of tech news, so when the original Kindle Fire came out and the new Fire HD arrived, I was amused by the reaction of many … Continue reading →

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Ars Technica Reviews The Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

Ars Technica has a mostly negative review of the 7-inch Amazon Kindle Fire HD. Still, I suspect the reviewer missed the point. The Fire HD isn’t intended as a full-fledged tablet computer. Instead, it’s met as a passive media consumption … Continue reading →

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Is The Kindle Fire HD Easy To Repair?

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

The iFixit teardown seems to think so. Given Amazon’s commitment to low prices, it was probably easier to build a tablet that offers easy repair accessibility, rather than relying on glue and solder and other Apple-style design choices. So if … Continue reading →

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A hands-on Kindle Fire HD 7 inch review

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

Here’s a good hands-on review of the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD. Weirdly, the Kindle Fire HD does not seem to have a native camera app – the only way to access the camera is through the Skype client. But overall, … Continue reading →

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further thoughts on Kindle Fire HD ads

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

Here is an excellent editorial analyzing some of the motivation behind Amazon’s ad policy on the new Kindle Fire HD tablets. It’s important to remember that the Fire HD isn’t designed as a tablet as such, but as a storefront … Continue reading →

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Disable the Amazon Kindle Fire HD ads?

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Jonathan Moeller

It appears Amazon has changed its mind, and will allow users to disable the ads on the Kindle Fire HD tablets in exchange for a $15 fee. I suspect not too many people will actually pay this. I’ve noticed that … Continue reading →

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