Kindle Fire HD question

[jwhess]

A sister asked me to help her with her Kindle Fire HD tablet.  Her husband *who died last year) had used it.  It was charged when she brought it but no one knew the password.  She said just wipe it out and start over.  I got the unit to reset and reload.  The operating system wanted to update. I agreed  

 

This is a 3rd generation device, with 16 GB storage.  The update ended with version 4.5.5 (I think).  When I loaded the JW Library from JW.ORG through Amazon, everything was fine.  When I opened the app it says that the app can't work with this version.  I have tries uninstalling and reinstalling.  Still no success.

 

I finally tried a new update to the Kindle Fire OS and downloaded the app directly from Amazon.  It opens to the home page of the app but nothing works, the menus allows me to go to the "Bible" but won't download any version (it just sits and spins the icon)  I tried something smaller like a tract in the Teaching toolbox.  Same result.  I don't get the error message this time just no results.

 

Is this device or the operating system too old for the current JW Library app?  I don't know what to tell the sister.

[Myew]

If it's the 2013 model, it looks like it's too old for the Fire Toolbox that would let you sideload it easily. Guessing it's probably not going to work there. https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/windows-tool-fire-toolbox-v12-0.3889604/

[jwhess]

1 hour ago, Myew said:

If it's the 2013 model, it looks like it's too old for the Fire Toolbox that would let you sideload it easily. Guessing it's probably not going to work there. https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/windows-tool-fire-toolbox-v12-0.3889604/

Thanks very much Br. Alex.  The XDA people have lots of experience.  I used to modify the old 9 inch Nook HD tablets to root and install Android 4.4.   they worked well for the JW app but the support ended when Android 5.1 took over.  the hardware was not sufficient to continue to put any effort into the mods.

 

I think I will quit trying with this Kindle, it is almost 8 years old.  Maybe I'll put it in eBay for $15 and see what happens.

Edited March 19, 2021 by jwhess

[Myew]

I forgot to mention, it could be that it just might take an hour or so on the old hardware for JW Library just to install it's catalog of files, after you first boot it up. If the battery, flash storage and CPU are old, it can take a really long time. After everything gets formatted properly, it might load in faster. But yeah, it's generally not worth the hassle when during major sales you can get the great 8" tablets for $50.

[lord-360]

Don't know finances, but a new fire tablet isn't to much. I always tell people on a budget they are the best bang for your buck for jw library. Especially when on sale.

[jwhess]

14 minutes ago, lord-360 said:

Don't know finances, but a new fire tablet isn't to much. I always tell people on a budget they are the best bang for your buck for jw library. Especially when on sale.

Thanks.  I am not a Kindle person.  I do have many decades in building computers, so the sister thought I could get it restarted to give someone without a tablet.  I do not think I would want to put this project on a newbie. An old device, minimum memory and jus 16 GB of storage does not sound like a worthwhile project (even if I was successful).  I will suggest she let me get rid of it.  Someone might like it for a color display eReader.

[Witness1970]

59 minutes ago, jwhess said:

Thanks.  I am not a Kindle person.  I do have many decades in building computers, so the sister thought I could get it restarted to give someone without a tablet.  I do not think I would want to put this project on a newbie. An old device, minimum memory and jus 16 GB of storage does not sound like a worthwhile project (even if I was successful).  I will suggest she let me get rid of it.  Someone might like it for a color display eReader.

I thought about using my old Kindle Fire just for pictures.  I bought it about 2013.  It worked OK at first, but wasn't anything great.  I still have an original kindle, not a tablet, just a book reader.  It is very light weight and I have loads of books and magazines on it.  The Kindle Fire is much heavier than my old kindle and I still enjoy reading from the simple old kindle.

 

I would prefer to an old phone for a tablet than to try to use the Kindle Fire nowadays.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Witness1970

[lord-360]

On 3/19/2021 at 3:05 PM, jwhess said:

Thanks.  I am not a Kindle person.  I do have many decades in building computers, so the sister thought I could get it restarted to give someone without a tablet.  I do not think I would want to put this project on a newbie. An old device, minimum memory and jus 16 GB of storage does not sound like a worthwhile project (even if I was successful).  I will suggest she let me get rid of it.  Someone might like it for a color display eReader.

Been building computers since 5th grade! Love it as a hobby that my dad showed me. Built a pc for a friend at my hall early into the pandemic and its giving great quality videos on zoom.

 

 If someone needs cheap a 7 inch kindle runs low as $35 sometimes. I'm not a big kindle person either, but specs wise I can't beat them for budget.

[jwhess]

I returned to this tablet (Fire HD 3rd Gen).  It still wouldn't let me install JW Library but I went to JW,ORG and downloaded the apk file and got it to install on the tablet.  The only thing wrong is the app does not detect my wifi internet connection.  Every time I try to download something it tells me I need to start my internet connection.  The table has my wifi working quite well (for an 8 year old tablet).  

 

So I went to JW.ORG, opened the Library menu and chose a book to download. I selected the jwpub file and the Kindle device said it would download the file into the "downloads: folder.  When the file was downloaded, the tablet aske me if I wanted to install it in JW Library app.  I clicked YES and the file was put in the app.  It opens correctly and shows in the menu as installed.  I selected one book for "favorites" and it shows there.

 

But when I try to select another publication or Bible from the list that needs downloading, Kindle tells me my internet is not connected.  I spent several hours going to JW.ORG, selecting a book from the library source, asking for a jwpub download and agreeing to put it into  the JW Library app.  It works but I can't find out why the app doesn't see my internet.

 

I clicked the boxes on cellular streaming and download (this tablet has no cellular parts).  I turned on the "Offline" feature.  then I rebooted and turned it back on.  I have turned on and off the cellular options.  Is this problem because I "sideloaded" the apk instead of directly installing from Amazon?

 

Any suggestions.  It works but it is annoying and I can't update.