

APP STORM

Best Kindle Fire Apps

A Torrent of Games, Tools and Learning Applications

Free and paid, for Young and Old

by Steve Weber

Copyright 2013 Steve Weber

Smashwords Edition

#  Introduction

App Storm

Best Kindle Fire Apps

by Steve Weber

A WORD ABOUT FREE APPS

Amazon's Kindle Fire is a very affordable tablet computer. It runs on the Android operating system and, because of that, there is a wide variety of apps that expand its potential enormously. Kindle Fire offers enormous utility for a low price.

But what really makes the Kindle shine is the Amazon App Store, which allows you to effortlessly find and download a breathtaking array of games, entertainment, utilities, and tools.

I have two major pieces of advice when it comes to app shopping. First, remember that most paid apps usually have a free "lite" version which enables you to judge whether it's worth spending a few dollars more to get the full-fledged version. I have two young children in my family who love playing with my Kindle Fire. Every time they've asked to download a paid app, I've been able to find a free version of it that keeps them entertained just fine.

Also, remember that Amazon has a "Free App of the Day" promotion. Each day of the year, one paid app is available for free download until midnight of that day. If you remember to do it every day, this one feature of Amazon's store could save you $1,000 or more during the course of each year!

If you'd like to be alerted each morning to that day's Free App, sign up for my e-mail newsletter, Free App of the Day. That way, you can quickly see if it's something you want and, if so, archive the free app immediately to your Amazon account, even if your Kindle Fire isn't within reach. Then you can download it from Amazon's Cloud storage anytime afterwards, when you're using your Kindle Fire.

Yep, everyone likes free stuff, especially when it's something that you'd have to fork over a few clams to get it any other day of the year

Pictured above: The free newsletter, Amazon Free App of the Day.

To sign up for the newsletter, visit this page.

##  Fast start guide to the Kindle Fire

If you're brand new to the Kindle Fire, you're in luck because this section of the book reviews basic Kindle Fire features and troubleshooting. If you're already familiar with the Fire, congratulations, you can jump ahead to the next chapter.

The Kindle Fire is an advanced eReader with extensive multimedia capabilities. The device utilizes a touch-screen for an input device. It has a headphone/speaker jack on the bottom of the device. The wall charger port doubles as a USB connection to your computer.

If you're familiar with Kindle devices or tablet computers already, the setup process will be easy for you. Verify that your packaging contains your Kindle Fire and a wall socket charger. Remove the device from the plastic cover, plug the appropriate end of the charger cord into the Kindle, and the other end into the wall socket. Charging should take between 3 and 4 hours to complete fully, though this may vary. The light next to your power button indicates your battery charge state: amber for charging, green for charged.

Your device will walk you through your initial setup. Provided you have an Amazon account already, this will take less than 5 minutes to complete. The full procedure is detailed below for those not fully familiar with these devices. If at any time you need to access your settings menus, you can click on the Gear icon on the top of the screen, which will give you access to the various settings on the device.

##  Firing up your Kindle for the first time

The Kindle Fire comes packaged with a wall charger. Carefully remove the device from the packaging. The Kindle's battery will be partially charged, but it's best to charge it for at least three hours before using the device. To power up the device:

  1. Insert the power cable into the base of the device, between the power button and the headphone input.

  2. Plug the other end of the adapter into a wall outlet to begin charging the device.

  3. An LED on the power button indicates when the device is partially or fully charged. It will glow amber when it is charging and change to green when the device is fully charged.

The Kindle will automatically turn on when you plug it in.

An orange arrow will appear on your device, indicating that it is locked. To unlock the device, slide your finger across the screen to the left, starting on the arrow and dragging it across the screen. This finger motion is sometimes called "swiping."

##  Turning the device On/Off

The power button on your Kindle Fire serves several functions.

  4. To turn your device on or off, press and hold the button until a confirmation window pops up on the screen.

  5. To put the device in sleep mode, press and release the button quickly.

  6. To reboot the device, press and hold the power button for 20 seconds. The device will turn off. Restart your Kindle by pressing the power button again.

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**TIP:** Like any electronic device, the Kindle Fire will "freeze" from time to time. If this happens, follow the rebooting procedure detailed above. It's normal for this to happen on occasion. If it happens consistently, however, you may want to consider contacting Amazon's customer support staff.

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##  How to navigate the touch-screen

The touch-screen is one of the Kindle Fire's standout features. Using it is literally as easy as pointing your finger.

To use the touch-screen, start by unlocking your device. Pull the orange arrow to the left by placing your finger on the screen—only light pressure is necessary—and pulling as if you were physically pulling the arrow. This "swiping" motion will quickly become second nature.

The basic methods of navigating the Kindle Fire are:

  1. To select an option, link or menu item on the screen, "press" the appropriate button by tapping it with your finger.

  2. To advance one page forward, tap the right-hand side of the screen

  3. To page backward, tap the left-hand side of the screen

  4. To bring up an alternate menu while using an application or eBook, tap the center of the screen

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**TIP:** Screen protectors are thin plastic coverings that can help protect your Kindle's screen from dirt and scratches. They're inexpensive, and will extend the life of your device. Searching for "Kindle Fire screen protector" at Amazon.com will show listings from several vendors.

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Pictured above: The Kindle interface and controls

##  Registering/Setting up the device

When you first plug in and boot up your Kindle, it will automatically guide you through the registration process. You will need an Amazon account to register the device to use all of its features. The automatic process is easy. The first screen will ask for your username and password for your wireless connection. Fill in the fields and let the device connect. Once it does, fill in your email address and password for your Amazon account. The device will register itself and you'll receive an email confirmation at the email address associated with your Amazon account.

If you did not go through the registration process when starting the device, take the following steps to complete registration of the device:

  1. Tap the Gear icon at the top of the screen, to the right of the clock and to the left of the battery indicator.

  2. Select Wi-Fi

  3. Select your wireless network

  4. Fill in your password

  5. The device will read "connected" to the right of your wireless network name when it is online

Registering the Device

  1. Tap the Gear Icon

  2. Select "More"

  3. Select "My Account"

  4. Fill in the appropriate email address and password for your account

On the keyboard, you'll notice a key next to the spacebar with ".com" written on it. Use this to append URLs that have those domains—Gmail.com, etc.—to save yourself extra keystrokes!

Your account information, including any eBooks you've purchased, will be synched to your device automatically.

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**TIP** : You can deregister your device from the "My Account" menu if you want to give it to someone as a gift or if you change your Amazon profile.

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Pictured above: The Kindle Settings menu

## Battery charging life

Your Kindle Fire battery will be partially charged when you receive the device. Because the total amount of charge varies, you may have to leave it plugged in for a few hours to charge it fully, or charging may take as little as an hour.

If your battery is not charging, check the power adapter's connections to make sure they are fully seated in the device and in the electrical socket.

Your Kindle Fire will provide you with approximately 8 hours of battery life for low-level activities such as reading eBooks. If you're surfing the web or downloading files, the battery will drain faster. Here are a few techniques for conserving battery power and prolonging its life:

  1. Turn off Wi-Fi when you're not actively downloading files or browsing the Internet.

  2. If you're listening to audio or watching a video, use the headphones. Using the Kindle's speakers requires much more power.

  3. Reduce your screen's brightness.

  4. Once every 30 days, allow your battery to drain completely and then recharge it to full.

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**TIP:** Your Kindle Fire uses a lithium ion battery. Battery performance can degrade at extreme temperatures. Batteries discharge faster in cold temperatures, so warm up your device before turning it on in cold environments. Avoid leaving your Kindle in a car in the summertime or other extremely hot environments; which can cause permanent battery damage.

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##  Navigating the Carousel interface

The carousel interface on the Kindle Fire home-screen allows you to quickly browse recently used content. Items are added to the carousel in chronological order. For example, if you read a newspaper in the morning and a book in the afternoon, the newspaper will appear at the front of the carousel, with the newspaper right behind it.

Navigate the carousel by swiping your finger in either direction—left to right, or right to left. The items revolve as if they were on a merry-go-round. To open any item, tap on it.

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**TIP:** You can "fling" the carousel around very quickly by moving your finger more quickly across the screen. Moving your finger more slowly will advance the items at a lower speed.

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If you change the orientation of your device from a portrait to landscape view, the content will automatically shift to accommodate the orientation. Try it.

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**TIP:** Wondering what the difference is between "portrait mode" and "landscape mode?" It's simply the angle at which you're holding your Kindle. Portrait mode is the same way you'd hold a piece of paper to read it—the page is vertically longer than it is wide. With portrait mode, you tilt the Kindle to the side, making it wider than it is tall. As you switch back and forth between modes, your Kindle will automatically rearrange its display so that text and pictures appear right-side-up.

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Pictured above: The Carousel Showing an App and Several Books

##  Finding Kindle libraries (Apps, Books, Videos, etc.)

The home-screen on your Kindle Fire is the starting point for just about everything you'll do with the device. The home-screen includes your carousel, links to popular destinations such as Facebook, Amazon and IMDb (Internet Movie Database), and allows you to search for content. Along the top of the screen, just below the search bar, you'll find a menu with links to Newsstand, Books, Music, Video, Docs, Apps, and Web.

Pictured above: The Menu at the top of your home-screen.

Tap on any menu item to go to the corresponding section. When you open your libraries of books, videos, music and so forth, you can switch between using a list view and a grid view. The grid view presents you with thumbnail images of the covers of your books and magazines, while the list view shows smaller thumbnails but more written detail.

**Apps Library** **.** Apps is likely to be one of the most popular selections on your home-screen menu. The Apps section allows you to purchase and download Apps for your Kindle Fire, which greatly expands its functionality. Just as with the other sections of your Kindle Fire home-screen, there is a **Store >** button that enables you to shop via Amazon. You'll also be able to download one paid application for free on a daily basis, which is one of the perks of being an Amazon Prime member with a Kindle.

Amazon's Android App Store is divided into categories: Entertainment, Lifestyle, New, and so forth. Take a look through the Apps available and you'll find an incredible range of products that allow you to use your Kindle in novel ways. Everything from games to office suites is available.

The initial screen you'll get when you select the Apps button on your menu is your Library:

Pictured above: The Kindle Fire App Library

To use any of your Apps, simply click on its icon, and it will launch. Note that the Weather Channel, Pandora, and ESPN Score icons in the illustration above have an arrow superimposed on the icon. This indicates I've purchased those apps but haven't yet downloaded them to my device. Clicking on the "Device" icon near the top of the screen will take you to a Library shelf that only shows those Apps that are actually loaded onto your device.

**Newsstand:** The Newsstand section of your Kindle Fire contains magazine and newspaper subscriptions. If you don't have any subscriptions yet, you can select the "Store" button on the top of the Newsstand interface to visit the Amazon store. Once you purchase a magazine, it will automatically download to your Kindle. Items more than seven issues old are automatically deleted from your device in order to conserve storage space, but exceptions are possible. For example, if you'd like a magazine to remain on your device after the default storage period, tap and hold the magazine's cover in your library. From the menu that pops up, select "Keep". This will ensure that it is not automatically erased from your device.

After you've accumulated back issues of more than one publication, issues will be sorted by title, enabling you to easily browse your library of that particular publication.

Pictured above: The Newsstand

Newspapers are also accessed from the Newsstand menu. You can subscribe to new newspapers by selecting the "Store" button, just as you did for the magazines.

Magazines and newspapers can be displayed in two different ways. Tap the middle of the screen when you're reading a magazine or newspaper and an "options" menu will appear. You can choose between "Text" and "Page" view by clicking on the icon at the top right of the screen. Text view provides only the text of an article, while Page view shows you the magazine's original layout, including illustrations, just as it appeared on paper. You can adjust the size of the text by clicking the **Aa** icon.

##  Get your favorite magazines free on Kindle when you subscribe to print

Incidentally, one of the great things about buying magazines from Amazon is that you get them free on your Kindle Fire after you pay for your subscription to the printed copies. To see the current offers,  visit this page.

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**TIP:** Some magazines and newspapers don't come in the regular Newsstand format, but are instead provided as apps. If you want to purchase one of these, you have to buy the subscription in the Apps store and download the app to read the periodical.

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**Books library.** The Books section of your library contains all of the eBooks you've purchased from Amazon. Once you register your device, the titles and thumbnails are downloaded. The entire text of the book isn't downloaded to your Kindle until you actually open the document. To open a book, simply tap on its cover thumbnail or—if you're viewing in list view—tap on the text next to the title.

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Pictured above: The 'Manage Your Kindle' page at Amazon.com/myk. Here you can perform many administrative tasks and access all your digital media.

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**TIP:** Even though many apps are free, you still need to have "One-Click Payment" enabled at Amazon in order to "purchase" them. Ensure you have a default credit card established with your Amazon account so that you can take advantage of the many free offerings.

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**Web.** The Kindle Fire's extensive web-browsing capability is what differentiates it from most tablets. It's powered by Kindle Fire's "Silk" browser, which combines the power of your device and Amazon's Cloud to enable fast, streamlined web browsing.

At the top of the Silk browser, you'll see these buttons and functions:

Pictured above: Buttons from left to right: Home, Back, Forward, Menu, Bookmark, Full Screen

Clicking on the "Menu" option gives you access to another range of functions, including Add Bookmark, Share Page, Find in Page, History, Downloads, and Settings.

##  Shopping for apps on your Kindle Fire

Your Kindle Fire is a capable tablet computer, a handy productivity tool, and much more—but on top of all that, it's a lean, mean shopping machine. It's optimized for shopping at Amazon, of course, giving you instant access to the vast range of products available there. The Kindle Fire—and other Kindle models, for that matter—allows you to instantly network with the Amazon store, whether you're using the web browser or directly through the digital media stores.

Apps provide your Kindle Fire with many different functionalities. Your Kindle Fire is set up to download and install applications from the Amazon App Store. This process is remarkably easy and fast.

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**TIP:** There are 3rd party apps out there that you can get from other sources. It's safest to get your Apps from Amazon to avoid any problems with your Kindle Fire.

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To get to your Apps:

  1. Click on the **App** link at the top of your **home-screen.**

  2. Select any App's icon to open it

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**TIP:** Some Apps are really just shortcuts to websites. For example, the Facebook App simply opens up your Silk web browser to Facebook's website for mobile devices, M.Facebook.com. Other apps, however, have more advanced functionalities built in. The imo App, for example, allows you to connect with several different instant-messaging services.

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My App library is shown below. Notice it has a similar look and feel as the other libraries on the Kindle Fire.

Pictured above: App library.

Note that " **Cloud** " is selected on the top of the screen. This means that my Kindle is displaying all the Apps to which I have access, even the ones I haven't yet downloaded and installed on my device. Those apps that aren't yet installed on my Kindle are designated by the downward-pointing arrow superimposed on their icons.

Select " **Store >"** to go to the App store. You'll see a screen similar to the one pictured below. Each day, Amazon Prime members are allowed to download a paid app for free. Each day, a different app is featured and its price reduced to zero.

I've mentioned this previously, but it bears repeating. I offer a free daily email newsletter that shows you the Free App of the Day. When my newsletter arrives (365 days a year at 8 a.m. Eastern time), you can view the icon and description of that day's free app without necessarily having your Kindle Fire running at the time. That way, you can click through to archive the app to your Amazon account while it's still available free. Once you do that, you can download the app for free from Amazon Cloud storage anytime afterwards. To sign up for the newsletter, visit this page.

Here's a sample of my free newsletter:

Pictured above: The free newsletter, Amazon Free App of the Day.

Note that there are different categories shown at the top of the list of Apps. This allows you to browse them more efficiently.

You can search for Apps by using the search field at the top of the screen.

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**TIP:** You can search for Apps by function, as well as by title. For instance, XiiaLive Lite is an MP3 stream player. You can find it by searching for it by name or by searching for a phrase related to its function, such as "MP3 stream player."

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Pictured above: The Amazon App Store.

Briefly: Know your Android

The Kindle Fire is an Android-based device, which enables you to access thousands of apps originally developed for use on smartphones. Unfortunately, not all Android Apps function as advertised, and some of them can even be dangerous. The good thing about Amazon's App Store is that everything listed there has been screened and approved by Amazon's staff.

###  Installing an App

Installing apps is very easy. Click on the name of the App you want and you'll get a description of it. The description may contain general information, photos, reviews and recommendations, although some Apps, particularly those that aren't very popular, have less information included in their summary pages.

In the illustration below, you can see the summary page for the CNET News App:

Pictured above: The summary page for the CNET News app.

This particular app is free, so it has a button indicating this right alongside it. Select that button and the text will change to "Get App" and the button color turns green. Select "Get App," and the download and installation happens automatically—assuming, of course, you have a Wi-Fi connection.

###  How Many Apps Can You Have?

The number of apps you can have on your device is limited by the amount of storage capacity you have dedicated to them on the Kindle Fire. By default, this is a little more than 1GB. To find out how much space you have available, do the following:

  1. Go to your **home-screen.**

  2. Click on the **Gear Icon** in your **Status Bar.**

  3. Click on " **More....**

  4. Click on " **Device.** "

  5. You'll see the following screen:

Pictured above: The device screen

The orange bar underneath the words **Application Storage** shows you how much space you have remaining on your Kindle Fire for Apps. Note that your **Internal Storage** is counted differently and that it applies specifically to media content, including books, videos, and so forth.

Look at the toggle for "Allow Installation of Applications From Unknown Sources". Setting this to " **On** ", as mine is, allows you to install Apps from sources other than the Amazon App store. If you're planning on using Apps that come from other sources, you'll need this toggled to " **On.** "

## Removing Apps

Removing apps can be done in two different ways. The first simply removes the App from your device, but leaves it in the Amazon Cloud so it's available for downloading again later. Considering the amount of storage you get with the Amazon Cloud—and the small size of most apps—this is a sensible option.

To remove an App and leave it in the Amazon Cloud:

  1. On your **home-screen** click " **Apps** "

  2. Click " **Device** " on top of the **App Library**

  3. Press and hold the icon for the **App** you want to remove

  4. Select " **Remove from Device** " from the pop-up menu

Pictured above: Removing an app.

This will send the App back into the Amazon Cloud, freeing up space on your device. Note that some apps come pre-installed on the Kindle Fire, and can't be removed. You can remove them from your Favorites, which means they won't appear in your library, but they remain on your device. The good news: most of these default apps are merely Internet shortcuts, such as IMDb, so they consume very little storage space.

###  To Permanently Delete an App

If you want to delete an App permanently, you'll have to do so from your account page at Amazon.com:

  1. Navigate to Amazon.com/myk and log in

  2. Select " **Manage Your Apps** " from the " **Other Digital Content** " menu

  3. Find the App you want to get rid of on the list

  4. Click on the " **Actions** " dropdown menu on the right of the App name

  5. Select " **Delete this App** " from the menu

Pictured above: The 'Your Apps' page on Amazon's 'Manage Your Kindle' section.

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**TIP:** Once you delete an App entirely in the manner just described, it's gone for good. If you want to reinstall it on your Kindle, you must purchase it again. Remember, you have plenty of room for storage in the Amazon Cloud. Even if you've tired of an application, keep it in the Cloud if there's a chance you might use it again.

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In-App items are additional items offered from app publishers. For example, some "free" game apps contain premium features that may only be accessed after purchasing the in-app item. Some games allow you to play up to a certain level, then require a purchase before you can advance to the next level.

As usual, you purchase In-App items via your One-Click settings. If you don't have Parental Controls enabled on your Kindle, this is another opportunity for children to inadvertently spend a lot of your money. Here's how to prevent such accidents:

  1. Go to your **home-screen.**

  2. Click the **Gear Icon** to bring up your settings.

  3. Select " **More...."**

  4. Go to **Parental Controls.**

  5. Toggle the selector to " **On.** "

  6. Set your password.

  7. Select **Block and Unblock Content Types.**

  8. Toggle the entry next to **Apps** to switch it to **Blocked.**

As you can see, shopping with the Kindle Fire easy. It's designed to make shopping for digital content as smooth as possible.

Believe it or not, so far we've merely scratched the surface of your Kindle Fire's capabilities. In the next chapter, you'll discover how to use your web browser to do many of the tasks you've previously been able to handle only with a desktop or laptop computer.

## Being safe

With the potential to download apps created by thousands of Android developers, your Kindle Fire's horizons are virtually unlimited. We've explored the App library previously, and now it's time to actually look at some of the apps that take the Kindle Fire to another level beyond its out-of-the-box functionality.

Although you can obtain apps from many sources, the most convenient and safe option is dealing directly with Amazon's own App Store. You can access from your device, or from your computer at www.amazon.com/b?node=2350149011.

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**TIP:** Never download an app from an unknown source. Untrusted apps can cause technical difficulty and pose a security risk.

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#  Music

Music is the first category of our recommended apps. All the apps we'll review are available in the Amazon App Store, and many are free—or have a free trial version. When applicable, I'll mention the approximate price of the app, although you should double-check at Amazon to confirm the pricing.

Toward the end of this book, we'll take a look at some essential apps that are not available through Amazon for a variety of reasons, but will work just fine on your Kindle Fire.

Music is one of the most popular app categories for all types of tablet and smartphone users because of the portability and the vast selection of free music sources you can access wirelessly.

## Stitcher Radio

 Stitcher Radio is mentioned here in the "Music" category, but you can use it to listen to virtually any type of educational or entertainment audio programs. It's known as a "podcast" player.

I've been an enthusiastic user of Stitcher since I installed it on my first iPhone five years ago, and now I'm using it on my Kindle Fire, too. For me, Stitcher functions like a VCR for the radio, except you don't actually need to "record" anything yourself. For example, I enjoy some of the talk shows on National Public Radio during weekday mornings. But since I hardly ever have time to pay attention to the radio while those shows are on the air, I use Stitcher to replay them later that evening, or whenever I have the time. And the best thing is, if I get bored with a particular show, I just press a button to skip to the next one.

Of course, talk shows are only one type of program you can enjoy with Stitcher. You can select from more than 6,000 radio shows, live stations and podcasts, ranging from news, comedy, sports, talk, music, and storytelling programs. Stitcher gets its name from its ability to "stitch" together your personalized radio station, consisting of exactly what you're interested in hearing.

It's hard to overstate how useful this app is. In my opinion, Stitcher itself justifies the cost of a Kindle Fire and home Internet service. It provides a satellite radio-type of service with no subscription fees whatsoever! (And these days you could probably get by without home Internet. You could download stuff to your Kindle at Starbucks or anywhere else there's free Wi-Fi.)

Pictured above: On the Kindle Fire, browsing the top-level categories on the Stitcher Radio app. Stitcher automatically downloads all my favorite talk shows each day.

## XiiaLive Lite

No matter how much great music you have stored on your device or available in the Cloud, occasionally you'd rather hear something fresh and new. Streaming Internet music provides relief. For example, Internet radio stations broadcast online, offering an incredible variety of music in every genre. If you want someone else do the work of selecting the tunes, streaming radio is a great option and that brings us to our first app:  XiiaLive Lite. The Lite version is free; a  paid upgrade offers more features and no advertising.

XiiaLive Lite allows you to play Internet streams in most formats, and you can open them directly from your browser when you find the web page they're hosted on.

To find this app and others in the Amazon App Store, click the app name or icon above.

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**TIP:** Check the webpages of your local broadcast radio stations to see if they have a stream also.

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## VEVO

 Vevo offers you access to a huge number of music videos and other music content from some of the biggest names in the industry. The service is rather like going to the source for numerous other music sites, so you'll have access to everything those sites offer you and much more. This app has been compared to the golden days of MTV and has been credited with breathing new life into the music video industry.

It is supported by commercials and you will need a high-speed connection to enjoy the content. The service is very popular, however. On the Kindle Fire and especially the Kindle Fire HD's screens, music videos will look great and it should be a lot of fun for most users to browse the available catalog.

## Pandora

  Pandora is a popular website that allows you to create your own radio station based on the music that you like. This app allows you to take the service mobile on your Kindle. With the Fire's excellent sound, you'll find that your favorite music sounds better than ever. This is a streaming service, however, so be careful about running it on your 4G connection. Unless you have an unlimited data plan, it's best to run Pandora using Wi-Fi.

You'll have all the same features you'd have right on the Pandora website, so using this app doesn't require you to compromise in any way. If you want to make your Kindle into your stereo from time to time, this app gives you the ability to do so and you'll find the Pandora library to be quite extensive!

If you wish, you can upgrade to advertisement-free Pandora One by paying $3.99 a month—a bargain, in my opinion, and way cheaper than satellite radio. Otherwise, brief promotional messages occur a few times each hour. The sound is upgraded with a paid account, too—to 192K bits per second.

## I Heart Radio

 I Heart Radio comes from Clear Channel, the largest FM/AM station owner in the United States. It allows you to listen to radio stations across the nations and across several different genres. You can also customize your own station by giving information on artists you like. This app's combination of access to terrestrial radio stations and streaming, preference-based music has made it a popular choice on the Amazon App store.

This app allows you to get FM radio stations on your Kindle. You may or may not find local stations featured on it, depending upon where you live. There are many to choose from, however, so you should be able to find something that suits your tastes. College radio stations are featured so, even though this is a Clear Channel app, there are options for people who want indie rock or other forms of music that don't play on mainstream radio stations.

## Sonos

 Sonos is a music controller that allows you to utilize your own music library and several of the popular Internet streaming services. The app takes your Kindle device and lets you use it to control a Sonos Wireless Hi-Fi system. If you have multiple rooms running the Hi-Fi systems, you can control all of them from one app on your Kindle. You can even play synced music in every room or you can divide up the rooms and play different music in each of them.

This app does require that you have a Sonos player to work, so it will only be of use to people who have one in their home. If you do, however, you'll get a lot of use out this app. If you're entertaining, you can change the music—and the mood—in every room!

## HomeDJ

 HomeDJ allows you to choose from a huge library of free, non rights-managed music and to stream it to your Kindle device. You can stream directly to your Kindle device from your home computer, no matter where you are, and the sound quality is fantastic. You can use a mobile data connection with this app. Be sure you're watching that bandwidth, though! The app costs about $3.

This app supports several different formats and audio quality levels, so you'll likely find it compatible with your music files. There are advanced features, as well, such as the ability to crossfade tracks. If you want access to your music collection on the go, take a look at what this app has to offer.

## TuneIn Radio

 TuneIn Radio allows you to listen to radio stations all over the world. It has an easy-to-use interface, so you can get started fast. The service to which it is attached allows you to choose between AM and FM radio stations, to listen to over 70,000 stations around the world, which include big names such as the BBC among them. The app is designed to make radio more accessible on digital devices, so you'll likely have no trouble finding your favorite radio station among the list available.

This app will, of course, consume bandwidth, as you're actually receiving the data online. Remember to keep this in mind if you're using it over a mobile data connection, as it could eat up your bandwidth very quickly.

A  Pro version is available that lets you record and play back programs.

## GoneMad

 GoneMad is a music player that's designed to allow the user to heavily customize the interface. The free version is actually a 14-day free trial. To keep using it, you'll have to pay for the  premium version after that trail has expired.

There are a lot of different playlist options and other options included, so you may like it if the basic music players that work with the Kindle Fire aren't satisfactory for you. GoneMad should keep real music lovers and tech types busy for hours arranging playlists and playing with the many different options you have.

## Winamp for Android

 Winamp has been around for a very long time. It's gone mobile and, now, you can get it on your Kindle Fire. This is an app that you'll have to sideload, so expect to deal with that process. Winamp is one of the more lightweight music players out there as far as using up your battery is concerned, but it does take a lot of memory to run. It's capable of processing the audio that you're listening to so that you can optimize your sound, but remember that processing eats up more resources.

This app has all the usual features: playlists, graphic equalizer, looping and crossfading. It can also stream music from Internet streams. You can try out the free version to get a taste of what it has to offer, but that version is much lighter than this one and doesn't give a good example of all the different features.

#

#

# Video

## VPlayer

 VPlayer is a video player with some nice capabilities: It can play directly from Dropbox, Facebook and Gmail, so you'll be able to seamlessly access those videos if you need them. The VPlayer also uses a new decoding method that offers better performance on some devices. It handles all the major video formats and streaming protocols.

Your Kindle Fire or Fire HD comes with a video player built in, but you may want to try this one if you want something a bit more sophisticated. It's got some great features, to be sure. However, the free version is a trial that lasts only seven days. After that, you'll need to pay a few bucks for  VPlayer Unlocker.

## Simple MP4 Player

 MP4 Player allows you to play MP4 content that you have stored on your device. No codecs are required to play these files. This app also plays FLV videos, so you get some more functionality on top of what it advertises, as well. This player will not support subtitles.

The MP4 player is a nice addition if you want to use something other than the native Amazon app. If you want to experiment a bit with what's out there for video solutions, this might appeal to you.

## FLV Player

 FLV allows you to play Flash videos off of your device rather than having to be on the Internet to play them. You don't have to install the Flash plugin to do this. This offers you an easy way to watch videos that you've saved from websites and other sources when you're offline.

FLV is supported by advertisements, so you'll get some of those flashing at you when you use the app. This is really the only drawback. If you need to get access to Flash video content when you're offline, this app should provide you with what you need to accomplish that.

## Netflix

 Netflix was a pioneer in DVD rentals and movie streaming, and I've been a member since I bought my first DVD player more than a decade ago. This app brings Netflix's vast library of movies and TV shows to your Kindle Fire (and your compatible TV and smartphone, if you wish). Netflix's streaming video service costs $7.99 a month, but you can try it for one month absolutely free, just follow the affiliate link below:

 For a free one-month trial of Netflix, visit this link.

Cancel before your 30-day trial is over and you owe nothing; otherwise you'll pay $7.99 a month.

If you've got an iPhone, Android, game console, or compatible Wi-Fi-enabled television, you can usually find a free Netflix app for those devices, too, and access your account using any of your enabled devices. After switching devices, you can resume watching any shows at the point you left off.

Netflix works very well over a Wi-Fi connection, and the picture looks just fine on a large HDTV television (but not nearly as good as a Blu-Ray DVD). If you're using a Kindle Fire HD using a 4G connection, the picture quality could suffer a bit unless you have a strong wireless signal. And don't forget about data limits—unless you have an unlimited plan or Wi-Fi, watching one movie could eat up all your allotted bandwidth for the entire month!

## Watch Movies Now Pro

 Watch Movies Now Pro allows you to watch certain videos and television shows for the price of the app, a dollar. As you may have guessed, many of the movies and television programs featured on Free Movies More Pro are videos available on YouTube, but this app provides an easy way to consolidate them for better access. There are many outstanding movies that have fallen into the public domain, which means that anybody can freely watch or distribute them.

Movie Central Pro is a nice enhancement for the Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD, both of which have a great screen for watching movies. If you're a fan of classic television shows and movies, you may find this app to be very enjoyable. It's easy to use and offers a huge entertainment bang for your buck.

#

#

# Communication

Some of the utilities available for the Kindle Fire keep you safe and make it easier to get the most out of it. Here are a few to consider.

##   Skype for Kindle Fire HD

 Skype offers this version of its app especially for the new Kindle Fire HD, enabling you to video-chat with users of other compatible gadgets (you can also use Skype to make calls from your computer or smartphone).

Skype is one of the most well-known and popular messenger programs in the world. There are versions of its messenger available for the Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and all other Android devices. The Kindle Fire HD allows you to video chat with people anywhere in the world, to instant message and to make phone calls. This makes your Kindle Fire HD into a viable tablet computer where communications capabilities are concerned.

This App requires a Wi-Fi connection or a 4G connection to make calls. It's not a replacement for a regular phone, but it's a great enhancement to one. Remember that using these apps does consume bandwidth allotments on cellular Internet connections, so use it with a Wi-Fi when you can! The App store will let you know whether or not you're downloading the right version for your device.

If you are able to install your stereo's mic using the four-pin jack top the kindle fire then voila! You can voice chat-using Skype on chic kindle fire. Therefore, you need to ensure that you install the Skype application for android version before you set out on any Skype journey. This kindle fire Skype version is available in the Google android market but not available in the Amazon App store.

Most people use Skype for video chatting, which requires a device equipped with a camera and microphone (like Kindle Fire HD.) However, some Skype enthusiasts have used the basic Skype app with non-HD Fires by plugging an external microphone into the Fire's headphones jack. Although this limits you to voice chatting, the basic Android Skype app is available at the Google Play app store.

## imo

 The imo app allows you to connect to multiple types of instant-messaging services. It doesn't provide voice chatting, but you can text-chat to your heart's content. So this app is a great choice for anyone who uses text chatting for work or pleasure.

The imo app is compatible with:

  1. AIM

  2. Facebook Chat

  3. Google Talk

  4. ICQ

  5. Jabber

  6. MSN

  7. MySpace Chat

  8. Skype

  9. Yahoo

Sometimes, the best thing about a Kindle Fire is that it lets you get away from your desktop computer while you're still able to enjoy all the Internet has to offer. With imo, however, you can ensure you don't miss any important messages while you're away from your desk!

Pictured above: Let your friends know you're on your Kindle Fire!

## Yahoo Messenger

 Yahoo Messenger allows you to connect with your friends on the Yahoo network, to video chat and to do just about everything else a good messaging program does. The Kindle version allows you to chat with friends on Facebook and Windows Live, as well, making it a great option if you want to limit the number of apps installed on your device. The app is provided with a free international SMS feature, as well, which is handy if you want to reach out to someone on a cell phone.

This app may consume bandwidth if left running on a 4G device, so be sure to turn it off if you're worried about going over your limit. The video calling and audio chat features will, of course, also consume bandwidth and you might want to stick to Wi-Fi for those.

##   YAG – Yet Another GTalk- Google Talk Client for Android

 YAG is, true to its name, a client for the Google Talk instant messaging system. It allows you to connect to that account quite easily. It has an attractive interface to it that allows you to manage contacts on your Google account. You can also set your status so that you can determine whether or not people can see you when you're online.

This is a free app and, if you only use the Google Talk platform for instant messaging, you might find it to be a nice improvement from the default. Like the Skype app mentioned previously, this one works only with the newer Kindle Fire HD because it requires a built-in camera and microphone.

## Trillian

 Trillian has been around for a very long time and it remains a popular instant messaging solution. It's a jack-of-all-trades sort of program and, as such, you won't have the full functionality of some of the seven messaging networks that this program can connect to, but you will have instant messaging, file sharing and all the basics. This connects to just about any IM service out there, including Facebook, so you can enjoy having all of your contacts able to contact you in one place instead of needing all those different messengers loaded.

This is a great addition to any Kindle device. Even if you can't do video chat on your device, you can still be available and go to another device to talk, if needed.

##   Talk.to – One App for all your Chats

 Talk.to is another all-in-one chat app that earns very good ratings from users. This chat app will allow you to see all of your contacts in one place and therefore you can run this single app to stay in touch with all of them. The app is provided with sorting options and other features that allow you to customize your experience.

Talk.to is easy to use and, if you want to get your chat up and running fast with minimal account configuration, you may want to take a look at this as an option. It's got a lot of features and it's free, so you should get plenty of use out of it for the price!

## Cisco WebEx Meetings

 Cisco WebEx Meetings makes a great addition to your apps if you're using a Kindle Fire HD. It allows you to have high-quality videoconferences over the Internet. WebEx Meetings has several nice features: the video automatically switches depending upon who's talking at any given moment. You can choose full-screen video to get a better view of whoever is speaking, as well.

WebEx Meetings allows you to send invitations to the people you want to participate in your meeting and makes it easy for them to join. This is one of the most popular business applications around and the way it's designed makes it a bit more appropriate for business users than some of the other video messengers out there. This works on both Wi-Fi connections and 3G or 4G connections.

## LinkedIn

 LinkedIn is one of the most popular social networking platforms on the Internet, used primarily for business. This is a free app provided by the same company that runs the website. It allows you to access your profile, make changes to it, and do just about everything else you'd otherwise do through the site. The app simply delivers the LinkedIn site in a format that's easy to use on the Kindle.

If you frequently use LinkedIn, this is a good app to have. On the larger Kindle Fire HD, however, you may have no problem using the regular website to manipulate your profile, respond to messages, and so forth. Either way, the presence of an officially produced app for this popular social media site is definitely a good thing and, if you prefer it to the regular web interface, you may find this extremely useful.

## Facebook

 Facebook is, of course, the biggest thing out there as far as social networking goes, and this app allows you to access it on your Kindle Fire with one click. However, the app makes some Facebook tasks more difficult than they are on the regular home page. Especially if you have a Kindle Fire HD, you may have better results using the Web browser, thanks to the large display.

Facebook recently updated this app with some improvements. It allows you to see who is active on the site, so that you'll know whether or not they will receive a message that you sent right away. It also has some security improvements and a bug that caused the Kindle to restart has been eliminated in this newest version.

#

#

# Productivity

## QuickOffice Pro

 QuickOffice Pro is one of the more expensive apps you'll find for Kindle Fire, about $15. It allows you to open and edit documents in the most popular office formats, including Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents. It's required equipment if you plan on using your Kindle Fire as a productivity tool.

A capable free alternative to QuickOffice Pro is  Kingsoft Office for Android, available in the Amazon App Store. It's the only full-featured Office app in Amazon's store, and it's an outstanding application.

## Evernote

 Evernote is an application that allows you to write notes, take picture notes, record audio notes, clip Web pages, and much more. If you do research in any capacity—for fun or business—it's a must. You can share your notes between your devices, so whatever you clip on your PC or Mac will be available on your Kindle Fire. It's a great example of "hybrid computing," using the cloud to store data and perform tasks while using the offline capabilities of your Kindle Fire.

Evernote offers a premium service for $5 a month, which provides bigger upload capacity, offers greater sharing options, access to note history, PDF searching, no advertising, and more. It's well worth the money because you can easily save entire webpages, pictures, audio files and so forth without worrying about running out of space on your Kindle.

The application will sync automatically, but you can do it manually, too. You can set up as many notebooks as you want, use tags to organize the content within them and do a lot more with this app. For students, professional researchers or people who just like to learn, this is a great app that bears taking a close look at. You'll likely be glad you did. It's also light on resources, so that's a plus.

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**TIP:** If you use a customization tool such as Go Launcher, you can get a widget for Evernote that sits right on your desktop, allowing instant access to the program. It's also available for Android smartphones, so you can basically network everything you have together into one resource for taking and reading notes.

*************************

##   Office Calculator Free

 Office Calculator Free is a great choice for anyone who wants more advanced capabilities out of their calculator but doesn't venture into trigonometry or other advanced forms of math. As the name says, if you need an office calculator, this one might be for you. It even keeps a tape of your calculations! The free version has small advertisements at the top of the screen, pictured below. The  Pro version, which costs a buck and change, eliminates the ads.

Pictured above: The Office Calculator Free interface.

## Any.Do

 Any.Do is an organizer app that allows you to keep track of appointments and anything else you have going on in life. If you're a busy sort and want to use your Kindle Fire as a productivity device, this provides a nice option. It allows you to make lists, to schedule days and so forth. It's basically an Android version of a regular datebook, and it has quite a few advantages over a regular datebook. For instance, your datebook won't flip open to remind you when you're late for an appointment!

There are many different scheduling apps out there and, of course, you can also use online alternatives. For a Kindle Fire, however, this is a good option that bears a closer look from anyone who wants to make sure they never miss an important date.

This app will likely have a natural fan base among those who don't like the overly-complicated interfaces of some calendar apps.

It's very clean, easy to use, and takes care of all your planning and appointment setting needs. If you want something that's easy to look at and that doesn't require you to navigate through a lot of very dense graphics to get the information you want, consider this app. If you have a Kindle Fire HD, this app can work with voice recognition, making it even more useful.

## Day-Timer Plan2Go

 Day-Timer Plan2Go is a paid app (about $8) from the Day-Timer people who make the familiar paper and pen style Day Timers. This app replicates a lot of the functions of the pen and paper versions, with various calendar views, easy organization features and easy prioritizing. This product can synch with calendar apps from Google and Yahoo and, if you use a plug-in, it works with an Outlook calendar, too.

This app, which works only on the newer Kindle Fire HD models, has different display themes that you can use to customize the look. Be sure to check whether or not your Kindle can synch with Outlook before you get this product to use with Outlook. The full-featured nature of this app and its many familiar interfaces will likely be attractive to quite a few people and, if you're using Yahoo, Google or even Facebook calendars, you don't have any compatibility issues to worry about. Take a look at the various screens below to get an idea of what the Day-Timer offers.

The tabs on the top of the screen allow you to toggle between different views.

The next screen shows the different settings and some of the features.

Day-Timer is a well-known name which, in the world of apps and software, usually translates to support being available if you need it. This calendar has plenty of compatibility advantages and reliability advantages that make it a good choice. If you're already used ot the Daytimer brand and you want to stick with them, this product is a good one to consider.

## Smartr Contacts

 Smartr Contacts lists itself as the smartest contact manager and, depending upon what you're using right now, it might actually be a step up in functionality. The app allows you to consolidate your contacts from Google contracts and other services and keeps information on them, such as the last time you spoke with them.

You'll need to have a Gmail account to use this or, if you have it, Xobni for Outlook. If you want to increase the usability of your Kindle as a business device, this is a good option. The interface is attractive and your contacts are backed up to a cloud storage service.

## Box

 Box is a cloud storage option similar to the Dropbox app mentioned above. The free service entitles you to 5 GB of storage, and you can upgrade to 1,000 GB for $15 a month.

You can access, view, edit, share and manage files directly on your Kindle Fire. It's secured with file-level encryption, and auto-logout when you close the app.

You can save files you edit or create in other apps to your Box account and access Box files from within other Android apps using the File Picker. You can also use the same account with a desktop computer by logging in at Box.com.

## gReader

 gReader is an app that allows you to download RSS feeds to your device. If you're on a Kindle Fire that doesn't have 4G, you'll find a function of this app particularly useful. It allows you to download all of your RSS feeds so that you don't have to worry about having a live Internet connection to catch up on whatever reading you're doing.

This is an unofficial app, hence it being called "g" instead of "Google." That being said, it's a very popular program, and if your work or other endeavors require you to have access to regular updated RSS feeds, you'll find it useful. The offline functionality is particularly nice when you're traveling or when you just want to unplug for a while and not have a live connection to the Internet.

## Instapaper

 Instapaper allows you to download webpages so that you can read them offline. This app will automatically extract the text, providing a clean reading layout on your Kindle. This also saves space, of course, without depriving you of any of the content that you wanted from the page in the first place. The only downside is you've got to pay about $3 to buy the app.

The Instapaper app provides you with the ability to download newspaper pages, blogs, regular web pages or just about anything else. This is a great app to have if you want to download some content to read while you're on the road or away from the Internet. It's also great if you want to read your content without all the ads and other distractions that web pages tend to serve up these days. It's free, so the price is certainly right!

## ES File Explorer

 ES File Explorer is a file manager app. It allows you to browse your folders as you would on your desktop computer, which means that you can see everything as it appears on your Kindle's drive rather than as it appears categorized according to the default interface. This utility lets you cut and copy, rename, search through, delete, and explore the properties of your Kindle's files and folders.

This is also handy if you happen to have files that your Kindle Fire doesn't handle correctly. EBooks and other materials that may be in odd formats, for example, can be seen with this file explorer so that you can verify if they are on your drive, even if they don't show up in the Library. This app, or another like it, is necessary if you want to have complete control over your Kindle device and want to break away from the default Amazon interface.

## iTranslate

 iTranslate is one of those Kindle/Android apps that come very close to replicating what you might see in a futuristic Sci-Fi movie. This app allows you to translate from a variety of languages into your own or into another. The app allows you to type or speak the phrase you want to translate and to hear it spoken back to you and written out. The voice is very good and it allows you to get phrases read back to you, which might avoid some of the embarrassment that can happen when you try to pronounce foreign phrases.

This app is highly recommended. Remember, however, that the translation from speech requires a microphone, which limits use to the Kindle Fire HD. The voice translation feature on this device allows you to toggle—English to Spanish and then vice-versa with one button press, for instance—which makes it great if you're abroad and trying to communicate.

Take a look at the screenshot below:

Notice the double arrow key up at the top. You could tap this key, hand it to the Spanish speaker that you'd be trying to communicate with in the above scenario, have them type their reply and hand it right back to you. If you have a Kindle Fire HD, they could just speak their reply right into the microphone. Check out the picture below to get an idea.

It's hard to overstate how much use this could be for a traveler. This translator handles many languages and it's very easy to use. It's as close to a universal translator you'd see in a Sci-Fi movies as you can imagine.

*************************

TIP: Use the clearest, simplest language possible if you're trying to ask a question, which improves the translation. For example, instead of asking "How would I get to Exit 125?" simply ask "Where is Exit 125?" This prevents mistranslations.

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##   Exchange by TouchDown

 Exchange by TouchDown is a great tool for business users. It allows you to hook up to your company's Microsoft Exchange server, which means that you'll have access to all of the information that you have on your desktop in that program. You can access your contacts, your calendar, your e-mail and anything else you use in the popular office program.

This app provides a 30-day trial of the service. To continue using it, you'd be required to purchase the  full version for about $20.

Some of the features on TouchDown make it ideal for business users. For example, the sensitive information that you have on your Outlook will be encrypted on your SD card, so you don't have to worry about it being hacked. You can also remotely wipe the information off of your device if it happens to be stolen or hacked. There is even a remote kill button included with this app that allows you to instantly wipe out all of your information if you cannot reach an administrator to assist you in time.

Syncing with any corporate server is something you should only do with permission. Even if your company doesn't have good security in place and you're able to hook up to it without asking anyone, make sure you do ask before you start using any syncing products on your tablet.

##   OfficeSuite Professional 6

 OfficeSuite Professional 6 is a full-featured office program costing about $15 that allows you to work with spreadsheets, Microsoft Word documents, presentations and more. It is also integrated with the Google Docs system. Combined with the large screen of a Kindle Fire HD, this could be a great addition to your device if you use it for business and if you find yourself needing to access office documents while you're on the go.

OfficeSuite Professional 6 has capabilities that make it suitable for use on a tablet computer, but remember that it's not a complete replacement for a full-fledged office software suite. What it does do allows you to make edits to documents, review documents and to save them in the appropriate format. It will also work with PDF files, which makes it even more useful. If you need something quick and easy to edit documents with on your Kindle, this is something to consider.

## Pocket

 Pocket is an app that is designed to make it easier to read content that you like, even when you're off-line. In fact, off-line reading is precisely the point of this app. It allows you to take images, text and other content and to store it directly on your device, so you can read it at your leisure instead of having to read it when you are connected to a network. This app was originally named "Read it Later."

Pocket has another great feature: If you want, you can use the Android text-to-speech feature to have your content read to you. If you're relaxing with your Kindle and you want to listen to something using headphones instead of reading it, this is a great option. The app is described as a "DVR for the web," which is a pretty good description of what it does. You can also share the materials that you save over several different protocols, which makes it even handier.

##   PrinterShare Mobile Print

 PrinterShare Mobile Print allows you to print from your Kindle utilizing USB or Bluetooth connections. Of course, you can also use the Wi-Fi connection, which is likely the best and speediest option. You need to have the accompanying application installed on your desktop computer to enable you to use this and this is a paid app. That being said, this could be a great app for people who use their Kindle for business purposes and who need to print out documents that they receive by e-mail or other communications.

PrinterShare Mobile Print can print from Gmail, your contact list, an SMS ort MMS message and from all of the standard formats for word processing documents. You can print documents on a printer anywhere in the world with this, provided that it has the complimentary application installed on it.

This app costs about $13, so you might want to check out a free alternative, such as  EasyPrint, which works with the Google Cloud print service.

## Enhanced Email

 Enhanced Email is designed to make it easier for you to get through all of your e-mails and to organize it. The Enhanced Email app, which costs about $10, can save e-mails to SD cards, sync all of your e-mail, and has a host of other functions, such as selecting and copying text. If you have multiple e-mail accounts and want to get everything organized into one place, this is a great app to do it.

Enhanced Email has plenty of powerful features that should appeal to business users. The organizational features alone should make life a lot easier for people who have to manage multiple e-mail accounts. If you're looking for an easy way to get more out of your Kindle Fire, take a look at this app. It may have some of the things you've been looking for.

## Pocket Informant

 Pocket Informant is a great addition to your Kindle Fire if you're using it as a productivity tool. If you've already taken that step, you're probably adding apps to the desktop to help you get better organized. Pocket Informant allows you to manage calendars, to keep track of appointments and to do all of the other things that you would expect from a good calendaring program.

Pocket Informant has an attractive interface, is reasonable on resources, and is a paid app (about $10), so you don't have to worry about being left without any support options if you happen to have a problem with it. This app would work great if you are using the regular App library or if you are using a customized desktop.

## Calculator Plus Free

 Calculator Plus Free is one of the most popular apps on the Amazon market. It allows you to see your calculations as they are being processed – something very useful to people using the percentage key, which sometimes throws people for a loop – and will store your calculations between usages, so you don't have to worry about losing where you were in an equation if you have to walk away from the device for a while.

Calculator Plus Free looks great on the new Kindle Fire HD screen. This is only one of many different calculator applications out there, but its popularity makes it notable. This free version does have advertising on it, which helps to support the development of the application. If you're in the market for a good calculator that doesn't necessarily have to have all of the scientific operations on it, this might be what you prefer. You can upgrade to the  paid version and get rid of the ads for about $1.

##   Calculator Ultimate & Graph

 Calculator Ultimate & Graph is a very powerful app masquerading as an inexpensive 99-cent product. In fact, this particular app will give you access to the vast majority of functions you would find on the most expensive scientific calculators. There are five different tabs on this calculator: basic, scientific, equations, conversions and matrices. This means that, for less than a dollar, you can convert your Kindle Fire into a full-fledged scientific calculator that's more than suitable for the average college student.

You can save screens with your calculations on them and retrieve them later. You can also store 11 different values in the memory and do a lot of complex conversions. This is one of the better apps for the money out there and, if you're a math geek or if you have a legitimate need for a scientific calculator, you may want to give this one a try. Take a look at the screenshot below.

This shows the scientific tab. There are four other tabs and they have just aobut every function you'd ever want on a scientific calculator. If you want to save some money but need a calculator, this is really a great buy.

The conversion feature is shown below. Notice that it gives you four conversions right off the bat. This has some great potiential for computer science majors, of course!

This is so feature-rich that it's well worth the investment. It might be unwieldy on a smartphone but, with the Kindle Fire's big screen, it's easy to use and should give you everything you need for the toughest math course! If you're willing to forgo the graph engine and live without a few of the more advanced calculator functions, a  free version is available, too.

## LogMeInIgnition

 LogMeInIgnition is one of the more expensive options for remote desktop access apps, costing about $30. In order to use it, you register at LogMeIn.com then install the software on your desktop computer. That software works with Windows and Macintosh operating systems.

When you open an account, you get a 30-day free trial, which allows you judge whether you'd like to pay for LogMeInIgnition or try one of the less expensive options. (For example,  Splashtop Remote Desktop, profiled next, is a capable alternative and costs about $5.

LogMeInIgnition, however, is suitable for business users and allows you to work remotely on any of your computers that are set up with the complimentary software.

##   Splashtop Remote Desktop

 Splashtop Remote Desktop is another option for accessing your computer remotely from your android device. You can utilize the device to which you are connected in any way you normally would while using Splashtop Remote Desktop. For example, if you want to tune in to watch movies on your computer rather than doing so on your Kindle, you can do that with this remote desktop app.

Splashtop Remote Desktop will work with 4G connections, so you can use this with the built-in Kindle Fire HD data carrier plan. It also, of course, works over Wi-Fi connections, which provides you with a great way to access your computer when you are in a different room. If you need to start some music, quickly check the file or do anything else that you need a desktop computer to accomplish, Splashtop Remote Desktop makes it possible. An  HD version costs about $9.

##   GoDaddy Mobile Domains

 GoDaddy Mobile Domains does much more than allow you to manage domains. You can manage your other services through the popular web host, and buy anything from an SSL certificate to a new domain to a different hosting program.

The GoDaddy Mobile Domains app might be perfect for those who are very active webmasters, particularly those who have a business interest in their websites. It allows you to be notified when something is about to expire that you need to renew and allows you to make changes to your service when you're on the go, so you can take care of it when the moment hits you rather than trying to remember to take care of it when you get home.

When you open up the app for the first time, you'll see the following screen:

This will set up your alerts so that you always know when you have to change something on your accourt or renew a service that's about to expire.

The main screen looks like this:

Tap any of the icons and you'll be brought to the right secion. Using the various features is very easy and isn't compromised by this being a tablet computer. The domain lookup feature is pictured below, to give you an idea of how convenient it is.

Many of the utilities on the App Store are really enhancements or conveniences of some sort. This is a full-fledged utility that should be useful to anyone who uses GoDaddy for their domains. If you're a webmaster and you register through this company or have hosting through them, consider this a must-have app for your Kindle Fire!

# 

#  Utilities

## mSecure

 mSecure is a password manager. This is something you'll definitely want to get as you start to use your Kindle Fire more and more. The app allows you to securely store and manage your passwords, which prevents them from being stolen by hackers or by someone who actually steals your physical device.

This app allows you to store just about any type of security credentials you want. You can store info related to your credit cards, bank accounts, website accounts and so forth. The app will also randomly generate passwords for you. Remember that, with today's processor power, hackers can brute force—which basically means guess—your password using the right software in very short order. Random passwords and a secure app to store them in are both vital to proper security.

## Antair Nightstand

 Antair Nightstand transforms your Kindle Fire into an awesome alarm clock. With the right type of case, you can prop it up so that it displays perfectly next to your bed.

This app lets you choose from several different alarm clock interfaces and allows you to customize the content that you see on the screen. You can also choose from various alarms and alarm modes so that you can wake up exactly the way you want. The app also offers a handy flashlight feature for when you need to see what just went bump in the night. You can display it in landscape or portrait mode and you can leave the screen on or off while you're using it. This is a great replacement for the native Android alarm clock function and allows you to get even more use out of your device! It costs about $2.

## Battery HD

 Battery HD gives you information on how much battery power you have remaining, which might not seem all that impressive at first. What this app does, however, is provide you with real information regarding what your remaining charge means. This app lets you take a look at your remaining charge and see what you can do with it—such as how much video you can watch or how long your can browse the Web until your battery requires recharging. Take a look at the screenshot below to get an idea of what Battery HD looks like.

The app will notify you from a desktop widget and your notification bar so that you'll always know how much power you have remaining. If you want something that gives you practical information on your remaining charge, this is a good choice. Many users like this app so much they pay $2 for the  Pro version.

## ConvertPad

 ConvertPad allows you to convert various forms of measurement to other forms. Why would you need this, given that Google has the same thing? Because this is right on your Kindle, you don't have to be hooked up to a network connection to use it, which expands the functionality of your Kindle quite a bit, as you can imagine. It will convert currencies, thermodynamic measurements and more. The currency conversion is real time, so you don't have to worry about whether or not you're using outdated information.

This app supports more than 160 currencies and works in 24 languages. It also offers you the option to change the color theme, if you wish. You can also make your own formulas. This is a great app for those who like to travel and who want to make sure they're on top of the local exchange rates when they do!

## Moon Phase Pro

 Moon Phase Pro is well worth its 99-cent price tag, whether you're into astronomy or other outdoor activities. This app gives you the current moon phase, as well as data regarding the past and future. The app is lightweight and it has great graphics that really shine on the Kindle Fire screen.

The app can notify you when the new, full or quarter moons are about to arrive. There is also a calendar that gives you the moon phases. The simulation of the moon phase is beautiful. It shows a very detailed image. Your position on the Earth plays into the simulation and you'll see the moon displayed with the same crescent angle that you'll see in real life. This is a great app for anyone, no matter what their age. A widget gives your information at a glance. Take a look at what the main app shows you below.

If you're into the night sky, you'll love this app. Its' a great educational tool, as well, and you can go back and forth in time by dragging the shadow across the moon.

## Stopwatch

 Stopwatch does just what it says it will do. The application allows you to use your Kindle Fire as a full-featured stopwatch. You'll have access to lap and split functions. It will also record your best times and allow you to compare your statistics, which will, no doubt, be handy to the athletes out there. Of course, this could also be used to time tests or anything else you needed to get time data on.

This app is very easy to see, so you should have no trouble using it at a distance, such as you might if you were on an exercise machine. The stopwatch is also easy to operate, so you won't have to worry about ruining your timing data while you're trying to figure out the controls. The price, free, is certainly right and, if you need a simple app that allows you to keep time, this might be it.

If you prefer a more modern, all-digital theme, check out  Stopwatch and Timer, also free.

## Maps With Me Lite

 MapsWithMe allows you to use downloaded maps without an Internet connection. It's like having a detailed paper atlas in your pocket, wherever you are. This is an app for any Android device, so you might want to consider this for your Android smartphone if you have one, since MapsWithMe works with GPS-enabled devices. This app is very handy in that it makes Internet mapping truly convenient.

Internet mapping applications usually have one major flaw: they break down when you're traveling and outside the range of the Internet via 3G or 4G. However, this app allows you to look at maps locally on the device, so you don't have to worry about losing your way when you lose your Internet connection. On your Kindle, you can use this app to download maps and to use them when you're wandering around new cities or out on a hike. There's no connectivity required and the Kindle's screen is perfectly sized for mapping. If you pay about $5 you can upgrade to the  Pro version, which has additional search capabilities.

##   Norton Mobile Security Lite

 Norton Mobile Security Lite is made for the Kindle tablet platform, which means that it's a perfect solution for your security needs. Norton is a respected name in the security industry, which sets this app apart from other free antivirus solutions in Amazon's store. This app detects and removes viruses and malware before they infect your Kindle Fire. It scans downloaded apps and app updates for threats.

This app happens to be free, which makes it a great choice for those who want to protect their device but who aren't ready to make an investment in a particular product yet.

## AndroXplorer

 AndroXplorer is a file explorer. The Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD are both great devices, but their file explorer capabilities are somewhat lacking natively. Enter AndroXplorer, which allows you to take control of the files on your Kindle and to sort through them however you want and however you need.

There is even a My Programs feature that allows you to manage all of the different apps that you have installed on your Kindle. This makes it a lot easier to see what you may have sideloaded on your own and to get a better overview of your device. AndroXplorer go still further than this, however. The app even supports SMB servers, so you can get files from shared network resources if you happen to be on a Wi-Fi. Overall, this is a great business and personal app.

##   Alarm Clock, Calendar, ToDo List, Nightstand - Productivity Helper

 Alarm Clock, Calendar, ToDo List, Nightstand - Productivity Helper has quite a long name, but it has quite a lot of functions, as well. This application does everything that the name implies, providing you with something of a one-stop option for organizing your life and making sure that you get up in time to attend to all of those things that you've organized.

This app costs just $1 but combines many of the features that are found in more expensive options for the Kindle Fire. It's powerful, versatile and, for those who don't really need to integrate with an Exchange Server or another corporate source of files and information, it may provide an excellent option.

## Instafire

 Instafire allows you to connect to your account at Instagram, the free photo-sharing program and social network owned by Facebook. To use it, of course, you'll need an HD Kindle equipped with a camera. Thanks to this app, you can get some truly spectacular results using the image filters provided by Instagram.

This app shines partly due to the great picture quality available on the HD Kindles. If you have photos stored at Instagram, this is a good tool for browsing and enjoying them in all their spectacular glory.

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# Games

## Angry Birds Free

 Angry Birds. Surely you've heard the name. It's a game that allows you to enjoy some classic, addicting arcade-style gaming on your Kindle Fire. It's free, and you can download it instantly from the Amazon App Store. Kids of all ages enjoy this one, and it can make long road trips more tolerable.

If you like Angry Birds, you might also like  Angry Birds Space,  Angry Birds Seasons, and  Angry Birds Rio.

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**TIP:** Many apps, Angry Birds included, have a free version that contains advertising, and a paid version without ads. If you really love the free version, it's hard to resist buying the  paid versions for about a dollar. But this free/paid system enables you to sample almost everything without risking a dime.

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## Bad Piggies Free HD

 Bad Piggies is one of the latest offerings from the developer of Angry Birds. The game should keep most players busy for quite a while, with 72 levels to play and 18 puzzles that you can unlock by beating certain levels. This game has a "sandbox" level, as well, which allows you to get more creative with your game play and to take on new challenges. The game eve n allows you to create devices to change your game play experience.

The plot is very much the same, with the Bad Piggies trying to get at the bird's eggs. The interface is very simple and the game easy to play but still challenging, making it perfect for the touchscreen format! If you felt yourself feeling a bit bad for the pigs on the first version of Angry Birds, you might get into this chance to fight on the other side.

##   Minecraft Pocket Edition

 Minecraft is priced higher (about $7) than most Kindle games, but has a devoted following that may well justify its price tag. This game brings the best of what people love about Minecraft on the PC to the Kindle Fire. The game allows you to craft, build, to play with friends and to play in random worlds. The game is essentially a lighter version of the full desktop version, with adaptations that make it better for the touchscreen format.

This is a complex game that's great for those who like to build upon their achievements. You can save your worlds and keep going with them, so this is a great game if you want to do something a bit more complex than what games like Angry Birds offer. This game should keep even advanced gamers busy.

## Slender Man

 Slender Man is based on an urban legend with established roots. The legend started on a couple of popular message boards known for their pranks and, since then, Slender Man has become a popular figure in urban myths and legends. A tall, faceless figure that stalks the player, the object of Slender Man is to avoid the titular villain and find items strewn throughout the forest.

You'll be armed with nothing more than a flashlight and Slender Man is always behind you, getting closer and closer and you have to try to stay ahead of him. If he finds you, the game is over. This game may seem too simple to be scary on the surface of it but, be warned, it can get pretty intense and the short rounds of game play make it perfect for those who want something a bit darker and more involving than the average Android game!

## Plants vs. Zombies

 Plants vs. Zombies became something of a sensation on the PC. The very simple game play makes it perfect for a tablet like the Kindle and it manages to be just as fun to play on a Kindle as it is on a PC.

Keep the Zombies from reaching the house by using the various powers and weapons the plants offer. There are 49 different plants to choose from, each with its own ability. There is a heavy strategy element here and you'll have to learn to use the plants together to maximize their zombie-fighting capacity. There are 50 levels to go through, including ones that take place in different conditions, such as rain and fog, day and night. For the modest price of about $3, this game is a lot of fun and has kept even avid gamers busy for hours!

## The Haunt

 The Haunt is a horror/thriller genre game that has plenty of puzzles and mini-games built into it. The player has to investigate the source of a haunting and to close a portal that's letting all kinds of spooky stuff into the house. The game has great graphics, which make it a lot of fun on the Kindle's very advanced display. The game is also quite challenging and it shouldn't bore those who are accustomed to games that challenge them with involved puzzles and other intellectual offerings.

This game has great music, as well, so you'll want to hook up the speakers or break out the headphones while you're playing it. The game is not gory, however, so younger people who like something a bit on the spooky side will be able to enjoy, as well. This is a top seller on the App Store and offers something for all ages. If you love The Haunt, you'll surely love the sequel,  The Haunt 2.

## Solitaire

 Solitaire –if you need an explanation, you've clearly never wasted any time at work! This game brings the ever-popular card game to the Android platform and the great graphics on the Kindle only make it more fun. It's easy to play, easy on resources and easy on the wallet, of course, as this game comes completely free.

This is Klondike Solitaire, which is the most popular version of the game. If you want to play a different version, you won't' find it on this app, which may be something of a disappointment to avid players, but most people should be able to amuse themselves for a very long time playing the classic version of this card game. The game will work on smaller screens than the Kindle Fire, as well, so feel free to give it a shot if you want to get more enjoyment out of your smartphone.

## Bejeweled 2

 Bejeweled 2 is a sequel to the popular matching game for PCs and mobile devices. The game challenges you to match gems, which gives you points and which makes the gems themselves explode. On the Kindle Fire's screen, the colors are very intense and the effect is quite nice. The game has several different modes, which allow you to try to beat a clock, to engage in endless games and to alter the game play dynamics in other ways.

This game is great for younger people. If you get lost, it offers hints to keep you going, and there are several different ways to win a round. So you don't have to worry about the game being too challenging for kids. That being said, it can keep adults busy for hours, too! The touchscreen doesn't impede game play in any way, so it's a perfect choice for your tablet.

## Scrabble

 Scrabble is one of the most enduring games around and it's even more interesting on the Kindle Fire. The Kindle, in fact, makes for a great interface to play this game, as there are no high-speed moves required, and the screen offers a great display quality, making this game surprisingly engaging visually, considering its simplicity.

This game allows you to play online, so you and your friends can keep each other company over the Internet. The game also keeps stats and has a dictionary included with it, so no more made up words! There is a queue built into the game so you can always find someone to play with if none of your friends are online. You can even hook your Scrabble game into your Facebook account, which allows you to play from the Facebook page. The EA version of this game gives it new life and broader appeal, for certain.

## Robot Unicorn Attack

 Robot Unicorn Attack is a game designed for adults that should appeal to those with an ironic and wry sense of humor. The game is simple to play but a lot of fun with some truly amusing graphics. It is a side-scrolling game, which make it perfect for the Kindle fire, as the controls are very simple and you won't have any trouble getting through the various levels. The unicorn's rainbow attack is rather interesting, but definitely not made for the younger crowd!

The graphics on Robot Unicorn Attack are very colorful and, given the context of the game, are rather sarcastic and fun. The game is soundtracked with the song "Always" by Erasure, adding to the fun.

## Flow Free

 Flow Free, a rather simple, free game is one of the best-selling apps on Amazon. If you're old enough to remember the original Tron game, it's similar to the motorcycle race portion of that game where you had to create lines and make certain that they did not overlap. Flow Free has some of those elements to it, but it is essentially a puzzle game that challenges you to find a solution to several different levels of challenges.

Flow Free utilizes simple colors and the touchscreen interface is perfect for this type of a game. It should provide you with many hours of diversion and, if you're hanging out with your Kindle in a waiting room, on public transportation or in an airport, this could be the difference between being extremely bored and being very engaged.

## Drawing Pad

 Drawing Pad is an inexpensive app (about $2) that allows you to freehand draw on your Kindle Fire. The app has recently been updated so that it gives you the full benefit of the Kindle Fire HD screen, meaning that you get brilliant colors, very fine lines and, in effect, the experience isn't much different than would be drawing or painting on paper.

Drawing Pad comes with a variety of different drawing tools that you can use to create your art. You can also erase mistakes, share and save the art you create and much more. When you are drawing, you can choose from several different tools, including crayons, pencils, markers and more. The app works a bit like the very expensive illustrating programs out there, with a palette of tools being available on the right-hand side of the screen in the work area dominating the rest of it.

## ThumbZilla

  ThumbZilla is a very silly, very fun little game that really doesn't have a point. The game is infinite, so there are no levels to work through or anything else. The point of the game is to go on a rampage like the giant monsters tended to do in the old Japanese sci-fi movies. ThumbZilla is obviously named after one of the most famous of those monsters and with this game you get to turn your Kindle Fire HD or Kindle Fire into a device that allows you to destroy everything in your path.

ThumbZilla allows you to destroy buildings, toss cars around and even squash people. That being the case, it might be a little bit much for younger kids but, if you're having a bad day at the office and you just need to blow off a little steam by destroying a major city, you might find this to be quite a bit of fun. This is an amusing time killer for adults and is sure to get quite a few laughs.

## Doodle Jump

 Doodle Jump is, by far, one of the most popular mobile games out there. Priced at 99 cents, it challenges you to use your entire device as a controller, with your movements controlling the motion of the title character, the Doodler, who must jump from platform to platform in a constantly moving world. There are several different types of platforms onto which the Doodler can jump, some of which are rigged to explode, fall or present other hazards.

Doodle Jump has been popular since it was released. Whether it is the endearing artwork or the game play itself that makes this so, the game is on a great many mobile devices and its simple game play and fun graphics make it very enjoyable and a great diversion. If you only want to load a few games on your Kindle Fire, this should be one of them.

## Hello Kitty Cafe

If you have kids who are fans of the Hello Kitty character and the associated Sanrio characters, you may want to pick up this game for them. In this game, Hello Kitty moves into the restaurant business and hires many of the other characters from the same company to work for her. This game is simple, free and easy to play, which makes it perfect for kids.

If you're an adult and you happen to like the simulation style games that involve farming, being a restaurateur and so forth, you may enjoy this game, as well. On the Kindle Fire HD screen, the graphics look particularly appealing. This game is truly appropriate for all ages, so it's a great one to have in your inventory of diversions on your Kindle.

#

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# Networking

## Wi-Fi Analyzer Free

 Wi-Fi Analyzer Free really shines because most Kindle Fire need a Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet and sometimes you need a bit more information than the Settings panel provides. This is where Wi-Fi Analyzer Free really shines. It gives you a great deal of information on the wireless networks around you, including a meter that shows you their strength. This makes it a lot easier to find the sweet spots in some buildings where the Wi-Fi might work better than in others. It also allows you to see how many networks are in your area and whether or not yours may be on a channel that is too crowded.

Source: Amazon.com

Pictured above you'll see the meter used to measure signal strength. This is a lot easier to read than the bars that usually indicate network strength and it offers you a convenient way to locate where a signal is coming from.

Wi-Fi Analyzer free has an important security application, as well. If you're not sure whether or not you're connected to the right network with your Kindle Fire, you can use this app to see what networks are available and to see whether or not someone has made a honeypot network—a network with a similar name to a legitimate one nearby that's used to attract people by hackers—and determine which one is the real deal.

One other way to use this app very effectively is to use it to see how much your signal decreases when you move your network router or other device. Instead of having to rely on the bars, which sometimes take a long time to show a change and don't really give you a solid idea of the strength of the network signal, you can use this app and get a very good idea of how the network signal is holding up.

## IP Network Calculator

 IP Network Calculator allows you to utilize your Kindle Fire as a way to set up routers and other IP networks. If you're using your Kindle as a productivity tool and you're in computer networking, you may find this to be enormously handy. The app allows you to set up subnets and supports copy and pasting.

IP Network Calculator could be a very handy addition for people who want to utilize the power of a tablet computer as a productivity tool for something a bit more complicated than word processing or printing documents.

The IPV4 homescreen. This allows you to get started with setting up your network. The slider is used to change the CIDR value. This app should provide network techs with a valuable tool for their work and make it a lot easier to configure complicated networks. For around the home, it can help you to set up your network without having to do everything manually and risk ending up with poor results.

## IP Cam Viewer

 IP Cam Viewer isn't for the camera on your tablet device. It allows you to remotely control and view IP cameras with any networked device. These are great networking utilities if you have security concerns or if you have an outdoor-mounted IP camera that you want to be able to check in on from time to time.

This IP camera viewer allows you to do more than control. You'll have PTZ control on cameras that offer it and you'll be able to use other advanced features on your camera, as well. This is a really good app to have on your device if you use it to keep an eye on your property or your business. This version is free, and the  Full version costs about $4.

## Tiny Cam Monitor Pro

 Tiny Cam Monitor Pro is another great offering for those who have security concerns. This camera controller lets you view and control a variety of different cameras. Be sure that yours is compatible with this controller before you pay $2 for this app, however.

You can utilize the 2-way audio features on some cameras with this app and you can include up to 16 cameras at once. The app supports PTZ controls and allows you to control the LED and relay functions on some cameras. Being a tablet app, this allows you to use the same pinch and spread motions you use for zooming on any other app, which makes it rather intuitive when it's installed.

This is the  free version of the TinyCam app. The Upgrade label will disappear once you get the Pro version, but it's a good idea to download the free version first so that you can assess whether or not it's compatible with your device.

Once you have your cameras set up, using this app is very easy. As you can see, you can switch to the live view and take a look at what your cameras see at any time. This makes it a perfect app if you just need to check in once and a while. If you have cameras in areas of the home where you cannot see, you can always pick up your Kindle Fire, open up the app and see what's going on inside or out!

If you happen to have very expensive cameras, having full access to the controls and the LED capabilities is a real plus. This camera viewer is simple enough for a home user but it's also robust enough for most professional applications.

## VNC Viewer

 VNC Viewer allows you to view and use your desktop computer over a secure connection. This allows you full control of the computer, functioning a bit like the Remote Desktop/Remote Assistance feature for the Windows platform. This app, priced at about $10, is a mobile version of the VNC project that's been around for a very long time and is used by many professionals.

This is a great app for those who need to be able to access their home computers while they're away. It offers you full control of the device and, just like on your Kindle, you can pinch and spread your fingers to zoom out or into the screen. If you've been looking for advanced networking tools for your Kindle, this is a good one to consider.

##   Better Terminal Emulator Pro

If you're handy with Linux, you'll love this app. The Android OS has Linux roots and this terminal emulator lets you get at them and handle them like a pro. It supports the Android soft keyboard, so you shouldn't have any trouble with input.

One of the big advantages of the Android system versus iOS is that Android is far more open, offering the user more options and more choices about how they use their device. If you're a power user, this might be for you. If you're not a power user, you might just want to skip this particular app. This is for those who know how to use the Linux command prompt, something that's not for those who aren't complete and total techies.

## VMware View

This is one of those apps that turns a Kindle Fire from a gadget into a bona fide networking tool. This particular app allows you to work with virtual server environments that are using the VMware platform. It has plenty of features, such as being able to access desktops, support for PCoIP and more. The app is also provided with support for multiple languages.

This app can provide you with great performance, even over slow connections. It's something that you'll have to set up with your IT department, however, so be sure you tell them that you want to use this app if you're planning on trying it out for your administrative duties.

## Black Google Mobile

All of the brilliant colors that characterize any of the Kindle Fire devices are certainly wonderful, but they also eat up battery power. When you're not running directly off of outlet power, you want to conserve battery power as much is possible. Enter Black Google Mobile can help you do that.

This is a browser with all of the battery-draining features disabled. It uses a black background, so you don't have to expend battery power lighting up all those pixels. It also cuts down on your battery usage in other ways. If you're most concerned with efficiency on your device or if you know you're going to be away from a charger for an extended period of time, utilizing this particular app may help you to keep running longer.

Unfortunately, this app hasn't been updated to work with the newer Kindle Fire HD models, but hopefully it's on the way.

## Cloudacl WebFilter

 Cloudacl WebFilter is designed to make using your Kindle device safer for younger audiences. It allows you to restrict access to websites that some parents may find objectionable, thereby allowing you to give your Kindle to your child to play with freely. This is a content filtering app, and you can select what types of content you do want to filter out. This allows you to adjust the setting so that it is more suitable for older or younger audiences.

One of the other clever uses for these types of apps, if you haven't thought of it, is to simply filter out all image content altogether. If you're operating your Kindle Fire HD on your 4G connection, this is a great way to save bandwidth. Some sites aren't really made any better by the amount of images that they carry and, if you can filter them out, it makes each webpage smaller.

## Scanner 911 Free

 Scanner 911 Free allows you to scan emergency radio transmissions from a variety of different cities. You can listen in on fire, police, air traffic and other restricted radio frequencies and hear what's going on. It also supports tags to help you determine who is talking. You can run this app in the background while you use your Kindle for other tasks.

While it does advertise that it has scans available for just about everywhere, sometimes local radios don't show up. If the free version works well for you, you'll like the  Pro version, which costs about $2 and offers additional features.

## Scanner Radio Pro

 Scanner Radio Pro allows you to tune into a variety of different scanners to hear what's going on with your local emergency departments. It'll give you a list of the 50 most listened to scanners of the last five minutes, it will give you a list of the scanners that have been added to its line up recently and it allows you to create a favorites list. One of the uses for the most listened to scanners feature is determining whether or not something is going on. If you see one of the scanners with thousands of listeners, there's a good chance that something interesting is going on in that area.

Currently, Scanner Radio Pro offers 2900 police and fire frequencies, as well as amateur radio frequencies and other options for listening. There are no advertisements on this app, but it does come at a price. You can still use the free version, if you want, and using both versions will allow you to listen to scanners at once.

#

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# Shop Till You Drop!

##   Official eBay Android App

Just as the name implies, this is the official eBay app for Android devices. Kudos to Amazon for allowing a competitor's app into its Android Store.

Using this app, you can do just about everything you can do on eBay's website—post listings, make bids, make offers. If you're the kind of eBayer who gets so involved that you need auction snipers and other software, you may actually prefer this app.

Because you can bid directly on the eBay Android app, you don't have to worry about being in front of your computer every minute while you're waiting for an auction to finish. This allows you to get away from your desktop and to enjoy your day without losing out on any great deals that you may have locked onto.

##   Myibidder Bid Sniper for eBay Pro

 Myibidder Bid Sniper allows you to "snipe" auctions on eBay. If you're not familiar with the practice, sniping is employed by eBay users to automate their last-minute bids. You can automatically bid at set increments above the current bid until you reach your ceiling—without logging into eBay and actually entering the bids. This virtually ensures that you get the item you're bidding on, provided it doesn't exceed the maximum price you're willing to pay.

Myibidder Bid Sniper could make a great standalone app for a Kindle Fire or you could combine it with the official eBay app to get the maximum amount of intelligence on the items that you're interested in. If you're really into eBay, this app is well worth its price tag of about $4.

##   CraigsList App for Android

 CraigsList is among the most popular websites out there and now it has an easy to use app that's compatible with android devices. This app allows you to post listings, explore listings and do just about everything else you do on the website itself. It's a great way to make the website more accessible on a mobile device.

Like some other mobile apps, however, the larger screen on the Kindle Fire HD might make using the website perfectly acceptable for most users. If you want to make browsing CraigsList a bit more convenient, however, this app may serve you well. It puts all the power of this very popular classifieds site at your fingertips and in an easy to use mobile form. The interface is very easy to use. See the screenshot below for an example of how it looks in action.

As you can see, it's very similar to what you would use on the web. This makes the app easy to transition to if you don't want to use the regular webpage. While the Kindle Fire HD does have a very generous screen size, this app makes the fields large enough that it's easy to select them with your fingers, which is sometimes a frustrating process on the webpage itself.

##   Mighty Grocery Shopping List

 Mighty Grocery Shopping List is, just as you might expect, and app that allows you to create grocery lists, but it's pretty complicated. It's complicated in a good way, however, and it allows you to organize your lists by various criteria. You can even organize your list by which aisle you will find the men in the grocery store. It has voice recognition capabilities, a favorites list capability, and many other features that make it quite useful. It does have barcode features and, of course, these features and those that require a microphone will only work on the Kindle Fire HD, which has a camera and mic built into it. Still, it could be very useful on a standard Kindle Fire.

There's even a feature on this list that allows you to organize your groceries by recipe, which means that you'll always have what you need on hand when you're making that special meal. It's not free but, for some users, it will certainly be worth the modest price of about $4.

## The Coupons App

 The Coupons App is designed to make it more fun, and more cost-effective, to go shopping. It's connected to a coupon network online, and when a coupon becomes available that might be useful to you, it displays that information on the device. The app is setup to display the information on the homepage of Android devices. You'll have to use a desktop customization utility if you want this feature to work, but the app will still work fine if you open it from the standard App Library.

The Coupons has some nice features on it and it should be interesting to people who like to take their Kindle with them wherever they go and, of course, those who spend quite a bit of time shopping. The Coupons has savings available on everything from groceries to gas, so everybody should find some way to save. Take a look at the screenshot below to get an idea of what it offers.

The application will occassionly put a special offer in front of you when you open it up, but these may be of interest to you. Once it has your location, all you have to do is start it up and start saving! If you want an excuse to take a drive around down and do some shopping, you just found it!

Unfortunately, this app hasn't yet been updated to work with the newer Kindle Fire HD models.

## Sales Tax Calculator

 Sales Tax Calculator does just what the name says. It allows you to instantly calculate sales taxes based upon the prices that you put into the device. You can set it up for different areas so that, if you're on the road, you can figure out what you'll be paying for the tax on any given item instantly.

While it may seem that a standard calculator would work fine for this application, Sales Tax Calculator does have its advantages. Because it is a purpose built app, you don't have to do any configuration to figure out the tax. It also calculates the tax instantly, so there's no need to go through a complicated series of button presses to get to the number that you want. If you do a lot of shopping, this is a great app to have.

## Grocery Pal

 Grocery Pal is an app that goes a bit farther than the average grocery-list app. It allows you to compare prices from several different major vendors, so that you can find the best deal whenever you go shopping. The app is available for free, which comes as no surprise, since it obviously does a good job of advertising whatever stores are having sales.

Grocery Pal does have some advanced capabilities built into it. For example, you can make grocery lists and you can organize them in several different ways, including organizing them by categories, aisles and stores. Some of the very big names in retail are included on the app, including Wal-Mart, Rite Aid, target, Walgreen's, Kmart and many more. This allows you to shop around without doing any driving and to categorize your list by which store you want to pick the items up.

The inteface on Grocery Pal is very easy to navigate. Most of the chioces are set up like the image above. If you're in a different city than your hometown and you want to see what's available as far as coupons, take a look at the "More" screen to reset your options, pictured below.

This is a very easy-t0-use app that you should have a lot of fun with. It sure beats clipping coupons out of the paper!

## Etsy for Android

 Etsy for Android is an application that allows you to browse the popular crafts website, to manage your sales and to make listings. You can also search the website and purchase items, if you wish. This makes it a great way to enjoy shopping on Etsy without having to be in front of your desktop computer.

This is not an official app made by the Etsy company; it's made by a third-party. However, it's been in use since 2010 and it's compatible with Kindle Fire. If you're an Etsian, you might find that it enhances your mobile experience on the site.

## Sale Price Calculator

Some of the most confusing things to deal with when you're shopping are prices that have been discounted multiple times, leaving you to wonder what you'll actually pay for something. Sale Price Calculator is designed to make it easier for you to figure out what you can expect to pay for an item if it is discounted.

Sale Price Calculator allows you to calculate discounts on top of discounts, sales tax, and other variables affecting the final price you'll see at checkout. It's an easy way to figure out whether or not you're actually saving enough to make the purchase worth it, or whether the discounts are merely a smokescreen. If you're an avid shopper, you'll likely find this to be very useful.

##   Groupon National Deals

If you enjoy using Groupon, you may find quite a few uses for this app (currently works with Kindle Fire HD only). The idea behind this app is that it takes a look at the various offerings on Groupon and, from those offerings, determines which ones can be used in any city in the nation. It will give you a listing of these deals every day, so that you can figure out if there is anything available in your area. This is a great way to keep appraised of what's available without having to check the Groupon site itself over and over.

You'll need a newer Kindle HD model to download and use this app.

There is also a widget that is a part of this app that displays the top five Groupon deals that can be redeemed nationally. Of course, you can always purchase these deals directly from your device, so you'll be sure to get some convenience benefits from this app, just as much as you will get some saving benefits.

## Cars.com

 Cars.com is an app for Android devices that allows you to do a bit of car shopping right from your Kindle. This app allows you to take a look at the inventories of various dealers, to compare them side-by-side and to take a closer look at any of the items that you might be interested in. If you don't feel like driving out to a lot and dealing with overly enthusiastic salespeople, this can be a great way to car shop.

This app doesn't cost a thing, of course, because it is essentially advertising car dealerships, but it still provides a useful service. The Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD devices both have screens that are large enough and that have sophisticated enough displays to give you good image reproduction when you're looking at cars. This makes the Kindle and car shopping a perfect pair.

## Garage Sale Rover

 Garage Sale Rover (requires Kindle Fire HD) allows you to map out the locations of garage sales that are selling the items that you want. The idea behind the app is that it draws information from CraigsList and other Internet sources, puts them together and allows you to search through them for the type of items that you're looking for. If you're looking for furniture, books, electronics or whatever else, it will automatically go through the garage sale listings and find the ones that advertise that they are selling those items.

You'll need a newer Kindle HD model to download and run this app.

If you have the location of the garage sales and you know your way around your own hometown, you shouldn't have any trouble finding them. Some people love the experience of driving from sale to sale and browsing and other people simply want to go to a garage sale that has what they're looking for, pick it up and leave. If you are of the latter type, you'll likely find this app to be eminently useful and you might consider upgrading to the  Pro version for about $4.

## Gilt

 Gilt is an app that, not too surprisingly, allows you to shop on the website Gilt.com, which specializes in high-end fashions for women, men and children, often at huge discounts. This is a great app to have if you want an alternative to shopping at Amazon.com, which the Kindle steers you toward so often.

Gilt allows you to do everything you would expect out of a shopping app. You can browse items, or take a look at photos, pricing information and so forth. You can, of course, purchase the items if you so choose. This app should provide just about any avid shopper – particularly those who like upscale items – with hours of entertainment on their Kindle Fire.

##   Ohnee – Wine Assistant

If you love to drink wine, Ohnee is for you. This app is designed to allow you an easy way to take down information about a particular wine that you encountered and that you would like to have again. The app can be provided with this information manually or, if you have a Kindle Fire HD with a camera, you can scan the barcode and the app will automatically enter all of the applicable information in it.

Ohnee has room for subjective information, of course, which is really the whole point of having such an app in the first place. You can enter your flavor notes, and any other notes you might have about the wine in question. With this app, you don't have to worry about forgetting a great wine that you drank and you'll always be able to look it up by name again. Take a look at the screenshot below to get an idea of what it offers for organization:

The screen is very easy to read, and you can assign star ratings to wines according to your taste. The buttons in the upper part of the screen alow you to order your wines by different criteria. Overall, this is a very well-developed and fun app for any wine lover!

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# Education and Reference

##   OverDrive Media Console: Library eBooks & Audiobooks

 Overdrive allows you to download eBooks and audiobooks from your public and school libraries, right onto your Kindle. Over 18,000 participating libraries lend bestsellers and classic titles via OverDrive. Use the "Get Books" feature in the app to find a nearby library.

Kindle editions are borrowed just like print books. You browse your library's digital collection, check out with your library card number, and download. Overdrive's built-in eBook reader and audiobook player allows you to use the title until the lending time expires, so you don't have to worry about late fees.

Libraries usually have a certain number of Kindle and other eBooks, which can be lent to one library patron at a time. If the book you want is checked out, you can join a waiting list. You'll receive an email alert when the title is available for check out.

## Audible.com

 Audible is a digital audiobook service. It's owned by Amazon, so the app comes pre-installed on all Kindle Fires. It offers more than 100,000 titles for your listening entertainment and education. Sometimes I'll listen to an Audible edition of a book I've already read in paper or Kindle format, and I'm always astonished at how many details I'll notice while listening that completely escaped my attention when reading.

Audible currently has a tempting offer for new members. You can download two audiobooks for free when you join for a one-month trial membership. If you decide to cancel, the audiobooks are yours to keep absolutely free. To see more details of the offer,  follow this affiliate link.

This app delivers the most comprehensive audiobook experience ever, including Wi-Fi delivery of your Audible.com library, synchronizing your content across devices with Whispersync for Voice, access to the Audible.com mobile store, detailed listening stats, and much more. If you have an iPhone or Android phone, you can access your account with apps on those devices, too.

 Whispersync for Voice is a recent exclusive enhancement to Audible audiobooks and Kindle books. If you've ever been so absorbed in a book that you've missed your train stop or couldn't go to sleep, you'll love the feature. It allows you to switch back and forth between reading a Kindle book and listening to the companion Audible audiobook without losing your place. That means you can keep the story going on the books you love, and enjoy more of them. In addition to remembering position, Whispersync for Voice keeps your notes and bookmarks across devices.

##   EasyTalk Learn Spanish Free

Learning a new language can be tough, but the more you use it the faster you learn. EasyTalk Learn Spanish provides you with a Kindle app that you can use to learn the language and use it. The interface is intuitive and you shouldn't have any trouble navigating around it. (This developer also offers apps for learning French, Italian, and Polish.)

The app allows you to find phrases and to listen to them spoken by an authentic native speaker. It also contains a phrase book and a list of the most useful words and phrases that you will encounter, which makes it a lot easier to use it as a resource if you are abroad. The language is divided up into 128 different topics that you can choose from, making it easy for you to learn in the context of a real conversation.

## Open Star Chart

 Open Start Chart is a great application if you want to learn about the night sky and if you want to teach somebody about science. Of course, not every Kindle is supplied with a GPS device, but that doesn't stop you from getting accurate information about the sky in your local area. This app can gather your location information from IP addresses, enabling you to get precise data on the location of different astronomical objects.

This star chart will give you the locations of planets, Messier objects, consolations and much more. It will also give you information on meteor shower radiance, so you know where to look in the sky and what direction you should expect meteors to be traveling in. If you've ever wanted excuse to get out of the house at night and look up, this is a great one.

The view on open star chart corresponds to the portion of the night sky that you're holding the device in front of. This allows you to just look over the top of the device to get your bearings and to figure out which stars you're looking at.

Be aware that, in most city environments, you won't be able to spot the Messier objects listed. In order to accomplish that, it's best to use the Open Star Chart app to get your telescope or binoculars in approximately the right area of the sky and then to adjust as needed to get the object in your visual field.

Planets are easy to spot. The named stars on the brightest and, if you have dark skies to work with, you can adjust the brightness of the stars featured so that you get a more complete picture of the night sky!

## Audubon Birds

Here's just one example to give you an idea of exactly how cool the Audubon Birds guide to North American Birds for your Kindle can actually be. Not sure what kind of a bird you're looking at? Go ahead and play the bird's song, which is loaded into the app to give you an extra form of reference. Of course, with the Kindle's magnificent display, they'll have no difficulty identifying very subtle variations on color on some birds.

If you're outdoors enthusiast and you want good information on birds, you can't do better than Audubon guides and this brings the old paperback guides into the digital age.

Even though it costs about $5, Audubon Birds is one of the best-selling apps on Amazon. The developer also has apps for wildflowers, trees, insects and spiders, mammals, mushrooms, butterflies, and others.

## Audubon Wildflowers

 Audubon Wildflowers brings you an app that allows you to easily identify wildflowers when you encounter them in the field. The size of the Kindle Fire makes it a perfect device to take with you on expeditions, and with this guide you will never be at a loss to determine what kind of a flower you happen to be looking at. This guide covers North American wildflowers.

##   Audubon Insects & Spiders

Whether you're curious to figure out what kind of bug is walking across your front porch or what kind of bug just bit you, the Audubon Insects & Spiders guide can provide you with answers. It's categorized and arranged in the same fashion as the regular paperback guides, which makes it very easy to flip through the pictures and to see what you're looking at. It's also provided with detailed enough information that you can differentiate between species that might be dangerous and ones that are not. After all, you may not want a wasp nest near your house but, then again, the wasp bouncing off of your window may be a solitary sort that doesn't pose a threat at all and that's valuable to the environment.

Audubon Insects & Spiders is a great enhancement for your Kindle Fire or, if you know a nature enthusiast who owns a Kindle Fire, you may want to consider it as a gift.

The guide has all of the familiar information that you're used to from the old paperback guides, with a lot of digital enhancements. If you're interested in wildflowers, the Audubon Wildflowers guide may be just what you're looking for.

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**TIP:** Most of the Audubon field guide books are now available in digital form. If you wanted to give someone a great gift, getting them all of the guides would be an excellent choice. They sell for around $5 each at the time of this writing, which makes them priced right, in addition to being very fun and informative.

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## Speed Math Trainer

 Speed Math Trainer leaves little mystery as to the intention of this app. For a measly dollar, it allows you to assess your abilities as they exist now and, with the assistance of the app, to improve those abilities and to get better at this sometimes elusive skill. This app is good for anybody who needs a bit of practice here and there with their arithmetic abilities and allows you to set it up for different users.

Speed Math Trainer is a great electronic babysitter for the kids if you're on a trip and if you want to give them something a little bit more constructive than a game. It will help them to memorize basic facts, which allows them to learn more advanced forms of math and to excel in school.

##   Toddler ABC Flashcards

It's hard not to love a set of flashcards that won't spill out all over the car when you're on the road and that' exactly what this free app offers. You can use this app to help your child learn their ABCs right on your Kindle Fire, no matter where you are. This is a great one if you and your child have some down time in the vehicle, in the home or in a waiting room. The colorful display on the Kindle Fire only makes the flash cards more interesting for kids, so you'll be sure to be able to keep their attention with this great educational app!

## Kid Math Game

The name may leave something to be desired in terms of creativity, but this app should be a lot of fun for most youngsters. It offers up challenging math games that utilize the touchscreen. You can play single-player games against the Kindle or you can play against other people. A two-person game is pictured in the screenshot below.

The game, as you can see, has attractive graphics, buttons that are big enough for a kid to use comfortably and clear fonts. There are plenty of different game modes that you can choose from and, with a little bit of time spent playing Kid Math, your child just may find themselves doing a lot better in school. They also just might start enjoying math!

## 50 States

 50 States provides you with a great trivia game about geography for you and your kids. When I was a kid, I had a wooden puzzle that worked something like this app. But you'll be surprised at how much you'll learn playing this game! The state facts are broken down in a very easy to digest manner, which is pictured in the screenshot below.

It's perfect for younger kids. The facts are kept to a minimum at first, but there are games that you can play that increase the level of challenge and test your kids to show off how much they know about their home nation. This is a fun app, it's got a great graphical interface and, as you can see in the image above, it makes it a lot easier to remember the shape of a state than do most maps. With the simplified artwork, it should be easy for a child to catch on quickly to the different states, what they look like on a map and to learn some applicable trivia, as well.

##   Interactive Telling Time

Interesting fact: College professors were warned last year that their incoming students no longer understand that pointing at your wrist means that you're asking what time it is! We may be in the Digital Age, but both digital and analog clocks are still widely used—the latter is still preferred by most people, interestingly enough—and kids need to learn to read both of them. This Android app turns it into a game and makes it fun for children.

There are 5 different levels of difficulty on this game, so your children can keep being challenged as they get better at the art of telling time. There are also fun rewards peppered through the game, so they'll have a lot of fun trying to figure out the puzzles so that they can unlock them!

## Dr. Panda, Teach Me!

This app provides an easy way to learn plenty of skills, including colors, counting, sizes, differences, matching, logic and much more. This app, as you can see, has plenty of different uses and, if you have a child who loves to learn, this will likely keep them busy for quite a while.

This app is designed specifically for preschool children; everything is designed to be as simple as possible. They won't have to deal with complicated buttons or menus at any turn. There are also no advertisements on this theme and there's no way to make in app purchases, so you don't have to worry about your youngster inadvertently find something else on your Amazon account. There are plenty of ways that your child can occupy themselves with this theme and, with its great visuals and other features, it should keep them busy for quite a while.

##   Sight Words for Reading

 Site Words for Reading is an app designed to help children learn to read by sight. It contains the most common words that you would see in children's books and helps them to increase their comprehension by taking away the need to laboriously work their way through a word. After they work with the app for a while, they should be able to simply recognize some words by seeing them.

This app would be great for parents who are struggling to teach their children how to read and who want to get an edge before they start the school year. It turns reading into a game, and that makes it a lot more fun for children, even when they may be having a hard time comprehending or remembering words that they are just learning.

## ABC Maze-A-Licious

 Maze-A-Licious is really built on a great idea when you see what it's all about. The game presents children with 52 different mazes that they can choose from. They complete the mazes by guiding a ball through them on the touchscreen. At the end of the maze, they have completely drawn a letter, teaching them the basic strokes to accomplish that task whenever they need to.

By turning the process of learning to write into an artistic endeavor, this offers children a couple of different ways to appreciate what they're learning and makes it a lot more rewarding. Even if they're only interested in Maze-A-Licious for the game aspect of it, they still may find themselves learning how to write their ABCs pretty well in the process.

## ZOOLA

 Zoola is a game for kids that's all about animals. As you may have guessed, it's not too hard to get kids interested in animals. With the bright and beautiful colors on the Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD screens, it's even easier! This game teaches them the names and the sounds associated with different animals, which can be a lot of fun in and of itself. The  paid version, which costs about $2, is quite popular, too.

Take a look at the screenshots below.

Tap the animals on the bottom to switch to a different group!

It is not going to be hard to get your kid interested in this app. It's got all the things they love, beautiful animals, beautiful colors and all the sounds to go with those animals!

##   ABC PreSchool Playground Free

This is a 3-in-1 app that is designed for very young children. It builds basic skills such as matching and memory. The game is designed so that it's easy for kids to understand and use and it should keep them interested. There re letters and numbers used, with audio files for each. There is also room for them to be creative, with a doodle section where they can play and practice drawing letters.

This game should keep younger kids busy for a while, so it's great to have around on the Kindle. Like many other games like it, it uses sound, motion, interactivity and interesting images to keep kids interested.

## Alphabet Car

 Alphabet Car is an app designed for very young children. The graphics are very bright and simple and it uses a driving game to teach kids the alphabet. It's got 40 levels to it, so there's plenty to keep kids busy. When they see a word, it will be accompanied by an illustration and the word will be said to them by the Kindle.

This game has 3D graphics, which are very engaging on the Kindle's screen. It's a paid app, but not a particularly expensive one, so you might want to give it a try if your child seems to like driving games. Unfortunately this one isn't yet available for Fire HD.

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#  4 ► Prioritizing your Apps

There are well over 1o0 different apps listed in the chapter above. Some of them are much more important than others. Devices such as the Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD have become more than entertainment devices, and even by using many of the apps described above, you would necessarily be putting personal information on the device. There is a definite order of priorities that you should have when you are selecting apps. The Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD both have quite a few security settings on them that you can tweak already, but some of these apps will give you enhanced security.

What follows will give you an idea of what types of apps you should have and what types of security enhancements they give you. You read a lot in the media about people who end up getting hacked and having their personal information exploited. At some point, any security setup is likely to be attacked by a hacker who is fully capable of getting through it. A sensible strategy, however, involves reducing the chances that any of the hackers you run into will actually be capable of getting through your security setup. Here are the basics of how to go about this. Some of the apps are listed above, and you can get descriptions of them and other information about them from chapter 3.

## Anti-Virus

Norton and Kaspersky products are both listed above. Among the apps that you should definitely download first are those that give you protection against viruses and malware. There are plenty of them listed on the Amazon App Store and on Google Play. Generally speaking, the paid versions are better. If you're not going to choose the two recommended vendors listed above, at least choose one with a well-known name or look them up before you install the product and start relying on it.

## Password Encryption

You should have some sort of a password protection tool on your Kindle Fire. You can choose from one of the apps that encrypt your passwords or you can opt not to save any passwords on your device, which may be preferable if you travel with it a lot. Some of the apps that allow you to store passwords securely also allow you to create secure passwords, which you should always use on your Kindle.

## VPN

You'll find free VPN tools listed above and there are also paid versions available. You might want to consider purchasing one of these tools to enhance your security and your privacy. They prevent people on Wi-Fi networks from being able to spy upon what you're sending across the network and what is being sent to you across the network.

## Paid vs. Free?

Very few apps are completely free, even the ones priced at $0.00 often come with strings attached, like advertising. If you download apps from disreputable vendors, that advertising may have some sort of a security hole in it that could affect your device. This happens on websites all the time.

If you're going to use free products, make sure they come from a reputable vendor. For example, the free Norton antivirus product described above is most certainly safe, provided you download it from a legitimate site. Other free products may not be quite so safe, so be careful.

The benefit with paid apps is usually that they come with some type of support. The productivity apps listed in chapter 3 were chosen because they are excellent examples of specific types of apps. Some of them are paid and some of them are free. Some of the free apps have a premium or pro version that you can purchase for a small fee, which will unlock more features and which may give you access to technical support that you would not otherwise have.

## Amazon vs. Sideload

Additional sites where you can find apps to explore are given in the next section. Remember that the Amazon App Store is one of the safest places to get apps and that the ones listed below, though they are generally good, may occasionally have apps on them that you really would want on your Kindle Fire. Whenever you're sideloading an app, remember to exercise extra caution and to have some sort of antivirus app running on your computer.

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#  5 ► Venturing beyond the Amazon App Store

While Amazon's Apps for Android is a vibrant marketplace with a vast selection, it's only part of what's available. Believe it or not, many app developers haven't yet gotten around to posting their apps to the Amazon marketplace. I'm going to recommend several apps here that—for one reason or another—aren't available on Amazon. Sometimes the apps are unavailable because the offering competes with Amazon's business. For example, one of the apps I'll recommend, FB Reader, is an eBook reader which enables you to download free and paid books from several online bookstores that compete with Amazon. While Amazon might not like enjoy seeing competing booksellers erode the Kindle's revenue by siphoning away business, you bought the Kindle with your own money, and are perfectly free to run any legal compatible software you wish.

The apps I'll recommend have been vetted by many thousands of users. But remember that downloading apps outside Amazon's App store can pose a danger to your Kindle Fire. Some of the apps offered outside Amazon are poorly designed and may cause issues with the operating system, while some are downright malicious.

Remember that your Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD needs to be protected from viruses and malware, just like your laptop or desktop computer. There is an entire world of great apps out there, but please use caution when loading them, particularly if you're sideloading. Of course, you'll find some great security apps among the list of apps given in this book, so be sure to pick one up so that you have the maximum possible level of protection.

## Sideloading apps

The apps mentioned in this section aren't available through Amazon's App Store, at least not yet. However, with a few adjustments, you can download them and they'll work just fine on your Kindle Fire.

By default, your Kindle won't install apps from outside Amazon's App Store. Why not? It's a safety precaution. Amazon carefully tests apps to guard against viruses and malware before allowing them in its Store. Rest assured, the apps mentioned in this book are worthwhile apps from legitimate developers.

To download and install the apps in this section, you can use one or more of several methods. In fact, you might enjoy trying all of them to see which one suits your needs the best.

## SnapPea

SnapPea is the first of several alternatives I'll mention for finding and installing apps outside Amazon's App store—a process known as "sideloading." Like all of the methods I'll mention, it's relatively easy (though not as convenient as Amazon store). I won't recommend anything that poses excessive risk or methods that would void your Kindle's warranty.

I'm mentioning SnapPea first because it's a very well-designed, innovative, comprehensive service that allows you to easily find and download virtually any Android app, including many thousands of popular apps that aren't available on Amazon for one reason or another. It requires a Windows computer, on which you'll use a special browser to shop for apps. Once you identify an app you're interested in, you'll simply select it for download to your Kindle.

For the instructions for using SnapPea, visit  this tutorial at their website. You'll download SnapPea's App Store to your desktop computer, along with a SnapPea app to run on your Kindle. At first glance, the instructions will seem complicated. But believe me, there's a reason I'm recommending SnapPea first. I've tested every possible method for sideloading apps, both with the original Kindle Fire and the newer Fire HD models. In my opinion, SnapPea is the easiest, most complete solution for the typical Kindle owner who wants to venture outside Amazon's store. It will require five or 10 minutes to set up. After that, you'll find that it's nearly as easy as using Amazon's own App Store—except that SnapPea has zillions more apps available than Amazon. I am sure Amazon's team is working furiously to narrow that gap, but that is the state of things today. Considering that Amazon's App Store is only a couple of years old, they've done an amazing job with it.

Pictured above: SnapPea's tutorial for adding non-Amazon apps to your Kindle Fire. You'll find the tutorial  at this website.

In addition to SnapPea, I'm going to mention several more alternatives. Perhaps you don't have a Windows PC, or you prefer one of the other options for some other reason. In some cases, there might be a quirk with your computer setup that prevents you from using SnapPea or another service. For example, when I set up SnapPea to run on my Windows machine (which has Windows XP installed), I couldn't get it working until I installed Windows Media Player, a Microsoft program I'd deleted years ago. How in the world I figured out that Media Player was my missing ingredient, I'm not quite sure. It just shows how the peculiarities of various computer setups can throw a monkey wrench into your plans, so it's good to have a Plan B.

Pictured above: Browsing for new apps using SnapPea on my Windows PC desktop. The icon in the upper left corner shows my Kindle Fire connected via USB cord. Another option is to connect with SnapPea wirelessly using Kindle's Wi-Fi function.

## GetJar

In addition to SnapPea, I can heartily recommend the GetJar App store for a several reasons. First, it's operated by a very conscientious company that carefully screens the apps uploaded to its network. It's a well-designed service that is very easy to use.

The one gripe I have about GetJar—and it's a big one—is that it doesn't have enough apps. Eight or nine times out of 10, when I'm searching for a specific app, I'll see it's available on SnapPea but not on GetJar. I suppose there's a tradeoff there—GetJar screens its apps very tightly, and as a result its app store is very, very safe from spam, viruses and their ilk. The disadvantage is that many—perhaps most—app developers simply don't bother jumping through GetJar's hoops because they figure it isn't worth the trouble.

Pictured above: The GetJar Homepage.

Here is the procedure for preparing your Kindle to use GetJar:

  1. Tap the settings icon in the taskbar at the top right corner of your Kindle Fire. Choose the "More" option.

  2. Choose "Device" from the bottom of the screen.

  3. Find the section that says "Allow installation of applications from unknown [non-Amazon] sources," and slide the switch to the "On" position.

  4. On your Kindle Fire, click "Web" to open the browser. In the browser address bar, enter http://m.getjar.com. You should see the screen pictured below, prompting you to install GetJar.

Tap the downloaded file, GetJar.apk. The GetJar store will install, and now you can launch the GetJar store any time by tapping the GetJar icon in your Apps library. Then you can search and browse apps, and install them by following the screen prompts on your Kindle Fire.

##  Google's Play Store and Android Market

While we're on the topic of app selection—or the lack of it—you might be wondering why I'm not recommending Google's "Play" app store, which probably has more apps than anyplace else. The answer is that installing Google's App Store on your Kindle would require a complex technical procedure known as "rooting," which would void your Kindle's warranty. Plus, there's a chance that doing this could "brick" your Kindle, making it permanently inoperable. So in my opinion, it's just not worth it—no way.

left off here

## Recommended apps

OK, here's a sampling of some of the apps, the cream of the crop, that you can get on SnapPea or GetJar that aren't currently available through Amazon's App Store. In the previous sections, I've included links for each app to its page in the Amazon App store. In this section, I've provided a link to the app's page at www.1mobile.com, which is the App store you'd use if you're sideloading apps with SnapPea. That way, you can browse around and see what's available, even if you haven't decided whether you want to go to the trouble of sideloading apps to your Kindle Fire.

## Android Music Player

Android Music Player is the essential app for playing music on regular Android machines. It's a darned good app to have on your Kindle Fire, too. It makes creating a playlist very easy to do, which is great if you're taking a long drive and want to plug your Kindle into your car stereo.

The payment arrangement with this app is that you get the full version for a 30-day trial period, after which you revert to the basic version, which doesn't have as many features.

## Car Tunes

 Car Tunes is an audio player that's designed to improve the safety of drivers when they're on the road. This audio tuner allows you to access your music without having to touch any buttons. It's voice controlled. The app also has a very large, very easy to use control panel if you need to use the touchscreen, but the audio controls may well impress you enough that you never have to look at the screen while you're driving, which is the entire point.

If you take your Kindle with you and use it to play audio in the car, this is a great app. It might just make you a lot safer on the road—as well as everyone else—while still allowing you to enjoy one of the best things about a tablet computer!

## Double Twist

Double Twist is an app that consolidates several of the functions of other apps into one. It can play from streams, from local files on your computer and it can sync over Wi-Fi. This app is advertised as being attractive to those who are used to using iTunes and, if you came over to the Android side from the world of iOS, you might find it to be useful.

This app has an easy to use interface. In addition to playing audio files, and audio and video files can be displayed with cover images, sorted and so forth. It's essentially an iTunes replacement for the Android platform, just as the name says.

## Dropbox

Dropbox is one of the most popular cloud storage services out there. They have generous free accounts, so a lot of people use this service for business and avoid paying for a fee-based storage space. The Dropbox app works on several different levels.

With the right productivity apps, you can edit documents stored in the cloud, allowing you to use your device to get work done on the go. You can also keep photos, music or just about anything else in the cloud, allowing you to save storage space on your Kindle. If you don't want to purchase any more Amazon cloud storage, you might want to consider getting this app to give yourself a bit more space in the cloud without taking a chunk out of your wallet. Advanced sorting options and other features make this a winning app.

Make sure you check your syncing preferences on this product if you have a 4G connection! This is one of the apps that could potentially use up a lot of bandwidth, so you'll want to make sure you keep an eye on how often it syncs and how much you use it. On a Wi-Fi, it should sync up very quickly and offer you excellent performance.

The sorting features are a bit compromised on the Android version of Dropbox. Keep in mind that some things will not be as precise and feature-rich as they are on the PC or Mac versions.

## Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud storage option. The standard account comes with 5GB of free storage. This is plenty of room for storing a lot of documents, spreadsheets and so forth. If you need a cloud storage option for your device and want to integrate it with Google's other features, this might work for you.

This app is made by the same people who make the Android OS that you're Kindle uses, so compatibility is obviously not a big issue here. There are some issues with the app reported by some users, however. The editing functions for documents might be a bit clunky for some. The app, however, will allow you to sync files with your PC and vice-versa, making it a great productivity tool. If you already have a Google Drive account set up, this app makes sense, as you won't have to network with another service to get cloud storage.

## Root Explorer

Root Explorer is a file manager app and it provides some great functionality. It allows you to browse your folders as you would on any other device, which means that you can see everything as it appears on your Kindle's drive rather than as it appears categorized according to the default interface.

This is also handy if you happen to have files that your Kindle Fire doesn't handle correctly. EBooks and other materials that may be in odd formats, for example, can be seen with this file explorer so that you can verify if they are on your drive, even if they don't show up in the Library. This app, or another like it, is necessary if you want to have complete control over your Kindle device and want to break away from the default Amazon interface.

##  Smart AudioBook Player

This is an audio player that's designed specifically for playing audio books. The relevant customizations include the ability to track how far through an audiobook you are and to download cover art for the books. The player also offers you the ability to control your playback speed and to get lists of characters and other information. These customizations give it quite a bit on a regular audio player as an audiobook reader, so those who like to listen to books on their way to school, work or wherever else they're headed may want to give this a look.

This is an app that you'll have to sideload, so be prepared for that by reading the next chapter. The payment arrangement with this app is that you get the full version for a 30-day trial period, after which you revert to the basic version, which doesn't have as many features.

## Hotspot Shield

Hotspot Shield is a VPN (virtual private network) application that works for free, though you can buy a subscription to get more full-featured experience. A VPN provides you with encryption on your Internet connection, which prevents people from being able to spy on what you're doing at a hotspot like a coffee shop or other Wi-Fi. The connection from your device is encrypted from source to destination. The VPN also change your IP address and allows you to access some content that may be blocked at a particular hotspot.

This VPN app may be good for those who are just trying out VPN technology. Those who have a subscription to another service, however, may want to set theirs up manually on their Kindle or use another app.

##  Akimbo Audiobook Player Trial

 Akimbo Audiobook Player is another audio application specifically tailored to the needs of audiobook fans. This player allows you to play the many different formats that audiobooks come in. It also allows you to adjust your position in the book manually or automatically, to slow down the playback and to get cover information. The player also loads your entire audiobook library at once, making it easy to see what you have on your Kindle.

I recommend that you load this free version first, to make sure that your device supports all the features you wish. Then you can decide whether the paid version is worth it for you.

## Fridge Friend Lite

Do you have trouble with things going bad in the fridge? Then you may just love Fridge Friend. It's a sort of combination database inventory program for your Kindle Fire. It not only helps you keep track of what you have available in your refrigerator, it will also let you know when those items are about to go bad. Of course, you have to provide it with the correct information for this feature to work, but it could save you some money by letting you know that you need to use up that lettuce, those tomatoes, or whatever else is about to spoil before it actually happens.

If you're lacking in the kitchen arts and you tend not to pay attention to the items you buy, this could be a great app for you. It's also great when you combine it with one of the grocery list apps available for the Kindle Fire.

Adding items to this app is easy. Take a look at the screen below to get an idea.

If it seems like too much information for you to enter for each item, remember that you can just scan the item using the barcode, as well. All you'll have to do then is set the expiration date and you're ready to go!

This is really a well thought out app. It makes the Kindle Fire into a very practical device and, because the Kindle is so portable and easy to use, it's very easy to bring it in the kitchen at take care of all this while you're putting your groceries away.

## Out of Milk

 Out of Milk comes in two versions, a simple free version and a more complex paid version. The logo above is for the key to unlock the advanced features in the simple version. In either incarnation, this app is designed to make it easy to go grocery shopping.

Out of Milk has many of the features that you would find another list making applications but is specialized for groceries. It contains separate lists for your groceries and for your pantry, allowing you to separate between items that you need right now and items that you might need to stock up on in the near future. The app is also provided with sharing capabilities and the ability to hold price information, so you can keep a running total on your grocery list while you are putting it together. If you need a specialized list making utility for going to the grocery store, this is a good choice.

## SomaFM Radio Player

SomaFM is a popular non-commercial streaming service. They play everything from smooth and laid-back Jazz to the harshest industrial music. This app allows you to connect with that service on your Kindle Fire. It also gives you information about the last tracks played and other meta information about what you're listening to, so it's a good app for those who like to know a great deal about the music that they listen to.

This app costs about $4 and must be sideloaded onto your Kindle. If you're a fan of this radio network, however, it might be a good choice. If you're a fan of underground and indie music, SomaFM is a well worth exploring, as well. You can also stream them over a regular streaming app such as XiiaLive.

## myTimeSheet

 MyTimeSheet is designed to make it easier to track hours spent on a particular job. If you're a contractor or consultant of some sort, you might find this particularly useful to have on your Kindle.

The application allows you to add customers and jobs to your device, to track them by the day, week or month and to generate reports so that you get solid data on the amount of time you spent on any given project.

You can make comments on each of the activities you have in the app and easily change your data if you get something wrong when you're working on a project. This is a great way to make sure that you know how much time you invested in a project when you're out in the field, of course, but it could be used anywhere. A Kindle Fire certainly makes a more attractive time clock than the usual options!

## Go Launcher EX

*************************

**TIP:** Altering the Kindle Fire interface may make things a bit confusing for you at first. It's best to master all of the default settings from the Amazon interface and then to expand your options as far as looks go, if you prefer.

*************************

The Kindle Fire interface is, to put it bluntly, a bit plain. But you can customize the look to suit exactly how you use it. Enter Go Launcher EX.

You can't download Go Launcher EX from the Amazon App Store because Amazon hasn't approved the app. Go Launcher allows you to customize your interface however you want and, because of that, you can set up your Kindle to be an even better productivity and entertainment tool. All of your Amazon libraries and other functions will still be there; but they appear as an application rather than as the default layout for your screen. Even though you might prefer to use your Fire this way, Amazon would prefer that you're constantly bombarded with offers to purchase new content.

Go Launcher's homepage is <http://golauncher.goforandroid.com/>.

To illustrate how radically you can change Kindle Fire's interface, see the figure below. The Go Launcher EX app has a huge number of themes that you can apply. In the illustration below, you can see that I've added weather, XiiaLive and the Amazon default desktop—shown as " **Launcher** "—to my desktop for easy access.

Pictured above: Kindle Fire interface altered with Go Launcher EX.

The interface on Go Launcher EX is designed for any Android device, so it includes icons related to cellular phones, which you can remove.

There are a huge number of games available for the Kindle Fire. The Android operating system upon which it is based offers plenty of opportunities to have fun and you'll quickly learn to interact with games via the touchscreen interface. Here are some of the most popular games on the Amazon store. Prices reflect those at the time of writing.

##   Kaspersky Tablet Security

A few short years ago, people using the Macintosh operating system routinely bragged that they were immune from viruses and malware, and it was true—mainly because hackers concentrated on Windows. Nowadays, unfortunately, this scourge is affecting Mac users, too, and Android isn't immune either.

Kaspersky offers a great antivirus product that works on the Kindle Fire, but you must sideload it (the app costs $9.95) and updates cost $20 a year. If you're downloading and installing apps from outside Amazon's App Store, this product will provide some additional peace of mind about security. It protects your Fire and the personal information stored on it with anti-theft features that can block access to your stolen device.

The software also provides real-time Internet threat protection and scans downloaded files for viruses.

*************************

**TIP:** There are free anti-virus applications on the Amazon App Store and on other sites, so it pays to shop around. One of the best-rated free alternatives available through Amazon's store is  Antivirus Free.

*************************

## Hideman VPN

Hideman VPN is not a free service. It allows you to purchase blocks of time for a VPN connection in one hour increments. You can do so right from your device. This app allows you to get VPN protection without having to handle the setup manually, which may be a better option for some users.

This VPN app allows you to utilize 256-bit encryption to protect your data. It's a great security enhancement that should be interesting to those who use their Kindle in public places a lot. There are 12 different nations with servers that you can connect to. If you're traveling abroad and need to connect to a US server to access a given resource, you could do it with this app. This makes it simple to get VPN protection on your Kindle.

**NOTE:** If you already subscribe to a VPN service, it may have an Android app that you can use on your Kindle for no additional fees. This will usually have to be sideloaded. There should be detailed instructions on how to do this. VPN connections are great for security. If you already have a subscription to a given service, you'll generally do better to use their app than you will to use a third-party app.

## WiFinspect [Root]

WiFi Inspect is what's called a packet sniffer. Before you get too excited, understand that there are legal and ethical implications with using these apps. These apps allow you to see most of the traffic that's going across an Internet connection. That means that everyone on Wi-Fi will be visible to you and anything they're sending in plain text will be visible, as well. These apps are meant to be used on your network and yours alone, or on ones that you are charged with maintaining.

This is a great packet sniffer, but you'll need to root your device to get most of the functionality out of it. If you don't know what that means, you probably don't need a packet inspector. If you're a network pro, however, and you want a way to be able to monitor the traffic on a network without sitting in front of your desk, this is a good option.

## tPacketCapture

This is another packet sniffer. Unlike the one listed above, however, you don't need to root your device to use most of its functionalities. It allows you to read and capture packets for analysis. This is a great tool for any network tech, particularly one who wants to incorporate their tablet computer into their networking more.

This utilized a VPN service provided by the Android OS, so there is security built into it. It's a great way to make your tablet more useful and a great way to troubleshoot a network if you have to. You should be able to figure out how to set this app up and start sniffing with little technical knowledge.

## tSpyChecker

One of the greatest things about the Android OS that your Kindle runs on is that it offers you much more freedom than iOS devices. That being said, you're also more vulnerable to being infected with spyware and adware. To avoid being infected, you need something to protect you and this is one option.

tSpyChecker is a popular spyware checker that's available for your Kindle, but you'll have to sideload it using a download from Google Play or elsewhere. The software allows you to install apps without having to worry that you're installing something that's spying on you or otherwise compromising your privacy or performance. Power users take note!

## Network Mapper

 Network Mapper is an app that allows you to scan a network and to export what you find as a CSV. You can send this as an e-mail over the Gmail service. The app is setup so that it will detect firewalled computers and stealthed computers. One of the recommended uses for this app is to find SSH servers, SMB servers and other types of servers on your network.

The app is designed to be very fast at what it does and the data format it exports is compatible with the major spreadsheet programs. There is a port scanner built into this app, as well, and you can figure out the manufacturer of any given NIC by taking a look at the MAC vendor database included with the app. This is a great, quite advanced, networking tool that allows you to expand the functionality of your Kindle. Look for it in Google Play or elsewhere.

## Network Info II

This is a great app to have on hand if someone is trying to help you troubleshoot network issues remotely. It gives you all of the relevant information about your current network. It will let you know about Bluetooth networks, cell networks, IP addresses, hostnames and more. If you're not sure why your Wi-Fi isn't hooking up or if you're even hooked up to the right connection, this app can clear it up for you.

This is an app worth sideloading because it can be valuable for troubleshooting purposes. Even if you're not very advanced in your knowledge of networking, you'll likely find that the information that this app provides some handy information.

## SSH Tunnel

Max LV SSH Tunneler allows you to hook up to a server running SSH. It's intended for getting through firewalls, including those that are used to block out content to some users in certain nations. This app is not for tech lightweights and you'll need to learn a bit about SSH before you'll get much use out of it.

SSH encrypts your traffic so it cannot be read in transit. If you have a security issue and want to make sure that you can use your Kindle to connect to resources such as private servers or email servers from public Wi-Fi connections, this would be a good choice to accomplish that. Be sure you check to make sure you know the basics of SSH before you install this. It shouldn't be hard for anyone familiar with the protocol.

##  Cartoon Network Video

Cartoon Network produces this free app so that you can check out their content on your mobile device. You can watch clips from your favorite CN shows and take a look at what they have in their full video library. This app only works with their service, so you won't be able to use it with other television stations or streaming services.

This app is great if you want to hand off the Kindle Fire to your kids to keep them busy for a while with some free content. The app gets good reviews and has a lot of downloads already.

#

#  More alternative app stores

GetJar is a fine service, but it isn't the only alternative to Amazon's App Store. This section has several more stores worth mentioning.

However, my earlier cautions about non-Amazon apps bear repeating. Remember that the Amazon App Store is one of the safest places to get apps and that the ones listed below, though they are generally good, may occasionally have apps on them that you really would want on your Kindle Fire. Whenever you're sideloading an app, remember to exercise extra caution and to have some sort of antivirus app running on your computer.

## SlideMe

SlideMe is another Android app store that offers you more than what you could get at Amazon's app store. They have plenty of games and other free applications that you can choose from. Remember to check the community reviews of applications before you download them; it can prevent you from downloading a dud!

Pictured above: The SlideMe Homepage.

## OnlyAndroid

OnlyAndroid has a lot of great applications that you can choose from. You'll find both paid and free applications at this site. As a tip, paid applications are usually a bit safer and sometimes come with support options that can be a big help if you get confused while you're using them. Check them out at http://onlyandroid.mobihand.com/.

Pictured above: OnlyAndroid's Homepage.

## Google Play

Pictured above: Google Play homepage

If there's an official Android app homepage, this is it. Google Play is the largest repository for apps that will work with your Android. There are some real caveats to keep in mind with this site, however.

First, there have been issues with bad apps being uploaded to the site. The Google Play store is popular precisely because it lacks the overly-restrictive nature of competitors such as the Apple iPhone app store. It's pretty much a free for all as far as uploading apps goes, but the requirements have been tightened somewhat.

Second, many of these apps are going to be for cellular phones specifically. Remember that your Kindle Fire does not have any telephone capabilities built into it, so you'll find that some of these apps will really not make any sense at all on your Kindle. Some can be customized, such as the Go Launcher EX app that was discussed previously.

## AndroidZoom

AndroidZoom.com provides an easily, accessible web layout to download Android apps as well as useful information, reviews and recommendations. It's one more option in case none of the previously mentioned services suit you.

#  Kindle Buffet: Free books, all you can eat!

Apps are only part of the Kindle treasure trove. Don't forget about books!

One of the best things about Amazon's digital bookstore is that many of its most popular books are offered completely free of charge during brief promotional periods. If you manage to find and download a book while it's offered free, it's yours to keep—forever. It's a great way to sample a new genre, or perhaps discover an author you hadn't noticed before.

I love downloading free books to my Kindles so much, I started a website and newsletter called KindleBuffet.com to help keep track of the very best books currently available free. (The free promotions usually last only a few days, but there's a new crop every day). Take a look, and I'm sure you'll be amazed at the wealth of great books—usually there are several hundred freebies in virtually every category of fiction and nonfiction, every day of the year. And these aren't just the dogs that nobody wants, the selection includes bona-fide bestsellers from the most famous authors in the world. You may never have to pay for a book again! Heaven knows I've already downloaded more books than I'd be able to read in three lifetimes. But there's two things I've never been able to refuse—free food and free books.

Pictured above: The homepage of KindleBuffet.com. Visit the site for daily Editor's Picks of outstanding Kindle books that have gone free during that same day.

Of the thousands of new books made available every day, I whittle the list down to highlight only the best on Kindle Buffet . For this, I use two simple yardsticks: how many five-star reviews have Amazon customers posted about the book? Then, to skim the cream a bit more, I compare a book's number of positive reviews versus negative reviews. Although individual reviewers frequently disagree about a given book—and Amazon certainly has its share of knuckleheads offering their two-cents' worth—the bottom line is usually clear: the best, most widely enjoyed books attract the most (and best percentage of) positive reviews.

Kindle Buffet also has bestseller lists, updated hourly, of free Kindle books for every Amazon category—fiction, romance, business, cookbooks—you name it. So if you'd like to load up your Kindle with plenty of great reading material without spending a dime, visit KindleBuffet.com.
Get free updates of this book

Thank you for spending some time with this book. If you have any feedback or questions, please drop me a line at KindleBuffet@WeberBooks.com. If your favorite app isn't mentioned in this book, please let me know!

Also, it would be a tremendous help to me and others in the Amazon community if you posted a customer review, briefly mentioning what you liked or didn't like about this book. Here's  the review page.

Since the subject matter of this book is rapidly changing, it is updated on the first day of each calendar month. You may request the updated version by sending a request to kdp-support@amazon.com. (Simply deleting the book from your Kindle library and re-downloading will not transfer the latest version to your device—the new file must be sent from Amazon's staff.) Also, requesting the new version of the book will, unfortunately, delete any highlights or bookmarks you've recorded in the previous version.

Thanks!

—Steve Weber

Introduction

Fast start guide to the Kindle Fire

 Firing up your Kindle for the first time

Turning the device On/Off

How to navigate the touch-screen

Registering/Setting up the device

Battery charging life

Navigating the Carousel interface

 Finding Kindle libraries (Apps, Books, Videos, etc.)

 Get your favorite magazines free on Kindle when you subscribe to print

Shopping for apps on your Kindle Fire

Installing an App

 How Many Apps Can You Have?

Removing Apps

To Permanently Delete an App

Being safe

Music

Stitcher Radio

XiiaLive Lite

VEVO

Pandora

I Heart Radio

Sonos

HomeDJ

TuneIn Radio

GoneMad

Winamp for Android

Video

VPlayer

Simple MP4 Player

FLV Player

Netflix

Watch Movies Now Pro

Communication

Skype for Kindle Fire HD

imo

Yahoo Messenger

 YAG – Yet Another GTalk- Google Talk Client for Android

Trillian

 Talk.to – One App for all your Chats

Cisco WebEx Meetings

LinkedIn

Facebook

Productivity

QuickOffice Pro

Evernote

Office Calculator Free

Any.Do

Day-Timer Plan2Go

Smartr Contacts

Box

gReader

Instapaper

ES File Explorer

iTranslate

Exchange by TouchDown

OfficeSuite Professional 6

Pocket

PrinterShare Mobile Print

Enhanced Email

Pocket Informant

Calculator Plus Free

Calculator Ultimate & Graph

LogMeInIgnition

Splashtop Remote Desktop

GoDaddy Mobile Domains

Utilities

mSecure

Antair Nightstand

Battery HD

ConvertPad

Moon Phase Pro

Stopwatch

Maps With Me Lite

Norton Mobile Security Lite

AndroXplorer

 Alarm Clock, Calendar, ToDo List, Nightstand - Productivity Helper

Instafire

Games

Angry Birds Free

Bad Piggies Free HD

Minecraft Pocket Edition

Slender Man

Plants vs. Zombies

The Haunt

Solitaire

Bejeweled 2

Scrabble

Robot Unicorn Attack

Flow Free

Drawing Pad

ThumbZilla

Doodle Jump

Hello Kitty Cafe

Networking

Wi-Fi Analyzer Free

IP Network Calculator

IP Cam Viewer

Tiny Cam Monitor Pro

VNC Viewer

Better Terminal Emulator Pro

VMware View

Black Google Mobile

Cloudacl WebFilter

Scanner 911 Free

Scanner Radio Pro

Shop Till You Drop!

Official eBay Android App

Myibidder Bid Sniper for eBay Pro

CraigsList App for Android

Mighty Grocery Shopping List

The Coupons App

Sales Tax Calculator

Grocery Pal

Etsy for Android

Sale Price Calculator

Groupon National Deals

Cars.com

Garage Sale Rover

Gilt

Ohnee – Wine Assistant

Education and Reference

 OverDrive Media Console: Library eBooks & Audiobooks

Audible.com

EasyTalk Learn Spanish Free

Open Star Chart

Audubon Birds

Audubon Wildflowers

Audubon Insects & Spiders

Speed Math Trainer

Toddler ABC Flashcards

Kid Math Game

50 States

Interactive Telling Time

Dr. Panda, Teach Me!

Sight Words for Reading

ABC Maze-A-Licious

ZOOLA

ABC PreSchool Playground Free

Alphabet Car

4 ► Prioritizing your Apps

Anti-Virus

Password Encryption

VPN

Paid vs. Free?

Amazon vs. Sideload

 5 ► Venturing beyond the Amazon App Store

Sideloading apps

SnapPea

GetJar

 Google's Play Store and Android Market

Recommended apps

Android Music Player

Car Tunes

Double Twist

Dropbox

Google Drive

Root Explorer

Smart AudioBook Player

Hotspot Shield

Akimbo Audiobook Player Trial

Fridge Friend Lite

Out of Milk

SomaFM Radio Player

myTimeSheet

Go Launcher EX

Kaspersky Tablet Security

Hideman VPN

WiFinspect [Root]

tPacketCapture

tSpyChecker

Network Mapper

Network Info II

SSH Tunnel

Cartoon Network Video

More alternative app stores

SlideMe

OnlyAndroid

Google Play

AndroidZoom

 Kindle Buffet: Free books, all you can eat!

