topic Re: Amazon fire Tsv? in Electronics

Amazon fire Tsv?

lovestodance — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 15:35:10 GMT

I was so ready yesterday to order it as TVS...

However got cold feet.. Did not see it presented till late last night...

I am so embarrased to say i am not in the groove with any wire free tech products...

Am a senior over 78,and only use a Desk top Pc with keyboard and mouse...

My husband who will be 82 in March does not know how to use Pc etc....

Only have one basic Verizon flip cell phone...

I am so confused with all the updated tech stuff out there... Am a bit afraid the Amazon Fire maybe too hard to use...

To add since i know you need wifi connection... Do have a Verizon router with a wire free connection mode....

Really need some adise and any other help would be greatly appreciated...

lovestodance

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

shaggygirl — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 15:49:28 GMT

lovestodance, I don't know squat about the Amazon Fire, I just hopped in here to tell you that I'm happy to hear I'm not the only person on the face of the earth who still has a flip-phone! In fact a few weeks ago somewhere or other I lost mine along w/my favorite lipstick, they obviously fell out of my purse somewhere, checked the last places I had shopped before noticing them missing and NADA. Anyway, I still had my late husband's flip-phone so went to AT&T and got that one set up instead of getting one of the new fangled ones, some things I'm just too afraid of not being able to figure out or that

l'll manage to screw them up. Just wanted you to know you are not alone in not being in the groove with the latest & greatest technology.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

memphis623 — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 15:55:15 GMT

I have the Amazon Firestick and the Firebox. Both work the same, just the stick plugs into the HDMI slot onto your tv directly, while the box uses a cord to plug into the HDMI slot.

You do need a wireless connection, so if you have a router with wifi it will work. You have to set it up with your router name and password used to access your internet connection. Once you do the initial setup, it should connect automatically.

The firestick is super easy to use. I got my mother - who is 89 - a Roku and it is basically the same thing. You have a home screen with "apps" available to download. Some are free, some cost money. If you have a cable subscription, you can use the apps to watch extra content or catch up with on demand shows. You can also watch some for free TV such as the CW, ABC, and I believe some NBC app. There are more as well like crackle adn tubit tv. CBS you have to subscribe for 5.99 month. There is also Amazon Prime which I believe is $99 a year, then you have access to prime content.

There are free movie apps for older movies - not current releases unless you pay for them. You can "rent" movies through the VUDU app.

You can do a lot with the firestick/box and it is pretty easy to use. I think the hardest part would be the initial setup. Once you complete that you just browse through the apps, find ones you want and then download them to your firestick/box and watch tv shows, movies, play games, etc.

Another one to look into, as I mentioned above is the ROKU. It has more apps for free content available on it. Unless you really want Amazon Prime, which is on the Firestick/Box.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

lovestodance — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:07:20 GMT

Hi shaggygirl,

Many thanks for your reply,and comments.... So sorry you lost your flip-phone. Happy to hear you got another one and set up for you...

Just to add i live in a fairly rural upstate NY.... Have no family close by to come in and set up any tech stuff for me...

So i have been pondering what wire-free tech things to get...

My pc is not in a very good lighting area. My eyes are not in the best condition as well.. Astigmatisim in both eyes.. Left eye worse then right... Also have what my Opthamoligist calls mild start of Cataracs...

Sorry just wanted to add this to my reply...

Have invested so much in my last pair of progressive lenses,and very unhappy... Went back and they did say only one time replacement.. Had my eyes rechecked with there Optomitrist and just felt perscription was not done right...

I did add on a light tint as i thought would help with glare...

Guess i mad a mistake doing that in addtion to not feeling something else maybe to blame..

Okay enough of that...

Many thanks again if you see this...

lovestodance

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

IMW — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:12:06 GMT

Tablets are fabulous, think of a small portable computer. Much of mastering it is intuitive, such as swiping

with your finger rather than a mouse. It is actually easier once you get the hang of it.

I am 65 and use an IPad exclusively, got sick of viruses.

Also, Amazon has absolutely incredible customer support,

throw yourself at their mercy and you will be amazed.

They walked me through set up and use of a Kindle.

Good luck!

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

ChynnaBlue — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:24:03 GMT

You missed nothing with that Amazon Fire; it was the 2015 version.

If you still want it, it's $50 today on the A site, but that's without a case. I find the Android operating system a little more difficult to use than the Apple operating system, but the Android tablets are much less expensive. The Fire tablets use an Amazon proprietary version of Android, which I think works well, but it's harder to find apps I want and it's not as easy to find answers to tech issues in Google.

Before you decide, you may want to investigate local resources that may be of help. My parents live near a very large retirement community that has public adult education classes. They offer classes in computer, tablets, and even smartphones. Local libraries may also offer free classes in technology. If you can take classes and get help, you'll feel more comfortable.

My mom found books like iPad for Dummies and iPad for Seniors for Dummies very helpful. If you get one of those books, make sure it is the most recent. If you get a book from 2015 and a tablet from 2016, the instructions may not match up and it could be frustrating.

My mom's biggest annoyance with the iPad is that things change all the time. She does not manage change well and gets very frustrated. Apps get updated as well as the operating system, which means something you knew how to do yesterday may be different tomorrow and you will need to figure out the changes because they won't be in a book.

My mom never used a computer before she got the iPad, so you will already be steps ahead of her. She had a really hard time understanding how things like accounts and passwords worked and thought that once she got a Gmail account, she would be able to use that account and password for EVERTHING and didn't know she had to create a new account for every site/app.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

number one queen — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:45:05 GMT

Hi, You are not alone, my husband loves his flip phone! He had me get android phone with the internet,,which we hardly use! But I bought a fire for my e books,all you need is the user id and password,easy. Also ,you can call Amazon and they will help you set it up. I am 63 and never did any computer work! With my fire I take in my bag to Dr. apt. Read anywhere, have Amazon prime, which I love .Also you have the Alexa app,you just press it ,it turns on you say what you are looking for and up comes items. Try it, it's easy!

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

kaydee50 — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 16:45:18 GMT

I'm with the OP. I'm in my mid 60s and have no interest in all this technology. I don't even have a "smart phone." My "stupid phone" is sufficient for me--no need to text, take pix or whatever else those things do. Plus no one ever talks about the added expense of having these devices. The monthly charges add up.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

Nuttmeg — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 17:29:09 GMT

@castlenv wrote:
I'm with the OP. I'm in my mid 60s and have no interest in all this technology. I don't even have a "smart phone." My "stupid phone" is sufficient for me--no need to text, take pix or whatever else those things do. Plus no one ever talks about the added expense of having these devices. The monthly charges add up.

Hi, my friends are 10 years old than you. Most of them have changed to simple smartphones. Verizon or AT&T would not service their old flips anymore.

I want to LOL. The local bank branch does not have tellers. You use a machine to make transactions. There are only a few branches with tellers.

You should at least know how to send a text, how to use Facebook or Twitter.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

Spurt — Fri, 03 Feb 2017 17:45:35 GMT

Flip phones have made a come back Samsung just released a new one in Sept 2016...... I recently saw them in Best Buy too .... so everything old is new again ....... I don't have one....I have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone....

@lovestodance

One thing about Amazon Fire is that it does not support Google Play which has the more popular APPS and GAMES......there is a roundabout way you can add it, but if you aren't tech savvy may not be the best choice.....there are other tablets out there...... You may enjoy a tablet rather than a desk top PC....more portable and some come with the option to use a keyboard and a mouse too......

What you might want to do is check with the school districts in your area to see if they have Continuing Education Programs, many of these offer basic technology courses for seniors. My friend's step mom is your age she took the course and loved it and learned a lot.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

patbz — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 00:09:14 GMT

@lovestodance: The Fire tablet is easy peasy, my 4yr grandson has been using his for over a year. I'd buy the latest version from A website; you'll have it by Monday and call their customer service and they'll help you set it up. After that, any questions you have can be answered by hitting MayDay button. A also has many cases as does the Bay.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

Nuttmeg — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 04:59:52 GMT

@patbz wrote:
@lovestodance: The Fire tablet is easy peasy, my 4yr grandson has been using his for over a year. I'd buy the latest version from A website; you'll have it by Monday and call their customer service and they'll help you set it up. After that, any questions you have can be answered by hitting MayDay button. A also has many cases as does the Bay.
@lovestodance

Amazon has a very nice Fire HD8 32 GB tablet for $119. I have a few 8" tablets. I like the size of the display, and they are not as heavy as a 10.1 product. Amazon gives customers 30 day return, and you can print the return label from your computer.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

mima — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 14:37:05 GMT

@Nuttmeg wrote:
@patbz wrote:
@lovestodance: The Fire tablet is easy peasy, my 4yr grandson has been using his for over a year. I'd buy the latest version from A website; you'll have it by Monday and call their customer service and they'll help you set it up. After that, any questions you have can be answered by hitting MayDay button. A also has many cases as does the Bay.
@lovestodance
Amazon has a very nice Fire HD8 32 GB tablet for $119. I have a few 8" tablets. I like the size of the display, and they are not as heavy as a 10.1 product. Amazon gives customers 30 day return, and you can print the return label from your computer.

@lovestodance @NuttmegThat new 8" Amazon Fire 32 GB is the one I use the most. I have a few different ones too. It is a very nice size and light weight and very portable. This one also has the "Alexa" built it. That is nice.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

mima — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 14:41:05 GMT

@patbz wrote:
@lovestodance: The Fire tablet is easy peasy, my 4yr grandson has been using his for over a year. I'd buy the latest version from A website; you'll have it by Monday and call their customer service and they'll help you set it up. After that, any questions you have can be answered by hitting MayDay button. A also has many cases as does the Bay.

@patbz @lovestodance Note: I believe only the HDX models have Mayday. The newest ones don't have this feature. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

Ainhisg — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 17:47:22 GMT

@lovestodance, you should be very proud of yourself for wanting to learn new technology! I am in my mid-50's and can't imagine having the attitude of not wanting to learn new technology. People, you'd better stay with the times, or you're going to find new experiences more and more difficult. I went to a new spa a few months back, was handed an iPad, and was expected to be able to enter all my information myself. The DMV now has touchscreens on the wall where you select the reason for your visit and so forth. The post office is doing away with many tellers in favor of machines for stamps and simple transactions.

My mother is suffering from Alzheimer's, and I really believe something that did not help is her lifelong habit of refusing to learn anything new. Even when she and Dad got a VCR "way back when," she refused to learn how to work it leaving it all up to Dad. A new dishwasher? Untouched. We would show her how to use things and make her practice, but as soon as we would leave, she would never use the device in question so forget how to do any of it.

All this being said, I agree with @Nuttmeg about 8" tablets. I have the 7" Fire in question (too small, too slow, not enough common apps, and only good for a reader or apps/internet in a pinch). I have a cheapie Android 8" (has been just fine for how I use it), and I also have the iPad mini 4, which is 8 inches. To me, the 8" is the perfect size. If you can afford it, I highly recommend the iPad mini. Fast, smooth, beautiful colors, and lots of help out there for it besides the fact that it should last years. If you buy from a locally owned computer business, they often have classes on their products. I've noticed my library offers classes, too, on tablets and so forth.

I recently bought an inexpensive 10.1 inch tablet at Best Buy to try out that size before I invested in a similar size of iPad...thought I might like a bigger screen. So glad I did, because I find the larger tablets harder to hold and heavier. The 8" is perfect for me.

I bought a new camera and find it quite challenging to understand. Did I take it back or stick it in the closet? No. I signed up for a camera class that the local business where I purchased the camera is offering. I advise buying something new that you have no experience with locally for just this reason. You can go to a real person who can show you how to do something or get you unstuck.

I don't say any of this to hurt anyone's feelings. I just hate to see people doing a disservice to themselves by shunning techonology. The Dummy books are excellent, and Google is your friend. You can Google almost any "how to" question and find the answer.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

patbz — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 18:06:15 GMT

All new Fire tablets have MayDay button. I use the 8"(love it). Buy the least expensive one with an expansion slot and buy a micro SD card from A or Ebay.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

mima — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 19:15:11 GMT

@patbz wrote:
All new Fire tablets have MayDay button. I use the 8"(love it). Buy the least expensive one with an expansion slot and buy a micro SD card from A or Ebay.

@patbzI have this same one and it does not have Mayday. I just looked on Amazon and in the Q&A, put Mayday in the search and people there say it does not have Mayday. If yours has it, can you tell me where it is?

Not being crabby, I just don't want misinformation put out. If yours has it and mine doesn't, I need to call Amazon.

Mine is the 8" HD that is $119.00. It was a new model and ordered from Amazon in September of 2016.

I would link the page with the answers, but then it would probably get this thread deleted.

ARe: Amazon fire Tsv?

patbz — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 20:37:14 GMT

My apologies if I'm wrong.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

apple1964 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 14:30:25 GMT

I have the fire and love it! I got it from the Amazon site for 49 dollars in the color tangerine. And I got the matching case for 7 dollars on sale it came in two days. I would never order a electronic from a shopping channel.. they load you up with junk you will never need or use. I love this device and the size 7 inch is new for me.

Re: Amazon fire Tsv?

apple1964 — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 14:37:13 GMT

@Spurt wrote:
Flip phones have made a come back Samsung just released a new one in Sept 2016...... I recently saw them in Best Buy too .... so everything old is new again ....... I don't have one....I have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone....

@lovestodance

One thing about Amazon Fire is that it does not support Google Play which has the more popular APPS and GAMES......there is a roundabout way you can add it, but if you aren't tech savvy may not be the best choice.....there are other tablets out there...... You may enjoy a tablet rather than a desk top PC....more portable and some come with the option to use a keyboard and a mouse too......

What you might want to do is check with the school districts in your area to see if they have Continuing Education Programs, many of these offer basic technology courses for seniors. My friend's step mom is your age she took the course and loved it and learned a lot.

FYI, it does not need the google play store. The fire has something called the "underground" which has free games. And the music is endless. I have a library full of both free games and music and books and free live walpaper. Love it! I have both the Ipads and fire and I use the fire more often.