# Fire HD With Special Offers?



## maries (Dec 29, 2010)

OK I decided to order the 8.9" Fire and an Amazon cover.    The one with special offers is available now but the one without is not available until 12/10 although chances are it would come sooner but not sure I want to take that chance and wait so......

Is it only the first screen that has special offers?  If you opt out is it then the same as buying the one without the special offrs?

Thanks.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

When you turn on the Fire, by opening the cover or pressing the button, there's a sleep screen.  This is standard for all android devices.  If you have 'special offers', the screen is actually a static ad.  Without them, it's one of a set of pictures that come up in rotation.  You can 'buy out' after owning the device, for $15.  You can put them back anytime for free.


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## maries (Dec 29, 2010)

Thanks for the info.  I just ordered the one with the special offers and I'll see.  I have these on one of my KKs and it never bothered me so I might be fine with this.  Waiting paid off since they had the deal on accessories too.  Hoping I love the 8.9" one!  I still like the idea of both sizes but DH would never go for that so I have to choose.


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## Jesslyn (Oct 29, 2008)

I must say--all the fuss and bother over the SO sure did (IMO) turn out to be a lot of fuss about nothing.  I follow a lot of tech columns, blogs, reviews and forums and boy were they freaked out!  I was pointedly ignored every time I mentioned that the SO were very well done on the Kindle ereader so I couldn't imagine them being as obnoxious as some of the ads that I see in various apps.  I waited to see and what do I find?  A stupid lockscreen ad. OOooooo--how scary


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## Robert Brumm (Jul 17, 2012)

Jesslyn said:


> I must say--all the fuss and bother over the SO sure did (IMO) turn out to be a lot of fuss about nothing. I follow a lot of tech columns, blogs, reviews and forums and boy were they freaked out! I was pointedly ignored every time I mentioned that the SO were very well done on the Kindle ereader so I couldn't imagine them being as obnoxious as some of the ads that I see in various apps. I waited to see and what do I find? A stupid lockscreen ad. OOooooo--how scary


Agreed. I've even taken advantage of a special offer or two!


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## novembersfyre (Nov 10, 2011)

Jesslyn said:


> I must say--all the fuss and bother over the SO sure did (IMO) turn out to be a lot of fuss about nothing. I follow a lot of tech columns, blogs, reviews and forums and boy were they freaked out! I was pointedly ignored every time I mentioned that the SO were very well done on the Kindle ereader so I couldn't imagine them being as obnoxious as some of the ads that I see in various apps. I waited to see and what do I find? A stupid lockscreen ad. OOooooo--how scary


I've decided to keep the SOs for now. I just wish they were more varied. I don't want to get rid of them because I'm afraid of missing something good!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

The lock screen, no matter what it has on it, is just something to move out of the way, so they don't bother me much.  Not enough to spend another $15.  Maybe someday.  I have a cover with the auto-open on the way.  I know I'll still have to use the lock screen, but at least I won't have to find that almost-flush power button.  I've learned to just slide my finger across it to wake the Fire up, but it's still a pain.

I'd be more likely to remove the SOs from the Fire than any of my eInk devices...but not yet.

Betsy


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## ginaf20697 (Jan 31, 2009)

I never understood the fuss about the lock screen. Who the heck looks at it for more than 10 seconds?


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## Seamonkey (Dec 2, 2008)

I've never had special offers on a Kindle (last actual Kindle was the 3G..  and now I guess I have them on the FireHD4G, but it seems like just ads, not offers.. I'm not buying a car from my Fire..or taking on a new credit card..


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Seamonkey said:


> I've never had special offers on a Kindle (last actual Kindle was the 3G.. and now I guess I have them on the FireHD4G, but it seems like just ads, not offers.. I'm not buying a car from my Fire..or taking on a new credit card..


Sometimes there are actual deals offered -- discounts or whatever. In all cases all you do by responding to the offer is essentially request an email with more information, which you can then act on or not.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

ginaf20697 said:


> I never understood the fuss about the lock screen. Who the heck looks at it for more than 10 seconds?


Who looks at it that long? 


That being said, if it bothers someone, it bothers them. I'm glad Amazon has a way to opt out while still minimizing the cost of the device for the rest of us.

Betsy


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## debml (May 14, 2011)

I purchased the 8.9HD with special offers and there are none!? It seems to be the non SO edition. I keep expecting it to update and the ads to start showing up, but it hasn't so far.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

debml said:


> I purchased the 8.9HD with special offers and there are none!? It seems to be the non SO edition. I keep expecting it to update and the ads to start showing up, but it hasn't so far.


Really? Huh.

I guess the right thing to do would be to contact Amazon and let them know.

You have connected it to WiFi, right? Because they don't come until you do that.


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## maries (Dec 29, 2010)

debml said:


> I purchased the 8.9HD with special offers and there are none!? It seems to be the non SO edition. I keep expecting it to update and the ads to start showing up, but it hasn't so far.


What do you see on the screen? Mine comes today so I will set it up tonight.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

When you first get it, the sleep images are graphic sorts of designs. . . . a close up of pencil points, typewriter keys, things like that.  Once you connect wirelessly they're pretty obvious advertisements.


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## debml (May 14, 2011)

Yes, I'm getting the graphic designs. And I am connected to wi-fi. I just connected 2 days ago, so maybe it will still happen, but I was surprised not to see the ads right away.

UPDATE: Ads appeared today.


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## Jesslyn (Oct 29, 2008)

I wish the Offers/Ads wer a bit more personalized.  Offer me some discounts on books or local deals, etc. 

I have been buying from Amazon since 2002 and not just books.  They have enough info on me to send me suggestions, recommendations and ads that are at least in the same ballpark as items I've purchased in the past.  Sadly, so far I've only taken advantage of the discounted GC and $ off movies/music.


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## wavesprite (Apr 27, 2009)

I like the SO's.  I've gotten a free movie rental, and some "cheap books".  There was an add for Discover Card on there for about 2 months that I really got sick of looking at....but that was about it....


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## Jesslyn (Oct 29, 2008)

Some of the images are really beautiful and show off the great resolution and screen.  The Epic Mickey is the one that comes immediately to mind.


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

I have the one without special offers, and I do like the screen savers on it.  Does anyone know whether I can turn the special offers on/off back and forth without being charged?  Once in a while they offer something I like, but if they ever start putting scary ads, I'd like the option of turning off the offers again.

N


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

On the eInk versions you can turn them on and off at will without being charged...I don't know that anyone has tested, but I expect they work the same way.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

One of my Fires has SO's and one does not. . . .on the Manage Your Devices section of MYK, both have the 'edit' link.  So I assume, yes, once you buy out, you can turn them on and off at will.  The change would normally take effect the next time you turn on wireless and sync.


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

After using my Fire HD (7") for a couple of months, the SOs don't bother me at all. I hardly notice them now, but occasionally I do click on one to check it out.

After all the ado when the HD was released, it's pretty much a non-issue now, I think.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I do think it's interesting that they've scrapped the additional ad band across the bottom of the home screen that was initially advertised.  I don't think it was ever there, based on Ann's HD7.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I saw it for just a few days -- mostly said please provide feedback. . . .that's on my HD8.9 too for now. . .but after a short time never saw anything down there -- except the suggestions and added content icons.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> I saw it for just a few days -- mostly said please provide feedback. . . .that's on my HD8.9 too for now. . .but after a short time never saw anything down there -- except the suggestions and added content icons.


On the Home page below the Carousel/Favorites? I've got nothin'.

Betsy


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

O.K.  Correction.  It was on my HD8.9 the last time I looked. . just two lines at the bottom left that said something like "Love your Kindle Fire? Please send feedback."  It's not there now.  It was basically a direct link to the feedback area that is also accessible via the pull down menu.


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

Thanks, Betsy and Ann!  I'm gonna it a try the next time there's a good offer!

N


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