# Question about Amazon accounts for books and apps on an android tablet.



## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm not sure I can word this right - but I will try!

Please note that I do not own an Android device, so if this ends up sounding stupid - just add it to your "iOS users aren't very smart" column  (except we can do what I am asking). That said, my kids are getting Nabi2 tablets for Christmas.

I was wondering if it is possible on a non-Fire tablet to have it use two different Amazon accounts? I know that the Fire is register as a device at what I will call the "top level". Then it falls down to the kindle store and app store. I am assuming that it is 1 Fire = 1 Amazon account for books and apps

*What I was wondering is if in the kindle app on a non-Fire android tablet you can use Account A, but then in the App Store you can use Account B? *

Which then leads me to, can an android device be registered to two different accounts on Amazon.

(which would mean I could have my boyfriend register his tablet and phone to my account - or the new one - and use it to obtain free apps until I get the kids tablets... all without impacting HIS account with them. I'd try it - except he is working 4 hours away and won't be here until Tuesday... and patience isn't my strong suit! Oh an he probably know the answer - but I don't want to let on I might not know everything... the relationship is to new! )

I hope this makes sense, because I really really do NOT want them to have access to my Amazon account when in the App Store, but they can still access the library of books we have. 

OHHHH, which also leads me to another question - does the Kindle app for Android Tablets let you load books from an SD card if the device supports it?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

The device can be registered once as a Kindle device.  It can't have two copies of the Kindle app on it that could theoretically access two different kindle accounts.

I don't know of anything that prevents it being registered differently as an android app store device. You'd have to get the app for the appstore from the account you want to use for apps.  I guess that could be a different account than the one you use for books.

But I can't say for sure as I've never tried it -- I've only got the one account anyway.


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## Xopher (May 14, 2009)

The new Android 4.2 version supports multiple accounts, so you can share the tablet with more than one person. I'm not sure how well it works, but in theory, apps would have their own settings based on who was logged in. Quite possibly, each user could have their own account info.

The only issue I see is how Amazon tracks devices. It does it based on device, rather than login. That might stop the multi-user account from working.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

To start accumulating free apps, you need to have at least one device registered to the account. The simplest way would be if you can find an old, unused Android device (could be a phone or a tablet) and connect to the internet via wifi to establish the account and install the Amazon appstore app on the device. Once you've established the account, you no longer need the device, and you can just "buy" the free apps (though not install them of course) over anything that can surf the internet. I surf the internet on my iPad a lot, and it amuses me to buy Amazon Android apps on my iPad! If your bf or someone else you know has an old device that you can borrow, that is best. If you use an Android phone, the phone doesn't even need to be activated with a cell phone plan, as long as you can get it to a wifi connection. If the device is incredibly ancient and uses an obsolete version of Android (from, you know, maybe three years ago...) there may be old versions of Android that the Amazon Appstore app isn't compatible with, but I doubt there are that many of those old devices still around.

Having said that, there is an alternate approach. I _BELIEVE_ that if your boyfriend takes one of his devices and temporarily registers it to your gmail account, that you could then use it to start an Amazon appstore account. If my belief is correct, once that has been done, he should be able to re-register the device to his account, and use it normally, and you will be able to buy more free apps over your computer. I've never switched accounts on an Android device in that way, but I think there's a good chance that it will cause him to lose all the things set up on his device--He might have to re-download all his apps, set up his home screens again, and probably enter all the passwords on apps or websites that require passwords. As I said, I've never done this, and if it trying it causes the Android device to magically turn into a black hole and suck half your state into another dimension before turning into a homicidal cybernetic robot, don't blame me! _I don't especially recommend it_, even though I think it will work with the disadvantage of making your bf start over on setting up his device. I mention it just because I am compulsive about completeness.

But if you can find any old Android device and use it to set up an account, I am confident that will work fine.


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

The Hooded Claw said:


> As I said, I've never done this, and if it trying it causes the Android device to magically turn into a black hole and suck half your state into another dimension before turning into a homicidal cybernetic robot, don't blame me! _I don't especially recommend it_, even though I think it will work with the disadvantage of making your bf start over on setting up his device. I mention it just because I am compulsive about completeness.


Bwahahahahaha.....

So i want to be sure to be in the state I want sucked into oblivion before attempting it right? So where was my ex working this week?!?!?! 

I may just go pick one of my layaways up and just use it to play around with. I'm *expecting* there to be sales/freebies this weekend like their would be in iOS land - is that reasonable?!!

The BF would probably know what to do if I asked - however, he's already not having a good work weekend, so I shall continue to avoid asking him! LOL!!

I just know that it is so easy to use multiple iTunes accounts on iOS that it is irksome it doesn't seem doable for Amazon. I grab my mom's iPad, log into my account and my kids are happily playing Scribblenauts on it. My parents don't seem as happy about it  My daughter is the same way - she uses the family iTunes account and then she set up her own.

I don't know anyone with an android phone local - old or not! And the BF is using his i think... something about running over his a couple of weeks ago. Oh wait, my friend in PA collects phones like.... something, I bet she has one i could register!! Off to ask her!!!


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

Well, both tablets are in my trunk!

Best Buy was selling them at the BF price today, I managed to order one, and then the store was willing to price match two for me. Now I have to figure out how to cancel the online order (i don't need three), and convince my kids to go to bed so I can play with them!!


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

TraceyC/FL said:


> Well, both tablets are in my trunk!
> 
> Best Buy was selling them at the BF price today, I managed to order one, and then the store was willing to price match two for me. Now I have to figure out how to cancel the online order (i don't need three), and convince my kids to go to bed so I can play with them!!


Whee! When I was a kid, my parents never put me to bed so they could play with tech toys. Of course real tech toys hadn't been invented yet...


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm muddling my way thru my first android experience..... I won't be giving up my iOS devices, nope, just not going to happen!

When I get stuck.... i hand it to my boyfriend to fix  (except he leaves Friday again for work, and how much you wanna bet I get stuck before he gets back around Christmas?!?! LOL!)

My next project is to get the books onto an SD card - but I need to sort out what reader can use the card too.


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## Xopher (May 14, 2009)

Most of the book apps can read from SD card. The main thing is that the books have to be in specific folders (the Kindle app expects books in the /kindle folder...).


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

Xopher said:


> Most of the book apps can read from SD card. The main thing is that the books have to be in specific folders (the Kindle app expects books in the /kindle folder...).


OK.... I think I can do that... (kidding - i can... but do i want to)

I'm thinking of using Aldiko, but I have some "work" to do first, and that I probably should not do until I finish these research papers I have to write...


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## Xopher (May 14, 2009)

I'm not sure where Aldiko expects books. You might try downloading one, then checking to see where the app put it. If the SD card was already installed, it will hopefully save it there.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

You can browse and import books into Aldiko from anywhere on your device.  On the Aldiko home page is a "Files" icon.  Tap on that and browse to where you want to import a book.  It defaults to the sdcard...I was able to import a PDF file from my Documents folder.

Betsy


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

A couple of things...to add Aldiko, because I don't believe it's available through the Amazon Appstore, you'll need to enable installing third party apps. On the Fire HD, swipe down from the top to access the settings menu, then tap on More > Device > Allow Installation of Applications.

I use another third party app quite a bit--Dropbox, which you can get here:
https://www.dropbox.com/android

Download directly to your device and install it. You'll need to set up a dropbox account. There are iOS versions, too. Any document you put in your Dropbox folder will be available to any of your devices or computers. I put some epub docs in my Dropbox account. When I navigated to them on my Fire and tapped, I got a popup that said "Import to Aldiko?" couldn't be easier.

Betsy


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

Thanks Betsy - I was just able to install Aldiko from amazon on the tablet (Nabi), but I'm having a heck of time with Calibre and have nothing to play with it right now. 

Why? Because i'm *supposed* to be writing a research paper NOT playing with toys! 

I think it will work best for the kids from what I can see - and keeps them out of my Archive.

OK, back to HIPAA crap!


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