# Upper left corner of screen - what is this?



## maries (Dec 29, 2010)

If you look at the screen, under the glass in the upper left corner is a little circle.   Any idea what this is?   I couldn't find anything in the Fire References.   DecalGirl has a cut out so you don't cover it up although it is hard to line up.

Thanks.


----------



## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

I think it is a light sensor


----------



## Finished (Feb 14, 2009)

I wondered the same thing. It doesn't appear to be a light sensor. My guess is that it is an air hole for the device to get oxygen since Fires need oxygen or they burn out.

OTOH, it could be a webcam that Amazon secretly uses to observe customer behavior for marketing studies. I might tape over mine. In any case, I would recommend not undressing in front of your Fire.


----------



## dougdirt (Jan 8, 2012)

Just Wondering said:


> OTOH, it could be a webcam that Amazon secretly uses to observe customer behavior for marketing studies. I might tape over mine. In any case, I would recommend not undressing in front of your Fire.


Or, you could purposefully do just that thing.... you know, if someone was into that kind of thing.


----------



## StephanieJ (Nov 11, 2010)

"OTOH, it could be a webcam that Amazon secretly uses to observe customer behavior for marketing studies. I might tape over mine. In any case, I would recommend not undressing in front of your Fire."

No wonder my Fire has been threatening suicide!!


----------



## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Mine certainly would...


----------



## maries (Dec 29, 2010)

I'm glad I am not the only one not sure what this is.  My guess would have been a light sensor to auto adjust the brightness.  If not that, I don't have a clue.  And with others hoping it isn't a webcam!


----------



## kindlegrl81 (Jan 19, 2010)

According to some other discussion forums, the Kindle Fire originally had the option of turning on auto brightness but it is something Amazon disabled when they updated the software.

My guess would be the light sensor didn't work correctly, so they decided not to give us that option anymore.


----------



## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I read posts from those that got the Fire first and they had stated there was a light sensor that worked with the software. Then after that first software update, it was gone. I got my Fire right after that very first update so I never saw it.


----------



## maries (Dec 29, 2010)

That would make it easier to apply a skin if I didn't need to worry about lining up the little hole over that.


----------



## dori chatelain (Dec 31, 2011)

It could be a sensor for the wifi.....


----------



## Cyanide5000 (Aug 30, 2010)

It's a light sensor, most phones have them too, to turn the screen off so you dont hang up calls with your face!


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Boy. . . youse peoples has good eyes!  I guess if I tilt the thing just right in the right light I can almost tell there's something there.  

Sorry. . . .no idea what it is.   Light sensor sort of makes sense. . . .


----------



## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Big Brother Sister is watching you.


----------



## maries (Dec 29, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Boy. . . youse peoples has good eyes! I guess if I tilt the thing just right in the right light I can almost tell there's something there.
> 
> Sorry. . . .no idea what it is.  Light sensor sort of makes sense. . . .


And that makes it even harder to line up the skin over this hole. 

It seems odd that none of the documentation has what this is.


----------



## Seamonkey (Dec 2, 2008)

Mine is covered with a strap, so hopefully it isn't currently important.  Note that I'm not using an official Fire cover, but a Nook cover I had used for awhile with my K3 while waiting for Oberon to come up with a K3 cover that range my chimes (the wraparound Hosukai Wave was the one.

At least the secret camera cannot capture me!


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Amazon put it on the Fire at the request of KindleBoards.  It's a secret moderation tool.  Ann knows all about it, she's just acting like she doesn't.

Betsy


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

maries said:


> And that makes it even harder to line up the skin over this hole.
> 
> It seems odd that none of the documentation has what this is.


It is possible it's a design feature that's ready for the next generation that will have a camera or something. . .



Betsy the Quilter said:


> Amazon put it on the Fire at the request of KindleBoards. It's a secret moderation tool. Ann knows all about it, she's just acting like she doesn't.
> 
> Betsy


Geez, Betsy! You weren't supposed to TELL!!!!


----------



## Seamonkey (Dec 2, 2008)

Hmm well not a very good position for a spy cam.. and I think many of the cases would cover it up.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Geez, Betsy! You weren't supposed to TELL!!!!


Oh, yeah, forgot...I guess that's why it was a secret moderation tool...

Betsy


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Oh, yeah, forgot...I guess that's why it was a secret moderation tool...
> 
> Betsy


Clearly the unseasonably warm weather today has addled you. 

Members: pay no attention to that moderator behind the quilt.


----------



## MicroBeta (Jun 9, 2009)

I've read several teardowns...and watch as a couple are videos...and they either ignored it or assumed it was a light sensor.  I've tried using a flashlight and covering/uncovering the sensor and I can't tell if it's doing anything.

I sure looks like some kind of optical/light sensor but nobody seems to know for sure.  

I did read over at xda that the first versions of the Fire has an Automatic Brightness setting which has since disappeared.  If that's true, it's likely it is a light sensor for the auto brightness.  It apparently reappeared in 6.0 and was gone again in subsequent versions.

Mike


----------



## Dragle (Dec 10, 2011)

I am using a Verso cover specific for the Fire, and it has an elastic strap on all 4 corners, so it is covered by the strap.  Glad it's not supposed to be doing anything important (or that the secret spy-cam has been covered  )


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm guessing a lot of the cover developers didn't even realize it was there. . .


----------



## Toby (Nov 25, 2008)

Strange. I wondered why there was a circle shaped hole/cutout in my bearmotion cover. Maybe, that's the reason.


----------



## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Ha, my cover has a little cutout too, and I never even noticed!


----------



## Xopher (May 14, 2009)

Most Android devices have a light sensor to adjust brightness (when in auto-brightness mode). I would assume the same would be true with the Fire, especially if earlier software versions had the ability to auto-adjust brightness. Phones also have a proximity sensor to disable the touchscreen when your face is close to the device (you'll see two small spots for the brightness and proximity sensors). The sensors are usually along the edge of the screen, so that sounds about right for the Fire.


----------

