Amazon looks to be putting Fire Phone to rest

Amazon looks like they’re putting the final nail on the coffin of its Fire Phone, the company’s first foray into the smartphone business. They haven’t announced it explicitly but stocks have run out on Amazon’s site and they didn’t indicate when they plan on restocking. The company was previously rumoured to have restricted its Lab126 hardware development division and laid off engineers who were working on the phone. No matter what Amazon did to try and sell the device, everything from cutting down its price to almost giving it away via telco contract. They weren’t to get the phone off the ground.

Source: PCWorld

Amazon pushes new software update for Fire Phone

Amazon is looking to better your experience with the Fire Phone with this new update. Version 3.5.1 includes improved battery life; Quick Switch feature that lets you double press the home button to switch between or shut down apps; and the ability to create folders of apps or content on the app grid. You can now also pin your favorite apps on the home carousel and delete emails directly from the home screen. You also get the ability to create lenticular photos with 11 still images instead of 3. Here’s a link that lists down the new features and how users can gain access to the latest update.

Source: Android Central

Microsoft OneDrive lands on Amazon's Kindle Fire and Fire phone

If you’re using the Amazon Kindle Fire or have gotten the new Fire phone, you’ll be getting at least one more cloud storage option with the arrival of Microsoft OneDrive on the platform. This gives you more options to access your files on the fly. Microsoft’s OneNote is also on the platform in case you need an app for your to-do lists and reminders. You can download OneDrive from here.

Amazon finally enters the smartphone fray with Fire phone

Amazon's gone and done it. They've launched a smartphone and its called the Fire Phone. Available only in the IS and to AT&T subscribers, this is a 4.7-inch Android powered device that boast some interesting features such as Dynamic Perspective which is a bit of a 3D effect on images when the device is tilted or moved, Firefly technology which identifies printed text on posters, magazines, and business cards—make calls, save new contacts, send emails, and visit websites without typing long addresses as well as MayDay, a free, live, on-device video support with an Amazon expert, 24x7, 365 days a year. It looks like Amazon is aiming their phone at a very limited market in the US and that's fine.

We've not seen the Fire phone up close but it doesn't seem disruptive enough to be a huge player on a global scale. Remember Amazon runs a curated version of Android's app store which is rather limited. Doesn't look like it will get Google services anytime soon either.