While the Kindle Fire is an Android 2.3 Gingerbread tablet the software and user interface have been heavily customized to where you don’t even see any visuals of the standard Android interface. The UI doesn’t use multiple desktops or widgets, it uses one main screen which is your bookshelf that holds your most recently access content on the top shelf and your favorite apps at the bottom. You can pin any app to that shelf by just tapping and holding on the app icon and choose add to favorites. You can also in that same motion remove an app that you have installed.
At the top is your notification section where it will let you know of new emails, app installs and updates. Click on the gear icon will bring up quick settings for volume, brightness, wi-fi, sync, rotation lock and hitting the more icon will bring you to the full settings menu. The Kindle Fire’s content is split up into different sections. You have Newsstand, Books, Music, Video, Apps, Docs, Web and next to each is a link to the Amazon Store to grab more content. When you go into each section but the web it will show your content and you have the choice of seeing what’s on your device and what’s on your cloud . On screen menu buttons will show at the bottom as well for Back, Home, Menu and Search. Speaking of search on top of the main desktop and in all sections is a search bar where you can bring up the virtual keyboard and search for content on your device, in the cloud and in the Amazon.com store.
Amazon does a good job of making an interface that everyone can pick up and use. It’s simple and to the point. You no more than 1-2 taps away to get to the section and content that you want. It may be a bit basic for advanced users but will work for most consumers out there. It’s doing what Apple does with the iPad by giving users an intuitive interface without needing to be training or take time to learn.
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