Fire Tablets' New Home Screen 'Feature'

[whacker]

Found out yesterday evening on my HD 10 as well as this morning on my HD 8 that they snuck in this 'feature' on the Home Screen (where you access your installed apps) right at the very top of the screen, that is like a 'recently used apps' horizontal scroll bar. It contains some level of most recently used apps, but the big negative is, further to the right they put in all these 'suggestions' for other apps and other Amazon products available on the tablet they think you'd like. And this horizontal scroll bar is something like 50% larger than the regular Home Screen icons! So to me, annoying and unnecessary.

I sent an email inquiry to Amazon Help asking if this could be removed or disallowed; anything to get it gone. Received a reply saying sorry this, sorry that, but I would have to contact them via either Chat or live phone call to discuss the matter. Didn't have time last night to get into it, but planning to do that tonight. I suspect that rather than simply respond to a user just wanting the new thing turned off on an account level or instructions on doing it yourself someway, they want to plumb your thoughts about why you don't like it, and give them a chance to break the news that, (again) sorry, that's the new Home Screen.

But I'll see after contacting them, and post back with whatever develops.

[whacker]

I did a Chat support session with Amazon a few minutes ago. Not much better than one with TracFone, I suspect, but very polite.

I would've thought they could know my two devices by my Amazon account ID (my email address), but the rep wanted the serial number of the HD 10 (and I eventually gave the one for the HD 8 too). I got the feeling, even after I described my issue, that the guy didn't have a clue what I was seeing and that it was newly added to both devices (neither of which had gone through a full OS update). So when a support rep doesn't have any kind of immediacy about what their own product is doing or how it's appearing, it's harder to get the message across.

Anyway, in the HD 10 there was a very small system component update available when I checked the System Updates area, so he suggested I run that and then restart it. No change. Earlier on he had suggested trying to find a setting called 'Home Screen' in the Settings area, which doesn't exit. Seemed like he wasn't familiar with the product.

So this session was a dud, and he's going to forward the issue up the chain, with no assurance of any contact point back to me. I'd assume they'll hit me via email.

I suspect it's simply an unannounced 'update' to the Fire launcher, and their support reps don't know anything about it, so they're flailing around taking shots at anything that moves. I'm almost certain there's no simple configuration toggle for this new 'feature.' It's hard-coded into the OS at this point.

Again, we'll see what develops. They'll probably get a boatload of complaints about it.

[whacker]

I finally found my way to the official Amazon Fire Tablet discussion forum, and found the solution for this.

Open Settings and navigate to Amazon Apps & Games->Amazon Application Settings->Home Screens, and in there are two toggles: one for 'Recommendations' , the other for 'Continue and Recommended Row,' which is the one that was troubling me. Turn them both off as they simply present Amazon diversions on the Home Screen.

Ahhh, back to normal, so much better!

[DamienVee]

It can be frustrating to have new features added to your device without your consent or the option to opt-out. It's good that you've reached out to Amazon Help for assistance. It's possible that they may be able to provide you with a solution or workaround to disable or remove the feature that you find annoying.

When you contact them, be clear about what you want and why you want it. If you simply want to disable the feature, let them know that. If you're open to hearing more about the feature or providing feedback, let them know that as well.