Database Develop

Cloning built in Kindle app

Hi all,
New Kindle owner here, and a very resourceful Android/iOS nerd.
My question is simple-- has anyone had success in cloning the built-in "Amazon Kindle" system app?
I'm looking to use multiple Kindle accounts. One is my US account (Prime account; where I have most of my audiobooks) and one is my JP account (where I have most of my Kindle books).
From what I recall on my TF300T tablet, the Google Play store edition of this app takes your Amazon login directly from the main screen when you first open it. In contrast, the Amazon Kindle system app on Fire devices takes your login from the account you use in Amazon's version of the Settings app.
I've tried using an app from the Play Store called "App Cloner" and have purchased the full version. I tried cloning the "Amazon Kindle" app twice with different configurations, but have not played with it much more. Most I've tried is removing permissions from it, in an effort to block it from automatically taking my US login from Settings.
I'm afraid that the remedy to this may be to download the Play Store version and clone that one instead. Problem is I lost my TF300T, and the Play Store on my Kindle reports it's already installed. (Interestingly enough, Google Play doesn't recognize Audible as already installed-- making a second copy of Audible easy to obtain)
Anyone have luck with this? Would love to figure out how to make this possible and write up a guide for it.

I'd like to know this too. I bought a kindle on someone elses amazon account so their account came attached. I removed it, but then that family member asked to read their kindle on my fire. So I couldn't add the account back for 6 months. So I was hoping to just remove the default one and add the regular version from the play store but it doesn't function for some reason. I would love to be able to log into a different kindle account just for the book store. I've had a bad time switching ROM and had to get a new one so I'd like to just avoid changing the OS for now.

Well, I have some good news and bad news regarding the subject. But, overall I would say it's progress none the less.
I *DID* find my TF300T, so I was able to download the Play Store version of the Kindle app and successfully clone it. I also managed to successfully install the cloned app. Unfortunately this is as far as I got.
When I launch the cloned app, the splash screen loads very briefly and the app crashes. I will test installing the cloned app on my TF300T and see if it opens cleanly on that device.
If it works on the TF300T, then there is something on the Fire 7" that prevents the clone (or even just the stock app) from operating correctly. I will post back (or edit my post) with my findings.

how to fake location?

I've been trying all day to fake my location, my device is rooted and on fire nexus rom. for some reason it just won't allow me to mock my location, even when I try and enable it in developer options(in which case it just turns mock locations off right away).
anyone have any luck on this? maybe I have to go back to stock firmware?
thanks in advance

lukethovito said:
I've been trying all day to fake my location, my device is rooted and on fire nexus rom. for some reason it just won't allow me to mock my location, even when I try and enable it in developer options(in which case it just turns mock locations off right away).
anyone have any luck on this? maybe I have to go back to stock firmware?
thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mock location stays enabled on CM 12.1 but is largely ineffective as the device lacks a physical GPS chip which causes most apps to cough up a fir ball. I do have an external (OTG/USB) receiver; with that attached Mock locations works fine.
I don't have a device with Fire Nexus installed as present so can not confirm if the above findings are applicable with that rom. Suspect it will work fine with an external receiver.

lukethovito said:
I've been trying all day to fake my location, my device is rooted and on fire nexus rom. for some reason it just won't allow me to mock my location, even when I try and enable it in developer options(in which case it just turns mock locations off right away).
anyone have any luck on this? maybe I have to go back to stock firmware?
thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive been playing with this using stock OS 5.1.3 with the Google Play apps added. Ive found some puzzling things. I know the tablet does not have a GPS chip, despite this I used the app 'Fake GPS' to set a fake position. If I use the browser and browse to google maps page, I can see it does indeed pick up the fake location. The app Google Maps also shows the fake position but only if Google Play services is frozen with titanium backup. If Play services is running, Google Maps does not pick up the fake location. Here is my theory: The tablet is designed to work without Google Play services and has its own Wifi based location technique for some reason it can be fooled by adding a GPS signal (possibly because it has the capability of using this interface in the tablets with GPS and LTE).. Google Play services works standalone, possibly because it detects that there is no GPS chip. If you want to spoof Google Play services I guess you must generate a fake WiFi signal, not a fake GPS signal. I don't know whether there are Apps capable of doing this. Otherwise you have to get into the internals of Google Play services which does not sound easy. As you can see its all speculative. If anyone know of a way to spoof Google play services with a Wifi type technique I would love to know. There must be a way to do this for testing.

julianporter5 said:
Ive been playing with this using stock OS 5.1.3 with the Google Play apps added. Ive found some puzzling things. I know the tablet does not have a GPS chip, despite this I used the app 'Fake GPS' to set a fake position. If I use the browser and browse to google maps page, I can see it does indeed pick up the fake location. The app Google Maps also shows the fake position but only if Google Play services is frozen with titanium backup. If Play services is running, Google Maps does not pick up the fake location. Here is my theory: The tablet is designed to work without Google Play services and has its own Wifi based location technique for some reason it can be fooled by adding a GPS signal (possibly because it has the capability of using this interface in the tablets with GPS and LTE).. Google Play services works standalone, possibly because it detects that there is no GPS chip. If you want to spoof Google Play services I guess you must generate a fake WiFi signal, not a fake GPS signal. I don't know whether there are Apps capable of doing this. Otherwise you have to get into the internals of Google Play services which does not sound easy. As you can see its all speculative. If anyone know of a way to spoof Google play services with a Wifi type technique I would love to know. There must be a way to do this for testing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FireOS and Google Play Services both provide location based services via proprietary methods. They are not complementary. You'd be better off with a custom rom that eliminates the ambiguities. Most (if not all) Android location spoofers assume something close to AOSP which is definitely not FireOS.

Davey126 said:
FireOS and Google Play Services both provide location based services via proprietary methods. They are not complementary. You'd be better off with a custom rom that eliminates the ambiguities. Most (if not all) Android location spoofers assume something close to AOSP which is definitely not FireOS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could try to replicate what the OP found with the Fire Nexus ROM but i want to be sure that I can get back to Fire OS 5.1.3. When I used an alternate ROM on my Fire HDX the Amazon Prime Video app no longer worked correctly, in that the video thumbnails disappeared so it was not the ideal solution to escaping from away Fire OS. Can I be sure that I can roll back to 5.1.3 if I try an alternate ROM.

julianporter5 said:
I could try to replicate what the OP found with the Fire Nexus ROM but i want to be sure that I can get back to Fire OS 5.1.3. When I used an alternate ROM on my Fire HDX the Amazon Prime Video app no longer worked correctly, in that the video thumbnails disappeared so it was not the ideal solution to escaping from away Fire OS. Can I be sure that I can roll back to 5.1.3 if I try an alternate ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Guess I never fully appreciated the importance of video thumbnails. There is a path back as 5th gen devices support FireOS reload via stock recovery menu (HDX lacks this essential capability).

Using NetGuard to prevent Amazon OTAs but allow Google services?

Has anyone tried using NetGuard or another firewall to prevent Amazon services from phoning home?
I have 5.3.1.0 on my Fire, so no root. But fortunately NetGuard doesn't need root.
I'm trying to find exactly which packages to block and allow to make sure Amazon can't update my OS, and preferably also block ads, while allowing the Play Store.
The problem I have been running into is that NetGuard lumps some services/apps together, so if I try to enable, for example, Android Contact Storage, it also enabled all of the Amazon contact related options, including all the social media connectors.
I haven't found a combination that allows me to login to Google but prevents system updates.
Has anyone successfully done this? I'd love some tips or maybe even an export of your NetGuard config.

S.Mayer said:
Has anyone tried using NetGuard or another firewall to prevent Amazon services from phoning home?
I have 5.3.1.0 on my Fire, so no root. But fortunately NetGuard doesn't need root.
I'm trying to find exactly which packages to block and allow to make sure Amazon can't update my OS, and preferably also block ads, while allowing the Play Store.
The problem I have been running into is that NetGuard lumps some services/apps together, so if I try to enable, for example, Android Contact Storage, it also enabled all of the Amazon contact related options, including all the social media connectors.
I haven't found a combination that allows me to login to Google but prevents system updates.
Has anyone successfully done this? I'd love some tips or maybe even an export of your NetGuard config.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This approach has proven unreliable on various Amazon device going all the way back to 2nd gen Tate:
- you can't block the relevant OTA services without root
- blocking by IP is only a temporary fix as Amazon rotates addresses
Despite claims to the contrary no local 'firewall' can be 100% effective without root access.

Davey126 said:
Despite claims to the contrary no local 'firewall' can be 100% effective without root access.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the info. Just to be 100% sure, are you aware that NetGuard functions as a local VPN service, rather than using iptables? When connected to a VPN, the device should be sending all traffic that way. Whether it does or not, I can't actually say.

S.Mayer said:
Thank you for the info. Just to be 100% sure, are you aware that NetGuard functions as a local VPN service, rather than using iptables? When connected to a VPN, the device should be sending all traffic that way. Whether it does or not, I can't actually say.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I was aware but good to ask the question. A VPN *should* capture all traffic. Whether it does on FireOS is the $64K question. To my knowledge there are no widespread reports of VPN effectiveness blocking Amazon OTA updates, but that could simply reflect the limited number of attempts. Until recently VPNs were rather difficult to understand/implement for most non-technical users.

Beginner Q&A batch

I'm an advance computer user, but completely new to tablets/mobile stuff. Got a Amazon Fire 7 gen7. Read some threads and got Google Play and Nova Launcher as default from This Post. But I still have several questions. In no particular order:
Are any of the preinstalled Amazon applications useful or are the all purely bloatware?
What are actual Amazon applications and not stupid applications of "here is how you get to use this application"? Similar to old PC "this is how you register for a free trial of CompuServe Internet". E.g. what to keep from "Kindle", "Books", and "Kindle Store"?
I am using a 4GB mSD card. Already when to Settings -> Storage -> Move everything to SD card. Amazon Storage has be at about 90% capacity. CCleaner has me at about 70%. ES File Manager has 98%. All of these measurement are for the System disk space no SD. Which should I trust? What is the reason for the descrepancy?
Is CCleaner [android] as useful as it is for PC?
Is is actually worth or advisable to link an amazon account with the Tablet? (See below).
In order to run FireFox (for uBlock Origin) I had to download the APK and install it manual. Google play would say that it was incompatible with my device. The table would just send me to the amazon store. Is there any way to prevent my tablet from Prioritizing the Amazon store?
I would like to watch Youtube very easily on this tablet. Chrome doesn't have an adblocker. Firefox has add blocker but you must manual set the page to Desktop view (instead of the mobile site) for Full Screen view. Is there any best/simple way or application to watch Youtube?
When I use the Novus Google Search Bar widget it defaults to the Silk Browser. How do I make other browsers the default?
Are there any tutorials or orientations on using the Nova Launcher?
Sometimes when I play games, tapping in the corner of the screen brings up a hot/quick app launcher thingie from Nova. What is the actually command/gesture for this? How may I change its settings to avoid interruptions while playing a game?
What are some standard always recommended (non-game) applications for tablets E.g. Es File Manager.
Since I had to manual install these APKs to get the Google Play store, are they automatically updated by GooglePlay? I tried using the newer versions of them but got installation discrepancies.

Any way to keep Original Kindle app?

I have a Amazon Fire 2017 7 inch tablet, and want to load a Android ROM (lineage OS ) but I love the TTS opiton on the default Kindle app that is on the Fire, I know the Kindle for Android app doesn't have this feature. Is there any way to keep the original Kindle app but still put on a ROM on the Fire tablet?
I would just load the google play services but I have discovered that a account will not work with that bypass and since I have an old grandfathered personal Gapps account with all of my apps I can't access them with the google apps sideload APK method on the fire tablet.
Any ideas????

Photofix said:
I have a Amazon Fire 2017 7 inch tablet, and want to load a Android ROM (lineage OS ) but I love the TTS opiton on the default Kindle app that is on the Fire, I know the Kindle for Android app doesn't have this feature. Is there any way to keep the original Kindle app but still put on a ROM on the Fire tablet?
I would just load the google play services but I have discovered that a account will not work with that bypass and since I have an old grandfathered personal Gapps account with all of my apps I can't access them with the google apps sideload APK method on the fire tablet.
Any ideas????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The first question is moot as a custom ROM can not be installed on a 7th gen (2017) Fire at present. Google Play Services/Store can be installed on FireOS which should give you access to previous purchases. Unfortunately, there isn't a documented method for accessing legacy "personal GAaps" accounts. May be possible; just haven't seen it done.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603