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December 19th, 2011

Kindle Fire Firmware Update 6.2.1


The Kindle Fire by Amazon

Amazon has begun pushing out firmware update 6.2.1 today. From the changes I have seen so far, it includes: parental controls, the ability to edit your carousel, more detailed available memory information and more.

  • Update: Official word from Amazon – This update enhances fluidity and performance, improves touch navigation responsiveness, gives you the option to choose which items display on the carousel, and adds the ability to add a password lock on Wi-Fi access. The update will be automatically delivered to your Kindle Fire.

At the time of this writing, Amazon has not yet updated the Kindle Fire updates page with additional details and specifics, but I am sure more (official) information will become available soon.

  • Update: You can now download and manually install the update if you do not want to wait for the OTA (Over The Air) update. Simply download and copy (sideload) the file to the ‘kindleupdates’ folder on your Fire — you will need a micro-USB cord or file management app in order to do this.

After file is added to the ‘kindleupdates’ folder: Quick Settings –> More (+) –> Device –> Update Your Kindle.

Download Kindle Fire Firmware Update 6.2.1 Here

Note: You can select the link and download it from within the Silk Browser on your Fire, but remember that it must be moved to the ‘kindleupdates’ folder on your device before you can install and update. You can do this either by connecting to your computer via micro-USB (just drag & drop the file into the folder) or by using a file management app like ES File Explorer, that provides you access to your files & folders without having to connect to a computer.

I created this video to help people with manual updates & installs:

Details & Changes:

  • * You can now long-press on items in your carousel to remove them from the carousel or device, in addition to adding to favorites.
  • * There is now a new “enable restrictions” option in the device settings, allowing you to add parental control.
  • * Seeing some extra UI snappiness.
  • * Better carousel control & speed.
  • * Still some delay when switching between horizontal and landscape orientation (disappointing).
  • * Less delay when re-connecting to Wifi after the device has been asleep and turned back on.
  • * No noticeable change to web browsing speed.
  • * More detailed memory management information.
  • * Some users are reporting increased volume and a fuller sound from the internal speakers.
  • * For my hacker friends, 6.2.1 does break root…sorry :(

It also appears from the update that Amazon has allocated / separated memory (from the available *6.5 GB) specifically for apps, and additional space intended for content such as downloaded books, videos, docs and music.

I am sure this has always been the case prior to 6.2.1, but it is now clearly displayed in the device settings. I assume this to to prevent people from using up all of their available memory on applications and games, therefore Amazon seems to have split the memory up to always ensure that there will be available storage for books and other content intended for the Fire…since, at the end of the day, it is still a Kindle.

*Although the Fire touts 8 GB of internal memory, roughly 1.5 GB is reserved for the OS

Memory Allocation for Apps...and Everything Else

I’m still searching through the device to see what other goodies I can discover.

You can nab the OTA update by selecting “Sync” in the quick settings. Then, to verify you have the new update:

“Quick Settings” –> “More” –> “Device”

The newest firmware version will read: 6.2.1_user_3103920

Alternatively, you can shut down the device and re-start it – try a hard reset by holding the power button down for 20 seconds – which will automatically sync to the Amazon servers and usually prompt the update once connected to WiFi. OTA Firmware updates generally download in the background (provided you are connected to WiFi).

If this still does not work, you may have to wait until Amazon pushes the update to you. Originally I thought that they might be releasing it regionally in waves, but others in my city still have not received it and I have. Therefore, Amazon may be releasing it by user or serial number.

As I said previously, I am still digging through the new update to see what other bug fixes and features have been fixed / improved…but no surprise that Amazon wanted to push out this update (the second since its release) before hordes of people start upwrapping their new Kindle Fire’s on Christmas morning!

Please feel free to add any additional improvements (or bugs) that you find, in the comment section.

For more information, you can also view my comprehensive 4-part video tutorial and review of the Kindle Fire.

- Dana

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    • DCM

      I wish Amazon would at least give you the option to forgo have 1GB for apps. I have no interest in using up that much but would much rather have that space for additional movies or books.

    • http://www.stimulatedboredom.com Dana: Stimulated Boredom

      I think that there are pros and cons, but I agree with the wanting the flexibility and control over how memory is used.

      On the one hand, I can see why Amazon wants to ensure that memory is not an issue for books etc, since some people might go too “hog wild” on apps without realizing how big some of them are and how much space they take up. This way, Amazon ensures that most people (essentially) will never run out of space for books etc.

      On the other hand, I would like to remove pre-installed apps like IMDB, which I will never use and Amazon does not permit you to remove these. 

    • http://dilsplace.net Dilpickle1

      But there’s also the people like me who have a fire and a keyboard and want all the “book space” for apps. 

    • Benjamin Klahn

      I wish it were the opposite. I’m starting to run our of room for apps. 

      Although, in the end I think it’d be best if there was no distinction between space for apps and space for content. Sure, lock away 1.5gb for the OS but let me fill the user space with whatever I want. 

    • Anonymous

      Can you control what content is seen in the Carousal? For instance, if I only want Books? 

    • http://www.stimulatedboredom.com Dana: Stimulated Boredom

      I understand that people have varying levels of expertise when it comes to manual updates. The following is part of a response to a question emailed to me from a reader, who needed more specifics as it relates to manually updating their Fire. Hopefully it will be helpful to others:

      There are a couple of ways to manually update:

      1. Download the update to your computer. By hitting the following link, it will automatically start downloading. This is the official Amazon update link, provided to me by an Amazon employee who saw my article / blog: 

      https://s3.amazonaws.com/kindle-fire-updates/update-kindle-6.2.1_D01E_3103920.bin

      Once downloaded, you would connect your Fire to your computer via micro-USB. Once connected, your computer will display your files and folders found on your Fire (like another harddrive). Within those folders you will see one called “kindleupdates”. Next you would drag & drop the download file from your computer, into the ‘kindleupdates’ folder on your Fire.

      From that point, you would disconnect the Fire from your computer, then go to settings -> More -> Device and you will now see the “Update Your Kindle”. The Fire will update itself.

      - OR -

      2. You can download the update directly to your Fire by hitting the link I provided within the Silk Browser. The download file will save to your Fire, but it still needs to be moved to the ‘kindleupdates’ folder.

      In order to move the download file to your ‘kindleupdates’ folder without the use of a computer, you will need to grab ES File Manager from the Amazon Appstore. It is a free file management app.

      Once you have ES File Manager installed, launch it and it will display the files and folders on your Fire (just like if you connected to your computer). You should now see the download file for the update. 

      Long press on the download file (ends in .bin) and select “copy’. Now go to the ‘kindleupdates’ folder and tap on it to open it. Once open, long press and from the menu that pops up, select “paste”. You have now moved the download file to the correct ‘kindleupdates’ folder. 

      From that point go to settings -> More -> Device and you will now see the “Update Your Kindle”. The Fire will update itself.

    • http://www.stimulatedboredom.com Dana: Stimulated Boredom

      You can, but you will have to manually remove the items that you don’t want displayed, as there are no batch settings where you can select “only books” or “only apps.” 

      But this is much better than not having any control over what displays in your carousel! 

      Previously you could only remove recently viewed websites from the carousel by clearing your browser history. But could not remove any shortcuts to apps, books, videos etc. 

    • Anonymous

      Hopefully they build upon that, and do that.