Amazon Fire Tablets and other gear will reportedly switch away from Android

TVs, Echo Show, and other gear could sport Amazon’s in-house replacement soon.

Amazon Kindle Fire tablet close-up on camera corner

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images / What Hi-Fi Magazine)

Amazon has been working on an in-house replacement for its Android-based Fire OS, codenamed "Vega" and built for easier app development, according to reporting from Janko Roettgers at Lowpass.

Based on job listings, multiple sources, forum posts, and unguarded LinkedIn boasts, Roettgers writes that Amazon has been working on Vega since at least 2019, is mostly done with the core development, and is now focused on an SDK and developer outreach. Vega would replace the Fire OS that is installed on Fire TV sticks and televisions, Kindle Fire tablets, and other Amazon devices. Vega, based on "a flavor of Linux," uses the popular JavaScript-based React Native as an application framework. This could simplify development for Fire devices alongside other React-ready platforms, including smartphones, desktops, and other smart TVs.

Fire OS is a fork of Android based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), but it's far from the same thing. The Fire Max 11, a 2023 device, is running Fire OS 8, which is based on Android 11, released in 2020. As Roettgers points out, Fire TVs sold in 2023 are based on Android 9, from 2018. While an Android base provides a relatively familiar entry for developers that already have Android apps, rebuilding the AOSP project—meant to support a wealth of different devices and carrying years of technical debt—seemingly became frustrating enough for Amazon to push toward an in-house solution.

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Starlink bug frustrates users: “They don’t have tech support? Just a FAQ? WTF?”

Users locked out of accounts can’t submit tickets, and there’s no phone number.

Photo illustration with Starlink logos displayed on a smartphone and PC screen.

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | SOPA Images )

Starlink's lack of traditional customer support options is making life difficult today for new users affected by a bug that reset their accounts. A bunch of customers received an email from no-reply@starlink.com last night that said, "Your Starlink Account Has Been Reset. All pending orders and deposits have been refunded. You are welcome to visit Starlink.com to place a new order at any time using the same email address."

One Ars reader who got the account-reset email contacted us about the problem, and many others are complaining in Reddit threads. Starlink's account-recovery page that allows users to request password resets with an email address or phone number hasn't been working for them.

"When I try to reset my password via the email option, I get the error 'User not found,'" we were told by Adam, a Starlink customer in Alabama who preferred that we not publish his last name. When Adam tried to reset his password by entering his phone number, he received a text message with a password-reset link. But that didn't work, either. "After I type in a new password, I get the error message 'User disabled,'" Adam told us.

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MINISFORUM’s mini PC with a 70W Ryzen 7 7840HS chip and 63 Gbps Oculink port now available for $479 and up

The MINISFORUM EliteMini UM780 XTX is a compact, but versatile desktop computer. Inside the mini PC is an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor that’s been cranked up to 70 watts (normally it’s designed for 35 – 54 watt operation). And if the…

The MINISFORUM EliteMini UM780 XTX is a compact, but versatile desktop computer. Inside the mini PC is an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor that’s been cranked up to 70 watts (normally it’s designed for 35 – 54 watt operation). And if the integrated Radeon 780M graphics aren’t powerful enough for you, this little computer has two USB4 […]

The post MINISFORUM’s mini PC with a 70W Ryzen 7 7840HS chip and 63 Gbps Oculink port now available for $479 and up appeared first on Liliputing.

Netflix releases first teaser for live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender

“Time is a funny thing. The past, the future. It all gets mixed up.”

The Netflix live-action series Avatar: The Last Airbender will hit Netflix on February 22, 2024.

Fresh off its critically acclaimed live-action adaptation of the hugely popular anime series One Piece, Netflix has released the first official teaser for yet another live-action adaptation: Avatar: The Last Airbender, based on the animated Nickelodeon TV series of the same name. As we've noted before, Netflix has a mixed track record for these anime adaptations, but if the teaser is any indication, The Last Airbender could join One Piece as another smashing success for the streaming platform.

(Some spoilers for the anime series below, but no major reveals.)

Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the original anime series was set in an Asian-inspired world where certain chosen individuals have the ability to telekinetically manipulate one of four elements (earth, air, water, and fire)—a practice known as "bending." Each generation, there is one Avatar who can bend all four elements and is thus responsible for maintaining harmony among the four elemental nations, as well as being a link between the physical and spirit worlds.

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Microsoft pulls OneDrive update that would quiz you before letting you quit

Change affected a “small subset” of users and has (thankfully) been reverted.

Microsoft briefly tested a drop-down survey that you would need to fill out before you could quit the OneDrive app.

Enlarge / Microsoft briefly tested a drop-down survey that you would need to fill out before you could quit the OneDrive app. (credit: NeoWin)

Modern versions of Windows have become more annoying as time has gone on, pushing additional Microsoft products and services on users who are just trying to turn on their computers and get something done. Often, as we've covered, these notifications and reminders ignore or actively push back against user intent—prompting you to sign up for Microsoft 365 if you already said no, or trying to make you use Edge or Bing after you've already installed Chrome.

Microsoft took another step down this path this week when it began testing a new addition to the Windows OneDrive app that would force users to explain themselves when quitting the app. Initially spotted by NeoWin, the survey took the form of a drop-down menu, not unlike the ones you sometimes see when you try to unsubscribe from marketing or fundraising mailing lists.

Until you chose an answer from the drop-down, the "quit" button would be grayed out, preventing you from actually closing OneDrive.

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AYA Neo Pocket DMG is a Game Boy-inspired retro handheld

The AYA Neo Pocket DMG is an upcoming handheld gaming device that will be AYA’s first model with a Game Boy-inspired design featuring a display on the top and game controllers on the bottom portion. While the company hasn’t revealed specs,…

The AYA Neo Pocket DMG is an upcoming handheld gaming device that will be AYA’s first model with a Game Boy-inspired design featuring a display on the top and game controllers on the bottom portion. While the company hasn’t revealed specs, pricing, or availability details yet, AYA is giving a preview of some design elements […]

The post AYA Neo Pocket DMG is a Game Boy-inspired retro handheld appeared first on Liliputing.

AYA Neo Pocket DMG is a Game Boy-inspired retro handheld

The AYA Neo Pocket DMG is an upcoming handheld gaming device that will be AYA’s first model with a Game Boy-inspired design featuring a display on the top and game controllers on the bottom portion. While the company hasn’t revealed specs,…

The AYA Neo Pocket DMG is an upcoming handheld gaming device that will be AYA’s first model with a Game Boy-inspired design featuring a display on the top and game controllers on the bottom portion. While the company hasn’t revealed specs, pricing, or availability details yet, AYA is giving a preview of some design elements […]

The post AYA Neo Pocket DMG is a Game Boy-inspired retro handheld appeared first on Liliputing.

Steve Wozniak suffers minor stroke in Mexico City before scheduled talk

Apple co-founder felt dizzy, couldn’t walk. Flew home after 24-hour hospitalization.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak attends the Digital X 2022 event by Deutsche Telekom on September 13, 2022, in Cologne, Germany.

Enlarge / Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak attends the Digital X 2022 event by Deutsche Telekom on September 13, 2022, in Cologne, Germany. (credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

On Wednesday, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak suffered a minor stroke while attending a conference in Mexico City, reports ABC News and The New York Times.

The 73-year-old was scheduled to speak at the World Business Forum event on the subject of the "Digital Future." Wednesday morning while typing at his computer, he suffered a dizzy spell and reported difficulty walking. His wife convinced him to go to the hospital, where he received an MRI. The doctors determined that he suffered a "small capillary leak," according to the NYT.

Wozniak flew home to Los Gatos, California, on Thursday, and he told The Times, "I'm back home and feeling good." He related discomfort in the hospital with having to stay on a gurney for 24 hours without being allowed to roll on his side.

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