The Amazon Experience for Android: Work That Phone!

On June 18th, Amazon is reportedly going to announce the release of it’s new “Fire Phone“–a long awaited smartphone from the Kindle gurus.  This much anticipated new phone will, if it lives up to expectations, take owning a smartphone to a whole new level.  It will be a veritable home-shopping network, and it’s hard to imagine that, given the success of it’s Kindle Fire tablet, the phone could possibly run anything other than Android.

But I already HAVE an Android phone and all Amazon Apps!

Good for you.  But I’ll bet you a cookie that you’re not using it like you could be.  Sure, you’ve got all of your contacts stored in it, and your calendar is completely up-to-date, and you’ve got all those cute photos of Fluffy, your pet iguana…but I can still show you a thing or two.  So sit back and listen up.

Kindle Android: It’s an entire library at your fingertips!

Kindle for Android might be the coolest thing ever invented.  You just download the app, find the books that you want to read and Voila!  You have an entire library packed into your purse, or briefcase, or diaper bag…Some things you can do include:

• Read free books.  Amazon has literally thousands of free books available for download.
• Listen to your books.  You can toggle between reading and listening, so you won’t miss a moment of your favorite book, whether you’re stuck in traffic, sitting at the beach or working in the garden.
• Sync to furthest page read.  Whispersync technology tracks your reading across all of your devices, so you will always know where you left off, without having to search all over the place.
• Sample books before buying.  Amazon allows you to download the first chapter for free, just to make sure you like it.
• Borrow library books.  You can borrow books from your local library for free and download them onto your Kindle for Android.

The Kindle for Android app also allows you to read magazines and newspapers, with the flexibility to purchase a single issue or a full subscription.  See?  Told ya it was cool!

Amazon Shop: I’m not much of a reader…but I love, love, LOVE to shop. 

You need to read.  It expands the mind.  Promise me you’ll read a book this month?  Good.  Now on to the shopping.  With the Amazon for Android app, you can browse the entire Amazon store by department, scan barcodes for instant price comparisons and check availability on an item.  You can also…

• Track a recent order.  The Amazon for Android app allows you to track your shipment from the minute you place it right to your front door, all from your phone.
• Compare prices.  You can use your Android phone to compare prices from Amazon and other merchants, while you’re shopping.
• Browse product images.
• Browse customer reviews.

Purchases made through your Amazon for Android app are protected with the highest level of security, so you don’t have to worry about your personal information being compromised.

Amazon Price Check App: I love a good bargain.  Whatcha got?

The Amazon Price Check app allows you to compare prices instantly by snapping a picture, scanning a barcode or saying a name.  Behold.

• Take a picture.  Take a picture of the item you’re looking for, and the Price Check app uses Amazon’s photo matching algorithm to match your picture to books, DVD’s, CD’s (does anyone actually BUY CD’s any more?), video games and more.
• Scan a barcode.  Amazon’s barcode scanner will match your item and provide not only Amazon’s pricing but also merchant pricing in just seconds.
• What does the fox SAY…Hopefully, he can say the name of the product you’re looking for.  Voice search instantly returns accurate product reviews and price matching.  (Kudos if you got the song reference.  And if it’s stuck in your head…sorry about that.)

You can share items via Twitter, Facebook, text message or email, and the Price Check app offers immediate secure purchasing using 1-Click ordering and Amazon Prime.

Amazon Music All this shopping is making me tired.  I need some music to wake myself up.

• You got it.  Right there in your phone!  The Amazon Music with Prime Music app lets you listen to your music library no matter where you are.  You can download or stream music from the cloud, or play the music you already have on your device.  Listen up.

• Start with what you know.  When you sign in, eligible MP3’s will automatically be added to your Cloud library for free.
• Bought the CD?  MP3 versions of any Auto Rip CD’s that you’ve purchased from Amazon all the way back to 1998 will automatically be added to your Cloud.
• Play music that is already stored on your phone or tablet.
• Shop over 28 million songs.  Aww.  Look what I found.  The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?)
• Import your library from iTunes or any other music folders. 

You can also create and edit playlists, control your music from your home screen, use Bluetooth to stream music in your house or car, and listen to the music in your library on your Kindle Fire, PC, Mac, iOS device, Sonos, Ruku or Samsung Smart TV.  And now…on your Fire Phone!

Android Amazon Photos: I have all these pictures of my cats, Mr. Tibby and Shemar Moore, and Fluffy the iguana. 

Sounds like someone’s been watching a little too much Criminal Minds.  Yup, yup, yup.  Have no fear.  You can easily protect and store all of your photos and videos with the Amazon Cloud Drive Photos app.

• 5GB free.  That’s a lot of space for pictures of Shemar, no?
• Automatic save feature.  Photos and videos up to 20 minutes are automatically saved to your Cloud when your Auto-Save feature is turned on.
• Relive your memories from your phone, tablet or computer.  So you can share those pictures with your friends, your co-workers, the guy on the train, that nice lady at the bank…

Even if your device is damaged or lost, having all of your memories backed up on the Cloud means that you’ll be able to access and download them to your new device in no time flat.

Amazon Instant Video: Now about those episodes of “Criminal Minds” and your Favorite Shows…

I wondered when you would catch up.  The Amazon Instant Video Google-TV app is your ticket!  With more than 140,000 titles to purchase or rent, including new releases and in-season TV episodes.  Purchased movies and TV-episodes appear in your video library, to enjoy any time, even with no internet connection.  And with Amazon Prime Instant Video, members can enjoy thousands of videos at no additional cost to their membership.

The Wrap-up.

Now that you’ve seen all of the amazing things that you can be doing with your Android device, and figured out that you can do all of those amazing things and MORE with the new Fire Phone, it’s time to do your homework.  The new Fire Phone is being revealed on June 18th.  It should be available to the public by September.  That’s more than enough time to do some price comparisons (you’ve got the app), watch some videos (you’ve got that one too) and figure out which phone is better for you.  And if you don’t actually own an Android phone yet, then it’s a no-brainer, right?