Amazon blocks Downloader app on the Echo Show 15 in seemingly meaningless effort to thwart sideloading | AFTVnews
Amazon is gonna drive their sales of streaming devices into a deep fire depression. I had it with them when they blocked all alternate launchers.
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More of the same from Amazon. Although I was lured like many others by the cheap price of the firestick when I got into streaming 6 years ago, I dumped it less than a year later for an open android device once I experienced the performance limitations caused by limited memory, bloatware, buffering, proprietary apps and limitations on apps without jumping through hoops to side load anything. I have no regrets and have never looked back at the newer fire devices.
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I did the same, the firestick and roku was the gateway to streaming for me, I soon learned the limitations of both and moved on.
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Same here. Firestick was my Gateway to Streaming and after about a year found out about the Android boxes and never looked back.
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Yes. I also had a Roku box early on. Part of the learning curve on this stuff I guess. I splurged on a Nvidia Shield also, but found my sweet spot with my Ugoos AM6 B Pro and BuzzTV XRS4500. A bit different from each other but great devices.
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Shhhh @Miki will hear you. Aha
Its only good for paid apps. We all knew the score… we all knew this was coming. Its not happening on their other devices im sure its coming. So let this be a warning and a msg to all. Dont get a sevice like this thinking its 100 percent customizable just be aware of limitations.
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I started out with a Raspberry Pi, lol, and moved on to the super underwhelming MXQ box, then made a baby step up to the Firestick. Had programmed and loaded it up for friends and family until this blocking mess started. It’s not my personal choice of devices, but it makes, or shall I say, made a very good gift. Now the gift has turned into the newbie on the block Onn Box. Personally I’ve been stuck on and will continue to stick with my Shield. And recklessly play with my Cube, lol 
The hobby just isn’t fun if you can’t mess stuff up and then fix it.
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True for me this is a hobby that keeps me mostly out of trouble doing other things 
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You know what they say about idle hands, lol Were you ever into the DSS hobby prior to this?
just a linux guy, I was using linux before it was cool 
… well some say that 
oh, Linux is cool now? LOL! I gotcha. So the words HU card mean nothing to you? 
not really that was back when I was 1st gifted a windoze box or shortly thereafter
I understand. I need to go see if I can find my Kali Linux disc, never really explored what all that could do.
I think kali just updated, but I leave it alone nowadays im just into arch, although I have a mini server running mint for the debian part
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You could almost tell me anything about Linux and I’d have to agree since I have been primarily a Windoze user since the 90’s and Android user since around 2010. Kali holds a lot of interest though.
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kali is small, portable if needed but used more for testing, hacking etc. It can get you in trouble 
… My current hobby aside from android boxes are android tablets. I just set up a lenovo yoga tab (11 inch) 256gb 8gb ram as my carry and ditched the lappy.
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Yes, I like testing and anything whitehat. Not looking for trouble, but I do like to look and see what I can find. 
The thrill is in the hunt. Nice tablet you have there! I have an old Samsung and a newish Fire 10, ha, but they are definitely easy to carry with, not to mention you have a complete tv type entertainment center at your fingertips.
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I too, had a few original FS and bought into the yearly “upgrade” hype. I came to my senses in 2015 and bought my first nVidia Pro and it is just as good as the day I bought it and use it every day!
I ended up giving several (4 FS) to a friend. Now we haven’t spoken to each other in a couple of years! lol
When I recently moved, I found 2 of them suckers in a box of stuff. I still have them…needed a couple of doorstops to prop open some doors on my deck. 
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Sometimes it is best to wall off the hardware though more costly - and prevent the hardware from checking back with its maker unless absolutely required. i.e. Amazon, Google, Nvidia, others I am not thinking of. There will always be ways around things. But if you prevent an update from knocking out service - ahead of your game. and theirs too! Old timers told me Kodi had a rogue app take out the key resolver and jacked everyones install up. Careful what you let in, keep walled off such that you can reach out to other sources to use your system whatever it may be. Walled off from rest of house, including smart tv which could get network perhaps HDMI? Bingo. Choice is good regardless of device preference. Google collects anything heard by an in device radio or GPS. Drop back to hardwire and part of that is fixed except SSIDs and Bluetooth a box hears… Cheers.
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