The Amazon Appstore

Amazon.com sells books, movies, and Android apps. Using the Amazon Appstore requires that you install the Amazon Appstore app, but from that point on it works a lot like the Amazon Market. Follow these steps to install the Amazon Appstore app:

1. Enable apps from unknown sources in the Settings menu.
2. Go to www.amazon.com on the Web, either from a tablet’s browser (as shown on the left) or from any other computer.
3. Enter your email address in the Get Started box (see Figure 14–2).
4. You’ll get an email with a link to download the app. Click this link to download and install the app.

Figure 14–2. Downloading the Amazon Appstore app

Because the Appstore is controlled by an app, you can launch it using the Amazon Appstore icon. Once you do, you can find and install apps from your tablet without launching a browser (see Figure 14–3). You use your Amazon.com account to pay for apps you purchase from the Appstore.

Figure 14–3. Browsing the Appstore

Once you launch the Amazon Appstore app, you can browse apps by category, search by name, and/or take advantage of Amazon’s daily specials. The Amazon Appstore is the only app market available for the Kindle Fire.

My Apps

You’ll get alerts for app updates you buy from the Appstore through the Amazon Appstore app. Just click the alert that pops up, and you’ll see the Updates section of My Apps.

You can also go to the My Apps area by tapping the Menu button on the bottom of the app’s screen (see Figure 14–4). This area lets you manually check for updates. If you have more than one Android device, such as a tablet and a phone, then you can also use this area to download apps you’re missing on a particular device. You can also use this area to recover Appstore apps you’ve purchased previously if you ever need to reset your tablet.

Figure 14–4. The My Apps area of the Appstore

Installing Apps from the Web

Nearly every Android app market allows you to install apps from the Web, and the Amazon Appstore is no exception. You can browse and purchase apps on the www.amazon.com website, and they’ll be delivered to your device as soon as you launch the Amazon Appstore app (see Figure 14–5).

Figure 14–5. Downloading an app from the www.amazon.com website