I think Iām finally going to have to replace my Zipatile with something running a later version of android / Webview.
Actiontiles stopped working today and smartools doesnāt run - I think its all to do with the outdated version of Webview and there is currently no way to upgrade or root the device.
One thing I liked about the zipatile was the āprofessionalā look, its a purpose built wall mountable tablet with power ports hidden at the back etc
So, Iām now looking at my options and it seems that the Fire HD tablets may be the way to go in an enclosure.
I have a few questions:
Can the latest Fire 10 tablets be rooted and have a clean version of android installed?
I use Fully Kiosk Browser today - does this work well on the Fire HD tablets?
Is it possible to configure the screen to come on, on motion? (Using the camera for example). A benefit of the Zipatile is that it has a built in PIR sensor which I can use to trigger the display to turn on.
Any recommendations for enclosures that look the part?
Fully Kiosk works well on my fire 10s with the stock Amazon OS. And it also allows the motion to turn the screen on. As for enclosures there are a few out there though I ended up 3D printing my own and making a recharge cable out of one of the wireless charging pads.
As for the rest: Fully and all its PLUS features are perfect for what you're talking about--screen on with motion, off on darkness, etc. The lock screen and ads and such will be an issue if you use those features to completely turn the screen OFF. --No way to turn it back on in Fire OS without having to swipe away the lock screen/ads. But most people using fire tablets (there are many) use the black screensaver to simulate screen off.
As for myself, I hacked the bootloader and am running stock Android on mine, which alleviates all the shortcomings of fire OS, but my tablets are Fire 7s, not 10s, and I don't know if such a hack exists for the 10s. 7 and 8 yes. XDA Developers would be a good place to start your search.
Don't know your level of experience with hacking/unlocking bootloaders, etc., but if you've never done it before, it can seem a little daunting. Just really take your time, read through everything first, and follow instructions step by step.
There is also easy root for the 7th, but this is not boot loader, I suppose, like you can with most of the other devices. Not positive about bypassing the lock screen with root and no bootloader, but this is all good info, as OP is looking for what to buy. eBay is always a good source for these dashboard tablets, and in my experience, the listings usually contain the info about what gen it is. So if you're interested in unlocking/rooting one, just make sure there's a way first, and but a device that you've confirmed can be exploited!
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