Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet (2023 Model)

I've had the Fire Tablet Max for several months now. Initially, I really loved it. I wanted an ebook reader with a large enough screen to read my Kindle books, plus I wanted the functionality of having a Personal Assistant. Plus, I wanted something I could go online with. At first, the Fire Max 11 provided, well, 2.5 of the 3. As an ebook reader, it's great. With the larger screen, I can easily read books from my Kindle library, so I'm very happy with that. I can go online BUT the Fire Max 11, like all Amazon tablets, uses only Amazon Silk browser and only apps from the Amazon App Store. Many apps I would like to use are not available, like Dropbox, Adobe Acrobat (to read pdf's), Internet security, and many othes. And while it has Bluetooth, I've thus far not been able to pair my laptop with my Fire tablet. My computer will pair and connect but the Fire Max Tablet will NOT, even when the "numbers" match on my computer and tablet. So there's no way to share files except with the USB. I haven't tried that yet, so can't speak to whether it works or not. However, because most of the files I want to view on the Fire Max 11 tablet are pdf files, there's no way to read them without a PDF viewer. So, that's a downside, as well as the limited apps from the Amazon app store. Also, there's no way to add an antivirus or firewall or adblockers, either. So going online is extremely limited without the security one would like to have. Finally, Amazon Alexa. Initially, she was a godsend. I could be reading an article on the NY Times or Washington Post app (both of which are available in the app store), ask Alexa a definition of a word, and she would give it, all while my Fire Max 11 stayed on the article screen, which provided a streamless reading experience. Since I could choose to have Alexa respond even when the device is locked, I could wake up in the morning and ask her the time, the temp/weather, and she would respond immediately. I could set reminders and alarms and she would give me my reminders even when I wasn't using the Fire Max 11 tablet and the screen was locked. The same with alarms. So if you wanted to set an alarm for each morning, that worked quite well. The only issue I had was that for some unfathomable reason, Amazon designed the cover for the Fire Max 11 to actually cover the speakers, so that the sound is greatly reduced and sometimes hard to hear or even miss. The cover should open and close on opposite sides to work well with the speakers. However, since Alexa's latest update a few days ago, all that functionality is gone. Frankly, I'd fire the tech team that came up with this update. I've come to the conclusion that Amazon intends to phase out having Alexa function as a personal assistant on the Amazon Fire tablets, much as Microsoft Windows phased out Cortana from functioning as a personal assistant in Windows (a big mistake, imo). The first thing I noticed after the update is that when I spoke Alexa's name, a textbox, much like the one you'd see on your phone if sending a text or using Messenger to send a message, pops up. So, if I'm reading an article now on the Washington Post, NYTimes, etc., and ask Alexa for a word definition or who a person mentioned in the article is, the screen reverts to Alexa's text screen immediately. Their customer care team says that's so we can "see what we say and how Alexa responds" - which I think is idiotic. However, since the screen leaves the news app, in order to get back to the article I was reading, I have to close out Alexa's "new" text screen, go back to the home screen on the tablet, select the news app again, and go back to the article I was reading. WAY TOO MUCH hassle, does NOT make for a seamless reading experience, and frankly, it's just as fast to use an old-fashioned dictionary. So that functionality is lost. Perhaps more importantly, Alexa no longer works when the device is locked. I don't know about you, but I don't use my tablet 24/7. There are times during the day when the screen is inactive or when the cover is closed. Since I want to protect the screen on my tablet from spills, accidental falls or something falling on it, and prevent cracking or breaking, or getting liquid from say, coffee or water on it, I close it when not in use. Closing it automatically locks the device. Not sure if it used to in the beginning, because Alexa would still work back then, even with the cover closed, but it does now. Also, the device automatically locks after a period of time - which I can set at certain increments between 5 min and 30 minutes. There is no option not to lock the device at all after a period of inactivity. And why would I not want to have that security? First of all, to keep the Fire Tablet Max always active, would take up alot of battery power. That means I'd have to keep it plugged in all the time or be constantly recharging it, which wears down the battery. And the purpose of a tablet is to have a mobile device, so keeping it plugged it makes it more difficult to use, especially because the charging cord is less than 3 ft long. I'd say more like 24 -28 inches. So, that's not really feasible. And again, probably not good for the battery. However, since Alexa no longer responds from the lockscreen, it's not just that she doesn't respond to questions, but the reminders and alarms no longer work now, either, unless the device is active and I'm using it. That rather defeats the purpose, since if I set an alarm to wake me up, I'm sleeping and so not using my Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet - meaning it's locked and the alarm won't work. If I set a reminder for a birthday, to take out the garbage, a doctor's appt or whatever, I will no longer get that reminder unless I am actively using the tablet. That, too, defeats the purpose of a reminder, because I have to remind myself with some other device, to make sure I'm using the Fire Max 11 tablet at the time the reminder (or alarm) is scheduled, so I can get it. And if I have to set a clock alarm and paste a sticky note on it why I set it, like so that I can unlock my tablet so Alexa can remind me to take a pill or that it's someone's birthday, etc., then I already have the reminder on a sticky note and an alarm clock that goes off so that I'll read the sticky note. No need for Alexa. But also, no functional Personal Assistant, either. So, again, Alexa on the Fire Tablet Max 11, and I'm guessing all tablets, has been essentially neutered in her functionality as a Personal Assistant. So I'm guessing, although customer care denies it, that she's being phased out on the tablets, which I can't understand. Frankly, this update looks more like it should have been only for a phone, and not for a tablet. When I go to the help section now, for example, it gives specific instructions for help with Alexa on mobile phones or on Echo devices, BUT NOT TABLETS. It's as though the update was meant for a different device, but all devices got it. And there's no way to undo it. Here's some of the literally stupid responses I've gotten from customer care: 1. To not see the text box pop up when I say the "woke word", aka "Alexa", they've told me to disable hands-free Alexa. Well, that means the only way I can use Alexa to ask a question, give a command, etc....wait for it....IS TO USE THE TEXT BOX AND MESSAGE HER. So how does that "solution" even made a modicum of sense? IT DOESN'T. If I don't want to see the text box or use the text box, why would I make it so that's ALL I see and can use? Not sure who thought that one up, but it's literally laughable it's so idiotic. A second solution I've been told is to do a factory reset and then Alexa will be in it's original state - maybe. I shouldn't have to tell an Amazon tech specialist why that solution won't work, but I bet most of the people reading this can guess. Yep, once you do a factory reset, you not only wipe out all your data and have to setup the device all over again, BUT all those apps that are installed, including Alexa, will begin to update. (Alexa comes embedded in the Amazon Fire Max 11 software, so it updates automatically.) In a matter of hours, or even days, you'll have to do the reset all over again. Great way to literally ruin your tablet. Or maybe Amazon's plan to have you keep replacing them? Fool me once and all that. There'd be no second purchase. Oh, and as I mentioned, Amazon Alexa is embedded in the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet software, much like Cortana used to be embedded in Windows (and is now embedded in Microsoft Office 365 and only works with office applications). There's no way to uninstall her and reinstall her. Or even just uninstall her. I suppose I could just disable her, I'm not sure. But again, she can't function as a Personal Assistant if she's disabled. Oh, and here's the final bright solution one tech gave me: "Tell Alexa to exit Show Mode". I tried several times to tell her that my tablet isn't IN show mode, so how can Alexa exit from something that isn't enabled? She kept insisting, though, so I unlocked my device and told Alexa to "Exit Show Mode." Alexa's response: "Sorry, I can't help with that." The agent asked me to do it again (rotflmao). So I did. "Alexa, exit Show Mode". Alexa: "Sorry, I can't help with that." Alexa is officially dead as a Personal Assistant on the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet. I'm guessing this is true of all the tablets, but I can't speak to that. I just know that functionality is gone on my Fire Max 11 tablet. I've called and complained and told them all of what I've said here, but to no avail. There's no way for me to "roll back" the update to the previous version. Again, my guess is that this update was more intended for Alexa apps on mobile PHONES, but so far I've not gotten an answer on that. But just looking at the "new" Help section, all the solutions or issues listed now are specifically for mobile phones, whereas previously that was not the case. So, while I would have initially given the Fire Max 11 tablet 4 stars, without Alexa, I'm downgrading it to 1 star. In my opinion, buy a real tablet if you want a Personal Assistant. Just don't buy one that has Alexa. Buy one with either Siri or Google Assistant. While one customer service agent tried to tell me they're no good, I know people who have ipads and other Android tablets who use the Personal Assistant all the time, with no problem. Why Amazon would remove itself from this market, i.e., having a tablet with a functioning Personal Assistant, is beyond my comprehension, but that is what they did. So therefore, no longer worth the money. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Apps that are suspicious and full of ads abound in the Amazon App store, but functional apps like antivirus and security software are nowhere to be found. You can't even find a Starbucks app! So as a tablet, I could not recommend this. Whatever potential or functionality this glorified Kindle reader had is now just that - a Kindle ebook reader. Shame on Amazon. This tablet had real potential to compete with some of the other tablets on the market, but instead, Amazon shows its short-sightedness by taking away even the limited functionality it had in this last update. And don't even get me going on its "customer care". Clearly, that has been outsourced to a planet or country where solutions are not part of the package and representatives barely speaking intelligible English read from lame scripts that are laughable, as in the examples I have already given. After using this tablet for several months now, I've had to downgrade my review down to a 1 star. All that's left on it, really, is the Kindle app. It's great for reading books, but that's all. Of course, Amazon could, in their infinite lack of imagination and competence, decide to take that away, too, at some point. As a Kindle ereader, I could offer some suggestions here, too. All in all, this device does not qualify as a true tablet. The name is misleading and Amazon should really downgrade the description, to be fair to consumers.