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I stopped letting my old Amazon Fire tablets collect dust — here are 5 ways I use them
There is still plenty of life left.
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Stephen Radochia / Android Authority
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If you’re like me, you have an embarrassing number of Amazon Fire tablets lying around from years past. Aggressive Prime Day sales made them irresistible, and while I don’t expect such enticingly low prices on the new Amazon Alexa tablets, that doesn’t solve my problem of outgoing Fire HD devices littering my home. They were never powerhouses, but they’re well supported, so I figured there must be some way to keep them serviceable.
Thankfully, older Amazon hardware still has plenty of uses around the house besides streaming video. I recently found a Fire HD 8 12th generation sitting in a drawer and decided to give it new life. If you’re stumped about what to do with those impulse buys from past Prime Days, here are five ways to get excited about your Fire HD tablet again.
How many old Amazon Fire HD tablets do you have around your home?
Convenient smart home dashboard
Stephen Radochia / Android Authority
Fire HD tablets were never really built for demanding tasks, but plenty of things don’t need much horsepower. It’s a fantastic tool for controlling your Alexa-compatible smart home devices. I’ve used mine to control my Hue lights, but you can also control a wide range of compatible smart home accessories, from thermostats to smart plugs.
Sure, you can do the same from your smartphone, but having a tablet in your living room or family room can be convenient. It also makes life easier for kids or guests who want to do something simple, like dim the lights, without needing access to your smartphone. If you’re looking for a fun weekend project to integrate your smart home, an older Fire tablet is a solid choice for a dashboard.
Retro gaming is a perfect fit
Nostalgia is always a powerful draw, and the Fire HD is a better gaming machine than people think. I always enjoyed Amazon Luna, and cloud gaming was decent on my Amazon tablet. However, the device really shines for emulation. Downloading RetroArch opens up a huge library of games across what feels like an endless list of retro consoles. My Fire HD 8’s microSD card slot is perfect for loading up ROMs (all legally purchased or backed up from physical hardware, of course).
I simply select the core I want to install for the system I want to play on, then point it to the folder with my games. I can connect a Bluetooth controller for added authenticity, and then I have a competent (and compact) gaming machine on the go.
Ring camera hub
As it turned out, my Fire HD tablet was the unexpected hero of Halloween night. I have a Ring camera system around my home, and I often pull up the app on Halloween to see when the kids come to collect their hard-earned candy. It lets me know what’s going on without being tethered to the front door all night. I usually pull it up on my phone, but that limits what else I can do and drains the battery. That’s where my Fire tablet comes in. I was able to download the Ring app and have the front door camera open all night. I could get alerts when someone approached my house while still using my phone normally.
I’ve also found it helpful to have it on my desk. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve waited for an important package, only for the driver to barely try to deliver it. Now, I keep my Amazon tablet open on my desk with the camera up, so I can pounce the moment the truck hits my driveway. It’s another way the technology I already have around the house and have spent money on can help out more than sitting in a drawer.
Web dashboard
Depending on how old your Fire tablet is, it’ll have performance limitations. Mine is a refreshed device from 2024, but it’s still not one I bring out hoping to play high-end mobile games. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t do other, less intensive tasks. Of course, my Fire HD is still fine for ordinary web browsing, but I use it for something more interesting. I’ve gone down a rabbit hole of side projects all based around Codex. I’m bringing old technology back to life, and many of them involve radio frequencies and transmitters that have long gone offline.
My latest project involves a Seiko MessageWatch from 30 years ago. As luck would have it, a Seiko engineer found a video I made and sent me a small radio transmitter that will let the watch work again. It needs to connect to another device via Wi-Fi to load the dashboard, control the frequencies, and choose what messages are sent. My Fire HD tablet is perfect. I don’t have to take my phone or laptop off Wi-Fi to use it, and I can still have a dedicated device for operating it. I don’t know how many AI-assisted projects I’ve done over the last few months, but many involved web dashboards to help manage them, and the Fire HD is up to the task.
Nightstand monitor
I can’t remember the last time I had a real alarm clock on my nightstand, but the Fire HD can serve as a more competent, modern-day equivalent. Sure, you can set alarms and other basic functions, but it’s a wonderful way to check the weather when you wake up. You can also enable hands-free Alexa to ask it questions about your schedule or the information you need for the day. I had a lot of fun loading up various weather apps to get live radar information — giving me a portable little weather station.
I’ve just outlined a few uses I’ve found helpful for the numerous Amazon tablets I’ve collected over the years. Of course, there are plenty more. They make ideal streaming tablets for Netflix, and there’s the Kindle app with plenty of content to enjoy. Instead of buying something shiny and new, maybe it’s time to look in your closet and see if you can repurpose tech you already have.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet (2024)
Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet (2024)MSRP: $99.99
See price at Amazon
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