AA7HW: Configuring Fire Tablets using ADB

As an alternative to the instructions Setup Fire Tablets, advanced users may prefer to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

Thank you to Michael Masterson, WT9V for the initial work on this document.

Advantages of ADB

  • Once you have completed the setup, it is easy to install or update apps such as Fully Kiosk, an RPN calculator, and other apps on your tablets without using a USB flash drive, and you do not need to exit Fully Kiosk if it is already running.
  • Once you have completed the setup, 8th Generation or newer tablets can optionally appear as a USB flash drive when connected to the computer using a USB cable, so that configuration files can be easily copied from the computer to the tablet, and snapshots can be easily copied from the tablet to the computer (without exiting Fully Kiosk). On the Mac, you must use Android File Transfer. No special program is required on Windows or Linux.

Disadvantages of ADB

  • Using ADB requires more setup prior to the first use.
  • Use of ADB requires a Command Prompt (Windows) or a Shell (Mac OS or Linux) rather than providing a GUI (Graphical User Interface). You must invoke the adb command from within the Command Prompt or Shell; you can not simply double click on the executable to launch it. Use of the Command Prompt or Shell requires a level of expertise beyond what is documented here. It is your responsibility to decide where to install the tools, and to understand the file structure and search paths applicable to your operating system. (Let's avoid philosophical battles, but to some folks, use of a Command Prompt or Shell is an advantage rather than a disadvantage.)
  • Once ADB is enabled, you should take greater care to control your tablet, since it may be possible for unscrupulous users to connect your tablet to untrusted computers and make changes to your tablet even if they do not have the Fully Kiosk PIN.

Installation and Setup of ADB

  • Configure the tablet for the use of ADB
    • On the tablet, exit Fully Kiosk if it is already running. This will require you to DISABLE KIOSK MODE.
    • Open the Settings app and click on Device Options.
    • Click on About Fire Tablet (8th Generation or newer) or Device Options (7th Generation or older).
    • Repeatedly tap on >Serial Number> about seven times. After about three times, you will see a message at the bottom of the screen: You are now 4 steps from developer. This will decrement as you repeated tap on Serial Number until you become a developer.
    • There will be a new menu item, Developer Options. On 8th Generation or newer tablets, this will be in the Device Options menu, below About Fire Tablet. On 7th Generation or older tablets, this will be in the Device Options menu, below the Serial Number.
    • Go into Developer Options, and if there's a setting for "On", then turn them on. A popup will appear requiring you to confirm Allow development settings.
    • Scroll down in the options looking for either USB Debugging (8th Generation or newer) or Enable ADB (7th Generation or older), and turn that option On. On 8th Generation or newer tablets, a popup will appear requiring you to confirm turning that option on.
    • On 8th Generation or newer tablets, optionally click on Default USB configuration, and switch from No data transfer to File Transfer to allow transferring configuration files to your tablet and data files such as screen captures from your tablet without exiting from Fully Kiosk.
  • Install Required Software on your computer.
    • If you are using a Mac, download Android File Transfer. (You really didn't expect to find this in the Apple App Store, did you?)
    • Follow the applicable instructions to Download and Install ADB on your computer (Macintosh, Windows, or Linux).

      The first time you attempt to connect each tablet to your computer using ADB, you will need to grant permission for the tablet to connect to that computer, as noted in the instructions above.

Restart Fully Kiosk

If Fully Kiosk was previously running, and you exited to enable ADB, you can restart Fully Kiosk now.

  • Start or restart Fully Kiosk.
  • Enable Kiosk Mode (PLUS).

Installing apps using ADB

  • Connect the tablet to the computer using a USB cable. Connect only a single tablet to your computer at any time.
  • Launch ADB from the command line. On the Mac or Linux, the command is adb. On Windows, the command is adb.exe.
  • Use ADB to install the latest version of Fully Kiosk or other apps on your tablets, e.g.: adb install -r Fully-Kiosk-Browser-v1.49.1.apk
  • Here are a few other apps that can be installed using adb:
    • RPN Calc: adb install -r RpnCalc.apk
    • SpeedTest, then download the version for ARM7 devices: adb install -r Speedtest-4.8.0.apk
    • Zoom, then download from Zoom: adb install -r zoom.apk

Transferring Files to or from Computer

  • Connect the tablet to the computer using a USB cable. Connect only a single tablet to your computer at any time.
  • On Windows or Linux, the file system on the table should mount as an external hard drive. On Mac OS, launch the Android File Transfer app to access the file system on the tablet. Drag and drop files from the tablet to the computer or from the computer to the tablet. For example, drag configuration files from the computer to the tablet, or drag screen snapshots created on the tablet to the computer.

Start Fully Kiosk

If you have just installed Fully Kiosk for the first time, and you have transferred the fully-settings.json file to your tablet, you will need to start and configure Fully Kiosk now, using this process: Setup Fire Tablets, except that the necessary files have been installed using ADB rather than a USB flash drive.

  • Perform any necessary tablet configuration, such as setting up WiFi.
  • Start Fully Kiosk.
  • Load the fully-settings.json configuration file.
  • Enable Kiosk Mode (PLUS).