After Afta?

  

I have been using Mennen Afta, fresh scent, for about 40 years, and it has definitely made shaving tolerable during that time, as it cooled, soothed, and moisturized my skin after the rigors of shaving. Without it, my skin is a hot, irritated mess after shaving, to the point that it made me wish I could grow a decent looking beard and never shave again. Truth be told, Afta is one of the only personal care products to which I have developed an absolute brand loyalty over the years. Unfortunately, that product has been gradually disappearing from store shelves over the course of several years and now appears to be reaching the point of extinction. The last place I could consistently find it was Walmart, but while the shelf tag remains,at least for now, the floor-level shelf space does not portend well for its longevity, and it has remained ominously empty after I bought their last two bottles more than a month ago.

While I haven’t run out yet, I find myself thinking of the future as my supply continues to dwindle. A search on Amazon turned up only the original scent, which I dislike, especially at twice the price I was paying at Walmart. Further digging turned up an ‘out-of-stock’ listing for the fresh scent, with a notation that it is unknown when or if it would again become available. A check of parent company Colgate-Palmolive’s Web site does not show Afta among their assortment of brands; in fact, the only former Mennen product still available is Speed Stick deodorants.

Apparently, as a mature product line, parent company Colgate-Palmolive has allowed it to coast along with no advertising or promotion. Not surprisingly, sales have fallen off to the point that it is no longer viable. This unfortunate development has sent me in search of alternatives. The less desirable original scent remains available online, but inflated prices, twice what I was paying at retail, would seem to be an indicator that the product may well have already ceased production and consumers are now vying for the remaining stock. so I am instead looking to alternatives.

Back in the ‘90s, Gillette introduced a competing product that was comparable to Afta in most respects, and remains on store shelves, albeit at floor level, like Afta. But at least it’s still there and the price has not gone up. A 2.5 ounce bottle is still well under $3. The best unit price I could find was buying a carton of six bottles from Amazon for $15.24. This is about fifteen cents a bottle cheaper than the shelf price at Walmart and I don't have to drive to the store to get it, which is a double win.

Having ordered a carton, I tried the Gillette aftershave gel this morning, for the first time in more than 20 years, and found it to be an acceptable substitute. I still prefer Afta, which has a richer feel to it, but I can live with the Gillette, since there is really no alternative at that price point. The gel itself is a bit thinner than the Afta, and its scent has more of a citrus note, which is not unpleasant. It produces a more pronounced cooling sensation on freshly shaved skin, which is nice for the few minutes it lasts, but it does not feel as if it moisturizes to the same degree. The important thing is that several hours later, my skin is very slightly irritated, but less than it would be without either product.

It frankly boggles my mind that moisturizing aftershave gels have so completely disappeared from the marketplace, at least at an affordable price point. There are still some more expensive alternatives from the likes of Nivea and others, but nothing to compare with Gillette or the late, lamented Afta. In the ‘90s, this was a very robust category with entries from Edge and others, but it has gradually died away. Although beards have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, most men are still shaving and a significant number of us are doubtless still experiencing skin irritation from doing so. A product that addresses this condition effectively and affordably would seem to be a quite viable category and not just a niche market.

Is Starfleet Academy really that bad?

The latest Star Trek series to stream on Paramount+, Starfleet Academy, has managed to garner a significant amount of negative press, but I have to ask if it's anywhere near as bad as its detractors would have us believe. After watching the first five episodes to drop, which constitutes half of the first season, my response is a wholehearted 'not really'.

To understand my take on this, I have to put it into the perspective of other streaming Star Trek series and one dreadful made-for-streaming TV movie. Starfleet Academy is decidedly light years ahead of the dreadful Section 31 movie, and for my money is even superior to the thematically similar animated Lower Decks series. I still don't understand why the moronic drivel of Lower Decks is so beloved. I still haven't been able to bring myself to watch the entire final season. 

At its worst, Starfleet Academy has moments that are equally as cringe-worthy as pretty much all of Lower Decks, and borrows way too much from the silly side of Strange New Worlds, but at the same time, it has shown its ability to bring viewers pleasingly thoughtful fare, especially in the fourth and fifth episodes, which focus on specific characters' paths of self-discovery. In episode four, Jay-Den Kraag (Karim Diane), a dispossessed Klingon, gains a sense of belonging, in worlds of both Starfleet and the Klingon Empire. While this at times feels like a re-tread of Worf's journey through Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, an impression bolstered by Diane's performance, which all too often feels like he's trying to channel Michael Dorn's performances as Worf, it is redeemed by the nuance and growth Jay-Den experiences by episode's end. 

Speaking of DS9, episode 5 is an artful homage to that series as SAM (Kerrice Brooks) attempts to discover the true fate of Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) at the end of DS9. Although the elder Brooks (no relation to Kerrice) does not appear in the episode, it he did authorize the use of a prerecorded voice-over at the end of the episode. Also, SAM  does share a couple of scenes with Cirroc Loftin, reprising his role as a middle-aged Jake Sisko, who helps her discover, Wizard of Oz style, that the answers she was seeking differed greatly from the truth that she found, which was perhaps inside of her all along. 

As the remaining five episodes of Season 1 drop, one can only hope the show will continue along the path of the two most recent ones as it charts its own course, unique from where previous iterations of the franchise have been before. Yes, it feels kind of soapy at times, but it is intended to appeal to a younger generation of viewers, a demographic to whom that type of content would appeal. Let's face it, those of us who came aboard with the original series represent a demographic that will, before too long, be aging out, so the powers that be are arguably on the right track to create stories that will appeal to newer audiences,

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Update 14 March:  

The tenth and final episode of Starfleet Academy's inaugural season dropped two days ago, and things did indeed get better--much, much better. We were even treated to a cameo appearance by a favorite character from Discovery, Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), who had become an academy instructor by the end of that series. Her episode at least partially made up for the disappointment for her absence as a series regular. While the remaining episodes retained a certain amount of soapiness, the characters' journeys of self discovery, both individual and collective, continued to be front and center, making for some compelling moments, especially in the two-part finale, which stands up favorably with any of the best Star Trek two-parters and even plays out better than some of the weaker Star Trek feature films. 

I am now of the opinion that the awkward cringeyness of the seasons early episodes was a clever and necessary move, designed to help viewers appreciate the characters' growth over ten episodes. They came in wondering if they belong and came out after ten episodes knowing that indeed they do. Interestingly, the writers chose not to create a season cliffhanger, but instead tying up most of the hanging plot threads. Still, it will be interesting to see what happens when the cadets return for their second year at the academy. Even with scant clues as to how the second season will unfold, we know they will come back with a greater sense of cohesion and belonging, that they have found a home. They will certainly come back more seasoned, and with an understanding of what it means to be a Starfleet officer that no textbook could hope to teach.

Fortunately for viewers, we will find out the answers to those questions when Starfleet Academy returns for its second season, which is already in the proverbial can, awaiting its premiere. The larger question is where Star Trek is going from here. In addition to another season of Starfleet Academy, we have two more seasons, or one and a half, depending on how you want to look at it, remaining of Strange New Worlds, but no word on what's coming after that. At the moment, no new Star Trek series or films are in production, or even pre-production to follow what has already been shot, but is yet to stream. The most plausible explanation is that Paramount's new management has not yet decided what to do, following the merger with Skydance and the possible takeover of Warner Bros., both of which significantly complicate the equation. Perhaps the proverbial field is about to be allowed to lie fallow, as has happened before, while those decisions are being made. 

Brightening up an older car

 There are few things that make an older car in otherwise good condition look tired than hazy headlights.

For the past 30 years or so, virtually all cars have come with clear plastic headlight lenses. They give manufacturers greater latitude in designing vehicles' front ends, but over time, the sun and road grit conspire to make those lenses look dull, yellowed, and hazy. In the worst cases, they are almost opaque, diffusing forward illumination to make the lights considerably less effective.

One might think the simplest solution is just to replace the headlights, but this is an expensive proposition that can cost in the hundreds of dollars, and there is really no need for this, as the existing lenses can be polished and restored without a lot of effort. You can have this professionally done, but it is also a good driveway project that can be done in an hour or two, and for less than the cost of a tank of gas. 

A quick Internet search will bring up any number of home remedies, including toothpaste, to clear your headlights, but the one thing they all have in common is they don't last. You have to repeat the process every few months, and some store bought kits have similar shortcomings. 

I have tried kits from several different manufacturers on various cars, and the best of the lot seems to be one called Cerakote, which involves a three-step process that returns the headlights to like-new condition with no power tools required.

The kit purports to come with everything needed to do the job, but there are a few things needed that aren't in the box. Since it involves abrasives and caustic chemicals, it is advisable to mask off the painted areas around the headlights, just to be on the safe side, even though the instructions make no mention of this. Also needed is a container of water, such as a bucket or spray bottle, which the instructions do mention with regard to washing the headlights before beginning the process and for wet sanding them in step two. You will also need a roll of paper towels.

So, the three steps are actually four, if you include washing loose dirt off of the headlights and then masking off around them before beginning the process. We'll call that the prep step or step zero. 

The first step using items from the kit is to remove the deteriorated sealant coating from the headlights with the included wipes, labeled with a large numeral one on each packet. Because the chemicals on the wipes are caustic, you should wear one of the two pairs of nitrile gloves included in the kit, which provides a total of eight wipes, four for each headlight. The instructions suggest wiping in a circular pattern and changing wipes frequently as they take on a nicotine-stained hue. This discoloration will be minimal by the fourth wipe. 

After this first step is complete, wipe off the remaining solvent with a paper towel and discard the first set of gloves. The headlights will look clearer as you perform this first step, but they will become hazy again as they dry. 

The second step is wet sanding with the provided sanding discs and applicator. Start with the 2,000-grit disc then follow up with the 3,000-grit one. The kit includes two of each, one for each headlight. Sand gently in straight, horizontal lines across the headlight lenses and use plenty of water on both the sanding discs and the headlight surface; otherwise, you will likely scratch the lenses. The instructions suggest sanding for three to five minutes with each disc. 

After the sanding step is complete, rinse the headlight lenses off with water and wipe them off with a paper towel to remove any remaining grit, then dry them thoroughly. Use towels, a blower, or just let them dry naturally. The important thing is to make sure they are completely dry before moving to the final step of applying the ceramic clear coat.

This last step is where the magic happens. The ceramic clear coat finally gives the headlights a like-new finish and protects them from hazing over again. Put on the second set of gloves and be prepared to be bowled over by a strong ammonia odor when you open the packet to extract the wipe. There is one wipe for each headlight. The instructions suggest applying one coat of sealant in overlapping horizontal strokes, making sure to cover the entire headlight surface. This is by far the quickest step, but you will need to wait a minimum of one hour before driving the vehicle and don't touch the headlights while the sealant is curing. 

Once this entire process is done, you will have spent about two hours taking your headlights from hazy to amazing. They will not only look like they did when the car was new, but you will be able to see much better at night. And Cerakote guarantees these results for as long as you own the vehicle.  Of course the best part is the satisfaction of having done this yourself. 

Star Trek's Kelvin Timeline Is At A Dead End--And Good Riddance

I found myself greeting with a sigh of relief the recent announcement that, following Paramount's merger with Skydance, the not-so-anticipated fourth installment of J. J. Abrams' Star Trek films set in the so-called Kelvin timeline would not be happening. After the third installment, Star Trek: Beyond in 2016, I really felt like that branch of the franchise had run out of gas, and I wasn't at all eager for a next voyage. It was also obvious that Paramount shared the sentiment eight years ago, when the third film was dumped into theaters with almost no promotion. 

Looking back, Star Trek (2009) was an enjoyable romp that brought a new perspective to the beloved characters that had been with us more than four decades. And a surprise cameo by Leonard Nimoy was an added bonus. To be sure, the casting of Chris Pine as Capt. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock was brilliant, because their acting styles mirror their predecessors. Pine, like William Shatner, always plays the same character, regardless of the role he is cast in, and in which he is cast, essentially some version of himself. This worked in the case of Capt. Kirk, because Pine naturally projects something not unlike Shatner's swagger. Conversely, Quinto takes a deeper dive into his characters, immersing himself into them, much the way Nimoy did. 

Things took a decidedly darker turn in Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013), which attempted to re-imagine Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) as a non-stop action thriller and a total waste of talent for Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan. In the end, relentless action provided all-too-thin cover for an even thinner story, shot through with blatant ripoffs of the classic 1982 film. This was truly the Kelvin timeline's lowest ebb.

While bringing in a new director, Justin Lin, to helm Star Trek: Beyond (2016) was a good move, it was too little too late. The damage had already been done with its predecessor. To his credit, Lin did try to slow the pace down a bit in an attempt to make the film somewhat more character driven, but the moments intended to evoke an emotional connection with the characters felt contrived and ultimately fell flat. The best of these was when Quinto's Spock received a box of personal effects belonging to Leonard Nimoy's Spock, including a photo of the original cast from one of their latter films. This acknowledgement of the passing both of Nimoy and his version of Spock made me feel a nostalgic connection not for the current cast playing those characters, but for their predecesors, who had last appeared together, save for assorted cameos, in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) a quarter-century earlier and several of whom had already passed away by that time. 

So, now that the Kelvin timeline officially closed, what's next for Star Trek's feature film franchise? There's no substantive information on that at this time, probably because the powers that be at Paramount/Skydance hasn't yet figured out what they want to do with it. It appears there will not be overlap between the streaming TV shows on Paramount+ and any future feature film projects. This is fortunate, given the travesty that was Star Trek: Section 31 (2025). The less said about that one the better. It may well preclude the return of Scott Bakula's Jonathan Archer character from Star Trek: Enterprise, which he had been campaigning to reprise in an origin story for the United Federation of Planets. 

My hope is that whomever is in charge of the feature film arm of the franchise will take some time to seriously consider what makes Star Trek unique and leverage those strengths into something special, instead of repeating the mistakes Abrams made by trying to make Star Trek into an amalgam of the other franchises with which he had been involved, namely Star Wars and Mission: Impossible. While Star Trek is one of Paramount's biggest cash cows, history has shown its richest yield comes when it is nurtured and respected. Squeezing it for all it's worth will only result in a law of diminishing returns. 

 

 

Streaming Into the Future

 Earlier this year, I came to the realization that, after a decade of streaming, I simply wasn't watching cable TV anymore; instead, I was streaming about 98 percent of my TV viewing from providers like Prime Video, Paramount+, FilmRise, Kanopy, and Tubi. I was still watching programming from the History Channel and PBS, but primarily streaming it, rather than watching it on cable. I prefer streaming because it allows me to watch TV on my schedule.

After receiving notice of yet another rate hike, this one blamed on the increasing cost of sports programming from channels like ESPN, which I have zero interest and never watch, I decided it was time to turn in my cable box. 

It seems I was a bit ahead of the curve in cutting the cable, as two months later, my Internet and cable provider announced it was dropping its TV service. I guess enough subscribers had cut the cable that they decided to do the job for everyone else. Deleting cable TV service made no real difference in my viewing. Of course, it did require one additional streaming subscription.

In order to continue accessing the History Channel's streaming app, I needed a TV provider, which I found in the form of Philo, a streamer that offers programming from a handful of cable channels, including History, for a fraction of the cost of other similar services like Sling. Named for one of the inventors of television, Philo Farnsworth, Philo does not include any sports programming, which helps keep the cost affordable for those of us who don't care about or watch sports.  

I have been quite content with this streaming-only arrangement for the past six months or so, and was initially irritated when I received an email from Philo, announcing a $10 price increase, effective next month (November 2025), but then I read the rest of the email. 

Unlike most TV price hike notices I've received, this one actually promised to give me something of value for my money. While I couldn't opt out of paying the extra $10, I was getting ad-supported versions of HBO Max and Discovery Plus. For that price, I'm basically getting both streamers for the price of HBO Max alone.

While it's nice to have access to HBO Max, I'm also excited to have Discovery Plus, which includes not only the programming library of the Discovery Channel, but also other related channels, including TLC, HGTV, Food Network, and others. Best of all, that list inlcudes one of my favorites, MotorTrend. I now have a full slate of cable viewing at my disposal, without having cable. All in all, I feel like Philo gave me my money's worth, but at the same time, I hope they will not make a habit of these forced upgrades.

 

Do keyboards and tablets belong together?

 I have never been one to try to use a tablet as a quasi-laptop. For me, laptops are meant for creating content, while tablets primarily meant for consuming it. I have traditionally used my tablets primarily for reading books on the Kindle app, reading emails (but not writing them) and perusing the occasional Web page, usually linked to the aforementioned emails. One of the reasons I do not create much, if any, content on a tablet is because I hate typing with virtual, on-screen keyboards. One time, several years ago, I found a keyboard case at a thrift store that fit an old iPad I had, and while it worked just fine, I found I almost never used it, so it wasn’t worth the extra bulk. I eventually put the iPad back in its keyboardless case and set the keyboard case aside.

Since that time, I have settled on the Amazon Fire tablets as a tablet model that meets my modest needs without breaking the proverbial bank. I have now owned four of them and have never paid more than $70 for one. While the lack of a keyboard has been enough to dissuade me from doing more with my tablets than I do, that may have changed. I recently went down the rabbit hole of eBay and ordered a Logitech K480 multi-device bluetooth keyboard.

I have long been a fan of Logitech wireless keyboards and mice, especially those that use the Unifying receiver technology, allowing multiple devices to share a single USB wireless receiver. But for tablets and smart phones, Bluetooth is a better, if not the only, option. Having found Logitech products to be well-built and dependable, I decided it was the safest option for a bluetooth keyboard, especially when they can be had for considerably less than the cost of a generic keyboard case.

The K480 is considerably chunkier than keyboards incorporated into tablet cases, which may be less satisfactory for some users’ needs, but I find it works well for mine. Powered by two AAA batteries, there is little down time for charging. Just slap in a new set and you’re good to go. If you prefer a greener option, rechargeable AAA’s work just fine in it as well. According to the packaging, a set of AAA batteries will last approximately ten months in the device.

The K480 can pair with up to three different devices, so it can be the go-to keyboard for your phone, tablet and laptop at the turn of the three-position radial switch on the left side of the keyboard. Pairing is also easy. Just place the radial switch into the desired position, then press and hold either the PC or iOS paring button on the right side for five seconds, and the keyboard is discoverable by your device. Follow the device’s pairing prompts and you can be up and working in just a minute or two.

It will pair with Android, Windows, and ChromeOS devices, as well as Amazon Fire tablets, and most Apple devices. Pairing the keyboard with a laptop running Linux Mint was more complicated, but was ultimately successful after several attempts. I believe the issue was more with Mint than with the keyboard,

Similar in size to a compact laptop keyboard without a number pad, the K480 is comfortable to use and has a tactile response. The key caps are slightly convex instead of concave, which takes a bit of getting used to. One thoughtful feature is a rubberized groove above the keys, wide enough to hold most tablets in landscape orientation, somewhat simulating a laptop’s configuration. or both a tablet and a phone in portrait orientation, enabling one to switch between them at a turn of the selector switch.

At this point, I am favorably impressed with the keyboard, although its durability and longevity remain to be seen. I feel like a protective case is a good idea for taking it on the go, and I definitely plan to look into that.

I still don’t see myself using a tablet as a laptop substitute; in fact, I don’t have the necessary apps installed to do so, but it will be handy for those times when I might need more than a tablet, but less than a laptop.

Pros: Comfortable design with a groove to accommodate a tablet or smart phone. Easily switches between up to three devices at the flip of a switch. Runs on AAA batteries.

Cons: Bulkier and less portable than a keyboard case.

Bottom Line: A physical keyboard can be just the thing to expand the functionality of a tablet. The Logitech K480 is a solid choice if compact portability isn't a big concern.  

Meet the new tablet--same as the old tablet

 My Amazon Fire tablet is almost five years old, a proper antique by electronics standards, especially for cheap electronics, and although it continues to give good service, it has begun to show its age. It occasionally freezes up, requiring a restart to recover, and of course, the battery isn't holding a charge like it once did. Reading for about 45 minutes, as is my bedtime habit, can consume around a third of a full charge.

For these reasons, I've had it in the back of my mind recently to look for a replacement. The good part was that since my old one still works, I could bide my time to find the best possible deal. Sometimes, such deals come unexpectedly, as was the case when I recently replaced my old tablet, without necessarily upgrading it; that is, I replaced it with a newer version of the same model when I discovered all Fire tablets were on sale for half off as an early Prime Day deal. 

A flagship Amazon Fire Max 11 had initially caught my eye, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that most of its flagship features, which would attempt to mimic the functionality of a laptop, albeit severely hampered by Amazon's locked-down operating system, was effectively overkill for my modest needs. This is especially true, since the accessories that maximize the Max 11's functionality, a keyboard case and stylus, add significantly to the cost without adding to any of the functions I use.

Fortunately, before I pulled the trigger on the Max 11, I noticed that the updated version of the Fire 10HD, which is a newer version of the model I have been using for the past few years, was also on sale for half off. That price was half the sale price of the Max 11 and much more appropriate for my modest needs, as I only ever use a tablet to read books on the Kindle app, read emails, but not write them, and view the occasional Web page.

 Because of these very modest requirements, I am able to live with Amazon tablets' locked down operating system, but If I wanted to use it for any sort of productivity tasks, I would need to be looking at an iPad. 

Amazon outdid itself with overnight delivery. I ordered it in the middle of the afternoon, and it arrived before dawn the next morning. That said, I was a bit peeved with the delivery driver, who chose not to carry it the last few yards to the front door, but instead to leave it at the end of the driveway, where it would have been all-too-easy pickings for a would be porch pirate since they wouldn't have to go all the way to the porch. This is especially concerning since I have recently had problems with outbound checks being stolen out of my mailbox. Fortunately, I got to the package before anyone else.

Unboxing the new tablet gave me a great sense of deja vu, in that it was so similar to the one I've been using, although there are some differences. The first one I noticed was the power and volume buttons were reversed so that the power button was on the left instead of the right, when the tablet is held in a vertical (portrait) orientation. On closer examination, I recognized the reason for that change. The front-facing camera was relocated to what would be the middle of the left side in portrait orientation, but would be top center in horizontal (landscape) orientation. This, coupled by the orientation of the opening splash, is a strong indicator that Amazon is pushing landscape as the default orientation for the tablet. Positioned in this way, the power button is at the top of the right side, which is a much more logical spot, at least for right-handed users. The relocation of the camera also resulted in the tablet being about a quarter inch shorter and maybe an eighth of an inch wider in portrait orientation.

Beyond these minor physical differences and somewhat upgraded specifications, it is basically the same as the tablet I already have. So what did I get for my money? The main thing is better battery life, by virtue of being newer, but also a little more RAM and a faster processor for better performance. 

Given the way I use a tablet, I have decided to keep this new one in a fairly stock configuration, at least for the time being, to see how that affects performance. I'm also on the fence regarding whether to add a micro SD card to increase storage capacity, as I have done with the three previous Fire tablets I have owned.  

Adding micro SD cards have produced mixed results. It made absolutely no difference on my first 7-inch fire tablet, which could only address the card as external storage. The Fire HD8 and Fire HD10 can address the card as internal storage, effectively making it a permanent part of the tablet. A malfunctioning card on the HD8 effectively bricked the tablet until I replaced it, but the second card eventually malfunctioned as well with the same result. The micro SD card has been much more satisfactory in the HD10. Last night, I found a brand new 128GB microSD card in a camera bag, and was on the verge of installing it in the new Fire tablet, but I ultimately decided to give it an extended test run without added storage capacity.

While this new tablet is largely an exercise in sameness, compared with the previous one, it does stand out in one particular area--performance. So far, this new tablet shows no sign of bogging down. Screens load almost instantly. There is almost no noticeable delay when moving between apps, or even going from page to page in the Kindle app.  

The one thing a tablet is better for than a laptop is reading a book  on the Kindle app. I can and have read on a laptop from the Amazon Website, but the experience is not as good, and finding the book I want is a nightmare. While I'm still a laptop guy for most productivity tasks--give me a physical keyboard and an external pointing device (I prefer trackballs) any day of the week--this new Fire HD10 13th generation tablet is a welcome addition to my tech stable. 

ADDENDUM--As often happens, the acquisition of a new piece of technology sparks a second look at an older one, in this case an Amazon Fire HD8 tablet I had pretty much stopped using shortly after acquiring my previous HD10, which had replaced it almost five years ago. Just for fun, I charged it up and turned it on to find it was trying to work--not very well, but better than it was when I put it aside. 

This encouraged me to keep going, and after fiddling with it for a little while, including doing a factory reset, it's now working like it should. I was pleased enough with its revival that I ordered a new case for it, as the old one is in pretty rough shape, thanks to broken plastics at the corners and one of my cats using it as a scratching pad. At this point, I am seriously considering a factory reset for my older HD10 tablet as well.

Now that I have three functioning Fire tablets. I have to decide how best to use them. I don't really need that many, but I can certainly carry one with me while one the other(s) are charging.