Our Review of the Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition

The Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition is a 6″ kid’s tablet from Amazon and part of their Kindle Fire range. The tablet uses Android as a base but, unlike most Android tablets, it is not on the standard Google android platform but instead uses Amazon’s own version of Android, Fire OS. the current version of which is Fire OS 4, Sangria. The Kids Edition is actually a normal Kindle Fire HD 6 with some additional items to make it more suitable for children.

The tablet has 8GB of internal storage, of which 4.5GB is available for the user. The processor is a quad-core with 2 1.5Ghz and 2 1.2 GHz processors with 1 GB of RAM. The display is a 6″ high definition touchscreen made from Gorilla Glass with a resolution of 1280×800 pixels. The Kids Edition comes with two cameras; a front-facing 0.3 Megapixel (MP) camera suitable for video messaging and chatting and a rear facing 2.0 MP camera that will take photos and videos. There is an HD 7 version too, based on the Kindle Fire HD 7. the only differences between the two tablets is that on the HD 7 the screen is 1″ bigger, as it is 7″, and the tablet is slightly more expensive.

There is a built-in speaker with external volume controls and a 3.5mm audio jack suitable for headphones, as well as a microphone. A micro-USB port serves to both charge the tablet from the mains and to connect it to a computer. The battery will last for up to 8 hours, although this does depend on what the tablet is being used for. The tablet comes with both Bluetooth and WiFi. This enables the tablet to connect to other Bluetooth devices and to connect to the internet through public and private, although not peer-to-peer, networks, allowing it to download and view content anywhere there is a suitable available WiFi network. The built-in accelerometer and gyroscope allows games and apps that require those to work.

The Kids Edition comes in black with a foam Kid-Proof Protective Case that is available in a choice of three colours: pink, blue and green. The case covers the back of the device, with cut-outs for the rear facing camera and speaker, as well as the sides, with cut-outs for the ports and volume controls. The case has extra reinforcement at the corners, one of the most vulnerable areas on tablets, helping to protect it against damage caused by dropping it. The Gorilla Glass screen will also help reduce the likelihood of breakage.

The rear facing camera is fine for the photographic needs of most children, and the resulting photos and videos can be uploaded to Amazon cloud storage using the WiFi, or transferred to a computer using the USB port. The stereo headphone jack means that your child can listen to their device without intruding on those around. Parents can view children’s pictures in a separate gallery, and can choose to have them automatically uploaded to Amazon Cloud Drive, which comes with free unlimited storage.

Why Not Buy a Normal Kindle Fire HD 6?

As the Kids Edition costs more than buying a regular Kindle Fire HD 6, you might think that getting a normal HD 6 would be a solution, and this would be better for a regular tablet user. The Kids Edition is better value for money, though as, once you add all the included items, it will come to more than the total price of the Kids Edition if they were purchased on top of a normal HD 5. Amazon FreeTime alone can come to $60 or more a year – it’s cheaper for members of Amazon Prime if it’s purchased separately.

What is Amazon FreeTime Unlimited?

The Kids Edition comes with a year’s subscription to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, after which it will need paying for. FreeTime is a hand-curated collection of thousands of apps, games, book, films and television programmes that children can watch or use as much as they want on their tablet, with no fear of any extra cost, such as in-app purchasing, or exposure to adverts.

Can You Play Games on the Kids Edition?

There are games included in the FreeTime package. As well as that, using a parental account, more games may be purchased directly from Amazon and added by the parent to the child’s FreeTime account. It’s worth noting that Amazon give away a paid app for free every day, with occasional bundles of apps throughout the year, which can be a good source of premium apps for no extra money.

Can You Watch Films and Television Programmes on the HD 6 Kids Edition?

As mentioned earlier, the Amazon FreeTime subscription comes with a selection of child-appropriate TV and film that can be watched. In addition, more digital content can be added to the FreeTime profile, just like it can with games, by the parent purchasing them and using their parental account to add them.

Does the Kids Edition Have Parental Controls?

Amazon’s FreeTime has built-in restricted access for children’s profiles – you can have four child profiles and two adult ones. Child profiles only have access to the FreeTime hand-curated child friendly content, and any addition content added by the parent. Child profiles also do not have access to the web browser, email and social functions on the tablet, further securing them against inappropriate content. By using a password to access a parental profile, the tablet will do all the normal things that the HD 6 will, having full access to everything that a regular HD 6 would.

Additionally, it is possible to use the parental controls to set time limits. There are various different limits that can be set. A tablet can have a maximum daily usage set, it can be set so that it cannot be used at certain times – making it easier to get a child to bed – and it can also be used to set educational goals, requiring that educational activities are done before any games or entertainment is unlocked.

Does the Kids Edition Have Any Educational Uses?

Amazon FreeTime comes with educational apps included in the over 5,000 items of content that are available on it, as well as books that can be used for educational purposes. These can be augmented by acquiring more digital content directly from Amazon using a parental account.

As mentioned, the parental controls can also be configured to set educational goals, so that you can, for example, require them to spend half an hour reading before they are able to play any games or watch any television programmes or films.

Worry-Free Guarantee

One of the biggest protections against damage that the Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition has is that it comes with what Amazon calls the Worry-Free Guarantee which comes with the tablet.

This is a two year warranty against damage, and Amazon say that if the tablet is broken, it will be replaced without question. It is also covered against electrical and mechanical breakdowns.

Given that, even with protractions such as the foam case and the Gorilla Glass screen, there is always a chance of damage, this guarantee is very useful.

Summing Up the Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition

This tablet is most suitable for kids up to about ten years old, as the Amazon FreeTime subscription is geared towards kids aimed from three to ten. After ten, they may not find as much to interest them in the included content, making it necessary to get more directly from Amazon. On the other hand, the additional parental controls may make parents consider the tablet even for slightly older children. FreeTime is one of the major points of the tablet, with its easily configurable controls that can tailor the child’s experience, and the ability to add more content if desired. Also, not having to buy extra content can prove to be a saving.

The Kindle Fire HD6 Kids Edition itself has been tested by Amazon for sturdiness, and performed well, and the additional protection provided by the Worry-Free Guarantee is definitely an important factor when choosing a tablet.