The LeapPad Ultra is a 7″ educational tablet with a 1024×600 pixel resolution screen, whilst the Kindle Fire HD 6 Kids Edition is a 6″ tablet based around their popular Kindle Fire range with a 1280×800 pixel screen. A 7″ version of the Kids Edition is also available.
The LeapPad Ultra runs its own operating system, as does the Kids Edition. Amazon’s product, though, runs Fire OS 4 “Sangria” which is Amazon’s own derivative of the open source Android operating system, which gives it access to a larger infrastructure of apps than the Ultra.
Both tablets have a single speaker and a 3.5mm headphone jacks. The HD 6 has a 2.0 megapixel (MP) rear facing camera and a 0.3 MP front facing one, whereas the Ultra’s are both 2.0 MP.
Both tablets can be connected to other devices, such as a computer. They also have strong parental controls. The Kindle’s are through Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, which only allows access to a hand-curated selection of content for a child profile, although adult profiles can access more and can add content to a child profile. Both can create multiple profiles.
Each has 8GB of internal storage, which cannot be enhanced, although the HD 6 can upload unlimited content to Amazon Cloud Drive. Each tablet has WiFi, but the HD 6 has Bluetooth also. The Ultra can only access LeapPad approved sites and use LeapPad apps and certain LeapPad cartridges. The HD 6 cannot access websites on a child profile, although it can on an adult one. Amazon FreeTime has a greater number of apps, games, books, television programmes and films than LeapPad, and more digital content can be added to a FreeTime account from Amazon using an adult profile.
The LeapPad Ultra is definitely an educational tablet, and rather less flexible than the HD 6 Kids Edition. The Kids Edition is more of a general purpose tablet designed for children, although an adult profile can use it like a normal tablet.
Amazon’s “Worry-Free” two year guarantee is also an advantage for the Kids Edition, providing peace of mind.