07-14-2016, 09:35 AM
I picked up the kids edition of the base kindle fire, after reading up on their Freetime Unlimited program. It puts it into a kids profile with limited functionality and touted the ability to block content and set limits for usage based on time and/or content. i.e. you can play games for 30 min, but have unlimited time on books. That part works fairly well, and there's start/end of day time to prevent them from using it outside those hours. I think it'll help redirect their frustration of me taking a device from them when the time is up. Interface wise it will display all the content amazon thinks is appropriate for their age, but doesn't distinguish easily for what is actually downloaded/usable vs what isn't, so if we're in the car they would see all of these titles but can't get them.
There is an ability to block the Freetime Unlimited content but you have to select each title, one at a time. In case you were wondering, there are currently 7809 items available, and I had to click on each one to block it. (times 3, one for each kids' profile) Why there is no select all/block all button is beyond me, but it will let you unblock all at once... Also when new titles are added by amazon, they'll just show up and I have to block them manually again, no auto-block new content setting.
Being able to choose between whitelisting or blacklisting when approving content needs to be there. I submitted a few comments, spoke to CS, but that's as far as I can get right now, looks like people had been complaining about this for a couple of years now.
There are some hacks on how to get around loading a full video file into the kids program, so I might not be completely dead in the water once we get in the car for a trip, but again, that'd be nice to have integrated.
/EndAmazonAppRant
Tablet wise, it's the same as their $50 fire, more than fine for a kid, and the case/warranty seems ok. Maybe the app will have better admin tools for it by the time it becomes pertinent to most of you.
There is an ability to block the Freetime Unlimited content but you have to select each title, one at a time. In case you were wondering, there are currently 7809 items available, and I had to click on each one to block it. (times 3, one for each kids' profile) Why there is no select all/block all button is beyond me, but it will let you unblock all at once... Also when new titles are added by amazon, they'll just show up and I have to block them manually again, no auto-block new content setting.
Being able to choose between whitelisting or blacklisting when approving content needs to be there. I submitted a few comments, spoke to CS, but that's as far as I can get right now, looks like people had been complaining about this for a couple of years now.
There are some hacks on how to get around loading a full video file into the kids program, so I might not be completely dead in the water once we get in the car for a trip, but again, that'd be nice to have integrated.
/EndAmazonAppRant
Tablet wise, it's the same as their $50 fire, more than fine for a kid, and the case/warranty seems ok. Maybe the app will have better admin tools for it by the time it becomes pertinent to most of you.