In September, I preordered the Kindle Fire from Amazon. Our purchased Kindle Fire Arrived 9 days ago. I am honestly happy with the purchase. Click hear to read the reasons why we put the $199 down for the Kindle Fire for Our Kids ages 4 to 16.
Go back to the present! the 2015 Kindle for Kids
Positives of the Kindle Fire
- The bright, High Resolution Screen- You can’t see the pixel edges even when reading! The screen is not very large, but at over 1000 pixels in the long dimension, its pixels are SMALLER than those on the iPad- making it crisper.
- The Huge Library of Content Available through Amazon – I didn’t really realize this when we bought it, but the difference between the Amazon Kindle Fire and other generic Android tablet computers is the content available. There’s no screwing around trying to download MP3s and Videos- it’s just all accessible instantly and is backed up with Amazon’s Cloud Storage. Its nice to be able to find and buy what you want or need without any technical speed bumps.
- Works with Email around the House
- Works with All kinds of Apps
- Angry Birds – BOth the Paid and the Ad Supported Versions
- Lots of Games that are free, or Under $5 (most under $2)
- Apps from Weather, to Notepads, Anatomy, Scanner Radio, Art, Bibles,too much to fathom
- Ability to Load your own audio and video content through a USB Connector (like a flash Drive)
- Ability to Email yourdevicename@kindle.com and send yourself documents that are PRE-translated and ready to read on the Kindle Device. (Recipes work great!)
What are the Prices for Amazon Content on the Kindle?
I wouldn’t call this a positive, and I wouldn’t call this a negative- but as with all content nowadays- everything comes with a price.
- MP3s – $1, Albums- Depends
- Video Rentals – $2 to $6
- Video Purchases $10
- Amazon Prime Videos ($80/year) – You get a pile of movies- nothing new, but some good content to keep you and your kids happy on a cold Saturday- or great for staying up late in bed.
- Kindle Books – $4- $15? (Not sure what the most expensive is)With Prime, there is a lending library where you can check out 1 book a month for free.
- Kindle Books for Kids – Most I’ve seen are $6- $9
- Ability to access your video and audio content for the kindle on your PC, and on your TV too if you hook it up right(haven’t done it yet)
The Amazon Prime Account is a big plus- because it allows for free shipping for lots and lots of products that you can buy on Amazon.com- if you tune your life to online shopping – this is a great deal.
Negatives of the Kindle Fire
- We only bought one! (No seriously, the kids fight over it- which is not good)
- The ‘Flip Through’ user interface- takes a while to get used to and ‘aim’ at what you want.
- No Skype style Communication ability Microphone/Camera (it’s a media device really)
- Can’t access some ad sponsored apps outside of a WiFi signal
- Finger Prints (Apparently our family either has oily finger genes, or too much peanut butter in the house.
- To be honest, I am very happy with our purchase- and I’d buy it again if I had the chance to do it over.
How our Children and Family Use the Kindle Fire
Right now, the Kindle Fire is the latest toy that we were able to boggle Grandma’s mind with on Thanksgiving Day. The games are a big deal, and I’m excited to see even my four year old get into the groove of swiping her finger to make things happen. The user interface is easy to get around, and I’ve not had any concerns with my kids BUYING content on the device yet. They know the value of a dollar.
- We’ve borrowed a book for bedtime stories.
- Completed in game contests around the couch
- Did Some Math Drills with the Kids
- Watched several movies from Amazon Prime Included Instant Videos in different corners of the house
- Read our Thanksgiving day recipes from the Kindle (awesome email translation feature)
- Uploaded Phineas And Ferb Holiday Favorites
hardcopy CD to the Kindle for playback on the way home from Grandma’s House
- Listened to our Radio Stations via the Pandora App.
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