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Amazon Launches Fire Kids Tablet, Kindle Freetime Unlimited in Europe

FireHD_KidsEdition[1]With a 2-year warranty, rubber shell, and parental controls, the Fire HD Kids Edition tablet has been one of the better values in kids tablets ever since it launched in September 2014.

And now Amazon is making it available in the UK and Germany. Numerous sources have reported this Wednesday morning that Amazon has launched both the Fire HD Kids Tablet and the Kindle Freetime Unlimited subscription service (curiously, Amazon is calling the subscription service "Fire for Kids Unlimited" in the UK).

Amazon has launched the 6″ Fire HD Kids Tablet in both countries (but not the 7″ model which can be had in the US). They’re selling the tablet for 149 euros or £119, and expect to ship the tablet on 18 June 2015.

The Fire HD Kids Edition tablet combines the 6″ Fire HD tablet Amazon launched last fall with a protective rubber shell, a two-year no questions asked replacement warranty, and a free one year subscription to Kindle Freetime Unlimited.

The tablet runs Amazon’s Fire OS on a quad-core CPU with 1GB RAM and 8GB or 16GB internal storage. It also has Wifi, a pair of cameras (VGA and 2MP), and Bluetooth.

This tablet may not meet IDC’s requirements for a tablet but it’s not a bad device. If I were in the market to replace my Fire tablet, I’d look at this tablet. But I probably wouldn’t be interested in the warranty or the shell; my Fire tablet has proven resistant to my best efforts to drop it or drown it (it is surprisingly sturdy).

But if you have a kid, the extra protection might be worth it.

You might also appreciate the parental controls and the Freetime Unlimited subscription service. As with all their devices, Amazon lets you create a child account and restrict access to the web, Amazon, and certain types of content.

And if you want to take it to the next level, Amazon is also offering a subscription service with content which has been curated for children aged 3 – 10. Kindle Freetime Unlimited, or Fire for Kids Unlimited (as it is known in the UK), brings together all types of content, including books, videos, educational apps, and games, saving parents the time spent guessing what your kids will enjoy and what is safe for them to read.

The service starts at £2 or 3 euros per month, or up to £8 or 10 euros per month for a family of up to four children (UK, Germany).

The subscription service is available on Amazon’s other tablets and the Fire Phone, though of course those devices don’t come bundled with a free year’s subscription.

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Comments


Greg Strandberg June 3, 2015 um 8:29 pm

I can’t help but think of subscription models in Europe. Wasn’t it France that challenged them and ruled them illegal there? Will the rest of Europe follow suit, or will France be forced to change? I think it’s interesting, myself.

Nate Hoffelder June 3, 2015 um 8:31 pm

That could be what keeps Amazon from launching Freetime Unlimited there, but I don’t think it will impact the rest of Europe.

There doesn’t seem to be any requirement for consistency in price control laws. Some countries have fixed book prices, others do not, and it is only in France that Amazon ran afoul of the law.


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