What kind of Kindle do your kids have and why?

[disneyfan2kids]

I am thinking of getting my 10yo a Kindle for Christmas. He is starting to have lots of book reports/etc and the books are all over the house and in bad shape. Figured it's just going to get worse so I should get him a Kindle now.

I have the Fire (last years model).. I love it. Love the web/apps/etc.

He already has an ipod touch...so he has his apps. So was considering just getting him the regular Kindle reader...for books only.

Is it worth it for me to upgrade to a Fire for him if he already has an iPod touch? Are there more apps on Fire that aren't available on touch? Also - with the fire...could he share my amazon prime account on that? He's responsible with his "buying" apps... so I'm ok with sharing. BUT does that mean both our books would be on both our kindles?

So pros/cons of regular reader kindle vs kindle fire for a 10yo (considering he already has is iPod touch?

Thoughts?

 

[powellrj]

I have an ipod touch, an ipad, an iphone and a kindle with the ads. For your DS, I think the kindle with the ads would be fine. I only use my kindle to read with and am very happy with it.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

What is ADS?

 

[clm10308]

I am thinking of getting my 10yo a Kindle for Christmas. He is starting to have lots of book reports/etc and the books are all over the house and in bad shape. Figured it's just going to get worse so I should get him a Kindle now.

I have the Fire (last years model).. I love it. Love the web/apps/etc.

He already has an ipod touch...so he has his apps. So was considering just getting him the regular Kindle reader...for books only.

Is it worth it for me to upgrade to a Fire for him if he already has an iPod touch? Are there more apps on Fire that aren't available on touch? Also - with the fire...could he share my amazon prime account on that? He's responsible with his "buying" apps... so I'm ok with sharing. BUT does that mean both our books would be on both our kindles?

So pros/cons of regular reader kindle vs kindle fire for a 10yo (considering he already has is iPod touch?

Thoughts?

Yes, you can use the same Amazon account with multiple devices. I have the old original Kindle and iPad and iPhone with the Kindle apps. It is easy to get to the Archive on Kindle and get any book that you have already paid for. All the books purchased do not have to loaded to each device, but he would have access to anything you have purchased. If there is something you dont want him to see, you can go online to amazon and permanently delete the item from your archive but then it is gone for good.

 

[albarellic]

There are 2 price ranges for the basic Kindle- one with advertisements (ads) and one without for about $30 more. The ads are not intrusive. When you power it down incorrectly or don't turn the page for a while, it goes to a screen saver that shows a book cover and a link to Amazon to buy it. That's all I've ever really noticed or paid attention to. The basic Kindle is much better for reading in sunlight than the Fire, if your son ever reads outside. My sister hates her Fire for web browsing and reading outside. She mainly uses it for apps and movie watching on planes.

 

[talb714]

Both my kids ages 11 and 7 have Kindle Fires. They love them. I have one account for both, the apps and books are stored in the cloud and you only need to download what you want on it, so if you want your on his it can be done or not.

 

[rszdtrvl]

I keep telling DS that I am going to get him a Kindle because he is always on mine (I have the Fire - first generation). He said not to because all of his games are on mine and he does not want to lose his progress, LOL.

He is going to be H-A-R-D to shop for this year. Thankfully, we took him to Great Wolf in July with 2 friends, so that is his big birthday gift (his bday is in Dec.). However, shopping for him for Christmas is going to be tough. I am tempted to give him cash and tell him I am taking him on a shopping spree. He would LOVE that!

 

[mjkacmom]

Hmm - just realized that 3 of my kids have both itouches and fires (it does get hard to think of gift ideas), and the fires get a lot more use.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

My daughter currently has the Kindle3 (Amazon now calls it the Kindle Keyboard).

She wants a Kindle Fire (the new one is so much better than the original one by the way) but I haven't been willing to do it since the Fire shows every book purchased on the carousel and I have some books that I don't want popping up in her face when I buy them.

However, Amazon plans on release Kindle Free Time (parental controls) next month and if it is as good as they make it out to be, I will probably buy her one for Christmas.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

My daughter currently has the Kindle3 (Amazon now calls it the Kindle Keyboard).

She wants a Kindle Fire (the new one is so much better than the original one by the way) but I haven't been willing to do it since the Fire shows every book purchased on the carousel and I have some books that I don't want popping up in her face when I buy them.

However, Amazon plans on release Kindle Free Time (parental controls) next month and if it is as good as they make it out to be, I will probably buy her one for Christmas.

OH really? Is there somewhere I can go to research that one? Then I wouldn't have to delete my "50 Shades" books before I buy his Kindle...

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

OH really? Is there somewhere I can go to research that one? Then I wouldn't have to delete my "50 Shades" books before I buy his Kindle...

It is software that Amazon will be releasing onto all the new Kindle Fires (don't know about the first generation Fires) sometime next month. Here is some information on it:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-33620_3-5...reetime-brings-multi-user-support-to-tablets/

 

[Lilliputian]

If you want it for reading, then something other than a Fire is the way to go. The Fire is backlit like a traditional computer, which means that the screen blinks lots of times a seconds and causes eye strain. A regular Kindle is as easy to read as a book. You do need a book light to read in the dark, unless you wait for the new one with a light integrated in the screen. You can read it in the sun, though, because there's no glare.

One of my kids has what they now call the Kindle Keyboard. We bought it when there wasn't any other choice. Another one has the Kindle Touch. None of us like that one as much. The touchscreen is harder to use than most touchscreens. The base model they have right now is probably fine for most children. I like the keyboard for taking notes while I read, but most children aren't going to do that until high school.

If you're very conservative, you may not always appreciate the ads. Some of them are for movies and books I'd rather my children not be aware of. Our Touch has ads, but I'm thinking of contacting Amazon to see if they can move the ads to my Keyboard (ads weren't available yet when I bought it, so I don't have them) and take the ads off his Touch. I don't know if they'll do it, but it can't hurt to ask.

 

[awoogala]

My daughter (7) has a regular, old-fashioned, kindle. Great for reading, no apps to distract. Also, buttoned instead of touch. She got it when AI upgraded.

My son 9, has a kindle touch, not fire. I wanted him to have a more advanced one, but not a fire. He has enough gaming time on other devices, I did not want him to have access to web without me seeing, etc. Works fine, but if I did it again, I might just get him the basic with buttons.

I have a fire. Sometimes I read on my daughter's, since it's easier on the eyes. Also, I don't like that the fire is backlit for night reading, gives off that blue light that stimulates the brain (like a computer screen) that can interfere with melatonin, so I am happy they don't use a fire before bed.

 

[Samandmom]

My 12 year old son has an iPod touch, and a HP Touch Pad and both have the kindle APP on it that he uses. For his birthday this summer we got him a regular ole Kindle. The reason we got him that is because his school allows kids to bring in readers. (iPod touches are not allowed). So instead of him taking his HP to school he takes the reader. It works out better because just in case he looses it's not his touch pad and because he loves it that it's small and slides into his binder.

 

[danceintherain]

I keep telling DS that I am going to get him a Kindle because he is always on mine (I have the Fire - first generation). He said not to because all of his games are on mine and he does not want to lose his progress, LOL.

He is going to be H-A-R-D to shop for this year. Thankfully, we took him to Great Wolf in July with 2 friends, so that is his big birthday gift (his bday is in Dec.). However, shopping for him for Christmas is going to be tough. I am tempted to give him cash and tell him I am taking him on a shopping spree. He would LOVE that!

Why not give him yours and buy yourself a new one?

 

[disneyfan2kids]

If you want it for reading, then something other than a Fire is the way to go. The Fire is backlit like a traditional computer, which means that the screen blinks lots of times a seconds and causes eye strain. A regular Kindle is as easy to read as a book. You do need a book light to read in the dark, unless you wait for the new one with a light integrated in the screen. You can read it in the sun, though, because there's no glare.

One of my kids has what they now call the Kindle Keyboard. We bought it when there wasn't any other choice. Another one has the Kindle Touch. None of us like that one as much. The touchscreen is harder to use than most touchscreens. The base model they have right now is probably fine for most children. I like the keyboard for taking notes while I read, but most children aren't going to do that until high school.

If you're very conservative, you may not always appreciate the ads. Some of them are for movies and books I'd rather my children not be aware of. Our Touch has ads, but I'm thinking of contacting Amazon to see if they can move the ads to my Keyboard (ads
weren't available yet when I bought it, so I don't have them) and take the ads off his Touch. I don't know if they'll do it, but it can't hurt to ask.

Great info! So with the regular kindle you cant read at night? If so I might need to get the backlit one. He reads a lot in bed.... don't want him to have to have his light on all night when he is reading. Is this correct ?

 

[jrmasm]

Great info! So with the regular kindle you cant read at night? If so I might need to get the backlit one. He reads a lot in bed.... don't want him to have to have his light on all night when he is reading. Is this correct ?

Yes you can with a clip on light.

 

[punkin]

DD absolutely hates the Kindle. She likes having a physical book to read. She only uses it in cases of dire emergency. Make sure your child likes the feel of it before you buy one.

 

[disneyfan2kids]

Yes you can with a clip on light.

But that seems like a hassle... no? Adding another accesory... something add'l to "misplace"...and "remember" when grabbing your Kindle.

Seems to make more sense to spend the extra $40 or so for the backlit one?

I would think he'd use it more than 50% of the time in bed at night. That's when he does his reading. Maybe I need to consider that one....

 

[jrmasm]

But that seems like a hassle... no? Adding another accesory... something add'l to "misplace"...and "remember" when grabbing your Kindle.

Seems to make more sense to spend the extra $40 or so for the backlit one?
I would think he'd use it more than 50% of the time in bed at night. That's when he does his reading. Maybe I need to consider that one....

Depends. I hate reading on a backlit screen. I would never do it if I had another option. If my primary concern is reading, I would pay MORE for a regular Kindle than for a Fire.

But not everyone feels that way.

I don't have one but Amazon makes a Kindle case with a built in light. Nothing to lose or remember.