mom4him Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I have been looking and thinking of Christmas for my two youngest. Not much money here so really trying to figure out which is the best way. They would like a lap top computer each but even the cheep ones are $350 and up so that isn't a real option. I was in Best yesterday and got to thinking that really all they want it for is to play a few on line games and to watch you tube lego stuff. I saw the Kindles there and got to thinking and wondering if that would work. I was really sort of excited until I talked to the clerk and he recommended the HD($200), said a good case was a must($45), and of course you need a good screen protector($30). :001_huh: I quickly added it up and well, that adds up to $275. Take it times two and ......... Do they really NEED the HD version? The $45 case he recommended was one that you can easily view the screen long or wide, is that really important? I am sure my dd will use hers for books also and think she has died and gone to heaven but is there a less expensive way to do this and still get accomplished what they are wanting? I am sure there are more questions I should ask but really don't even know what I am talking about so hopefully you sweet people will fill me in.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 (edited) Are you talking about the Kindle Fire? My DD has one, and it doesn't need a screen protector. She does have a case though, which is bright yellow so she can find it when she leaves it lying around. Her Fire is a year or two old, and I'm pretty sure it is not HD. Edited October 19, 2012 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I have been looking and thinking of Christmas for my two youngest. Not much money here so really trying to figure out which is the best way. They would like a lap top computer each but even the cheep ones are $350 and up so that isn't a real option. I was in Best yesterday and got to thinking that really all they want it for is to play a few on line games and to watch you tube lego stuff. I saw the Kindles there and got to thinking and wondering if that would work. I was really sort of excited until I talked to the clerk and he recommended the HD($200), said a good case was a must($45), and of course you need a good screen protector($30). :001_huh: I quickly added it up and well, that adds up to $275. Take it times two and ......... Do they really NEED the HD version? The $45 case he recommended was one that you can easily view the screen long or wide, is that really important? I am sure my dd will use hers for books also and think she has died and gone to heaven but is there a less expensive way to do this and still get accomplished what they are wanting? I am sure there are more questions I should ask but really don't even know what I am talking about so hopefully you sweet people will fill me in.:D You can get a good case for less than $20 at Amazon. I don't think screen protectors are necessary- we've never used one on our devices and it's okay. I do think the HD is worth it though. It's a better device and it also has twice as much storage as the regular version for only $40 more. But the regular would be fine if that's what works for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted October 19, 2012 Author Share Posted October 19, 2012 Are you talking about the Kindle Fire? My DD has one, and it doesn't need a screen protector. She does have a case though, which is bright yellow so she can find it when she leaves it lying around. Her Fire is a year old, and I'm pretty sure it is not HD. Thanks for your reply. Does she use it for books only or does she do games with it also? It doesn't need a screen protector? It won't scratch without? HMM! It is about $40 less to get the one that isn't HD. I wish I could see the two side by side to see the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartingOver Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 (edited) I have a Kindle Fire ( Non HD ) My kids play with it all the time. Amazon has it on sale for $159 right now. I have no screen protector. I did purchase a cover for $14 at Walmart, that is just cloth with some foam padding. I am glad I got it, as "I" dropped it in a parking lot one time. OOPS The kids even at age 6 and 4 have been very good with it. They aren't allowed to use it at the table while they eat or drink. Besides that it's all good. I am waiting for a couple of updates to purchase a new one for me, and will pass this one down to them. They play games, youtube, netflix, and read books. The speakers on the Kindle Fire are a bit quiet, but the only time it really annoys me is when I am in the bedroom with the fan, ceiling fan, and the window AC on. Then I have to put it closer to my ear to hear well on some movies. ) As long as you have wifi then the reg. Kindle will do what you want. ( Changes I like in the new one that I have heard but haven't seen yet: speakers are improved, there are profiles so more than one person can use a Kindle HD. ) We have had ours a year, and the kids use it more than I do at home and away from home. We only use the cover when we are away from home. It does have one tiny little ding on it, not sure how that happened. It does not effect it though. There are no scratches. ( We bought the kids Leap Pads 2 years ago and they are scratched to heck and back. ) We clean it with lense clothes. Edited October 19, 2012 by StartingOver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Thanks for your reply. Does she use it for books only or does she do games with it also? It doesn't need a screen protector? It won't scratch without? HMM! It is about $40 less to get the one that isn't HD. I wish I could see the two side by side to see the difference. Call Target, Staples and Best Buy to see if they carry Kindles. I think they do, and that way you can see them in person. Be sure to ask specifically about the Fire, though. DD uses it for reading, movies, and games. We do not have screen protectors on anything, never have. Screens don't get scratched -- I think they are pretty tough. We do have covers on our devices, so when they aren't in use, the covers protect the screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 You definitely don't need HD and cases can be much less expensive than that. I have never had a screen protector on any of my gadgets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I'd do a screen protector depending on your kids' ages. We have them on our devices here at home because EVERYONE plays with them, including the sixteen month old. The one time my husband did NOT have a protector on his phone, it got dropped and scratched and then subsequently cracked. :( BUT, the Kindles have specialty glass, I believe. And if your kids are older then I'd probably skip it too. (FWIW, I'm the only one to use my Kindle Touch and I've not got a screen protector on it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceanseve Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 HD? I didn't realize they came out with an HD version of the Fire. huh I got mine a year ago, I bought a case for $22 off amazon, no screen protector and my kids 6,4,3 use it more than I do. The screen is fine with nothing on it. My girls use it for educational games and video when we are out and around. I read on it. No problems, very happy with performance. I have had to return it due to charging issues, but they sent me another with minimal effort on my part. I'm beyond happy with it! If it were in the budget this year I'd do that for christmas this year for all my kids just so I didn't always find mine dead cause they didn't put it back on the charger! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 They don't need the HD. I bought a refurbished Kindle Fire from Amazon a while back, and I still swear it was absolutely new when I got it. I paid $139 for it, but that was when the regular price was still $199, so I'll bet the refurbs are even cheaper now. Forget about the screen protector. You don't need it. You can almost always find nice cases for less than $10 each at Marshalls and TJMaxx. They are often over by the men's accessories, or by the little gadgety stuff like cell phone covers. I found a nice one over by women's wallets recently, too -- so you just have to look around the store and see what they have. Also, don't forget Five Below. They recently had some nice cases that I'd seen in other stores for close to $30 each, so it's worth a look if you have a store in your area. If you decide against the Kindle Fire, how about a refurbished original iPad from the Apple store, or maybe a netbook? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I don't use a case or a screen protector on my Kindle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Unless you're part if the Amazon ecosystem, the Kindle tablets are limiting in terms of available apps and functionality. Take a look at the ASUS Google Nexus 7 tablets. The prices will be shifting down for the holidays if the rumour of a $250 32 GB model to be announced next week is true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Oh, and if you aren't wary of the cloud, the new Samsung Chromebooks are only $250. http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/18/3521492/google-new-samsung-chromebook-249-monday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 We buy screen protectors for our electronics, but DH always gets them on ebay. You might be able to find Kindles there, too. We bought an older model (the kindle with the keyboard) there earlier this year - we were JUST looking for an ereader, though, not a game tool. You could consider looking at ipod Touches. The screen will be much smaller, but it can be used as an ereader (there are kindle and nook apps), plus you can play games, listen to music, whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I have the non-HD version and it's been fine, but I think you will need to purchase a charger. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083Q04IQ/ref=sa_menu_kdpo23 My son and I both have this case and it's been great: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006OHQG4C/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted October 20, 2012 Author Share Posted October 20, 2012 Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions. I am still listening, just been a full day.:001_smile: Can someone tell me if the parental controls are good on the Kindle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 They have a new service called FreeTime: Perfect for Parents Coming next month. Kindle FreeTime is a new service, built from the ground up to help give parents peace of mind when it comes to tablet use. Parents can create a profile for each of their children and choose what books, apps, games and videos they want to give their kids access to. Kindle FreeTime is free on every Kindle Fire HD. Set Screen Limits Many parents choose to limit their kids' screen time, but doing so without the proper tools is difficult. With Kindle FreeTime, parents can set daily limits for Kindle Fire HD use, or restrict certain categories - like games and video - while leaving unlimited time for reading. ...And Perfect for Kids When kids use Kindle FreeTime, it's like they have their very own, personalized tablet. The background color and fonts change to a kid-friendly design. They only see the titles that they have access to see. The home screen carousel shows their recently viewed titles. And, they can even navigate visually to content based on characters or topics - for example "Cinderella," "Dinosaurs," or "Puppies." Built Tough Kindle Fire HD is designed to stand up to accidental bumps and scrapes. Our state-of-the art display is 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, so you can let your child play, without worry. We already have an original Kindle and a Fire, but I'm considering getting an HD because of a new feature called Immersion Reading: With Immersion Reading, the Kindle Fire HD can now synchronize Kindle text with companion Audible audiobooks with real-time highlighting to create a more immersive reading experience, as well as deepen learning and comprehension. Almost 15,000 Kindle books and 15,000 companion Audible audiobooks across a wide array of genres are available.We have an Audible account, and I love the idea of the kids being able to listen to the audio while the words are simultaneously highlighted on the Kindle (especially for my dyslexic DS). Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Unless you're part if the Amazon ecosystem, the Kindle tablets are limiting in terms of available apps and functionality. Take a look at the ASUS Google Nexus 7 tablets. The prices will be shifting down for the holidays if the rumour of a $250 32 GB model to be announced next week is true. :iagree: We ended up with a Kindle Fire and it's just so limited compared to our iPad and compared to what I've seen of other tablets. I honestly don't like it much at all. As for the parental controls... eh. They're okay. But one thing I hate, hate, hate... I tied the Fire (which belongs to my kids) to my account to take advantage of the Prime as as well as be able to more easily share the books they buy and let them read on the iPad and so forth if needed. But I'm still not thrilled at all that there is absolutely no way to prevent the books I download from also appearing in their carousel. And I never know when exactly they'll show up. The other week, I bought something not at all appropriate for children and then waited up for an extra hour trying to get it to appear on the stupid carousel on the kids' Fire so I could delete it. It never showed up. Finally, I had to hide the Fire from the kids because I didn't know when it would suddenly appear.:glare: I also read that the new generation of the Fire will *all* have ads, which just seems completely absurd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted October 20, 2012 Author Share Posted October 20, 2012 They have a new service called FreeTime:We already have an original Kindle and a Fire, but I'm considering getting an HD because of a new feature called Immersion Reading: We have an Audible account, and I love the idea of the kids being able to listen to the audio while the words are simultaneously highlighted on the Kindle (especially for my dyslexic DS). Jackie Thank you for all this info. It really does make the HD look tempting. My youngest is definitely dyslexic so that audio while text being highlighted would be great for him. I wonder if they will come down at all before Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 I'm still not thrilled at all that there is absolutely no way to prevent the books I download from also appearing in their carousel. The new Fires come with FreeTime which solves this problem; unfortunately, it doesn't seem as if it will be available as an upgrade for older models. This is one reason I'm considering getting a new one. I also read that the new generation of the Fire will *all* have ads, which just seems completely absurd. No, all the new models can be ordered with or without ads. There's a $15 discount on the ones with ads, and if you buy the ad-supported one and decide later that you want to get rid of the ads, you can just pay the extra $15 to get rid of them. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted October 20, 2012 Author Share Posted October 20, 2012 More questions: The price of the Kindle Fire HD is the same at Amazon and Best aside that I have to pay 6.5% sales tax from Best. Is one better than the other for purchasing something like this? Also, do you get the extended warrenty on your kindle items? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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