Earlier this week, Amazon hosted its Devices & Services event to give a preview of the products it has in its pipeline. Many of them fell into the smart home category, and AI seemed to be a dominant theme across the board. However, children were not left out of the presentation — Amazon was prepared and ready to meet the needs of parents with kids of all ages. During the event, the company announced several products and services, including a Firetabletand a new smart speaker, just for children.
Amazon revealedexclusive Amazon Kids+ content, Echo Pop Kids smart speakers, and Fire HD 10 Kids tablets, which will roll out over the remainder of the calendar year. The Echo Pop Kids is a spin on the relatively new Echo Pop smart speaker from Amazon, with all the charms that make it appealing to kids — namely Marvel’s Avengers and Disney Princess designs. At $50, the speaker will give you access to exclusive Alexa features, Audible audiobooks that are only on Amazon Kids+, and more. However, it’s unclear if the Echo Pop Kids devices will see the same success asthe Echo Dot Kids. The predecessor also offered limited access to Amazon Kids+, giving buyers a similar incentive to make the purchase.
To bolster its tablet lineup, Amazon plans to release a new Fire HD 10 Kids, and it will come in two variations to cater to separate age groups — one for the 3- to 7-year-old demographic, and another for the 6- to 12-year-old group. Both tablets come with 10.1-inch displays including 1080p HD graphics, 3GB of RAM, and 5-megapixel cameras. They also have 13 hours of battery life, which is likely a selling point for many parents. Both tablets are available in a custom Disney Princess or Mickey Mouse child-friendly case, and they can be pre-ordered for $190. Amazon expects to begin shipping them next month, well ahead of the holidays, for those who have already started their shopping.
Whether you’re big into all the smart home devices Amazon has to offer or you’re looking to upgrade existing items around your house, the product line has something for everyone. It’s also worth exploring if you’re interested in seeing how much Alexa has evolved, as well as Amazon’s use of AI. However, only time will tell if the features of these products and services will be worth Amazon’s price tags.
Amazon Echo Pop Kids
Amazon’s new Echo Pop Kids is a youthful take on its Echo Pop smart speaker, which itself is like a cut-in-half version of the Echo Dot. Pricing reflects this, with the regular Echo Pop being Amazon’s entry-level Alexa device — however, parent-focused software features and playful licensed artwork on the device’s exterior come with a price, as the Echo Pop Kids retails for $10 more.
Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids (2023)
Amazon’s new Fire HD 10 Kids tablet is a 2023 refresh of its wildly successful 2023 release. Featuring age-appropriate Amazon Kids+ content and a kid-friendly case with kickstand, it’s essentially a repackaged Fire HD 10 built with kids in mind. With an octa-core processor, 3 GB RAM, and 10.1-inch Full HD display, it ticks all the right boxes for a kid’s media consumption device.
