Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Customers like the appearance, portability and ease of use of the Amazon tablet. They mention that the screen is beautiful, the size and weight are fine, and that it's perfect for small hands. Customers also like the value, and quality. However, some customers have issues with battery life and mixed opinions on speed.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
3,125 customers mention2,417 positive708 negative
Customers like the ease of use of the Amazon tablet. They mention that it is big time user friendly, simple, and easy to use. They also appreciate the easy setup of email and the ability to turn pages. They say the Kindles are better at apps and games and a great starting device for beginners.
"...In my opinion, this application and its ease of use along with the price point makes the Kindle Fire the best option for tablets for children by far." Read more
"...You can always add whatever extra content you'd like and there's no WiFi required!..." Read more
"...Simple instruction sheetPros:* Set up of email was fast and easy and within a few minutes I had all my emails downloaded..." Read more
"...I subscribe to--the Artist, Smithsonian, the New Yorker-- are crystal clear and with glorious color where I can zoom in to see even the smallest..." Read more
2,357 customers mention2,070 positive287 negative
Customers like the quality of the Kindle Fire. They say it's a great device, suitable for their needs, and works well. Customers also mention that it' s an excellent book reader and has very high quality.
"...They do work really, really well, though.Through your Amazon account:..." Read more
"...They love the many fun apps and all the books we can read together...." Read more
"...I was amazed how well it does computer work. It actually does everything my computer does except load pictures from my camera to the internetand it..." Read more
"...with my Amazon Prime account to stream music and video, and it is a very capable and easy to use device...." Read more
1,255 customers mention1,081 positive174 negative
Customers like the value of the Kindle Fire. They mention that it is a good value for the money spent, has many free and fun apps for adults and children, and is able to participate in an audiobook. They also appreciate the free ebooks and the access to free collections like The Guttenberg Project, as well as to web sites.
"...In my opinion, this application and its ease of use along with the price point makes the Kindle Fire the best option for tablets for children by far." Read more
"...That, and the prices really aren't terrible. Especially if you have Amazon Prime. Which you should...." Read more
"...It is an extremely valuable and useful trouble shooting tool:Wi-Fi Analyzer..." Read more
"...one small kindle in my purse with all my needs in it was worth the price of the kindle...." Read more
735 customers mention593 positive142 negative
Customers like the portability of the Amazon tablet. They say the size and weight are fine, making it easy to hold and read. Customers also appreciate the versatility of the product and the size of the screen is perfect for small hands. The speakers are pretty good and are good enough to carry around with them. Books take up very little space and can be redownloaded if you want the space for other things. The smaller size of Fire makes it easy for customers to carry it in their purse. Overall, customers are happy with the portiness of the tablet.
"...For one it is much lighter than the tablet that I was using...." Read more
"...It really is a great little tablet, especially for kids...." Read more
"...screen, better sound, bluetooth, it's faster, thinner and lighter than the Fire...." Read more
"...I also prefer the Keyboard for travel--it's more compact, it stays charged for a longer time, and it has 3G, meaning I can download new reading..." Read more
636 customers mention583 positive53 negative
Customers are satisfied with the appearance of the tablet. They mention that the screen is beautiful with rich colors, nice contrast, and it's flashier than the previous version. Some say that the device is a much more polished tablet and that the carousel and some other visual features have improved. Overall, customers are happy with the tablet's appearance.
"...The design is very sleek and although most people complain about weight, it really isn't that bad...." Read more
"...with the special offers but even on my children's kindle I find them tasteful and not obtustive.Issues:..." Read more
"...I have been able to view movies on it and the picture quality is excellent...." Read more
"...The picture quality is simply amazing. The video quality is crisp and the dual speakers are just awesome...." Read more
503 customers mention352 positive151 negative
Customers are mixed about the speed of the Amazon tablet. Some mention that it is considerably smoother, faster, and more responsive than the Kindle Fire. It also has many speed options, and it reads faster than my kindle. The Kindle will play HD videos with hardware acceleration, but your screen is limited to 480p. The charge time seems reasonable. However, some customers say that it's slow and lame to flip through a book or an app at a time, and retrieving emails is painfully slow. They also complain that books don't download all the time.
"...It works as fast and as smooth as my lap top and handles all of my computer internet fun time...." Read more
"...It downloads books quite fast and I have found that I am enjoying reading on the kindle fire much more than on my tablet...." Read more
"...The Silk web browser is kind of slow and clumsy. At times, it is down right difficult to use...." Read more
"...quality is just as great as the rest of the features, it's not slow or spastic...." Read more
733 customers mention41 positive692 negative
Customers are dissatisfied with the charging feature of the tablet. They mention that it doesn't come with a wall charger or power adapter. Customers also say that the charger is a USB plug and does not come with an actual wall charger.
"...No AC wall adapter is included with the new Kindle Fire this is a major PITA...." Read more
"...While it is silly that Amazon doesn't include a regular charging cord with the Fire, I had the cord from my other Kindle --and another from a..." Read more
"...If you plug the USB into a laptop, it charges VERY VERY slowly BUT if you drop down to the notification screen on the Kindle, it does proactively..." Read more
"...NOTE: IT DOES NOT COME WITH A WALL WORT CHARGER It comes with a micro USB cable that can be used with your existing USB wall worts...." Read more
719 customers mention175 positive544 negative
Customers are dissatisfied with the battery life of the Amazon tablet. They mention that it runs down far faster, the brightness of the screen and whether or not they are reading. The Fire is a battery hog and games just chew the battery up. The battery life is reportedly an internal issue.
"...The battery life isn't great, six hours for me, the cords I have are long so it is easy to plug in to an electrical outlet and use while it..." Read more
"...5. The battery runs down far faster--well, it's broadcasting to WiFi, it's projecting light through the screen, so it's power-hungry compared to the..." Read more
"...The replacement was great, until I realized it wouldn't hold a charge for a fraction of the time the first one did...." Read more
"...The new Kindle Fire has a battery life of 9 hours and the first version was 7.5 to 8 hours.*..." Read more
I have recently purchased four Kindle Fire 7" tablets for my four children, although I am sharing a Fire with my youngest. If I were to give them a broad review, I would say that we love everything about them. What really sold me on the Kindle Fire, however, (I also considered several other Android tablets before purchasing these) was the ability to set parental controls on the device and through Freetime. I've spoken to a few other parents who weren't aware of the new Kindle Freetime features, so I thought I'd write down quickly what you can do to help make your Kindle safer for your child to use. There are multiple layers of protection on the Kindle Fire -- through your Amazon account, through the device itself, and through Kindle Freetime. Please note that these steps aren't a substitute for parental supervision. They do work really, really well, though.
Through your Amazon account: The easiest way to ensure that your child can't access or purchase your content through your Amazon account is to set up a separate account. Keep in mind, though, that if you set up a separate account you'll have to pay again for apps and content you'd also like to use on your account. So, if both you and your child have a Kindle and you both want to play "Where's My Perry," you'll have to buy it twice, once on each account. Because I am sharing a Kindle with my youngest daughter, I chose to link all of our Kindles to my account so that I would only have to pay once. If you do this, consider turning off "one click" ordering on your Amazon account. That way, if your child does somehow circumvent the Freetime and device parental controls (which is fairly difficult), he or she still won't be able to purchase anything without a credit card or paypal account (and if your child has access to a paypal account, perhaps THEY should be teaching YOU to use how to use a Kindle). ;-)
Through the device: Your new Kindle will turn on as soon as you plug it in. While it is charging, swipe to unlock the screen. Register your Kindle to whatever Amazon account you want it connected to. When your Kindle asks if you'd like to link to a facebook or twitter account, opt out; obviously you don't want your child posting to facebook. You'll have to decide whether you want to add an email account. Because I am sharing my Kindle with my daughter, I added my gmail account so that I can check it from the device. That's not the safest bet, but I trust the device parental controls and Freetime to protect her from that. Next, when you get to the home screen, scroll on through the initial tutorial, or skip it if you already know how to use a Kindle. Now for the nitty gritty; pull down from the top to reveal the "Settings" menu. Click "More" (the plus sign icon) and then touch "Parental Controls." Touch "On." You will need to set up a password for all future parental controls on the device. Pick something you'll remember, because if you forget it, you'll have to do a hard reset to your device to get a chance to set the password again. Also, make sure you check the "Hide Password" box so no little eyes can watch what you type -- this box will stay checked in the future. Next, make sure that the Web Browser and the Email, Contacts, and Calendars are on "Blocked." Password Protect Purchases (this one is super important!) and Password Protect Video Playback should be set to "On." You can go a step further and block certain types of content by touching the "Block and Unblock Content Types." All that stuff is up to you. Next, you can Password Protect your wifi toggle and Location-Based Services (LBS) by checking "On" for both. Once you have these controls set, you can then turn them off when YOU want to use the Kindle. You will need to enter your password first to enter the Parental Controls menu and then again to change the setting to "Off." Another thing to think about if you're really worried about your child accessing inappropriate content or even seeing pictures of it on the device itself (some book covers are not exactly appropriate for little eyes) is your Carousel. Your most recent activity on the Kindle remains on your Carousel. When you turn on the Kindle -- if you don't have Freetime activated -- this will pop up as your home screen. So, if you're doing something you really don't want your kids to see on the Kindle, go ahead and press and hold on that activity's icon and remove it from the carousel. You'll have to do this EVERY time you engage in that activity, or open that book, however, so be aware. These are ways that you can set some parental controls on the device, but because of the nature of the Carousel and the way the Kindle presents purchased content that's available on the cloud even though it's not downloaded to the device, you should consider using Freetime on your Kindle.
Through Freetime: Freetime is an amazing application. It allows your child to essentially have his or her own Kindle, with his or her own Carousel and Favorites, and with access only to content that you specify. Freetime is a free app that is installed automatically on Version 10.2.4. However, when you get your Kindle, it might not necessarily be using that operating system. If your Kindle is new, allow it to charge to around 85%, and it will do an automatic system update. After that, you should see Freetime as an App on your device. If your Kindle is updated (to check, pull down the settings menu, touch "Device," and then "About"), but you still don't see Freetime, pull down the Settings menu and then push "Sync." Alright, once you have Freetime successfully installed, open it up. It's going to give you the option of signing up one child or multiple children for the Freetime Unlimited option. Freetime Unlimited is a good deal, but it's not for everyone. I use it with my kids, but it's up to you. Next, Freetime will prompt you to enter your child's/children's information to create profiles for them. You'll enter their name, their gender, their birthday, and pick an icon for them. You can enter all children who will be associated with your account this one time, whether they'll be using different Kindles or sharing a Kindle. This information will stay with your Amazon account, not with the device; this means that I can actually set up and control my four children's Freetime profiles that they use on THEIR Kindles from MY Kindle, since they are all registered to my account. This also means that your children can have their own individual home screens and settings even if they all share one Kindle. After you set up profiles, you are taken to a screen that has your children's Icons and options for you. This is the Parent Settings menu. From there, click the "Manage Content and Subscriptions" icon. You'll have to enter the parental controls password you set for the device earlier. From here you can add titles to your children's library -- essentially, you select what on the device your child can access when Freetime is running. Click on "Add Titles to _______'s Library," and you will be able to individually select what books, videos, and apps your child can use or even see as available. Note that when you add a new book, video, or app to your device, you will have to go through this process to allow your child to access it in Freetime. Once you've selected content, click the "Back" arrow until you're at the Parent Settings screen again. Now click on the "Daily Time Limits" icon -- it's a little alarm clock. Again, you'll have to enter your password. Now you'll see your children's profiles again. Click on one, and toggle the "Set Time Limits" option to "On." Then set your time limits. You can simply set total screen time or make the limits content-specific. When you're done, head back to the Parent Settings screen. You'll notice there's a "Manage Child Profiles" icon. By touching that, you can add or remove profiles, and you can also touch a child's name to alter their accessible content and time limits. The "More" icon does more of the same, with one exception -- it also lists "Kindle Fire Settings" as an option in its menu. By touching this, you can change the Kindle Fire device settings I mentioned above -- after entering your password, of course. Now that you've got that all set up, touch a child's icon and head into their own personal Freetime home screen. You'll notice that the top left of the Kindle (when held horizontally -- Freetime does not give the option of holding the device vertically, although some apps accessible within Freetime do) no longer says that this is your Kindle. It says that it is the child's Kindle. Cute, right? Now, one thing that I did for my children, since I do use Freetime Unlimited, was to add a few things I knew they would like to their "Favorites." Your child can access this screen by pressing the star on the lower right. They can access their home screen -- their Carousel -- by pressing the "Home" icon, just like you would to access your Carousel outside of Freetime. When your child is in Freetime, he or she cannot access anything that you didn't give them permission to access, and content that's part of your cloud account will not show up as available like it would on the Kindle outside of Freetime. Ads WILL show up in apps, however, and ads may or may not be child-appropriate, so be aware of that. However, if your child clicks on that ad, access to the browser is blocked. To exit Freetime, pull down what would be the settings menu if you weren't in Freetime, and touch "Exit." You will have to enter your password, of course. If you want Freetime to pop up when your child turns on the Kindle again, DON'T exit -- simply shut down while inside of Freetime. If you are in Freetime when you shut down, the Kindle will restart in Freetime when it is turned on again -- on the same profile it was on before. So remember, if you exit Freetime to use the Kindle yourself but would like Freetime to be open when your child picks the device up again, be sure to start Freetime once more before turning the device off.
I love our Kindles and my children love them, too, and now that Kindle Freetime is available, free, and installed on the devices, I feel like they are for the most part safe for my kids and yet tailored to them. My children honestly feel like they have their own tablets and not that they are just using mine. They can set their own favorites and control their own Carousel, and they enjoy being able to do that. If you're not already using Freetime and are uncomfortable with allowing your child to navigate a tablet without constant supervision, give it a try. In my opinion, this application and its ease of use along with the price point makes the Kindle Fire the best option for tablets for children by far.
I absolutely LOVE my Kindle Fire! This is my first e-reader, and I was originally looking at the Kindle Paperwhite because I figured if I was going to get an e-reader, why not get one with that singular function? I have a desktop computer, why bother getting a Fire that does things my computer does as well? I couldn't have been more wrong!
It was the end of November and Amazon ran a special on the Kindle Fire 7" LCD so out of curiosity, I clicked it to find out more. Like everyone else, I read through the spiel and became intrigued by all that it could do.The more I thought about it, I decided why settle for a simple e-reader when I could have also have movies, apps, and games as well? Sure, my desktop offers quite a bit in that department as well, but not from the comfort of my couch, or bed, or while waiting at the doctor's office!
I didn't get the warranty because I figured the price isn't horrible should I need a new one, and by that time I'll probably want to upgrade anyway. I did however buy this case http://www.amazon.com/Defender-Series-Standing-Kindle-Built-/dp/B007Q3YIW0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1356958793&sr=1-1&keywords=otterbox+for+kindle+fire which is amazing might I add!
When ordering, definitely go with the special offers option! I considered paying the extra because I absolutely HATE ads, but this just shows essentially a picture when you first turn on the Kindle and punch in your lock code. Then it's gone! Really, that's it! Save a few bucks and go with the special offers, you won't regret it. Even if you do, you can always have it taken off later.
The design is very sleek and although most people complain about weight, it really isn't that bad. Sure, it's a bit heavy, but I'm not the lay on my back with my arms in the air holding my e-reader type. How do people do that anyway? Doesn't the blood rush out of your arms? Anyway, if you're that type of reader you should probably consider a hockey mask as well because otherwise you're asking for a trip to the hospital.
Navigation is a bit confusing (at least it was for me) at initial start up. I saw an icon that said Silk and had no idea that was the internet browser and was scared to click something I didn't know what it was for fear of some download starting up. Once I got past the initial unfamiliarity, I was clicking everything I could find to see what it did!
Something cool I've found is that you can store all your apps, books, etc on your Amazon Cloud, the device itself, or both. The cloud can be managed from your Amazon account should you decide you want something removed completely which is nice.
The biggest negatives...
The fact that you have to have WiFi to do just about anything. I have wireless internet here at the house of course, but I don't always have access when I'm out and about which was annoying at first. I had a television series I had been streaming on Amazon Prime (amazing by the way) and wanted to continue when I got to work early, but couldn't because there was no WiFi! I essentially felt forced to buy the series so that it could be stored on my device and I could watch anywhere. At this point, it no longer bothers me because I've just plain accepted it. That, and the prices really aren't terrible. Especially if you have Amazon Prime. Which you should.
What's the deal with the lending library?! I was excited because I'm an Amazon Prime member and thought that I could get as many free books as I wanted on my Kindle Fire. Was I ever wrong. Come to find out, the lending library works like this, you can pick one of their "free" books and keep it for as long as you'd like, however you can one have ONE per calendar month! I read The Hunger Games in a matter of days, returned it eager to get the next book, but no. Not until next month. Again, they're making me feel forced to buy things.
The biggest positives...
I'd like to end this review on a positive note so here it goes. If you have young children at home that you know will want to get their little hands on your Fire, a subscription to Kindle Free Time Unlimited is an absolute MUST!! I can't rave about this enough. I opted for the $2.99 one child subscription with my Prime and my girls (two and six) share an account. It's perfect for little ones who like to press everything and you don't want to worry about what they're downloading or what their viewing. You set a parental password and it locks the Kindle into "Free Time" mode so you can put your mind at ease that they can't get into anything they aren't supposed to.
There's a lot of variety too! It isn't all little kid shows, there's something for all ages. The books, games, and videos offer hours and hours of entertainment and that's just what comes preloaded! You can always add whatever extra content you'd like and there's no WiFi required! Perfect for trips or when you just need some time to yourself, "Just take the Kindle and go!"
I very highly recommend this product. One day when I'm rich, or perhaps next holiday season, I may consider upgrading to the Kindle Fire HD strictly for the 4G. Until then, I'm completely satisfied with what I have and I'm glad I made this my first e-reader!