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Amazon FreeTime is now called Amazon Kids
FreeTime Unlimited has been renamed Amazon Kids+ too.
Amazon adds Spanish options to its kid-friendly FreeTime Unlimited
Amazon is expanding its kid-friendly FreeTime and FreeTime Unlimited features by adding Spanish-language media. FreeTime Unlimited is a subscription service starting at $3/month that includes a range of content for kids to enjoy, while parents can control what their youngsters can see and do.
Echo Show can now display recorded security camera footage
With Alexa's latest skill, users can now ask the digital assistant to show them recorded security camera footage on their Echo Show, Echo Spot, Fire TV or Fire tablet. Currently, the skill is supported by Alexa-enabled cameras from Ring, Arlo, Cloud Cam and August and all you have to do is say, "Alexa, show the event that just happened at the front door," for example. You'll then be able to view the last recorded event from that particular camera.
Facebook Messenger for Kids is now available in Mexico
Today marks Facebook releasing its Messenger for Kids app to our friendly southern neighbor. It doesn't have any Mexico-specific features, and unlike when it was released in Canada and Peru, it isn't part of a larger feature roll-out like a Spanish-language version, either. No matter, it being available to the nation's 130 million residents is pretty big in and of itself.
Facebook’s controversial Messenger Kids app arrives on Android
Facebook's Messenger app for kids launched in December, though only for iOS, and last month, Facebook made it available for Amazon Fire tablets. Now, TechCrunch reports, and Facebook confirmed to us, that Messenger Kids will be available for Android devices starting today. The app gives parents the control over who their kids talk to, allowing them to add or delete contacts, and sends them notifications if their children report or block anyone they've been chatting with. For kids, the app provides them with a way to text or video chat with their friends and family while offering all of the visual fun of GIFs, frames, emojis and masks. And maybe the best part, kids don't need a Facebook account to use it, only their parents do. However, the app has drawn skepticism from those concerned about exposing kids to social media and overuse of digital technology.
Facebook's Messenger Kids app arrives on Amazon Fire tablets
Facebook launched a Messenger app just for kids this past December, but it was only available on iOS. Now the app is available on Amazon's app store for Fire tablets as well. While it might not help counter the current worries over connected gadget addiction, the app has some built-in features to help limit kids exposure to undesirable content and people.
Amazon's Alexa comes to Fire tablets in the UK
If Amazon's upgraded Fire tablet range has left your slate looking a little dated, we have some good news: Alexa is coming. The online retail giant confirmed today that when its new Alexa-equipped Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 tablets arrive early next month, it will push an update to older devices, allowing you to get to grips with the fully-integrated AI assistant.
The best digital photo frames
By Amadou Diallo This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. When readers choose to buy The Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. After 18 hours of research and testing, we think the 10-inch Nixplay Seed is the best digital photo frame for most people who want to display pictures uploaded wirelessly from their smartphones, hard drives, or social media and cloud storage accounts. Its superior display and simple setup lift it above the competition, and because you can send photos to the frame via Nixplay's cloud services, email, or a shared Dropbox folder, if you give one as a gift you can share photos directly to your loved ones' frames, even if they're halfway across the world.
Alexa orders delivery from Pizza Hut on Amazon devices
Pizza Hut recently debuted a chatbot to help you with a delivery order, but the restaurant chain is putting Amazon's virtual assistant to work for the same task. Alexa's newest skill includes the ability to order your pizza via voice integration on the Echo, Echo Dot, Fire TV and Fire tablets. While the menu options for placing an order from scratch are a bit limited, Alexa can access your favorite items and past orders as well.
Amazon will donate Kindles to promote digital reading
Amazon aims to promote digital reading around the world and has established a new program called Kindle Reading Fund to achieve that goal. The Fund will be in charge of donating Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets and ebooks to various recipients, such as reading programs in developing nations. To make sure its devices reach the people who need them, the tech titan has joined forces with Worldreader, a non-profit that provides e-books to children and families in the developing world to promote literacy. The two already worked together in previous projects, according to TechCrunch, including bringing digital reading materials to 61 Kenyan libraries.
Amazon gives its Fire HD 10 tablet a classier metal shell
If you've been eyeing Amazon's Fire HD 10 tablet, but aren't a fan of its plastic shell, you're in luck. The company now offers a metal version of the tablet, addressing one of the main gripes about the mobile device. The best part? Pricing remains the same as the current Fire HD 10, starting at $230 for the 16GB model (with "special offers"). Alongside the new aluminum design, Amazon is also debuting a 64GB version that will set you back $290.
Amazon reverses course on encryption for its Fire tablets
It's been only one day since -- in the midst of a national debate over encrypted devices -- Amazon started pushing a new Fire OS 5 to its tablets that ditched support for device encryption. Just yesterday, the company said that was because customers weren't using the feature. Tonight, the company tells Engadget that it will bring the option back in another update that is due to arrive this spring. Given the attention Apple's battle with the FBI has brought to this security feature it seems logical that encryption remains at least available as an option, even on a device intended for casual usage.
Sky Go finally comes to Amazon Fire tablets
For more than three years, Brits have been able to enjoy the Sky Go app on their Android device. Sky's been quite clear that as long as you own a smartphone or tablet running Android 4.0 (and you have an active Sky subscription), you can get involved -- as long as you aren't trying to download it on an Amazon device. Sky's aversion to the world's biggest online retailer has persisted, but as it gets ready to unleash Sky Q on the world, the company has finally relented and decided now is the time to slot in the missing piece of the Android puzzle.
Amazon Fire review: $50 of incredible value
With every passing year, Amazon finds ways to upgrade its Kindle e-readers and Fire tablets while also lowering the cost of entry. The company's Fire HD 6, launched last October, broke the sub-$100 barrier, and yet it now looks relatively expensive in comparison with the new entry-level Fire. At $50, it's pretty much the cheapest tablet money can buy, but don't let that price fool you. Compromises have been made in the race to the bottom, of course, but the pessimistic idiom "you get what you pay for" doesn't really apply here. The new Fire might only be the cost of a night out, but what you're getting in return is a perfectly capable device that sets a benchmark for budget slates.
Amazon's selling its $50 Fire tablet in six packs
It was rumored and now the 7-inch $49.99 (£50) Amazon Fire tablet is here. The content peddling device is cheaper than dinner for two at a medium nice restaurant (without drinks but probably including appetizers). While it's cheap, it actually looks better than other sub-$100 tablets on the market with an IPS display with a wide viewing angle and a nice rich contrast level. It's powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and has 8GB of storage. But like the new Fire HD tablets it has a microSD card so you can add up to 128GB of space. It's cheap, durable and Amazon offers them in a six pack.
HBO Now hits Android devices, coming soon to Chromecast and Fire TV
After HBO Now was announced for Apple devices earlier this year, the network promised to bring it to the Android faithful this summer. Well, the time has come. If you own an Android phone or tablet (including Amazon's Fire devices), you can now access the standalone TV streaming option for $15 a month. You'll still have to wait to employ a Chromecast, Fire TV or Fire TV Stick to do your watching, though, but the service is said to arrive on those gadgets soon enough. Apple's 90-day exclusive window has ended, which allows folks who prefer Google's operating system a chance to give HBO Now a shot three months after its debut. And it doesn't require a cable subscription like HBO Go. If you decide to take the leap, you'll get access to shows like Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley and True Detective in addition to a library of older series (The Sopranos, etc.) and movies. However, if you choose to wait until you can stream it to your set-top box or dongle, we can't blame you.
Amazon targets UK parents with its kid-friendly Fire tablet
Over half of UK households now own a tablet, which is no surprise given how popular the devices are with children. Amazon seems to have noticed the trend and will soon be launching its Fire HD Kids Edition tablet in response. It'll be available from June 18th, with either 8GB of storage for £119 or 16GB for £139. The slate is essentially Amazon's cheap Fire HD 6 tablet in disguise -- a colourful "kid-proof" case, which protects it from drops and knocks, is wrapped around the outside for an easy grip. It comes with 12 months of Fire for Kids Unlimited, a subscription service with educational apps, books, videos and games. The tablet also offers "screen time limits," which lets parents control how long their child can spend consuming specific types of content. All of these software and hardware tweaks are then complimented by Amazon's fairly generous two-year guarantee. The deal means that Amazon will happily replace your tablet should it break -- no questions asked.
