Sparkbox review toddler upgrade#
Sparkbox review toddler software#

Through this UI you get a streamlined experience, with only kid-friendly books pushed to the fore.

Sparkbox review toddler software#

You get the same software experience on the Amazon Kindle Kids (2022) as you do on any other Kindle, but with the Amazon Fire for Kids feature set-up from the off. If it breaks, you can return it and Amazon will replace it for free. Like the previous model, any accidental damage inflicted upon the e-reader will be covered by the retailer. Thankfully, this is where Amazon’s two-year worry-free guarantee comes in. You’re best off investing extra in the Kindle Paperwhite Kids if that’s likely to be an issue. So if little Jenny’s drinks lid comes off in said school bag shake-up, their Kindle is unlikely to survive the encounter. One related design criticism we had for the Kindle (2022) perhaps applies doubly so with the Kindle Kids (2022) – it has no form of waterproofing whatsoever. Subtle but strong magnets should keep the lid closed even when shaken up in a school bag. It’s very effective at warding off knocks to the corners, while the thick padded display cover will keep the screen suitably protected when not in use. It’s a fairly cheap and plasticky folio that’s available in a couple of colourful designs. The key differentiating point between the Amazon Kindle Kids (2022) and the Kindle (2022), at least externally, is the protective case that the former comes in. But it’s not so bad that you’ll be fearing for your child’s eyesight when they’re reading in bed of an evening. The Kindle Paperwhite Kids is available for £139.99 if you want the absolute peak of screen clarity for your child. Going back to that screen for a second, the lighting isn’t the boldest or most even of any Kindle – a clear sign of budget-induced compromise. It took me a while to even notice the tiny power button on the bottom edge, right alongside the USB-C charging port. All interactions are through that display, which is recessed slightly in a way that further discourages nicks and scratches.

The super-simple Kindle design makes perfect sense in the hands of a kid, with no page-turning buttons to get jammed up by slobber and cookie gunk. At 256g (including the cover), it weighs just a little more than a large smartphone, which feels like nothing at all spread over a larger surface area.

Obviously it’s much wider at 108.6mm, with an aspect ratio that’s intended to mimic a page out of a paperback. At 157.8mm, it’s not much taller than an iPhone 14. It’s very compact for an e-reader, with a shorter height than many current phones. What was easily wieldable by a single adult hand in the Kindle (2022) remains easy to wield in two here. That makes even more sense packaged up in this Kids version, where the hands holding it will be on the petite side. This screen is still a fairly compact 6 inches in size, like its predecessor.

Sparkbox review toddler upgrade#

This feature alone is a good reason to upgrade from the 2019 model and its (comparatively) fuzzy 167 PPI screen. The biggest and best feature of the Amazon Kindle Kids (2022) is its display, with a super-sharp 300 pixels-per-inch (PPI) resolution that really makes text pop. Rather than ask you to traipse through our 4.5-star review of that fine e-reader, however, let’s summarise how it looks and feels with the added perspective of someone with teeny-tiny hands and a total inability to sit still. But is it worth the £20 premium over the regular Kindle?Īs I mentioned at the outset, the Amazon Kindle Kids (2022) is an Amazon Kindle (2022). If you have a kid who’s mad about reading – or one you wish was mad about reading – it’s pretty much the best £104.99 (at the time of writing) you could spend on them. What it lacks in stand-alone wow factor, the Amazon Kindle Kids (2022) makes up for in pure practical value. It’s literally an Amazon Kindle (2022), but with a pre-applied protective case, a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+, and a two-year guarantee. The Amazon Kindle Kids (2022) might sound like a cute and colourful bespoke e-reader that’s been purpose-built for children, but it’s a far more prosaic offering than that. Amazon Fire for Kids UI The child-friendly UI puts a focus on content for kids, while also gamifying features to make reading more engaging.Long battery life The Kindle Kids (2022) will keep on going for weeks, not days.6-inch 300PPI display The 300PPI E-ink display is a big step forward from the older Kindles, offering crisp text and visuals.