Amazon Announces New Fire HD 10 Tablet For Kids, Show Mode Charging Dock

Amazon has announced a couple of new devices: a new Fire HD tablets for kids and a charging dock that turns Amazon’s tablets into Echo Show speakers.

Fire HD 10 Kids Edition

The new Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is a lot like the Fire HD 8 and the HD 10 from last year in terms of design, except this is packing parental controls. The Kids Edition comes with a 10.1-inch 1080p full HD display and it will ship with a kid-proof rubber case that’s available in blue, pink or yellow. Amazon is also including a two-year warranty so parents will be able to get it returned and replaced if their kids broke their device.

Inside, the Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is powered by a quad-core MediaTek processor with 2GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of onboard storage. It also comes with a microSD card slot that supports 256GB cards. The tablet is packing a 3,830mAh battery, which Amazon claims can deliver up to 10 hours of battery life.

Parents who purchase the Fire HD 10 Kids Edition will also get a free one year subscription to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. The service includes 15,000 books, videos, educational apps and games that are age-appropriate. It also has popular kids’ shows from Disney, Nickelodeon, PBS Kids, Harper Collins and Macmillan.

Amazon FreeTime also provides parental controls. Parents will be able to set time limits by weekdays and weekends and schedule bedtimes. Parents can also add other content, like Netflix and other games through their child’s FreeTime profile.

The Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is now available to pre-order for $199.99 from Amazon’s website and it will start shipping on July 11.

Fire Tablet Charging Dock

Amazon’s Show Mode Charging Dock is designed for the Fire HD 8 and the Fire HD 10 tablets. The new device is a docking station that holds the tablet at an adjustable angle while plugged in and charging. When a tablet is placed on the dock, the tablet will automatically transition into Show Mode, which offers a full-screen Alexa experience.

“Last year, we introduced Alexa hands-free on the Fire HD 10 and customers are loving it—in fact, the Fire HD 10 is now our highest-rated Fire tablet,” Amazon devices general manager Kevin Keith said. “We’re now taking that Alexa experience one step further with Show Mode and the Show Mode Charging Dock. Place your tablet into the dock and it transforms into a more immersive Alexa experience—just ask to see the weather, news, a TV show, make a video call, and more; pick up your tablet from the dock to access your favorite apps, books, and websites. It’s a whole new way for customers to use and enjoy their Fire tablets.”

The new Show Mode Charging Dock effectively turns the user’s Fire tablet into an Echo Show smart speaker, as pointed out by The Verge. When a tablet is connected to the dock, users will be able to have hands-free control over the content they see onscreen. The dock uses magnets to make sure that the Fire tablet is aligned perfectly, while the pins in the included case provide charging.

The Show Mode Charging Dock is now available to pre-order from Amazon. The dock for the Fire HD 8 costs $34.99 (regularly $39.99), while the dock for the Fire HD 10 costs $49.99 (regularly $54.99). The Show Mode Charging Dock will start shipping on July 12.