Kindle Fire vs Nexus 7-FOR KIDS?

[ChromeJob]

AS POSTED ON THE ARTICLE

This is actually going to continue being a hot topic. I definitely want to get my 10 year old daughter the N7, due to the price, value, utility, flexibility.

But issues like whether to register it to my account, or create one for her,... how to lock it down (parental controls),... how to "sandbox" apps like Netflix (sorry, Netflix currently doesn't even offer the "kids' mode" on Android, boooooo Netfailix), Wallet, etc.... All are of concern to me as she lives with her mother and when I let her go back home after Christmas, that'll be it, that tablet will be out of reach. Perhaps we should do a more in-depth article on turning an N7 into a child's 24/7 "my tablet" with proper safety and security.

.... Perhaps we can have a sticky thread about making a Nexus 7 into a kids' tablet through Android settings and third party tools.... What say ye?

I got the Samsung 2.7 for my 8 year old - one main reason I liked it over the N7 FOR HIM (not me, love my baby) was the expansion for movies. His tablet has over 20 movies stored on the SD card.

I use the PIN on PlayStore to prevent unauthorized purchases and review it every night. Also I setup a dummy email address and attached his to that so he can not access my gmail account (I can still push apps to his tablet via Google Play).

All in all he loves it and so do I.

Would love to hear more about this. I'm thinking of getting my girl the N7-8 before 9/30 to get her a $25 credit in the Play store, but would have to activate it initially with her "kid's dummy account" with Wallet configured with a credit card, then remove it.... Not sure how to do this without putting the credit on MY account. I.e., when i activated my second N7 (took the first one back to the store to upgrade to 16GB), I activated it on my 2nd Google Hosted apps account, it added the credit to that account's Play store "redeemable credit," but Play shows apps bought from the Gmail account. If I delete my Gmail account ... I'm presuming that Play app will lose the connection to those apps. (I'd like to install the puzzle apps that I have and she likes e.g. Osmos HD, Spirits, Zen Bound 2.)

See how complicated this gets...?

// Posted from my Nexus 7 with the Android Central app //

 

[retsaw]

My preferred method of parental control is keeping an eye on what they are doing and physically controlling access to the device. If your daughter's mother is the one that is going to be doing most of the parenting, I think you should discuss this with the mother before buying it. Although there are plenty of apps to lock down Android devices, if that is what you want. And on that subject I'd be curious to know if there are any that will restrict apps by time of day, so it could be used as an ebook reader at bedtime, but games can only be played before bedtime.

For setting the device up, give her her own account, sharing your account will probably cause trouble in the long run, you can temporarily add one of your credit cards to it to get the credit then delete the card afterward. If you are averse to paying for apps twice, then you could copy the apks from your device to your daughters' device (your device will need to be rooted to do this).

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[mjwalsh]

My recommendation would be Kindle Fire, there are too many reports on these forums about N7s screens being broken from accidental drops (I have an N7 which i love but treat it very carefully). My friend has the original Kindle Fire and she has 3 young kids who drop, kick and whack the fire and it shows no signs of damage (the only thing they haven't done is actually set fire to the fire!). Agree though about having a kids home screen being a plus for the N7. I thought Kindle was coming out with separate user logons soon?!?

 

[tabletnovice]

I use the PIN on PlayStore to prevent unauthorized purchases and review it every night. Also I setup a dummy email address and attached his to that so he can not access my gmail account (I can still push apps to his tablet via Google Play).

I get the basic concept but, as a newbie, it's over my head. This is exactly what I'd like to do. I've asked about it in another thread but was told I had to delete my entire Google account(s). Can you please give me more information about this. I'm just about a total newbie. Thank you!

 

[vzwty]

Id recommend the Kindle also. Especially the new one with the parental controls. Love my Nexus but the Kindle is more family friendly.

 

[Fleury14]

I got the original kindle fire for my 1 1/2 year old recently. You can pick them up wicked cheap off craigslist. I like it better for him because amazon's interface is so much easier for him to navigate. In fact he's already got it figured out which kind of scares me . He's gentle with it and knows he has been to sit down with it but I still invested in a nice case which at $50 cost as much as I paid for the tablet.
I rooted it and put modaco rom on there so it has the play store and i locked down everything but apps.
One thing I'd suggest for everyone is buying a headrest mount. Got one for $20 on Amazon. Toss a couple movies on there and they're quiet in the car.

 

[ajr37]

Bought my seven year old daughter a N7. Simply put it will grow with her over the next 18 months, had more choice of apps and I'm pretty well adapted into the Google infrastructure so can share apps. My wife uses Apple, wet looked at the mini iPad, but for the price it just doesn't stack up- poor screen, expensive, too hard to configure.

You must monitor your children's use, just leaving them to it is no excuse. You also need to explain safe use, so that they don't try to circumvent security. Sure, they still can, but if they do then my kids lose access to the device.
So, first set up Google Chrome and locked down strict filtering.
Google play allows multiple accounts. Enter your main details, then Settings and Content Filtering. Also under settings add a pin for purchases and don't tell anyone.
Go to your downloads in play and install the apps that you trust and feel appropriate.
Install an anti virus app, I use Avg but others are just as good.
I looked at kids mode, but it is very basic. To enter parent mode you draw a letter Z, which is not exactly a barrier. Famigo Sandbox has better control access with pattern recognition but you can switch it off and it boots up normally. So I made the choice to give my daughter real android rather than a sandbox and monitor her use.
My concerns? Google Play doesn't seem to filter video using content filter and its worth checking free downloads. She got Ice Age video for free on her N7, which is cool, but also a free Vogue subscription, which is a bit too soon!

Internet may be an issue. I've set Chrome to start on most visited and then went through her favorite sites: CBBC, cbeebies, cartoon network, so that they are easily visible. If that list gets erased or I see odd sites in her history then I will impose tighter control.

Music? I set Play Music to use my cloud account and then downloaded her favorite tunes. Again, she could listen to U2 or something and hear bad language, but she is seven and really just wants One Direction and Glee. Downside? They will appear in my music list too as most played!

Apps? I installed Sky Go, BBC iPlayer, TV Catchup and Netflix.
All the Angry Bird stuff, she loves Bad Piggies. Squeebles she loves, memory matching games, and Monopoly Millionaire.