Now that Amazon will be releasing its new Echo Dot Kids Edition, parents will have more control over what Alexa hears. Consumers can pre-order the device before it's release on May 9 for $79.99. It looks just like the regular Echo Dot, but features a kid-friendly rubber case, and your choice of colors are green, red, and blue. It comes with a two-year worry-free guarantee replacement of the device. It also comes with a one-year upgraded version of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. The upgraded version increases parental controls to unlimited access to Alexa-specific content, kid-friendly premium skills, and other family-oriented options, and can be added for free on other Echo devices.
Look ma no hands
The hands-free, voice-controlled speaker was designed totally kid friendly. It can play kid age-appropriate music, has parent controlled off and on time limits, voice shopping turn-off, and alarms that are kid-friendly so they can wake up to their favorite cartoon characters. With the FreeTime Unlimited on Alexa you can get iHeartRadio Family and listen to all the songs kids are so fond of and custom stations can be set, all ad free. It has all-new Alexa skills that can be explored, like National Geographic’s "This or That" and Disney’s "Disney Stories." Parent can block activities they feel are inappropriate.
Marketsft reported that Stephen Balkam, Founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, said they were excited that Amazon included FreeTime to Alexa because their research showed parents are comfortable with their child using a smart speaker.
Amazon has made another device that is kid and family friendly.
Echo teaches and learns
The Echo Dot Kids Edition can even teach your kids some manners. “Magic Word” is a new feature that provides positive bolstering when kids use the word 'please.' And it can also keep the household a little calmer when you use it for household communications like announcements, calling or messaging.
No more shouting and yelling across rooms. The Echo gives parents more peace of mind by providing a online parent dashboard so they can review their kids activities with Alexa at the end of the day. In fact, since Alexa is built in the cloud, she gets smarter every day, and maybe someday Alexa will be able to replace the parents.
Alexa App is compatible with Fire OS, Android, and iOS devices and also accessible via your web browser. The hands free voice control is not supported for Mac OS X devices. Certain skills and services may require a subscription or other fees.
