Kindle Fire HD gets updated with Kindle Freetime: A safe space for kids

Amazon is rolling out an update today for the Kindle Fire HD that will enable Kindle Freetime, a previously announced feature that gives kids a safe environment to read, watch, and play.

With today’s announcement, Amazon also boasted that the Kindle Fire HD was its best-selling product worldwide (continuing the trend of the original Kindle Fire).

So what exactly does Kindle Freetime offer? Using the new feature, parents will be able to pick and choose the content their child interacts with, or limit available media by content type. Kids won’t be able to leave the restricted interface without a password. Parents can also enforce a time limit, after which the Kindle Fire HD’s interface goes blue.

The update comes after criticism over a lack of parental controls in the original Kindle Fire — not exactly a smart move, since kids are quick to grab shiny new devices and parents are probably less concerned with kids handling it since it only costs $199. Amazon eventually updated the original Kindle Fire in May to add some basic parental controls.

Amazon will begin shipping its larger tablet, the Kindle Fire HD 8.9″, for $299 on November 20.

Photo via Jennifer Van Grove/VentureBeat