When Amazon launched the Echo Dot Kids Edition last year, it was basically a 2nd-edition Echo Dot with a protective case, a 2-year “worry-free guarantee” and support for Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited Alexa service.
Then the company introduced a 3rd-gen Echo Dot a few months later, bringing a fabric-covered design, a louder speaker, and 802.11ac WiFi. But the Kids Edition version was still based on the previous-gen model.
Now the kids’ version is catching up. The All-New Echo Dot Kids Edition is set to begin shipping June 26th. It has a list price of $70, but Amazon is currently taking pre-orders for $50.
Amazon says the new model is 70 percent louder than its predecessor, comes in new color options (rainbow or pale blue), and comes with a 1-year subscription to FreeTime Unlimited (the price goes up to $2.99/month for Prime members after the first year if you don’t cancel by then).
From a hardware perspective, this is basically just a 3rd-gen Echo Dot with a new color scheme. But the 2-year worry free guarantee may be worth the price of admission — Amazon will replace damaged units with no questions asked.
I don’t know about a fabric cover for a device made for kids. My kids would have that fabric looking pretty dirty in next to no time at all. I know they shouldn’t need to touch it to use it but I don’t think that would stop them from doing so anyways.