Kindle Fire in education....

[rad]

Does anyone use Kindle Fire tablets?

I have questions if you do

[mtillbrook]

I've seen the kids version being used in nursery's before

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazon-Fire-Kids-Edition-7-Inch-Tablet-16GB/dp/B018Y22DT6

 

They just use them as an easy way to get kids using some basic apps and get teachers using a couple of tracking apps on them etc. Only very basic use though. They used to use the Tesco Hudl before they mystriously stopped making and selling them!

[rad]

Further to the above, the apps all seem to use IP addresses to get out onto the internet. This is fine when you are at home, nothing is blocked but I have the category of "host is an IP" blocked so students cant access sites like Youtube (via Chrome) using this method.

 

I am trying to get my head around a way of allowing these paperweights to work via our internet settings.

[hardtailstar]

Further to the above, the apps all seem to use IP addresses to get out onto the internet. This is fine when you are at home, nothing is blocked but I have the category of "host is an IP" blocked so students cant access sites like Youtube (via Chrome) using this method.

 

I am trying to get my head around a way of allowing these paperweights to work via our internet settings.

 

You're not the only one. @DanTheLacky is trying to get them to work too.

[mtillbrook]

Yer, this is often an issue, especially with Andriod. With things like the Sophos web appliance doing the web filtering, you can setup policies to allow traffic out from Andriod (and iOS) OS's which does work. Saying that I have known situations where teachers have taken them home and installed apps etc on their home connections and then brought them back into school to be used!

[DanTheLacky]

You're not the only one. @DanTheLacky is trying to get them to work too.

@rad what are you having issues with? I set ours up on a fairly unfiltered wifi, then moved them into a tweaked version of our students policy on lightspeed. Didn't really have any issues with them other than the fact I just don't like kindles and they aren't designed for use in schools etc. How many have you got to set up?

[rad]

@DanTheLacky

I have 20 to set up. I have set up an Adult profile on the kindle and then added a Student profile using the Family settings so it is a student aged about 17, not that that matters for the next bit.

 

As I said above, the Student Profile is having to use Apps. I just want a straight forward browser but the apps use IP addresses to access the internet whereas the web browser built in and showing on the Ault profile doesnt.

The category that would allow IP addresses is blocked on our firewall settings.

[rad]

and now I have just discovered how to wipe them too.

 

Enter the Admin code wrong 5 times, it then gives the option of erasing the Kindle after entering the code on the screen.

Low and behold.... wipe clean done. Restored to factory settings, wiped off our Amazon account too so easily knickable. The charging port is the same as a Samsung phone so easily charged at home, someone tell me, WHY DID WE BUY THESE?????

I really wish we were consulted before they bought these.

Edited February 9, 2017 by rad

[Boredguy]

and now I have just discovered how to wipe them too.

 

Enter the Admin code wrong 5 times, it then gives the option of erasing the Kindle after entering the code on the screen.

Low and behold.... wipe clean done. Restored to factory settings, wiped off our Amazon account too. The charging port is the same as a Samsung phone, someone tell me, WHY DID WE BUY THESE?????

Seemed like a good idea at the time?

 

If it's any consolation, some of our students found out the hard way that they can't use their Kindles on our WiFi/internet as well.

[rad]

So to conclude the thread, how am I setting them up?

I'm not really apart from adding them onto the student wifi and handing them over to the department with full access rights, not linking them to an Amazon account, nothing. They are only going to be used as internet browsers anyway.

 

So there you have it, if you want a shiny paperweight, buy one of these.

 

Goodnight!

 

(Um....how long before they bust a power connector/crack a screen or something else, place your bets now!)

Edited February 9, 2017 by rad

[Arthur]

Does anyone use Kindle Fire tablets?

Nope! It has been over four years since Amazon launched WhisperCast in the US so it's clear they don't care about UK schools. For this reason I refuse to even consider buying any Kindle devices since they are unmanageable.

[DanTheLacky]

So to conclude the thread, how am I setting them up?

I'm not really apart from adding them onto the student wifi and handing them over to the department with full access rights, not linking them to an Amazon account, nothing. They are only going to be used as internet browsers anyway.

 

So there you have it, if you want a shiny paperweight, buy one of these.

 

Goodnight!

 

(Um....how long before they bust a power connector/crack a screen or something else, place your bets now!)

 

To be honest they arent even that shiney so just a paper weight, have you checked that yours aren't ones that require the chargers to be replaced? We ended up with 15 from when they was £25 each, like you say we wont be buying any more. They literally want them for web browsing in lesson so I pretty much did the same as yourself, I added a couple of apps but didn't seem to have any problems with them. Didn't notice the admin password / freset bit. Will have to let the teacher know but I pretty much said they are theirs to look after.