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Tablets? how to choose
- This topic has 25 replies, 14 voices, and was last updated 11 years ago by
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My mom wants to buy our family a tablets. YEPPIE!
But she bought the iPad one from Walmart on sale. Great, but I am wondering if there is one that is cheaper that she could have go us two?
I want to be able to read books 1st! Watch movies, and yes have mommy approved games. What are your thoughts and why would you pick the one you did.
I did read an old post about iPad and Dougs comments which are very good ones. Like I said though, could I get 2 for the price of the one and then have more happy campers here?
iPad, Nook, Kindle… the list goes on and on.. and which one? Thanks
There are a lot of options out there and you’ll be happy with any one you choose … as long as you don’t try the iPad.
I am currently saving my pennies for a Kindle Fire (not the more $ HD). I got a Viewsonic last year and while it is OK, its very clunky. I feel like the software is about 10 years outdated and its slow, locks up and isn’t as versitile as it should be. When I bought it I had spent a LOT of time on reviews and research and *thought* I was getting a great ipad alternative. The Fire has parental controls built in, which I like, and I like the Amazon content platform. $159 if you accept their ads on your lock screen otherwise $179.
We are on the same boat, my mom got us an ipad 🙂 but I’m keeping that one 🙂 I will be using for my son who is on the spectrum so I think the Ipad would the best one for our family. I think they are all great as long as we supervise and limit the time our kids spend there (and even us!!! it can get addictive!). Congratulations! If my vote counts, I vote you keep the Ipad 😉 but do what is best for your family! 🙂
I’d say keep the iPad. IMO all others pale once you’ve tried the iPad. My dad has a kindle, a friend has a nook, another has the kindle fire and personally I would rather have one iPad than 2 or more others.
When I bought it I had spent a LOT of time on reviews and research and *thought* I was getting a great ipad alternative.
There really isn’t one. I’m serious when I tell people that they’ll be happy with anything they choose as long as they never try an iPad. I own or have tried so many of these devices because of doing our SCM e-book production. The iPad is what gets used every day while all the others mostly sit in a box unless we’re testing e-books. The iPad is really that much better.
The Fire has parental controls built in, which I like, and I like the Amazon content platform.
iOS devices have always had parental controls. The Kindle Fire feels clunky to me too. It got a lot of hype before it came out but the reviews have not been that great. It’s a decent device for consuming Amazon sold content, though, if that’s all you want to do.
Fortunately there are other options than Kindles, Nooks, and iPads. Given those three, I’d choose the iPad too.
Here’s another option, though. A couple of months ago, we got 4 Blackberry Playbooks for the price of 1 iPad. Everyone in the family has now one (DH and I already had one each, so we knew we loved them), and we got one for Gramma for her birthday too. In Canada, Staples has them on for $150 this weekend, which includes a case with an attachable keyboard. I would think the US should have similar sales.
Other than the price, we started looking at the Playbooks because of the size. They are a 7 inch tablet. This makes them easy to toss into my purse or a child’s backpack. They are a perfect size to hold while cuddling on the couch to read, or to use as a camera when we going on our nature study walks. The 10 inch tablets just feel much bulkier.
They do everything we need or want. They have a fully functional web browser, including playing flash applications (I know there are some tablets that can’t do that, which is a major limitation to me). There are several options for eReader apps, including Kindle if you want that. All the Android apps can now be converted to use on the Playbook, so that opens up a whole world of apps. I haven’t yet found a need that there wasn’t a quality app available for. Since each child has their own, I can personalize it with books, apps, and internet bookmarks that are applicable to that child. They use it for educational websites like IXL or Starfall. I can send DD7 to do some free reading on hers while I read DS’s school books with him on his, and DD3 plays starfall or watches the Salsa spanish videos with her headphones on. It makes school time flow much easier, since we use mostly ebooks. We keep strict control over when and how much and what they can do with them, but I LOVE that everyone has their own.
I agree with Doug that the Kindle Fire feels ‘clunky’. I find that the Playbook is very easy to use. Even my 3yo can operate it with no problem. She loves that in 2 ‘taps’ on the screen, she can video chat with Dad at work on his Playbook or with Gramma who lives in a different province.
I’m sure the iPads are wonderful, but I have a hard time believing that they are 4 times as wonderful, and thus worth 4 times the cost.
Just another choice to think about. It all depends on what the priorities are for your family. The iPad fans are probably shaking their heads at me right now, thinking I don’t know what I’m missing, but this was definitely the best choice for us.
Joanne
Thanks everyone I appreciate the comments. I know if I open this iPad I will love it, but maybe that’s what I am afraid of. Also, I’d like my older 3 to have one to read books on and thought if she’s oing to spend that on one maybe I could take it back and get us all one?
So I am hearing – They all have parental control options! They all have e-reader options and it sounds like Kindle books also. Sounds like these tablets are about as good or equivelent to a laptop computer for us less than savvy people.
Thanks again.. now more thinking. I appreciate everyone’s comments and time to write why you like what you like. Even you Doug
, I value your opinion very much. Just trying to value the dollar, too!@Joanne, thank you for that thorough review. I am an admitted Apple fan (fanatic might be more appropriate), and I admit the word “blackberry” sends me running b/c of DH’s dinosaur phone that is laughable truly. But he doesn’t use it for web surfing, so it works for him. The roller ball … seriously? But anyway, I am really thinking I need to seriously consider this playbook.
I found this video and thought Misty might want to watch it too.
BTW, it makes me batty that Apple won’t get to some sort of agreement with Adobe for flash content. **GRRR**
My answer might surprise you. 🙂 I have had an IPAD 2 for over a year. I bought it for schooling purposes. Over a month ago my mom bought each of my children a Kindle Fire HD because they had trouble with their Kindle Keyboards. The kids absolutley love their Fires and have not missed the IPAD one bit. I truthfully can’t say that my $500 IPAD is any better than the Fire HD. Yes, it’s a bigger screen but that’s really it.
If you don’t plan to spend a lot of money to add fancy APPs, I don’t personally see what’s so great about the IPAD. I still use my laptop for record keeping and typing long messages or notes. If you don’t buy the bluetooth keyboard, you won’t prefer typing on the IPAD. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that hard but it’s not any better than the Fire when it comes to typing. Also, I haven’t used any special APP that I couldn’t have found on the kid’s Fires.
One other thought, the price of the IPAD is so high and all the accessories are so high, so you may find that you aren’t too keen on the kids (or yourself) carrying it around to random places where it could be broken, stolen, or lost. It’s too valuable to take just anywhere. The Kindle Fire is $200, which is still a big chunk of money, so I do limit where they can take it, just not as much as the IPAD.
For the description of what you want to do, I couldn’t justify the $500, and, again, I’ve used my IPAD for over a year. I’m not sold on it to this day. At the time that I bought it, it was the best option for tablets. Now, seeing the Kindle Fire HD and the Nexus 7 (I homeschool two other children that both have that), I see that it would work just as well. Especially for reading, movies, and games.
That’s my 2cents, for what it’s worth.
My parents are wanting to purchase a tablet (or tablets) for our family for Christmas. Because I do most of my record keeping and schooling using my Macbook, the general consensus amongst friends and family and “techies” we’ve talked to seems to be that I should stick with an ipad. Something about syncing them being easier. I know next to nothing about computers and am not necessarily in love with my ipad, so like Misty, I am wondering whether the extra money is worth it. We could get two Samsungs of Playbooks, rather than one ipad! Are there any Mac users out there that own something other than an ipad and either wish they had the ipad or don’t think it’s an issue?
dz – I think I hear you. I don’t want to run my life on the tablet. I like my laptop for documents.
I really only want the tablet for reading, movies and games when we are out and about. Or to check emails on something bigger than my phone. So I am wondering about downsizing. I might have to go to Wal-Mart and Office Max (the only 2 places that sell tablets by me) and do some more searching and understanding. Thanks everyone.
BTW, it makes me batty that Apple won’t get to some sort of agreement with Adobe for flash content. **GRRR**
There’s good reason for it. Flash is a processor and memory hog so it just doesn’t run well on smaller devices. Apple and other companies worked with Adobe but they never could get it to not stutter or drain your battery. On desktop (and laptop) computers, Flash has proven insecure and has been the number one way malware (viruses and such) has gotten into PCs for the last couple years.
The Internet has pretty much moved on to newer and better technologies (minus a few holdouts that haven’t updated yet) and Adobe themselves discontinued Flash for mobile devices about a year ago. They’re focusing their efforts on the newer technologies and Flash will eventually go away for desktop and laptop computers too. (I’ve already removed it from mine.)
Are there any Mac users out there that own something other than an ipad and either wish they had the ipad or don’t think it’s an issue?
As I mentioned before, I have a whole pile of devices I work with. Your question brings out a very good point. In some ways, you are not just buying into a device, but also into an ecosystem. If you have other devices then it may be important to you to have them work together. In the case of a Mac, there is just nothing that works as well beside it as iOS devices. Everything stays in sync automatically and they all work together very smoothly and wirelessly. For example, if I take a photo with my iPhone it can show up on my Mac, iPad, and Apple TV. If I add a friend’s contact information on my Mac, it shows up on my phone too. I don’t even have to think about it. And if I want to share something on one of my devices with the whole family I can AirPlay it to the Apple TV and show it on the big screen.
Also, if you have multiple iOS devices you can share apps and books you purchase with up to five of them at no additional cost. Movies and music can also be shared among those devices along with multiple Mac desktop and laptop computers.
In the same way, if you already have an Android phone or tablet you get some features for sharing among them that may be an advantage.
And if you like the Kindle ecosystem it can deliver your books and other content to all of your Kindle devices. Actually, since Amazon offers the Kindle app for many platforms, it will keep your content in sync with iPads, iPhones, and Android devices too.
From my previous posts you all know I’m a fan of the iPad. It has the smoothest working and most consistent interface. It also has the largest library of apps available. Those things are important to me but I know they may not be important to everyone.
I understand price constraints and specific needs so I generally recommend deciding what you need a device to accomplish and then buy something to meet those needs.
For example, if you only want a device for reading books, then take a look at the black and white Kindle. They’re wonderful devices built specifically for that purpose. They’re small, lightweight, have great battery life, and are fairly inexpensive.
If you want something as a full computer alternative then you probably want to go with a higher end device that is fast and has a large screen. You would be using that device frequently so speed and smoothness of operation may be really important. (BTW, Karen uses her iPad as her primary computer and wrote the Jack’s Insects Narration & Nature Study Notebook on it.)
You may know that you only want to watch movies and play Angry Birds. If you know you wouldn’t take full advantage of a more capable device then save your money and get something designed for that like the Kindle HD.
Or you may be like me and insist on a screen large enough to comfortably view an entire 8.5″ x 11″ PDF page without scrolling or zooming. That means a 9.7″ or larger screen device so the type (or sheet music) will not be too small.
Some people might say price is the most important feature. I get that. But I might argue that it’s a recipe for disappointment if you don’t define your needs first. I also realize that can be difficult to fully define until you own a device and see all that it can do.
When you shop on price alone you don’t take into consideration that these devices are different and don’t compare with each other directly. For example, yes I can get two of such and such for the price of one iPad. Sure, but the screen may be smaller and lower resolution, the processor may run slower, it may have less storage space, it may not be as sturdy, it has different apps available, and the software works differently. Only you can say how important some of those things are for your needs.
Your best course is to do your research, go to stores that will let you try working devices, and ask friends to let you try things on the devices they own.
Doug – Thanks for that wonderful information. I believe I will be keeping my iPad. I know I would never spend that on me again. As for the kids – I might look at something smaller for next years Christmas gift, once (as you said) I have mine and know what I want them to have and what I don’t want them to have. Thanks for that information and taking the time to do it.
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