Tablet for an 8th Grader?

**Dolemite** · 10-22-2012, 02:28 PM

So my mom wants to buy her "grandbaby" a tablet for Christmas/Birthday. I'm not sure I'm for this because I don't see much of a practical use for something like that. She already has an old school Kindle which is great because she's a bookworm and it's been well worth it. But all I see her using the tablet for is reading manga, watching anime, and playing games. Am I missing some educational benefit of these items? She'll be in high school next year so are high schools taking advantage of kids access to these things?

Any feedback appreciated.

**OldMama** · 10-22-2012, 06:49 PM

I have a tablet (iPad2). I use it for work and it's been great for that. No need to lug around the laptop. If I didn't work, it would not nearly be so useful. My daughter is a sophomore in high school and I'd rather fork over the extra money for her own laptop. I think you are spot on about what your daughter would do with a tablet.

**phoenix** · 10-23-2012, 08:22 AM

I offered my son (who is 15) my old Nook to read his books, and he would rather have an actual book in his hands. Perhaps he's in the minority of teens. He is always on his computer, though. He has a desktop computer and a laptop. Last year I asked him if he wanted an IPad or a desktop, he wanted the desktop. My son is a gamer, though, so he really has no use for an iPad.
I suspect your child will have different interests than my son, though.

A few of my coworkers have the tablet from (I think?) Samsung, the one with the Android OS. I was looking at one of them...and I liked it. It has a SD card to save data, wifi, and it's a nice size, you can slide it in a purse, or a cargo pocket.

Amazon.com: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7-Inch, Wi-Fi): Computers & Accessories

(ETA) If you are looking for something for school use, though, you want a good laptop. We saw one at Best Buy that looked pretty decent, a google chrome book.

Samsung Chromebook: Hands-On Review - Hardware - Desktops/PCs -

**Scoats** · 10-23-2012, 08:29 AM

I have been very happy with the Asus A500 Android tablet I got last year for Xmas.

**mixiboi** · 10-23-2012, 09:55 AM

Already have a kindle? upgrade to the Kindle Fire HD:

Kindle Fire HD - Most Advanced 7" Tablet - Only $199

I'll let Amazon sell it to you why it is needed for school....

Kindle Education

Both Amazon and Apple are going HARD for the education of America...

**toxigal** · 10-23-2012, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Dolemite

So my mom wants to buy her "grandbaby" a tablet for Christmas/Birthday. I'm not sure I'm for this because I don't see much of a practical use for something like that. She already has an old school Kindle which is great because she's a bookworm and it's been well worth it. But all I see her using the tablet for is reading manga, watching anime, and playing games. Am I missing some educational benefit of these items? She'll be in high school next year so are high schools taking advantage of kids access to these things?

Any feedback appreciated.

i'd go with a netbook. i love mine. it is small, light, has a keyboard and can run all necessary software for word processing and other school/work needs.

**Dolemite** · 10-23-2012, 10:21 AM

Well thanks for all the responses. I don't think it'll be much more than a big toy but if I were to allow this any more thoughts on which way to go? 7" vs 10"? Fire, Nexus, Samsung, Ipad?

TIA

**Dolemite** · 10-23-2012, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by toxigal

i'd go with a netbook. i love mine. it is small, light, has a keyboard and can run all necessary software for word processing and other school/work needs.

I would go straight for a laptop but it's very possible that the high school she'll attend will assign her a laptop so I'm holding off on that for now.

**toxigal** · 10-23-2012, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Dolemite

Well thanks for all the responses. I don't think it'll be much more than a big toy but if I were to allow this any more thoughts on which way to go? 7" vs 10"? Fire, Nexus, Samsung, Ipad?

TIA

if you want to go inexpensive, you could go with a nook color and follow the directions available online to use it as an android tablet. that is what i did and it works fine for me. it was easy (i'm not very computer savy) and runs android from the memory card so it does not affect the nook warranty in any way. you can get a refurbished nook color on the barnes and noble website for $99. or you could go straight for a nook tablet (refurb) for $179.

**Dolemite** · 10-23-2012, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by toxigal

if you want to go inexpensive, you could go with a nook color and follow the directions available online to use it as an android tablet. that is what i did and it works fine for me. it was easy (i'm not very computer savy) and runs android from the memory card so it does not affect the nook warranty in any way. you can get a refurbished nook color on the barnes and noble website for $99. or you could go straight for a nook tablet (refurb) for $179.

Yeah my coworker did the same thing with a Nook.

Since Grandma is funding this expenditure and has already offered a tablet there's no need to go that route.

**mixiboi** · 10-23-2012, 12:15 PM

Yeah, plus the nook's future isn't that bright...and I hate getting toys that are not supported in two years. Anyway:

iPad
Nexus 7
Kindle HD 7"
Kindle HD 8.9"
Samsung Galaxy Note II

But after the end of this month?

iPad
iPad 7"
Nexus 10
Nexus 7
Kindle Fire HD 7"
Kindle Fire HD 8.9"
Samsung Galaxy Note II
Microsoft Surface

**ShoshTrvls** · 10-23-2012, 02:11 PM

Ellery has a kindle but she doesn't use it. She also prefers paper for reading. She also has access to a netbook, but no interest in using it. Hell, she doesn't even like the desktop PC she has, because she's used to MACs at school (and thus is on my desktop MAC most of the time).

Personally, I would suck it up and get the iPad -- or as of this afternoon, the iPad mini. It has everything -- even all the stuff that Amazon tries to see the Kindle Fire for (e.g., you can now watch anything that Amazon streams on the iPad with its new Amazon Instant app).

**radiocolin** · 10-23-2012, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by ShoshTrvls

because she's used to MACs at school (and thus is on my desktop MAC most of the time).

Mac. Not MAC. It's a name, short for Macintosh, not an abbreviation.

For the OP, just get the iPad mini entry model at $329. The other ones are not even worth bothering with. Developers are still developing first for iOS.

**toxigal** · 10-23-2012, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by mixiboi

Yeah, plus the nook's future isn't that bright...and I hate getting toys that are not supported in two years. Anyway:

iPad
Nexus 7
Kindle HD 7"
Kindle HD 8.9"
Samsung Galaxy Note II

But after the end of this month?

iPad
iPad 7"
Nexus 10
Nexus 7
Kindle Fire HD 7"
Kindle Fire HD 8.9"
Samsung Galaxy Note II
Microsoft Surface

why do you think Nook has a dim future?

**mixiboi** · 10-23-2012, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by toxigal

why do you think Nook has a dim future?

Barnes and Noble isn't doing so hot, being the last of the bookstores...the Nook doing well but its not saving them from their impending doom...

But over all its the 3rd best tablet out there for content...

**Dolemite** · 10-23-2012, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by radiocolin

For the OP, just get the iPad mini entry model at $329. The other ones are not even worth bothering with.

Well the fact that Apple unveiled a 7" tablet means that a lot of people were bothering with the other ones so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them.

**The Count** · 10-23-2012, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Dolemite

Well the fact that Apple unveiled a 7" tablet means that a lot of people were bothering with the other ones so I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss them.

The android mini-tablets weren't that great, they were just sort of there.

The iPad mini just made them all irrelevant.

**Dolemite** · 10-23-2012, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by The Count

The android mini-tablets weren't that great, they were just sort of there.

The iPad mini just made them all irrelevant.

What makes the ipad mini that much better?

**radiocolin** · 10-23-2012, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Dolemite

What makes the ipad mini that much better?

Better apps. Better designers making those apps. Better designed apps coming out for iOS first.

iOS devices are pretty much guaranteed to support the version of the OS they ship with + the next 2 major versions. Android devices you're lucky if you get one.

And just the overall smoothness and experience of the OS. It's much more polished.