- Feb 14, 2004
- 49,292
- 5,839
- 136
Product page:
http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/mobile-devices/tablets/tablets/SM-T2105GYABTU
Engadget: (has pics)
http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/06/samsung-galaxy-tab-3-kids-hands-on/
In a nutshell:
1. It's a 7" Galaxy Tab 3 tablet
2. With a thick bumper case
3. And a special kid-friendly interface
I actually got this for my toddler for Christmas this past year, but forgot to throw up a quick review. I wanted to get my kiddo a learning tablet that could also do stuff like movies; Android seemed like the most logical choice. The Vtech & Leappads have not fared well long-term in friends & family's homes & I didn't really like my hands-on with the Nabi, but I also didn't want to spend $400 on an iPad Mini. This starts at $200 new online right now, although I think the regular "4" tablet is out, so they're getting a bit hard to find new now.
My goal was to find something versatile so my son would quit mooching our iPhones, especially since sometimes they get chucked, spilled on, chewed on, etc. Initially I was thinking something like a cheap Android tablet with an Otterbox or something else heavy-duty, but then I ran across Samsung's Tab for Kids line. They have two versions - a basic one with an orange rubbery bumper, and a heavier-duty one that has a yellow rubbery bumper, a blue carry handle, and a jumbo, marker-sized blue stylus (like a giant crayon for kid's small fingers):
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy...dp/B00G1YTI4I/
So at the core, it's just a 7" Galaxy Tab 3 tablet. It's not super fast (dual-core 1.2ghz), but the battery life is pretty good (4000-mAh battery/) & it's fine for a toddler to use. Running an old 4.1.2 Jellybean version of Android, but that's fine. The kid's software interface is basically a full-screen overlay (not quite sure if it's a full shell replacement for the GUI or not) and can launch different apps that you choose. It comes loaded with maybe 5 gigs worth of stuff, leaving 3 gigs or so leftover to add apps & files to. You can add apps to the homepage & apps list, such as Netflix. There's a zillion kid's games, educational apps, media player apps, and so on. The bubble wrap popping app is a favorite.
The bumper case is fantastic. It wraps around the outside; we've made it 5 months without cracking the screen, which is a record for us. The handle is nice not only for carrying, but also for propping it up, especially if you're on an airplane or something - you can flip the handle back & lay it low, or flip it back & sit it upright. The jumbo stylus is also great for drawing & stuff, and is tethered to the handle & has a slot to slide it back in for storage. Very well-thought-out system.
One HUGE feature for me was the ability to use MX Player Pro (basically like VLC for Android). The big key with that is the software "Lock" button, which prevents accidental inputs on the screen (i.e. kid's poking around & exiting the movie, which was VERY frustrating on iOS devices when they're in the backseat of the car & lose the show). It also blocks access to the Menu, Home, and Back buttons. It does let you adjust sound & power it off (haven't figured out a way to block those), but they're covered by the rubbery bumper, so you have to give them a solid push to get the to activate, which means they're pretty safe from accidental touches. To me, this combination makes the tablet totally worth it. The ad-free version of the video player is under six bucks:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxtech.videoplayer.pro
There's not much free space on it, so if you're going to add a lot of your own content (like if you're watching movies on the road without a good streaming Internet connection), then you'll probably want to add some space. It accepts up to a 32gb MicroSD card, which is also hidden under the bumper so kids can't mess with it. I use Handbrake to convert my movies to a smaller size. I also don't bother ever plugging it in to anything other than the wallwart to charge; I just use WiFi File Transfer Pro (no transfer size limitations):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smarterdroid.wififiletransferpro
It's a couple bucks & lets you wireless transfer files to the tablet. I can transcode a movie into a smaller format using Handbrake & then beam it over to the tablet within just a few minutes, SUPER easy. The wireless transfer app basically lets you upload files from your computer via a webpage, so it's no hassle to get stuff on there - no plugging it in & navigating the file structure, or finding the SD adapter & the SD card reader, etc. Also, there's tons of kid's apps & list of kid's apps for all ages, here's a few to get you started:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/category/GAME_FAMILY/collection/topselling_free
http://android.appstorm.net/roundups/entertainment/android-apps-to-keep-your-toddler-busy/
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2013/sep/11/best-android-apps-for-kids-2013
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/10/best-android-apps-for-kids-2014
There's also plenty of toddler's books, interactive reading, flash cards, etc. It's a great babysitter when you're making dinner, in the car, on an airplane, or if the kiddo starts freaking out in a restaurant or something. Fire up Angry Birds & you're all set! Haha. Anyway, I like it - for nearly half the price of an iPad Mini, it's a great deal. Plus kids can grow with it, and eventually take the kid's GUI off & just use it as a regular tablet.
You could also roll your own with a heavy-duty case like an Otterbox & some protective software, such as AppLock (lets you lock individual apps) or SureLock Kiosk (not cheap at $50, but lets you lock out the ENTIRE system & only put the apps you want on it). There's some nice 7" tablets (kid-friendly size & weight) such as the EVGA Tegra Note 7 for about the same price ($199) that offer a lot better performance, although you don't get the nice built-in kid's GUI or bumper/handle/stylus carry case (but you can do most of that aftermarket anyway).
http://www.samsung.com/uk/consumer/mobile-devices/tablets/tablets/SM-T2105GYABTU
Engadget: (has pics)
http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/06/samsung-galaxy-tab-3-kids-hands-on/
In a nutshell:
1. It's a 7" Galaxy Tab 3 tablet
2. With a thick bumper case
3. And a special kid-friendly interface
I actually got this for my toddler for Christmas this past year, but forgot to throw up a quick review. I wanted to get my kiddo a learning tablet that could also do stuff like movies; Android seemed like the most logical choice. The Vtech & Leappads have not fared well long-term in friends & family's homes & I didn't really like my hands-on with the Nabi, but I also didn't want to spend $400 on an iPad Mini. This starts at $200 new online right now, although I think the regular "4" tablet is out, so they're getting a bit hard to find new now.
My goal was to find something versatile so my son would quit mooching our iPhones, especially since sometimes they get chucked, spilled on, chewed on, etc. Initially I was thinking something like a cheap Android tablet with an Otterbox or something else heavy-duty, but then I ran across Samsung's Tab for Kids line. They have two versions - a basic one with an orange rubbery bumper, and a heavier-duty one that has a yellow rubbery bumper, a blue carry handle, and a jumbo, marker-sized blue stylus (like a giant crayon for kid's small fingers):
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy...dp/B00G1YTI4I/
So at the core, it's just a 7" Galaxy Tab 3 tablet. It's not super fast (dual-core 1.2ghz), but the battery life is pretty good (4000-mAh battery/) & it's fine for a toddler to use. Running an old 4.1.2 Jellybean version of Android, but that's fine. The kid's software interface is basically a full-screen overlay (not quite sure if it's a full shell replacement for the GUI or not) and can launch different apps that you choose. It comes loaded with maybe 5 gigs worth of stuff, leaving 3 gigs or so leftover to add apps & files to. You can add apps to the homepage & apps list, such as Netflix. There's a zillion kid's games, educational apps, media player apps, and so on. The bubble wrap popping app is a favorite.
The bumper case is fantastic. It wraps around the outside; we've made it 5 months without cracking the screen, which is a record for us. The handle is nice not only for carrying, but also for propping it up, especially if you're on an airplane or something - you can flip the handle back & lay it low, or flip it back & sit it upright. The jumbo stylus is also great for drawing & stuff, and is tethered to the handle & has a slot to slide it back in for storage. Very well-thought-out system.
One HUGE feature for me was the ability to use MX Player Pro (basically like VLC for Android). The big key with that is the software "Lock" button, which prevents accidental inputs on the screen (i.e. kid's poking around & exiting the movie, which was VERY frustrating on iOS devices when they're in the backseat of the car & lose the show). It also blocks access to the Menu, Home, and Back buttons. It does let you adjust sound & power it off (haven't figured out a way to block those), but they're covered by the rubbery bumper, so you have to give them a solid push to get the to activate, which means they're pretty safe from accidental touches. To me, this combination makes the tablet totally worth it. The ad-free version of the video player is under six bucks:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxtech.videoplayer.pro
There's not much free space on it, so if you're going to add a lot of your own content (like if you're watching movies on the road without a good streaming Internet connection), then you'll probably want to add some space. It accepts up to a 32gb MicroSD card, which is also hidden under the bumper so kids can't mess with it. I use Handbrake to convert my movies to a smaller size. I also don't bother ever plugging it in to anything other than the wallwart to charge; I just use WiFi File Transfer Pro (no transfer size limitations):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smarterdroid.wififiletransferpro
It's a couple bucks & lets you wireless transfer files to the tablet. I can transcode a movie into a smaller format using Handbrake & then beam it over to the tablet within just a few minutes, SUPER easy. The wireless transfer app basically lets you upload files from your computer via a webpage, so it's no hassle to get stuff on there - no plugging it in & navigating the file structure, or finding the SD adapter & the SD card reader, etc. Also, there's tons of kid's apps & list of kid's apps for all ages, here's a few to get you started:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/category/GAME_FAMILY/collection/topselling_free
http://android.appstorm.net/roundups/entertainment/android-apps-to-keep-your-toddler-busy/
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2013/sep/11/best-android-apps-for-kids-2013
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/10/best-android-apps-for-kids-2014
There's also plenty of toddler's books, interactive reading, flash cards, etc. It's a great babysitter when you're making dinner, in the car, on an airplane, or if the kiddo starts freaking out in a restaurant or something. Fire up Angry Birds & you're all set! Haha. Anyway, I like it - for nearly half the price of an iPad Mini, it's a great deal. Plus kids can grow with it, and eventually take the kid's GUI off & just use it as a regular tablet.
You could also roll your own with a heavy-duty case like an Otterbox & some protective software, such as AppLock (lets you lock individual apps) or SureLock Kiosk (not cheap at $50, but lets you lock out the ENTIRE system & only put the apps you want on it). There's some nice 7" tablets (kid-friendly size & weight) such as the EVGA Tegra Note 7 for about the same price ($199) that offer a lot better performance, although you don't get the nice built-in kid's GUI or bumper/handle/stylus carry case (but you can do most of that aftermarket anyway).