Galaxy Tab for Kids - mini review

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
49,292
5,839
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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).
 

Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
7,162
424
126
Nice review, Kaido!

I'll have to check out some of the links. At first I swore up and down that my toddler wasn't going to have any access to electronic devices. That held pretty firm until a few months after he turned 2. (Tablet was an invaluable aid during potty training... he would sit still to look at his tablet (an old Nook Tablet) and subsequently use the bathroom, whereas before he'd lose interest with the potty before taking care of business.)


Now (he's 3) and has my old Nook HD+. We let him use it for about 30 mins at a time, but not every day. He already knows the basics like how to launch his toddler apps from links on the desktop. (Just plain ol' Nova Launcher). It amazes me how fast kids pick things up.

So far the stuff I like most (and my son) are the interactive books like the ones made by Fox and Sheep (excellent stuff) and Ocean House Media. And interactive learning apps as well. And of course on long plane flights (Europe twice now and several times across the US) we allow him to watch kids movies to keep him occupied. We're trying hard not to fall into the trap of using these things as a babysitter though. So far, not having made too much of a big deal over it, its just another thing to him and he has no problem putting it down and moving on to something else.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
49,292
5,839
136
Yeah, screen time is a difficult question. I fought it for a long time, but he gets so much enjoyment out of digital devices, it's hard to completely avoid it. My kiddo actually learned all of his letters watching educational videos on Youtube in the morning when we'd make breakfast, haha. In theory, I'd prefer to almost never use tablets & phones, but in practice, there are times when they are absolutely indispensable.

I hate to use the word "babysitter", but again, there are times when it comes in super handy & can save you from premature gray hairs, haha. It's one of things where you can fight the kid & deal with the screaming, or just realize that they're little and don't have much in the way of self-control, especially if you're in a public place (like on an airplane), and can simply calm them down instantly with their favorite video or a distracting game.

That, and we spent awhile before he was born digitizing absolutely everything - movies, music, photos, etc. It greatly reduces physical clutter in the house, but it also means everything requires a screen to use - TV (Roku & Plex/Pandora), computer, tablet, etc. I wanted to do entirely digital books at first, especially the super-fun interactive ones, but we ended up going with physical books instead, which makes bedtimes a lot calmer. Although I wouldn't say no to a color e-ink reader (no backlight) at some point...

Also, MX Player Pro not only lets you lock the screen & physical menu buttons, but it also plays a variety of movie formats, including FLV. I use the "Video DownloadHelper" plugin in Firefox to snag Youtube & other videos, then beam them over using WiFi File Transfer Pro (which I added as an app to the App List in the kid's interface so I can easily open & transfer without having to login as admin & go to the Android homescreen). Here are some good kid's channels on Youtube to hit up: (depends on the age of your kids tho, older ones may not find them as entertaining)

Coilbook's Shawn the Train

Busy Beavers

Super Simple Songs

Some more listed here. I especially like the jumbo stylus. We still do crayons, painting, etc. but sometimes it's nice to have him be able to draw without making a huge mess. Plus you can save the pictures & email to grandma, which is cool!

Thanks for the book suggestions, haven't tried either of those, just picked a few up! I would have preferred to have gone with an iPad Mini (iOS to match my other devices & super lightweight), but the Samsung was a better choice for us due to the case design (and MX Player's ability to lock the screen & access buttons) & stylus/handle integration. I think there's a pretty big market for it, which is weird that no one is really going after it. With something like a Tegra Note 7, you can keep the tablet for years & kids can grow up with it - games, books, music, movies, and other apps. The Tab 3 is a tad slow, so we'll see how it fares a couple years down the road.