Nook HD for 10 year old, root it? What case is good? Which 32GB SD?

[alkemyst]

They were set on a iPad Mini, but they have issue with the app store on their iPhone vs the games their IBM Thinkpad. Plus they like cartoons/movies.

Now that they other play@google, it's a great match.

I heard the new Nook HD/HD+ are less restrictive and closer to a true Android OS. I haven't had any seat time in front of one and I can't find one on display here.

Should I anticipate going to Cyanogenmod? I am not thrilled that one of the problems is crashing when waking up from sleep with wifi enabled. I really want stable devices for my family members as I am the one that has to support them.

It seems a steal at under $175 with maxing out memory with an SD card and picking up a nice case.

Also if anyone has a case recommendation that would be cool. The otterbox looks like the 'safest' but it's clunky. I am thinking about one of the folding types that acts as a stand as well.

Also does SD type make a difference? I know faster would let him download from his laptop quicker, but what limits does the actual Nook have? I have SD's laying around here already.

Thanks

 

[desura]

For a little kid, don't bother rooting.

The stock BN android does enough. You can get games on it, most apps, can watch most videos.

 

[Zaap]

They were set on a iPad Mini, but they have issue with the app store on their iPhone vs the games their IBM Thinkpad. Plus they like cartoons/movies.

Now that they other play@google, it's a great match.

Sorry, could you clarify? I don't quite understand how the above things relate to each other. I'd encourage you to be certain you really want an Android device vs. iPad.

I heard the new Nook HD/HD+ are less restrictive and closer to a true Android OS.

Out of box, not really- they run a highly customized Android unique to B&N. But as said, now there's Play Store access and it's more of a true Android experience.

Should I anticipate going to Cyanogenmod? I am not thrilled that one of the problems is crashing when waking up from sleep with wifi enabled. I really want stable devices for my family members as I am the one that has to support them.

I have had no trouble at all with Cyanogenmod on my Nook HD+ and never even heard of the sleep/wifi problem. It's completely stable. The only problem I've had is desktop wallpapers sometimes aren't sized correctly. This said...

...although I've had no trouble with it, I'd only advice ROM'ing if you very carefully follow all the instructions for it on xda. Since you're giving it to a 10 year old, I agree with previous poster- just leave the stock OS and you'll have no problems.

Also does SD type make a difference? I know faster would let him download from his laptop quicker, but what limits does the actual Nook have? I have SD's laying around here already.

I've used both SanDisk class 10 and class 4 cards on mine. Some on xda were saying that the class 4 cards are actually faster for certain technical reasons. So I've tried both- haven't been able to detect a bit of difference as far as the tablet's performance with either card. I would recommend SanDisk cards though.

The HD+ is an excellent table for what it is. It's not the latest/greatest by any means, but the screen is excellent (perfect for movies) and it's fast enough for most people's use, certainly more than good enough fror your kids.

 

[alkemyst]

Sorry, could you clarify? I don't quite understand how the above things relate to each other. I'd encourage you to be certain you really want an Android device vs. iPad.

It's not for me. If me, I'd take the iPad. I have a PC, iPhone, and MBP though. The two latter choices are how I connect to the net mostly.

My child loves his Thinkpad (my mint T60 with T7200, 4GB, Windows 7 32 bit, ATI X1400, XVGA+ 14.1, UltraNav, fingerprint login, Bluetooth and wireless N). He like minecraft, facebook games, and some other PC freebies online that his iPhone can't download. He is not apple-centric at all. He liked the iPad Mini because the sales person handed him one when I was setting up his iPhone in the store.

Out of box, not really- they run a highly customized Android unique to B&N. But as said, now there's Play Store access and it's more of a true Android experience.

That's my stumbling block. When I picked up my 2nd Gen iPad that is now gone I was hot in the tablet market (now my iPhone 5 does what I need to do since I have to carry my MBP almost 24/7 anyway). The 10 year old will have his iPhone 4s, an older laptop and whatever tablet when he is not in school so pretty much 24/7 too.

I have been trying to find more details on how B&N released their reins on the OS and where it stands between B&N prior to Google Play and Android 4.x esp 4.3

I have had no trouble at all with Cyanogenmod on my Nook HD+ and never even heard of the sleep/wifi problem. It's completely stable. The only problem I've had is desktop wallpapers sometimes aren't sized correctly. This said...

Thanks, sometimes the release note issues are only limited. It'd be nice if they broke them down to a per device type level.

...although I've had no trouble with it, I'd only advice ROM'ing if you very carefully follow all the instructions for it on xda. Since you're giving it to a 10 year old, I agree with previous poster- just leave the stock OS and you'll have no problems.

I'd do the ROM not the 10 year old. I already have read xda. I sort of want to expand his horizons at the same time though and not lock him into a limited device.

He is 10, he is doing really well with this technology. He builds in minecraft all the time pretty cool stuff. I had an Apple //e in the way early 80's that set the stage for the Network Engineer I became. He dropped his laptop once within the first couple weeks that killed HDD and 6 months later has never let that happen. He felt really really bad when he killed that drive.



I've used both SanDisk class 10 and class 4 cards on mine. Some on xda were saying that the class 4 cards are actually faster for certain technical reasons. So I've tried both- haven't been able to detect a bit of difference as far as the tablet's performance with either card. I would recommend SanDisk cards though.

The HD+ is an excellent table for what it is. It's not the latest/greatest by any means, but the screen is excellent (perfect for movies) and it's fast enough for most people's use, certainly more than good enough fror your kids.[/QUOTE]

 

[desura]

The difference between a 4 and a 10 is that...

the class 4 will have faster random access. The 10 will have faster sustained thoroughput.

So if you have apps installed on the sd card, get a 4 so it will be more responsive. If you want to transfer videos onto it (like me) get a 10 so you don't have to wait around while it transfers.

but...transferring files onto the sd card of the nook is a little buggy last I had one. So, I'd actually recommend just picking up the 32gb version and leaving it at that.

 

[alkemyst]

The difference between a 4 and a 10 is that...

the class 4 will have faster random access. The 10 will have faster sustained thoroughput.

So if you have apps installed on the sd card, get a 4 so it will be more responsive. If you want to transfer videos onto it (like me) get a 10 so you don't have to wait around while it transfers.

but...transferring files onto the sd card of the nook is a little buggy last I had one. So, I'd actually recommend just picking up the 32gb version and leaving it at that.

Well outside of a possible root, I am thinking he will be fine with the max 16GB the HD offers (I am not buying an HD+ because he likes the smaller tablet).