Xmas Dilema

[blotto]

My wife and I have decided to get our kids (4 and 5) tablets this year. Our house is firmly iOS as I have an iPad and an iPod touch, and my wife has an iPad and an iPhone. My kids use our devices very frequently for YouTube and educational games/apps.
My price range maxes out at the cheap end of used iPad 1's and really having a hard time justifying spending that much on what essentially will be toys for small children. My wife thinks that if its not an iPad the kids won't like it or know how to use it, I think that's kind of overboard and if the figured out iOS, they can figure out android.
I'm looking at some of the cheaper 7" Android tabs like the Ideapad 7 or the Ainol Novos. Any one have any input on how usable those may be from an availability of learning apps standpoint or just from pure functionality?

 

[master7045]

YOUR KIDS ARE SPOILED BRATS!!! haha j/k, for reference, my 2.5 year old son has figured out ios (my iphone 4s/wifes iphone 4), my asus tab, my father in-laws kindle fire & my fathers ipad. I don't think you're kids will have that hard of a time with the switch.

That said, there are a few more apps available on ios. The big one I've noticed is the Disney kids app. My son can dial in and watch a few episodes of Jake/Micky, etc on my iphone via the app. On Android, I have to take him to the website and launch the videos from there. Not a huge deal in the grand scheme of life, but now you know.

There are plenty of games on Android, but I can't really say how many vs ios are educational. Also note, I don't think the in-game purchases in Android require a password so your children may add to the credit card bill at the end of the month.. (ask me how I know)

 

[vshah]

the cheapest android tablet you should look at is the 199 nexus 7. anything cheaper than that won't be a good experience.

you can browse the play store and see if you think there are enough educational apps. Here's a link to the educational category:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/category/EDUCATION?feature=category-nav

 

[Tom]

You should check out the Nabi 2. Its gonna be on sale Black Friday at Best Buy for $160 and Walmart for $130.

 

[blotto]

I hadn't seen that Nabi. That looks pretty good. $199 in Canada. Do you know if the BF deals will be online or only in store. I've got a US mailing address so if they're online I could do that.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

lol kids these days....

 

[preslove]

lol kids these days....

srsly.

My niece (9) and nephew (5) both have their parents' old iPhone 3gs's (no phone service) and will be getting a nexus 7 to share for christmas.

 

[blotto]

lol kids these days....

I know but it's the times we live in. When I was 5 or 6 I got a Vic20 for Xmas, it's not really that much different. They're the computers of this generation.

 

[openwheel]

Nexus 7

 

[s44]

Walmart Nabi 2

 

[bigrash]

Love my Nexus 7. But get the iPad Mini if you can.

 

[dagamer34]

For kids, I wouldn't buy any tablet that doesn't support multiple users. So get a Nexus 7 and update to Android 4.2

 

[Geekbabe]

Upgrade your ipad or your wife's, polish, clean & box the old one, buy a sturdy new case & give it to the kids to share.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Upgrade your ipad or your wife's, polish, clean & box the old one, buy a sturdy new case & give it to the kids to share.

This is a great plan and was how my youngest brother always got "new" computer upgrades when he was growing up.

 

[MrX8503]

You already have a lot of iOS devices and your kids are accustomed to it. If education apps or apps in general are important to you, iOS blows android away. Sell your iPad and get a mini.

Apple devices hold their value as well, so you can keep selling/upgrading.

 

[blotto]

Upgrade your ipad or your wife's, polish, clean & box the old one, buy a sturdy new case & give it to the kids to share.

That had crossed my mind but I have the third gen and don't think the four is a big enough upgrade to justify.
I ended up finding a pair of cheap 1st gen iPads, so that's that.

 

[BladeVenom]

If education apps or apps in general are important to you, iOS blows android away.

There are 561,228 apps for Android.

 

[dagamer34]

There are 561,228 apps for Android.

One of the biggest fallacies being perpetrated on the internet is that number of apps correlates with ability to find what you want, and for Android tablet apps, that's simply not true.

 

[MrX8503]

There are 561,228 apps for Android.

None of which holds a candle to Apple's, especially the educational ones.

 

[TuxDave]

One of the biggest fallacies being perpetrated on the internet is that number of apps correlates with ability to find what you want, and for Android tablet apps, that's simply not true.

Back in the day when iOS was quoted to have sooo many apps, the most common response was "yeah but it's all fart apps." I just find it interesting how the argument has flipped by quoting app count as a form of measuring app quality.

 

[BladeVenom]

None of which holds a candle to Apple's, especially the educational ones.

I don't believe you. Have you looked at all 561,228 Android apps?

 

[MrX8503]

I don't believe you. Have you looked at all 561,228 Android apps?

You mean the smartphone blown up tablet apps?

 

[BladeVenom]

Doesn't Android have more free apps? So if cost matters Android is the superior choice.

 

[Muyoso]

If I were you I'd be picking up used 8gb Nexus 7 devices off craigslist which come with the original box. For $150, without haggling at all, you can pick up used 8gb ones that comes with not only the original box, but also a bunch of accessories like cases and screen protectors.

Pick up a couple of these, clean them off, put them back in the original packaging and put a couple pieces of tape on the box and wrap it up.

 

[TuxDave]

Doesn't Android have more free apps? So if cost matters Android is the superior choice.

All the most popular apps are free on both platforms. Most of the time you will be paying nothing. There are mountains of free apps on both sides. The difference is when you look at the paid apps (especially games) and you see the quality difference. I tend to think that android has more free utility apps due to deeper access to the android os to automate random stuff and stuff like keyboards. But if saving money is your priority (ignoring temptation for the really good games) you are fine on either one.