Tablets What's best for my 7 year old

[mrskullfreak]

Looking for a tablet for my daughter mainly she will be playing learning games.
Is ipad mini better then a nexus 7 for this kind of use?
I don't use android at all so not sure what it offers.
The only down side I know of iis no iTunes on android.

 

[viskon]

Looking for a tablet for my daughter mainly she will be playing learning games.
Is ipad mini better then a nexus 7 for this kind of use?
I don't use android at all so not sure what it offers.
The only down side I know of is no iTunes on android.

As far as learning games go, I would go with iOS . My personal opinion is that the Appstore had better and varied kids games.

On the other hand, for less than a third of the price of an iPad mini, you can find a used Nook Color . It is very easy to modify into a full fledged Android tablet to play kids games on.

Edit: Barnes and Nobles has the refurbished Nook Color for $99 on their website.

 

[ReanimationN]

Apple's App Store has way more games than the Android Play Store, if you want games, go for an iPad. Or, as an alternative, you could get a Windows 8 tablet with an Intel processor and have the option of installing Windows desktop learning games that your daughter could use with a mouse and keyboard, and then also have the option of using tablet specific learning games as they're released in the Windows Store. There's a stack of educational software for Windows, although if you already have a decent PC that she's allowed to use that's probably a less attractive option.

 

[Timechaser]

We have apple computers, iPhones, iPods, iPads and Apple TV's in our home so for us it was a easy choice to get our 8 yr old son a iPad 2. It cost a little more money but we all ready have so many games and movies purchased from Apple that he can enjoy on the iPad and not to mention a bunch of DVD digital copies that he can load or stream from iTunes through the home sharing option on our iMac.

Now here is my delima - my son cant decide if he wants the new iPod touch or a Nexus 7 for Xmas - actually he wants a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 because of some games he has discovered on his dad's SGN2 but that is totaly out of the question - the thing is he really prefers the larger screen of the SGN2 more than his older iPod touch for playing games.

And even though the new iPod is 1/2 inch larger it still is a lot smaller than a SGN2 or a Nexus 7 and I'm not going to even toss in the iPad mini as a option because Apple sort of erked me with this "New iPad" coming out just months after introducing the "not so new any more" "New Ipad" aka iPad 3.

I would be upset when Apple turned around in 6 months and released a new and greatly improved iPad mini with the retina display, processor and ram this one should of had.

 

[doomfront]

We have apple computers, iPhones, iPods, iPads and Apple TV's in our home so for us it was a easy choice to get our 8 yr old son a iPad 2. It cost a little more money but we all ready have so many games and movies purchased from Apple that he can enjoy on the iPad and not to mention a bunch of DVD digital copies that he can load or stream from iTunes through the home sharing option on our iMac.

Now here is my delima - my son cant decide if he wants the new iPod touch or a Nexus 7 for Xmas - actually he wants a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 because of some games he has discovered on his dad's SGN2 but that is totaly out of the question - the thing is he really prefers the larger screen of the SGN2 more than his older iPod touch for playing games.

And even though the new iPod is 1/2 inch larger it still is a lot smaller than a SGN2 or a Nexus 7 and I'm not going to even toss in the iPad mini as a option because Apple sort of erked me with this "New iPad" coming out just months after introducing the "not so new any more" "New Ipad" aka iPad 3.

I would be upset when Apple turned around in 6 months and released a new and greatly improved iPad mini with the retina display, processor and ram this one should of had.

Sounds like you should get the Nexus 7 then. The 16GB is pretty cheap too

 

[Timechaser]

You may be right doomfront - I'm leaning toward the Nexus 7 - $100 less than the new iPod Touch, less storage, but it seems like it would handle some of the gaming action he likes better than the new iPod Touch will.

I'm going to have to do a little more research on the Nexus 7 but at this point it may just be the best option for my son - since there is no way he is getting a SGN2 at his age.

 

[Mrg02d]

A basketball and outside time.

 

[Rodster]

If what you know is iOS and have money invested in the ecosystem then I also vote for the iPad. OTOH the Nexus 7 is a ridiculous deal and Android is pretty straight forward for anyone today.

 

[jsw]

As the parent of a 7 year old girl, and as someone who has a reasonable stable of iDevices as well as a Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD, and Kindle Fire (edit: all of which the 7 year old has played with), I'd say it depends significantly on how much you want to invest and what the usage will be like.

I think the iPad mini is ridiculously overpriced compared to the competition, but in terms of games, it has a much better variety, and it likely always will. Games will fit onto 16GB, no problem. And you'll never think the iPad mini is low-quality.

On the other hand, for movies and shows (which, despite the initial desire to put learning games on it, will creep onto any device), the ability to get 32GB on a Nexus 7 for $250 along with the trivially easy rooting-and-using-a-USB-OTG-cable-to-add-infinite-storage-capability option, it's hard to argue against the 7. Also the GPS and offline maps might amuse her during trips.

So, from a media standpoint, I think the Nexus 7 wins. There are also most of the popular kid's games on it as well, and the percentage of kid's games on it is growing.

The Kindle Fire options are both decent, but they have fewer games than the iPad mini or the Nexus 7. The Fire HD does have vastly better sound than the other options, though. If she'll watch a lot of movies, it's worth considering.

The Kingston Wi Drive will add 32GB of media wirelessly to any of the devices for $70, so keep that in mind as an option as well.

If it were me, I'd spend $220 on a 16GB Nexus 7 and cheap case (kids drop things), but I couldn't fault you for any other option. They all have plusses and minuses, and none of them are truly bad options for kids, and all of them are kid-friendly.

Note that the Nexus 7 will soon support multiple users, and the Fires already do, so that's a selling point until iOS adds the capability.

 

[blackhand1001]

Nexus 7. Its an excellent product and the 16 GB is now only 199. I love mine. There's tons of games for it.

 

[Rodster]

the ability to get 32GB on a Nexus 7 for $250 along with the trivially easy rooting-and-using-a-USB-OTG-cable-to-add-infinite-storage-capability option, it's hard to argue against the 7.

Have a link?

 

[cynics]

I just went through both app stores under education and there are an infinite amount of apps in either. I don't know if there is any particularly good learning app but there are ton of free and paid apps on both platforms....

You can look at the Google play via the web to check it out.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/category/EDUCATION?feature=category-nav

 

[Rodster]

I just went through both app stores under education and there are an infinite amount of apps in either. I don't know if there is any particularly good learning app but there are ton of free and paid apps on both platforms....

You can look at the Google play via the web to check it out.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/category/EDUCATION?feature=category-nav

Google claims they hit 700K apps.

 

[Mr Rogers]

No Brainer - Get A Refurbished iPad 3

My daughters 5 and has been on iOS devices for two years, started off on iPod Touch 64G and upgraded to iPad 3 in June as 'Retina' display was appealing to me - never liked pixelated displays on iPad 1+2.

Whilst I'm annoyed that Apple upgraded the iPad only a few months after I purchased mine, given the hash its made of the iPad Mini, the refurbished iPad 3 for a few bucks more stands head and shoulders above the iPad Mini.

Not knocking the Nexus 7 though, a good price point and 32G storage just about cuts it - I also adore the iPod Touch, but its price point is now just too high - I can get a N7 3G for less money.

As far as Apps are concerned - I've yet to make my move to any Android device, but Edu Apps on the iPad are presently the benchmark to beat.

So, in tearms of utility, ease of use and selection of Edu. Apps go iPad 3 - you'll have one happy kid - also do Jailbreak, then you have the best of both a Android and iOS experience.

Hope this helps.