Help me find a decent, cheap Android tablet for my kids.
May 20, 2013 3:47 PM Subscribe
I can never use my tablet because the kids are always on it. Where can I buy a budget Android tablet that my kids can use for games and videos.
I want something cheap enough that if it gets dropped, spilled on, stepped on, etc, I won't worry too much about it. I've seen some pretty good Chinese tablets. If you were buying a cheap Android tablet that will still play games and videos for kids, what would you buy. I can change language settings, but I'd rather not have to root it. Any form factor is OK, but something 8"+ would be ideal. I know that some sellers of these items are sketchy, and I need it before we leave for vacation soon, so if possible I prefer to buy through a seller I can trust: Ebay, Amazon, NewEgg, TigerDirect, etc. Thanks in advance for your wisdom.
I want something cheap enough that if it gets dropped, spilled on, stepped on, etc, I won't worry too much about it. I've seen some pretty good Chinese tablets. If you were buying a cheap Android tablet that will still play games and videos for kids, what would you buy. I can change language settings, but I'd rather not have to root it. Any form factor is OK, but something 8"+ would be ideal. I know that some sellers of these items are sketchy, and I need it before we leave for vacation soon, so if possible I prefer to buy through a seller I can trust: Ebay, Amazon, NewEgg, TigerDirect, etc. Thanks in advance for your wisdom.
I would buy myself a new one and pass the old to my kids. You may find accidental damage insurance ca be obtained for a modest cost.
posted by BenPens at 4:00 PM on May 20, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by BenPens at 4:00 PM on May 20, 2013 [5 favorites]
I have a Nexus 7 and I really like it. Price-point is quite good and the specs are more than adequate for the things that you mention. My wife has a 7" Kindle Fire, and she loves it. Amazon also makes an 8" version, I believe. The Kindle is quite adequate for when the kids want to watch a video or play some games, also.
posted by SpacemanStix at 4:02 PM on May 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by SpacemanStix at 4:02 PM on May 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
Many of those cheap tablets have terrible, terrible performance even if they have reasonable specs on paper.
Cannot overstate the importance of this fact.
My Mom's Nexus works like a dream, though. No lag. Just works.
posted by General Tonic at 4:07 PM on May 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
Cannot overstate the importance of this fact.
My Mom's Nexus works like a dream, though. No lag. Just works.
posted by General Tonic at 4:07 PM on May 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
I bought my girls (ages 10 & 7) each an UltraTab Jazz C725 7" Tablet a few days ago from Office Depot for $99 each. They have really been enjoying them and we haven't had any problems yet.
http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/610999/UltraTab-Jazz-C725-7-Tablet/
posted by myselfasme at 4:36 PM on May 20, 2013
http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/610999/UltraTab-Jazz-C725-7-Tablet/
posted by myselfasme at 4:36 PM on May 20, 2013
How about a Kindle Fire HD?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:38 PM on May 20, 2013
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:38 PM on May 20, 2013
If you want something that's bigger than 7", how about a Nook HD+? Barnes and Noble recently opened it up so you can access all of the apps available on any other Android tablet (and even share them with your current Android tablet, if you log in with the same account on both). Or you can also get the Kindle Fire HD 8.9", if you're OK with just the apps available on the Kindle store or want something that's more likely to be supported going forward.
posted by EatenByAGrue at 5:10 PM on May 20, 2013
posted by EatenByAGrue at 5:10 PM on May 20, 2013
Nexus 7 is the way to go, in my opinion. It gets used more than our iPad.
posted by Nickel Pickle at 5:46 PM on May 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Nickel Pickle at 5:46 PM on May 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, nthing a Nexus 7.
I like it a lot. Although, it's a year old now, more or less, so there should be an upgrade coming down the pipe at some point soon.
And then mayhap you can get an "original" Nexus 7 for even cheaper!
posted by kbanas at 7:13 PM on May 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
I like it a lot. Although, it's a year old now, more or less, so there should be an upgrade coming down the pipe at some point soon.
And then mayhap you can get an "original" Nexus 7 for even cheaper!
posted by kbanas at 7:13 PM on May 20, 2013 [1 favorite]
The Nexus 7 is a great little tablet, but I've heard quite a number of things saying it's somewhat more fragile than others that use actual Gorilla Glass. It may do better with a good screen protector and a solid case. I mean, mine has held up great with just a halfway decent case on it, but I'm a grown-up.
posted by Sequence at 7:38 PM on May 20, 2013
posted by Sequence at 7:38 PM on May 20, 2013
Buy them a used iPad. Name one solid android-native game and maybe you can do otherwise.
posted by oceanjesse at 8:04 PM on May 20, 2013
posted by oceanjesse at 8:04 PM on May 20, 2013
I had a Nexus 7 I left on the roof off my car accidently, fall off while I was going 30 miles an hour and I found it in the gutter 2 hours later. It's cheap case was trashed but except for a small chip in one corner it was fine and started right up,those babies are tough.
posted by wwax at 8:47 PM on May 20, 2013
posted by wwax at 8:47 PM on May 20, 2013
Boringly nthing Nexus 7. It will not annoy you. Or them.
posted by holgate at 9:50 PM on May 20, 2013
posted by holgate at 9:50 PM on May 20, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by GuyZero at 3:49 PM on May 20, 2013 [8 favorites]