Sony reader for kids?

Janette55 · 04-07-2011, 11:57 AM

I'm thinking of getting my grandson (age 10) a sony ereader for Christmas.

Does anyone have or know someone who has a kid with one and is it a good gift?

What type would be best for him? I'm looking for best price, best type for an active kid. He is very smart for his age, tested 1 1/2 years ahead of his age level in most subjects, especially in reading (kid loves to read), but emotionally is a year or more behind.

So, recommendations, opinions, are greatly appreciated

AlbertaCowboy · 04-07-2011, 12:22 PM

My friend's boy is 11, and loves his PRS-300. that having been said, there's a couple of things to consider
I would think it's a great gift, however one must take into account that any e-ink screen is fragile. This is one thing that should be very strongly impressed upon a potential recipient, whether it may be a child or an adult.
Another factor that may be worth considering, is how will he be obtaining his books? I highly doubt that a 10 year old has his own (or access to) a credit card. Nor does the average 10 year old like to read public domain books. Will Mom and Dad have to take care of the purchasing and management of the device? If so, make sure they know the ins and outs of the ebook world, including DRM concerns and geographical restrictions.
Finally, there's the initial cost. If you can find a PRS-300 these days, that's a nice beginner Reader. I would recommend getting an AC adapter for him to be able to charge on his own without having to hook up to the computer.
You might also want to look into a Kobo, which is perhaps a better choice for a 10 year old in my opinion as far as price goes, however I love my Sonys, and would gladly say get him one if the price isn't too steep.
Anything that gets a kid to read these days is a great investment as far as I'm concerned!

Janette55 · 04-07-2011, 01:09 PM

I had thought of that (who pays for the books) when hubby and I discussed getting C an ereader. We would pay for most; this past Christmas we gave some money to help mom buy a big item and asked if they wanted money or some toys, all three asked for books and one toy, we picked up new and used ones.
They will be coming here (six hour drive) for approx 6 weeks this summer ("babysitting", 6 year old, 8 year old and the 10 year old

LOL ) as dad is in Afganistan and my daughter works and the cost of daycare is way, way, too much.
So, will get to see how he reacts to freebies from public domains when he reads the ones I have downloaded for him and the other two, also some from Smashwords. I figure while one is on the Wii and the other is on my computer, one can use my ereader to see how well they like it.

Elfwreck · 04-07-2011, 01:21 PM

Smashwords, feedbooks, and gutenberg all have free ebooks; a 10-year-old may have interest in several of the young adult public domain books.

The biggest issue with giving an ebook reader to a child is impressing on them the fragility of the device. It's not that ereaders are particularly more fragile than other electronics, but one wrong tap can shatter the substrate; they're not designed with much tolerance for being banged around, unlike MP3 players (often designed with athletes in mind; expected to be shoved in a pocket with keys while jogging) or video games.

Decide before you get it what your reaction would be to it getting accidentally broken in a week. (Because even with the best intentions and care, sometimes a person forgets and sits on an ebook reader.) Would you replace it -- once? Not replace it, and leave the kid feeling he'd destroyed his nice present? Make him somehow work of the debt of replacing it?

Janette55 · 04-07-2011, 01:29 PM

Forgot to state on other concerns, they each have a netbook so they understand the care needed for electronics (we helped to buy them for Christmas), so I am hoping he will be responsible with it. I will probably take care of most aspects of downloading books, they will be gifts from hubby and me, so I can take care of the DRM problem

.
When we kept them for Christmas break (two weeks) they had me telling them fairy tales and fables (Aesops, and I had fun remembering them, LOL) and wanted me to read them stories, the "big" ones like Alice in Wonderland, so hopefully they will want to read others. I'm looking forward to reading Black Beauty to them, along with several others (and Papaw will read to them also).

Janette55 · 04-07-2011, 02:02 PM

Elfwreck,

My daughter is pretty strict in some ways in that area. The kids received a M3 player and C decided to out a chip or something and put it in backwards, forcing it. He broke it, basically, and he had to pay for a new one out of the Christmas money he had received (it was a cheap one). Then, he was grounded from it and the Wii for two weeks.

They take better care of their electronic toys than she does of my pback books she borrows, they have been returned with spills, torn covers and ripped pages. I would trust them better, to some extent, than her, LOL. I had been concerned about their treatment as I know they are hard on their toys, but after seeing them with their netbooks, I feel at least somewhat more confident he would be careful.

As for if he breaks it, or lets others break it, then he would be out a ereader; I wouldn't replace it. It would be a learning experience of being responsible of his "toys". An expensive one and that is a factor in buying him one. Between $60 and $80 we would take the chance, but at around the price of $140, that has us being more hesitant.

My main concern is, would he be responsible in other areas? Would he lay it down somewhere and lose it? Or he might let his siblings use it and they not be as careful. That is a worry and so I wanted to find out how other kids take care of theirs.

That is what I am looking for here, how other kids have treated theirs, each child is different, but I can get a general idea of treatment.

AlbertaCowboy · 04-07-2011, 02:10 PM

@ Elfwreck: I totally forgot about some of my favorite childhood books being public domain: Treasure Island, Sherlock Holmes, The Jungle Book... of course there's tons of stuff that a 10 year old would enjoy!

@Janette55: I would say go for it! I'd have loved to have recieved an ereader when I was 10. If you think he's old enough for a netbook, then he's old enough for a Reader. Impress on him the need to keep it in a cover, maybe buy a hardcase shell (or Tupperware container, which is what I do) to slip the reader into while transporting, and he's on his own!
Let us know what you end up deciding, my curiosity is piqued now.

Poppaea · 04-07-2011, 02:37 PM

1. I'd rule out the Kobo. Cheap but flimsy.

2. Then I'd go for a 505. You only get them used these days but they are build like tanks.

3. It is a great gift for everyone who loves to read and if he is responsible he will not loose it.

4. There is no need for money. The Singapore Library is for free and has a selection of nearly 3,500 childrens books. Even if only part of this might be suitable for his age it should keep him busy for a couple of years.

revfish · 04-07-2011, 03:20 PM

Both of my boys have PRS-300s that we got for like $35 each when Target was clearancing them at 75% off. My 10 y/o reads his quite a bit but my 8 y/o has no interest in it at all. He loves to read but like paper books. I will have it when he is ready. I try to keep it charged but sometimes I forget and it drains. I made sure they have sturdy cases for them since backpacks are the usual method of transportation.

Pomtroll · 04-07-2011, 04:58 PM

I agree with those suggesting older Sony readers. Most of them are inexpensive now. Best Buy has a 300 for under $100. I don't know what other places are charging. But like others have said there are used ones for sale here at mobilereads & other forums.

Here in the USA a Sony PRS 350/650/950 costs a lot more than $140 unless you find a 350 on sale.

I'm curious as to what you decide too. Let us know.

Janette55 · 04-07-2011, 05:52 PM

I've found a couple places that have the 300 for around $100, so that looks like a good buy. I will make a final decision after the first week of July, the kids will be joining hubby and me the second week of June till the end of July. So, the first two weeks they are here will give me a chance to make up my mind. Unless something changes and we decide to go ahead and get one for him to have read for Christmas, downloaded with a lot of books.

I'll be sure to post what we decide and a follow-up on what he thinks of it if we do get him one.

ApK · 04-08-2011, 10:35 AM

I got my 8 year old a 350 with lighted cover on sale for $124 a week or so ago.
It's a good size for him and the compact package with cover seems to be decently protected.
We store it load it and give it to him to use on request.
Between the library, free offers, and Kobo coupons, we have already loaded it with MONTHS worth of free reading for him.

mcrmama · 04-09-2011, 06:30 PM

My son is turning 10 this summer and he has played with my Sony 650. He is good with it and enjoys it. He enjoys the dictionary and the doodling too. We actually used the dictionary app when he was studying spelling last year. He enjoyed starting to type the word and if he spelled it right, it would pop up in front of him. He really likes the touch screen element to it. Usually if I will load books on it for him. He doesn't know how to do that himself and I am the one that gets books for him. I plan on passing my dh's PB360 on to him but I think he prefers the touchscreen of the Sony when I will let him borrow it.

Jodi

mcrmama · 04-09-2011, 06:31 PM

I saw a kobo at the store a couple of weeks ago and played for a couple of minutes. I think that would have been fine for him too and not too expensive.

DoctorOhh · 04-10-2011, 02:08 AM

I got my kids each ereaders a year ago, they were 13 (son) and 16 (daughter). I bought protective covers and explained that they could break from impact or being stressed the wrong way in a backpack. A year later and they are still functioning and my son takes his to school every day.

It's my currently 21 year old son that breaks things, including the ereader I gave him this past Christmas.

04-07-2011, 11:57 AM	#1
Janette55 Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 2056 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio Device: Sony 900	Sony reader for kids? I'm thinking of getting my grandson (age 10) a sony ereader for Christmas. Does anyone have or know someone who has a kid with one and is it a good gift? What type would be best for him? I'm looking for best price, best type for an active kid. He is very smart for his age, tested 1 1/2 years ahead of his age level in most subjects, especially in reading (kid loves to read), but emotionally is a year or more behind. So, recommendations, opinions, are greatly appreciated

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04-07-2011, 12:22 PM	#2
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	My friend's boy is 11, and loves his PRS-300. that having been said, there's a couple of things to consider I would think it's a great gift, however one must take into account that any e-ink screen is fragile. This is one thing that should be very strongly impressed upon a potential recipient, whether it may be a child or an adult. Another factor that may be worth considering, is how will he be obtaining his books? I highly doubt that a 10 year old has his own (or access to) a credit card. Nor does the average 10 year old like to read public domain books. Will Mom and Dad have to take care of the purchasing and management of the device? If so, make sure they know the ins and outs of the ebook world, including DRM concerns and geographical restrictions. Finally, there's the initial cost. If you can find a PRS-300 these days, that's a nice beginner Reader. I would recommend getting an AC adapter for him to be able to charge on his own without having to hook up to the computer. You might also want to look into a Kobo, which is perhaps a better choice for a 10 year old in my opinion as far as price goes, however I love my Sonys, and would gladly say get him one if the price isn't too steep. Anything that gets a kid to read these days is a great investment as far as I'm concerned!

04-07-2011, 01:09 PM	#3
Janette55 Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 2056 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio Device: Sony 900	I had thought of that (who pays for the books) when hubby and I discussed getting C an ereader. We would pay for most; this past Christmas we gave some money to help mom buy a big item and asked if they wanted money or some toys, all three asked for books and one toy, we picked up new and used ones. They will be coming here (six hour drive) for approx 6 weeks this summer ("babysitting", 6 year old, 8 year old and the 10 year old LOL ) as dad is in Afganistan and my daughter works and the cost of daycare is way, way, too much. So, will get to see how he reacts to freebies from public domains when he reads the ones I have downloaded for him and the other two, also some from Smashwords. I figure while one is on the Wii and the other is on my computer, one can use my ereader to see how well they like it.

04-07-2011, 01:21 PM	#4
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,187 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	Smashwords, feedbooks, and gutenberg all have free ebooks; a 10-year-old may have interest in several of the young adult public domain books. The biggest issue with giving an ebook reader to a child is impressing on them the fragility of the device. It's not that ereaders are particularly more fragile than other electronics, but one wrong tap can shatter the substrate; they're not designed with much tolerance for being banged around, unlike MP3 players (often designed with athletes in mind; expected to be shoved in a pocket with keys while jogging) or video games. Decide before you get it what your reaction would be to it getting accidentally broken in a week. (Because even with the best intentions and care, sometimes a person forgets and sits on an ebook reader.) Would you replace it -- once? Not replace it, and leave the kid feeling he'd destroyed his nice present? Make him somehow work of the debt of replacing it?

04-07-2011, 01:29 PM	#5
Janette55 Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 2056 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio Device: Sony 900	Forgot to state on other concerns, they each have a netbook so they understand the care needed for electronics (we helped to buy them for Christmas), so I am hoping he will be responsible with it. I will probably take care of most aspects of downloading books, they will be gifts from hubby and me, so I can take care of the DRM problem . When we kept them for Christmas break (two weeks) they had me telling them fairy tales and fables (Aesops, and I had fun remembering them, LOL) and wanted me to read them stories, the "big" ones like Alice in Wonderland, so hopefully they will want to read others. I'm looking forward to reading Black Beauty to them, along with several others (and Papaw will read to them also).

04-07-2011, 02:02 PM	#6
Janette55 Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 2056 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio Device: Sony 900	Elfwreck, My daughter is pretty strict in some ways in that area. The kids received a M3 player and C decided to out a chip or something and put it in backwards, forcing it. He broke it, basically, and he had to pay for a new one out of the Christmas money he had received (it was a cheap one). Then, he was grounded from it and the Wii for two weeks. They take better care of their electronic toys than she does of my pback books she borrows, they have been returned with spills, torn covers and ripped pages. I would trust them better, to some extent, than her, LOL. I had been concerned about their treatment as I know they are hard on their toys, but after seeing them with their netbooks, I feel at least somewhat more confident he would be careful. As for if he breaks it, or lets others break it, then he would be out a ereader; I wouldn't replace it. It would be a learning experience of being responsible of his "toys". An expensive one and that is a factor in buying him one. Between $60 and $80 we would take the chance, but at around the price of $140, that has us being more hesitant. My main concern is, would he be responsible in other areas? Would he lay it down somewhere and lose it? Or he might let his siblings use it and they not be as careful. That is a worry and so I wanted to find out how other kids take care of theirs. That is what I am looking for here, how other kids have treated theirs, each child is different, but I can get a general idea of treatment.

04-07-2011, 02:10 PM	#7
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	@ Elfwreck: I totally forgot about some of my favorite childhood books being public domain: Treasure Island, Sherlock Holmes, The Jungle Book... of course there's tons of stuff that a 10 year old would enjoy! @Janette55: I would say go for it! I'd have loved to have recieved an ereader when I was 10. If you think he's old enough for a netbook, then he's old enough for a Reader. Impress on him the need to keep it in a cover, maybe buy a hardcase shell (or Tupperware container, which is what I do) to slip the reader into while transporting, and he's on his own! Let us know what you end up deciding, my curiosity is piqued now.

04-07-2011, 02:37 PM	#8
Poppaea Lucifer's Bat Posts: 2,577 Karma: 20638583 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Earth/Berlin Device: Kobo Libra Colour	1. I'd rule out the Kobo. Cheap but flimsy. 2. Then I'd go for a 505. You only get them used these days but they are build like tanks. 3. It is a great gift for everyone who loves to read and if he is responsible he will not loose it. 4. There is no need for money. The Singapore Library is for free and has a selection of nearly 3,500 childrens books. Even if only part of this might be suitable for his age it should keep him busy for a couple of years.

04-07-2011, 03:20 PM	#9
revfish The Pastor of Disaster Posts: 202 Karma: 994 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-650, Apple iPad 3 64GB Wifi	Both of my boys have PRS-300s that we got for like $35 each when Target was clearancing them at 75% off. My 10 y/o reads his quite a bit but my 8 y/o has no interest in it at all. He loves to read but like paper books. I will have it when he is ready. I try to keep it charged but sometimes I forget and it drains. I made sure they have sturdy cases for them since backpacks are the usual method of transportation.

04-07-2011, 04:58 PM	#10
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	I agree with those suggesting older Sony readers. Most of them are inexpensive now. Best Buy has a 300 for under $100. I don't know what other places are charging. But like others have said there are used ones for sale here at mobilereads & other forums. Here in the USA a Sony PRS 350/650/950 costs a lot more than $140 unless you find a 350 on sale. I'm curious as to what you decide too. Let us know.

04-07-2011, 05:52 PM	#11
Janette55 Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 2056 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ohio Device: Sony 900	I've found a couple places that have the 300 for around $100, so that looks like a good buy. I will make a final decision after the first week of July, the kids will be joining hubby and me the second week of June till the end of July. So, the first two weeks they are here will give me a chance to make up my mind. Unless something changes and we decide to go ahead and get one for him to have read for Christmas, downloaded with a lot of books. I'll be sure to post what we decide and a follow-up on what he thinks of it if we do get him one.

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04-08-2011, 10:35 AM	#12
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,389 Karma: 68329346 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	I got my 8 year old a 350 with lighted cover on sale for $124 a week or so ago. It's a good size for him and the compact package with cover seems to be decently protected. We store it load it and give it to him to use on request. Between the library, free offers, and Kobo coupons, we have already loaded it with MONTHS worth of free reading for him.

04-09-2011, 06:30 PM	#13
mcrmama Addict Posts: 239 Karma: 16806 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo Aura One	My son is turning 10 this summer and he has played with my Sony 650. He is good with it and enjoys it. He enjoys the dictionary and the doodling too. We actually used the dictionary app when he was studying spelling last year. He enjoyed starting to type the word and if he spelled it right, it would pop up in front of him. He really likes the touch screen element to it. Usually if I will load books on it for him. He doesn't know how to do that himself and I am the one that gets books for him. I plan on passing my dh's PB360 on to him but I think he prefers the touchscreen of the Sony when I will let him borrow it. Jodi

04-09-2011, 06:31 PM	#14
mcrmama Addict Posts: 239 Karma: 16806 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kobo Aura One	I saw a kobo at the store a couple of weeks ago and played for a couple of minutes. I think that would have been fine for him too and not too expensive.

04-10-2011, 02:08 AM	#15
DoctorOhh US Navy, Retired Posts: 9,896 Karma: 13806776 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: North Carolina Device: Icarus Illumina XL HD, Kindle PaperWhite SE 11th Gen	I got my kids each ereaders a year ago, they were 13 (son) and 16 (daughter). I bought protective covers and explained that they could break from impact or being stressed the wrong way in a backpack. A year later and they are still functioning and my son takes his to school every day. It's my currently 21 year old son that breaks things, including the ereader I gave him this past Christmas.