Holiday Season E-reading device study

[Fbone]

Totals add up to well over 100%. Evidently, multiple responses were allowed.

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Interesting; and I see the Fire won out once again. In my opinion, it's the best choice for children in that age range. The Fire has the best overall package of price, quality, content, and customer service.

I'd certainly agree that the Fire is a great media consumption tablet for kids, but I'm not sure it would be the best choice to encourage reading.

I've abandoned reading on my iPad, not because of any difficulties with the display (I found it excellent to read on - except in very bright sunlight, which isn't a huge issue here in the UK!), but just because of the constant temptation to check my email and all the other distractions.

My youngest son inherited an older tablet from me a while ago, with a view to reading on it, but found the temptation of the games etc. too much. I've since got him a Kindle PW, which has rekindled (!) his love of reading.

Nothing against the Fire - it's a great device and Amazon customer service is second to none in my experience.

/JB

[AnemicOak]

Of course with Free Time you can set the Fire to allot only a small amount of time for apps and videos while allowing more time (up to unlimited) for reading. Which helps keep them reading and not doing other activities.

[Tarana]

it's the best choice for children in that age range.

Well, yeah. Kids of that age read books with pictures. I remember being 10 or so and astonished that my Mom would read these thick, thick paperbacks without any pictures. How could she do that? LOL

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jbjb

I'd certainly agree that the Fire is a great media consumption tablet for kids, but I'm not sure it would be the best choice to encourage reading.

I've abandoned reading on my iPad, not because of any difficulties with the display (I found it excellent to read on - except in very bright sunlight, which isn't a huge issue here in the UK!), but just because of the constant temptation to check my email and all the other distractions.

My youngest son inherited an older tablet from me a while ago, with a view to reading on it, but found the temptation of the games etc. too much. I've since got him a Kindle PW, which has rekindled (!) his love of reading.

Nothing against the Fire - it's a great device and Amazon customer service is second to none in my experience.

/JB

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Of course with Free Time you can set the Fire to allot only a small amount of time for apps and videos while allowing more time (up to unlimited) for reading. Which helps keep them reading and not doing other activities.

Like AnemicOak stated, the key is to implement FreeTime and place time limitations on the content you allow your child access to.

Originally Posted by Tarana

Well, yeah. Kids of that age read books with pictures. I remember being 10 or so and astonished that my Mom would read these thick, thick paperbacks without any pictures. How could she do that? LOL

^ this! Interactive children's books are the domain of the tablets, not ereaders.

[alicepattinson]

Originally Posted by Fbone

The second most popular response is "other tablet" at 20%. That is a rather poorly constructed survey. Nexus 7 didn't even receive at least 1%?

I agree, what's the "other tablet" hehe so weird. Are these the cheap ones? Like the China tabs?

[Dylrob]

iPad 1???

Okay, admittedly they are built like a rock compared to the later iPads, but still I find it strange that it would appear on this study.

And yeah, it's rather fishy that they broke up the iPad models, yet clumped together the Kindle Fires.

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Of course with Free Time you can set the Fire to allot only a small amount of time for apps and videos while allowing more time (up to unlimited) for reading. Which helps keep them reading and not doing other activities.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Like AnemicOak stated, the key is to implement FreeTime and place time limitations on the content you allow your child access to.

You're both right, and thanks for the explanation - FreeTime completely addresses my concerns. Another thumbs up for the Fire!

/JB

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Of course with Free Time you can set the Fire to allot only a small amount of time for apps and videos while allowing more time (up to unlimited) for reading. Which helps keep them reading and not doing other activities.

Completely off-topic, but I'd like to thank you for using the word "allot" correctly. So often on this forum I've seen people use the non-existent word "alot" as though it were a variant of "a lot", as in "I read alot of books" .

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by alicepattinson

I agree, what's the "other tablet" hehe so weird. Are these the cheap ones? Like the China tabs?

"Other Tablet" can be anything, from an €50 no-name Crapablet (*), to a quite high-end Nexus 7 or Nexus 10.

The one thing I wonder the most about is: "What is a Children's E-Reader"? I have never seen any e-readers aimed at children.

(*) I think there should be a brand with that name.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Completely off-topic, but I'd like to thank you for using the word "allot" correctly. So often on this forum I've seen people use the non-existent word "alot" as though it were a variant of "a lot", as in "I read alot of books" .

Eh, the natural evolution of language suggests that "alot" will eventually be accepted as a proper spelling. Similar to how "to morrow" became one word.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Eh, the natural evolution of language suggests that "alot" will eventually be accepted as a proper spelling. Similar to how "to morrow" became one word.

Many people think "alot" is an alright word!

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Eh, the natural evolution of language suggests that "alot" will eventually be accepted as a proper spelling. Similar to how "to morrow" became one word.

English can never have too many homophones.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Many people think "alot" is an alright word!

The moment I saw it, I knew not everything in that sentence was all right.

(I have to be careful not to make that mistake myself actually, and might have missed it had this post been anywhere else )

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

"Other Tablet" can be anything, from an €50 no-name Crapablet (*), to a quite high-end Nexus 7 or Nexus 10.

The one thing I wonder the most about is: "What is a Children's E-Reader"? I have never seen any e-readers aimed at children.

(*) I think there should be a brand with that name.

Vtech has marketed an educational toy as an ereader:

http://www.vtechkids.com/brands/brand_view/vreader

There are also a few (sort-of rubberized) tablets being marketed as children's ereaders, focusing on digital picture books and bookapps.
Toy'R'Us and Wal-Mart, in particular, carry a fair variety:

http://www.toysrus.com/family/index....oryId=19948766

http://www.walmart.com/tp/tablets-for-kids

A lot of people don't distinguish between readers and tablets.