Best notebook/tablet/ laptop for 6 year old out in the sticks

[Johnjc]

My daughter is after a tablet. She is 6 years old and lives 'out in the sticks'. Is a tablet the best option?

Any connection will have to be via the mobile telephone route. I would appreciate suggestions for good connectivity between Chiang M & Nakhon Sawan

I have no knowledge of notebooks etc. in Thailand as I use a desktop, spend most of my time in UK and have a 'wind up phone'. I do not even know what a 6 year old would use a tablet for in Thailand, except for games etc.

Whatever I buy needs to be robust, I'll say that again, ROBUST!, Hopefully easy to use and not expensive to run, ( I do not want her connecting to sites or downloading stuff that costs a fortune to maintain - I am not there to supervise, I know that is saying how deep is a hole :-o - Hopefully you understand what I mean).

I read on TV that a Nexus seemed to get good reviews, but that was for adults - would it be good for a 6 year old?

Any feedback that other parents (absent?) have found would be welcome.

Thanks

[TTSIssues]

My wife bought an i-mobile tablet for our 5 year old, it was pretty cheap (3 or 4 thousand baht from memory) and yes, he uses it for games mainly. We have put Skype on it so we can call him when we are away.

As for "robust", I doubt it very much, but as he is bound to break whichever one we buy at some point, we went for a cheap one which we will just throw away and replace when he does. No drama.

It runs Android and he can download games if he wants, there is no "account" linked to it so he can't purchase anything, just free stuff.

[guzzi850m2]

You can buy kids tablets that are more robust than normal but I haven't seen them in Thailand.

As TTSIssues pointed out, sooner or later your daughter will break it so don't spend top $ on it.

I sometimes let my 3.5 year old son play with my Onda 792 but I stay close when he play with it.

Yes a tablet is the best option in my opinion don't risk a laptop pc.

Try goggle kids tablets.

[guzzi850m2]

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/the-10-best-childrens-tablets-8730776.html

[dddave]

I did see some kids tablets at Tesco/Lotus some time ago. I've no idea of their capabilities. There are decent 7" Android JB tablets at Pantip for B1500. They have 512K RAM and 4G memory, more than enough for kid games. The weak point would be the screen. Most definitely not Gorilla Glass; pretty easy to break as I found out. Replacement was B800 but it was not nearly as touch sensitive and had some dead spots after the repair. A plastic screen protective sheet might help. At the least it would contain any broken glass.

[Johnjc]

Thanks for all the replies so far - gives me a good starting point and an idea of what I should be looking for.

[tjshannonigans]

Make sure you ask the sales person if the device can be tethered to your phone.

Do you have 3g data connection through your phone where you are?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

id go for a nxus personally, my kid is 6 and she knows the deal with electronics, has been using computers etc since she was 4.

she knows that once it breaks, its over. hasnt broken anything yet.

your bigger worry is who appropriates it once it arrives

[Roger Lee]

If it's games you're after, possibly look at a handheld playstation, they are pretty durable.

[Johnjc]

GDD

Which Nexus do you have and also buy in UK or Thailand?

I can buy a Nexus 7 in UK with 32gb with wi fi and 3g for approx. £140 - (6500baht)

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Are you speaking of a refurbished Nexus 7, such as this. Otherwise your £140 quote looks like pie in the sky.

[Satcommlee]

Buy the cheap 2 or 3K tablets and one drop on the floor and they are broken..

Not suitable for a 6 year old..

I just paid out 3K to my wife's niece cos my 3 year old dropped her tablet.

The better quality tablets like ipads and samsung tablets are more robust, combine this with a good protective case and you should be OK.

[keeniau96]

My wife is de facto mother to her 4.5 yr old niece. Very active child, loves her tablet, has learned ABCs and numbers now starting on reading. Doing that on the Nexus 7 which has been hailed by many reviewers as the best 7" tablet available, full stop. Never a problem with reliability or excessive care requirements. Did put it in a case (cost about 250 baht). Connection is via WiFi signal, either from my router or when Android phone is set in tethering mode to deliver signal. The new Nexus 7 is upgraded and even better but the original would be more than adequate.

[Johnjc]

Thanks for the suggestions

JJ Yes I was looking at a refurbished unit. In the past I have had some great cameras etc refurbished at a great price and no problems.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Where is the one for £140?

[Johnjc]

JJ

A member of the family can get a refurbished one at a discount for me at £140 or a new one for approx. £200 with 2 year guarantee (3g 32gb webcam etc).

You can get a Nexus 7 32gb with wifi for £139.99 refurbished off ebay - £20 more for 3g as your link shows.

I hope this answer satisfies you.

[Issangeorge]

My wife is de facto mother to her 4.5 yr old niece. Very active child, loves her tablet, has learned ABCs and numbers now starting on reading. Doing that on the Nexus 7 which has been hailed by many reviewers as the best 7" tablet available, full stop. Never a problem with reliability or excessive care requirements. Did put it in a case (cost about 250 baht). Connection is via WiFi signal, either from my router or when Android phone is set in tethering mode to deliver signal. The new Nexus 7 is upgraded and even better but the original would be more than adequate.

Please tell me what reading programs she is using and where you got them.

I swear by i-mobile, they have a range of tablets up to about ฿6,000, my niece has one and her 3 year old brother uses it and her 14 month old cousin gets her hands on it as more of a throwing toy than a tablet, so it is pretty robust. I use an i-mobile phone and I think it is great, it is less than half the cost of a comparative name brand phone, but as far as I'm concerned better. I've had a top of the line Samsung and BlackBerry and will take my i-mobile over them anytime. At least look at them.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[patongphil]

Buy the cheap 2 or 3K tablets and one drop on the floor and they are broken..

Not suitable for a 6 year old..

I just paid out 3K to my wife's niece cos my 3 year old dropped her tablet.

The better quality tablets like ipads and samsung tablets are more robust, combine this with a good protective case and you should be OK.

Couldn't agree more about Ipad and Samsung. Yes you pay more but they do last and they do work!!! My 2.5 year old uses my Ipad and even after numerous drops, flings, kicks and throws it still doesn't miss a beat.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

JJ

A member of the family can get a refurbished one at a discount for me at £140 or a new one for approx. £200 with 2 year guarantee (3g 32gb webcam etc).

You can get a Nexus 7 32gb with wifi for £139.99 refurbished off ebay - £20 more for 3g as your link shows.

I hope this answer satisfies you.

A link to the £140 would have been best, but if it's via a family member that is something different. I'm looking at something with a full warranty.

So the 'family member' Nexus 3G seems your best bet, as you can use a local SIM for Internet. You can buy a Netbook in the UK for less, but then you'll need a USB modem or MiFi.