Clueless re: tablets - cheap-ish for 10 yr old

[Lafaminute]

DD10 has been keen for a tablet for a few months now. She passed her birthday & christmas without getting one because I'm not convinced she needs one or will get use out of one. She has now saved up £120 to buy one for herself so I want to make sure she gets the right one. I think she might read books on it, listen to music, watch films and play games. I'm so clueless that I'm not even sure you CAN do all or any of these things on a tablet. So far I've looked at a Blackberry Playbook (drastically reduced everywhere which might be worrying!) a Versus 7 and a Kobo ereader. I have read the other tablet threads here & Amazon reviews and am torn between supplementing her savings and helping her get a Nexus 7 (coming out head & shoulders above the rest) because I am aware of the false economy of buying cheap but then also this would be me forking out money for something I don't really want to spend my money on and then find it unused....or just letting her go ahead and buying a Versus or Kobo which might not be that good quality but might do for her needs. What would you do?? What are your experiences with tablets for kids???

Nexus 7 every time.

Could you not possibly go halves with her but then it is for both of you, rather than just for her? That way it won't end up lying around unused (altohugh I doubt that would happen, my DS is 9 and is always asking to use the Nexus (it is not his, it is for everyone in the house to share).

I don't know anything about other tablets though, so am probably not much help.

An e-reader isn't at all the same as a tablet, usually. I don't actually know the Kobo. In your shoes I would definitely go for the Nexus as it is a quality product which would have resale value if unused.

I have a nexus 7 and its fab. My ten yr old uses it.

The Blackberry Playbook was reduced drastically several months *> a year ago massive Apps sale

another vote for Nexus. Dh has one through work and it is fab. We were given a cheap imitation one from a friend who had impulse bought it from one of the daily deal sites. It is leagues apart in quality and ability.

Hardware wise I agree that the Blackberry Playbook is the best specced for the price. But given it's complete lack of support by both app developers and even Blackberry, I would be very wary of getting one.

It's not too bad if you are a techie who doesn't mind hacking it and sideloading applications. But for most people I think it's the wrong choice.

The Nexus 7 is the best 7" tablet at the moment, closely followed by the Galaxy Tab 7.

I'm actually toying with the idea of getting this one: NATPC 7" tablet for my DSS who is 5. The screen resolution is poor but doubt he'd mind. You got to compromise somewhere.

Nexus 7 definitely. Those cheap android tabs like the versus are a nightmare, honestly, and I wouldn't recommend going away from android with a blackberry or kobo.

Nexus 7 or Samsung galaxy tab 2.

A 'cheap' tablet really isn't worth it.

I would probably say Nexus 7 but we got one for dd, she dropped it and the screen has completely shattered, and at the moment it's as much to repair as it is to replace. She is younger than your dd but our iPad has been dropped a lot more and been fine!

We got our DD (8) a Kindle Fire for Christmas and she's delighted with it. We toyed with the idea of the Nexus but then Amazon reduced the Fire to £99 just as we were buying and it seemed like such a good deal we went for it. It is back up to full price now, but the 8g is still only £130, not too far from what your DD has managed to save herself (and what a sense of achievement that will be for her, to be able to buy it herself.)

You are tied to the kindle store, but there are masses of free apps, free books, and our DD also watches iplayer and LoveFilm movies on it and listens to music as well as ysing it as an ereader. Along with games, she's got several music apps (virtual piano, one to teach guitar chords, drum kit) and some maths practice apps. And from our point of view we liked that we could block it from Internet access without using my password for now, as we'd prefer that for a couple of years, but you can surf the net, get emails etc too.

Our younger DD has been desperate for a DS and we'd agreed to get her one this year when she turns 6 but it looks like we may be getting another Kindle Fire instead. My only reservation is that I'm uncomfortable with Amazon's tax status but that's a whole other discussion!

For £99 the Kindle Fire was a no brainer before Christmas. But now it's back at full price the Nexus 7 is the only sensible option in this bracket. Yes it's a bit more cash but it's worth it!