android touch screen tablet for special needs apps

[clangermum]

Several people have mentioned iPads as being great for special needs apps and educational games in general. I can't stretch to an iPad but have seen an android touch screen advertised on a special needs website, stand alone, 7" screen, internet access, and when I cross referenced some of the iPad apps I was interested in there seem to be android versions available. It was much cheaper than an iPad. Has anyone got anything like this?

Which tablet are you looking at? We have an android one ourselves but an ipad for our ds with severe autism. Yes man of the app are available on android, however the ipad is much easier to use, especially if your child is severely affected like ours.

Ipad 1 seems to go fairly cheaply second hand.

www.cheapdisabilityaids.co.uk/touch-screen-console-new-model-91-p.asp

is the one I'm looking at.

Hadn't thought of buying second hand - that's a good point

We bought an android for our DD (NT) for xmas and she loves it. However DS (poss AS) has had several attempts and cant master it. He has problems with the touch screen as you have to be a lot firmer than with the ipad and it frustrated him if something didnt pop up or do exactly what he wanted. DS on the other hand thinks its great and likes the ebooks.

I'm interested too, need to enlarge print for my ds. so ebooks are great as can enlarge easily, but kindle screen not big enough, so interested in tablets as possible alternative, as don't want only a few words per line. Does anyone know if there is a tablet with a matt screen like the kindle as I would prefer a non-shiny screen because of glare. There is a 10" tablet screen too which may be better for children with VP and visual issues.

I wonder if they would work better in class too as one of my ds TA's moans was when I said could she make sure his laptop gets into class with him, was 'you should see all the stuff we have to carry for him'. A tablet would be very portable.

Could you get an overlay for the screen that would make it more matt?

the ease of use when handling the screen might come down to whether the screen is resistive or capacitive. It's possible to get android tablets with a capacitive touch screen (as an ipad has), and this means they are more responsive than anything with a resistive screen.

DH now telling me the one I highlighted possibly isn't a good deal, but at least I'm clearer on what I'm looking for now - ipad if I could get a decent second hand, or an android with a capacitive touch screen

thanks for the feedback, I'd thought all touch screens were basically the same and was just concerned about being restricted on app choice ....

I was looking at these for DS, they are available in toysrus. The majority of reviews do not rate them very highly tbh. I too thought it would be a cheap alternative to the ipad.

Have a look online for various tablets. I am currently drooling over an ASUS EEE pad Transformer, where you can slot the 10" tablet onto a keyboard.

Laptops direct is worth looking at, for a comprehensive review of various ones out at the moment.

www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Tablet_PCs/cat.asp

we are thinking also about getting a touchscreen for DD. the ipad is quiet expensive but I got he impression that there are more applications available for the ipad than for other tablet PC's. does anybody know if this is the case?

I really enjoy the babies with iPads site Babies with iPads it has loads of great ideas and options.

We were in fact looking at the iPad2 today, pricey but I can see us using it for many years to help our DD with the delays she has, currently fine motor, problem solving and speech. DH and I are major Android/IBM users but felt that although 'we' would prefer an Android tablet, the needs of my DD are such that an iPad and the applications which are available would be more appropriate.

I went to review sites for children's apps and special needs apps, and some of them were available for both, then you get some for ipad and some that are android only, so maybe have a look at the apps you're most likely to use and see which type they are. Sometimes there was an ipad/iphone only app, but by searching I could find an android app that did similar, then read the reviews to see how it compared. Lots of reviews out there, which is great.

My impression is that more apps are becoming available for android, but I've only really just started looking at all this so I could be wrong

JsOtherHalf - good site

try this for funding

decent affordable android tablets

veiwsonic: 10 two models one is a duel boot to window 7 and is fantastic limiting facter, hard drive its only 16 gig most is taken up by windows it does suport both usb sticks and microsd cards, the android only runs 1.6 which may be insuficiant for many apps

viewpad 10 s i tihnk, single boot runs android 2.2

theres enough ipad knock offs to do the job as well ideally you want a 1 ghz or better cpu with 512 ram minimium a multi touch screen is also recomended
so pay attention to specs.

Wraith is this any good?

its running 1.6 and isnt willing to tell me what cpu and such for ebooks and such its fine

for heavy work no its an entry level one

also its a resistive screen which means finger nail navigation ratehr then finger pad.

additionaly low end machines can be fragile