Would like feedback on ipads or similar items please

[ChristmasTreegles]

DS2 broke his 3DS tonight. While I'm not pleased, after discussing it at length, DH & I agreed that the fault rather lies with us, rather than with him. We saw that he was getting upset, but were talking to adult DD and neglected to take it away from him right away (which we usually do when he gets upset with the game in play). He kept getting upset and finally threw it.. and it broke in half.

Had we intervened when we should have, it would never have been broken. No, he shouldn't have thrown it, but we saw the warning signs in his behaviour and didn't act appropriately either.

We're mulling over whether or not we want to replace it, or perhaps next month get him an ipad (which we're a bit over the expense) or something similar (and hopefully less expensive) that will do the same thing.

Any feedback or recommendations from those in the know would be welcomed!!

Thanks!

If you get an iPad we have managed to prevent ds from deleting apps, watching/listening to age inappropriate stuff and also preventing him from moving from app to app when you are working with him. Very clever stuff. My DF has a Nexus 7 and loves it. I am an Apple girl myself.

Thanks. He's definitely in the "rougher set of hands" category.

This cover seems to be getting good reviews as well, on various sites.

www.amazon.co.uk/Bobj-Rugged-Case-Nexus-Tablet/dp/B009AJBWJA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354779265&sr=8-1

Yep. Was just looking at options. All sorts of interesting stuff out there! (too much! I can feel my wallet getting lighter just looking through it all!! )

Hi Triggles

We have all of the consoles going in this house inc ipad and DS and 3DS and PSP etc etc :D

DS (age 7) keeps going back to the DS or 3DS as his main thing to play with. The R4 card in his DS keeps him topped up with games and he loves Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS. It is almost that the ipad gives him too many options. He will play on either of the DS's for far longer than the others.

I might be tempted to get a second hand DS with R4 card off ebay. You are looking at less than £50.

ooh, he'd love the Nerf case. Thanks!

Yeah, we've really struggled with the 3DS play. DS2 is 6yo, and he gets super hyper obsessed with the 3DS, and very very upset when the game doesn't go his way - so he just seems to be angry the whole time he's playing it. When he's on the laptop, he's just not playing the intense games, so his anger level is better IYSWIM.

We have a Wii system with games, so he play games on that, but he seems to do better with those games, even though some are quite similar (or the same). And if he throws a controller and breaks it, it's LOADS less expensive to replace than the 3DS.

We went into Curry today to physically look at some of the tablets - I did really like the Nexus (even though the salesman was irritatingly condescending). I think, with all the info we've received on here, that we are probably going to end up with the Nexus and will purchase it through DH's work, so that we get a 15% discount on the price.

Thanks again for all the information - it has REALLY helped us sort through all the options!!

Otterbox cases are fab. expensive, but great.

you get 3 layers to it (talking about a defender case)

soft spongey bit next to tablet - think density foam.
rubber/silicone outer - soft and touchy feely, also slide-proof.

then there is a sticky film which covers the screen - useful for sticky fingers! - and a hard plastic cover for transit (can clip this onto the back when in use. it also has a stand incorporated if you want to prop up the tablet at an angle)

dd1 has an otterbox case on her ipad, and 3 years on it is still going strong (she is pretty careful, but accidents happen occasionally)

the other case that I have seen in action is the iGuy - my nieces have one on their mum's iPad - nieces are 3 and 1 and the iPad is still absolutely fine....

My DS's all have iPods with silicon cases and they all have a clear plastic screen cover that you stick on straight away before any sticky fingers touch the screen. It works really well, keeps the screen from getting scratched and doesn't affect the 'touch screeniness' of it. (Made up word.)

It was the otterbox case I was thinking of from previous threads but couldn't remember the name of it.

My son has had 1st generation wifi ipad since he was 6 years old and he get so much entertainment from it. The apps are so much cheaper than other games for most consoles and he can access youtube to watch cartoons and sky. His speech has improved ten fold to from using educational apps. bought the otterbox cover which makes it indestructible, I got it really cheap from Amazon. I have bought a an ipad mini for Xmas for him as it has a camera on it. He broke a DS bu forcing a game in the wrong way, fortunately it was insured but I had to supervise the game changing. He barely uses it now ipad has come along.

we have the imonster, similar to the iguy. DS has dropped his on tiled flooring and it bounced back at him

Very cool. Thanks! Ah, the extra layers of protection we have to use.