IPAD? Ipod Touch?

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I would say that for what he uses it for you are much better off getting a laptop for him. I know that I anything is "cool" but an I touch has what, a 4" screen, the Ipad is about 9", neither would be good for watching movies with a bunch of friends. The IPad isn't all that great for hooking up peripherals like a keyboard and a printer (at the same time). You can download, for free, a Nook app or Kindle app to the laptop and he can read on that as well. I also have to say that the more you "restrict" things, the more he is just going to sneak behind your back to see what he is missing .

I don't think I restrict things as much as it comes across in my post, although I realize it certain sounds that way. One thing I should point out is that he's 11. In my mind what's reasonable restrictions on an 11 year old is different from what's reasonable on a 15 year old.

We don't have a TV because whatever makes our TV actually receive signal broke 3 years ago. It broke while we're moving, and I really needed to recover from paying movers etc . . . before I replaced it. By the time it was ready to be replaced we both felt like we hadn't missed it, and I offered my son a choice between a TV and something else (can't remember what, to be honest, maybe it was the trip to Great Wolf Lodge we took with his best friend) and he picked the something else. When he made that choice I told him he was welcome to put it on his Christmas list if he changed his mind, so far it has never appeared there, and he hasn't really talked about wanting one. We live close to my mom and his best friend and he'll go over there if there's something specific he wants to watch like a football game, but he's young enough that mostly what he wants to watch is cartoons and you can find plenty of those online. He's also really into iCarly right now, which, again, seems to be widely available online. I haven't put any limits on the content of what he watches, although he's never asked to watch porn (I'd say no) or anything rated above PG-13. I should add that we kept the nonworking TV because it works fine with the Wii, and up until a few weeks ago worked fine with DVDs and VHS. Now the built in DVD player is dying, and that I do need to replace because he's a big movie buff.

As far as video games -- yes I do draw a line there. Many of his friends have them, and he's welcome to play at their houses. He comes home and tells me all about the cool things he did on Halo Reach or whatever, so he clearly knows I don't forbid them, but when he's home I'd rather he did other things that pretend to kill people. He's got World of Warcraft and all the lego video games, and some other things like a snowboarding game he likes, but I draw the line at M games for right now. We'll reevaluate that decision as he gets older -- 11 is still pretty young.

Finally, no I don't want him out and about with an itouch. I've got three reasons for that. One is that he's 11 (have I mentioned that before). Since the school year began he's lost 2 sets of house keys, and set my cell phone down in a melted candy bar and ruined it. He doesn't hundreds of dollars more of technology to keep track of. The second is that while right now he's not going too far afield without me, pretty soon he will be as I'm a big believer in getting kids out into the world, and there have been lots of reports of kids getting mugged or beaten for their itouches and iphones. Finally, I do expect my kid to be able to go out to eat with me once in a while, or for a drive in the car, or manage a trip to the grocery store without being plugged in the whole time. Maybe when he's a moody teenager I'll feel differently, but right now if he's not distracted by technology he's a really nice conversational companion, and I'd like to keep up that skill. He's got a cell phone with a camera, and a data plan so he can watch Youtube videos (his primary use) and a touch screen and some games. It seems as though that's enough entertainment to keep with you 24/7. If I'm dragging him to work and need him to occupy himself, or we're on a plane, or he's in a doctor's waiting room and will be there for a while, yes he can bring it, but those things don't happen that often so I don't think that lugging around the ipad will be a huge inconvenience.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Another question:

If we want to use this for watching movies, how expensive is that? Does Netflix really have the majority of the titles he's likely to want? If he wants to buy a movie, how much is that?

Also, I wanted to clarify: He doesn't want to read books online (well, he might, I've never asked, but he's never complained about paper books) what he wants to do is listen to them online, such as through audible.com. With my laptop he loves to put the sound on high and fall asleep listening to a book, but sometimes I need the laptop in the evenings. Headphones don't work for that because they aren't really comfortable to sleep in. Would he be able to do that with the ipad -- is the volume loud enough? What about the itouch?

I should also add that one of the reasons I want to get him this is because it's on his "list". I want to make sure he enjoys it, and that it's sensible choice, but I also want to make my son's eyes light up on Christmas morning. Right now he's enamored with Apples and the idea of owning an apple product, so while I know I could get him the same features, perhaps cheaper or better, if I bought other things, like a netbook/TV/DVD player etc . . . that's not the only factor.

 

[golfgal]

Again, for what he wants to use it for, a Laptop would be a better purchase.

 

[chamonix]

The iPad volume is pretty good, I think it would be plenty loud to listen to a book in a quiet room. I use the earbud style headphones with it and I find I can fall asleep easily with them, like on airplanes, in the car, etc. though cords in bed would be a pain. I listen to videos sitting outside on my deck without headphones and can hear fine (and I'm actually deaf in one ear!)

As I mentioned upthread, if you have a tv you can hook your iPad up to it and he can play the movies on the tv. I think you need a different cord for this (it doesn't come with it) but again, not too expensive an accessory.

Do be aware that the iPad doesn't have Flash, but most videos are html5 now, I can watch most everything on YouTube, etc no problem. Sorry, i don't know about netflix, but as long as the movies play on iPad, whatever monthly streaming contract they offer i assume should be affordable.

Also, the iPad is really portable, i don't feel like it's something I "lug around" at all, it easily fits in a purse or backpack or even a large pocket in some of my jackets, and it weighs less than a small book.

Much better screen than a net book. If he wants it and you can afford it, go for the iPad. You can always get him a wireless full size keyboard or upgrade to a real laptop in a few years when he has to write longer papers, etc for school.

 

[136368]

WARNING!

There is a NEW iPad due out in January, possibly with a front facing camera to allow video chat. Consider this before you buy!

Personally I would either go with an iPod Touch at this point, which has JUST been updated to include front facing cameras, or the PROMISE of a brand spanking new iPad a few weeks later.

Avoid NetBooks - they're a horrible compromise. Laptops cost more but are infinitely better.