Pads

[captain_slinky]

That there is the VTech Innotab. It's like a small iPad for kids, and we're considering it as Molly's "Big Present" from us this year.

It costs around $75. Game cartridges for it cost about $25 each, with downloadable content costing anywhere from $20 (high-end) to free with most apps costing under $5.

It plays MP3, AVI, all the stuff you normally expect a smart phone or pad to play, and has expandable storage via SD Cards. It also has tilt-detection whatever they call it that makes it so it knows which direction you're holding it and/or tilting it for fun and games. In a nut shell, it's a better tablet than the one I bought last year for about half the price and is perfect for a kid who spends lots of time in the back seat.

However, we decided to look in to the possibility of buying just a plain old (cheap) Android Tablet instead (figuring that VTech was probably charging a premium for their design, name and proprietary licensed games. Here's what my research has uncovered:

• Android Tablets in this same price range (under $100) are terrible.
  
• They all require a stylus
  
• They all use a non-standardized version of Android, meaning that most will not be able to make purchases in the Android Marketplace
  
• None have tilt-detection.
  
• While they do have kids games available, they're all terrible knock-off games and Molly is very savvy about that type of stuff. She will play a Blues Clues game but will not play a "Blue Clue Dog" game.

In short, I really think this is what we're going to go with!

Comments

[musical-junkie.livejournal.com]

Plus, in terms of design, I'm sure the VTech is a little more "drop friendly" than the Android.

[lynna12000.livejournal.com]

It looks and sounds like a good deal. Vtech has been pretty reliable in the past for kids stuff. The expandable memory alone is worth it.

Sounds like Molly is going to have a merry kristmukah.