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Official Black Friday TABLET & E-READER Discussion Thread


Brad

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On BF the Apple store does some kind of deal. Last year they had the Ipads $50 off on BF only. BB will sometimes give giftcards, or some incentive back with the sale of Ipads. Apple does not allow their products to go on sale, so these are the best I have seen.

 

I do know that there are some of the original Ipads on sale right now. I saw the 64gb with wifi/3g for $499 on a site yesterday. There are also some refurbished on sale.

 

I am looking for one also for my DS

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I would go with the fire. I have a kindle and have already preordered the fire for my son within 5 minutes of the link going live. If you go on the amazon forums , you can see anything you need to know about it. Plus my son wants it for games and movies. I would rather watch a movie on a big screen instead of a tiny one. IT is reported that it will be the hottest item this xmas. They are selling 50,000 a day, I would be worried about getting it by xmas if I waited to order though .

Hi! I am trying to decide between the ipod touch and a kindle fire for an 11yr old. It would really just be for playing games and music. Any suggestions?

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Hi! I am trying to decide between the ipod touch and a kindle fire for an 11yr old. It would really just be for playing games and music. Any suggestions?

Because of the music, I'd go with the ipod touch. I just can't see listening to music being convenient on a device as big as the kindle fire.

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I pre ordered the Fire for my soon to be 10 year old daughter as well. A huge benefit I think is if you have Amazon Prime...all the free shows you can watch. I think this is going to be a huge it. Amazon also has a free Android App a day that can be downloaded for Android phones...I'm hoping they'll do something like this for the Fire as well. I have had a Kindle and cannot praise it enough..so I have zero doubts about the Fire!

 

ETA: Just checked and it shows the delivery date is Nov 17th.

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Because of the music, I'd go with the ipod touch. I just can't see listening to music being convenient on a device as big as the kindle fire.

I agree on this.. If you just want games and music, Ipod Touch is better. Although for the price, you get more "bang for the buck" with Kindle Fire, as you also get an ereader and web browser. It's also extremely easy to upload your music to Amazon's cloud service as well, and then you can play it back just about anywhere.

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Hi! I am trying to decide between the ipod touch and a kindle fire for an 11yr old. It would really just be for playing games and music. Any suggestions?

I would vote ipod at that age. When they take them with everywhere an ipod slips into a pocket and a tablet gets set down and possibly forgotten.

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I apologize if I am asking a question that has already been answered. I am trying to figure out the difference between the IPad's and the Droid tablets. To me, they seem very similar but the prices are so far off I think I'm missing something. I'm looking to e-mail, surf the internet, play games, watch movies, etc...

If there is a comparison, can you please give me the link so I can have my question answered.

 

Thank you very much!

Jen

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I apologize if I am asking a question that has already been answered. I am trying to figure out the difference between the IPad's and the Droid tablets. To me, they seem very similar but the prices are so far off I think I'm missing something. I'm looking to e-mail, surf the internet, play games, watch movies, etc...

If there is a comparison, can you please give me the link so I can have my question answered.

 

Thank you very much!

Jen

I do agree that they are very similar. However, the android tablets that compare to ipads in quality are also pretty comparable in price imho. The cheap ones you see are just that, cheap. The touch screens are going to be of lesser quality, they will be running old versions of android, etc. Make sure you read reviews and compare models. I think that there are some very good android tablets out there, but there is a lot of garbage also.

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Hi! I am trying to decide between the ipod touch and a kindle fire for an 11yr old. It would really just be for playing games and music. Any suggestions?

I would vote for the kindle or maybe something like a xoom tablet. There is a lot more useability and function. The ipod is either an overpriced MP3 player that can do a few games on a tiny screen, or a crippled cell phone locked into apple ecosystem that tries to get you to pay $ for itunes and cant make calls. That is my vote though.

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I do agree that they are very similar. However, the android tablets that compare to ipads in quality are also pretty comparable in price imho. The cheap ones you see are just that, cheap. The touch screens are going to be of lesser quality, they will be running old versions of android, etc. Make sure you read reviews and compare models. I think that there are some very good android tablets out there, but there is a lot of garbage also.

This page below has a listing of what decently powered decently priced tablets will be likely getting the newest software updates. If the tablet is on the "will probably be getting the update" list, then it is newer, more powerful and well supported. Exactly the type of tablet you would want to get in my mind.

 

http://www.androidcentral.com/will-my-tablet-get-ice-cream-sandwich

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I've been reading all the posts and think it is very exciting all the new advances. I am trying to figure out a good gift for my 15 y/o son. He has an ipod touch 3rd gen that he uses on wifi for email, games, music and he reads on it all the time. So far he only reads free books from different apps including the Kindle app. I think the fact that it is backlit works better for him then the e-ink would since he reads at night. I think the ipod touch is awfully small to be a reader but then I'm 44 and it IS small for me. I'm just wondering if getting a Kindle Fire or Nook Color is going to be redundant since the ipod touch already does a lot. Or would it be so much nicer to have a bigger screen that he would appreciate it. I'm just not sure. I'm not springing for an iPad. We don't have that kind of budget. if we got the Nook or Fire, it would his main gift. So trying to make sure it would be a good gift. We are hoping to replace our desk top with a lap top that both kids can use, so he can do homework, etc. on the lap top, too.

 

Any thoughts?

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It seems like there is a lot of controversy over tablets and what not going on here and I feel like I am in the middle as well. Initially I was going to purchase an ereader (prob a cheap kindle) for my 9 year old daughter. She loves to read. but then thought, why not go a tablet since it can do more functions than just read. Whatever route I go I want to make sure it is something she can use for travel as she is going abroad next summer. I am trying to stay cheap as I am on a budget with two other children as well. Please help me!
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I would vote for the kindle or maybe something like a xoom tablet. There is a lot more useability and function. The ipod is either an overpriced MP3 player that can do a few games on a tiny screen, or a crippled cell phone locked into apple ecosystem that tries to get you to pay $ for itunes and cant make calls. That is my vote though.

I'm just a parent, not and expert of any kind, and I'm not an Apple groupie. However, both my 15 yo son and my 12 yo daughter love their ipod touches! It is their prize posessions. There are many many games and apps, not just a few. They have access to the full itunes selection of games and useful apps. They have free texting apps to text all of their friends who have smartphones or touches. Some apps even allow you to make calls while on wifi. I think the thing my kids love, too, is that it goes anywhere they go in their backpocket! So there are many positives to the touch especially if all theeir friends have Apple products...iphones, etc. Just my thought from my kids perspective. I have an Android phone I love..not an iphone...but they get the cool apps first...the ones all their friends have.

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I would vote ipod at that age. When they take them with everywhere an ipod slips into a pocket and a tablet gets set down and possibly forgotten.

I agree with this. I just posted something similar. However, ipod touches break when dropped. Not sure about ereaders durability. Make sure you get a great protective case and still he needs to be careful.

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The ereaders with eink are very fragile. THey are ink between 2 layers of glass, Even pressure from a bag will damage the ink. The Fire however is made with gorilla glass which is 200 times stronger than glass. I would buy th efire over a ipod touch anyday. The screen is much more of a reader size plus it has all the apps. There is a comparison chart of the Nook color and the Fire on amazon kindle forums, the Nook doesn't even come close in comparison to the Fire's operating system and with kindles new kf8 format they just announced, the display is going to be awesome. The have an exclusive contract with DC comics that enraged Barnes and Noble so bad that tehy pulled the comics from their bookstore.

 

I agree with this. I just posted something similar. However, ipod touches break when dropped. Not sure about ereaders durability. Make sure you get a great protective case and still he needs to be careful.

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It seems like there is a lot of controversy over tablets and what not going on here and I feel like I am in the middle as well. Initially I was going to purchase an ereader (prob a cheap kindle) for my 9 year old daughter. She loves to read. but then thought, why not go a tablet since it can do more functions than just read. Whatever route I go I want to make sure it is something she can use for travel as she is going abroad next summer. I am trying to stay cheap as I am on a budget with two other children as well. Please help me!

If you are stuck in th emiddle, it sounds as if a kindle fire would fit the bill. Most of the power and abilities of all the tablets and pads, also a very able ereader, in between price.

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ipads are so expensive....I know I wouldn't plunk down that much (minimum of $500 for 16 GB). I'm looking at getting a 7 inch tablet right now...unless there are some ten inch ones available on black friday for a good price (that can be bought online). I have considered the flyer now that its down in price, but there's still no word on when it'll get honeycomb. I don't want a Fire, because you are limited to AMAZON's APP STORE....you can't access the regular android store. You also don't have expandable storage. Its basically a fancy media tablet limited to Amazon's media features, that's IMO anyway.
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ipads are so expensive....I know I wouldn't plunk down that much (minimum of $500 for 16 GB). I'm looking at getting a 7 inch tablet right now...unless there are some ten inch ones available on black friday for a good price (that can be bought online). I have considered the flyer now that its down in price, but there's still no word on when it'll get honeycomb. I don't want a Fire, because you are limited to AMAZON's APP STORE....you can't access the regular android store. You also don't have expandable storage. Its basically a fancy media tablet limited to Amazon's media features, that's IMO anyway.

Apple highly limits the apps that you can get too when you look around and notice that there are so many apps that you can get from so many places for android devices vs apple, and apple has made a $$$$ killing. I dont think this will be a big limiting factor to the fire, same with the storage. The pads dont have expandable storage either.

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I have an account with Netflix and just opened one with HuluPlus last month. I want to use those apps,too. Plus flash for seeing some websites that have reviews or stuff....so iPad is out for no flash. Fire probably won't allow either of those since they want users to use Amazon video, etc.

Fire will have flash, but I want other features. That's why I await the ads for target and best buy.

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I agree with this. I just posted something similar. However, ipod touches break when dropped. Not sure about ereaders durability. Make sure you get a great protective case and still he needs to be careful.

They break quite easily. My 13 yr old daughter hit it too hard and the lcd broke.
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The aspect of durability of IPOD Touches and Ereaders are a little unrealistic. Electronics period are not break proof items. If you drop it, hit it, sit on it, whatever, they break. Despite what anyone says about "Gorilla glass", please, if you believe that and still don't take care to protecting and caring for your electronics (or ensuring your child is responsible enough to have it) they will get broken by dropping, hitting or whatever. Nothing is breakproof, wish they were, but such is the fact of life where electronics are concerned. What features and specs work for your life is the question. I'm less concerned with this issue than just trying to figure out which is best device to get between all that are offered.
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I have an account with Netflix and just opened one with HuluPlus last month. I want to use those apps,too. Plus flash for seeing some websites that have reviews or stuff....so iPad is out for no flash. Fire probably won't allow either of those since they want users to use Amazon video, etc.

Fire will have flash, but I want other features. That's why I await the ads for target and best buy.

A friend has the ipad2 16gb and he watches Netflix, Hulu, TV.com and something else I can't remember. He said he was also able to use the ipad to remote to his office and fix a problem there. I like that Hulu and TV.com can be used.

 

I am looking at the Fire for DH so take advantage of the Amazon Prime free streaming. He is away from us during the week staying at his Dad's. Dad does not have cable just the local stations, so this will give him something to do at night. Plus he will be able to go online if he wants instead of using his phone which he says the screen is just too small.

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Is anyone familiar with any of the NextBooks? My friend just told me she loves hers but I have never heard of them and I see there are several versions at varying prices. Just wondering how well they work in comarison to other readers and tablets discussed. I'm looking for teens and need to stay under $150...actually the less $ the better but I don't want something that doesn't work.

 

Thanks.

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They break quite easily. My 13 yr old daughter hit it too hard and the lcd broke.

DD is rough and has never broken her ipod touch. The key is to always get a hard case, forget all the cutsie rubber cases. The eink tablets however are very fragile, so wouldn't recommend it for a rough kid. DD broke 3 of them!

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