My observations based on 2012 trends include the fact that the Kindle family really makes the touchscreen technology accessible to the family. I find friends and their children using various elements of the collection for everything from reading to game playing. I love Amazon's content, and the ability to take that material with me to different devices. Child's play is a smart concept for managing use, and will save lots of frustration in keeping track of whose turn it is.
For the tween, the low-cost tablet market is expanding with a host of under $100 options. My teenagers talk about a cheap tablet being a doorprize at a holiday party they attended. The winner of the prize put his tablet quickly to use. I fully expect to see more options in the low-cost range by the time the holidays arrive.
Expect to see some of the same tendencies of recent years continue with major tablet and ereader models. I can't imagine the Kindle family not having major advances, probably announcing their plans in late August or early September. That's just intuition speaking, of course. iPad will no doubt see some updates as well. Also, watch for more combinations of laptops and tablets.
Which of these will be the best tablet for your tween in 2013? If budget is your main constraint, look at ratings in the below $100 category. If you want a more upscale model, look for both iPad and Kindle Fire options to be some of the best tween-friendly tablets. Regardless of the model you select, keep in mind the tendency of a tween toward mishaps. One of my husband's coworkers is dealing with the need to replace a tablet damaged by his son. It was used to block a football. Don't skip the protection plan!
Benefits of a tablet for a tween? I love the hands on interaction and the availability of so many types of apps. The access to a huge library of reading material is a plus, and Kindle has really expanded the reading opportunities for my teens and tweens in a small town with a limited library.
Check out these tablets that are less than $100 as examples of some quality and trendy choices:
