Cheap Tween Tablets in 2014

I love the impact a few years of use can have on a technology medium, especially when I'm shopping for my tweens. The iPad definitely struck a cord at the time of its release, but as smartphone action has taught us, wait a couple of years, and pricing will equalize. You may still have to pay a pretty penny for the latest option, but you can get an acceptable older version at a fraction of its original price. This year's best cheap tween tablets in 2014 are not merely inferior versions of the primo tablets, they are high-quality variations or earlier versions of popular brands' offerings.

iPad Mini

With the iPad mini now priced in the $250 range, it is a manageable alternative to the traditional cheap laptop and much more desired than the netbook of many years ago. If you have the funding, this is an excellent option for the tween who loves a variety of content, who has a significant collection of iTunes content, and who has a creative spirit. Put that tween to work making videos, photo collages, and music samples with iMovie, various photo apps, and Garage Band. Movies, books, and music abound. Free game apps are fantastic money savers over the life of a system, making this a great alternative to a handheld gaming system with just one or two games.


Kindle Fire HD 6

I picked one of these up right away. I've been wanting a cheap but quality tablet for the kids to use for reinforcing educational concepts. They have taken to the device easily, and it is very easy to navigate and understand. The unit feels sturdy, but I do recommend a protection plan for kid-related tech tools so that you don't end up having an unfortunate loss of function due to a drop or spill. Also, protective gear is wise.

I like the ease of browsing the Amazon app store online and being able to load content to the Kindle Fire. The size of the unit is not harsh on the eyes like an iPod or smartphone. The kids love being able to take turns, and I love the ability to integrate content through Kindle Free Time. If you want to invest in a bigger tablet, the larger Fire tablets for tweens are great choices.  Check out the full line of Kindle tablets here, and remember to keep your eyes out during Black Friday activities and through the holiday season as special deals seem to come throughout the season.

Outstanding Updates for Tweens and Teens - The Next Kindle Fire Generation

Tween Tablets - The Latest Kindle Fire Family of Products

If you haven't yet invested in a tablet for your tween or teenage child, this may be the best year yet to get into the market.  Pricing continues to become more manageable while quality improves.  Last year's Kindle Fire HD was priced at $200, making it a great alternative to the iPod touch family.  Today, the newest versions carry significantly lower pricing at just $139 for that same HD product.  Meanwhile, the larger Kindle tablets have also become more affordable, ensuring more access for those who have been thrown by the costs of these portable computer/entertainment devices.

My adult daughter received her Kindle e-reader while she was in her teens, and she loves it.  The Fire is a great option for upgrading if your young person loves reading as this is factored into the design of the Kindle Fire Tablet interface.  Pricing is so close that I can see the Fire as the better choice if you are looking for a great gift for the avid reader in your family.

My teenage daughter has a basic Kindle ereader as well, and she loves to use it.  If you need a cheaper holiday gift, the basic version (Kindle, 6" E Ink Display, Wi-Fi - Includes Special Offers (Black)) is only $69 and provides lots of free and cheap content.  As a parent with children who love to use a smartphone when an adult shares, the Kindle Fire provides a more soothing option for the eyes.  My own eyes struggle with the limited font sizes of a phone, and I'm thinking about the sensibility of the new Kindle tablets for my own needs.  Pricing makes this a great possibility for many during the coming holiday season.  Preordering begins in October, making it the perfect time to start working on your holiday shopping list.  Compare the Kindle Family here.

Google Tablet vs Kindle Fire for a Tween

The news about Google's Nexus Tablet to be priced in a competitive range with Kindle Fire provides parents with a lot of interesting considerations as far as which tablet for a tween.  Deciding on the best tween tablet, after all, is not a sweeping decision by a blogger.  Rather, it's a decision making process for parents based on goals and budget.  My relatives just purchased a Kindle Fire for my 94 yo grandmother, and she gets the biggest kick out of Angry Birds.  The device is fun and intuitive for those not so tech savvy.  For tweens, more apt to understand their way around touchscreen toys and gadget gifts, the devices are much simpler to learn and use.

Kindle Fire for a Tween has a lot of advantages in that Amazon developed the content platforms well in advance of releasing their tablet.  It's given parents an inexpensive alternative to the iPad for tweens and kids because there is so much content.  Further, a lot of the content is free to Prime subscribers.  Your tween can read, watch and play without having to spend a bundle.  Google's tablet may be good, but until the release, the consumer won't really know much.  Content isn't completely non-existent, but there isn't a lot of free content, and if there's any, the store doesn't make it very easy to track down.  Familiarity makes Kindle Fire easy to imagine using at varied ages, and there are lots of hands on users' reviews that testify to its ease of use.  It's not exactly like an iPad, but if your tween needs an affordable alternative, Kindle captures the attention.  The Google Nexus Tablet will have to prove itself.

Meep for Tablets for Tweens

One of the exciting tablets for tweens on the horizon this year is Meep!, to be released by Oregon Scientific later in the year.  Pricing isn't yet known, but the product is an Android tablet aimed at use by young people.  This is a great alternative in concept for the 9 to 12 age range, as it appears to be designed for durability.  Compared to LeapPad Explorer and Vtech Innotab, the system will have wi-fi capability, and will have access to free and inexpensive Android apps.  The device is more of a long term investment for kids who might quickly outgrow touchscreen toys.  It is also apparent that many interactive devices such as musical instrument add ons are being created to integrate with Meep!.  The educational potential in this device may be very exciting, especially if the pricing is affordable.  Watch for more information in the coming months.

Tablet Trends for 2012

Tablet computers have become one of the most portable and versatile options in personal computing.  Tablets are being created to provide interactive experiences, as well as productivity, to everyone from children, to businessmen. As companies strive to keep up with the most popular tablet designs, cost and function continue to be refined, and re-defined.  Trends and tools for 2012 are focused on greater efficiency, with cost containment, for those who love the sleek gadgets.

Top Tablets

The iPad set the stage for the tablet craze, with its initial release in 2010, and with the subsequent version, iPad 2 placed on the market in March of 2011.  The iPad 2 is the best selling tablet, with the greatest reputation for utility.  The cost is the most challenging element of the tablet, with the most basic version retailing at the $500 mark.  The iPad 3 has been talked about in recent months, with speculation about sizing, pricing, and features.  With the historic March release of the first two models, watch for the coming update, and for competitive pricing adjustments in the iPad 2.

The Kindle Fire, released in late 2011, is a budget friendly alternative to the Apple tablet, though the features are not nearly as extensive as those of the iPad.  However, given the pricing of $199, the user will have a pleasing, interactive experience, with a heavy emphasis on content and apps that are available through Amazon.

A variety of tablets were released, and rejected to some degree, in 2011, due to over-pricing.  Watch for a number of tablets that provide greater utility, with budget-friendly pricing, in 2012.  As well, low-end tablets will become more available, with lesser memory.  With the $100 range for pricing, these will provide outstanding introductory tablet tools for younger users.

Top Tablet Accessories

The tablet platform has some limitations, when it comes to use, because there are features lacking, that would otherwise be incorporated into a personal computer.  The use of a compatible keyboard can allow for greater utility with a tablet computer, making it more the computer of choice in home use.  Watch for more development in these, as well as other external devices.

Piano keyboards make the use of music apps on tablet computers more realistic.  While touchscreen keyboards are interesting, the potential of the tablet being used to learn to play an instrument will be improved tremendously with a real keyboard that interfaces with the tablet. 

Protective accessories will also continue to be emphasized, as the portability of tech tools renders them vulnerable to drops and spills.  Cases are one of the top choices, with book-like opening and closing to keep the screen protected.  As well, shock absorption will continue to be an essential element in protective coverings for tablet computers.

Protection Plans

Consumers will see the cost of tech tools as an investment, particularly with the pricing on tablet pcs.  As they make purchases, or replace broken tablet models, protection plans will be an important consideration for those who buy tablets.

Apps

Apps are continually being updated and developed for every type of tablet.  More educational and productivity apps will be among the most popular choices of consumers, as the already trending use of tablets in both businesses and schools takes these arenas to a higher level of excellence.

Tweens and Tablets in 2012

Tweens, as computer savvy individuals, will certainly benefit from lower pricing on tablets, and from innovative educational apps and programs for use with these tools.  Protecting a tween tablet is our number one recommendation.  I've seen too many tech tools destroyed at the hands of tweens, not to emphasize the importance of this. 

Watch the rumor mill, with the iPad 3 release.  A more affordable version would make incredible tween access to older models exciting!

The tablet computer has become one of the most exciting innovations of the day, and nearly every household appreciates the platform, whether for entertainment, learning, or business use.  Employers, teachers, musicians, and artists all find a reason to incorporate them into their areas of expertise.  2012 will be about greater access and affordability, while high-end tablets will make the potential uses ever more specialized.

Best Tween Tablet Choice in 2011?

There are many possible tween tablet choices for the 2011 Christmas season, and if a tablet computer is on your tween's wishlist, your priorities will be important in the decision process.  The iPad 2 is an outstanding choice, due to its compatibility with many tween activities, especially the managing of their music via iPod.  If an iPad is in your grasp, from a budget perspective, it's worth it. 

If your budget doesn't quite manage the $499 price tag of the most basic iPad 2 model, however, the Kindle Fire is appearing to be a promising tween tablet, based on function and price.  Promoted as a multimedia device which will include streaming of on demand video from Amazon's instant video, digital music playing, ebook reading of Kindle materials, web browsing, and popular apps through Amazon's android store, the $199 color tablet is outstanding in it's range of uses, contrasted with its cost, which is 60% less than that of an iPad. 

Kindle Fire will be available beginning November 15, and is already making an appearance in many leaked Black Friday ads, at that same $199 price.  Amazon's free shipping makes it a great deal through the popular retailer.

Edutainment for Tweens: Touchscreen Toys? Or Tools?

Tablets for tween, iPod Touch, netbooks...with all of the tech advances, it seems like we should be sold on the educational value, but how often do we find our tweens navigating their ways to games?  Too often!  Maybe.

Especially in the touchscreen environment, there seem to be a lot of mindless arcade games, but growing up as a teen in the age of Atari, I find myself just as drawn to silly games, at times.  Playing an occasional game actually provides me with some insight into educational value of these apps and programs, though, and I actually find a lot of value in these arcade games.  Not every game, mind you, but in many cases, yes!  There is value.

For example, Tic Tac Toe is a popular game for the ages.  Variations can be constructed by increasing grid size, increasing the number of players, or by changing a single rule or objective.  If three in a row leads to a loss, for example, the player alters his strategy.  Kids games like Connect Four are examples of variations on that theme.

Take this into the app world, and one of my favorite iPhone apps is Fuzzle, which is a variation on lining up game pieces.  Played as a solitaire game, achieving a row, column, or diagonal of 5 like colors scores points.  Additional wild pieces help when a given color isn't available, and another type erradicates all of the given color from the playing field.  There is much of the same strategy involved, problem solving, and thought.  You don't see formal math concepts built, necessarily, but rather strategy and problem solving skills, along with spatial relationships.  Meanwhile, for the tactile student, the touch screen activity is a means of augmenting learning.  Mathematical relationships are in the background, but working their way in, nonetheless. 

Another popular game of late is the famous Angry Birds.  Playing a few times, I've found that it's a great model for parabolas, and while it isn't teaching quadratic equations, it's giving a fantastic picture of different parabolas.  Enough experience with Angry Birds, and your tween will find the Algebra 2 units on parabolas amazingly familiar.  Is Angry Birds a gaurantee of success in math, or in Algebra 2?  No, but perhaps the connection will be enough to hold a student's attention, and perhaps the concepts won't be as disconcerting to the reluctant math student who has played the Angry Parabolas...I mean, birds!

Tweens go through some extreme swings in attitude, and many apathetic moments are to be encountered.  I definitely don't object to touchscreen apps that are simple, fun, and great for building strategy and thinking skills.  Check out Angry Birds in the iTunes app store, or for Android, and keep in mind many of the touchscreen devices that make these simple strategy games easily accessible:  iPod Touch, ereaders (tablet versions), and tablet computers for tweens are some of the best devices for app activity.

Nook Tablet for Tweens

Nook Tablet
Available for Pre-order,
Slated for a November 18 release.

With competitive pricing on it's other Nook ereaders, Barnes and Noble has rolled out the Nook Tablet, a 16 GB tablet that includes digital media and ereading, web browsing, and popular apps, another cost concious tablet for tweens, as parents consider the possibilities.

Pricing on Nook Color is now $199, and the tablet like ereader is an outstanding tween ereader choice due to the availability of interactive Nook books.  The Nook Touch is now $99, which makes it a competitive ereader, when compared with Kindle Touch.  The original Nook is $89.  If you are looking for tablet alternatives for your tweens, the Nook tablet is an outstanding choice, as is the Nook Color.  The costs are much less expensive than those of the iPad, while the multiple uses are great for keeping your tweens busy.

Tablets for Tweens: Kindle Fire

Kindle Fire
An inexpensive, cutting edge, tablet computer choice
for your tween, or for you.

Tablet computers are at the top of many holiday wishlists, including those of tweens, with the iPad 2 being high in demand. However, many parents will shirk and shudder at the $500 price tag for the basic model of the popular tablet pc. Amazon has just announced pre-order, however, for it's latest offering in this tablet computer medium, the Kindle Fire, which will be released Nov. 15 of 2011.

The $199 tablet is more than just an ereader, though the Kindle name has been associated with the ereading platform since it's introduction. However, the Kindle Fire is a tablet sized device which incorporates video streaming (Amazon Instant Video), digital music, ereading (in color display, with this latest release), document viewing, and web browsing, with the Amazon Silk browser. Use of cloud computing allows storage to be handled via the cloud, rather than on the device, freeing up space.

Whereas the iPad, and other Apple products such as iPod and iPhone have memory limitations, with greater memory models costing significantly more money, Kindle Fire includes unlimited storage for Amazon content. This may be the biggest drawback for the tween who might want to use the tablet as a listening device, for streaming audio from their iTunes library. However, the use of a tablet, for many, is more about the apps and activities, than about the music. iPods seem to be the tween's preferred music playing device.

You can view more information about the Kindle Fire, along with demonstration videos, and comparisons of the various choices in Kindle ereaders, and in the Kindle Fire tablet computer, in order to make a good decision as to whether this is the tablet for your tween.

Tablet PC's for Tweens? What are the alternatives to the iPad?

Apple iPad 2 for your tween?
Are there some alternatives?

The most wished for item in Amazon's tablet computer offerings is...no surprise...the Apple iPad 2.  Many tweens have high hopes of owning the latests and greatest in tablet technology, and when it comes to tech gifts, it's often a battle to keep our budgets in check, with the costs of some of the most trendy gadgets tweens can find.  Nevertheless, there are plenty of tablet PC's out there.  Following, we will take a look at some of the bestselling tablets.


Amazon's top selling tablet is the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer:

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101-A1 10.1 inch Tablet Computer
Click image for current pricing and availability at Amazon
Generally sells at $399.99, for 16 GB version, $499.99 for 32 GB version

• Operating System: Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) Platform
• Display: 10.1-inch WSVGA IPS capacitive multi touch display built with durable and scratch-resistant glass; 178° viewing angle(1280 x 800)
• Chipset: NVIDIA^® Tegra^™ 2 Mobile Processor
• Memory: 1GB DDR2
• Wireless: 802.11b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR
• Storage: 16GB eMMC Flash (Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB (functionality requires future software upgrade)
• Camera: 1.2 megapixel (Front); 5.0 Megapixel (Rear)
• Speakers: SRS Sound
• Card Reader: Micro SD Card Reader
• Input / Output: 1 x Mini HDMI, 2-in-1 audio jack (head phone/mic-in jack), internal mic
• Battery Pack: 24.4 W/h Li-polymer battery (up to 9.5 hours)¹
• Dimensions: 10.67" x 6.89" x 0.47" –inches (W x D x H)
• Weight: 1.5lbs

Another top selling option:  Samsung Galaxy Tablet (wi-fi)

Samsung Galaxy Tablet with wi-fi
Retails at $349.99

• Android Froyo (2.2); CPU: 1GHz A8 Cortex Processor;
• Battery: Li-Polymer, 4000mAh
• Memory: 16GB Internal Memory; Up to 32GB Expandable Memory (microSD)
• WiFi: 802.11 a/b/g/n; USB 2.0; Bluetooth 2.1 Connectivity
• Audio: MP3, OGG, AAC, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, WMA, FLAC, WAV, MID, AC3, RTTTL/RTX, OTA, i-Melody, SP-MIDI
• Display: 7.0" WSVGA Display; 600 x 1024 Pixel Display Resolution; 3.54" x 6.05" Display Size; 16M TFT Display Technology
• Video: Codec: Mpeg4, H.264, H.263, Divx/XviD Format: 3gp(mp4), wmv(asf), avi(divx), mkv, flv

ViewSonic gTablet with 10" Multi-Touch LCD Screen, Android OS 2.2: 5th best selling tablet at Amazon

ViewSonic gTablet
$299.99

CPU: Nvidia Tegra 2 T20 Dual cortex A9(1Ghz) OS: Android OS 2.2

Browser: Android Browser Adobe Flash support

Video Support: MPEG-4/H.264/VC-1,1080P Multitasking Multitouch

Webcam No Phone support No I/O: 1 mini USB,1 mini HDMI Base Storage 16G

Expandable memory: Micro SD card slot support up to 32 GB Sensors

Superpad 10.2" Tablet PC, Google Android 2.1: 6th Bestselling Tablet at Amazon

Superpad 10.2" Tablet with Google Android 2.1
$199.99 (or less, on sale)

Product Features

• 10.2" Android 2.1 Tablet PC Touch
• Screen+WIFI+3G+GPS+Camera+HDMI+RJ45

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

• Hardware Platform: PC
• Processor: Unknown
• Number of Processors: 1
• RAM: 256 MB
• RAM Type: DDR DRAM

Hard Drive

• Size: 2 GB

As tablet PC's go, they may seem a little bit pricey, compared with tween gadgets such as iPod Touch, and Netbooks.  As a parent of tweens, and an educator who has worked with this age group, as well, there are some definite concerns with this type of device.  My first reservation would have to do with judgement and responsibility issues.  This is a device that could be handled rather carelessly, to say the least, and if my tween were to use a tablet PC, it would be under careful supervision.  Even my most responsible tweens have had some mishaps.  Misplaced glasses?  Handheld gaming systems?  If you've experienced these with your tween, then it doesn't take much to think through the ramifications of such a mishap with an iPad, or any other tablet.  

On the other hand, when it comes to an iPod or smartphone, the size stresses my own eyes, and I don't like the idea of encouraging eye strain in my tweens.  Given the choice of an iPod touch, or an inexpensive tablet PC, I prefer the size of the tablet. 

8GB iPod Touch

If you are considering a tablet as a means of equipping your tween with an amplified ereader device, the cost of Kindle, particularly the Kindle with special offers, is much safer, should a mishap take place.

Kindle with Special Offers
The latest generation of Kindle choices
includes a basic Kindle, priced as low as $79.

In recent months, Amazon rolled out the new Kindle Touch, a touchscreen tablet ereader which also includes web browsing, email, and apps.  In conjunction with the announcement of Kindle Fire, a tablet that costs $199, the other members of the Kindle family have seen price adjustments.  The Kindle Fire promises to be a great tablet choice, at 40% of the cost of the most basic iPad.  There will be digital streaming of video and music, ereading (in color), web browsing, and android apps.

Meanwhile, in staying competitive, Barnes and Noble has introduced the Nook Tablet, costing $249, and has lowered the price of the Nook Color to $199.  The simple Nook Touch is now $99.


If you want more function than that of an ereader, a netbook is a great choice, and I'm much more comfortable with what I've seen in the ASUS versions.  Not to be handled haphazardly, of course, the ASUS netbooks still feel and appear as if they can withstand the close calls a tween will inevitably have.  Setting ground rules is essential, but I would prefer the combination of functions, size, and casing, to the fragility of a tablet.

ASUS EeePc 10.1 inch Netbook
$249.99 at Amazon

If you are intent on any tablet PC for your tween, serious discussion about responsibility is important, as well as protective casing.  An extended warranty is highly recommended for any tween device.