This site can be brutal and at times I think we lose sight of why some people actually visit these sites. Many people come here for help, or some type aid from people with similar type situations. My situation is if there are any parents out there trying to justify this for a Xmas gift for a child 8 under. I will try to be brief.
Price: $329... Price is steep but if you think about those Leapfrog, V-tech, Nintendo DS's devices rang from $59-$199 and up. My 6 year old has a Vtech Reader, she loves it, she loves to go in her room and read and touch certain words and it tells you the definition. She has a room full of regular paper books but she loves to read digitally as well. She got this device when she started reading at 4, but now they are already on the the next thing and Vtech/Leapfrog no longer support the older generation device. So those $9.99-$19.99 games don't work with the newer device. With hardly any resell value. Also note these devices take batteries. ( we had rechargebles but still)
So my point is at first $329 may seem steep but in long run you will have much more longevity out of the product and maximize your dollar in the product. The App store isn't going anywhere. Most of those same reading games and learning games in the app store range from Free to $5.99....not up to $20+ like on those other devices. Also the mini will have resell value...even if it's 2-3 years down the road it will still have value. It will still be capable to connect to the internet, still be able to play games, still be able to do mostly anything a child would be happy with. And you would be able to sell it for a minimum to another parent who has similar ideas with their youth but don't want to pay priemum dollar and you would probably be able to re-sell it no less than $150. Try selling a DS or a Vtech/Leapfrog toy 2-3 years down the road and see what you get. I've done it and it's not that much. On another note for me I have a 3 yr old, so when my daughter turns 9-10 I can hand it down to him and I won't miss a beat. That $329 had went a long way.
I know some of you may think a kid will tear it up, but Otterbox makes a Defender for the mini and it will be just fine. But also luckily I have a really good kid she takes good care of her stuff, that's bout the only good thing she got from me
Last but not least, if you think that a child shouldn't have something like this, please try to think about the big picture. FOR ME.. Technology is moving so fast, and even though I didn't have things like this as a kid, it has never crossed my mind to think that my kids shouldn't. I remember my dad saying the say thing when the 1st Nintendo came out. This is my kids future and I feel I must adapt them to techs and computers at an early age otherwise I'm doing them a disservice.We have schools in my area that require elementary kids access to a computer weekly to do school work and some that require parents to purchase a netbook. I know it may seem a lot on the front end but the longevity for a child is worth the $329 and they will use it many years. So buy it and enjoy!
Sorry so long, it seemed much shorter when I was thinking it. Hope this helps someone on the fence or some lurker to the site who never posts.
Price: $329... Price is steep but if you think about those Leapfrog, V-tech, Nintendo DS's devices rang from $59-$199 and up. My 6 year old has a Vtech Reader, she loves it, she loves to go in her room and read and touch certain words and it tells you the definition. She has a room full of regular paper books but she loves to read digitally as well. She got this device when she started reading at 4, but now they are already on the the next thing and Vtech/Leapfrog no longer support the older generation device. So those $9.99-$19.99 games don't work with the newer device. With hardly any resell value. Also note these devices take batteries. ( we had rechargebles but still)
So my point is at first $329 may seem steep but in long run you will have much more longevity out of the product and maximize your dollar in the product. The App store isn't going anywhere. Most of those same reading games and learning games in the app store range from Free to $5.99....not up to $20+ like on those other devices. Also the mini will have resell value...even if it's 2-3 years down the road it will still have value. It will still be capable to connect to the internet, still be able to play games, still be able to do mostly anything a child would be happy with. And you would be able to sell it for a minimum to another parent who has similar ideas with their youth but don't want to pay priemum dollar and you would probably be able to re-sell it no less than $150. Try selling a DS or a Vtech/Leapfrog toy 2-3 years down the road and see what you get. I've done it and it's not that much. On another note for me I have a 3 yr old, so when my daughter turns 9-10 I can hand it down to him and I won't miss a beat. That $329 had went a long way.
I know some of you may think a kid will tear it up, but Otterbox makes a Defender for the mini and it will be just fine. But also luckily I have a really good kid she takes good care of her stuff, that's bout the only good thing she got from me
Last but not least, if you think that a child shouldn't have something like this, please try to think about the big picture. FOR ME.. Technology is moving so fast, and even though I didn't have things like this as a kid, it has never crossed my mind to think that my kids shouldn't. I remember my dad saying the say thing when the 1st Nintendo came out. This is my kids future and I feel I must adapt them to techs and computers at an early age otherwise I'm doing them a disservice.We have schools in my area that require elementary kids access to a computer weekly to do school work and some that require parents to purchase a netbook. I know it may seem a lot on the front end but the longevity for a child is worth the $329 and they will use it many years. So buy it and enjoy!
Sorry so long, it seemed much shorter when I was thinking it.
Hope this helps someone on the fence or some lurker to the site who never posts.
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