Post # 1
Member
1004 posts
Bumble bee
So my girls are 13 and 11 and they each have a Nook at their dad’s house. They have been bugging lately for an iPad or a Kindle Fire for Christmas this year. They do use their Nook quite a bit.
My question is, I have seen on the Walmart and Target sites that there are less expensive versions of the Kindle Fire. Granted they are different brands but are they just as good? I know the girls will take care of their Kindles but I am cautious about buying a $200 piece of technology for young kids.
Any thoughts?
Post # 3
Member
4047 posts
Honey bee
My little cousin is 9 and has the first generation of the Kindle Fire. She is a big reader though, and a pretty responsible kid, so she takes good care of it and gets good use. She probably plays the apps on it too much, but oh well! I think it really depends on the child though. If they already have a Nook, I feel like they can wait a few years for another tablet-like device.
Post # 4
Member
857 posts
Busy bee
I think, personally, it’s silly to buy your children that kind of stuff at a young age. I’m sure they have access to a computer, if they need internet access, but any gifts, in my opinion, should be focusing on getting your kids out and active, not sitting in front of a computer/tablet. As educational as they are, it’s silly. I feel $200 could buy your kids a nice bike instead.
Post # 5
Member
1327 posts
Bumble bee
Can’t they just bring their nook back and forth from their dads house and your house ? Seems silly to have two.
Post # 6
Member
2863 posts
Sugar bee
My 4 year old is getting a Fire HD for Christmas. I didn’t want to waste money on a less expensive version to have him outgrow it or it be crap.
Post # 7
Member
1026 posts
Bumble bee
What you want to look at is compatibility with different brands. If I buy a book for my kindle, I can’t read it on a nook or other off brand device. The off brand tablets usually have fewer titles available then kindle or nook, and may have less customer support if you have an issue. I would look at the offbrand tablets you saw, and do a search as if you wanted to buy a specific book for it, or an app. See if they have it and how complicated downloading it is. So you could end up buying them the same book or app twice, once for nook and once for kindle or other tablet. In the end, I’d rather spend the 200 on a device they will use frequently, then less money on a device that is limited or becomes frustrating and doesn’t get used.
Post # 8
Member
1390 posts
Bumble bee
Wow OP, I’m sorry for the judgy and snarky responses!
Okay, first, the OP didn’t ask anyone’s opinion about whether or not the Kindle Fire is an age-appropriate gift for children. She’s just looking for comments on which is best. Furthermore, her kids are 11 and 13. Most kids get a bike way before 13. When you’re 13, you’re starting to think about driving a car. Further, it’s expected that school kids have an understanding of technology. They are young adults, at least in a bookstore, and undoubtedly do not need or want a new bike. The Nooks they have are likely not tablets but the simple reading devices. This would be an upgrade.
I think this gift is totally appropriate, FWIW. My nieces are 8 and 5 and they often use a Nook tablet for games and movies on long road trips or flights. All of my nieces and nephews use their parents’ phones to play developmentally appropriate games. And my 4-year old niece uses a very large touchscreen in her preschool classroom.
OP, I would go with the Kindle Fire or the Nook Tablet. I bought the latter for Darling Husband and it’s been great. I think they’re both very similar and both are $199. They both have a wealth of apps and websites are adapated to work on them. The good thing about the Nook is that if they already have an account for Nook Books, they can link the tablet up to that account and download the books they already purchased on the new device. So definitely think about that when comparing the items. Also, I like having access to support in a brick and mortar store. There’s a B&N right by my work and with a Nook, you get one hour of free reading on a book each day. You can read for unlimited hours, but just one hour on each individual book. Kind of a nice perk if you have a B&N nearby.
Post # 9
Member
1042 posts
Bumble bee
@artichokey: Seconded
I can’t give any opinions on the Nook, but Fiance and I have a Kindle fire, and it’s awesome.
Post # 10
Member
857 posts
Busy bee
@artichokey: Sorry for being mistaken, but when something says “any thoughts?”, i’d think you should feel free to contribute your thoughts as long as it’s worded properly and not snarkily.
Post # 11
Member
2137 posts
Buzzing bee
We dont have either My Brother-In-Law bought my LO whos 1 and a half the Google nexus tablet and its great!
Post # 12
Member
1096 posts
Bumble bee
Since they already have a Nook and do not take it back and forth between your house and their dad’s house you may want to look into the Nook Tablet isntead of the Kindle Fire. As PP stated anything that you buy for the Nook will not be available on the Kindle and vice versa. If you decide to get an iPad there are both Nook and Kindle apps so you would be able to read the Nook books on the iPad. My niece is 10 and got a Kindle Fire for Christmas at the age of 9 and her brother also received one for his 8th birthday this year and they love them. Just make sure you get great cases to protect them, my brother has the Speck case for them which is what I have on my iPhone and it’s wonderful.
Post # 13
Member
1004 posts
Bumble bee
Ok I will try to respond to everyone 🙂
@bowsergirl: They use their Nook at their dad’s house quite a bit but they are not allowed to bring it to my house.
@Genuine513: They are not allowed to bring their Nook to my house from their dads. I have the same rule at my house. They have lost things or their younger brother at their dad’s has broken several items and it’s just easier to not allow certain items to go back and forth.
@kariface: They both have brand new bikes that we got them over summer. Both of my girls are big readers and that was the main reason they were given the Nook at their dad’s.
I guess I should have worded it differently. I really wasn’t asking if they were good gift ideas but more along the lines of how the Kindle Fire compares to other brands as far as being user friendly.
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