Recommend a Tablet for Minecrack Addicted Schoolchildren

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DrakonSan

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 8, 2005
Messages
340
I have no idea what I am getting into.

My niece and nephew currently fight over my sister's iPad 2 to play Minecraft. My sister is convinced that if they each have their own tablet, they can do homework using their school's app without argument or having to share. I issued a reality check, it bounced, and now my entire family is coming down on me as the de facto technology guy to recommend a tablet.

:)It has to play Minecraft; bare minimum requirement.
:eek:I know next to nothing about tablets or smartphones.
:(Maximum budget for one tablet: $150
:(I have no idea if the school app is written for iPad, Android, or whatever the Kindle runs on.
:mad:Neither does anyone else; not even the teachers.
:mad:The kids will probably be rough with the device, they are known for dropping phones and the iPad.
:eek:It has to be easy enough to use that a marketing teacher can troubleshoot the device with two whining children in the single digit age group on either side.

If you haven't closed the thread by now, please educate me.
 
Minecraft and Survivalcraft which is supposedly better are both available on Android:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mojang.minecraftpe&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.candyrufusgames.survivalcraft&hl=en

As far as devices, the closest to your price target and the best supported devices are:

If there's no screen size restriction Moto G 4.5" 8GB phone for $179 full retail price. Benefit is it's a phone when they're ready to grow into it.
http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/moto-g/Moto-G/moto-g-pdp.html

Gogole Nexus 7 2013 7" 16GB tablet on sale as of late between $179 and $199.
 
Climber said:
Hd+ nook
Click to expand...
Hits the budget wall. Are those ruggedized bezels with space for a cable lock? It advertises a good screen and battery life. What am I really looking at?

mi7chy said:
Minecraft and Survivalcraft which is supposedly better are both available on Android.
Click to expand...
Good to know. Do you know if there's any option for license transfers?
mi7chy said:
As far as devices, the closest to your price target and the best supported devices are:
Click to expand...
Outside of the budget. :(
 
DrakonSan said:
Do you know if there's any option for license transfers
Click to expand...

Not that I'm aware of for cross-platform (between iOS and Android). On Android you can install the same app on more than one device with the same Google account. Also, if your Google account has apps A to M but your wife's account has apps N to Z you can add her account on your Android so you also have apps N to Z while disabling all syncing of her data, email, calendar, contacts, etc. In a nutshell, on Android you only have to pay for an app once to use with the whole family on more than one device.
 
I would just go to Newegg or Amazon and search... you'll be hard pressed to find a tablet for $150 that someone here would recommend, IMO.
 
DrakonSan said:
Hits the budget wall. Are those ruggedized bezels with space for a cable lock? It advertises a good screen and battery life. What am I really looking at?
Click to expand...

You can regularly find the Nook HD+ on sale for well under $150 but regardless it is the best Tablet hands down in your price range. It runs Android well, has full access to Google Play store, a great screen, lightweight, and if you want to get all tech savvy with it you can root it if you like.

I'm honestly not sure what the bezel is there for. I guess you could use it as a cable lock but I never thought of that. Battery life depends on use but I used to get around 8-10 hours of use (playing games, surfing the net, and watching videos) at about 50% brightness. As far as the screen goes I thought it was excellent. Here is a review of it.
 
I'm a bit worried about B&N cancelling their line of tablets and thus losing support for the device, but I think the lack of cameras would actually be a benefit.
I've also looked at the Dell Venue 8 (seen some reviews state that it can drop as low as $130) and I don't see it having as much bang for the buck.
Unless there's something else hiding out there, I think I'm set. Thanks guys!
 
You can look at the Lenovo IdeaTab A1000 / A3000 for $125 - $129 / $140 using the BLACKFRIDAY coupon code. Not sure when the code expires.

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/ideatab/a-series/a1000#customize

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/ideatab/a-series/a3000/

The A1000 basically has a dual core processor and 8GB - 16GB of storage depending on the configuration.

The A3000 has a quad core processor and 16GB of storage.

However, the coupon code can only be applied to a single item so buying two means you get one for the discounted price and the other at the normal sale price. To get around this you can order one, then as a friend / family member order the other. I think you can also order them separately as well to get discount on both. So order one on Friday and another on Saturday.
 
Here is a Groupon deal for the 2012 Nexus 7 32GB tablet for $150. The 16GB version for $120 is sold out. I have the 32GB version which I bought either back in January or December. It is a pretty good tablet. I basically use to read and play pinball (Pinball Arcade). The original Nexus 7 has received many positive reviews.

http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-goo...GPN&utm_medium=afl&z=skip&utm_campaign=200958

I also recommend you buy a protective case for those Nexus Tablets since they will be dropped many times. You should get two different color cases so that you niece and nephew will know which is theirs Here's an example (I have the black version):

http://www.amazon.com/iGadgitz-Gene...le-released/dp/B009KJOSAK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_pc_2

Additionally a screen protector would be a good idea as well. I personally do no like glossy screens so I put an anti-glare screen on my Nexus 7. Here's an example:

http://www.amazon.com/Fosmon-Anti-G...on-Version/dp/B008MP8C5A/ref=pd_sim_sbs_pc_13
 
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My sister ran out to WorstBuy for the $99 Kindle Fire HD door buster. Other family decided to go too and threw down for an iPad Air for their toy chucking 4 year old so they wouldn't be one-upped.

I give up. :mad:

Thanks all!
 
Climber said:
You can regularly find the Nook HD+ on sale for well under $150 but regardless it is the best Tablet hands down in your price range. It runs Android well, has full access to Google Play store, a great screen, lightweight, and if you want to get all tech savvy with it you can root it if you like.

I'm honestly not sure what the bezel is there for. I guess you could use it as a cable lock but I never thought of that. Battery life depends on use but I used to get around 8-10 hours of use (playing games, surfing the net, and watching videos) at about 50% brightness. As far as the screen goes I thought it was excellent. Here is a review of it.
Click to expand...

Its not hands down any such thing. Not when you can regularly get the nexus 7 in that price range.
 
Disposed said:
Its not hands down any such thing. Not when you can regularly get the nexus 7 in that price range.
Click to expand...

I'll agree but find a nexus 7 in that price range is pretty rare. The nook hd is always at that price range
 
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