Black Friday Deals; New tablet for my son.

[xtramuscle]

My little boy currently has my partners old ipad (not sure what gen). But the screen is smashed after she took it out of the case when I told her not to!

We're planning on getting him a new tablet for christmas, and thought blackfriday would be the best time.

To begin with he had an Amazon Fire 7, but quickly outgrew it as the charge didn't last long and the screen was so small.

Now he wants to download and use apps for games, like youtube, candycrush, cbeebies etc.

I personally am not an Apple fan, so an ipad wouldn't be my go-to tablet. But I need to make sure whatever we get is compatible with all the apps he wants, and comes with an indestructible rubber case to avoid more breakages.

I'd love some advice or what is best, what is good value for money, etc.

TLDR; Need a new tablet with long lasting battery life, app compatible, and child safe case.

[Kagthul]

You just described an iPad.

Most Android tablets suck rocks. Ones that dont cost as much as an iPad (actually, more, now that the base "iPad" is like 329$), and have less accessories available.

If you insist on Android despite an iPad being basically exactly what the doctor ordered, particularly with regards to battery life (i haven't see an Android tablet other than the now ancient Nexus 7 that had more than 6-8 hours of battery life. My several-years-old iPad Pro (ver 1, 9.7") still gets 10 hours with a sensible brightness setting. And thats down from where it was when i bought it (12-ish hours) - then your best bets are Samsung tablets. Battery life wont be there, but itll have a snappy UI and well, its Android so anything that works on Android will work. Build quality is good - near iPad or as good as - but dont expect more than maybe a single Android version update.

Other than that i struggle to think of anyone making a halfway decent Android tablet... at all.

Others may know of other manufacturers that aren't making drek.

FWIW, though.. just get the iPad. Its 329$ for model with the A12 and 64GB of storage, and there are bazillions of cases out there.

Or you could get the new Mini, though it is puzzlingly more expensive for the same specs (A12 and 64GB). Edit: I take that back... the base "iPad" for some reason still ships with 32GB in 2020. FFS Apple. Get the Mini. Mini also supports the Apple pencil, which the kiddo might like - but uh, DONT buy the Apple Pencil. Its fookin expensive. Logitech makes an excellent alternative (the Crayon, i believe its called) that is like 50$.

[Flame6]

I went budget with a Lenovo Tab 4 in late 2017. Tablet let them play the average game without issue. Roblox chugs and some fancy games do (a 2017 tablet). Battery life is amazing. It's the 2nd time we've bought Lenovo and both times I don't see how you can beat the budget for performance + battery life. Even after 3 years, the surviving tablet (the other didnt survive a bunk bed fall) has enough charge for him to watch youtube throughout the day and take it into bed at the end of the night (battery life is usually in the red).

[timshuku]

Buy this "Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Wi-Fi " and you wont regret, Has a pen, big screen, and it is sort of mid to high end tablet. I was in the same boat as you with my Daughter tablet.
The price is more than decent right now, under £250

[Hellobolis]

im planning to pick up a galaxy tab a7 this week, should get updates to android 11 and 12. last years model (tab a 10.1) is going for pretty cheap too now and i'd get it myself but it doesn't have quad speakers. i only plan to use it for youtube/netflix though, not games so didn't check that part.

looks like it has plenty of kids cases too https://www.amazon.com/s?k=galaxy+ta...f=nb_sb_noss_1

damn its going on US amazon for $150 atm, almost worth to ship it internationally for that price lol.

[Twoddle]

Samsung Galaxy tab A 10.1" is cheap and does all that. Case would be extra. Fit for purpose, feel free to bash me for it, I've nothing to compare it to so yeah.

[ldev]

Buying a tablet that's not iPad is like buying coke that's not coca cola. Some people like it, but, come on, what are you doing?

[Kagthul]

An alternative might also be the Lenovo Chromebook Duet.

Its a ChromeBook/ChromeOS device, but it functions well as a tablet, and will run Android Apps just fine.

And it comes with the detachable keyboard. Im unsure about cases.

There is another version - the Chromebook 10e, that is the same specs as the Duet but is ruggedized specifically for classrooms.

I think it costs a little more but it probably wouldn't require a case.

[Hellobolis]

Buying a tablet that's not iPad is like buying coke that's not coca cola. Some people like it, but, come on, what are you doing?

that's funny. coke is the default choice to do blind taste tests with in high schools, and coca cola usually lose to generic store brands.

my take on it: Ipad is twice the price of a cheap samsung/lenovo, but chances are it's not twice as good and more importantly: won't last twice as long. (and then there are the another american company wants my data + different ecosystem concerns).

[ldev]

that's funny. coke is the default choice to do blind taste tests with in high schools, and coca cola usually lose to generic store brands.

my take on it: Ipad is twice the price of a cheap samsung/lenovo, but chances are it's not twice as good and more importantly: won't last twice as long. (and then there are the another american company wants my data + different ecosystem concerns).

Your take is wrong - it's more than twice as good with literally the fastest cpu and and will last more than twice as long. iOS 14 is still supported on 2014 device, officially, you get the update, hello.

Are you fucking serious? Androids supported and fast? Under what rock are you living?

[Kagthul]

that's funny. coke is the default choice to do blind taste tests with in high schools, and coca cola usually lose to generic store brands.

my take on it: Ipad is twice the price of a cheap samsung/lenovo,

lolwut? Its 329$. A good Samsung tablet is 500$+ The CHEAPEST Samsung tablet is 229$, only 100$ cheaper than the iPad - and about six times slower (and im just gauging that based on the mobile chip its based on vs the A12 in iPad). The A-series is junk. It stutters just changing home screens.

but chances are it's not twice as good

Correct but not in the way you want. The A12 DOMINATES the Snapdragon 600 in the A-series tablets. It also beats the piss out of the chips in the A7, but not by as wide a margin and the Tab A7 line starts at 450+$. (More expensive than the iPad).

and more importantly: won't last twice as long.

Probably 3-4 times as long. My iPad Pro was released in 2015. Still going strong. Still on the most recent version of iPadOS. No nearly-six-year-old Samsung tablet is still nearly as useful, and isnt even supported anymore. It's 2+ major Android versions out of date and slow as a dog.

(and then there are the another american company wants my data + different ecosystem concerns).

Again.. wut?

To make ANY use of Android you have to have a Google Account. So they basically OWN your data.

You can use an iPad without doing more than setting up the email account to use an AppleID so you can make purchases. Thats literally it. And you dont even have to do THAT if you dont want to download more Apps (but thats not practical,so, meh). Apple isn't spying on you to the extent that Google is, unless you make use of the same level of services you do from Google (maps, iCloud, et al).

Even then, they dont track the same or as much telemetry as Google does, and you can opt out of a lot of it.

Mind - im not dogging on Android here. Im fully integrated into the Google ecosystem - im sure they know me better than I know me. But thats the price you pay to get the full experience. I could opt out, but then i wouldn't get friendly reminders about appointments, be able to control my smart home stuff, send me emails with all of my flight details in one convenient place, you name it.

But trying to imply that Apple is somehow worse than Google (or Microsoft), yeah.... no.

[Hellobolis]

Your take is wrong - it's more than twice as good with literally the fastest cpu and and will last more than twice as long. iOS 14 is still supported on 2014 device, officially, you get the update, hello.

Are you fucking serious? Androids supported and fast? Under what rock are you living?

Last can mean different things. when people sell you things they will tell you it'll last a lifetime. But in everyday use, you will replace the product after a couple of years because you don't like how it looks anymore, a new one has a feature you want or something else completely unrelated to the working condition of your current device.

And that goes double when it's for a kid when things like physical damage are a concern, double the price ain't gonna give you double the fall protection or anything like that.

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lolwut? Its 329$. A good Samsung tablet is 500$+ The CHEAPEST Samsung tablet is 229$, only 100$ cheaper than the iPad - and about six times slower (and im just gauging that based on the mobile chip its based on vs the A12 in iPad). The A-series is junk. It stutters just changing home screens.

It's 150 on sale now, 229 is the MSRP which it almost never goes for. Ipad is 350 or something. people also say they replaced touchwiz with something better but i haven't used either so i wouldn't know either way.

Correct but not in the way you want. The A12 DOMINATES the Snapdragon 600 in the A-series tablets. It also beats the piss out of the chips in the A7, but not by as wide a margin and the Tab A7 line starts at 450+$. (More expensive than the iPad).

but does that actually matter for youtube/netflix type use? i can imagine it mattering for games, but as i said that's not something i looked at.

Probably 3-4 times as long. My iPad Pro was released in 2015. Still going strong. Still on the most recent version of iPadOS. No nearly-six-year-old Samsung tablet is still nearly as useful, and isnt even supported anymore. It's 2+ major Android versions out of date and slow as a dog.

yeah that's why you buy a cheap one, so you can buy a new one every couple of years while spending the same amount on average per year.

Again.. wut?

To make ANY use of Android you have to have a Google Account. So they basically OWN your data.

So because i give my data to 1 company, means i might as well give it to all of them?

Apple isn't spying on you to the extent that Google is, unless you make use of the same level of services you do from Google (maps, iCloud, et al).

Even then, they dont track the same or as much telemetry as Google does, and you can opt out of a lot of it.

thats irrelevant since i can't exactly quit being tracked by google even if i wanted to.

But trying to imply that Apple is somehow worse than Google (or Microsoft), yeah.... no.

i didn't imply that. all i said was it would be another american company that would have my data. i didn't even imply they were all equally bad or anything.

[xtramuscle]

Thanks for the replies. I get where you're coming from about which is fastest most updated etc. Perhaps I should have stated my little boy is 4. He's not computer programming just yet, and as long as he can play candy crush he's happy.

I've looked at the Samsung and it seems sound. I've also looked at the Fire HD 10 for £100 and I'm thinking it'll more than do the job. Thoughts?

[Hollycakes]

Thanks for the replies. I get where you're coming from about which is fastest most updated etc. Perhaps I should have stated my little boy is 4. He's not computer programming just yet, and as long as he can play candy crush he's happy.

I've looked at the Samsung and it seems sound. I've also looked at the Fire HD 10 for £100 and I'm thinking it'll more than do the job. Thoughts?

I've had all of these tablets in the past 2 years. It all comes down to uses I think yes. He's 4. I'd say the Fire is perfect. I just got the Fire HD8+ Plus most recently and prefer it over the Samsungs we bought for work or our ipad. I use it to read and listen to audiobooks mainly. You can always install the Google Play apks on it and have both Amazon/Google stores to get his games from. This years Fire HD8+ and 10 I think have new chips and wireless charging etc plus hands free Alexa which I love. And yes the prices on sale are almost unbeatable for this purpose. And they have tons of kids cases and even the kids version of the Fire tablet. Also the native apps like the Kids+ formerly known as Freetime (https://www.amazon.com/ftu/home)

[lloose]

Thanks for the replies. I get where you're coming from about which is fastest most updated etc. Perhaps I should have stated my little boy is 4. He's not computer programming just yet, and as long as he can play candy crush he's happy.

I've looked at the Samsung and it seems sound. I've also looked at the Fire HD 10 for £100 and I'm thinking it'll more than do the job. Thoughts?

The HD10 is fine. Android tablets are in a rough spot right now but Amazon does a pretty decent job. I have a 4 year old with an HD 10 and he likes it. You can get the kids one that comes with Amazon's "free time" which is an ecosystem of apps/games that are full featured and don't have ads or add-on purchases. This is nice since you dont have to worry about them buying weird credits or coins like most games.

[Hellobolis]

lolwut? Its 329$. A good Samsung tablet is 500$+ The CHEAPEST Samsung tablet is 229$, only 100$ cheaper than the iPad - and about six times slower (and im just gauging that based on the mobile chip its based on vs the A12 in iPad). The A-series is junk. It stutters just changing home screens.

had another look at ipad vs s6 lite. seems like a big no brainer again.

€309 + free pen vs €365 + €113 pen. (also have you seen how you have to charge that apple pen? they fixed that in v2 though.)
better hardware in the s6 in general, most noteworthy the aspect ratio and speaker layout are much better for video content.
less noteworthy the ipad only has 32GB storage and no microSD, making it useless for any extended trip without internet.

the only thing ive seen in favor of the ipad is that apple puts more effort into the OS and there are more/better productivity apps. but that's the same argument people make about macs/iphones in general.

people did say android tablets were garbage a few years ago but that the last year orso it's better. i do find it kinda weird that several people say their ipad lasts 5+ years with all the stories you read about apple products having planned obsolescence.

just sounds to me like if you want a media consumption tablet a cheap one is completely fine, and you should only spend more if you have specific demands above that.

[lloose]

How about do something actually good for you son and don't over expose him to technology that's only bad for him at a young age

How about you go worry about your kids yeah? Nobody asked for your parenting strategies Ken.

[Linkedblade]

Thanks for the replies. I get where you're coming from about which is fastest most updated etc. Perhaps I should have stated my little boy is 4. He's not computer programming just yet, and as long as he can play candy crush he's happy.

I've looked at the Samsung and it seems sound. I've also looked at the Fire HD 10 for £100 and I'm thinking it'll more than do the job. Thoughts?

Only problem with Amazon tablets is lack of Google services, so no YouTube/Youtube kids.

I liked buying the Amazon tablets new because they came with the thick case and their Freetime subscription for a year.
And the Freetime content is well curated.

Android has similar features: kids mode launcher, curated content through Google Family Link, etc. I'm sure each manufacturer has their own version of those.

Apple probably has very similar things as well. I just have no idea of the nomenclature.

I'd suggest either a newer Fire 7/8/10 that's geared toward kids with the bumper case or something like the Samsung A series of tablets.

Addendum: the Fire 7 kids is US$59.99, Fire 8 kids is US$79.99, Fire 10 kids is $129.99; thanks to cyber Monday.

- - - Updated - - -

How about do something actually good for you son and don't over expose him to technology that's only bad for him at a young age

Nonsense. Most kids are exposed to this kind of tech at school, to varying degrees as well, with hybrid and home schooling.

[Kagthul]

had another look at ipad vs s6 lite. seems like a big no brainer again.

I agree, when you have no brain, you make bad choices.

€309 + free pen vs €365 + €113 pen. (also have you seen how you have to charge that apple pen? they fixed that in v2 though.)

Or you can just get the Logitech one for 50$, like i mentioned. Its just as good. And the S-pen is NOT a good stylus. Its OK for quick dashes, but its FAR too small to use for anything long term, like art or free writing. Yes, i've used one. I had a Chromebook Plus for some time.

better hardware in the s6 in general,

Lolwut? Virtually nothing in that device is better.

- That Exynos gets brutally fucking WRECKED by the A12 Bionic (https://nanoreview.net/en/soc-compar...ple-a12-bionic)
- The RAM difference is irrelevant since iPadOS manages RAM 1000x better than Android (devices with 2GB of RAM are still supported and run smoothly)
- The Screen is far worse (colors suck, it ghosts like mad - yes, ive used one at Worst Buy) and lower res - 2160 x 1620 for the iPad (2048 x 1536 for the Mini) vs 2000 x 1200 for the Tab (and a shitty TFT screen, to boot).

most noteworthy the aspect ratio and speaker layout are much better for video content.

And 5:3 is not any better than 4:3 for video (which is 21:9 or, if you've been ripping your BluRays, 16:9) - youll see marginally less black bar, but given the extra vertical resolution on the iPad.. you're seeing just as many pixels of video.

less noteworthy the ipad only has 32GB storage

Which is why i recommended the Mini, which starts at 64GB.

and no microSD, making it useless for any extended trip without internet.

Or you can just..... use a thumb drive with the iPad/Mini. Been able to do that for quite a while, and companies making both dual-ended Lightning/USB drives and Lightning-only ones that come with a Lightning-USB adapter for using them with a PC. Some of those are barely larger than the lightning connector and are nothing but a tiny bump on the bottom.

the only thing ive seen in favor of the ipad is that apple puts more effort into the OS and there are more/better productivity apps. but that's the same argument people make about macs/iphones in general.

Because its true. Using iPadOS - just even swiping around the OS - is noticeably better and faster. Its not a pain to use. The lack of real widgets (though Apple is getting there, 10 years later) and the ability to leave spaces in the Home Screen grid is annoying, though. (And is one of the reasons that while i have an iPad Pro (1st Gen) for a tablet, ive never owned an iPhone. Cost being the other).

people did say android tablets were garbage a few years ago but that the last year orso it's better.

It really isn't. App creators dont make most apps compatible with Tablet resolutions and the App dev kit doesn't have a built in scalar like iOS kit does where you can just click a button and it automates almost all of what you need to do to make your app Tablet friendly. Device manufacturers still only deliver one or no OS updates. (Samsung is MARGINALLY better at this, averaging one update per device). Android on tablets is janky, hiccups when doing shit as mundane as swiping between home screens, and basically sucks rocks. Even that Tab S6 Lite judders when swiping between home screens.

i do find it kinda weird that several people say their ipad lasts 5+ years with all the stories you read about apple products having planned obsolescence.

Because the stories are clickbait and have almost no basis in fact. Even the one that was potentially true - the slowing down your phone thing - was done to INCREASE LONGEVITY. It was doing that to prolong battery life so your battery would still last all day even as it got older. And you could shut it off with like two swipes. My iPad Pro 1st Gen is six years old. Im running the most up to date iPadOS. And its still smooth as butter. And ill get AT LEAST the next major update (according to Apple), and MAYBE the one after that (Ill need to replace it before that as the battery is finally starting to be a small issue - on a day of heavy use i may have to charge it in the late afternoon for a few minutes, to make it through the day - and these are days when im like.. reading novels and shit - 9+ hours of screen on time).

Want to guess how many Android tablets from six years ago got manufacturer updates to Android 10? Zero many. None. How many got Android 9? None. Sure, you can maybe/probably (depending on how popular it was when it was released/how many are out there in the wild) use something like Lineage to stay "current", but more modern versions of Android tend to crush older hardware to bits and make it run like a pig. AND you need to be pretty computer savvy to unlock the bootloader, find the right Custom ROM for your device, flash the recovery, and then flash the ROM ... and then flash the Gapps package.. and then.... and then...

I can do it easy peasy but the average consumer? No way.

just sounds to me like if you want a media consumption tablet a cheap one is completely fine, and you should only spend more if you have specific demands above that.

The Android experience even for media consumption beyond video is complete garbage though. Want to read PDFs with a reader that isnt slow as a pig and actually has decent features? GFL. The Android version of Acrobat reader is optimized for phones and sucks ass through a straw on tablets. ANd its slow as fuck. The iPadOS version is fast as hell and works great. Most of the 3rd party ones are also slow and feature-lobotomized behind a relatively high paywall (as they all use Adobe's core as their base). Want to read eBooks? Cool. Same apps you're gonna use on iOS except slower and less of them because most of them are for phones and the few good ones that arent (which are also the really good ones on iOS, though iBooks/Books on iPadOS is perfectly acceptable and included) are behind expensive paywalls.

Good music app for playing a self-owned library? GFL man. The few OK ones ive found (for my phone) are hot trash on an Android tablet. And i still have yet to find a really good player for Android at all (im sure one is out there, but all the ones recommended on sites when you search "good Android music player" are trash). Mind, in the last update, Apple helped out by removing a ton of good features from the Music App on iPads.

Yeah, you could buy a "cheaper" but "OK" Android tablet instead of an iPad. And then two years later youll need another one. And then another one two years later. Or you can spend 50% more, get an iPad, and still be using it six years later. And youll hate using it a lot less.

This is purely anecdotal - but i know a ton of people who are "Apple haterz" because theyre hip and its hip to hate Apple - that all bought Android tablets. Some bought several trying to find one they liked.

None of them still use them. None. We're talking 30+ people. Most times they put them down within six months. Almost all of them now own iPads.

Android is a great phone OS. There are lots of good Android phones out there that are of comparable build quality and features (if not performance, but at the top end, that performance is just bragging rights, not impacting your daily use) to iPhones. The same cannot be said of Android tablets. Even the really high-end ones deliver a sub par experience to an iPad, howver marginal (and im talking 600+$ Tab S7-types and shit), and Google themselves dont really do anything to make it better because theyve never bothered to make Android truly tablet friendly and support Tablet development as Apple did.

I'd say, "if you just want a cheap movie watching and streaming device, get a Fire" (and keep it up under 200$) and if you want anything more than that? Get an iPad.

[Hellobolis]

Or you can just get the Logitech one for 50$, like i mentioned. Its just as good. And the S-pen is NOT a good stylus. Its OK for quick dashes, but its FAR too small to use for anything long term, like art or free writing. Yes, i've used one. I had a Chromebook Plus for some time.

apple allows third party hardware like that oO?

Lolwut? Virtually nothing in that device is better.

- That Exynos gets brutally fucking WRECKED by the A12 Bionic (https://nanoreview.net/en/soc-compar...ple-a12-bionic)
- The RAM difference is irrelevant since iPadOS manages RAM 1000x better than Android (devices with 2GB of RAM are still supported and run smoothly)
- The Screen is far worse (colors suck, it ghosts like mad - yes, ive used one at Worst Buy) and lower res - 2160 x 1620 for the iPad (2048 x 1536 for the Mini) vs 2000 x 1200 for the Tab (and a shitty TFT screen, to boot).

i have no doubt the a12 is better, but you've yet to explain why it matters if you don't do gaming/productivity.

both screens are IPS afaik, samsung just doesn't like using that word for some reason. ipad screen isn't laminated so you can see a weird gap that hasn't been a thing for a decade. resolution more is better ofc but the standard to meet is "better than a $200-250 phone when i can't use my TV" so i can live with it.

And 5:3 is not any better than 4:3 for video (which is 21:9 or, if you've been ripping your BluRays, 16:9) - youll see marginally less black bar, but given the extra vertical resolution on the iPad.. you're seeing just as many pixels of video.

the aspect ratio isn't the biggest deal but the speaker setup will be noticeable.

Which is why i recommended the Mini, which starts at 64GB.

ipad mini starts at the same price as galaxy tab s5e, which is AMOLED screen territory.

Because its true. Using iPadOS - just even swiping around the OS - is noticeably better and faster. Its not a pain to use. The lack of real widgets (though Apple is getting there, 10 years later) and the ability to leave spaces in the Home Screen grid is annoying, though. (And is one of the reasons that while i have an iPad Pro (1st Gen) for a tablet, ive never owned an iPhone. Cost being the other).

It really isn't. App creators dont make most apps compatible with Tablet resolutions and the App dev kit doesn't have a built in scalar like iOS kit does where you can just click a button and it automates almost all of what you need to do to make your app Tablet friendly. Device manufacturers still only deliver one or no OS updates. (Samsung is MARGINALLY better at this, averaging one update per device). Android on tablets is janky, hiccups when doing shit as mundane as swiping between home screens, and basically sucks rocks. Even that Tab S6 Lite judders when swiping between home screens.

I don't doubt it's largely true, but again a case of will i notice it in my use case. as long as it doesn't fuck up youtube/netflix/plex i'm good, and if i go or the one with stylus, if the note app works i'm good. didn't have any issues swiping around in the OS in the store demo units but i can go back and pay some extra attention.

Want to guess how many Android tablets from six years ago got manufacturer updates to Android 10? Zero many. None. How many got Android 9? None. Sure, you can maybe/probably (depending on how popular it was when it was released/how many are out there in the wild) use something like Lineage to stay "current", but more modern versions of Android tend to crush older hardware to bits and make it run like a pig. AND you need to be pretty computer savvy to unlock the bootloader, find the right Custom ROM for your device, flash the recovery, and then flash the ROM ... and then flash the Gapps package.. and then.... and then...

I can do it easy peasy but the average consumer? No way.

yeah but that's the thing. i assume any phone/tablet i buy won't last 2-3 years no matter the brand/quality. and if it isn't because the device starts to fail it'll be because a new one has a feature i want or i've got a different solution/my needs have changed.

The Android experience even for media consumption beyond video is complete garbage though. Want to read PDFs with a reader that isnt slow as a pig and actually has decent features? GFL. The Android version of Acrobat reader is optimized for phones and sucks ass through a straw on tablets. ANd its slow as fuck. The iPadOS version is fast as hell and works great. Most of the 3rd party ones are also slow and feature-lobotomized behind a relatively high paywall (as they all use Adobe's core as their base). Want to read eBooks? Cool. Same apps you're gonna use on iOS except slower and less of them because most of them are for phones and the few good ones that arent (which are also the really good ones on iOS, though iBooks/Books on iPadOS is perfectly acceptable and included) are behind expensive paywalls.

i do read the occasional book on my phone and tablet would be ideal for that so that's worth considering.

Yeah, you could buy a "cheaper" but "OK" Android tablet instead of an iPad. And then two years later youll need another one. And then another one two years later. Or you can spend 50% more, get an iPad, and still be using it six years later. And youll hate using it a lot less.

myeah i dunno. price difference seems larger in europe. usually starts to get harder to remove smudges of the screen after a couple of years (which was the reason i even looked at a stylus one in the first place). batteries start to drop in capacity after 2-3 years. and you'll definitly hate yourself if you drop it in the first or second year. the speaker setup seems like a real concern. last time i checked my brothers apple apps didn't work with his chromecast and i bet there will be similar issues with synching notes between devices. last couple of times my mom/brother has a tech issue i was like "oh just do x" and then it turned out that was something that doesn't exist on ios but does on android.

I'd say, "if you just want a cheap movie watching and streaming device, get a Fire" (and keep it up under 200$) and if you want anything more than that? Get an iPad.

well the tab a7 IS below 200 euro :P. but i'll drop by the store again and let them spin me a tale of andoid vs ios.

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ipad did feel a bit smoother in the store, but i feel that was mostly cause of the way they animate swiping. changing screen orientation definitely felt slower though, cause they simply use a slower animation for that.

couldn't immediately find the handwriting to text converter on the ipad though, and the quick shortcuts for the pen on galaxy was very convenient (only couldn't test the shortcuts from locked screen cause of their demo app).

my parents apparently have the tab a from last year and they don't seem to think it's slowed down yet. (though they did buy it cause there was someting wrong with the previous ones but they dont remember what)