Need techie help!!!

[LightningCrash]

Isn't Lenovo the company that made, and currently makes, the (previously IBM-marketed) Think Pad? I know those were always very well regarded. I'd certainly give a tablet of theirs a try, if my assumption is accurate.

One and the same. The build quality is good on the A1. No magnesium like the Thinkpads, but still good.

If you prefer the walled garden approach to tech, the Fire is the better bet.

The Lenovo can shop the regular Google Market, plus the Lenovo store and the Amazon Market.

 

[ewheeley]

Lenovo is awesome. I see more Kindle Fires returned than any other product every day. In the same price range, look at the Nook tablet. It's similar to the Fire but with a much better interface and way sweeter touch screen. For a little more money... As us Transformer. Absolutely the only reasonable tablet capable of beating the iPad.

 

[daddyof3_101]

Im a moderator on a android forum. (and very anti apple just to be honest here). I can recommend the lenovo pad as well. Very well built for the money. If you want to spend a little more than the Galaxy tab from samsung is super nice. (but pricey) Stay away from the cheap kmart/walmart branded tablets like the coby.

 

[ewheeley]

Also, depending on his intended use, maybe even consider a Playstation Vita. Different angle but still an awesome gift.

 

[kennedy]

kindle fire...wife has one and loves it

 

[Blinocac200sx]

I'd look at Android tablets, as someone else mentioned, the samsung galaxy is good.

 

[ewheeley]

Nothing against the Kindle Fire, but seriously an iPod Touch is more useful in the long term. The Fire is just an oversized smartphone with no storage, weak app selection, and the worst touch screen on any tablet I've ever used. You'd be better off to find a used HP Touchpad with Android installed. The Kindle is basically a Blackberry Playbook. Those did so well.

 

[ez bake]

Best deal on Android tablets right now is the Nook Color (check out refurbs on the Barnes and Noble ebay store). You can typically get one for $129 (but you have to pay tax and shipping which is a turnoff to a lot of folks).

You can download apps to it, but if you're savvy, you can load Cyanogenmod on it and get a pretty full-featured Android Tablet for under $150 (you have to buy a micro-SD card too). I've had about 3 different Android tablets and sold them off for the Nook Color modded with Cyanogenmod - it's got too many features for the price (keep in mind, it has no GPS, no camera, and is WiFi internet access only).

The only complaint with the Nook Color is that the cable they come with is fragile, and right now the only charger you can buy for it (that actually charges it at full power and not USB-Micro trickle charge) is the Barnes and Noble-branded expensive one from either B&N or Staples.

Whatever If you're getting an Android tablet for a child (and you plan on giving them access to the internet), then you'll want to take steps to protect them. I'm not an Apple guy, but one thing I'll give them credit for is making it easier to lock things down.

For Android, look into a white-list app for your router (or DNS app for restrictions) or at the very least, get an App Locker for the tablet and lock down everything (including the market) with a password - this is what we do. My kids know that when going to the market, the internet, or looking up eBooks (you'd be surprised what both the Nook and Kindle stores have that'll make you blush), they have to come have me or my wife unlock them and it only lasts for 30 mins (and they have to stay in the room with me to do so).

Clicking on one ad, or searching something without thinking about it can lead to some serious bad stuff.