3 ms·

As is, $500 for a 3-year old's toy seems a little crazy. By her a leap-frog instead? But cheaper, more durable options would make a lot of sense.

by Psyonic 17y ago

pohl 17y ago
Isn't it more likely that the pad would belong to the parents and a $1.99 app would be the child's toy?
- Psyonic 17y ago
  You'd think so, but this is the 3rd review I've read where the adult was relatively disappointed in the iPad, but OH BOY does his child love it. It's starting to make me think its for kids.
  - briancooley 17y ago
    That's not my personal review. It's a review from the perspective of my wife and in-laws. They don't use smartphones and are the kind of users that like to do things in familiar ways. I think it's interesting that kids take to the device more easily than adults. Part of that is simpler usage, but part of it is not having preconceived notions about how to use the device. It also makes me think that a certain class of users is going to have to take some time with the iPad. My wife hated our netbook when I bought it; now I have to pry it from her hands. I'm not disappointed at all in the iPad, but then again my expectations weren't extremely high. I knew typing would be a chore. I knew that there were going to be ergonomic challenges. I wasn't expecting the browser to be on par with the desktop. Also, I mostly bought it to develop for.
    - pyre 17y ago
      > Part of that is simpler usage, but part of it is not having preconceived notions about how to use the device. I'm thinking that most of it is simpler usage. Unless you're qualifying "I can't access my favorite websites because they use flash" under 'preconceived notions.' At least for me, I would be disappointed where the functionality was lacking (i.e. "it can't be done" vs "it can only be done in a different way"), and that is something that a child wouldn't suffer from as much.
briancooley 17y ago
My kid has a leapfrog, but that doesn't curb her curiosity about other devices. I don't know how it is with others, but my kid is fascinated with all my computers. My netbook, my MBP, my Droid, my Touch, and now my iPad. I don't discourage her curiosity. We had a VIC-20 when I was a kid and later a Commodore 64, and that's probably the reason I love programming to this day. What she wants most of all is for her parents to sit with her as she discovers. The iPad is really good for that - the best computer I own for that use case, I think. I can't stand the Leapfrog for long, but watching her with the iPad is fun. It helps that I have the chops to build little apps to distribute on my own devices.
- Psyonic 17y ago
  I don't have kids, but I'd feel exactly the same about letting her explore and try out things. What I was saying was that if it was a disappointment for you, but your 3 year old loved it, it's probably not worth keeping. Child curiosity can be appeased for less than $500. Now if you loved it as well, it's a different story.
  - Splines 17y ago
    > Child curiosity can be appeased for less than $50 Definitely. My daughter loves play-acting with her toys (most of which are just cheap plastic things from Toys R Us). Pencils and crayons with reams of paper last for quite some time. Blocks, balls, and mini versions of adult things (e.g., toy phones, kitchen appliances) that let them play pretend, are all great hits. In my experience, the specific toys (i.e., the ones that have clearly defined "play" scenarios) are the ones that get great attention for an hour, and then are left at the back of the closet until we get rid of them. Computer software is similar - my son loves any building/open world type game (simcity, bridge builder, the sims, harvest moon), but usually loses interest at games that have very specific goals (most platform type games, although mario and the lego games seem to be exceptions).

As is, $500 for a 3-year old's toy seems a little crazy. By her a leap-frog instead? But cheaper, more durable options would make a lot of sense.

by Psyonic 17y ago

As is, $500 for a 3-year old's toy seems a little crazy. By her a leap-frog instead? But cheaper, more durable options would make a lot of sense.

pohl 17y ago

Isn't it more likely that the pad would belong to the parents and a $1.99 app would be the child's toy?

Psyonic 17y ago
You'd think so, but this is the 3rd review I've read where the adult was relatively disappointed in the iPad, but OH BOY does his child love it. It's starting to make me think its for kids.
- briancooley 17y ago
  That's not my personal review. It's a review from the perspective of my wife and in-laws. They don't use smartphones and are the kind of users that like to do things in familiar ways. I think it's interesting that kids take to the device more easily than adults. Part of that is simpler usage, but part of it is not having preconceived notions about how to use the device. It also makes me think that a certain class of users is going to have to take some time with the iPad. My wife hated our netbook when I bought it; now I have to pry it from her hands. I'm not disappointed at all in the iPad, but then again my expectations weren't extremely high. I knew typing would be a chore. I knew that there were going to be ergonomic challenges. I wasn't expecting the browser to be on par with the desktop. Also, I mostly bought it to develop for.
  - pyre 17y ago
    > Part of that is simpler usage, but part of it is not having preconceived notions about how to use the device. I'm thinking that most of it is simpler usage. Unless you're qualifying "I can't access my favorite websites because they use flash" under 'preconceived notions.' At least for me, I would be disappointed where the functionality was lacking (i.e. "it can't be done" vs "it can only be done in a different way"), and that is something that a child wouldn't suffer from as much.

briancooley 17y ago

My kid has a leapfrog, but that doesn't curb her curiosity about other devices. I don't know how it is with others, but my kid is fascinated with all my computers. My netbook, my MBP, my Droid, my Touch, and now my iPad. I don't discourage her curiosity. We had a VIC-20 when I was a kid and later a Commodore 64, and that's probably the reason I love programming to this day. What she wants most of all is for her parents to sit with her as she discovers. The iPad is really good for that - the best computer I own for that use case, I think. I can't stand the Leapfrog for long, but watching her with the iPad is fun. It helps that I have the chops to build little apps to distribute on my own devices.

Psyonic 17y ago
I don't have kids, but I'd feel exactly the same about letting her explore and try out things. What I was saying was that if it was a disappointment for you, but your 3 year old loved it, it's probably not worth keeping. Child curiosity can be appeased for less than $500. Now if you loved it as well, it's a different story.
- Splines 17y ago
  > Child curiosity can be appeased for less than $50 Definitely. My daughter loves play-acting with her toys (most of which are just cheap plastic things from Toys R Us). Pencils and crayons with reams of paper last for quite some time. Blocks, balls, and mini versions of adult things (e.g., toy phones, kitchen appliances) that let them play pretend, are all great hits. In my experience, the specific toys (i.e., the ones that have clearly defined "play" scenarios) are the ones that get great attention for an hour, and then are left at the back of the closet until we get rid of them. Computer software is similar - my son loves any building/open world type game (simcity, bridge builder, the sims, harvest moon), but usually loses interest at games that have very specific goals (most platform type games, although mario and the lego games seem to be exceptions).