Chromebooks - price is critical!

[workinwifdakids]

I want to buy an electronic device for each of my 2 daughters, with which they can browse the internet and watch YouTube with headphones in. I have a tight budget of $250 each for a total of $500. I was looking at my options, and a Chromebook seems to fit the bill. Am I missing better options?

Thanks!

[mekender]

I want to buy an electronic device for each of my 2 daughters, with which they can browse the internet and watch YouTube with headphones in. I have a tight budget of $250 each for a total of $500. I was looking at my options, and a Chromebook seems to fit the bill. Am I missing better options?

Thanks!

Galaxy tab 3, 7.0 $199

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Ta ... B00D02AGU4

The only downside is that they will not be able to use a traditional keyboard very easily. But, if they are kids of the modern era, that wont matter a whole lot to them. I have one and my 14 year old loves it.

The other option is the Google Nexus tablet at a very similar price:

http://www.amazon.com/Google-Nexus-Tabl ... le+nexus+7

The key difference is that Google has already rolled out the 4.3 OS update while Samsung has not done that yet for the Tab 3. I expect they will as it is only a 2 month old tablet but it has not happened yet.

Personally, I would go with the Samsung, but I have both the Galaxy S4 phone and the Tab 3 tablet so I am a bit jaded.

[randy]

We spent more but got Darlin Daughter a Galaxy Tab 10 and a Bluetooth keyboard in place of a laptop for school. She is very happy with it.

Given your budget, I think the Galaxy Tab 7 would fill your stated uses. You can always pick up Bluetooth keyboards later if required.

[mekender]

We spent more but got Darlin Daughter a Galaxy Tab 10 and a Bluetooth keyboard in place of a laptop for school. She is very happy with it.

Given your budget, I think the Galaxy Tab 7 would fill your stated uses. You can always pick up Bluetooth keyboards later if required.

Do bluetooth keyboards work with the Tab 7?

Hmmm looks like they should...

[Greg]

I want to buy an electronic device for each of my 2 daughters, with which they can browse the internet and watch YouTube with headphones in. I have a tight budget of $250 each for a total of $500. I was looking at my options, and a Chromebook seems to fit the bill. Am I missing better options?

Thanks!

Galaxy tab 3, 7.0 $199

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-Ta ... B00D02AGU4

The only downside is that they will not be able to use a traditional keyboard very easily. But, if they are kids of the modern era, that wont matter a whole lot to them. I have one and my 14 year old loves it.

The other option is the Google Nexus tablet at a very similar price:

http://www.amazon.com/Google-Nexus-Tabl ... le+nexus+7

The key difference is that Google has already rolled out the 4.3 OS update while Samsung has not done that yet for the Tab 3. I expect they will as it is only a 2 month old tablet but it has not happened yet.

Personally, I would go with the Samsung, but I have both the Galaxy S4 phone and the Tab 3 tablet so I am a bit jaded.

Of these two options, hardware-wise the new Nexus 7 is VASTLY superior. As in, so superior it's amusing. The OLD Nexus was faster and had a higher-resolution screen, and the new Nexus is a great improvement from the old one. The hardware on that particular Samsung part is 1-2 generations old, and is now matched by ~$100 bargain-bin specials. The ONLY thing the Samsung has going for it is an SD card slot. That's IT.

Seriously, don't spend current-gen 7" tablet dollars on an obsolete model. Get the new Nexus, or the old Nexus on markdown (it's still better than the Samsung and will be much cheaper), or wait for one of the new Kindle's or a new Samsung 7".

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/nex ... y-tab-3-7/
http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/29/sams ... ease-date/ (same specs as prev gen)
http://www.gizmag.com/galaxy-tab-3-vs-n ... 013/28479/

Yeah it may seem like I'm belaboring the point, but if you're on a budget you want to maximize value for your money and buy a unit that will be useful longer so you don't need to (possibly since you can't afford to) replace it as soon.

[randy]

Do bluetooth keyboards work with the Tab 7?

Hmmm looks like they should...

Yes. I have one and was using it at a meeting just this past Saturday to take notes.

[Rumpshot]

We spent more but got Darlin Daughter a Galaxy Tab 10 and a Bluetooth keyboard in place of a laptop for school. She is very happy with it.

Given your budget, I think the Galaxy Tab 7 would fill your stated uses. You can always pick up Bluetooth keyboards later if required.

Do bluetooth keyboards work with the Tab 7?

Hmmm looks like they should...

Yes. I have a Tab 2 7" and use a keyboard on occasion. Simple and easy to connect, pretty inexpensive and works well.

[Greg]

Let me add my voice to the chorus advocating the 7" tablet. My wife and I both have them (Google Nexus 7) and LOVE THEM to an unreasonable degree.

We both have external keyboards for ours, and they work just fine... but almost never use them, because we don't really need them.

Frankly... something like 75% of the time, we don't even need our laptops. Web browsing, watching videos, watching tv and movies, even playing lots of games... all on the tablet.

Hey a 7" tablet is great. Believe it or not, I've found that I rarely use my desktop computer anymore because I wind up doing most of the things I used to use it for, on my Nexus 4. A 4.7"-screen smartphone. A 7" tablet would be that much more versatile.

But the Galaxy Tab 3 7" in particular is a weak offering, compared with the competition. If you like Samsung's software features, the 8" model might be a better bet.

[Greg]

I had a brain fart. We have Nexus 7 tablets, I have a Galaxy s4 phone. I knew that, but went retarded for a minute.

Yeah, the galaxy tab isn't the best choice right now. The new Nexus 7 tab is probably the best 7" right now, and the old ones (the ones my wife and I have) are still available at STEEP discounts.

Cheater.

[workinwifdakids]

You guys are awesome.

Someone brought up the Kindle Fire HD. Thoughts?