52 T3 OCTOBER 2020Top tablets for every task
TOP TABLETS
FOR EVERY TASK
Which tablet is the right one for you depends on exactly what you’re
going to do with it – but there’s a slate to suit everyone
Tablets are perfect for kids, whether they want to watch
shows, play games, listen to music, or browse the web.
Even while your children are too young for a phone, they
can still happily tap and swipe away on a tablet, and
today’s models come with plenty of parental control
options built in as well – so you don’t have to worry about
what they’re doing while your back is turned.
Perhaps the most important consideration here- depending on the age of your kids – is durability. You
need something that’s robust, and a device that isn’t
going to cost you a huge amount of money (just in case
the worst should happen and you need to replace it).
Then there’s the software on board: you need
something that’s going to keep your kids out of trouble,
be simple for them to use, and have access to an endless
stream of apps. This is where it pays to go for tablets
running software from the big names – Apple, Google,
Amazon – because there’s going to be plenty of apps for
them to try, from educational games to video streaming.
We’re now seeing custom tablet interfaces that cater
specifically towards kids, reducing the amount of time
you have to spend setting them up, and meaning they
won’t accidentally order you a grocery shop delivery
while they’re trying to view their favourite cartoons.
Long battery life is important too, because you don’t
want a tablet for the kids dying halfway through a long
car journey or when you’re out and about without a
charger. There’s a balance to be had here as well – a
bigger screen will of course show off videos better, but
it’ll also drain battery life more quickly, so factor that in
when you’re weighing up which of these tablets to go for.
While we’re strong supporters of sensibly managing
your kids’ screen time, tablets have proven to be modern
marvels at getting them quiet – and you can keep them
entertained and educated as well. The ones we’ve picked
out all come with different ways of making sure your
youngsters don’t spend too long tied to their devices.
The good news is that kids don’t need the latest and
greatest components inside their tablets – they just need
something that’s capable of streaming video, opening the
web, and playing a few basic games. That means you can
save a substantial amount of money by getting them
something from the cheaper end of the market.
ENTERTAINING KIDS
1 APPLE iPAD 10.2 (2019)
The standard, entry-level, cheapest iPad right now – the one that Apple
just calls ‘iPad’ – is the 10.2-inch model. While its home-button design
is getting a bit dated now, it still has plenty to offer and is the cheapest
way to get access to Apple’s excellent App Store. The parental controls
on iPadOS are robust as well.
From £349, apple.com1
Words: David Nield