Mommy Soul

Guest Post by Lei Chidester.

In Part 1 of eLearning: What Do You Need to Know about eReaders (Luana: make this a hyper link to part 1), we addressed the benefits of having an ereader for your child, touched on a few of the differences between an e book reader and a tablet.  Then we talked about two important factors to consider when buying an e reader: age of your child and display and navigation.

In Part 2, we are going to look at the rest of the key elements.

Check on Quality

I believe that anything I purchase to enhance my life, or my child’s life, is an investment. And, with all investments, we should do our homework before making the purchase. Not that the eReader or tablet is necessarily a big ticket item when it comes to cost, but it will play a significant role in our children’s education.

So, you should do some research before buying one. Even though I have done a lot of the leg work for you in what features and key points you should consider, you still should get opinions from the consumers. In other words, find people who have been using the device you are interested in, to know how they feel about it. An easy way to do that is to look for online reviews. Another way would be to ask your friends and family.

Where to Find Content

When eReaders first came out, the device and where to find content were linked…more like locked. If you had a Kindle, then you were purchasing content from Amazon, just for one example. However, that has all changed now with the introduction of available apps for the devices. These allow you to purchase content outside the former limitations.

The most important key point I want to make here is e-textbooks. This is important, especially if you are hoping for your children to experience great eLearning. I have found the largest selection, as well as some of the best prices, at Amazon. They are way above the competitors, in my opinion.

There is no shortage of resources for free ebooks.  Simply type in “free ebooks” in your favorite search engine, you will see a long list.  Your local public library is another great place for checking out books.  Better yet, you don’t have to drive all the way there and back to check in and out.

Features to Help Your Child Study

Some of the devices available offer features that will enhance your child’s studying and eLearning, such as…highlighting, text-to-speech, and note taking. Just as you can highlight in a traditional textbook, you can also do the same in your eReader or tablet.

Another nice feature to look for is a built-in dictionary. Imagine just being able to click on a word to learn the definition or history behind a story plat. Many kids would just glance by it, rather than interrupt their reading to look it up in the traditional dictionary.

On-Device Storage

If you plan on getting a device that allows for storing movies, TV shows and games, then you will certainly want to pay attention to the storage capacity. Games and movies take up more space, due to the graphics.

There is the option of expansion on the device, such as a secure digital memory card that can help expand the storage in Sony eReaders, or the Nook Color.

Would The Battery Last for a Road Trip?

If you have a laptop, then you are probably well aware that the battery life is important. However, the battery life in eReaders and tablets is often much longer than a laptop. In fact, the Kindle Touch can last up to 2 months, if used off the charger for an average of 30 minutes each day. A tablet will have much shorter battery life comparatively speaking  due to the multiple features and functionality. This can be important for traveling, or use at school.

Sharing Content with Siblings?

You might be interested to know that it’s possible to share some content, if you have the appropriate eReader or tablet. Some will not allow it. For those that do allow it, I suggest looking to Amazon for their ‘lending library’.

It’s a great way to save money, but pay attention to the ‘small print’. The length of time you can share, as well as how often and who you can share it with will vary.

What’s the Price Tag?

Of course the prices will vary, just like other features. It will depend on what features you opt for, as well as the brand you choose. The good news is that you can find a great device for under $200, at times, well under. The Amazon Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, and Nook Color are all great in both quality and price.

Then there is the iPad. It is more costly, but it’s top of the line for sure. The basic model starts at $499 for the 16GB memory model and goes up from there depending on Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi + 3/4G data network option.
I own an iPad and I am still amazed every day to learn new ways to utilize the device for work, for learning and for entertainment.

As a parent myself, I believe investing in my child’s learning is worth the time and money.  I hope you will find this guide helpful in your research and purchasing process.

About the Author: As Publisher of http://ereaderguide.org, Lei shares her in-depth reviews of best ereaders for your kid and tips on how to leverage these tools for your child’s learning.

Guest Post by Lei Chidester.

It’s always amazing to see the growth and knowledge that our children gain throughout the years. And, if we want to stay on top of their potential for learning and keeping up with the rest of their classmates, then we really need to stay on top of available tools.

Of course we want our kids to do well in school, and it’s never too early, or too late to give them the boost they might need to get interested. What we have available now for our kids is technology to help them learn, such as eReaders, or tablets.

The great thing about eReaders and tablets is that they serve a purpose beyond game playing, surfing the Internet, and watching movies. It is a great source of learning for our children, because of the ‘gadget’ aspect, it is appealing than a traditional book.

Read on to learn more about the tool that can take your child’s learning to the next level.

What Are the Benefits of eReaders/Tablets?

One benefit that I briefly mentioned above is the ‘coolness factor’ of technology. If it looks more like a game or toy, it might be picked up more often by the child, resulting in more use and hopefully learning.

Speaking of picking it up, the weight of the devices is incredibly light. So, if you are going somewhere that you would normally carry multiple books, the difference in weight could be considerable. Take for example going on a trip. Packing 3 or 4 books for the trip will not only take up space in your luggage, but add more weight than one small eReader or tablet.

Imagine carrying those books on your back each day in a backpack. If your child is old enough for college, then that could be a big benefit when compared to lugging around multiple text books on your back all over campus.

Last, the cost difference is a real perk as well. Downloading eBooks, getting free ebooks or PDF documents or papers or even renting them, is often less costly than purchasing traditional books.

Choosing between an eReader and a Tablet

There are a few things to take into account when deciding not only between an eReader and tablet, but which one of those would work best for your children. I did a lot of research before getting my own, so I thought I would share some of the key points when you start looking for the right one for your child.

First, an eReader is primarily for reading, which is a great activity for kids, especially as they grow to develop their skills and vocabulary.

Second is the tablet. These also allow for reading, but it is primarily a device for multi-media consumption, such as being able to watch a movie, or play games. The iPad tablet is probably the ‘Cadillac’ in the tablet market space with the highest price tag, but also with most features and apps.

Now, I’m going to break it down even further to give you some thoughts to ponder before making your investment.

The Age of the Child

I mentioned earlier that it’s never too early to start, or too late. If your child is anywhere from a toddler to probably first or second grade, they might enjoy an interactive device such as Barnes and Noble’s Nook Color ereader or Nook Tablet where stories come alive.  With the Read-to-Me feature and interactive activities built in the device, your children will be so captivated by the enchanting voice of the story teller or by your own mesmerizing voice.

Display and Navigation

Navigation isn’t really too important, because our children can out-navigate us on most anything that has to do with a click or a mouse. They are picking up on computer usage in kindergarten already, if not before. And, most devices are user-friendly to begin with.

The display though, is a matter of preference and will vary between brands. Most of the ereaders use E Ink technology with grayscale from 8 to 16 while tablets display in backlit LCD with IPS (In-Plane Switching).

E Ink is definitely much preferred when it comes to reading for longer periods as E Ink resembles real paper text display with minimum eye strain and much better contrast.  Most of the ereaders also offer the option to change font styles and sizes.

The uniqueness of a tablet is that it has a color display.  The LCD screen display is magnificent for graphics, but not so much for reading due to the glossy surface and glares.  Its wider view angle is conducive to watching movies or playing games.  If your child has a playmate, the wider viewing is also great for sharing.

When it comes to screen, size matters.  It goes without saying that the larger, the better.  The downside of a larger screen is also heavier in weight and bigger in dimensions.  All in all, a tablet is still very light and compact comparing to a laptop PC.

Be sure to visit our site soon for Part 2 of this article.

About the Author: As Publisher of http://ereaderguide.org, Lei shares her in-depth reviews of best ereaders for your kid and tips on how to leverage these tools for your child’s learning.