gdgt

re: leapfrog vs. ipad, I don't like to limit the kids. It's great if you have both in the home if you can afford it, but it does make logical sense for them to have a cheaper version which is not your "toy".. My point about this is that the more GUI's they get used to the easier it will be for them to adapt to future types of UI's. So there won't be the "I only know a certain platform" issue. My 4.5 yr old asked me about "large apps" for the iPad and "small apps" for the iPhone and I was surprised with his insight. He understood the difference and they fact that you can use the small one's on the large, but not necessarily the other way around unless it has a little "+" next to it. I don't expect him to be an App designer in the future, but at least he's got a general understanding. As for leapfrog, their games are fun, but the hardware sometimes is glitchy. It could cause a little stress and I only hope they figure that out and really develop the touch interface. Both Ash and Jet like the Leapfrog game "not tablet" and the different users give them their own identity. I think it's good and just hope for better quality as long as the price stays down.

I got a leapfrog product for one of my daughters in the past. The concept is cool, but the software is limited, expensive for what you get, and it does not have the most intuitive interface for the targeted age group. I now have an iPad and she seems to enjoy that much more than the leapfrog device.

I personally would be more likely to give my daughter a hand-me-down iPad than buy her a leap pad. I believe the future of personal computing is going to involve a multi-touch UI and will most likely be dominated by either iOS or Android. Given this, I would rather have my child learning how to use a "real" touch OS instead of a watered down kiddie OS.

I think it would really depend on the age of the child. For a very young child, this could make a great toy, but if they have the age and intelligence to use a computer, then it would probably be better (and more educational) for them to use the real thing.

I do see this coming into play for parents who's kids are old enough to technically use a tablet, but who are afraid of unfiltered content. Does the iPad have any sort of parental controls for the app store and for safari?

My 5 year old does fine with my ipad, but prefers the iphone because of the smaller form factor. I just load either one up with edutainment types game and movies and she is happy. Spending a $100 just for the privilege of buying expensive Leapfrog games seems backwards in this day of cheap but good apps that do the same thing. I also don't really let my daughter use it with out me supervising so I am not sure about the parental controls. The only apps on them are the ones I let her use.