It's almost that time again. You know what I mean.
School.
Families everywhere are scrambling to prepare. On their first day back, most parents want their students to have all of the important things:
- New gym sneakers
- Number-two pencils
- Notebooks
- Crayons, markers, glue
- A calculator for the older students
- An iPad?
Although I am of the so-called digital generation, that seems a bit strange, even to me. Though I understand the benefits of browsing on the go, it is still hard for me to see the iPad as an educational-must have. It is and will probably continue to be more of a convenience or toy to me. Don't get me wrong, I like that I can check my email, the news, play Angry Birds... But I will never be able to research and write an essay on a tablet. There's no keyboard! I can't open side by side windows. While it's true they have word processing packages, they are not free, and you have to load them.
At this point, I have to inject: if you are going to buy your student something as expensive as a tablet, consider another route. Get a notebook. They are of a comparable price, nearly as portable (depending upon the model), and come with both a keyboard and more functionality.
The Chester Classmate, for example, comes with everything a student could need, including colored keys for typing prowess, internet capability, and a swivel touch screen which can also function as a tablet. All this, plus the Classmate features ultra-rugged construction designed to withstand anything your student puts it through.
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