Which Tablets

[mikeprice]

Ok - looks like we needs more mobile devices here

 

my fault for getting the wireless network working properly

 

So - before anyone starts drooling over shiny (i.e. Apple) stuff

 

What tablets are useful and useable - mostly for WWW access only. The main things seem to be research for projects etc and logging onto web sites that are used for reading/writing assignments

 

obviously they need to be Primary school proof and have decent battery life and work reasonably fast (ish) - and some way of managing them/updating them

 

any good/bad experiences???

 

Thanks

Mike

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Linx tablets

 

The 10" windows 10 Pro version for education is a great little thing

 

They're cheap too!

[Cazale]

Hate to be the one to say it, but yes, iPads. They're much easier to manage (and lock down), pretty durable with the right case, decent battery life and at least you're dealing with the one manufacturer.

[DJ-1701]

Just a comment on the Linx 10", I found that screen broke quite easy without any protection... couldn't get a repair, had to get a replacement. Protect the device, especially with kids.

[sted]

Just a comment on the Linx 10", I found that screen broke quite easy without any protection... couldn't get a repair, had to get a replacement. Protect the device, especially with kids.

i found the wireless was dire to the point when i was trying to install office on them i gave up and used a usb network adapter it just dropped and was slow then wouldnt reconnect i personally wouldnt touch one with a barge pole. Now granted the school that has them dosent have the best wifi ever but its not terrible either

[southhamster]

Learn pads?

Easy to whitelist/black websites/topics to keep attention focused.

Cheap. Loads of apps.

I think you can ask for a free demo visit.

Our first set of 32 is down to about 25 now after 3 years. The early ones had poor power sockets but the wireless charging solves that and the new ones are pretty good.

[dhicks]

What tablets are useful and useable - mostly for WWW access only. The main things seem to be research for projects etc and logging onto web sites that are used for reading/writing assignments

 

We are using Asus Chromebook Flips - at around £250 each (price includes VAT and Google management console license) they were around half the price of an iPad and can be managed via Google's web-based console. They are usable as both tablets and laptops - our children seem to quite like halfway-in-between mode where you use the keyboard as an angled stand for the screen, they'll have them out on the desk for reference even when hand-writing an answer.

[JATSO]

Ok - looks like we needs more mobile devices here

 

my fault for getting the wireless network working properly

 

So - before anyone starts drooling over shiny (i.e. Apple) stuff

 

What tablets are useful and useable - mostly for WWW access only. The main things seem to be research for projects etc and logging onto web sites that are used for reading/writing assignments

 

obviously they need to be Primary school proof and have decent battery life and work reasonably fast (ish) - and some way of managing them/updating them

 

any good/bad experiences???

 

Thanks

Mike

 

Been looking at this as well, had a quote for the Linx device but they came with W10 home so declined the quote, discussed with the Sales rep at Linx and they hope to have some Linx 10v with W10 Education version online sometime soon.

Looked at the Acer Switch but they said it won't run Pro or Edu.

 

Its seem unless schools are prepared to pay £300 + for a 2 in 1 tablet then they are difficult to find and it looks like the Education market just isn't big enough for some manufacturers. Avantis do a W10 tablet but again it comes with Home. Anyone have any other suggestions it would be appreciated. Must be Windows though.

 

Just had this sent to me from Linx.

 

Edited December 8, 2016 by JATSO

[RichCowell]

Been looking at this as well, had a quote for the Linx device but they came with W10 home so declined the quote, discussed with the Sales rep at Linx and they hope to have some Linx 10v with W10 Education version online sometime soon.

Looked at the Acer Switch but they said it won't run Pro or Edu.

 

Its seem unless schools are prepared to pay £300 + for a 2 in 1 tablet then they are difficult to find and it looks like the Education market just isn't big enough for some manufacturers. Avantis do a W10 tablet but again it comes with Home. Anyone have any other suggestions it would be appreciated. Must be Windows though.

 

You can get Linx tablets with Win Pro on - roughly the same price with the keyboard as the Linx + Keyboard with Win Home bundle... I've ordered two recently, and going to be ordering another today or tomorrow...

[JATSO]

You can get Linx tablets with Win Pro on - roughly the same price with the keyboard as the Linx + Keyboard with Win Home bundle... I've ordered two recently, and going to be ordering another today or tomorrow...

 

Thanks RichCowell yes I thought that the quote said Home and I thought I would check with Linx Tech and they said drivers have become an issue for some when they come with home and then the user re-installs pro or Edu and they recomend that they do the build with Pro or Edu for the end user, so that why i turned down the quote. Want 40+ of these tablets.

[RichCowell]

Thanks RichCowell yes I thought that the quote said Home and I thought I would check with Linx Tech and they said drivers have become an issue for some when they come with home and then the user re-installs pro or Edu and they recomend that they do the build with Pro or Edu for the end user, so that why i turned down the quote. Want 40+ of these tablets.

We've not had them long, but the ones we bought with Pro pre-installed haven't had any issues so far... Did you get a quote for the Win 10 Pro model?

[JATSO]

We've not had them long, but the ones we bought with Pro pre-installed haven't had any issues so far... Did you get a quote for the Win 10 Pro model?

 

The supplier only offered Win10 home and when I spoke to Linx they said they were awaiting a restock and also a newer model was coming out.

 

Hopefully they will get back to me when in stock.

[RichCowell]

The supplier only offered Win10 home and when I spoke to Linx they said they were awaiting a restock and also a newer model was coming out.

Hopefully they will get back to me when in stock.

I asked my supplier just out of interest, they've got lots in stock - I'll PM you details...

[Lonix]

I've covered a lot in one of these silly things called blogs

 

Go for 10" straight up, nothing smaller. The cheap Lenovo tablets A10s are okay but in all honesty very easy to break and performance not so great.

 

- Keep an eye on charging ports for tablets they are very easily to damage.

 

I'd recommend the Google nexus but too small.

 

The lynx isn't so bad really and comes with Windows, probably the best bet because you can avoid the general flash related problems. We've done work around on Android/iPads but it's not 100%. I wouldn't recommend the cheapest on the market, likewise for the Lenovo their performance really seems to dip. We didn't test the windows versions heavily enough with kids though.. they are great at trying to install things and seeing the ramifications of it. Even had one that some how installed inappropriate apps that were tied to the original tablet restore image not only to his own Google account. The chargers though are much better with the iPads/Lynx and should be less easy to break.

[Brimstone]

Ok - looks like we needs more mobile devices here

 

my fault for getting the wireless network working properly

 

So - before anyone starts drooling over shiny (i.e. Apple) stuff

 

What tablets are useful and useable - mostly for WWW access only. The main things seem to be research for projects etc and logging onto web sites that are used for reading/writing assignments

 

obviously they need to be Primary school proof and have decent battery life and work reasonably fast (ish) - and some way of managing them/updating them

 

any good/bad experiences???

 

Thanks

Mike

 

So substituting everything you can do on a laptop for mobile device, sounds like a waste of time, money and resources to me?

[mikeprice]

So substituting everything you can do on a laptop for mobile device, sounds like a waste of time, money and resources to me?

 

Well - I agree mostly - however if the requirements are purely research and using a web site for logging their progress then there is a point IF it is cheaper

 

and still cheaper over 5 years

 

hence looking for tablets that are suitable so I can cost them and compare it to laptops

 

I haven't suddenly gone all "give me shiny"!!!

[XiJ]

Hate to be the one to say it, but yes, iPads. They're much easier to manage (and lock down), pretty durable with the right case, decent battery life and at least you're dealing with the one manufacturer.

 

This really.

 

If you wanted to in to Windows applications and connect to a domain as your priority then I'd say a windows tablet.

 

For the main focus being web browsing the. iPads all the way. Love or hate apple, they are robust and with a decent case will last a long time. Best of all very easy to manage with DEP/configurator for supervising then a mdm (Meraki for certain if <100)

[NB9457]

If they're for a Primary, iPads every time for me.

 

Loads of apps, they're quick, no logging them in and teachers and kids know how to use them. Been down the Learnpad and android route and honestly, the build quality, performance and reliability isn't on scale with an iPad.

 

Apple classroom has just come out too and it works great, you can view what the kids are doing, force them to use one app with no way to exit and so on.

 

Anything else and I think after a couple of months they'll get shoved into a corner, I've seen it happen many times.

[steveg]

I come from a fairly anti-apple past, and would have to say I'd lean towards ipads! They are easy to manage these days, easy to lock down, very very rarely break and just work.

 

We've had learnpads - we found them slow, poor quality, not as good apps and weren't popular with teachers.

 

We have a set of 64 linx 10 tablets and they really are very poor. I think the newer 1010 or later ones are better, but the first generation ones we have are bad!

 

I'm currently setting up a new set of 75 ipads here, purchased because of staff demand - not because they are shiny and apple, but because the ones we had were always out being used by pupils and there just weren't enough available.

 

Steve

[NB9457]

I come from a fairly anti-apple past, and would have to say I'd lean towards ipads! They are easy to manage these days, easy to lock down, very very rarely break and just work.

 

We've had learnpads - we found them slow, poor quality, not as good apps and weren't popular with teachers.

 

We have a set of 64 linx 10 tablets and they really are very poor. I think the newer 1010 or later ones are better, but the first generation ones we have are bad!

 

I'm currently setting up a new set of 75 ipads here, purchased because of staff demand - not because they are shiny and apple, but because the ones we had were always out being used by pupils and there just weren't enough available.

 

Steve

Pretty much the same here! I'm by no means Pro Apple, but seeing as I look after multiple primaries, this has been exactly what's happened in most of them.