Eyeing Schools' iPad Alternatives
Even though the iPad commands the majority of the tablet market in education, there are a growing number of tablet options schools can choose.
Even though the iPad commands the majority of the tablet market in education, there are a growing number of tablet options schools can choose.
| Education features | Specifications | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | |||
| iPad Air | While Apple does not have a specific education version of its tablet, the new iPad Air is the latest in the line of Apple tablets that currently command almost 94 percent of the educational tablet market, according to some estimates. The iPad does not come preloaded with any specific educational-software, schools are encouraged to customize their devices with apps from the Apple App Store, including Apple's free iWork and iLife suite. | 9.7 inches, includes Apple's A7 chip, weighs just more than 1 pound | Starting at $499 for 16 gigabytes of storage |
| Android | |||
| Amplify Tablet | Created by ed-tech company Amplify, this tablet comes with the full Amplify suite. Amplify's content includes various curriculum and assessment tools, web filtering, a variety of Google apps, a graphing calculator, and Encyclopedia Britannica. | 10 inches with included keyboard, 16 gigabytes, about 1.25 pounds |
$199 for 3 years plus additional leasing fees. The company also offers free telephone support for technical issues and suggestions on using the tablet. |
| Kindle Fire HDX | Through Amazon's Whispercast program, schools can connect devices to the Internet with content blocking, distribute books to devices, and add more customization through the Amazon Appstore for Android. | 16 gigabytes, 2.2 GHz
|
The 7-inch tablet costs $244; 8.9-inch version costs $394 |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 | Note fits into the Samsung School program, which allows for interactive teaching between student tablets and teacher machines and a content management system. The company has its own Google Play app, S Educate, which provides access to Khan Academy videos and tracks student achievement. Also features the company's "S Pen™", a stylus that offers students a more familiar way to take notes. | 10.1 inches, 16 gigabytes, microSD slot, 1.4 GHz 1.3 pounds |
$429.99 |
| LearnPad | The LearnPad solution includes three components designed to allow educators to deliver digital curriculum and instruction: The LearnPad tablet; the LearnPad cloud-based management portal; and the LearnPad content store. | 9.7 inches, 16 gigabytes, Dual Core 1.6 GHZ processor, a Micro SD port, USB port with adapter, 1.45 pounds 10.1 inches, 16 gigabytes, microSD slot, Quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, a Micro SD port, HD video out port, USB port with adapter, 1.4 pounds |
The 9 inch costs $299.95; 10 inch version costs $399.95; No access, subscription, renewal or reoccurring costs beyond initial cost. |
| Windows Tablets | |||
| Microsoft Surface | Billed as a miniature Windows computer. Surface comes with Microsoft Home and Student, and has access to the Windows App Store on Windows' operating system. | 10.6 inches, 32 gigabytes of storage, |
$314.10 after a student or faculty discount. |
| Dell Latitude | Dell's Latitude 10 takes a similar approach as the Microsoft Surface, emphasizing ease of deployment with a Windows tablet and access to Windows apps. Latitude does not have its own education suite. | 10.1 inches, 64 gigabyte, dual-core processor, weighs 1.47 pounds |
Starts at $499 |
| Google Education Tablets (Powered by Android) | |||
| Nexus 7 | Google's new Google Play for Education. | 7 inches, 16 gigabytes, a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, includes a microUSB port and a SlimPort™ for external video, 290 grams |
Google Play for Education also includes management and support for the purchase price of $259 |
| HP Slate 8 | Will run Google Play for Education. | 8 inches, NVIDIA T40 S TEGRA 4 A15 Quad-Core Processor, micro USB and SD ports, weighs 1 pound | To be released in 2014. Price will include management and support with Google Play for Education. |
| Asus Transformer Pad | Will run Google Play for Education. | 10 inches, 16 gigabytes, 1.6 GHz |
To be released in 2014. Price will include management and support with Google Play for Education. |
SOURCE: Education Week
Related Tags:
A version of this article appeared in the December 04, 2013 edition of Education Week