

Ask HN: Which cheap computing device would you get your 5 year old daughter? - achalkley

I have a 5 year old and she's been playing around with a Raspberry Pi. Writing in leaf pad. Done a few Scratches. I connected it online and doesn't give the best browsing experience, basically unusable.<p>She's been playing around with iDevices since year dot, but I think she likes the keyboard. Been toying around buying a cheap Windows Laptop but Windows 8 is a little confusing and such and am thinking about a Chrome Book. Has anyone else had any experience?
======
GuiA
I'd definitely not recommend getting her a non-laptop (eg. ipod touch, ipad,
nexus 7, nexus 10, etc.).

Get her a cheap (<$300) netbook (acer still makes great ones), plop Linux on
it, and here we go!

She'll have an environment she's familiar with, with a real keyboard, and
plenty of room to grow.

In the meantime, have you tried overclocking the Pi? It may make browsing
better.

~~~
achalkley
I've tried over-clocking but the SD card becomes corrupted after a while.

She's done iDevices but when she's typing on her Pi scrolling is totally new
and alien to her and so are the menus. Like what's this "File" "Save" business
all about.

~~~
GuiA
Have you tried exposing her to something like etoys?

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etoys_(programming_language)>

~~~
achalkley
Never seen this before. Will check it out.

------
MaysonL
Maybe an OLPC XO - seem to be available on ebay.

~~~
achalkley
What would you see as an advantage going with a OLPC XO vs a Laptop with
Ubuntu or a ChromeBook?

------
sturmeh
Nexus 7?

~~~
b0o
yeah the nexus 7 is an awesome device for kids too.

~~~
achalkley
What do your kids do on it?

