back to school - shopping & lifestyle
d & e i Tr ed t s Te
We attended a press event recently (hosted by Microsoft) who were showcasing some of the latest in technology aimed at children and young adults going into primary / secondary school and also college and university. We had the chance to try out some of the devices to see just how easy they were to use and also check out the latest in operating systems being run. We have picked our favourites and have details on them for you below. Not only are they all great value but as well as being perfectly suited for children they are also great for all round family use too. We also had the chance to review the latest in phones from Motorola perfect for children. Why should you have to pay for the privilege of buying your child a phone just to be able to contact them and vice-versa. With the new Motorola Moto E you don’t have to - read our review below! When it comes to my personal favourite though, it has to be the Surface 2 and 3 (we had a sneak preview of the Surface 3 which is a great successor to the Surface 2 and definitely one I’d like to review in more depth).
Baby Buzz Best Buy
Available from the following stockist’s: Acer Store PC World HP Store John Lewis Lenovo Store Microsoft Store
Acer Aspire E/11 Roxy - £299
Asus T100 £299
Acer Aspire Switch 10 - £299
HP Pavilion 15 Touchsmart - £349
Surface 2 £359
The Aspire E 11 comes with a full-sized keyboard, all the right ports, and the full suite of Windows 8.1 productivity programs, so you’re your children can get their work done, wherever they are. Plus, the optimised speakers deliver audio similar to what you'd expect from larger notebooks, for surprisingly clear sound.
The Asus Transformer Book T100 features 2 in 1 functionality, Microsoft Office software and an impressive 11 hour battery life, making it the perfect PC for children wanting to do their homework and stay entertained too.
Use the Aspire Switch 10 as a portable tablet, type with its keyboard for productivity, pivot its screen to share a presentation with others or flip it to watch a film when space is limited. Switch between laptop, tablet, display screen and tent modes to enhance your child’s work and play.
Easily convert from notebook to stand to tent to tablet mode for all your child’s productivity and entertainment needs with this amazingly value-packed convertible PC, featuring a 360° hinge.
Great value touch screen device, PC when you need it, tablet when you want it. At just 670g, and pre-loaded with Office 2013 RT (now with Outlook), Surface 2 lets you carry less while you do more. Light in your hands, but loaded with improved sound and picture, a faster processor, and extra offers.
The Moto E, with its high-end smartphone specifications, but ground-breaking, low price tag of just £79 off contract, is built to last. The latest Corning® Gorilla® Glass technology and a water-resistant splash guard also make it the perfect smartphone to endure those big days of fun and adventure. With its all-day battery life, parents can contact or be contacted anytime of the day in case of emergency or to arrange a pick up time. The handset can also hold up to 32GB of photos, videos, music, movies and apps enabling your child to share their favourite holiday memories with their friends and be entertained on those long haul travel days. Your child’s personality will shine through their handset by customising each Moto E by choosing from a variety of interchangeable Motorola shells available in up to 20 colour and design combinations to keep up to date with the latest trends.
£79 off contract
We had the chance to review this handset very recently and was very surprised at just how compact and easy to use it really was! The device is very similar to other more recognised brands in both style and functionality and is a great alternative for the child who wants to keep up with the latest trends without having to ask parents to pay the same price. The few slight differences we could find was the lack of additional buttons or sensors on the Moto E. The right edge has the power button and volume control, the top edge houses the headphone socket with the bottom edge featuring the micro USB charging socket. The front features the speaker below a 4.3-inch IPS screen, while the earpiece and a notification light are situated above. The only noticeable difference was the lack of a front-facing camera, it comes equipped with a 5MP camera on the back, which in my opinion is perfectly adequate! All in all, a fantastic option for both children and adults looking for a bargain handset that has everything you need!
Download this Biff, Chip and Kipper app to build and buy your collection of interactive books to help your child develop in their reading. You can read along or listen as each page is read to you. If your child is struggling to say a word, they can get the exact pronunciation of each word by tapping a word on the page.
For older kids and your budding entrepreneurs, CoolStreet is designed to teach basic principles of micro-economics by providing students in an immersive and fun environment. CoolStreet is a cloud-based micro-economic simulation game in which players own competing pizza shops on ‘CoolStreet’.
I’m ready for spelling is a great learning game for children to learn how to spell through a series of interactive levels. Make learning an adventure with LP+ Safari, an exciting new early year’s app from Learning Possibilities. You can write, work, paint, listen to Music and Video and view Pictures from your device.
My Study Life is a planner for students, teachers and lecturers designed to make your study life easier by storing your classes, tasks (assignments, homework, revision) and exams in the cloud making your study life available wherever you are.
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