iPad - A Parents View

One post a month is a horrible schedule - I will try to get Wormie back on a normal testing schedule...she needs to earn her keep and all.   She continues to test a few apps but I have mostly been thinking about the iPad and what it means for Wormie, who turned 5 the other week, and her brother Deadly who is still more interested in using the iPhone as a hammer than as a device.

Durability
The big question for the toddler set is going to be durability.  How well this device stands up to toddler abuse is an unknown.  It is easy to put a polyurethane guard around my iPhone and Touch but I am not so sure that it will work as well with a much bigger device.  The beauty of my Agent18 Shield Case  is the sides have become indestructable and even the screen gets protection from the raised beveled edge.  With a larger device it is going to become harder to protect the screen and minimize damage to the edges from the inevitable falls. 

Screen Size
The biggest advantage I see I see with the new device will be in video viewing.  I will be able to get rid of the portable DVD player we occasionally lug around as a replacement for the iPhone.  While a smaller device has been useful in a pinch i worry about eye strain, sound, etc that come with a smaller device.  More importantly i no longer have to deal with as many sharing issues.  I know it is not just my daughter that wants sole ownership of the device when she is watching a video or story.  A larger screen will make sharing that much easier, especially if we get some headphone splitters.  I think the larger screen will also make the children's story books more accessible since the art, pictures, and text will be so much more accessible when enlarged.

Screen Manipulation
I also see an advantage to having a bigger "field of play" for smaller fingers.  Once challenge i have seen kids have with applications, especially the younger ones, is moving objects with motor skills that are still in development.  The bigger screen will allow for some forgiveness when a child is trying to move, trace, or draw and object and provide a more rewarding experience.

Overall I'm excited to try it out and see if we can get through a month without breaking one.