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So my 10 year old loves to write. She's always curled up with a notebook, writing. I want very much to encourage this. The issue she's having is that she has about 50 notebooks and never seems to be able to lay her hands on the one she wants when she wants to work on something. I suggested that she start writing on her desktop, but she says that since her desktop is in the family room (and I flat out refuse to move it to her room) its too loud in the family room to think. Thus, I'm thinking very hard about giving her some sort of portable technology to write her stories and journals and so forth.

So having said that, I started looking at tablets. I've sort of crossed them off - I don't think the touchscreen keyboard is going to be a good longterm solution for her writing. I think she needs a real keyboard. So I started looking at laptops. Too expensive, IMO and way overkill for this.

So I think I'm down to a netbook or a Chromebook, unless someone can come up with a compelling argument for something else.

She used a Chromebook at school last year, and she really liked it. I've never seen a Chromebook so I don't know what the features are, but from what I've read its a good basic educational tool.

A netbook I'm familiar with, but I worry that its a dying technology, but since I've sort of eliminated the tablets that are replacing netbooks I don't know that I care if its dying.

Anyway, looking for opinions. Thanks!!

I'm happy with my Cr-48, but it's a personal-use thing; my kid's much too little to use a computer yet, so I haven't looked into how one administers them (i.e. whitelisting/blacklisting websites, maybe you'll have to run something on your router). Great as a web terminal (its focus and only strength), not so good for other things, but it's far more secure than Windows and updates seamlessly.

Either way, she could use something like Evernote (or the Chromebook's Google Drive integration) to synchronize her notes across computers.

I would tend to favor the Chromebook in that situation, partly because they are thinner and lighter than the typical netbook, and partly because the platform limitations will prevent the system from becoming cluttered with every possible variant of a browser toolbar, virus, rootkit, and random "this looks neat" application (i.e. lower maintenance and more content control).

I don't know much about them but I know a couple people that swear by some of the digital or smart pens that are out there. Might be needlessly complicated or create a brand new problem for you though.

idchafee wrote:

A netbook I'm familiar with, but I worry that its a dying technology, but since I've sort of eliminated the tablets that are replacing netbooks I don't know that I care if its dying.

Well, since we are talking about dying technology, I would stay away from the Chromebook as well, in her case at lease. I think you should buy something with touch going forward.

If it was me, and my budget was around $249 (Chromebook price), i'd look for a used Asus Transformer Tablet
I have seen lots of transformers with docks for around $250/$300 used.
Here are my reasons:

1)Lots of cheap or free software, which if proven useful, you can always purchase the full version cheap.
2)Has touch screen; any nice touch apps will probably be supported on this.
3)Can be used with a stylus if she wants to write on it like she did with her notebooks.
4)Has keyboard / touchpad if she wants to type
5)Very good battery life without the dock, great battery life with it.
6)She can still run Chrome, Google Apps, etc on it.

You can also substitute a different tablet /bluetooth keyboard for it, but for me I really like the transformers.

Netbook, because despite the good points ludi makes I think flexibility and power trumps them. The $250 Chromebook is pretty weak, whereas $250-300 netbooks aren't bad, especially if you can get one with an AMD E-350 or C-60 (just avoid single core Brazos). If you want Windows though, the touch paradigm makes things a moving target, haven't seen any netbooks in the $250-300 range that has touch yet but they're surely coming, but then there's always something coming isn't there. (Touch does make sense on a notebook because you're typically close to the screen.)

I was initially going to say Chromebook if she's just writing, but I'm thinking a 10" netbook is probably better overall. It'll give a lot more flexibility growth. And since she's 10 keyboard size probably won't be an issue.

I think some of you are imagining yourselves as computer junkies receiving this device and maintaining it for the next three years, rather than a ten year old girl as a notebook scribbler receiving this device, her father maintaining it, and a lifespan from now until the first time someone accidentally drops a textbook on her backpack while the device is riding around in it.

We have several mobile devices. The iPad is used the most by adults & kids here. Would at least recommend a tablet device with a similar size screen. The net book, HP Dm1, is used for email, web browsing, and MS Office specific tasks. The Kindle Fire is an unused toy. Games ok. Screen too small. Another inch+ on the screen, in height and width, makes a big difference.