XO Tablet
© 2013 Sakar International Inc.
11/21/2014 Note: The 2014 edition of this tablet comes with an upgraded verison of Android but the same features and storage. The 2013 version, running KitKat is being sold for $80. The following review was published in the October issue of CTR. Featuring a distinctive green rubber bumper with a handy hanging ring, the long-awaited XO Learning Tablet ($150, www.xo-learning.org) is a 7” Android tablet that comes pre-loaded with 173 apps and hundreds of open-source books (numbers as of September 2013) that vary in quality and content. The tablet has excellent content management options for up to three children and Google Play access. Separate English and Spanish content is available, too. The apps are organized both alphabetically or into 16 career categories (doctor, artist, scientist), each with a Wikipedia link to a famous person that represents the career. For teaching there's Maria Montessori, and for writing, for example, there are six apps and a link to William Shakespeare's bio. The apps are listed by age under the categories beginner, intermediate and advanced. Like many lower cost Android tablets, there are limitations. The speakers are weak and the sound level is way too low even with headphones. In addition, the 7 inch screen is too small for some of the apps, which were designed for 10 inch screens. Battery life is good, but could be better, and the on/off and volume buttons are buried by a think layer of silicone. Some of the apps are nothing more than free teasers for the full version, or they are poorly designed. Genetics, for example, mixes educational content with advertising links to social media. Because there are a lot of apps, however, the chances a child will end up on something that is both fun and educational is increased. Who knows, they just might stumble into a book (over 100 open-source books are included). Given the cost ($150) and compared to last year's batch of Android tablets, this one is competitive, especially given the number of pre-installed apps. The parent management features are easy to figure out, and it is possible to make profiles for individual children. In 2005, MIT Media Lab's Nicholas Negroponte attempted to bridge the divide between the digital haves and have-nots with a low-cost, child-centric computer, famously called the $100 laptop. Eight year's later, this XO branded tablet is proof that Moore's law trumps idealism. You can see some of the people behind the tablet at http://youtu.be/llvEyLBgT50 and http://youtu.be/DdxPnJuYL1A. PROS: Excellent customization features for individual children and parent options. Good out of the box app selection, handy loop hanger on the bumper. CONS: Weak volume and speakers, hard to find the buttons, and pre-installed Android apps are hit and miss, some with links to social settings or websites.
$150, Android
Teaches: An Android tablet
CTR Rating: 84%