06-15-2011, 12:28 PM
Pretty heavy duty. And nice.
I second the desktop approach. A laptop becomes a 'toy' for a child of that age, and WILL become broken. The iMac is more of an appliance, and stays on the desk and is respected. My 13 year old has *borrowed* my wife's netbook/hackintosh, and the damn thing is always stuffed in a sofa or left on the floor. I fully expect someone to sit/stomp on it soon. Kids should only get their hands on a laptop that is unkillable (Clamshell, toughbook) or when they're mature enough to keep 'em safe.
The idea of a regular iChat schedule is excellent.... I remember being half a world away from my wife and then 1 year old daughter for over half a year.. it was hell.
FWIW, think of an El Gato TV tuner, and it becomes a nice television as well for those edumaficational programs.
I second the desktop approach. A laptop becomes a 'toy' for a child of that age, and WILL become broken. The iMac is more of an appliance, and stays on the desk and is respected. My 13 year old has *borrowed* my wife's netbook/hackintosh, and the damn thing is always stuffed in a sofa or left on the floor. I fully expect someone to sit/stomp on it soon. Kids should only get their hands on a laptop that is unkillable (Clamshell, toughbook) or when they're mature enough to keep 'em safe.
The idea of a regular iChat schedule is excellent.... I remember being half a world away from my wife and then 1 year old daughter for over half a year.. it was hell.
FWIW, think of an El Gato TV tuner, and it becomes a nice television as well for those edumaficational programs.