Differences between e-readers and tablets?

TRU has a selection of tablets, etc. primarily meant for kids, and they usually have someone who is knowledgable about them. The managers are usually the best source of info on what they sell.

I strongly caution you to keep you children away from electronic sources of reading until they are in their teens. For centuries man has created the most imaginative, creative minds the earth has seen using the hands holding the printed word. The contact you make with the material of the book, coupled with being able to make direct corrections and adjustments to text is a vital pathway to literacy and overall learning that can't be duplicated via any other platform. It just can't, it's a round hole in our human make up that the square peg of PC's, tablets etc can't fit.

I have two daughters 6 & 7 and they do ALL their reading and writing on paper platforms and they soak it up like a sponge and their eyes don't get assaulted by the wave lengths that are emanating from the devices. Keep them away from over saturation from electronic sources as much as possible. They will be better equipped than their tech junkie peers.

I have an 11 year old and a 14 year old, so I've been through all that.

They don't care for e-readers. And as parent, I didn't approve of them having a computer, and tablets are almost full featured computers, at that age. I didn't have the option of an Amazon Kindle Fire at that time, so I cannot say much about it. Apple has the best products and range.

I would recommend to start with an iPod and learn to use the parental controls, and postpone the tablet until he/she turns 10. Meanwhile they can use the home computer under your strict supervision. In fact, you should never leave him/her for a long period of time without checking the use he/she is giving to the item. They can learn to watch porn, and sending inappropriate texts and pictures at a very early age. As soon as they have their first "sex talk" at school they will try to access a lot of stuff.

As to your other questions:

Yes, you do need internet access. They can operate some things off line (without internet access), but even those applications have to be downloaded and updated through the internet.

Yes, you have to pay monthly fees for internet access. They are usually low fees if you live in an area where cable tv and other services are readily available. If you live in the woods or areas without cable infrastructure, then things can get more costly since your options are more limited and costly. I haven't used a landline phone in years, but I would guess getting internet from your landline phone company, if those companies still exist, may be a less expensive option.

Yes, you can operate tablets, iPods, iPads, e-books, etc. with Wi-Fi only granted that you have access to a Wi-Fi signal. An 8 year old doesn't need costly 3g or 4g connection offered by a cellphone company (except in the case you live in the woods and all you can get is satellite or cellphone signals which are costly). I don't use them myself. I get my internet through my cable company, and they provide a Wi-Fi enabled router (formerly cable box). Or you can hook up your non Wi-Fi cable provided router to a Wi-Fi router. The salesperson at any computer store will explain the process, or you can learn how to do it yourself by reading Cnet or searching YouTube. You can build a skyscraper if you want by searching YouTube.

But the most important advise is not of a technological nature. It has to do with children using that technology and getting access to unthinkable information. Be an involved parent, constantly track what your child is doing in the internet. Don't let him/her out of your sight with a tablet, iPod, phone, etc. in their hands. If you don't establish clear rules and consequences for inappropriate use of technology, by the time they turn 12 years old, it will be too late.

I. May be late for the party but the coolest move is a Nextbook premium 7 from Walmart $60 with free shipping. 8gigs wifi and you can get free kindle ,iBooks and overdrive apps.
The only downside is you are nagged by Nanny and a five hour battery life. What do you want chump change?

You should first ask yourself, Why do you want to get your child a digital device? Do you want them to get addicted to games? Or, do you want to get them interested in reading? If you get something with internet connectivity, be sure to set up all the parental controls you can, including time-limiting features. I would not let my child join any -ANY - social media groups.

The answer is: laptop.
If your 8-year old is a school student, he/she needs a PC right now or soon. Contemporary schools all have websites, and students usually have to go to them to get homework assignments. They need MS Office suit to do homework, to print, etc.
So if your child does not have a PC yet, buy some basic laptop for him. If the laptop is already present, you do not need a tablet or ereader. Install a free app lake Caliber, and enjoy any ebook you want.
Of course, if you are spending a lot of time on road, it might be reasonable to buy a tablet. The only argument for a ereader is if you want only to load and read ebook and do nothing more. Ereader is cheaper.

Well, I am not an expert on tablets, but I work with some Intel ones.
Personally, I think it's much better to invest in a tablet than an e-reader. It might be even better to invest in a laptop. The tablet and laptop are like a desktop PC, they are general purpose computers. The e-reader is a special-purpose limited computer that will only read book files, usually, and not do anything else well.

The tablet is a bit more money, but if you get the right tablet, it can run all programs that a PC runs! Some tablets are like this, they are general computers, that will play any game, or run any application, and allow your son to expand his use of it. All laptops and desktops are like this, they will run any PC program.

This is very different from an e-reader, that I think won't do anything except read downloaded book files, right ? It cannot run any PC software, so it's not worth the money, unless it is very cheap ~ $100. It's basically an empty box with a picture of a screen on one side, LOL.

WiFi is an absolute must to have in a tablet, so it can talk to the internet through a wireless access point/ router. This is the box you normally have connected right to your cable TV modem box, and the other end of the modem connects your house to Comcast or some TV + cable service. Wireless routers are cheap, ~ 60$ .

WiFi: This way you don't need a network wire to talk to the internet and can surf the web on the tablet in your lap.
You have to have monthly charges, for cable internet service (like Comcast charges.) If you b uy your own cable modem instead of renting it from Comcast, you will save some money.

Also, with WiFi you can actually park at a MacDonald's, or sit in a Starbucks, or in a library, and use their free WiFi service, and through that, connect to the internet for free. And I'm sure most schools and dorms have this now.

I guess you also can get a tablet with a cell phone in it, and then you don't need a Comcast cable internet service. You can pay the cell phone company for a data plan, that will let you surf the web.
But note, I would not want a cell phone gadget near my body all day, turned on, due to the increased risk of cancer.
This radiation effect is not at all certain, so I would be cautious. Cell phone mfrs recommend you keep them 1 inch from your body. Or more. Just a note.

Another thing you may want, is a nice cheap B+W laser printer, for homework maybe. I have a Brother HL-22xx wireless printer, that is great, and cost me only $120 or so. You just stick a stack of laser paper in it, and it can print by a WiFi connection from the tablet. My exact printer number is obsolete, but they have new ones in this series. When the toner runs out, you can go to a Cartridge World (Fremont, CA, etc) and swap the toner cartridge for a refilled one very cheaply!

A laptop is also a good deal for a growing child, and is more powerful than a tablet for the same money probably.
But it doesn't have a touch screen, and is a little heavier. But Lenovo makes very light laptops, and they have frequent discounts.

Good luck ! I would get a tablet or laptop that can run most PC programs, and games, that your child will like. An e-reader is very limited. And these others can totally do the function of an e-reader with 1/10 of their brains.
BTW, a great game is MineCraft, that will run on a tablet or laptop. I think its cheaper ($24) on these PCs than it is on a game console. These portable PC's can take the place of a game console for many games...
Also, there is a lot of free software on say CNET.com that your child can use on these.

Good manufacturers of tablets and laptops are: Samsung, Asus, Intel (not sure if any released yet), Lenovo.
Lenovo is where I would always buy a laptop, they are very lightweight, and the company is great on service.

The reality is that kids will use the tablet for games and not for reading.
You must also realize that it is made of glass and glass can break and be dangerous.
You have to use parental controls or your child will be using your credit card because most e-readers are activated by a credit card and games want participants to make "in game" purchases in order to get farther which is a concept that I don't believe in. Without parental controls, your child can make purchases.
Tablets are only as good as the store it is on.
The permissions you give programs on tablets use vague language and you can't determine the intent on a company's willingness to spy on your habits or content.
Kids can also make a tablet unusable because they fill it up with apps they never use but refuse to delete. These apps take up memory leaving what you want to do with few resources.

My eight yr old grandson asked for and received a Kindle Fire HD for his birthday. He loves it. He gets books from the Library, games, music etc. His parents set controls although some you have to pay for like the time limiter . So far he respects the rules his parents set. It was reasonable in price as well.

I am going through the same thing with a 10 year old girl. No conclusions, only questions.

everyone else has covered the comparison so I'll just tell you about how wifi works..yes! you will need to get wifi in your home to get the most out of any tablet/ereader you cannot download book or apps nor anything else without wifi..you can find an open wifi at starbucks or even at some burger kings but seriously? you'll need to have a wifi running at your home..there is no way out of this you MUST have wifi to get the most use out of either one.