Game console or tablet

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ClintZA

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So, I was just about to pull the trigger on the purchase of an Android 7" tablet when I received an Esquire email about game consoles.
The original idea was that the tablet would be for family use. Myself, SO, 13yr old boy, 4yr old girl.

Now the email has me wondering whether a Wii might not be a better family "gift". I am more of an outdoor person but I know the kids may enjoy the Wii.

So I suppose my question is whether you guys feel a tablet or a Wii is a better purchase? Tough for someone else to answer but perhaps you went down either path and the device just gathers dust now.
 
Well I have both but they serve completely different purposes. Wii is used for gaming and as a media player. While the tablet is pretty much only used as a wifi hotspot and reading/browsing.

Can't really compare the two.
 
abzo said:
Well I have both but they serve completely different purposes. Wii is used for gaming and as a media player. While the tablet is pretty much only used as a wifi hotspot and reading/browsing.

Can't really compare the two.
Click to expand...

Out of curiosity how do you use the Wii as a media player?

I also have a Wii, which is great for the spawn and his mates, I like the tennis myself.

I've ordered a 9' tablet which I anticipate using to:

Read digital comics/eBooks/browsing.
Control PC's which are used as media centres
Play music/movies (for travelling)
 
ClintZA said:
So, I was just about to pull the trigger on the purchase of an Android 7" tablet when I received an Esquire email about game consoles.
The original idea was that the tablet would be for family use. Myself, SO, 13yr old boy, 4yr old girl.

Now the email has me wondering whether a Wii might not be a better family "gift". I am more of an outdoor person but I know the kids may enjoy the Wii.

So I suppose my question is whether you guys feel a tablet or a Wii is a better purchase? Tough for someone else to answer but perhaps you went down either path and the device just gathers dust now.
Click to expand...

Why not get both?

Get a WiiU.
 
Tablets are a more individual device. I know that JB allows you to set up more than one user account but if we didn't have several tablets around the house there would be problems.

They're also easy to damage as I found out when my kid, who was four at the time, dropped my iPad and the glass shattered.
 
This is why it is great to throw things out there to bounce around ideas :) Thanks for the responses.

Pros have been mentioned for both. I suppose the truth is that i reckon I'd personally get more use out of the tablet, so a little selfish maybe. Also the SO would use it a lot for browsing. But then I also remember our gaming consoles eventually just lying around when we were young. Then the issue mentioned above of a new Wii being due (or out already?).

The con for the tablet is that i keep wondering what it can do that my SGS3 can't and I suppose the truthful answer is nothing. Just on a slightly bigger screen which might make browsing nicer. But then at the moment the only time I hop onto my laptop when browsing is when I have lots to type (he says while typing this on his phone).

Using the Wii as a media device is a big plus and something worth exploring. Currently have an ACRyan in the lounge but kids sometimes want to watch in the room at the same time. Is this home brew thing easy? Does it cost?

Maybe the (expensive) solution is both. Wii for the "kids", tablet for the "adults".
 
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Don't get a Wii rather get a PS3 with move or an xbox with kinect. I've played with the kinect and it's good family fun... You also get proper hardcore games for xbox/ps... which you don't get for wii.

Tablets aren't for the family, all it's going to create is "my turn, my turn"
 
I have looked at the other consoles, the thing is they cost a lot more. Can you get the PS3 with move or XBOX with Kinect for just over a grand?
 
ClintZA said:
I have looked at the other consoles, the thing is they cost a lot more. Can you get the PS3 with move for just over a grand?
Click to expand...

Sorry didn't know your budget. Get a wii it's definitely more of a group activity than a tablet.
 
GreyBush said:
Sorry didn't know your budget. Get a wii it's definitely more of a group activity than a tablet.
Click to expand...

The problem, as with most purchases, is that there was no budget. We could forego food and drink and get it all. Ha ha. The thing is the tablet was around R1.2k, I then spotted the Wii for around the same price. To look at Xbox etc now would move it to a different level.

But if the Wii is crap then I agree I should rather not get it. The thing is we do have a PC for gaming already. PCs aren't great for gaming for 4yr olds though. And too sedentary for my liking.
 
ClintZA said:
The problem, as with most purchases, is that there was no budget. We could forego food and drink and get it all. Ha ha. The thing is the tablet was around R1.2k, I then spotted the Wii for around the same price. To look at Xbox etc now would move it to a different level.

But if the Wii is crap then I agree I should rather not get it. The thing is we do have a PC for gaming already. PCs aren't great for gaming for 4yr olds though. And too sedentary for my liking.
Click to expand...

The thing that differentiates the wii from the xbox and ps3, now that they all have motion controls is the complete lack of AAA titles for the wii. No COD's, no assasins creeds, no Rockstar games...
 
Your SGS3 is going to be better than the 7" tablet because overall the specs are probably better. Wii is better for the kids.
 
ClintZA said:
Using the Wii as a media device is a big plus and something worth exploring. Currently have an ACRyan in the lounge but kids sometimes want to watch in the room at the same time. Is this home brew thing easy? Does it cost?
Click to expand...

It's essentially the same as jailbreaking/rooting a phone. When I did mine it was only a softmod (i.e install and run files from SD card) but afaik that only applied for wii running software 4.1 (or maybe 4.3) and lower. Not sure how it's done on newer ones.
 
ClintZA said:
I have looked at the other consoles, the thing is they cost a lot more. Can you get the PS3 with move or XBOX with Kinect for just over a grand?
Click to expand...

But a tablet is 5-7grand. Why the huge discrepancy?

I still say a WiiU. If you have a decent Android phone, it can do everything a tablet can do.
 
Qwikslver said:
But a tablet is 5-7grand. Why the huge discrepancy?

I still say a WiiU. If you have a decent Android phone, it can do everything a tablet can do.
Click to expand...

Oh my goodness no it can't. Resistive low res touchscreen that can't be removed from the home, and basically no apps apart from TVii is meant to do everything a tablet can? Wiiu looks very cool but it is not fungible for a tablet.
 
cerebus said:
Oh my goodness no it can't. Resistive low res touchscreen that can't be removed from the home, and basically no apps apart from TVii is meant to do everything a tablet can? Wiiu looks very cool but it is not fungible for a tablet.
Click to expand...

Looks like you failed comprehension in school. I'll quote this again:

If you have a decent Android phone, it can do everything a tablet can do.
Click to expand...
 
Qwikslver said:
Looks like you failed comprehension in school. I'll quote this again:
Click to expand...

If you have a decent Android phone, it can do everything a tablet can do.
Click to expand...

I got your comprehension right here buddy. And still, no. It can play games. It can do Netflix. It has some decent HTPC functionality. Beyond that it is not a tablet.
 
Erm, cerebus, what Qwikslver is saying is that a decent android phone can do anything that a tablet can do.

He was not saying that a WiiU can do anything that a tablet can do.

And I thought that you had a degree in English :p
 
ClintZA said:
The con for the tablet is that i keep wondering what it can do that my SGS3 can't and I suppose the truthful answer is nothing. Just on a slightly bigger screen which might make browsing nicer. But then at the moment the only time I hop onto my laptop when browsing is when I have lots to type (he says while typing this on his phone).
Click to expand...
That may be true but are you likely to leave the SGS3 at home for the family to enjoy when you're not there?
 
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