With my decision to finally give in and drink the apple kool aid, I got an ipad today. I got home all excited to play with it, and my 7y/o already took it away from me to play dream zoo.

My 20 month old stole mine and it was my Father's day gift! She is a master of that thing. Kiss it goodbye.

School has already been called off for tomorrow because of snow. She asked if I am leaving the iPad home. I will really be in trouble tomorrow evening because by then my 3y/o twins will have found out about it

I drank the cool aid about 3 months ago. Got iphones and ipads for me and wife. Let the kids learn it because if you want to go out for dinner with the kids it will keep them occupied instead of acting like a lunatic..... Ask me how I know :)

There are great educational apps an interactive books out there. My daughter doesn't plan any games just flash cards. The interactive books are great for her age group.

My son has gotten into the NickJr apps lately. I have ZERO problem whatsoever buying my 3-yr old $1.99 apps that teach him mathematics. I actually think they are priced too low. I can sit and teach my son math with pen and paper, but for $1.99 team umizoomi teaches this to him in a way that keeps him entertained and interested. I'll let the iPad teach him math and I'll teach him how to throw a spiral.

My daughter just got into watching TV with the Mickey mouse fun house. It is scary to see her go into a trance watching that show. So I have tried to limit the TV portion to less than 30 minutes a day and read to or with her (she thinks she can read) or let her play with the iPad.

+1 on that

I've read that iPad 3 is scheduled for late Feb release, but who knows. Rumored key features are the retina display and an improved camera, among others.

check out the Pop math app too.
[Link: itunes.apple.com]

[Link: itunes.apple.com]

Keep them creative with this:
[Link: itunes.apple.com]

I heard this too. I was really let down when Ipad 2 didn't have the Retina display. Among the rumors is that either Ipad 2 will get price drop to better compete with Amazon Fire and/or they will have a smaller tablet closer in size to the Fire at the same or very near price point. 

It's nice that someone has finally come out with some real competition to where Apple is finally bringing down prices a bit. 

I don't know how much I'd agree with this. When you start going after the $200 price point, you're picking up a lot of consumers who are buying on price alone. It's been proven time and time again that android users don't buy apps (sucked into the ecosystem) the same way ipad/iphone users do. iPad is CRUSHING the market at $499. Absolutely dominating. I don't think Apple cares to pick up the $200 tablet buyer. From what I've witnessed personally, people picking up the Fire weren't going to be iPad purchasers anyway. I don't see Fire cannibalizing iPad sales. I do see the Fire picking up price conscious buyers who just want a tablet at the cheapest possible price.

They have had the chance to go after price conscious buyers with the iPhone and haven't done so, even after this many revisions.

I've heard this is no longer the case. I don't know if it never was true or if they just nixed it for the time being.

This is funny....all of us talking like we have a fricking clue what Apple is going to do. I was a avid watcher of the iPhone 5 rumors that were mostly dead wrong up until very close (a day or 2) from the actual release....

Apple coming out with a 7" tablet would be conceding that Steve Jobs was wrong about people wanting a smaller tablet. That will not occur anytime soon.

[Link: switched.com]

Apple makes a very nice profit margin on their ipad. North of $200. If apple made a smaller tablet, it would definitely cannibalize 10" iPad sales. When it came time to get my next son one (currently a baby), I'd get the smaller one instead of the full-size one we fully intend to get for him. It wouldn't be possible for them to keep the same profit margin on the 7" model. Why in the world would Apple make a cheaper model that their customers would purchase instead of their more expensive model customers are already lining up to purchase? There is no level on which it makes any sense.