iMac and kids?

imikeimike
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Anyone out there have a flat-panel iMac and small children (particularly toddler age kids)? I'm contemplating purchasing one of the new 1.25 Ghz 17" iMacs; however, I have a 2 year old who likes to play on our computer. Is the iMac's screen durable enough to withstand the sticky, poking fingers of a toddler? Is anyone aware of any kind of screen protectors for the 17" iMac?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    2 yr olds olds don't need computers.
  • Reply 2 of 16
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    Hmm, you should probably just get an eMac. I think you can get screen protectors for the iMac, but the eMac has a substantial layer of glass protecting the screen that you can just clean off with water and a soft cloth.
  • Reply 3 of 16
    imikeimike Posts: 2member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Matsu

    2 yr olds olds don't need computers.



    Try telling that to my 2 year old.
  • Reply 4 of 16
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by iMike

    Try telling that to my 2 year old.



    you made it, you tell it.
  • Reply 5 of 16
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    Hey, my 2 1/2 year old clicks her picture in the log in screen, clicks Safari, and tools around at www.pbskids.org. She especially likes painting Caillou, and the Dragon Tales gang.



    She's also getting good at firing up iTunes and playing her kiddie library of tunes. She's already past all of her grandparents in the computer skill department.







    If you're going LCD, just have a deep enough desk that it's not easy to reach with a pen.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    kingofsomewherehotkingofsomewherehot Posts: 4,180member
    I have used the FP iMacs ... they are plenty durable (sticky fingerprints can be cleaned off) .... your biggest concern (as mentioned above) is pens, pencils, crayons, markers .... these do not always wash off of the plastic LCD screens the way they wipe off the glass of a CRT.



    Also, pens and pencils, when used with the force and dexterity of a two year old, have the potential to permanently damage pixels in the "soft" LCD screens.



    But... If you can keep an eye on the kid till it's about 3 years, they tend to gain some self controll by then. I have been through this experience with 3 little ones so far and have wiped lots of pencil marks off the CRTiMac screen ... they don't get to play on the iBook without supervision !





    And yes... 2 year olds don't NEED to play on a computer ... but it sure doesn't hurt anything.
  • Reply 7 of 16
    majormattmajormatt Posts: 1,077member
    Shouldnt little kids be playing more outside and with physical things?



    We're now an enslaved race to computer, why start earlier than needed?
  • Reply 8 of 16
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    Keep it just out of arm's reach.







  • Reply 9 of 16
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    Awwwww, isn't that cute?



    To see two of murbot's babies getting along so well. And to think that he's been kind enough to not dump one of them after three weeks! Just warms the heart.



  • Reply 10 of 16
    bjerbjer Posts: 67member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by murbot

    Keep it just out of arm's reach.







    Wonderful picture! My daughter grew up (think she was about this age) with my old old monochrom Mac brick in the 80's. She did everything on it. Guess what, think that contributed to her 1600 on the SATs.
  • Reply 11 of 16
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Luca Rescigno

    Awwwww, isn't that cute?



    To see two of murbot's babies getting along so well. And to think that he's been kind enough to not dump one of them after three weeks! Just warms the heart.







    Actually, I dumped the one on the left a while ago. Old photo.







    She's got a 700MHz G3 iMac now. Kid doesn't need that power, and daddy needed the extra coin for an iPod.
  • Reply 12 of 16
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by murbot

    Actually, I dumped the one on the left a while ago. Old photo.







    She's got a 700MHz G3 iMac now. Kid doesn't need that power, and daddy needed the extra coin for an iPod.



    You're so mean to your kids



    So who is daddy's newest baby?
  • Reply 13 of 16
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    As of a week or so ago, murbot has a 12" PowerBook. But hell, there's no guarantee it's actually still around.



  • Reply 14 of 16
    kingofsomewherehotkingofsomewherehot Posts: 4,180member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MajorMatt

    Shouldnt little kids be playing more outside and with physical things?



    We're now an enslaved race to computer, why start earlier than needed?





    My kids LIKE to play on such things as pbskids.org, nickjr.com, barbie.com, Jump-Start learning CD's, Reader Rabbit, etc...



    It doesn't seem to hurt that my six year old can type better than I do, and the four year old is gaining on me.



    Oh ... and they also hike all over this island with me, they go snorkeling with me 3-4 times a week, they can actually ride thier bikes UP our street (you have to see the hill to really understand that one.)



    So I don't see that they are really being damaged by playing on a computer for a bit each day.
  • Reply 15 of 16
    chris cuillachris cuilla Posts: 4,825member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Matsu

    you made it, you tell it.



    Don't find myself always agreeing w/Matsu. But here I do.



    It's bad enough we have to use computers as adults.
  • Reply 16 of 16
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pscates

    As of a week or so ago, murbot has a 12" PowerBook. But hell, there's no guarantee it's actually still around.







    Yeah, a couple of weeks and it's not on eBay yet! Can't believe it myself.







    Seriously though, no plans to sell it. I'm actually looking forward to this... my iPod is already one revision out of the loop, the computer at home is several (CRT iMac), and my PowerBook is about to join the gang of "old" hardware. I see this as a potential cure for the Upgradeitis I have been suffering from.



    Quote:

    It's bad enough we have to use computers as adults.



    This is an interesing line; I've always felt that it's great that we GET to use computers. If only I had the resources available to me when I was a kid that kids have today...
Sign In or Register to comment.