Kids Go Gaga Over Tablets [INFOGRAPHIC]

We know the iPad has become a major hit with adult tech consumers since Steve Jobs first introduced the gadget back in 2010. But did you know tablets have scored big points with kids as well? Humans are becoming familiar with digital technology and devices earlier than ever. In fact, more than half of children between the ages of five and eight have already used tablets to play or learn, according to some research. For kids between the ages of six and 12, the iPad was the most coveted gadget last Christmas. Tablets are permeating family life, too; in households that own a device, kids 12 and under get their hands on it more often than not.

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The iPad, especially, is becoming prevalent in American education. More than 1.5 million are currently in use by students, and schools bought some 47,000 in the first month-and-a-half after its release. There are currently more than 20,000 apps meant for education, and 80% of learning apps in the App Store target kids. Some studies even show that students who have access to iPads do better in school than kids who don't.

All this information comes from creative media agency MDG Advertising, which pulled research from sources, including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch and others to produce the following infographic. Check it out below for the fuller picture.

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How old should kids be before they are allowed to use tablets and other digital gadgets? Share your opinion in the comments.



Thumbnail image courtesy of iStockphoto, LeicaFoto

This story originally published on Mashable here.



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