Laptop. More flexible.
Got my first PC when I was 9, top spec. Best thing ever.
What's money for, anyway? I live to love. Far better to spend money on something really useful for someone you love than to... well... not. <well thought out post of the week>
If you really want an iPad, buy one for the coffee table. Seems to be the fashion.
i'd go iPad myself for a 10year old will be perfect get games on it and learning ones too she gets FaceTime to speak to you or Skype if she gets the app its an apple product if you pay £400 for a laptop she won't have as much fun with it the iPad is a lot more portable and you don't have to pay for any antivirus soft wear etc besides a laptop in the car is a pain when traveling 
You do realise that if you keep giving money to Apple they're going to build a Terminator, right?
I'd go for a laptop it is more versatile and use for things like school work. I also like Dell I've had a few over the years and by and large they've been excellent there are so many good deals around right now I'm sure you'll find something good.
As for the money aspect good on you, she sounds a sensible lass worth spoling a little!
@Scuzz thats why i am happy to keep giving money to apple cause when the terminator comes i can say oi back off i helped build you
The most valuable thing you can give your child is your time.
Far too many people don't and possessions, not matter how expensive, will never make up for that.
C_G
Mum of two adult kids who were not indulged
flow - MemberOur 11 yr old will be having around £650 spent on her in total. So what, its a couple of days wages. It's all relative.
Nice way to teach a child the value of money that, plus a bit of willy waving in one post.
Well done you.
The most valuable thing you can give your child is your time.
Maybe the OP does but also has the financial means to treat them as well.
Got a netbook for my 10 year old, was rarly used (screen too small!).
Age 11 coming up 12 I was all for getting a proper laptop, more versitle, homework for 'big' school etc. But she never took the bait for laptop hints so went for an iPad V1 in the sales - reward for hard worrk being top of class at school.
The novelty wore off and there was a couple of months I didn't see it but a year later I find it is in a different place every day. Gets regular facebook, games, wikipedia use.
This year she needs MS Office and quiet time for homework and is now the one dropping hints about laptops.
save your cash and send her to my daughters school, every kid has just been given an ipad.
Half these posts scream of jealousy or hypocrisy.
And the other half whisper...oh so quietly...I'm loaded, I am.
Nice way to teach a child the value of money that, plus a bit of willy waving in one post. Well done you.
Yeah, intentionally antagonistic to wind up the likes of you, but there was a point to it.
The point being, its all relative - if I were a millionaire, then the amount would possibly be much more, if I earned £300 a week, it would no doubt be considerably less. I can't really understand some people setting limits based on their own expenditure and frothing at the mouth when anyone dares exceed that.
As for you initial comment, I've no idea what the amount I spend on my daughter at Christmas has got to do with teaching her the value of money. She's sold some of her other stuff to fund new stuff, she had to earn pocket money and understands she can't always have what she wants. The laptop is a neccessity and she knows she's getting it - Mrs STR will use it too. A tv for her bedroom is a surprise and the Mrs always likes to get her other stuff to make a nice pile under the tree. I used to get more off my grandparents than my parents, but that doesn't happen for our daughter.
Personally I think the 'value of money' is a load of old horseshit anyway. I had sod all as a child and saved diligently for anything I wanted. As soon as I had disposable income all that went out of the window anyway. Money's for spending anyway. Having tight parents never made me respect them any more.
If she has access to a laptop or desktop go for the iPad, if not go for the laptop this year and the iPad next. iPads no longer need to sync with a computer but you still need it to rip music and DVDs.
On the issue of how much to spend on kids at Christmas you should spend as much as possible. It's what the baby Jesus would want. And for teaching kids the value of money, start lending them money at a variable rate of interest.
I don't have kids. If I did, and I could afford to, I would spend as much as I wanted to on gifts for them. Similar background to OP for me, and I can't see why people have a problem with it other than through envy.
I'd go for a netbook, something like an Acer Aspire for a couple of hundred, will do pretty much everything I'd imagine a 10 year old will want to do and its smaller size will probably be easier for her to maniputalt.
my 4 year old would love a pair of fox 36, s=which she can keep on my bike and the 1 year old younger brother will love the box.
Similar background to OP for me, and I can't see why people have a problem with it
Entitlement. Have you ever heard of the idea of 'spoiling' a child?
I'd go for the laptop - schools are using pc based systems still.
Ring her school to find out.
But get a light one for her to carry around.
Insure it.
Have you ever heard of the idea of 'spoiling' a child?
I always recall as a little kid - when we were sledging on old fertiliser bags filled with snow, or on the old sledge that my dad's dad made for him when he was a child - my best friend would appear on a proper skidoo type sit on sledge with steering and everything. He got a new bike every year. He always got many more presents than anyone else.
Even though he grew up to hate his parents (when he was a teenager) and treated them like doormats, got into trouble with the police, treated girlfriends like playthings, his dad set him up with a business which he failed with.
Fortunately in later life he is redeeming himself and now has a lovely family, but for all the things he was given by his parents it never seemed to matter to him.
For me - yes I got into some minor troubles as a kid but always loved my mum and dad deeply, was always proud to be with them, always rang them up during the week and went round regularly for Sunday dinners. I also count my younger brother as my best friend (which again I think is a testament to how I was brought up).
I have no idea if that is simply the inherent difference between me and my old school friend or the way in which I was brought up and taught to appreciate the things I had and to respect people around me.
When I grow up I want to be just like mastiles 
Why is everyone so concerned about how much other people spend on the people they love?Half these posts scream of jealousy or hypocrisy.
^^^^^^So much this
Laptop, 10yo's will be doing the social media thing and keyboards>>>>>screens
I can't really understand some people setting limits based on their own expenditure and frothing at the mouth when anyone dares exceed that.
Jealousy, feelings of inadequacy?
I have no idea if that is simply the inherent difference between me and my old school friend or the way in which I was brought up and taught to appreciate the things I had and to respect people around me.
Good point, well made.
It's not about jealousy. I could buy iPads for my kids, but I won't until they have a real need for it and will appreciate it.
It's certanly not about inadequacy. I believe my parenting is better for this approach, not inferior.
Sorry, £400? 
The amount of money spent on a single Christmas item is not the definitive measure as to the quality of upbringing a child has, nor is it a precursor for subjectively undisirable character traits or mental deficiencies.
It's none of our business, and given the information we know, we can only speculate as to whether the child is spoilt or not.
Stop being silly everyone; go for a ride, do your work or read a nice book!
It's not about jealousy. I could buy iPads for my kids, but I won't until they have a real need for it and will appreciate it.It's certanly not about inadequacy. I believe my parenting is better for this approach, not inferior.
+1
Chuff it - I have just bought my Mac Airs for my two girls.
I'm gonna burn the second hand rocking horse we got them, it clearly isn't enough.
No one has a need for anything other than food and somewhere to shelter, no one needs an iPad, no one. No one needs a mountain bike, or a set of golf clubs or a rocking horse.
My kids love playing on mine, if I "needed" it to be mine then I'd probably get my 10 year old one, but we can share so I'll spend the money that I earnt on something else (as long as that's ok with you lot).
It's not about jealousy. I could buy iPads for my kids, but I won't until they have a real need for it and will appreciate it.It's certanly not about inadequacy. I believe my parenting is better for this approach, not inferior.
+1
sorry for stealing your quote but you sum my feelings up.
again each to their own,
When I was 10, my parents really stretched themselves to buy me a ZX Spectrum for Christmas that year - it had literally just been released (mine was one of the first ever made) and in today's money it was probably equivalent to an iPad now.
Having a computer really did make a difference to me - it was probably one of my two best presents ever (of course, a bike has to be in there somewhere!) and I built a career on what I learned.
If you want to spend the money - and it's not just a present - it's an advantage in life you are giving your daughter - then you go ahead. You have the money - I would do exactly the same. (so long as she let me use it once in a while, too)
Personally, I would go for the iPad over the laptop option, precisely because of the locked-down nature of the operating system. Because Apple exert their control over the devices so effectively, you can be reasonably sure that it does not pick up any undesirable software etc that kids might not care about you you will.
Oh - and iPads are remarkably robust. I would say mor robust than a laptop you can buy at £400 anyway.
Rachel
I believe my parenting is better
Did someone really say that?
Stunning. I'm stunned.
I believe my parenting is betterDid someone really say that?
WHOAH!
Way to mis-quote!
I meant it improves my parenting. Not that it is better than other people's.
Better here comparing myself with myself, not others. Let's get that absolutely clear.
it's not just a present - it's an advantage in life you are giving your daughter
lol
.....Laptop has more screen 'real estate'
Christ on a bike 
Tesco have good offers on the laptops , people r just jel cos they no longer 10 yr old , when you get the laptop treat ya self to a groovy new gadget from USA to brighten up ya bike stem cap I got the Stemcaptain clock you can also get compass n thermometer , have a peek at http://www.Stemcaptain.co.uk byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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