Help me pick a Tablet for my 75 year old Father

[Remobz]

Hello guys,

My sister and I want to buy my Father a Tablet (easier to use than a computer) for Christmas.

Some important facts here.........

1) My Dad is practically computer illiterate and can't even send an email for example. Old school in many ways.

2) He ONLY needs it for skype because he loves talking to my sister and other relatives abroad. He will NEVER use it for anything else unless I use it as well.

3) The MAIN requirement is that his eyes are not of the best and smaller text and screen sizes would be bothersome for him. Since he will only use it at home, portability is not an issue here.

So what do you guys recommend?

 

[poofyhairguy]

Get a refurbished iPad Air 1.

 

[Remobz]

Get a refurbished iPad Air 1.

Still kind of expensive though.

 

[Kaido]

http://www.amazon.com/Cheapest-Andro...dp/B00JABR3A0/

http://www.42gears.com/surelock/surelockandroid.html

$150 total ($100 tablet, $50 software). Surelock lets you lock down 100% of the tablet so that it ONLY displays the apps you select. Have it skip the login/lock screen for added convenience. It's a large 10" tablet with a nice, readable 1024x600 resolution. So per your requirements:

1. Surelock lets you kill off the interface & only have the icons available you select (include settings), aka just Skype or whatever else you want

2. Has a 1.3 MP front webcam for video chat

3. Big size (10") but low resolution (1024x600) = super readable

 

[poofyhairguy]

Still kind of expensive though.

Then get an iPad 4 off swappa. Old and computer illiterate is best served by iOS devices, especially for tablets.

 

[Remobz]

http://www.amazon.com/Cheapest-Andro...dp/B00JABR3A0/

http://www.42gears.com/surelock/surelockandroid.html

$150 total ($100 tablet, $50 software). Surelock lets you lock down 100% of the tablet so that it ONLY displays the apps you select. Have it skip the login/lock screen for added convenience. It's a large 10" tablet with a nice, readable 1024x600 resolution. So per your requirements:

1. Surelock lets you kill off the interface & only have the icons available you select (include settings), aka just Skype or whatever else you want

2. Has a 1.3 MP front webcam for video chat

3. Big size (10") but low resolution (1024x600) = super readable

This is perfect! Thanks for this. All my Dad needs to know is how to turn it on and start skype to chat using the webcam. As long as Skype video chat works good then its perfect.

That surelock is a nifty feature indeed.

 

[Kaido]

This is perfect! Thanks for this. All my Dad needs to know is how to turn it on and start skype to chat using the webcam. As long as Skype video chat works good then its perfect.

That surelock is a nifty feature indeed.

Yeah, it's expensive, but if you want to "childproof" it, I have yet to find a better solution. I've set up a lot of tablets where they boot directly to the home screen (skipping the unlock screen) and activate SureLock upon boot, so it just boots directly to a customized homescreen with exactly what you want them to see - no notifications, no settings, no other apps or programs to muck around with. That way they can't accidentally change or break anything (which would then require your tech support down the road). It's pricey but worth it if you want that kind of functionality!

 

[Zaap]

My 2cents: Personally I'd skip the childproof software. It's easy enough to install a super-basic launcher and add icons to the desktop/hide the app drawer in Android and make a system easy enough for an older person without spending $50. I've done that with my somewhat-older parents and they've never messed with any other settings.

I'd recommend put that $50 toward a bit better tablet- a name brand, maybe better screen res, and most importantly, better battery life.

For example: a Lenovo Idea Tab is only $170 http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-IdeaTab...dp/B00JAIE86U/ and purports a 9 hour battery life vs the 5 hours of that no-name. (Just an example, I have no first hand knowledge how good or bad this tablet is.)

The biggest issue I've seen with no-names is piss poor battery life- I think the tablet eventually always needing to be tethered would frustrate an older person.

If I were buying for an older person, I'd probably get something like a 10" Asus Memopad for around $200 which has much better stats and probably will last longer, install a bone simple launcher on it and set it up so everything needed is right on the desktop , and make the icons huge with something like Giganticon.

Or... if going for foolproof simplicity... as suggested: iPad. </2cents>

 

[desura]

Get an ipad.

Lots of times budget tablets have niggling little problems which aren't evident in reviews.

For instance, my Dell Venue 8 Pro had a touch-tap problem. Ruined the tablet.

I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab S. Great tablet in theory.

Not so great in practice. It has super-sensitive capacitive buttons on the bezel, which pretty much ruins it for intensive usage. It is only really good for streaming video.

 

[Remobz]

My 2cents: Personally I'd skip the childproof software. It's easy enough to install a super-basic launcher and add icons to the desktop/hide the app drawer in Android and make a system easy enough for an older person without spending $50. I've done that with my somewhat-older parents and they've never messed with any other settings.

I'd recommend put that $50 toward a bit better tablet- a name brand, maybe better screen res, and most importantly, better battery life.

For example: a Lenovo Idea Tab is only $170 http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-IdeaTab...dp/B00JAIE86U/ and purports a 9 hour battery life vs the 5 hours of that no-name. (Just an example, I have no first hand knowledge how good or bad this tablet is.)

The biggest issue I've seen with no-names is piss poor battery life- I think the tablet eventually always needing to be tethered would frustrate an older person.

If I were buying for an older person, I'd probably get something like a 10" Asus Memopad for around $200 which has much better stats and probably will last longer, install a bone simple launcher on it and set it up so everything needed is right on the desktop , and make the icons huge with something like Giganticon.

Or... if going for foolproof simplicity... as suggested: iPad. </2cents>

Good point concerning the battery life for sure. The lenovo Idea pad looks good to me. I will have to look up some reviews on that and the Asus.

Thanks for all the suggestions from everyone so far.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Ipad Mini Retina or iPad Air 2!

You cannot beat it for friendliness; even network reporters and hosts can use them with no trouble! Young kids are always tolling around their iPad Minis. LOL!

 

[ragom]

ipad is a good choice