iPhone Question

[olds]

I've never seen an iPhone. But I am trying to talk my dad into getting a smartphone. He is on Verizon. He's mostly deaf and I think texting is the way to go for him.
I am thinking iPhone as it's a more mature platform and all the packaged stuff may be easier for him. He is as far from tech savy as one can get.

Now for my question:
Is an iPhone like a Droid in that you can place shortcuts (like email and text) on the home screen?
TIA

EDIT
Right now he has something that looks like a razr and while I showed him how to get his texts this morning, I am sure he has forgot by now.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I think the accessibility features on the iPhone would help your dad out.

 

[TheStu]

I've never seen an iPhone. But I am trying to talk my dad into getting a smartphone. He is on Verizon. He's mostly deaf and I think texting is the way to go for him.
I am thinking iPhone as it's a more mature platform and all the packaged stuff may be easier for him. He is as far from tech savy as one can get.

Now for my question:
Is an iPhone like a Droid in that you can place shortcuts (like email and text) on the home screen?
TIA

Yes, there are icons on the main screen for email, phone, text, weather, all that jazz.

And definitely check out the videos on Apple's website to get up and running

 

[zerocool84]

Would something with a hardware keyboard be better for him? I know older people usually like physical keyboards since it'll give them something to touch and they'll be more comfortable with it.

 

[olds]

Hadn't thought about a keyboard. I was thinking he could use voice for texting. But he grew up with a typewriter so he may like a keyboard.

 

[runawayprisoner]

I think just get him the iPhone and get it over with. No hassle about updates, bugs and all that jazz later on.

He's not going to compose the next Gone With The Wind on the phone. He'll likely just use it for short texts. "Okay, see you there" or "Got it" or "Great", right?

I never understood the mentality of having to have some great way to type texts on a phone. It's... a phone.

 

[Mopetar]

Apple has fairly good support in terms of accessibility and is probably better than Android in that regard. They have a page for features for people who are hearing impaired that you should probable look at.

Either way, try to involve him in the decision. Bring him to a Verizon store and have him try out different phones to see what he likes. You should try to help him find a phone that he's going to like and want to use, outside of features or other bullet points.

 

[notposting]

He may not like the smaller screen, something like the larger size phones may be more of an option, though it would probably require some more tweaking by you initially to set it up for him for ease of use and no worries.

 

[olds]

..
He's not going to compose the next Gone With The Wind on the phone. He'll likely just use it for short texts. "Okay, see you there" or "Got it" or "Great", right?...

Right. I had to pick him up at the airport today and there was no way he was going to be able to hear a phone call. A text that I was there would have been great.

 

[olds]

Apple has fairly good support in terms of accessibility and is probably better than Android in that regard. They have a page for features for people who are hearing impaired that you should probable look at.

Either way, try to involve him in the decision. Bring him to a Verizon store and have him try out different phones to see what he likes. You should try to help him find a phone that he's going to like and want to use, outside of features or other bullet points.

He may not like the smaller screen, something like the larger size phones may be more of an option, though it would probably require some more tweaking by you initially to set it up for him for ease of use and no worries.

I think he liked the look of my Evo. And when I mentioned that he might be able to check the Giants game while he was away from a TV....

 

[zerocool84]

I think just get him the iPhone and get it over with. No hassle about updates, bugs and all that jazz later on.

He's not going to compose the next Gone With The Wind on the phone. He'll likely just use it for short texts. "Okay, see you there" or "Got it" or "Great", right?

I never understood the mentality of having to have some great way to type texts on a phone. It's... a phone.

Geez man, we're just trying to help the OP. Older people are just more comfortable with real buttons because that's what they've grown up with. He could text something more than that like what groceries he needs or medication or something. We're just trying to help.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Geez man, we're just trying to help the OP. Older people are just more comfortable with real buttons because that's what they've grown up with. He could text something more than that like what groceries he needs or medication or something. We're just trying to help.

Well, it wasn't a jab at you or anyone else. I was merely criticizing the mentality, which I saw echoed even in Anand's latest article about tablet and typing on them. Sorry, it just got to me.

But since we are on the topic of keyboard, he can type simple things and make a phone call for bigger things.

In fact, he can just take a picture of a list of something and then send it that way. Faster than typing for sure.

 

[akugami]

I see someone else mentioned the larger screen. The iPhone's screen might be too small for those older folks with failing eyesight. And if he wants to stream video to his phones, like sports games, then a larger Android phone might be a more ideal device.

Physical keyboard might not matter since it's mostly a feel thing for those who speed type. And considering the tiny size of most smart phone keyboards, it's not going to be much of a boost in terms of helping him type. If your sausage fingers are messing up your touch typing on a screen, it'll hamper you typing on those tiny keyboards.

 

[God Mode]

IME, getting my parents an android phone was a fking nightmare. Go with the Iphone. YMMV.

 

[Pliablemoose]

iPhone, the keyboard is very good, and it gives him geek cred with his peers

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Dont forget android phones do have that text to speech capabilities so he doesn't need to type everywhere

 

[rudeguy]

Dont forget android phones do have that text to speech capabilities so he doesn't need to type everywhere

I would not recommend Android for anyone who is technology challenged. Its not really a pick it up and use it OS. Getting text to speech alone to work is 3 or 4 steps that involves downloading language packs, waiting forever for the thing to install, then trying to get it to actually understand WTF you are saying.

 

[olds]

iPhone doesn't have text to speech?

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

iPhone doesn't have text to speech?

It has screen reading capabilities. So it does have text to speech but it doesn't have speech to text like android. You'd have to go to the store to see if your father will actually enjoy the accessible features on the iPhone.

 

[zerocool84]

I would not recommend Android for anyone who is technology challenged. Its not really a pick it up and use it OS. Getting text to speech alone to work is 3 or 4 steps that involves downloading language packs, waiting forever for the thing to install, then trying to get it to actually understand WTF you are saying.

I love Android but yea, I wouldn't give it to the elderly.

 

[simonizor]

Windows 7 phone might be good because the icons are huge and seems pretty easy to use.

 

[rudeguy]

I love Android but yea, I wouldn't give it to the elderly.

its no secret that I'm a fanboy but in this case I would really recommend the iPhone. Apple's support will be 1000X what HTC or Samsung's would be.

 

[zerocool84]

its no secret that I'm a fanboy but in this case I would really recommend the iPhone. Apple's support will be 1000X what HTC or Samsung's would be.

Plus when he gets a text message, there will be a huge pop up on top of whatever he's doing so he'll definitely know he has a text message. It'd be hard for an older person to see a small icon on the notification bar. But still though I'd say something with a keyboard like a lower end Blackberry.

 

[simonizor]

its no secret that I'm a fanboy but in this case I would really recommend the iPhone. Apple's support will be 1000X what HTC or Samsung's would be.

You rarely deal with the manufacturer for phone problems. 99% of your interactions will be with the carrier, which would make them all even because the OP's father will be using Verizon. If the OP's father were to be getting an iPhone from ATT, the support would probably be terrible, just like everything else at ATT.

 

[olds]

Can you set up a Comcast email on the iPhone?