Tablet recommendations for aged parent

[womanofdulwich]

I was hoping another forum user had helped their elderly parents with some kind of tablet. ( I think a laptop will be frightening/ cumbersome for him).

My Dad is 90 and computers have passed him by, he has the most basic mobile phone. He is 100% alert , drives and reads the Telegraph and does the crossword everyday. BUT his legs and lungs are going and some days he is not able to get out the house. I ordered broadband yesterday and I think people have mentioned tablets?

It has to be easy to use- but the things he will do is- read the Telegraph (- if he cant get anyone to drop his paper off), skype/hangouts ( family around the world) and possibly e mail, but this would be us sending him photos), I don't imagine him ever sending an e mail himself. He does not read books, only the newspaper. We might get him to watch tv on it eventually if his legs get worse.

I don't have a tablet myself but I need something which has a clear and uncomplicated screen, is easy to use, and not too heavy.Any recommendations please?

[StraferJack]

The Telegraph has a dedicated (and very good) app for the iPad - not sure if it has one for other tablets (Android) so that may influence your decision

You get the full paper, including corsswords buthave to pay a subscription

You can browse the newspaper website on any tablet but don't get all the content (eg crosswords again)

[Jeremy]

TBH if ease of use is your main requirement then iPad is the only way to go. Android is great, but simply not as stable or user friendly.

Or a bit of a curve-ball... you could always get him a Kindle for reading the paper, and see how he gets on with it before going the rather more expensive tablet route?

[womanofdulwich]

Jeremy , my sister in law says she has a kindle fire for reading her Mail on...that did make me think, but as he is 90 I kind of think we should buy something now, set up and monitor for 3 days at Christmas. Which i pad is better?- it's a balance : ease of holding it v size to read it.

[Jeremy]

I'd get the cheapest iPad Air 2 (16GB wifi only). He won't need storage or cellular data.

[Alan Medic]

As a matter of interest isn't there any newsagent nearby who do paper deliveries? Reading online is ok but it's not quite the same as having a newspaper IMO.

[womanofdulwich]

He is in Cromer, Norfolk- Budgens have just stopped, and apparently they ( other newsagents) just cant get reliable staff to deliver anymore ( but they were charging 15p a day for delivery which was far too cheap). Lucky Londoners aren't we?

[Alan Medic]

http://www.chrisrand.com/reviews/tablet-computers/

This may be of interest.

[mancity68]

My 92 yr old computer phobic father in law bought himself a Tesco own brand tablet. It's been quite a struggle for him to get to grips with it and he has to have a notebook at his side with hand written instructions on how to do everything as there is no one who lives nearby who can help. But it works for him and, importantly, if he does get fed up with it, it hasn't cost the earth.

[Loz]

mancity68 Wrote:

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> My 92 yr old computer phobic father in law bought himself a Tesco own brand tablet. It's been quite

> a struggle for him to get to grips with it and he has to have a notebook at his side with hand

> written instructions on how to do everything as there is no one who lives nearby who can help.

> But it works for him and, importantly, if he does get fed up with it, it hasn't cost the earth.

That would be the Tesco "Hudl", which runs Android. The new one is just out which is a very decent tablet for the price, but only has an 8.3" screen, so not the biggest on the market. Maybe look at an 10.5" for better readability.

Basically, most tablets run Android except iPads, which run iOS. Both of the operating systems are similar in terms of usability. If you can get someone to set it up (i.e. remove all unnecessary apps and load up just the ones he wants) he should be OK. No tablet is completely foolproof, though, so expect some calls for assistance.

[Otta]

Yeah I think in this instance size really does matter. I was showing my mum (who is visually impaired) my wife's nexus 7, and whilst it was great for photos, it wasn't so good for reading because by the time she'd zoomed to an appropriate text size, it just involved too much scrolling. 10" screen would make all the difference.

[ruffers]

If weight is also a factor (but budget less so!) in this case I'd also suggest ipad air (2?). As Jeremy said Android is great, but simply not as stable or user friendly. And I say that as an anti Apple Android fan.

[19laura93]

an ipad or a nexus both really good tablets.

[Loz]

ruffers Wrote:

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> As Jeremy said Android is great, but simply not as stable or user friendly. And I say that as an anti

> Apple Android fan.

Really? I've used both and find very little difference in the usability and stability. Granted that the apps on Android are less well policed, but I doubt Grandpa is going to go wild in the Apps Store.

[Lowlander]

Loz Wrote:

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> ruffers Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > As Jeremy said Android is great, but simply not

> as stable or user friendly. And I say that as an

> anti

> > Apple Android fan.

>

> Really? I've used both and find very little

> difference in the usability and stability. Granted

> that the apps on Android are less well policed,

> but I doubt Grandpa is going to go wild in the

> Apps Store.

As the family nerd, Android/Windows users need more help than Apple users. The technophobes do seem to find Apple easier to use.

(And supporting Apple products in a domestic environment is bliss compared to Windows...)

[Jeremy]

Loz... I find crashes (of both apps and the whole OS) far more common on Android. Also annoying things like screen orientation refusing to right itself, camera freezing, etc.

[Henry_17]

Womanofdulwich,

I would suggest an iPad with a logitec keyboard / stand. Holding a tablet for any extended period of time will most most likely lead to fatigue and disinterest. Having the option to type on the keyboard as well as the screen will also make the device more versatile.

I disagree that Android and iOS are comparable in terms of ease of use for a user unfamiliar with these types of devices. In my opinion for most people iOS will be far simpler and will allow far faster engagement with most applications one would reasonably have in mind here. I use Android myself.

Henry

[womanofdulwich]

Henry that seems very sensible- do you have an i pad? would you recommend a particular size/ type? only wife needed - ?

thanks

[Otta]

I'm not disagreeing with anyone, but equally I don't understand why people think ios would be easier. I use both and don't see that much difference in terms of usability (I actually prefer Android).

[intexasatthe moment]

There may be some useful info from the RNIB . They advise for people with poor sight and often their advice is helpful for people who require easy access to technology .They're very helpful on the phone or if you visit them ,near Kings Cross .

http://www.rnib.org.uk/information-everyday-living-using-technology-computers-and-tablets/tablet-devices

[Jeremy]

I don't see a huge difference in terms of ease of use, I just think Android devices tend to be a bit more glitchy and suffer more crashing/freezing type behaviour.

[randombloke]

OK folks, you are approaching this from the POV of computer literacy. My day job is in training people to use IT in a business environment, so I speak as someone with 18 years experience of showing people how to use technology.

WOD your grandfather will have NO concept of computer terminology whatsoever. An icon will be Sir Winston Churchill or Cary Grant. A website will have a spider in it. A Homepage is some sort of domestic manservant. Don't bamboozle him with terminology. Also, expect to lose a LOT of time explaining and re-explaining things over and over. He may well disengage and be too proud to admit that he really has no clue what you are talking about.

Here is my experience with an elderly relative and a tablet.

My mother is 83, lives on the Wirral and two Christmases ago my brother bought her a Samsung galaxy tab 10:1 and had Virgin broadband installed along with a digital TV and a Tivo box. The idea was to allow her to Skype with him in Australia. He showed her how to use it, wrote copious instructions and screen shots with all the passwords etc. She was also shown how to record and view recorded tv programmes.

After him calling me concerned that she wasn't replying to many emails and Facebook updates I phoned her up and asked her how she was doing. She admitted she didn't really understand any of it and asked me to help her to use it. As I didn't have any experience with a Galaxy I went out and bought one. After a couple of days working on it myself we decided I would talk her through the simple process of opening, reading and replying to an email. Cue a series of calls lasting 5, yes FIVE hours of conversation in which if I wasn't a professional trainer I would have shot myself, or her.

After nearly two years and countless sessions with both me and him she is still unable to send an email with any real idea of what she is doing. She has Facebook, (Only used if my brother comes over from Australia or I visit). GMail, (same), her previous email account was disabled due to lack of use. Internet banking, (used once with me there). Getting things on the app store or ordering food via Sainsbury's online, forget it. She can Skype but only if you call her, if it disconnects you are sunk.

We disconnected the Virgin TV as she couldn't work out how to change the inputs into the TV. If the router dies she has to ask the very patient next door neighbour.

My advice to you would be that you ask him what he would want. He may not want to be bothered.

If he does, then the following may save you a LOT of hassle:

*Set up his home screen with a big photograph of the family or something he will recognise easily. Don't expect him to understand the home icon if it's an Android.

* Maximum of five or six icons on the homescreen, perhaps the following:

*Daily Telegraph.

*Telegraph puzzles.

*Email.

*Skype.

*Increase the icon size so he can clearly see them.

*Make sure you have Teamviewer or something similar set up so you can remote control his screen for him.

He will inadvertently touch the screen and end up completely lost, don't expect him to get the process of double tapping, expanding, swiping or expanding/collapsing things. He will definitely do all of the above without realising he has done so and be totally at a loss. He won't know what the refresh icon is or how to expand menus.

Trying to explain over the phone will be very frustrating and tiring for you and for him. Don't forget that learning new skills will tire him very quickly. The distance/remote nature of things will make it very hard work (it's hard enough with PC literates in business in London over the phone,let alone him being in Cromer).

Henry's suggestion of a keyboard may help BUT, if he can't type now he won't be able to in the future. You will need to show him how to use one.

Most tablet keyboards are way too small for elderly folks to see the letters. My mum was a 100 words a minute touch typist, on the Galaxy she can maybe do ten words a minute IF she doesn't lose the on screen keyboard.

If you can engage him in watching TV/radio, you may have a chance but don't expect him to embrace iplayer, on demand etc

Also, as silly as it seems he will forget to recharge it and will struggle to find the on/off button. So you may have a call saying it's not working and he's forgotten to charge it up.

It may be better to get him a laptop with a very large screen and a keyboard rather than a tablet.

I wish you luck, but never forget that you are using a digital solution to an analog problem, you may be better just organising a delivery of the paper by a different method.

[womanofdulwich]

Thanks Random bloke. I will print off your email!

There is no way I would try for more than you suggest.I think your brother was very ambitious.I actually took Dads dvd player / recorder away as he could not manage that.( back to VHS and how sorry am I that I threw old clean VHS tapes away.)

Not even Telegraph puzzles.

Email would only be for us to send photos. I have never heard of teamviewer-thanks for that.Although I am not sure how much help I would be at this end if I don't have a similar device? ( see, I am pretty bad aren't I ;))

I think as the family is splitting up and moving abroad we are thinking skype to stay in touch, and when parents say " yes I'm fine" but have actually deteriorated. Or when they say "I have had a letter" and you want to see it too. Im just trying to think ahead...

[Henry_17]

womanofdulwich Wrote:

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> Henry that seems very sensible- do you have an i

> pad? would you recommend a particular size/ type?

> only wife needed - ?

> thanks

Yes I have both; i use Andriod myself most of the time but would expect most beginners to find iOS far more intuitive.

i would suggest the standard i.e. larger size, and yes only wifi would be needed for Internet connectivity, no wires. The only exception to this may be that even the standard iPad may be too small depending on eyesight. In that case you may need to consider Android which do offer larger devices, consider though that these may be heavier and hence more tiring to hold for any length of time.

If you were to also get a Logitec (or other brand, as long as the casing is metal / plastic and not leather + board) keyboard + stand peripheral, this would connect to the iPad via bluetooth which both devices will have installed. The shop will be able to set this up for you initially and it will not need setting up again thereafter, so whilst bluetooth will add layer of complexity on first set up, this is not something your father would need to deal with on an ongoing basis and will vastly improve the ergonomics.

Henry

[Henry_17]

w.o.d

I also just read randombloke's post. Since this is his field of expertise I would only follow my and other's advice to the extent it does not contradict his.

Henry