MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Looking at tablets for my old parents, so they can access wifi when they are travelling to check the weather forecast, webmail, etc. They don't have a smartphone.
Also needs to be able to mirror the screen on a monitor/tv, preferably by a simple connection, rather than setting up casting via yet another device.
Rural internet (1Mbps) means no need for media capability, they can't stream Tv or anything for example.
Any suggestions based on experience? I've never had a tablet. Budget <£150. 8" or less.
Fire HD seems to tick a lot of the boxes, but wonder if the Amazon adverts and weird browser etc might be confusing. The HD6 is cheap enough that if they don't 'get it', it isn't a disaster.
This is one place where iPads really do shine. My 73yr old father learnt how to use one really quickly despite never having used a computer in his life (old school farmer)
Still leaves his mobile turned off, in a drawer, at home though...
Ipad mini might be in budget
Yeah my dad wouldn't know how to use his phone if he had to!
I was going to say iPad also, but AFAIK stuff like mirroring to the TV is going to be problematic. Last time I tried (with an AV cable) it only worked with specific apps. Chromecast works after a fashion, but it's clunky and again is app-specific.
As for rural Internet, are the in B4RN's catchment area? http://b4rn.org.uk/b4rn-service/coverage-area/
Yeah it does need to simply connect to TV preferably. Even chromecast is a step I'd like to avoid.
They're in the Highlands. There's a superfast bt green box thing about a mile away but openreach don't even know how the cables run from the existing exchange to their place never mind getting them fast Internet...
Bump for the daytime crowd
My mother (86) gets on well with a regular sized iPad, she'd also never used a computer prior to owning that. She did have some difficulty with using the touchscreen with smaller interface elements but a stylus sorted that out.
There's still the occasional hiccup, like random facetime calls when she means to send a text message but these are few and far between and in general she gets on well with it.
Is the requirement for mirroring just a case of being able to get the info up on a big screen for legibility or is it so that the screen can be viewed by more than one person at a time?
My 88 yo FIL picked up how to use an old iPhone in about 5 mins - uses it for news and games. Loves it, won't accept an iPad though as too expensive.
Yep for the non-techy silver surfer the iPad seems the way to go.
My more tech savvy FIL is upset that his patriarchal control of all things techy has been sideline by my MIL getting an iPad 😆
iPad has an HDMI adaptor that lets it connect easily to any modern TV. Most stuff simply mirrors what's on screen, anything video just uses the TV (so it can display widescreen stuff in the proper aspect ratio) leaving controls on the iPad display.
Works well. I bought it for doing demos of certain apps but it's very handy for watching things on hotel TVs if I'm staying away.
Is the ipad OS really that much easier than Android?
The Lightning>HDMI thing is bloody expensive 🙁
Is the requirement for mirroring just a case of being able to get the info up on a big screen for legibility or is it so that the screen can be viewed by more than one person at a time?
Yeah my old man is a biologist and the idea is he can set up a screen next to his microscope with biological identification pdfs/websites. The tablet itself would be too small but they have a screen with hdmi suitable for this already.
At what age do I get to become a silver surfer and can I get any discounts (you know, like a railcard)?
I think when you start writing down full URLs on paper instead of using bookmarks.
iPad Mini 2 it is, thanks stw
Yes the HDMI adaptor is expensive. For the price of a couple of cables I got an (old series) Apple TV. £50. Airplay allows you to mirror your device to the telly. very simple to use.
I'll see which is the best option to go with, cable is probably easier but the apple tv thing would let them use the big telly in the living room too.
bigjim - Member
Is the ipad OS really that much easier than Android?
It gives les flexibility and less opportunity to mess things up as a result. It's definitely easier - In my experience kids, elderly foks, special needs children, all just use it intuitively.
Bigjim, I've got a Kindle Fire HD, two years old.
It was a gift.
Amazon constantly trying to control my life and the Silk browser is rubbish.
I WOULDN'T buy one on purpose.
yeah I think that would have confused them. iPad mini 2 already waiting for collection 8)
See if you can find a hudl2 somewhere. Just as easy to use as ios and easily available charging and hdmi ports. Fwiw I've got a hudl2, a fire hd6 and my wife has an ipad and anot ipad mini. They are all pretty much of a muchness. Ios isn't worth the premium.
See if you can find a hudl2 somewhere. Just as easy to use as ios and easily available charging and hdmi ports. Fwiw I've got a hudl2, a fire hd6 and my wife has an ipad and anot ipad mini. They are all pretty much of a muchness. Ios isn't worth the premium.
I think you're a little late to the party, vis:
bigjim - Member
yeah I think that would have confused them. iPad mini 2 already waiting for collection
AppleTV may well be a good option, a friend of mine was living in rented accommodation a while back, had no desire for satellite TV, so got an AppleTV and just did everything from her iPad to the ATV using Netflix and iTunes.
Worked perfectly.