Tablet for an older person. Which?

I'd suggest an ipad... more user friendly and if she has problem she can go ask the genius at the local apple store. Both my parents have ipads and love it.

coilz wrote: ↑ I'd suggest an ipad... more user friendly and if she has problem she can go ask the genius at the local apple store. Both my parents have ipads and love it.

I have iPad Air 2
It's OK.
In my opinion highly overrated.
Probably will stick with Samsung brand
But thanks

ukrainiandude wrote: ↑ I have iPad Air 2
It's OK.
In my opinion highly overrated.
Probably will stick with Samsung brand
But thanks

I mean, just because you're not happy with iPads, it doesn't mean they might not be better for your mother. Not saying that it is either, but since you have an iPad and aren't fully satisfied with it, why not let your mother try it to see if she likes it or not. If she does, then let her have it and get yourself a Samsung tablet.

Ordered white refurbished Samsung Tab E 9,7 for 141 CAD
Thanks all for assistance

Have the Tab A, performance would be no where never a recent iPad however.

If you think iPad Air 2 is over rated, the Samsung budget lines would be a huge let down.

You already made up your mind. But I would have gone with the iPad. There is a lot to hate, but you can't deny the killer app. FaceTime. It is the best video conferencing app on any platform.

Gee wrote: ↑ You already made up your mind. But I would have gone with the iPad. There is a lot to hate, but you can't deny the killer app. FaceTime. It is the best video conferencing app on any platform.

Agreed with you but the Ipad is sometimes out of some people's budget like me. I picked up an used LG GPad 3 8.0 for $70 off Kijiji a few days ago and it works fine for my usage.

apvm wrote: ↑ Agreed with you but the Ipad is sometimes out of some people's budget like me. I picked up an used LG GPad 3 8.0 for $70 off Kijiji a few days ago and it works fine for my usage.

The difference is you're tech savvy. If the mother was tech savvy, she would not need someone else to buy her a tablet.

Buy her something easy to use and useable, then she will use it more and it won't be a seldom use device as originally mentioned. To me, that's worth a few extra dollars. Isn't your mother worth it?

What I can tell you is my wife was able to learn how to use the iPad pretty easily when she first started. I think she would have struggled with an Android tablet

Gee wrote: ↑ You already made up your mind. But I would have gone with the iPad. There is a lot to hate, but you can't deny the killer app. FaceTime. It is the best video conferencing app on any platform.

Did not use FaceTime on my iPad. IMO Skype or Google hangout are better.
I don't like iPad ability to connect to laptop for file transfer, and not expandable memory; much simple with android and mini SD cards.
Also buying iPad would be a overkill, I know she won't use often enough. Right now she uses her laptop once a week.

Phils wrote: ↑ What I can tell you is my wife was able to learn how to use the iPad pretty easily when she first started. I think she would have struggled with an Android tablet

My mother learned how to use her Nokia cell phone and Windows laptop. Android touch screen tablet will be next.

ukrainiandude wrote: ↑, I know she won't use often enough. Right now she uses her laptop once a week.

Using a laptop/netbook is entirely different from using a tablet. They serve different purposes.
You can read a novel or watch a show or browse in bed. Or even in a washroom LOL

danieltoronto wrote: ↑ My suggestion is that " stay away from large screen tablet".
10" and 9.7" is too big to hold. It is the form factor problem. I am 67 and I find the netbook size tablet too unwieldy
The smallest 1080 tablet is LG with a separate SD slot
http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_g_pad_iii_8_0_fhd-8463.php

I have one of those, easy with just one hand (even with case) and screen large enough. 10" needs both hands.

Oh I have deleted the above post after knowing the OP has bought something already.
Maybe the parent of the OP has large hands

Exactly, they are the reason laptop sale had and continues to go down. These days, you can even do banking, submit insurance claim, watch tv apps, etc from the tablet with ease thanks to all the apps. Things you never know you needed until you have a tab.

If Op's mom is social, it is likely her fds are using iPads too so she could iMessage, FaceTime and photo share and basically learn how to use it from others.

The things op mentioned about android's advantage with file transfer and extendable memory are likely useless to her.

Since the thread is about tablet for an older person, there is no doubt the iPad is the better and more popular option for that and an android would be limiting, if her fds are not on the same platform.

If OP is on a budget then it is a separated discussion but there are ways too with refurb or smaller units, otherwise even with staying to a Samsung/Android, there are still better options, too.

danieltoronto wrote: ↑ Using a laptop/netbook is entirely different from using a tablet. They serve different purposes.
You can read a novel or watch a show or browse in bed. Or even in a washroom LOL

ukrainiandude wrote: ↑ Did not use FaceTime on my iPad. IMO Skype or Google hangout are better.
I don't like iPad ability to connect to laptop for file transfer, and not expandable memory; much simple with android and mini SD cards.
Also buying iPad would be a overkill, I know she won't use often enough. Right now she uses her laptop once a week.

I'm an android guy, I have a Pixel but I also have an iPad that I use for work. Reason is because the apps just work better. My company requires that I VPN into the network. I use Cisco AnyConnect and it stopped working with the recent udpdate on my phone, but the iPad keeps on chugging along.

I think your mother would use her iPad every day if she had one.

We have iPad Pro, Air/ Air2, iPad 4, Tab S2 & Tab A, so we can honestly compared Apple & Android with some experience and this isn't which tab is better for myself discussion.

The Tab S is great but it isn't part of the Samsung budget line the way the Tab A/E are and what OP was considering. I find even the most basic games and browsing, the Tab A was more glitchy and more intense games out right crashes at times. I didn't have the same experience on my iPads, even on my iPad 4, which is pretty old.

We have senior parents and in laws too and we got them all on the iPads. First and foremost, it is what their friends use which is already a big plus, since they can learn form others. Secondly, they can social with Apple apps like iMessage / Facetime, which you can't install on Android but on an iPad you can install the Google equivalent as apps. Files transfer and extra storage isn't as much of an issue for them I find, as long as they don't go photo download crazy, but they are slowly learning to share photos on the cloud without downloading.

The iPad just has it down for ease of use and smoothness of operation, we speak from experience as "tech support" for seniors that OP would be making self a favor and saves a lot of headaches down the road.

jackrabbit000 wrote: ↑ We have 4 Samsung tablets, Tab S 10.5, Tab A 9.7 and 2 Tab A 10.1's. No issues with performance whatsoever for what we use them for. Standard stuff like surfing the net, YouTube, games, email etc. I like the customization, microSD slot and the ability to flash in any operating system on the Samsung tablets and they cost less than the iPads. Mine is the Tab S 10.5, the screen is amazing, pretty hard to beat the screen on this one. No right or wrong tablet out there, it all depends on what you want and how much you want to spend.

Yeah I'm not even a fan of Apple and I set up my parents with iPads + iTunes + iCloud. There's some initial setup required, but I found the ongoing configuration/stop for questions process much easier on the iPad as compared to the Android ecosystem. Now they're Netflixin, Facebookin, Youtubin fiends who send SMS messages and have phone conversations on those tablets. It helps that phone-wise they were already on iPhone.

Gee wrote: ↑ The difference is you're tech savvy. If the mother was tech savvy, she would not need someone else to buy her a tablet.

Buy her something easy to use and useable, then she will use it more and it won't be a seldom use device as originally mentioned. To me, that's worth a few extra dollars. Isn't your mother worth it?

+1

Whats your time worth? The ipad isn't really that easier. Its got the apple store!!!! Its full of elderly people who get help there instead of you, all the time. There will be alot of calls if you buy them anything else trust me....alot of phone calls. Plus every time you visit. Tack on another hour or 2 for your tech help.

"Take it to the apple store Dad they can fix". I paid extra just for that option not cause i like apple. I don't even own one. My wife does. I use fireos tablet myself.

Honestly I think they socialize at the apple store. Its like bingo. A reason to gather.