Which tablet should I gift?
November 27, 2019 3:21 PM Subscribe
I want to gift a tablet to a technophobe 65-year-old who likes to do some simple web browsing and check his Yahoo mail. Which one should I get him? Parameters inside.
He is able to do what he wants to on his iPhone...but his eyesight isn't great, his fingers are clumsy, and though we have it set to large text, the phone itself is just too small to be fun for him.
He generally understands the iPhone basics, so something in the Apple world would be great...but I know they're expensive, and if the interface with other tablets isn't too difficult, it might be worth a switch.
So he'll browse the web, and maybe compose a few simple emails. That's really it. Maaaaybe play a game or two, but those are lower priority.
Please recommend me! (Also I'm just assuming a tablet is the answer here, but if there's something else, let me know. Maybe a very basic laptop? I'm open to hearing that, but it has to be sort of bulletproof or he'll accidentally mess with the settings and it will be useless.)
He is able to do what he wants to on his iPhone...but his eyesight isn't great, his fingers are clumsy, and though we have it set to large text, the phone itself is just too small to be fun for him.
He generally understands the iPhone basics, so something in the Apple world would be great...but I know they're expensive, and if the interface with other tablets isn't too difficult, it might be worth a switch.
So he'll browse the web, and maybe compose a few simple emails. That's really it. Maaaaybe play a game or two, but those are lower priority.
Please recommend me! (Also I'm just assuming a tablet is the answer here, but if there's something else, let me know. Maybe a very basic laptop? I'm open to hearing that, but it has to be sort of bulletproof or he'll accidentally mess with the settings and it will be useless.)
(Sorry, I meant 2ndhand, not refurb.)
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:39 PM on November 27, 2019
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:39 PM on November 27, 2019
Best answer: I am in a public library, so I help a LOT of people with the new tablets they have been gifted. If he knows Apple then stick with Apple. The learning curve is just too steeep and being able to integrate with his phone (for txts, apps, emails, contacts etc) makes it worth the money. In my experience the iPad is the most stable tablet and requires the least amount of frustrated phone calls to the giftee.
posted by saucysault at 3:41 PM on November 27, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by saucysault at 3:41 PM on November 27, 2019 [3 favorites]
Seconding an iPad if that is at all in your budget. A refurbished one should be just fine.
We gave my elderly parents an iPad and they love it and use it all the time. In contrast, the Android phone my mother got afterward frustrates her because she was already used to the iPad interface and finds it so intuitive. I wish my mom had gotten an iPhone instead.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:45 PM on November 27, 2019
We gave my elderly parents an iPad and they love it and use it all the time. In contrast, the Android phone my mother got afterward frustrates her because she was already used to the iPad interface and finds it so intuitive. I wish my mom had gotten an iPhone instead.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:45 PM on November 27, 2019
Response by poster: Okay so what's the best way to purchase a refurb or secondhand iPad? (I see the Swappa link above.) Actually I see the new ones are around $350, so maybe that's the one...
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:59 PM on November 27, 2019
posted by BlahLaLa at 3:59 PM on November 27, 2019
I've ordered three refurbished iPads off of Amazon, and they all worked well (I'm still using all three). I ordered one iPad from eBay, and it was unusable, because it was registered to a large corporation, and there was no way to unlock it without the assistance of the IT department at said corporation. It's quite possible that the iPad was stolen.
posted by alex1965 at 4:16 PM on November 27, 2019
posted by alex1965 at 4:16 PM on November 27, 2019
Best answer: A bunch of places have / will have this year's 10.2" iPad on sale for $250, which is a good deal like whoa.
posted by Ian A.T. at 4:33 PM on November 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Ian A.T. at 4:33 PM on November 27, 2019 [2 favorites]
definitely get an ipad. They're really not that expensive, and will last quite a while. Apple has refurbished ones.
If he doesn't take a lot of pics or need storage, they have one right now for $219. If he'll be taking photos and using the storage on the device, get more than 32gb. That will fill up quickly, and he'll get frustrated with its warnings.
I chose the Apple refurbished route recently over eBay because Apple puts a new battery in as part of their refurbishing. That's worth it to me.
posted by hydra77 at 5:10 PM on November 27, 2019
If he doesn't take a lot of pics or need storage, they have one right now for $219. If he'll be taking photos and using the storage on the device, get more than 32gb. That will fill up quickly, and he'll get frustrated with its warnings.
I chose the Apple refurbished route recently over eBay because Apple puts a new battery in as part of their refurbishing. That's worth it to me.
posted by hydra77 at 5:10 PM on November 27, 2019
Swappa has more protection and moderation in place than eBay, but an Amazon refurb is safer and Apple safest.
posted by snuffleupagus at 5:11 PM on November 27, 2019
posted by snuffleupagus at 5:11 PM on November 27, 2019
Tangentially, when my dad was having trouble with clumsy fingers, a thick-grip stylus fixed him right up.
posted by teremala at 5:26 PM on November 27, 2019
posted by teremala at 5:26 PM on November 27, 2019
Best answer: Also you may want to check the MacRumors Apple Black Friday buying guide to see if there are deals. I concur with everyone: iPad and maybe even some streaming services if he uses Netflix or watches sports. And a nice case that is rugged and maybe has places to grip it on the side.
posted by jessamyn at 6:42 PM on November 27, 2019
posted by jessamyn at 6:42 PM on November 27, 2019
Best answer: Refurb iPad Air 2 from Amazon did it for my 70+ technophobe father. You want it to be something that'll require the minimum of technical support from you. (So, choose something with fewer things that can go wrong, and a device/OS you're already familiar with.)
posted by snarfois at 5:08 AM on November 28, 2019
posted by snarfois at 5:08 AM on November 28, 2019
If you are able to get lenovo brand tablet I would say big thumbs up for it because they are manufacturing good quality tablet and cost effecient.
posted by feroz at 12:58 PM on April 26, 2020
posted by feroz at 12:58 PM on April 26, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 3:29 PM on November 27, 2019 [1 favorite]