Reply With QuoteIt's many years since I've used a tablet, but the Amazon ones are usually recommended.
A technophobic neighbour of mine finally got broadband in his house .He only wants to browse the web and other basic tasks ,he just has a basic smart phone at the moment and would like a tablet for his internet surfing ,what recommendations do people have that are not too expensive and straightforward to use.
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It's many years since I've used a tablet, but the Amazon ones are usually recommended.
iPad? - easy to use and intuitive (idiot proof!) seem to last a good while...
if it’s just for a tablet and basic web use then Tethering the phone to a tablet would probably be the most economical way of doing this.
+1 iPad - as user friendly as it gets. Not the cheapest, but can be had for good prices used....
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Take a look at the Apple refurb store here - https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/refurbished/ipad
You won't find more user friendly than an iPad.
Alternatively you could perhaps try a Pixel Slate second hand from eBay but iPad is still the best bet.
When you say "he just has a basic smart phone at moment" and that he's looking for something "not too expensive" that, to me, would rule out the Apple range. Excellent though they may be, inexpensive isn't how they are usually described.
Of the other options, I only know Android and haven't found anything to complain about, expect the bloatware the manufacturers insist upon pre-loading. I use Samsung, phone and table, because that's what I've always used but there are many other makes that have plenty to recommend them. Consider a second hand device to let him get used to it and decide if he needs anything better. I've bought tablets off of eBay and this forum, my newest one was a deal from what turned out to be Samsung masquerading under another name. If you look at what might suit him...size of screen etc...then you might get more specific recommendations, but I'd say go back one, maybe two models and look for something capable of meeting his needs. Anything much older may not be supported for too long.
I've never quite understood the whole "apple is idiot proof" argument. So is Android.
I'd say just look at any tablet from a manufacturer that isn't an unknown chinese entity. Both of my tablets (samsung nexus 10, asus nexus 7) are from 2012.. They're still doing just great and are all I need for my casual internet browsing, ebooks, youtube etc.
Well you are obviously not an idiot, I however am - (where it comes to electronic devices) and need something that literally a 3 year old could operate. Having said that I gave up with Android/p.c’s a while back, they may have become more user friendly since then (“cough”...windows 8 anyone)Originally Posted by hafle
Before he decides on a tablet, I'd recommend having a look at ultrabooks / netbooks / Chromebooks. Might suit his needs better.
Bought my elderly Father a laptop (at my Mother’s insistence and against my better judgement) - was just too complicated and he never used it.
Tablet would have been far better.
In the same vein,
Forum member looking for sensible inexpensive car to transport aged mother and two large dogs - forum recommends MX-5.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
iPad.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Not inexpensive are they?
Refurbished ones or second hand are affordable.
And since they are simple to use and generally don’t suffer from viruses etc they are better value for money.
Or get a windows based tablet and spend many happy hours doing interesting things with the operating system to keep it working.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Possibly consider a Chromebook. Good battery life, easy to manage, midrange models have a touch screen. Keyboard makes it easier to compose emails. If he can use a browser on a smart phone he can use a Chromebook.
So pointless OP asking for an inexpensive tablet. Any will be if second hand.
OP wants inexpensive tablet, he's a technophobe that uses a basic smart phone, what kind of smart phone Android or Apple?
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
He asked for opinions so I gave mine. iPad is the best in my opinion and can be bought for a reasonable price second hand if you can’t afford new. Can’t see what the problem is with that to be honest.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Thanks for all the advice ,it seems that cheap tablets have vanished unless you are locked into the Amazon system and want Amazon fire tablet ,so the choice is essentially pre owned iPad or Chromebook / simple laptop
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That seems a fairly sensible question - If he's familiar with one already, getting a tablet the same system makes a lot of sense (I've got an Android phone and iPad, though)
Beware 'cheap' iPads, though, old ones are locked out of a lot of apps and there are a lot of bodge jobs, as we're finding out at the moment...
Have a look at https://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/c/629/Tablets-iPads/ (with the iPad proviso on older models, above).
M
Last edited by snowman; 8th June 2020 at 11:59.
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
On Android you might consider:
...but I'm not sure what your budget is.
I have just recently bought a MacBook Pro and a kid of six could use it, it is a piece of cake and set up is a doddle. So yes it's ok for a technophobe.
iPad would be fine.
A few years ago we bought my dad an iPad (2nd gen). He died last year and used the iPad regularly. He couldn’t program a video to record - despite 30 years of trying - but Safari and Photos on an iPad were easy.
They never die - I still have an original iPad from about 2010 Which works slowly - so yes, a refurbed iPad would be an excellent choice for a technophobe.
I've been using a Huawei tablet for the last couple of years. Great value and no problems with Chinese government interference. £200 if I remember and from their media range, so excellent for YouTube, Netflix etc .
David
Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations
another vote for a refurb or 2 or 3 gen old iPad, for the technically challenged it's far simpler than the tweak fest that is android.
I currently have 3 'droid phones, 2 iPhones and 2 iPads sat on my desk at work. The one I take with me when I finish runs iOS, the ones I have the least issues with day to day doing my job, also runs iOS.
iOS is far from perfect but for those who don't want to faff with their tech it's probably the better choice.
All IMHO, YMMV, &c.
Definitely a god idea to have the same OS as his smartphone. Then the same account can be used on both devices and he can have the same apps and the same set up etc.
We bought our son a Lenovo for about £120 a couple of years ago. He plays games and watches YouTube on it. It hasn't missed a beat. Cracking battery life too.
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