Facetime, video calling, grandparents!

[inmyshoos]

Aibu to think there is an easy way to set something up to allow my folks to video call my kids? They don't have smartphones, think too complicated and their pc has no camera or mic.
There must be a simple device that I can buy them? The kids are forgetting what they look like!!

You could buy them a webcam with a mic that has a USB attachment, then connect to them through a Zoom chat? Shouldn't be too hard to set up, and you can get quite a good one for about £25-£50.

If they don't have the tech do they have a broadband connection? Without that its pretty hard. You'd need a data connection of some sort.

If they do then I'd suggest either getting a webcam for their pc or a cheap tablet so long as it has a camera then it should be fine. As its black Friday try the amazon fires perhaps?

The simple device is probably the facebook portal

www.amazon.co.uk/Portal-Facebook-Hands-Free-Calling-Built/dp/B07XY7NRH5?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Although it shoves you into the facebook data harvesting which is the huge downside.

Alexa Show / Google smart displays also have the similar pretty easy calls but they're even less useful if you want to call into other devices as they'll need accounts and stuff on their phones. They might be a bit cheaper - although the TV version of portal might work depending on if you can get them set up with it, as that's more complicated.

Could you buy them a cheap smart phone and install WhatsApp? A £5 a month giffgaff sim or similar would give enough data for a weekly video call.

We’ve got my DM (86 year old) an Alexa Show. She had to have a mobile number to set it up and she now has an Amazon account.
Luckily she has pretty good broadband and she absolutely LOVES it.

Smartphone, Facebook messenger. It’s how I’ve stayed in contact with my children and grandkiddies all year.

We bought a tablet for my in-laws. Which are particularly cheap during black Friday