Tablet recommendations for my computer illiterate dps

[superoz]

My sister has suggested getting a tablet for my dps this Christmas who are retired and not very computer. We thought this would be good for them as dad bought a laptop a few years ago but in the last year hasn't bothered touching it and never understood all the Windows updates etc. Really what we're looking for is an entry level tablet so they can look stuff up on the web, Skype, watch the occasional tv programme and if they're feeling adventurous possibly some shopping.

In our household we only have experience of an iPad but that's also because we also have iPhones and MacBooks. dps have got Samsung Galaxy phones this year, would there be any additional benefit to having a Samsung tablet? I would consider any other makes, the main thing is for it to be as easy as possible to use!

Unless they use lots of apps on the phone, then I would go for iPad as the apps work most of the time, easy to setup and use.

Cost though, ipad will be a lot more than an android tablet.

My parents have ipads and use very basic phones.

Tesco's Hudl? I haven't seen it myself but they're selling well.

I bought my DDs a Nexus 7 each last year - they absolutely love them and wouldn't be without.

My aged uncle & aunt (mid-80s) bought themselves an iPad some years ago and do EVERYTHING on it. Look up the weather / cricket scores etc

And they also edit videos, skype, and much more (more than me). Age is no barrier to technology!

If you can afford it then the ipad. It's so intuitive.
We have others including a hudl and though we can use them they're not as easy and we are computer literate.

*not very computer literate. Doh!

Ipad will give you the option of face timing the grandparents if you also have ipad.

Buy parents whatever you have yourselves. That way you have maximum chance of supporting them, and maximum chance of it being OK when they say "you do...how do we do it" or "what's the best way to" and so on.

And in the case of iPads, you'll have iMessage and Facetime, which surely are the main purpose anyway?

Thanks for the replies! It looks like iPad is the way to go, and it will certainly make it easier if we have the same.

My Hudl is great.
But I would love an ipad mini.

I'm 75, and only use a 'proper' computer, Linux with Firefox; but I did work in computers forty years ago, and then did ICT and touch typing with children when I was a TA for twenty years.

Personally, I can't understand why people want these unwieldy gadgets to lug around, and I don't have any need of a mobile phone (though my wife has one for emergencies). So I would have thought they would be able to achieve a lot more, with better quality and more facilities, if they did some research and spent time getting to grips with the laptop they already have.

I guess I'm a cynic, but I think all these 'pods and pads' are the tech companies taking the gullible public for a ride and making fortunes out of it.

For ease of use iPad wins hands down. I so wish my mum would move to a Mac as she really struggles with her laptop and only uses fairly basic stuff. She recently bought a new machine with Windows 8 and can hardly use it. Everyone who visits gets asked to do things for her, give her different instructions and gets annoyed with the last person!

And I totally agree with whoever said buy whatever you have because trying to give someone tech support over the phone when they don't have the same screen in front of them is a nightmare!

My Mum managed well with a basic laptop for a few years but then my sister persuaded her to get an iPad and it was hopeless. She couldn't cope with the interface at all, never got the hang of finding her way around and hated the touchscreen.

We replaced her laptop but could only get one with Windows 8 and she can't cope with that either, so DH is getting a fix for it that makes it look like Windows 7.

Partly it depends on how confident and receptive they are. Will they play around with it and practise?