device for complete beginner aged 54!

[myidentitymycrisis]

I'm helping a friend, who has led a very sheltered life.
This person has asked me to help them get access to the internet
and is considering buying a device. We are starting literally from zero knowledge but very clever person who has just not joined in with the digital age until now; no email address, no idea how to use a computer etc.

Bearing in mind he probably will be using it at home, and primarily for access to information on the internet, I was thinking may be an iPad or tablet? would be simple and low cost. He might not be comfortable with a touch screen though so would need to be able to add a key board possibly.

I'm not that tech savvy myself being of around the same age and relying mostly on DS for help.

Can anyone recommend anything to start looking at?

A tablet sounds like the best option. Can he go to a large electronics shop and try out some brands? Some very cheap tablets might be less responsive on the touch screen.

thanks Take
he is coming to my house for a try out, I have a MacBook Air and a very old slow iPad he can have a go on. very much dipping our toes in the water at the moment.

I agree maybe next step would be go to a big store but I would probably need to go with him. There is so much to explain!

A tablet would be good i think. If he has never used any type of gadget then he will not have anything to unlearn in term of keyboard v touch screen.

My technophobe mum hates PCs but loves her iPad - it’s very intuitive for the most part. He could get a refurbished one for a lot less than a new one.

For internet access, does he have WiFi in the house or will he be looking at data? The latter could be expensive for watching films, video calls etc.

Oh and if he does go for an iPad, Apple have free intro classes in store, some are aimed at absolute beginners. (I don’t work for Apple, I just have a lot of their products!)

I might suggest getting something cheap and cheerful to start with, a "throwaway" device. He can then prod and poke it, get some ideas about what he likes and doesn't like before committing to an expensive device like an ipad or deciding that actually all he needs is a budget or mid range tablet. He could perhaps try it out side by side with your old ipad and macbook?

Go for an iPad they are very straight forward to uses even toddlers can do it.