Best tablet for seniors

Tailgate

Tailgate

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DM needs to ditch her PC and go to a better solution for her...most likely a tablet. She

..is fairly computer literate (she's not afraid of it)
..plays games, mostly crosswords and solitaire
.. browses the web frequently
.. emails

she does not use spreadsheets or word processing software..

Any recommendation on the best tablet for her to consider?

thanks..
 
I had a Nook HD+ that worked fine at first but bogged down over time and I eventually did a reset and sold it. DW gave me her old IPad2 and it is truly a superior device. If it dies, I'd buy another (used) one .
 
DW and I both have the iPad Air 2 and we think it's just about perfect. Lightweight and very capable.

If I were buying one today, it would be the 9.7" iPad Pro, which was just released last March. There is also 12.9" iPad Pro, but the extra half pound of weight is pretty significant in my view.
 
The Asus transformer series (tablet/notebook with detachable keyboard) are worth a look in the Windows based/value space. I have a T200 ~ $200 - fine for general surfing/email.

P.S. A few features I like with the T200 - when docked, it can be wired or wireless, has 1)USB3 and 1)USB2 port, can take a 2nd hard drive. Tablet is wireless only, has mini HDMI. and USB ports
 
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Does she have a smart phone? If she does, then it'll be easier if she sticks with the same ecosystem for her tablet. I.e. if she has an iPhone, get an iPad. If she has an Android phone, look at an Android tablet or one of the newer Chromebooks that can run apps from the Play store.

If she does not have a smart phone, then it's more of a toss-up. Personally, I'd look at the Asus Flip with its keyboard and touch screen. If she likes Windows and doesn't want to learn a new OS, then consider the Surface.
 
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IMHO, unless you're committed to the Apple ecosystem, you'd probably be better off with an android tablet. For example, anyone coming from a PC will be frustrated by the lack of memory expansion via SD cards. Also, the apps available for both Android and Apple are now pretty much the same. But pricing on the Apple products will be much higher.
 
Got tired of PC/Microsoft hell and love my Apple products. No need to be a techie.. they just work (at least for me). I would go with the iPad and get a keyboard case for it. Love mine!
 
What is keyboard situation on a tablet? touch screen is almost impossible for me to use, I would give up in frustration before I got a whole sentence out. would not use it for email.
Angle of view might be different. Does she sit at a desk or in a chair to play games.
Tablets can be limiting.Livestream does not allow dvr function for tablets-you watch live or not at all.
I think a good laptop might be better then a tablet-what is it about tablet that you like.?
 
Look into a Chrome Book - a small browser only laptop that folds into a tablet. Best of both, still have a keyboard when needed.

Cheaper than an ipad by far as well.
 
I have an iPad Air 2, which is fine for me. I am not that much of a "tablet person", though, and to me it is just a pretty toy for games, e-mail, and web surfing. The closer it gets to bedtime, the more I appreciate the light weight.

For serious use, I much prefer my laptop to any tablet.
 
DW uses an Ipad Air, I use a Mini. We both have Iphones and I like it that they have the same operating system. Our desktops are Microsoft. I have a FIRE, but it is slow and I don't really like it. I use a Kindle paperwhite for books. I have had an Android phone but switched to Apple. I would recommend you use the same tablet as phone.
 
cathy63 said:
Does she have a smart phone? If she does, then it'll be easier if she sticks with the same ecosystem for her tablet. I.e. if she has an iPhone, get an iPad. If she has an Android phone, look at an Android tablet or one of the newer Chromebooks that can run apps from the Play store. ...
Click to expand...

Ian S said:
IMHO, unless you're committed to the Apple ecosystem, you'd probably be better off with an android tablet. ...
Click to expand...

Agree with this. Also need to know a bit more about her usage (screen size prefs, etc). iPads are great devices in many ways, but relatively expensive compared to android devices, and limiting in many ways (memory expansion was mentioned).

DW is really enjoying the $30 Chromecast I bought for her. She uses her iPad or MacBook-Pro to select a Netflix movie, and casts it to the TV. This can be done with either iOS or Android. Probably more options with Android, since it is a google thing.

-ERD50
 
My 83 yo Mom uses her great grandkids Fire 6" tablets to play games, and her Samsung phone for emails. She doesn't do any setup or add apps herself, but that's large enough for her to use and cheap enough that she doesn't worry about breaking it.
 
Both my iPhone 6 and my iPad air 2 have 128g. Hard to imagine needing more memory...

They are pricey, though, comparably speaking.
 
+1 on the Kindle Fire tablet. We got 3 of the 6" 2014 versions and they worked well for our kids. Our incredibly destructive 4 year old managed to destroy one, and we replaced it with the newer (but slightly lower spec'd) 6" version and it was under $30 refurbished from amazon.

You get a nice ecosystem of apps that are often free. Not always the same apps that come on android/apple but there seems to be a nice variety of puzzles/games. I used one of the kids tablets as an e-reader and it works well for that. Nice long-ish battery life too (maybe 2-3 hrs with graphics intense 3d games; 5-8 hours for simple web browsing or e-reading).

Easy to use, low entry cost, and durable.
 
I bought a Kindle Fire as a replacement for my Google Nexus 7. Cost me $29. For what I use my tablet for, its fine. Only downside is that Kindle/Amazon doesn't support every app, so I can't get things like Tapatalk for managing forums. I just look at the full site instead of the mobile version, not a big deal.
 
I just used the "Find My Phone" to locate my tablet. It is an Iphone/Ipad feature. I use this several times a year for either my phone or tablet. I don't know if this is available on Android or not, but this feature alone makes the Apple OS worth it! My phone slips out of my pocket into the crease in a chair or couch. I can have my wife call my phone, but not my tablet.
 
Rustic23 said:
I just used the "Find My Phone" to locate my tablet. It is an Iphone/Ipad feature. I use this several times a year for either my phone or tablet. I don't know if this is available on Android or not, but this feature alone makes the Apple OS worth it! My phone slips out of my pocket into the crease in a chair or couch. I can have my wife call my phone, but not my tablet.
Click to expand...
Yep, there is an app for that. :)
 
sturbridge said:
I bought a Kindle Fire as a replacement for my Google Nexus 7. Cost me $29. For what I use my tablet for, its fine. Only downside is that Kindle/Amazon doesn't support every app, so I can't get things like Tapatalk for managing forums. I just look at the full site instead of the mobile version, not a big deal.
Click to expand...

I use Tapatalk on my Kindle Fire for this forum. That said, the Kindle is frustrating and I'll go with a stock Android tablet when I replace the Fire.
 
I love my Kindle Fire 8.9" but I would not recommend it as a PC replacement.
 
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