Read more.Let's hear your recommendations on which tablet is best for inexperienced users.
Read more.Let's hear your recommendations on which tablet is best for inexperienced users.
We bought my mother in law the Amazon Kindle Fire HD. I wanted to go for a refurbed Nexus 7 for the same price, but my wife and her brother preferred to get something 'new' rather than in any way second hand.
It was probably a good decision: she seems to love the tablet. And she's definitely a technophobe!
Had an iPad, switched a Galaxy Note 10.1 2014....love it!!
Would have to be an android tablet based on performance/price ratio, probably a nexus 7. Can't justify the extra cost for most other tablets for what is mostly a media player/ browser. Would only consider a Windows tablet should it be a laptop replacement, although would avoid Windows RT.
I would probably say a nexus 7. I think android and iOS are equally easy to get to grips with, but for people who need it for only basic stuff iPads are just so expensive. People seem to buy iPads because that is what is recommended to them, but they could have the same for much less.
As much as I don't like Apple , for a technophobic entering the world of tablets and smartphones Apple or Windows completely out class Android for ease of use on phones or tablets. You only have to pull down the options on KitKat to be overwhelmed by so many techie options.
Windows and Apple are very clean and simple - Windows even more so than Apple.
I would say the Tesco Hudl. Good value for money and very easy to use. A colleague bought one and she is a complete technophobe and got used to it in no time. I love mine...
Pleiades (22-03-2014)
Windows tablet or maybe an iPad I would say.
Not a fan myself, but for a technophobe it would have to be an iPad Air (if budget allowed), simply due to the huge choice of apps, good build quality, simple interface, and the cross-demographic appeal of iStuff to draw them in. We have a few in at work and they are nice kit - overpriced to a tee but shiny shiny.
For anyone else, Bay Trail 8.1 tablet or something like a Galaxy Tab or Kindle Fire.
I agree that iPads probably are slightly more userfriendly than Android devices such as the (IMHO) excellent Nexus 7. However, my issue is that you also buy into "Apple's Walled Garden of Dubious Delights (tm)" when you get one. From then on you're pretty much at the mercy of Apple. I, for one, couldn't do it and neither would I willingly inflict that on someone I love and care about.
For someone who's technophobic, I would recommend an iPad. It's much easier to use.
I prefer the Tegra Note because it is just too fast, android is amazing.
The key for me is that they are only slightly more user friendly. Even if iPads are more user friendly at first, once someone has gotten used to their device and is comfortable with it Android is the clear winner. The use of widgets on Android helps users interact with their tablet in a more productive manner which is well worth the slightly steeper learning curve.
I agree that subscribing to Apples walled garden is a negative choice, and one which I warn against when giving technology advice, but what is worse is Apples miss-use of their patents. They are bully in the technology world and I can't understand why anyone would support that behaviour.
crossy (24-03-2014)
My initial thought was it really had to be the iPad, as much as I hate the dumbed down interface and the high pricing. You can't really go wrong when it's basically press one button and it shows all your programs.
Then I started thinking about it and remembered using a friends iPhone/iPad to help them set some stuff up and was like, seriously this is a pita, certain menu items seemed convoluted or were tucked away deep in sub settings. So seeing as the technophobe will likely be calling on the tech savvy people of the family (that would be me in my case) to get them out of jams I've decided I wouldn't pick an iPad
So some more thinking and it dawned on me...the biggest thing for a technophobe is likley the cost of the tablet, they're not going to want to spend a lot in case they never use it.
Therefore after some consideration I decided the best option would likely be android, probably a hudl/nexus or a kindle due to the cost benefits and the range of apps available being better than windows.
My mum has used my nexus 7 on several occasions without too much issue, she could do web browsing, games etc without issue and we all know we'd be the ones doing the 'initial setups' so that just seems more suited to the job although windows does have some benefits with remote networking over android in my opinion.
Most people seem to have missed the technophobe bit. I'd say iOS is the simplest system for anyone who has literally never used a touchscreen device of any kind before, but I'd say iOS 6 was far friendlier than 7.
If you can explain the basics? Likely the Hudl. Kindle's walled garden experience irks me.
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