Need to find a Windows tablet for an elderly non-techy.

[HoosierDaddy]

Most of my relatives use Windows phones. All my older relatives do because they asked me before buying their first smart phone or I gave them one for a birthday or Christmas.

My Father wants to get his wife a tablet. Actually he said he wanted to get her an iPad. But it was soon apparent he thought that was a generic term for tablets. He asked me to give him advice on a tablet. Unfortunately, I never needed one. I had an iPad for a few days but just because Cadillac gave one to everyone who bought a car with the CUE infotainment system. I sold it on Craigslist for $500 the day I got it. Still scratching my head why someone would pay full retail for a second hand iPad but for some reason having the Cadillac logo on the back appealed to some.

Anyway, I need to figure out what would be a good fit for her. I'm asking here because I don't care for Android at all and worry about obsolescence or too high of a price for Apple products. Plus they already know and use "Modern" devices (PC and phones) so the learning curve will be lower which is important.

My father got the ideas of a tablet for his wife from someone who showed him their iPad. He mentioned they told him it cost around $300 so if true was used or an older model.

That means I need to find a Windows tablet that is less expensive than a new iPad and a big plus if close to or under $300. No need for Win32 apps.

What's the best place to get a crash course? Or what tablets would you recommend?

 

[xandros9]

I would be most comfortable with an RT tablet if they have ways of destroying software, but sounds like they're reasonably familiar with computers. Considering RT updates are up-in-the-air/not going to be full 10, you can probably get a Surface 2 or Lumia 2520 at a nice price.

Older Atom tablets also work nicely, my dad enjoys his Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx which runs on the slower, older-gen CloverTrail.

Although currently we have tablets up the wazoo, since you're talking iPad I'm going to ignore 8" tablets.

Micro Center might have a great open-box deal if you look.

Tablets that come to mind are the ASUS Transformer T100, Lenovo Miix 2, but those are just random ones since you have pretty broad requirements.

 

[Guytronic]

I've gone thru the "honey you need tech" thing.

Believe me when I say no matter what you do the non techies will simply throw the thing in a corner after the initial "Ooooo thank you sweetie" phase.
Boils down to some want and need-some are mildly fascinated-some could give a crap less...

Give a crap less seems to apply most of the time.

My advice:
Spend the minimum for a Windows tablet.

 

[Mike Majeski]

Do you have a Microsoft Store in your area?

If so, I would recommend one the HP Stream 8 Signature Edition. 8" screen, comes with free T-Mobile 4G and only costs $149. I know it does have full windows, but RT is pretty much on the way out, so you probably want to stay away from that.

Buy HP Stream 8 Signature Edition Tablet - Microsoft Store

The reason I ask if you have a Microsoft Store nearby is because the offer up the Windows 8 classes and will show her how to use it.

 

[Nebel]

Ummm, you probably could've sold that Cadillac iPad for a lot more

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Ummm, you probably could've sold that Cadillac iPad for a lot more

I got so many emails I probably did list it for too little. Many said they would have paid more when I told them it was sold. I still don't understand it though. I wonder if they owned pre-CUE Cadillacs. I don't see why anyone would think the big Cadillac script on the back was a plus if they didn't drive a Cadillac. Plus it had a bunch of Cadillac apps/files installed.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Do you have a Microsoft Store in your area?

If so, I would recommend one the HP Stream 8 Signature Edition. 8" screen, comes with free T-Mobile 4G and only costs $149. I know it does have full windows, but RT is pretty much on the way out, so you probably want to stay away from that.

Buy HP Stream 8 Signature Edition Tablet - Microsoft Store

The reason I ask if you have a Microsoft Store nearby is because the offer up the Windows 8 classes and will show her how to use it.

Thanks, I'll look into that. Training won't be a huge issue since she already uses WP8.1. They are already on T-Mobile too. There is a MS store in Scottsdale where they and I live.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I've gone thru the "honey you need tech" thing.

Believe me when I say no matter what you do the non techies will simply throw the thing in a corner after the initial "Ooooo thank you sweetie" phase.
Boils down to some want and need-some are mildly fascinated-some could give a crap less...

Give a crap less seems to apply most of the time.

My advice:
Spend the minimum for a Windows tablet.

Spend the minimum is my father's middle name.

I hear you about tech ambivalence. My wife's mother was that way. This was before smart phones or tablets but we thought she might like a PC. We asked her and apparently to not hurt her daughters feelings, said she would like that. Never once used it after the few training sessions. LoL

This will be my father's money but I think his wife wants to be able to Skype and share pictures with her daughters (and grand children) scattered all around the country. She has seen her friends do that and was obviously a little envious. So hopefully, the motivation is there.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I would be most comfortable with an RT tablet if they have ways of destroying software, but sounds like they're reasonably familiar with computers. Considering RT updates are up-in-the-air/not going to be full 10, you can probably get a Surface 2 or Lumia 2520 at a nice price.

Older Atom tablets also work nicely, my dad enjoys his Lenovo IdeaTab Lynx which runs on the slower, older-gen CloverTrail.

Although currently we have tablets up the wazoo, since you're talking iPad I'm going to ignore 8" tablets.

Micro Center might have a great open-box deal if you look.

Tablets that come to mind are the ASUS Transformer T100, Lenovo Miix 2, but those are just random ones since you have pretty broad requirements.

Thanks for the possible model candidates. I think she pretty much will just Skype, email and use the internet.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

I'm sorry but I cannot in good conscience recommend any Windows tablet for elderly non-techie types. At least not until Windows on tablets reaches a level of "appliance" that is possible with Android and iOS. Windows on tablets is still a bit too fragile. Regular updates. Sometimes/often times the update is not successful or breaks something. There's just as much systems maintenance with a Windows tablet as there is with a desktop or notebook. Things are better now with 8.1 than they were with previous versions of Windows, but still not completely transparent to the user.

If you are absolutely set on Windows then please stop reading at this point.....









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I own (too) many tablets of various configurations and operating systems and have compared and contrasted their benefits and deficits.

I'd recommend a serious look at Amazon's Kindle Fire HD series or maybe Barnes & Noble Nook devices. Techies look down on these locked-down versions of Android, but they have been designed with the non-techie in mind. Both have carefully groomed app stores.

I'd also recommend an iPad. I have purchased an iPad for my non-techie parents who were challenged by WebTV/MSNTV back in the day.... they took to the iPad immediately and were very comfortable with it.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Okay, I had some time I didn't expect to do more research. He went with an Aspire Switch 10. I was quite surprised that my father bought it at the Windows Store since he is very cost conscious and I didn't think he'd pay a dime more to buy something without crapware. At least it was on sale so not much more than some on-line retailer. I liked the Asus Transformer a little better but the Acer was close and he liked the looks and sale price, so.....

Now I'm off to get Skype setup on it. I don't use Skype myself but expected all of his wife's contacts to automatically show up in Skye but just 3 out of maybe a hundred of her phone contacts in her Microsoft account show up in the Skype contact list and I know at least a dozen have Skype because I've been with them when they were using it over the years; plus two of the 3 in the list DON'T use Skype (don't know about the other). Got to get all her contacts to show up in Skype before giving her the tablet to minimize tech shock from having to do even trivial one-time things herself.

Thanks again for suggestions for Windows tablets.

 

[WillysJeepMan]

Okay, I had some time I didn't expect to do more research. He went with an Aspire Switch 10. I was quite surprised that my father bought it at the Windows Store since he is very cost conscious and I didn't think he'd pay a dime more to buy something without crapware. At least it was on sale so not much more than some on-line retailer. I liked the Asus Transformer a little better but the Acer was close and he liked the looks and sale price, so.....

Now I'm off to get Skype setup on it. I don't use Skype myself but expected all of his wife's contacts to automatically show up in Skye but just 3 out of maybe a hundred of her phone contacts in her Microsoft account show up in the Skype contact list and I know at least a dozen have Skype because I've been with them when they were using it over the years; plus two of the 3 in the list DON'T use Skype (don't know about the other). Got to get all her contacts to show up in Skype before giving her the tablet to minimize tech shock from having to do even trivial one-time things herself.

Thanks again for suggestions for Windows tablets.

Great choice with the Acer Aspire Switch 10! I just recently purchased the Switch 11 and absolutely love it.