Topic: Simple tablet for elderly comma (comms with the elderly)

[paruses]

I can't see a thread for this and don't think it fits into New Laptop -

I need to get a tablet for elderly relatives to use Telegram/WhatsApp. It would need to be 4g (i.e. Not WiFi) and have a camera.

I will get rid of as many icons as I can so they just press the messaging app and can get in touch with other family members and can video call or type depending how they feel. Even that it will be tech overload so they really aren't going to be using it for anything else.

So - in the opinions of this forum is it worth just punting the £70-90 on a no name eBay purchase or going a bit higher (£150) and getting something. As ever reviews are as off putting as they are helpful - people  complaining about camera build etc after spending £90 and not getting something like the latest Samsung/Apple offering rather than saying it did the job or not for the money.

Also does the Android build make a huge difference? EBay keeps pushing ads for Icecream at not a lot of money but I don't know if nothing runs on that at these days.

Am also thinking if 8" is going to be too fiddly so go for 10.

Sorry it's a bit vague - I think the question is what would you get for a couple of octogenarians who would only use it for messaging and video calls.

[paruses]

Op way too long - soz.

What would you get for a couple of octogenarians who would only use it for messaging and video calls?

[Sebastian Cobb]

For the money you mention I'd consider a used iPad. I'm not the biggest Apple fan but they seem to be the most intuitive and probably the path to spending as little time as possible guiding people through it.

The problem with cheap no-name Android tablets is they often use older versions of Android so apps stop getting supported and will cause confusion and grief.

[paruses]

Thanks. Yes it's the "I'm pressing it but it doesn't do anything" type support I would be keen to avoid. Especially as they will not be easily accessible to go round and have a look at things.

On one of the refurbished sites a Samsung something was on for about 150 which i might weigh up price-convenience wise with an ipad.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I'd go for the iPad, my experience of Samsung stuff is they're a bit lacking with long-term support and Apple do seem genuinely quite good at that on iOS. Also the app support is larger as it's a bigger market.

We have some oldish Samsung tab at work for a software project and it's ok though.

By the way, whichever you choose, it looks like there's a teamviewer for both Android/iOS, so you might be able to grab remote control to help.

[MojoJojo]

Have you considered something like a Facebook portal? It's worked out well for my elderly parents. They just have to press the answer button, although they have now worked out how to call people.

It is Facebook video chat only though. They've improved it massively since the beginning of lockdown, and it's probably the best of the free video chat options. Except for Facebook privacy issues, obvs.

[canadagoose]

To solve the 4G (not WiFi) problem, you could get a little 4G router like this. So long as you keep it plugged in (preferably by a window), it should let you use any router you want.

[canadagoose]

To solve the 4G (not WiFi) problem, you could get a little 4G router like this. So long as you keep it plugged in (preferably by a window), it should let you use any router you want.

Tablet! I mean any tablet you want. Sorry, that made no sense.