All iPads Apple toys for mom...

[dangeng]

Hallo everyone,

my Mom is using a Windows-Computer and a Samsung Galaxy Mini S3...

It's frustrating for me for obvious reasons...
Annoying patches for Windows constantly, no updates for Android ever, ugly App-Stores for Windows and Android, confusing, whatever...

Would like to setup my mom with Apple toys but can't really decide for the perfect but still reasonable rather cheap solution...

She is basically doing all kinds of things with her current setup... At the end it's the usual MS-Office, emails, WhatsApp, Photos, printing, scanning etc. nothing crazy though.

Any ideas or tips?

Possiblities:
iPhone SE 32GB (basically set because same screen size as her Samsung and cheap-ish)

Setups:
iPad + iPhone - and for the rest she'd keep the Windows computer. This would be easy for her because of iOS on iPhone and iPad. Hate having windows around though.

MacBook Air + iPhone - The Air is portable and gives her the flexibility she wants... She always wanted a laptop.

Mac Mini + iPad + iPhone - most expensive probably but I could get rid of Windows

What do you think??

Cheers, Dan

 

[AmazingHenry]

MacBook Air + iPhone SE sounds good... not super expensive, and the Air is a capable Mac for what she does. The Air will run MS Office too. For the phone, you could even get an iPhone 5S if her usage is basic... they're still great phones.

 

[44267547]

MacBook Air + iPhone SE sounds good... not super expensive, and the Air is a capable Mac for what she does. The Air will run MS Office too. For the phone, you could even get an iPhone 5S if her usage is basic... they're still great phones.

The iPhone SE I would also agree with. My
iPhone SE is my work phone and for the price point and portability, it's a solid phone.

And if I had to recommend an iPad for media and price point pending the OP's needs, the 2017 iPad for $329.00. Another great product by Apple that draws in those who wanted an iPad without the iPad Pro price points.

I like your Avatar by the Way.

 

[Geekbabe]

I'm 60 yrs old, bought my first MacBook Air in 2011, sitting here now with a MacBook Pro, iPhone 6S Plus, iPad Air 2 & mini 4.

The first month was rough but I find I don't miss Windows at all

 

[Stefan johansson]

My mom went from a windows laptop to only use an iPad Air 2 for home use,when travelling she use an iPhone 5.

 

[alecgold]

The macmini iPad iPhone combo isn't handy. She would need a display and all for the macmini or use something like jump desktop, it's not cheap either.

Perhaps keep her old windows machine for backup but then you could splash your cash on an iPad Pro with Smart Keyboard (and perhaps pencil).
For most non-power users it can do practically everything, it's lightweight, portable, easy for consuming, can be used easily for mail, word, and the likes.
Printing is possible if you have an AirPrint-thing-printer, scanning I have no idea, but if it is low volumes, why not use the camera and make pictures with an app like scanner pro?
For most uses that is really enough and those apps also reduce file size a lot by OCR and make it into a vector file. It's not perfect for extracting ASCI from scan's but for forwarding documents by mail every now and then, it's certainly good enough.

OTOH an iphone can't go wrong and when you give her a macOS device, you could login with jump desktop when she needs help. I do that with my father as well. Works really nicely.

But whatever I'm pushing or you are liking, the most important thing: let her decide, she needs to feel comfortable, she needs to use it.

 

[dangeng]

Thanks a lot guys for sharing your thoughts and experiences.

But whatever I'm pushing or you are liking, the most important thing: let her decide, she needs to feel comfortable, she needs to use it.

In order to let her decide she needs to use the devices for a while. If I'd ask her what she wants she'd
say the WIN computer and the Galaxy Mini is just fine. She wouldn't want to spend a lot of money.

What she mainly always wanted is a Laptop, to be more flexible, but it must be cheap.

I have a feeling that she'd be fine with just the iPhone + iPad solution most of the time.

I guess I'll just start with an iPhone SE and the 2017 iPad and see how it goes...

 

[bosatsu]

I bought mine an iPad Air 2 (32GB only wifi model), sit down with her a couple of times last time I visited them on Christmas to teach the basics and she couldn´t be happier.
The screen is big enough to see it without problems.

She uses it for:
- Facetime: AirPlay + Apple TV, so they can see me in big size.
- Facebook
- Message app to chat and send photos/vides
- Check photos, browse the web
- Some apps: learning languages, some games for the grandchild.
- Youtube videos
- Spotfy for music
- Maps and google earth to check places
- Flipboard to read stuff

Best purchase I made

 

[Justaguy48]

Ill throw in my comment and say that I have a 12.9 in and 9.7 inch iPad Pro, and recently got the new 2017 iPad. My favorite iPad by far is the 2017 one. Ironically it's the cheapest, but desperate not having pencil support it is, in y opinion a super solid iPad and one of Apples best iPad offerings especially for the price.

MacBook Air is a great choice as well because for most people (non pro/power user) it has a good amount of performance for the price.

I have two iPhone 7 pluses and I have actually been eyeing the SE because I have always loved the design of the 4-SE and it too is a solid phone, especially for the money.

All in all from what I see with my family, if your mom can get by on an iPad do an iPhone SE and iPad 2017. Both my mom and grandparents all get by without a laptop and are very happy, however that isn't an option for everyone.

Otherwise I would say a MacBook Air and an iPhone SE as the ipad becomes more of a luxury device because the mac can do everything, and more, than the iPad can do, just not as convenient. But if you got the money get all three!

 

[dangeng]

Thanks again for your comments, guys!! Much appreciated!!

I will get her an iPad 2017 and an iPhone SE and then I'll see how it goes.

I guess 32GB is enough, right? I mean she'll probably take lot's of photos but that's it.
Standard apps, maybe Solitaire, maybe one more game...
And she is always deleting old photos anyway and keeps only the best ones.

So she should be fine with 32GB or what do you think?

 

[alecgold]

Difficult question, to be honest.
Regular photo's don't take up that much space, certainly if you are willing to keep full-sized copies in the cloud.
Otherwise it might be wise to spend an extra $100 and quadruple the memory to 128Gb.
Personally I find 32Gb a bit limited.
That being said, my father does alright with his iPad Air (1) that has just 16Gb. he has however an 256Gb laptop as well.

 

[dangeng]

Hi guys, just wanted to give some feedback regarding my mom's new apple toys.

It was kinda stressful but admittedly also kinda fun to figure out what's the best setup for her.
Went back and forth with all kinds of setups including a MacBook Air, MacMini etc..

One of my main problems was that all the stuff, esp. with a Mac included, is just too expensive for
her use cases... Web, email, photos, texting...

Anyway, I ended up buying her an iPhone SE (32GB) and the iPad 2017 (128GB).

She was using her old Smartphone for texting, reading emails, taking photos... That's why I thought
32GB should be just fine... With the addition of an iPad she can always go very comfortably through
her photos and delete all the "crap" right away, so I think photos won't be a problem storage wise...

Her iPad, I filled up with her music and some audiobooks, some eBooks and stuff. It has still 115GB
storage available but over time I think it will fill up rather quickly... Also thought about her going
on vacation or so and wanting to take some movies with her... The 128GB are definitely future proof.

Anyway, she is super, super happy with her pre 2017-xmas gifts, LOL!
Hope it will be a long time till she figures out that there are also iPad-Pros and Apple Pencils etc. )

Thank you guys very much for the tips and sharing your own experience!! It helped a lot!!

Have a great Sunday!!

Cheers, Dan