I've owned both Android tablets (Samsung) and iPads, and I have found the iPad to be simpler to use and more reliable. And Apple tech support is second to none. All three of my tech-savvy kids use Apple products exclusively; they finally convinced me...and they were right.

Things I don't think you need to worry about are: 1) weight of any tablet, 2) hacking of your info stored in the cloud. I am very cautious about security, but I think cloud storage is pretty safe and convenient, and it is reassuring to have my contacts and photos backed up. And I really am not worried that someone will hack in to Apple's servers and steal a picture of my cat. If you are nervous about cloud storage, though, don't use it: you have to turn it on...it's not forced on you.

As far as memory, I bought an iPad with 16GB, the lowest amount, and it is plenty to store my books, photos, and multiple issues of several magazines. If you want to be conservative, get 32MB.

Thanks, kudzu9. Did it have the cell capability?

You can get it with that capability, but I didn't as I have an ISP connection at home. When I travel with the iPad, my iPhone can be used as a mobile hotspot, so I just tether the iPad to it to access the Internet, or I use the hotel's wifi if it's free, or any other free hotspot, like Starbucks.

Hmm, not sure what you said but maybe I do.

I still use flip phones. Smartphones have always sounded extremely overpriced and the data plan thing is so convoluted and expensive that I have done nothing in the last 5+ years (I am referring to getting a smartphone). Gosh, I remember going to several cell companies' websites eons ago. ATT's website years ago had a way to estimate the cost of a data plan. They had what I call a 'helper feature' that asked questions for which I had no idea what to say/select and after struggling with it, I ran for the hills and have done nothing to this day. I think my estimates were over a thousand dollars just for the data plans. God! Thanks for the info.

Wish I could use just the Wifi only models but Mom has zero access to Internet where she lives and I would like for her to use the tablet sometimes.

I would go with an iPad, they seem to be slightly more intuitive to use. Typically Apple has "last year's" model available in addition to the current model. Since your mom doesn't need the latest, greatest hardware you can save a few dollars. You might also consider checking with your mom's cable or phone company to see what they charge for Internet service and compare it to cellular data fees.

If you happen to have an Apple store nearby, I'd shop there. The folks will be happy to answer all your questions and let you play all you want. They can handle connecting you to whatever carrier you choose as well. Otherwise, pick a cell company and shop there so you can discuss data plans. I haven't looked lately but data for an iPad used to be "on demand" - you could turn it on/off and adjust it up/down on a monthly basis.

"Smartphones have always sounded extremely overpriced and the data plan thing is so convoluted and expensive that I have done nothing in the last 5+ years (I am referring to getting a smartphone). "

You will be doing essentially the same thing as this if you get a tablet with a data plan. I would look into this first as at the very east it will serve several purposes for you.

I agree. Yes, I will probably do "nothing" again!!! I understand from ads I have now to keep in mind where some plans are or are not unlimited. Sigh.

I do understand that but Mom does not have Wifi or Internet at her assisted living facility which is why I was thinking along those lines. But it is good to know that Internet would be cheaper than a phone data plan. I was not aware of that.

The facility does not offer the service... unless you call a cable company or ATT or etc to set up something.

Well that doesn't sound any different than if you wanted it at your house. So, since it's possible to get it, it would certainly be a lot simpler and cheaper than the tablet with a cellular plan option.

I had to laugh when I read your post. Win 10 is a nightmare. My 84 yr old husband gave up and went back to Win 7 which he has never really learned the way he did with Win XP. He can find a few things on Win 7, and I wound up with his Win 10 and still spend so much time trying to find things.

My husband and I do have IPhones. I have an IPad. If we could afford to buy a Mac I'd buy it tomorrow and throw Win 10 in the garbage. IOS is so much easier to use. My husband loves the IPad. We get the paper and numerous magazines and articles on the IPhone. Easy to use and to read. We did not get a cell IPad because we have Wifi in the house and most anywhere we go have wifi connections. When that is not available, we can use our phones.

Much less expensive to get wifi in her facility. You could get a smartphone and a data plan for yourself. I would not spend the money to get your mom a data plan.

Good luck,

Jane

Hello, Jane. yes, this is all very stressful. I transitioned well from XP at home to 7 at work but failed completely when I went to 8 at home using a new laptop whose screen has touch capabilities. Like I said, it is just sitting out there getting updates now and then. The Best Buy sales person said W8 would be a piece of cake and not much change. Wish I had returned the PC now.

I have been trying to get a smartphone for myself since, oh, five years ago or more???? But I always go back to the $19 flip phone from Walmart. I never get past the shock of estimating how much the data plan costs on an annual basis + the price of those smartphone computers. Granted, I am guessing on the vendor's estimator tools but God, when I see annual numbers well above $1,000, sticker shocks makes me hit "x" in the upper right hand corner of Internet Explorer. I am not kidding. Over five years! And I am a programmer. Maybe a cheapo programmer. But I digress.

Wish I could get Mom to use the tablet & Wifi at her facility so she can do "something else" but, they do not have Wifi and she only goes out when I take her out.

The smartphone idea for me also cools down when I see tiny screens and compare them to the tablet screens. Then I look for larger screens and cool down again when I see the smartphone PC's prices. Then I think why do tablets do not work like phones????

But, one question, how come you say not get Mom a data plan??? Seems I have no choice but to do that? Or am I not understanding something?

Hi Luis. I thought it would be much less expensive to have wifi installed at her facility. Wifi would give her use of a tablet without paying for a data plan. The facility probably has all the wiring and so the cost to install a router should not cost much. I assume they have cable tv at the facility so the cable should be there.

I don't know where you are getting the prices for the smartphone or tablet. My iPhone is on a contract and our wireless Bill a month for two phones on contracts costs $110.00 per month. I buy phones on contract so I pay them off monthly over two years. Once paid off, the bill drops by $40.00. I do not pay up front for the phones because I like to get a new one every two years.

i pay for 1 gig of data for both phones. We barely use half of that a month which always surprises me as I use my phone for so many things including radio. I use the iPad for many things including music and newspapers. I like the larger screen but I do not use it outside the house unless traveling. The iPhone and iPad are identical so easy to use. They share with each other so what I put on one device, it shows up on the other. The cameras on both are great.

Hope this is some help.

Jane

luis, here are a couple of options to think about:

- At least for now, T-Mobile offers for tablets a data-only SIM and 200 MB of data free every month. That's not much data at all, but you could purchase more if you wanted to. The big caveat is if T-Mobile has adequate service at the assisted-living facility. Their network is getting better all the time, but coverage can be an issue outside of large metropolitan areas.

- AT&T offers data-only pay-as-you-go plans. My wife uses a plan on her tablet that is something like $25 for 1 GB (or maybe 2 GB; the iPad isn't here at the moment). Use it all in a day? Buy another one. Otherwise you can refill up to 90 days after.

- The T-Mobile option requires an unlocked tablet. So do some others. Nowadays, though, there's just no reason to buy a tablet locked to any carrier.

- There are features on the tablet (whichever one you buy) which you can switch off to preserve data. Your mother probably will not need a Maps application polling periodically for updates. My wife and I each have smartphones and we've shut off "remote data" for hungry apps. For instance, we don't allow app-store purchases with cellular data; we wait till we're home on Wi-Fi for that. Both of us get by on less than 500 MB of cellular data per month. And that amount of data plus way more than enough talk and text for us costs us (together) $40 on Consumer Cellular. My wife's iPad is separate, but that's not much money per month for the times she wants to find something and she's not near Wi-Fi. Granted, that may not be an option for your mother, unless you visit once in a while and take her someplace with Wi-Fi. :-) But it is possible, with limitations. And some money.

Do you have cellular service with a data plan? Add your mom to your plan and, for $10/mo she can access the internet with a cellular iPad, which is what I would recommend. Make sure the service anywhere she wants to go is adequate. Keep track of the data usage - the usage for all devices on the same plan add. You can always increase or decrease the data allowance as needed. Now, if she wants to stream lots of movies in HD, that's another matter.

PS I use Verizon - it's the only service with coverage at my vacation home. Note: there are some third-party resellers of Verizon (and other) network services which are not as robust at V's own service.

No, I do not have a data plan. I once tried shopping for smartphones and found them expensive, hard to read and a pain to have to recharge. Then I shopped for data plans and the estimator features in websites gave me guesses of 1000+ a year for 2 units + 1 tablet. Sounded high back then. I have 2 flip cellphones on an old ATT cell account. The cell keeps a charge for 3-4 days and I still have issues sometimes recharging; I do not see how everyone does not go crazy keeping them charged and not loosing them. Hee hee hee!

I have a Verizon ellipsis 7 inch tablet I got a few years ago when I upgraded my phone. Tablet was free and I pay no extra for it on the account as that was the deal except I had to leave it registered on the account for 2yrs before I could remove it but come this August I think I will leave it as I do use the 4g on it once in a while traveling in the car. I forget how much internal storage it has but it has the micro memory card slot so I can move certain apps to that. Now you wouldn't want to stream a lot of movies or music over 4g as that will use a lot of your data plan but to just look up something or check email does not use a lot. We already had a data package on our account because we have smart phones so it just takes from that. Of course I am a gadget person and love these things. I use my smart phone for everything these days since we don't have a home phone. When I was a child and the commodore 64 came out I use to see it in the store and play with the demo but we couldn't afford stuff like that so I guess I am making up for it, he he. I also got myself a Samsung 9.7 inch tap a for Christmas but it's not hooked to a data plan but we have wifi at home. If I had to do it again I would have gotten the Samsung first and hooked it to data. I like a bigger screen. Mary