Portable Internet Device for the Elderly

[kumaryu]

My 80 yr old mum has been using the following setup for the last 4 years.

ISP: A 3 Mobile boradband connection (USB). GBP10 per month with 1GB/mo data allowance. This is plenty for email and normal browsing requirements (w/o videos and music.)

PC: An old IBM Thinkpad X40
Laptops are better since its self-contained and an accidental disconnection of the power supply does not damage the computer.

OS: Linux (Ubuntu)
Although Linux systems are not immune to malware, they are very uncommon in general use.
The UI was customised to mimise clutter. Skype and browser launches automatically.
The browser is set up w/ iGoogle as the "Home Page". Widgets in iGoogle gives access to most commonly accessed sites and services.
Reverse remote access (for support) w/o user intervention.

Prior to this, she was using WinXP. Linux requires almost no support allows better customisation to facilitate clean minimal desktop. We tried iOS and Android tablets but the heavily modal interface is extremely confusing and difficult to adjust to.

[covfam]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why don't you buy one without a contract? It costs $250, I believe.

the 7.7 is not $250 anywhere unless its illegal or a scam. the galaxy tab 7.0 (1st gen), and the galaxt tab 7.0 plus (1.5 generation) and the galaxy tab 2 7.0 are all cheap but the actual 7.7 that was released this spring with the much bigger battery, the super amoled plus screen with 800p resolution is only sold by verizon unfortunatly for $499 with contract or $699 without contract.

im tired of the crappy quality of my kindle fire and my first generation sasmsung galaxy tab 7.0 id LOVE to get a 7 incher with the quality of my old ipad 2 or my wifes asus transformer TF300.

[Rizla]

Running a flavor of Linux is a great idea to make the device virus safer. Is it possible to run that on a tablet? Presumably Android is no longer that safe.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Rizla

I am looking for a simple internet-capable device that an 80 year old can use. I suppose a tablet of some type should work. It doesn't need to be super-powerful. Sure, streaming video would be nice, but wiki and news sites are the priority. What I basically want is a simple to use and very secure browser device with big buttons and text. A portable browser for dummies.

My main concern is, how safe and simple would it be to use? The internet is a predatory place.I would be worried that some site would try to make them download files that would give them viruses, stuff like that. Even simple pop-ups would confuse the elderly. Is there a browser solution that would eliminate all that?

Price is also an issue. I know there are cheap tablet options available, but I need a simple, cheap way of connecting it to the internet. Maybe subscribing to a low band-width dongle solution would be the best bet. I am looking specifically at the UK market.

Thanks in advance.

My mother is past 80 and she uses a regular laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium to access the internet. Please don't treat elderly like they need special treatment. As long as this person has access to someone who can help when needed, it will be good. I just find it sad that because someone is elderly, they they are said to need something different to do the same things we (non-elderly) do.

This person is elderly, so let's find something really simple, with big buttons and let's make it idiot proof. That's insulting.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by kumaryu

My 80 yr old mum has been using the following setup for the last 4 years.

ISP: A 3 Mobile boradband connection (USB). GBP10 per month with 1GB/mo data allowance. This is plenty for email and normal browsing requirements (w/o videos and music.)

PC: An old IBM Thinkpad X40
Laptops are better since its self-contained and an accidental disconnection of the power supply does not damage the computer.

OS: Linux (Ubuntu)
Although Linux systems are not immune to malware, they are very uncommon in general use.
The UI was customised to mimise clutter. Skype and browser launches automatically.
The browser is set up w/ iGoogle as the "Home Page". Widgets in iGoogle gives access to most commonly accessed sites and services.
Reverse remote access (for support) w/o user intervention.

Prior to this, she was using WinXP. Linux requires almost no support allows better customisation to facilitate clean minimal desktop. We tried iOS and Android tablets but the heavily modal interface is extremely confusing and difficult to adjust to.

Sounds like the best solution to me. The individual would not have access to support so it would be essential that the device was as simplified and safe as possible.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Sounds like the best solution to me. The individual would not have access to support so it would be essential that the device was as simplified and safe as possible.

If it was say a laptop, you could do what I do with my mother. I have remote access to her computer using TeamViewer. So if she asks me something I cannot figure out without seeing, I remote in and can see what's going on.