Is the Nexus 7 right for someone.. Not so technical?

[cognus]

+1
ipad mini is simple and bulletproof. very easy on the eyes and the sound is superior to anything I've seen out there [but there are "multimedia" tablets with upscale audio I haven't seen].

to me, Kindle is a toll machine that works for amazon, not the owner. the blasted advertising etc interference du jour is nauseating. someone gave me one, I used it for about 15 minutes and put it on ebay.
if it were my choice, i'd gladly spend 329 on a ipad mini for her

I think there's a huge difference between a 7 year old using a Nexus 7 and your Mom learning to use it. I've been using computers, smartphones etc since they started and I'm having some difficulty with the Nexus 7 because you have to learn how to do things. I'd seriously recommend looking at an Ipad because they are much more intuitive and you can get a lot of help which seems much harder with the Nexus 7.

 

[CGleas85]

IPad mini? Really? superior your on a nexus 7 forum. And that was not even close to the price range 32gb 429

 

[shona001]

You don't mention how old your mum is, but from a middle aged extremely non technical woman (I have never had any kind of smart phone, tablet etc.) I can tell you that I absolutely love my nexus 7, I use the kindle app a lot for my books, I'm in the UK and use BBC iPlayer and sky go for watching TV, I have ripped DVD's to watch offline when I'm traveling etc. I have quite a few apps and games to keep me amused as well as using the internet, email, Skype etc.

I would certainly recommend it for your mother and tell her to ask on here if she has any problems, people here have been really kind and patient with me when I have needed help.

 

[ski522]

It basically comes down to which one would be better for a low-end user, who wouldn't be tinkering with anything the Android OS provides.
Can anyone help me with my decision?

You're better off with the Kindle for a couple of reason. The first is support, Amazon's support team is great when dealing with support questions on the Kindle. Second, Amazon really was going after Apple when they first introduced the Kindle so it's meant more for people who aren't so much into tinkering but want to get going from the start....sorry but the Nexus has a bit of a learning curve...not bad, but it's there. The slower CPU of the Kindle means squat unless your mom is a game player which I suspect she's not. Amazon's app store has probably 99.9% of all the popular apps (key word "popular") that can be found in the google's Play store...the apps it doesn't have she probably won't use anyway! You can check out the apps that Amazon has by going to their website and search for "apps".

Remember, Apple sells well not because of their technical specs, but because of their user interface and if you have someone that's not looking for the latest gee-whiz stuff, I think you're better off with the Amazon...worst case, she doesn't like it you send it back to Amazon and get the Nexus.

 

[mathelm]

IPad mini? Really? superior your on a nexus 7 forum. And that was not even close to the price range 32gb 429

Not to mention that she'll then be owned and operated by apple.....

 

[pfunnyjoy]

Amazon's app store has probably 99.9% of all the popular apps (key word "popular") that can be found in the google's Play store...the apps it doesn't have she probably won't use anyway! You can check out the apps that Amazon has by going to their website and search for "apps".

Popular doesn't necessarily cover everything a specific person could want though. For instance, I, a senior citizen woman do eBay, and I find the USPS Mobile app invaluable. Does not appear to be in the Amazon app store though, and you'd *think* the official United States Postal Service app would be pretty mainstream!

I might add that I did not own any kind of smartphone before getting my first Android device last year and I have not found Android particularly difficult to use. However, I've owned a PC for years now.

My advice is that if the OP wants to start her mom off with a Nexus 7 is that the decision of which device need not be irrevocable. For instance, I bought a Nexus 7 for hubby, but will tell him that if it is not his preference, I will return it to Walmart, and then get him the tablet of his choice. There may be other stores with longer Xmas gift return policies.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note (Thing Two).

 

[ski522]

Popular doesn't necessarily cover everything a specific person could want though. For instance, I, a senior citizen woman do eBay, and I find the USPS Mobile app invaluable.

Funny, except that google Play says that app isn't compatible with my brand new Nexus 7 loaded with the latest updates...LOL.

 

[mneleventhirty]

I was in your position a couple of months ago. I would say go with the Nexus 7. My father used my nexus 7 for a couple of days and liked it, once I showed him the basics. For someone coming from a PC or an Ipad, it's just a matter of getting used to a new interface. Although in my father's case, in the end he went with a laptop, for the convenience of a larger screen and a keyboard.

 

[xyzlene]

1) your mom does not have an amazon prime account.

a) - amazon consistently has advertisements.. 15.00 rids the advertisements.. Adblocker - FREE!

2) Do you live close by? Can you give tutorials over the phone?

3) ERGONOMICS, ERGONOMICS, ERGONOMICS. Form factor means everything. Many reputable bloggers praised the form factor of the 7. I as well

4) Generally the older the individual, the less of a propensity that they will need the max storage of a device.

5) Gamestop - They have a 30 day return policy. Get the 16 variant. Let her give it a run. If she likes it go for the 1 year warranty add on.. If i recall correctly you can only purchase the one year warranty the day you purchase the unit. If after 30 days she has no inclination to keep the 7, then go for the fire...

best of luck - keep us informed!

 

[pfunnyjoy]

Really? I hadn't checked from hubby's Nexus 7. How aggravating if true. I'm thinking I will possibly want a Nexus 10 for my birthday. I suppose I could try to get it off my Note and sideload. I know some people have done that sort of thing with apps that *say* they are incompatible, but actually work via sideload.

Still, at least with it in the store, there's hope it will eventually be updated to be compatible.

Back to the topic though, an individual user will still have more choices open to them with the Nexus.


Sent from my YP-G70 using Tapatalk 2

 

[badbrad17]

Really? I hadn't checked from hubby's Nexus 7. How aggravating if true. I'm thinking I will possibly want a Nexus 10 for my birthday. I suppose I could try to get it off my Note and sideload. I know some people have done that sort of thing with apps that *say* they are incompatible, but actually work via sideload.

Still, at least with it in the store, there's hope it will eventually be updated to be compatible.

Back to the topic though, an individual user will still have more choices open to them with the Nexus.

Sent from my YP-G70 using Tapatalk 2

It will get the update. It's just because the Nexus 7 is running 4.2. The USPS is too busy delivering Christmas mail to be able to update their app.

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Android Central Forums

 

[anon(924308)]

I'm leaning towards the Kindle on this one. If they're already locked into the Amazon ecosystem with Prime--or at least consume media through Amazon--they'd benefit from using a Kindle anyway. My folks are the same--no smartphones, no prior experience with tablets, etc; they use Kindles, and they like them just fine.

It's not that JB is complicated, but it definitely takes a little exploring for someone with no prior tablet experience to get used to. If your parents are anything like mine, it'd take them a while to understand how to use/place widgets, where to find all the apps, how to organize everything, etc. You could totally customize their home screens to fit their needs, and preload apps you think they'd like--that'd make the N7 a lot more friendly for them.

The kindle UI, on the other hand, is ugly-as-sh*t but incredibly straightforward; if all they really want is to read some books and watch some movies and run a few apps, the Kindle's probably the way to go. I'm guessing it wouldn't really leave the house much anyway? If your parents dl most of their ebooks through Amazon, it'd be nicer to have all their ebooks laid out already instead of having to open the Kindle app first.

Though, with the N7, you have access to virtually any app store or media (books/magazines/etc) store. With the Kindle, you're locked to Amazon. All in all, it really depends on how hooked to Amazon your parents are. My folks already had prime so the Kindle was the obvious choice for them.

 

[sr2012]

Nexus 7 is fine and easy to use, and as you learn more it gets better.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[KathyJN]

If possible, you may want to try both devices and sell/return the one she cares for the least. My mother-in-law can use a computer to surf a little, read/write emails, and watch YouTube. She uses Roku on two televisions as well. Last year we got her a Vizio tablet (which she insisted on calling a "Kindle") and she managed that pretty well until the internal charging connection broke. She wasn't very careful with the cable, which may have been a factor. She often had trouble with using a touch screen and would accidentally end up in places she didn't intend, and didn't know what to do (we live nearby and I'm her trouble-shooter).

She missed having the tablet, which she used mostly as an e-reader and occasionally to look at email. I thought perhaps she'd be better off with a Kindle Keyboard, which has physical buttons. She liked it very much, but would ask if she could read emails, and do other things that she could with her old tablet. So we got her a Nexus 7 when the 16GB version went on sale. After a couple of weeks of using the N7, she decided she preferred the Kindle. The N7 was too much for her to handle, and once again the touch screen was an issue. I think the whole thing overwhelmed her.

I had an N7 of my own, so now her old one belongs to my husband - not sure if we really need 2 in the house but there you are. The only problem we are seeing now, is that mother-in-law will purchase books without realizing it. She's set up on our Amazon Prime account. I don't know how she's doing it, but she seems to think she's getting a sample. We can explain things to her several times, but she doesn't always 'get it.' So we are either going to have to set her account on a gift card, or disable her device and only activate it occasionally to add new books. A pain.

One other thing. She's 92 years old - probably older than your mother. So it all depends on your mom's level of comfort with technology. I think the N7 is more versatile, but of course I'm comparing it to a Kindle Keyboard, which is not the same as a Fire. If there is a way you can let her try out both tablets (borrow one from a friend perhaps, if you cannot buy both?), that might help.

 

[repligation]

If possible, you may want to try both devices and sell/return the one she cares for the least. My mother-in-law can use a computer to surf a little, read/write emails, and watch YouTube. She uses Roku on two televisions as well. Last year we got her a Vizio tablet (which she insisted on calling a "Kindle") and she managed that pretty well until the internal charging connection broke. She wasn't very careful with the cable, which may have been a factor. She often had trouble with using a touch screen and would accidentally end up in places she didn't intend, and didn't know what to do (we live nearby and I'm her trouble-shooter).

She missed having the tablet, which she used mostly as an e-reader and occasionally to look at email. I thought perhaps she'd be better off with a Kindle Keyboard, which has physical buttons. She liked it very much, but would ask if she could read emails, and do other things that she could with her old tablet. So we got her a Nexus 7 when the 16GB version went on sale. After a couple of weeks of using the N7, she decided she preferred the Kindle. The N7 was too much for her to handle, and once again the touch screen was an issue. I think the whole thing overwhelmed her.

I had an N7 of my own, so now her old one belongs to my husband - not sure if we really need 2 in the house but there you are. The only problem we are seeing now, is that mother-in-law will purchase books without realizing it. She's set up on our Amazon Prime account. I don't know how she's doing it, but she seems to think she's getting a sample. We can explain things to her several times, but she doesn't always 'get it.' So we are either going to have to set her account on a gift card, or disable her device and only activate it occasionally to add new books. A pain.

One other thing. She's 92 years old - probably older than your mother. So it all depends on your mom's level of comfort with technology. I think the N7 is more versatile, but of course I'm comparing it to a Kindle Keyboard, which is not the same as a Fire. If there is a way you can let her try out both tablets (borrow one from a friend perhaps, if you cannot buy both?), that might help.

Good on you that she is 92 and even trying to use these things. My grandfather-in-law is 88 and we can't get him to touch a computer. He is a very smart man, a world war II paratrooper, and an avid photographer with top-end SLRs but we could not even get him to switch to a digital SLR so we finally gave up.

I suppose sometimes its better just to let family members express technical interests on their own rather than proselytizing technology.

 

[philba]

One thing that seems to come through the more thoughtful comments is to understand what your mom is going to be doing with the tablet. Forget the suggestions that are strongly driven by the writers' biases. (Yes, I love my N7, gave them as gifts this xmas but it's still not right for everyone.)

You said books and movies plus some apps. If you just said books, I'd say kindle (and maybe not even the fire). The N7 has all the same ebooks available as the fire. Adding movies tips it a bit towards the N7 because, as others pointed out, of Netflix. Flat rate streaming is a wonderful thing. If apps are at all important then the N7 is far better.

Does your mom confuse easily with computers & technology? This is a key issue. Some older people get stuck when it doesn't do what they expected (or wanted). Stock Android has the highest confusion factor (though jelly bean is a lot better than earlier versions). If she is able to roll with the punches of a device, then the N7 will be fine. If not, then keep it far away from her.

A number of people have said get both, return the "loser". I wonder if that will simply confuse more than anything else.

I do think ergonomics are important here. To me the KF feels unrefined while the N7 seems to have been made for my hand. The rubberized backing is especially important for older, unsure fingers.

On the touch screen issue KathyNJ's mom had - I'm kind of surprised that this was only on the N7. It seems like every touch screen device I've used has this issue. I always find my device in strange apps (phone more than N7, though). The back button is my friend!

 

[Suntan]

Adding movies tips it a bit towards the N7 because, as others pointed out, of Netflix. Flat rate streaming is a wonderful thing.

?????

Amazon.com: Netflix: Appstore for Android

-Suntan

 

[tmmpcc]

I have done a lot of research and it appears that the Nexus 7 is getting great reviews. I am hoping to be in this community of Android very soon. I am also hoping that the learning curve is not too great. I am hoping that posting here will make me not appear as such a newbie.

 

[Ry]

For Christmas, my mom wants to jump onto the wagon and get a tablet, she wants a $200 price max, however I'm willing to go over this and get the 32GB, just because $50 for double the space is worth it to me, and I'm sure it couldn't hurt.

Now, my question is, to someone without a tablet (or a smart phone for that matter), is the Nexus 7 worth getting? Or would it be better to purchase the Kindle Fire HD? They're both the same price, and I've looked up specs and both are pretty much the same, only difference being the Kindle Fire HD being slightly slower processor wise, and having Amazon's stuff instead of Google.
She would mainly be using the tablet for books and movies, but she wants the apps as well, so I was thinking that the Nexus 7 would be worthy having the Google Play store, but I am not familiar with Amazon's app store at all, so I cannot be sure.
It basically comes down to which one would be better for a low-end user, who wouldn't be tinkering with anything the Android OS provides.

Can anyone help me with my decision?

Just because you don't tinker doesn't automatically take the Nexus 7 out of the equation.

Some questions to ask -

- Is your mom a Gmail user?

- For books and movies, is she currently in an ecosystem for this? Does she buy/rent on Amazon? Netflix subscription? I'll even have to ask - does she have prior book or movie purchases from Apple?

Without knowing the answers to those questions, I'd initially recommend the Nexus 7.

 

[anon(847090)]

?????

Amazon.com: Netflix: Appstore for Android

-Suntan

netflix came to amazon recently so many were not aware of it