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

[Xdflames]

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?

 

[CGleas85]

The dual band WiFi might prove to be a great feature of the kindle fire. I have a nexus 7 and it has screen lift WiFi slows at times and slight screen flicker at times, these would probably be a pain in the ass if your mother got a device with these issues. So take it any way you will I love my nexus 7 and all of its features but everybody on this forum has questions about their device and your mom might not go through the trouble of doing the same.

 

[Xdflames]

The dual band WiFi might prove to be a great feature of the kindle fire. I have a nexus 7 and it has screen lift WiFi slows at times and slight screen flicker at times, these would probably be a pain in the ass if your mother got a device with these issues. So take it any way you will I love my nexus 7 and all of its features but everybody on this forum has questions about their device and your mom might not go through the trouble of doing the same.

Even if that's so it's a matter of convincing her which one she would rather have, and so far she is leaning towards the Kindle Fire HD, but I want to give her the best experience possible with her first tablet and I want to explore more options.
Do you think that if you weren't very good with technology that you would be able to use your Nexus 7?

 

[bigtroutz]

Do you think that if you weren't very good with technology that you would be able to use your Nexus 7?

If you were to check the unit at the time of purchase and install the basic set of apps & configuration your mom would use, show her how to perform basic functions like moving files by cable, charging, finding and installing apps, changing settings eg brighness, wifi on / off etc and finally where to get help, I think your mom would do fine.

If you just want to buy something and turn your mom loose in the wild, the Fire would probably be more forgiving, but there would not be all that much difference. Your mom would probably still need help.

When you give hi tech of any sort to a new user, the personal touch is always useful and makes the introduction more fun and less frustrating. Just my 2 cents...

edit
one more thing, there are zillions of apps to add to an Android device with a more open access system vs the more constrained Fire HD. No limits counts for something..

 

[Xopher]

The Kindle Fire HD will probably have a simpler learning curve, since it tends to be more locked down on features. If she uses any of the Amazon services (ebooks, prime videos), she will also have a better experience on the Fire.

If she is going to want to use Google services (Gmail, calendar, and Google Play...) the Nexus 7 would be better since the Fire is pretty much locked out of using the native apps.

 

[anon(847090)]

she should be fine. A friend of mine has a kid who is 7 years old and she uses Nexus 7 fine.
i think your mom would be fine. i wouldnt go with Kindle fire. its too locked down and push you into making purchases more which you can get free on nexus 7.

 

[Xdflames]

If you were to check the unit at the time of purchase and install the basic set of apps & configuration your mom would use, show her how to perform basic functions like moving files by cable, charging, finding and installing apps, changing settings eg brighness, wifi on / off etc and finally where to get help, I think your mom would do fine.

If you just want to buy something and turn your mom loose in the wild, the Fire would probably be more forgiving, but there would not be all that much difference. Your mom would probably still need help.

When you give hi tech of any sort to a new user, the personal touch is always useful and makes the introduction more fun and less frustrating. Just my 2 cents...

edit
one more thing, there are zillions of apps to add to an Android device with a more open access system vs the more constrained Fire HD. No limits counts for something..

This is something I was thinking of, just getting this and that for her, and then if she wants something else later on down the road, the Nexus 7 having it is much more likely over the Kindle Fire HD.

The Kindle Fire HD will probably have a simpler learning curve, since it tends to be more locked down on features. If she uses any of the Amazon services (ebooks, prime videos), she will also have a better experience on the Fire.

If she is going to want to use Google services (Gmail, calendar, and Google Play...) the Nexus 7 would be better since the Fire is pretty much locked out of using the native apps.

She honestly only uses her work assigned email, which is a state email address for the most part, so I'm not sure if the GMail app would even work for it. Calendar, I'm sure she could find a use for however. She doesn't have a Prime membership, however we do have a Netflix account. So on that end they're just about equal. Do you think the Prime content out weighs something like Netflix? She does definitely want to use the tablet for reading, but I feel like her reading experience wouldn't differ much from the Nexus 7 to Kindle Fire HD.

she should be fine. A friend of mine has a kid who is 7 years old and she uses Nexus 7 fine.
i think your mom would be fine. i wouldnt go with Kindle fire. its too locked down and push you into making purchases more which you can get free on nexus 7.

That's definately true that the Kindle Fire HD has a much less chance of not having something.

What do you mean by pushing you to make purchases?

 

[CGleas85]

Yes its as easy to use as any especially if you can give her a few pointers for setup.

 

[anon(847090)]

That's definately true that the Kindle Fire HD has a much less chance of not having something.

What do you mean by pushing you to make purchases?

Amazon make money by selling contents through kindle not by selling kindle itself.
so there will be a huge push to sell contents from them if you use kindle. on the other hand Nexus wont push things. if you want it buy it.
also nexus 7 is more user friendly than Kindle imo. Kindle is too locked down and finding apps would need rooting etc. many features are missing.

I would say nexus 7. wouldnt recommend Kindle in a million years.

 

[repligation]

Personally, I'd go N7 all the way. But don't just take my word for it
The best tablets for Christmas ? The Register

The best e-readers for Christmas ? The Register

Google Nexus 7 (16GB) - CNET Mobile

Galaxy S3 beats iPhone 5 for best device of 2012 | - CNET Blogs

 

[bigtroutz]

You can easily add Amazon shopping (it's in Google Play Store) to the Nexus 7 but it is more difficult to add Google Play to the Fire. As far as I know, Netflix presently has no app available for the N7. but I believe you could watch Prime using a Browser on the N7. Not certain how either would work out in reality.

 

[repligation]

I haven't used Netflix in over a year, but it is definitely an available app in the Play Store
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.netflix.mediaclient&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5uZXRmbGl4Lm1lZGlhY2xpZW50Il0.

Says it supports Android 2.2-4.x

 

[bigtroutz]

Ah, good to know Netflix's available. Although their collection leaves something to be desired from my point of view. Not having many movies or TV from the last few years kinda bites moose butt....LOL

 

[mathelm]

She honestly only uses her work assigned email, which is a state email address for the most part, so I'm not sure if the GMail app would even work for it. Calendar, I'm sure she could find a use for however. She doesn't have a Prime membership, however we do have a Netflix account. So on that end they're just about equal. Do you think the Prime content out weighs something like Netflix? She does definitely want to use the tablet for reading, but I feel like her reading experience wouldn't differ much from the Nexus 7 to Kindle Fire HD.

Gmail will retrieve mutable email address from different outside servers. So she can have all her emails on the tablet and her pc (on the pc, you'd need to set the account to "Leave a copy on the server" for X number of days so they'd both get a copy).

On which one,well...... Have never touched a Kindle so I have no idea.... Good Luck n save the receipt.....

 

[Nexanny]

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.

 

[mathelm]

Only problem is you couldn't buy a stick of chewing gum from apple for $200 bucks....

and you're struggling with the nexus 7 BECAUSE of your time spent with apples...

 

[repligation]

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.

You should post a thread in this forum about the difficulties you are having. I think you will find that this is a very friendly and helpful forum (Nowhere near the snot factor you find at xda). From my point of view, the Android OS is about learning new things and customizing your experience to suit your own needs. I find that when I attempt to answer someone else's question I often discover something new for myself.

Apple deserves credit for creating devices and an OS that people don't have to think about, but that is also what makes it so restrictive and boring. The Nexus 7 is a device which allows the user to choose automated ease, tailored customization, or anything in between. Personally, the first thing I did is remove all the media widgets that many people would find visually intuitive and easy to use.

 

[badbrad17]

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.

Hmm. Really?

1. Add icons to the screen click icon run app. Learn app. Enjoy. This is pretty much how all tablets work.

2.Go to app or play store. Install app.

3. Repeat #1

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Android Central Forums

 

[hoosiermama2799]

Having both a Fire and a Nexus 7, here are a couple of my thoughts. The Fire doesn't let you change backgrounds. For me (55), the backgrounds on the Fire are "busy" for my old eyes. For me, the carousel on the Fire was limiting and frustrating. You can put some favorites below the carousel, so they're easier to access, but I didn't like that the carousel shows EVERYTHING I've read/done. The Amazon app store is rather limited. There is no calendar app for the Fire that's free. Some of the apps I've had on my phone and liked were unavailable from the Amazon app store. Because of the limitations of the Amazon store, she might find it more frustrating as time goes on. I know I did. The Amazon app store usually has a "free app of the day", which is nice. On the flip side, some apps that are free with Google, cost with Amazon.

With the N7, you can download the Kindle app, the B&N app, and many other reader apps. With the Fire, you're pretty much limited to the Kindle app.

To be honest, my Fire is hardly used at all now...DH reads his Runner's World magazine on it, and my grandson plays some games, and that's about it.

 

[Suntan]

The reality is that either one (N7 or Kindle) will work just fine for your mom.

If she's a person that actually likes to tinker, the N7 might be better, but really either will be fine. That said, if she is not technically inclined (like most moms) she'll likely feel more comfortable with the Kindle. If she already has an account with Amazon and is at least comfortable ordering stuff from Amazon, she will likely be much more comfortable with the kindle.

FWIW, I just went through this same situation with my mother. After showing her the N7, showing her how it works and how the google ecosystem is set up, how a person can still get most everything from Amazon with the added benefit of all the google stuff too, what did she ultimately choose to get for the old man? A Kindle Fire.

Most people here will tell you that the N7 is the better choice, but after going through this process with my parents, in-laws and one sister, I would warn; don't count out the fact that non-techs are just more comfortable with Amazon than Google.

-Suntan