Tablet Recommendation For Older Wheelchair Bound User?

Kevin

Code Monkey
Staff member
Anybody have experience with tablets for users with physical mobility limitations?

A family member, about 70, is mostly limited to a wheelchair for getting around. We've been working on the house over the years to make it as accessible as possible for them but, due to space, it is a small 1950's style rancher, there isn't much space for a dedicated PC workstation. I have tried a laptop already but being able to carry & move the laptop bag while working the wheelchair is not working out for them. Lately I've been thinking of switching them to a tablet.

Their primary usage would be email, viewing images, and maybe the occasional web site browsing. With that in mind I'm thinking either an iPad 2 or one of the non-premium Android tablets would do the job. I have their house configured for wi-fi access already and because they don't travel they would only need something with wi-fi access (as opposed to getting one with a 4G wireless plan) around the home.

What I'm not sure about is what OS to go with. Personally I am an Android fan and my household is totally Microsoft & Android. Other family members are Apple fans and believe in iOS devices. Between us we can help support a tablet of either OS for the person but it really doesn't help us decide since how we would use the device is different from how they would use it. In particular, I would want something that is very easy to navigate to easily and has a customizable 'home' screen as needed. With arthritis setting in a menu that requires a bunch of finger swipes on tiny little icons isn't going to work out. I would also want something that is very light for them to carry around with them while on the wheelchair and has a long battery life.

At the moment I am leaning towards a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 from the local Costco but want to make sure I consider all of the options first. So, what are your thoughts? Recommendations? Any experience with which ones to avoid?
 
I don't see how a tablet is a good fit honestly unless you have some way of holding it up for them.

Dad managed to use an Android tablet better then I would have imagined- in terms of navigating it and playing movies off it- but holding it any length of time was the biggest issue. Eventually have gave up using because he couldn't hold it right.

I can't imagine sending many emails from a tablet either- even if many people do- give me a real keyboard any day.
 
I don't see how a tablet is a good fit honestly unless you have some way of holding it up for them.
In this case the person would be using it likely at the kitchen table most of the time. She would be able to either leave it plugged in near by or carry it as needed/wanted. Bringing the laptop bag in is not working out for her because she has problems holding the weight of the bag while moving in the wheelchair.

Dad managed to use an Android tablet better then I would have imagined- in terms of navigating it and playing movies off it- but holding it any length of time was the biggest issue. Eventually have gave up using because he couldn't hold it right.
Did you load the movies for him or was he downloading them? I take it he was holding it in his hands and not using a table or something else? Did you end up looking into see if there were any stands (or those fold-up type covers) that would have benefited his usage?

I can't imagine sending many emails from a tablet either- even if many people do- give me a real keyboard any day.
Base on past experience I'm willing to go with the assumption that 99% of the time she'd be receiving emails but not responding to them. She likes to keep up with what is going on with the family no matter where we are but doesn't really like sending emails or other typical online stuff.
 
The new windows Surface looks pretty nice, it has a nice little kickstand built in. Don't know if it'd work well though.
Those new Surface tablets have my attention but I think the price range is pushing them out of my budget. I think what I might do is hold off a bit to see if Google actually releases their sub $200 tablet this summer. At that price range for a 7" device I'd be able to see how much actual usage it gets and, if they don't like it, I can add it to my collection of toys test devices.
 
I think the standard one shouldn't be too expensive, at least compared to other android/ipads. The big fancy intel one will be.
 
Did you load the movies for him or was he downloading them? I take it he was holding it in his hands and not using a table or something else? Did you end up looking into see if there were any stands (or those fold-up type covers) that would have benefited his usage?

I'd put movies on an SD Card, he'd open the video viewer, navigate to the folder, and play them.

Correct there was no table available, he could basically just hold it or lay it on his chest/belly if he was laying down.
 
I think the standard one shouldn't be too expensive, at least compared to other android/ipads. The big fancy intel one will be.
The price ranges I was seeing then must have been for the top of the line model then as they were in the $1,000~ area. For what I'm after that would be an overkill.
 
There is going to be an intel version, which is more or less a MacBook air..
the intel version runs a full Windows 8 environment, with a min of 64gb ssd and a 1080p screen on an intel chip​
There is going to be an ARM version, which will be in the range of current arm tablets, priced competitively with current android tablets/ipad.
the arm version has less starter space (32gb), runs windows 8 rt (arm version of windows 8) and has a lower res screen. It will also be locked to metro apps and not be able to almost any native windows binaries.​
 
I have a huge dislike for android, something about having to provide support for it.
I have no complaints about it. With two devices in the house for the past year they have been performing pretty solid. The support issues you having are with the browser or the vB Android app?
 
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