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Question

What to get for mom: E-Reader or Tablet?

May 6, 2013 5:26AM PDT

My mom's really big on spirituality and wants something to
1. get online,
2. use a search engine to search for different pastors,
3. and watch their sermons.
4. She also wants to watch sermons on YouTube.

She's never been on a computer before and Dad has an iPad on which he's shown her how to use a search engine and view video. She doesn't want to download anything! I may teach her how to do email.

Prior to this she's NEVER even touched a computer before.

Her budget is $200. We'd like to get her as large a screen as affordable with Wi-Fi.

How about an E-Reader?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Item 3 is a tough one.
May 6, 2013 6:50AM PDT

At 200 that rules out the ipad unless that the budget can go to 299 for the new mini.

There's a lot of junk near the 99 buck mark and we call those training pads. You get those to figure out what you want.

Try the Kindle Fire HD. The only grief I can see is item 3. These are not PCs. Not one in this price range is adept as your PC.
Bob

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What do you think about the Samsung Galaxy 2 7.0?
May 6, 2013 7:56AM PDT

what do you think about the Samsung galaxy 2 7.0? I've just been viewing some info on cnet and youtube comparing the two and the price is about the same just under $200 (with Mother's Day sales)
Thanks

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Still going to be iffy on item 3.
May 6, 2013 8:06AM PDT

Read http://forums.cnet.com/7723-13973_102-592238/adobe-flash-for-galaxy-tab-2-10-1/ and you discover that tablets do have issues with content that is not tailored and tested for play on the tablet.

If it uses the YouTube app, it's slightly better but then with Google's move to monetize YouTube folk discover that some videos can't be seem on tablets, tvs and phones.

The Kindle Fire HD is 179 today so it's inside your budget and I own that one. I have others available due to work at the office.
Bob

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More questions about Adobe Flash
May 6, 2013 11:19PM PDT

I've never owned a tablet, but If I'm understanding you correctly,watching the YouTube videos is not an issue on either the Kindle Fire HD or the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 because there are apps for that. But going to a website and wanting to watch a video there will most likely require Adobe Flash, something tablets don't ordinarily come with. And Adobe has stopped supporting Flash on Android. And we'd need to get an older version of Flash to put on either a Kindle Fire HD 7" or a Galaxy Tablet 2 7.0?

Thanks

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Or a newer version.
May 7, 2013 2:23AM PDT

Please read the link again as the user installed a new Flash and another browser and has fixed it.

Link -> http://forums.cnet.com/7723-13973_102-592238/adobe-flash-for-galaxy-tab-2-10-1/?tag=posts;msg5454896

I think this is pretty bad since each owner gets to re-discover this.

Keep in mind I have access to a few tablets and for consumers, that don't want to tinker, the KF is very good. However if folk want to get more from a tablet I like the one you noted and have good luck with the Google Nexus line as well as the Asus Transformer.

--> Here's what I'm seeing. Folk want to get the PC Web experience on a tablet. For 99 or so bucks. Pretty hard to do. At about 250 we get pretty close.
Bob

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I like it
May 11, 2013 2:59AM PDT

I got the Samsung Galaxy 2 7.0 for Xmas and I've been pretty happy with it. Good features, snappy response, decent battery life. A lot of bang for the buck. You can often find it at $179 and every now and then, on sale for $149. My only complaints are the proprietary connector for charging and wired data transfer, also, no HDMI out. I particularly like the 7" format, Much easier to see than a phone, but can still fit in your jeans pocket. I passed on the Nexus 7 since it doesn't take SD cards.