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80 year old mom's iPad review...

sumzero

sumzero

macrumors member
Jan 30, 2010
70
0
Forest Lake, MN
Duh?

California said:
My 80 year old mom's Mac credentials: been on Macs since 2002, iMac G3 and now her maxed out and sturdy iMac G5. She has an iPod photo with slide shows on it and her music that runs mostly in her Mercedes through its internal system, she loves that. I gave her an iPhone and a 12" Powerbook back in the day and she gave away the laptop and didn't want the iPhone, though she regretted giving away the iPhone once she saw it was an iPod that could store photos. Oh, she also used to have a 1st Gen shuffle that she gave to my sister.

Her review of the iPad was based on a commercial she saw. "It doesn't make calls and doesn't take pictures", and the keyboard is too small, I don't know what I'd do with it."
Click to expand...

Going to point out... you can't review something by a commercial you saw. You could review the commercial but not the product.
 
S

smiddlehurst

macrumors 65816
Jun 5, 2007
1,230
30
California said:
My 80 year old mom's Mac credentials: been on Macs since 2002, iMac G3 and now her maxed out and sturdy iMac G5. She has an iPod photo with slide shows on it and her music that runs mostly in her Mercedes through its internal system, she loves that. I gave her an iPhone and a 12" Powerbook back in the day and she gave away the laptop and didn't want the iPhone, though she regretted giving away the iPhone once she saw it was an iPod that could store photos. Oh, she also used to have a 1st Gen shuffle that she gave to my sister.

Her review of the iPad was based on a commercial she saw. "It doesn't make calls and doesn't take pictures", and the keyboard is too small, I don't know what I'd do with it."
Click to expand...

Umm, with all due respect I think you've kinda torpedoed your own argument here. Think back to the keynote, Apple clearly identified the iPad as a third type of MOBILE computing between iPhone and Macbook.

Now reading through your post your mom has REJECTED any mobile computing option you've put in front of her. She's happy with a desktop computer and clearly doesn't have a need in her life for mobile computing or she'd have stuck with one of the options you've already tried. So what on earth makes you think she'd want an iPad? A new iMac yes, a Mac Mini possibly, a Mac Pro maybe but an iPad? Nah, that was never going to happen based on the information you described above.
 
zap2

zap2

macrumors 604
Mar 8, 2005
7,252
8
Washington D.C
Its possible the device might not be for her...but I'll say if she didn't need a laptop and couldn't find a use for a iPhone, she clearly isn't the average consumer(likely due to her age)
 
d21mike

d21mike

macrumors 68040
Jul 11, 2007
3,320
356
Torrance, CA
85 year old dad

I was thinking my Dad would like this device. I will have him test mine when I get it. He wants a very simple "tool" to check his credit card and bank balances without having to wait for the monthly statements. My mom before passing away last year handled this. He has very little computer experience and does not like to set down at the desktop to do this. He does not like to type as well. I believe this will be a perfect solution for him to keep near him in the living room. I have tested the banking and credit card apps on my iphone but the screen is too small for him. But the apps themselfs are perfect. Also, the full web sites (normal browser interface on a desktop or laptop) seem to have way too much detail and advertising (too confusing for him).

For me (a power windows user), I am very happy with the new device and the fact it is pretty much a large iPhone. I really like my apps (140,000 to choose from). When at home I can use the same apps i use while I am out. I just hope they don't try to fill every inch of the iPad screen with usless information when they start to release iPad Native applications.
 
SteveSparks

SteveSparks

macrumors 6502a
Jan 22, 2008
905
31
St. Louis, MO.
California said:
My 80 year old mom's Mac credentials: been on Macs since 2002, iMac G3 and now her maxed out and sturdy iMac G5. She has an iPod photo with slide shows on it and her music that runs mostly in her Mercedes through its internal system, she loves that. I gave her an iPhone and a 12" Powerbook back in the day and she gave away the laptop and didn't want the iPhone, though she regretted giving away the iPhone once she saw it was an iPod that could store photos. Oh, she also used to have a 1st Gen shuffle that she gave to my sister.

Her review of the iPad was based on a commercial she saw. "It doesn't make calls and doesn't take pictures", and the keyboard is too small, I don't know what I'd do with it."
Click to expand...

The demographic for the ipad is not 80 year old moms.
 
rdowns

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,521
Introducing iPad.

The lifestyle device that will take you from diapers to well, diapers.
 
California

California

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Aug 21, 2004
3,885
90
maghemi said:
I call most pointless thread of the year award??
Click to expand...

I think you may forget that oldsters have a lot of money in the USA, and my mom is a completely social person, she gets so much email from around the world that her email account gets overloaded. She downloads her plane tickets, she uses iPhoto for her Christmas cards, she is a complete Mac lover.

I have switched now a couple of 60 year old relatives, a couple 70 year olds and did I mention I switched my 90 year old Step father from IBM to Mac? This is the guy who went from Pearl Harbor to iMacs. He used his Mac to scan in some of those old fashioned huge negatives from 1940-1945 when he was in Pearl Harbor and WWII and for the first time since the pictures were taken, he was able to see his photos from that time period. They love Apple. I think it is completely cool that Apple is so accessible to old people. I've been on Mac since 1989 when I was in college and now I'm getting old with Macs too.

Just explained to my mom that they need to get at least a new 21.5" iMac to replace her pristine and maxed out 20" iMac G5 (original box, 2gbs ram, ambient light sensor 2.0ghz model).

My mom's first experience on the web was Webtv back in 1997, when I was still using my Powerbook 145b.

I think it is completely COOL that old people use Macs, and I think it's brilliant that my mom, of her own volition, had a quick and decisive review of the iPad.

She gave me her iPad review while we were at the gym on the treadmills, watching BURN NOTICE, btw.

I need to post of a photo of mom on a mac.
 
niuniu

niuniu

macrumors 68020
Mar 29, 2009
2,311
1
A man of the people. The right sort of people.
My mother would love it. Until she tried to do some work done on it, in which case she'd pass the useless junk to my dad who'd squeel in joy at a shiny gadget to show off to his mates. He'd use it too, especially in traffic to check his work emails.
 
Surely

Surely

Guest
Oct 27, 2007
15,042
17
Los Angeles, CA
My mom thinks it looks amazing and wants one. But so what? She hasn't used one yet. If she uses one, and still likes it, that's a review.

It is impossible to review a product until you actually use it.

If you titled your thread "My mom's opinion from what she's seen on tv", then I think the responses would be different.

Oh, and why does your Mom need a new Mac? Does she really need more power for what she uses it for? I mean, if it's just for web browsing, music and photos, the G5 is probably still great.....
 
C

Carouser

macrumors 65816
Feb 1, 2010
1,411
1
A person who doesn't feel the iPad meets her needs probably won't buy one? That's a shockeroo. Good work, OP.
 
bobob

bobob

macrumors 68040
Jan 11, 2008
3,437
2,520
iphone-comic-old-lady.gif
 
F

Fubar65

macrumors newbie
Apr 5, 2008
17
0
Since your mom doesn't want the ipad she reviewed, can I have her's? I mean she has to have one right, since she has done a review and all on it?
 
F

FrankieTDouglas

macrumors 68000
Mar 10, 2005
1,554
2,882
Seriously, ipad lovers need to find an audience this thing is for. First, they say it's not for people who are computer savvy. "It's for your average user." So, we get an average user's opinion (and I could mention some in my own personal life, too), and you people dismiss it as again not part of the target audience.

Sense, please?
 
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