Do any of you have parents that own Android products?

[GKDAIR]

Ok.

So I'm getting a Google Nexus 7 here in a few days, and it will be my first experience with android.

Depending on how much I like it, I plan on upgrading my phone as well (depends on how much it will cost) and I plan to get the Galaxy S4.

My mom also wants the Galaxy S4, but she's used an iphone since...well they came out, and technology has an amazing ability to not function around her.

Just the other day we had to take her computer to the apple store because the email wouldn't work, it was using an account that didn't even exist on the computer. It was the strangest error I've ever seen.

I guess what I'm asking is how "noob" friendly is the Android platform. She's not interested in rooting and all that jazz, but how easy would it be to just transfer contacts and stuff?

Also, while I'm at it, how's the Nexus 4 compared to the Galaxy S4?

 

[cleanup]

Ok.

So I'm getting a Google Nexus 7 here in a few days, and it will be my first experience with android.

Depending on how much I like it, I plan on upgrading my phone as well (depends on how much it will cost) and I plan to get the Galaxy S4.

My mom also wants the Galaxy S4, but she's used an iphone since...well they came out, and technology has an amazing ability to not function around her.

Just the other day we had to take her computer to the apple store because the email wouldn't work, it was using an account that didn't even exist on the computer. It was the strangest error I've ever seen.

I guess what I'm asking is how "noob" friendly is the Android platform. She's not interested in rooting and all that jazz, but how easy would it be to just transfer contacts and stuff?

Also, while I'm at it, how's the Nexus 4 compared to the Galaxy S4?

I think if you're looking for simplicity the Nexus 4 is a much safer bet than the Galaxy S4, given that it runs stock Android rather than TouchWiz. Both of my parents use Android products exclusively and they don't have any trouble navigating around them. You can set your mom's phone up to be dead-simple, iOS style (just have some simple folders and icons set up on one home screen and maybe a couple widgets on another).

The great thing about Android is that it's very easy to hide icons/options that you don't want your mom to see for fear of her getting confused or otherwise. You can use restricted profiles or just disable apps that you don't want visible. With iOS they'd just all be laid out in a jumbled mess. You can actually get a lot more organised and simple with Android, and if you use a custom launcher like Nova, you can even prevent her from making changes to the homescreen just in case. I only suggest that because sometimes less-than-tech-savvy-people will come to me wondering "Where did X go" or something like that, without realizing they accidentally removed it.

Transferring contacts is pretty easy, from what I've heard. There's a way to sync iTunes/Apple contacts with Google (usually through exporting the contacts and then uploading them to Google Contacts), and then just sign into the Google account on the phone and you're done.

 

[Technarchy]

Mom has a GS3.

 

[Shanghaichica]

My dad has the s4 and has been using Android for years. My mum has an S3 but she doesn't use it . She's carried on using her iPhone 4.

 

[Jessica Lares]

My dad has my old Kindle Fire. But he's the one who got me into tech in the first place. And he has been an Apple fanboy since the early 80's.

He's the one who usually fixes the server when there's an issue at school, and he has one in his office.

But in saying that, he's mostly a casual user. Has been using Lotus, Office, Quicken, etc since the Windows 3.1 days.

One of the hardest things for any parent, is having to do away of the home screen shortcuts you can make in Safari. That is one thing that would drive him crazy if he ever did switch to Android because he literally has two pages full of them among his native apps.

And last night he was actually complaining about how Google took off the little guy in Street View. He uses the web version of it on the KF everyday.

You have to know your parents, and understand their usage of their current devices. Knowing my dad, I would never recommend an Android phone to him. I mean, he's interested in them, sure, but he's seen me end up with my phone just completely dying on me for no apparent reason, and all the wear and tear in just one year of using it. So I guess that's why he's still happy with the iPhone 4.

The sad thing is that both my mom and dad are like, "Why did you switch to an Android phone for?!" So yeah.

 

[cleanup]

My dad has my old Kindle Fire. But he's the one who got me into tech in the first place. And he has been an Apple fanboy since the early 80's.

He's the one who usually fixes the server when there's an issue at school, and he has one in his office.

But in saying that, he's mostly a casual user. Has been using Lotus, Office, Quicken, etc since the Windows 3.1 days.

One of the hardest things for any parent, is having to do away of the home screen shortcuts you can make in Safari. That is one thing that would drive him crazy if he ever did switch to Android because he literally has two pages full of them among his native apps.

And last night he was actually complaining about how Google took off the little guy in Street View. He uses the web version of it on the KF everyday.

You have to know your parents, and understand their usage of their current devices. Knowing my dad, I would never recommend an Android phone to him. I mean, he's interested in them, sure, but he's seen me end up with my phone just completely dying on me for no apparent reason, and all the wear and tear in just one year of using it. So I guess that's why he's still happy with the iPhone 4.

The sad thing is that both my mom and dad are like, "Why did you switch to an Android phone for?!" So yeah.

The Kindle Fire runs Amazon's awful version of Android though, which removes so many things from the operating system's basic functionality. You can make shortcuts to absolutely anything in Android. Web-apps or website shortcuts are only the beginning.

 

[Jessica Lares]

The Kindle Fire runs Amazon's awful version of Android though, which removes so many things from the operating system's basic functionality. You can make shortcuts to absolutely anything in Android. Web-apps or website shortcuts are only the beginning.

Yeah, but it's not as easy as on iOS. You can do the shortcuts on the Kindle too. And it shows you a full preview of the website.

I don't think he has a problem with the Amazon fork though, I didn't either. But I do know that that thing like never leaves his hands. He sits in the backyard with it, he's on the couch with it, he's using the computer and it at the same time. Hahaha.

 

[kevinof]

Both my parents who are 83 have S2s'. More than happy with them and have no difficulty navigating their way around android.

You can put the Galaxy into basic mode (touchwiz) which makes things a little simpler for novice users.

Ok.

So I'm getting a Google Nexus 7 here in a few days, and it will be my first experience with android.

Depending on how much I like it, I plan on upgrading my phone as well (depends on how much it will cost) and I plan to get the Galaxy S4.

My mom also wants the Galaxy S4, but she's used an iphone since...well they came out, and technology has an amazing ability to not function around her.

Just the other day we had to take her computer to the apple store because the email wouldn't work, it was using an account that didn't even exist on the computer. It was the strangest error I've ever seen.

I guess what I'm asking is how "noob" friendly is the Android platform. She's not interested in rooting and all that jazz, but how easy would it be to just transfer contacts and stuff?

Also, while I'm at it, how's the Nexus 4 compared to the Galaxy S4?

 

[blackhand1001]

Both my parents use android as do I. They have no issue using it. One has an HTC rezound and my other has a galaxy nexus like I do. Android is a lot simpler than people give it credit for. Especially since android 4.0 made things much more intuitive and largely got rid of hidden context menus. There are a lot of things in android that are simpler than in iOS like settings menu. They are in the apps themselves instead of having to go out of the app into the main settings and then find it in there. Also the dedicated back button makes a ton of operations much simpler. They other big thing that is really useful is the data usage monitor in the settings app. It makes tracking your data so much easier. It tells you how much each app uses. Its so much harder to figure out what app is using a ton of data on iOS. I personally have found android to use much less data than iOS as well.

 

[Mochi Hana]

My mom has a GS3. It didn't take her long to figure out how to work it.

 

[Ddyracer]

My Mom has the GN and loves it. The haptic feedback is a good replacement I think as opposed to physical buttons on her old Flip phone.

 

[ChazUK]

My in-laws both have an S3 mini each

They seem to get in just fine with them but they did move from dumbphones to a ZTE Blade each then onto the Samsung's so there is an element of prior knowledge there.

 

[Savor]

My Dad, being a busy real estate agent in his mid-50's, actually got into Android before me. He went from using iPhone 2G and 3G on AT&T only to despise the signal quality of the carrier and went back to Verizon. Then he used a BB Storm until moving to Android more officially in 2010 with a Motorola Droid X and Samsung tablet. Now he currently uses a Galaxy Note II that he loves and tells me that is the first phone he ever had that never gives him any probs. He feels Android is more flexible for business and uses alot of Google's online web services that something Apple cant match.

My Mom just isnt tech savvy. Had an iPhone 3Gs, and currently uses an iPhone 5 and iPad 1. She might want a Galaxy Note phone next only because her vision has got weaker.

 

[adder7712]

My mum had a Galaxy S but it was getting a bit old so she replaced it with an iPhone 5.

My dad owns a Galaxy Note II.

 

[KentuckyHouse]

My dad switching from iPhone (3GS) to Android (Atrix 2) is what prompted me to get my first Android phone nearly 2 years ago. I didn't know much about Android and was a typical iPhone person before that. But I figured if he was going to get an Android phone, I'd better get one as well so I'd know how to answer the questions he would surely have.

I got the S2 and fell absolutely head over heels in love with Android, although I've never been able to completely break my iPhone habit. Since then, I've had tons of Android phones and both the iPhone 4S and now the 5.

It's nice having both platforms because my mom still uses a 3GS and my wife still uses a 4S. So I'm able to help those that I'm closest to if they have any questions because I still use both platforms (although my S4 is my daily driver).

It's funny, because I figured after my dad's 2 years were up, he'd want to go back to the iPhone, but he doesn't. He's content with using his Atrix 2 for now, but I've been pushing him to take a look at the bigger screened Android phones that are out there now. He'd never want something like my Note 2 (or 3, since that's coming soon), but he would probably like something like the Moto X or One. I doubt he'll upgrade until his Atrix 2 dies, though.

My mom, though, will always be an iPhone person. She loves her 3GS and when dad upgrades his phone, we'll get her the latest iPhone. She's not technologically savvy, so the iPhone is great for her (and I don't mean that as a slap in the face of iPhone owners...it's just a little easier to understand from one generation of phone to the next).

 

[Dr McKay]

My Mum had an antique Samsung Ace or something, 2.5 inch touchscreen, lagged like crap etc.

I couldn't bare to see her struggle anymore, and I banked on her being familiar with Android and Touchwiz, so I bought her a GS2. I was surprised at how smooth it was, it came out of the box with 4.1.1, and had an update for 4.1.2 waiting.

That thing felt great in the 20 minutes I spent dicking with it.

 

[daveathall]

I suppose I am quite old and can be classed as a parent (I'm 56) and I am not technically gifted, I have an S4 and a Nexus 4. I found them both easy to use straight from the box. Having a google account I was able to enter my details and password and my contacts and calendar were on my phone before I left the shop.

 

[JackieInCo]

If they did, it would certainly prove that you CAN take it with you.

 

[Dontazemebro]

My mom is in her mid 60s and I recently tried to upgrade her to the iPhone 5 coming from the HTC Inspire. I told her she would enjoy it better since she always complained about the HTC.

Her first reaction when she saw it was "I want one with a big screen like in the commercials". I literally fell over laughing and then it made me realize what most people deem a priority and are willing to put up with just to satisfy said priorities.

I ended up getting her the S4 and setting it up on easy mode so she'll have less problems with it and more opportunities to enjoy the large screen. Needless to say she loves it.