Thinking about iPad for Mother-In-Law. Need advice.

[wallyu]

My wife wants to purchase a laptop for her mother, who, for health reasons, spends a lot of time chair-bound. I suggested the iPad for its connectivity and light weight. She wants to read, e-mail, find recipes, look at pics of grandkids, etc. My questions are: Do we need to sync the iPad to a computer or does it work stand-alone? Same for iTunes: Could we subscribe to iTunes for iPad without a computer? Also is it possible to print from the iPad? Looking to print recipes, photos, web page. Much obliged!

 

[MacToddB]

An iPad for your Mother-In-Law?

...sounds like a good trade, to me.



But seriously, you would need to set it up, once, with a computer (such as yours), and from then on, only rarely need to sync it (updated o.s., etc.). Mobile Me and other services could make for a shared photo frame, etc.

 

[iWannaBeAdored]

I think a laptop would be more appropriate for her.

 

[wallyu]

Thanks, MacTodd. I recently purchased the MobileMe Family Pack so that could fit in well.

iWannaBe, could I ask why you think the laptop would be better? As I said, the plusses for the iPad would be easy connectivity and light weight. The minuses?

Thanks much.

 

[iWannaBeAdored]

Hey.

Pros and Cons for buying an iPad:

Pros
Lightweight UI
User Friendly
Fun
Simple
Very portable

Cons
No keyboard (If your step mum prefers one)
No flash (had to through it in)
She might not like touchscreen devices?



Come to think of it I think the iPad is a good choice

 

[yodaxl7]

Yeah! I agree the iPad is the way to go. Activate the iPad with your laptop and then give it to her. If there is an update or something, you can do it with your computer.

 

[iFerd]

iPad for my mother-in-law left China yesterday. I am about 99.98% sure she would never get past the mouse to do email, but I am confident she will be able to use this if she will just try. She bought it herself, so the motivation to master it is better than it would be with a gift.

(She is 85.)

 

[wallyu]

Thanks everyone!

 

[gdeputy]

Don't expect her to be printing but why print recipes when u have epicurious