Buying an iPad for Mom

Question

We are thinking about buying an iPad for my Mom. Since I have no experience with an iPad, I need input from some real users like the people here.
Mom originally wanted a GPS for her birthday, but it is something she would use so rarely that it would not be worth the money. We came up with the idea of an iPad because it has mapping apps and much more. I started thinking about getting her an email account, showing her how to use the iPad as a remote control, using the calendar for appointments, etc. She has seen how my iPhone works, and it comes across much simpler than a computer. I think she would more easily grasp the idea of using an iPad.
*_I should establish a few things first:_*
1. Mom has never used a computer, and I doubt she ever will. She is fairly intimidated by computers, and I doubt that she could keep track of where files are stored, etc. On an iPad, everything is right there on the desktop and easy to find.
2. Mom does NOT have internet service at her house.
*_What we hope to accomplish:_*
1. Make Mom a little bit tech-savvy.
2. Buy something that will give her some mapping capability (like the GPS she originally wanted), and more functions that she can learn to use.
*_Here's what I need to know:_*
1. Since she has no computer at home, she has no internet connection. If she gets an iPad with WiFi and 3G capability, what kind of carrier service would she need? Would it be best to get access through a cable company, or a cell phone company? (I know prices vary- I'm just looking for input.)
2. I've seen that something called AirPrint is available. Will this work with JUST an iPad? (No computer needed?)
3. Can bluetooth speakers be used with an iPad?
Feel free to throw out anything else you can think of regarding making this purchase. I assume the iPad is simply like using "an iPhone on steroids," but since I've never used one, your input will be a big help.

Answer 1

Rory Gentry wrote:
We are thinking about buying an iPad for my Mom. Since I have no experience with an iPad, I need input from some real users like the people here.
Mom originally wanted a GPS for her birthday, but it is something she would use so rarely that it would not be worth the money. We came up with the idea of an iPad because it has mapping apps and much more. I started thinking about getting her an email account, showing her how to use the iPad as a remote control, using the calendar for appointments, etc. She has seen how my iPhone works, and it comes across much simpler than a computer. I think she would more easily grasp the idea of using an iPad.
*_I should establish a few things first:_*
1. Mom has never used a computer, and I doubt she ever will. She is fairly intimidated by computers, and I doubt that she could keep track of where files are stored, etc. On an iPad, everything is right there on the desktop and easy to find.
2. Mom does NOT have internet service at her house.
*_What we hope to accomplish:_*
1. Make Mom a little bit tech-savvy.
2. Buy something that will give her some mapping capability (like the GPS she originally wanted), and more functions that she can learn to use.
*_Here's what I need to know:_*
1. Since she has no computer at home, she has no internet connection. If she gets an iPad with WiFi and 3G capability, what kind of carrier service would she need? Would it be best to get access through a cable company, or a cell phone company? (I know prices vary- I'm just looking for input.)
2. I've seen that something called AirPrint is available. Will this work with JUST an iPad? (No computer needed?)
3. Can bluetooth speakers be used with an iPad?
Feel free to throw out anything else you can think of regarding making this purchase. I assume the iPad is simply like using "an iPhone on steroids," but since I've never used one, your input will be a big help.
Rory, I too say go ahead and do it. There are a few things you will of course need some clarification on though before hand. I also have a few things that I would recommend as well to make it go smoothly. First if I may I would like to share a similar story that happened with me setting up family members with iPads.
I helped ease my grandparents into first generation iPads last June. They are in their early eighties and wanted a computer for email with their grandkids and great grandkids. I told them I would take them but they insisted they would be fine. They went on their own to Best Buy to try and get themselves a computer but the salesmen there confused them and upset my Pawpaw so badly he swore: "I'll never set foot in that abomination of electronic peddlers ever again."
Trying to explain to them that not all places were like that, I said I would drive them up to Indianapolis to the Apple store there to get a Mac. Imagine my poor old farmer Papaw and my retired housekeeper Mamaw shuffling their feet around the Apple store looking at everything. I showed them the Macs and was going to get a MacBook Air for them, then my Mamaw stopped paying attention and pointed across the room. She was curious as to what the crowds were over on the other side of the store. I explained it was people lining up to try the iPads.
She said she wanted to go stand in line to try them too, so I said I can do better than that. I took mine out of my satchel that I had gotten at the end of April 3G launch and handed it to her. I walked them through all of the bells and whistles and my Papaw eventually said "We're done her mother, have her ring two of them there up and I'll be in the car waiting for you." She looked at me and smiled and that was that. Luckily they had some in stock, so it was my gift to them. I had the 64 WiFi+3G, so I went with 16 WiFI+3G for both of them. I knew they would never use the extra space. I took them home and set them up their iPads on my MacBook Pro and they were off.
My Mamaw uses hers to do email and read and watch Netflix. She also does a lot of recipe stuff and loves Cooking Apps and loves having lots of photos emailed to her of her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. Even though I got them WiFI+3G models, last November I still had to help them get internet for WiFi. We obtained them their 3G plans before AT&T did the unlimited cut off date for plans, but my Netflix fiend Papaw kept getting calls from AT&T that he was going over his soft cap of 5GB. Now, with WiiFi at home and 3G when they drive around, they could never be happier.
The most recent family member to get one was my sixty one year old Mom. She had been wanting one for a while, but had not really wanted to take the plunge. She already owned a low end laptop for basic things. I kept telling her as soon as the demand for the iPad 2 died down, I would be happy to help her get one, but she just kept politely saying it would be okay.
The weekend before this last, she called to tell me there was something wrong with her computer. I drove out to help her check on it. My brother had talked her into buying a Dell laptop, and to put it bluntly it was a P.O.S. The thing had issues ever since she got it two years ago. It crashed all the time, power adapter went out twice, her WiFi Air card kept not being recognized. It was just a plain old mess of a situation from the get go. I had tried to get her to let me help her get a Mac but she kept protesting that the Dell was fine.
When I got there, my brother had beaten me there and so I sat and watched him try to get someone from Dell Tech Support to walk him through troubleshooting. After an hour of helpless Tech Support they basically said it was dead. They went on to say he needed to mail her laptop back to them and they would repair it for a fee since it was out of warranty. I told him Mom was better off just not wasting her or his money since it was a low end model to begin with. They agreed, and my Mom said she would just check her email and stuff at work.
I was up at the Apple Store last week looking for a cable for my Mac and they had one white 32G WiFi+3G left from that morning. I got it, and took it home and surprised her with it over this past weekend. We set up her AT&T account, and she was happy as could be. She is an avid book reader, so iBooks was an instant hit. She now has no interest what so ever in getting her old laptop fixed or a new one.
So, on to the answers for your three questions:
1. I too live in Indiana. I don't know if your mother also lives in Indianapolis or a surrounding town. If she lives there in Indy, Verizon or AT&T will both work. When you start getting into the outer counties and smaller cities that's where the provider becomes important. In my town Verizon has a fewer number of towers versus AT&T. Especially in the moral rural areas of my county. I would personally go with AT&T since it's just data and not voice, but if your mother already has a Verizon Wireless account she may want to go with them. It's really not that big of an issue.
What is an issue if you plan on only doing the 3G as her sole connection is to remember that both AT&T and Verizon's plans are limited. 2GB may be enough for most people, but if she is fond of TV and Movies, Netflix will indeed eat that up over time pretty fast. As I said earlier about getting my grandparents set up, they had to eventually get internet at home so they could have WiFi do most of the usage.
One last thing about the 3G is to remember that only the 3G version has GPS chips built in. The WIFI version does not include this, instead it has WiFI assisted GPS which is obviously only active if you are near a WiFi signal.
2. AirPrint is really nice and yes it will work without the need of a computer. However, it is only on newer printers and only those which clearly state they are enabled with it. There are several models to choose from, whichever you choose though the AirPrint technology is pretty neat to say the least.
3. Yes, the Bluetooth speakers work just fine with iPad.
In closing, I think your Mom will enjoy it a lot. Just remember you will need a computer to both activate the iPad, as well as back it up and perform software updates as needed. She can download Apps and music and movies directly to her iPad once she has an iTunes account set up though. Hope some of this helps, and good luck!