Need advice for an elderly relative.

[Renny]

I would also recommend the iPad. Put one in front of my 84yo M-in-Law who at the time was in the early stages of dimentia and she totally got it.

Maybe an iPad 2 2nd hand would be worth a roll of the dice.

[schoondoggy]

I would lean toward a 14" ChromeBook, but I have also found Windows 8 on a touchscreen AIO is quite easy for a computer illiterate person to run. My mom, 82, has never worked on a computer. I put her in front of our HP Rove with a keyboard and she got the basics right away. My mother in law has struggled with Windows for years. I am going to set her up with a Win 8 touchscreen AIO and see how she does. 

[oj88]

Another vote for an iPad. Very intuitive to use regardless of the user's age. Requires almost no learning curve, just tap on the screen to go to where you want to go and if you get lost, just press the Home button. Not to mention instant pinch-zoom gestures if she has problems reading.

 

Facetime could also be a plus (iPad 2 and up) if other family members have an iDevice and they want to check on grandma every now and then and such.

 

For the functionalities you mentioned, you can't beat the simplicity of an iPad.

[jmwills]

You can find deals on Samsung tablets all the time. Seems like there was one last week for $199.

[jmwills]

Here you go, seems to be exactly what you need:

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2601330/asus-outs-svelte-aluminum-zenbook-ux305-and-the-eeebook-a-199-chromebook-killer.html#tk.fb_pc

[ikon]

Guys, thanks so much for these suggestions. I'm going to do some research on them. If you've got other ideas to impart, please do.

[jmwills]

Buy low and sell high.

[ikon]

And don't take any wooden nickels???

[Joe_Miner]

I would lean towards an iPad also.  You could limit the number of Apps on the 1st screen to the minimum she would use and remove/hide all the other crap and there's a large base of people out there who have iOS devices and could help her when you're not nearby/available.

[ikon]

I hear you JM. Like I said though, the iPad is over $500 in Canada, without  taxes. I'm going to look into it more, but I'm worried her budget won't be able to handle it. I'm also concerned that the screen is too small for her old eyes. That's why I was looking at the HP Pavilion Chromebook, which has a 14" screen. I don't know, I'm torn about the choices.