Hi. To my great surprise my 76-year-old father is declaring that he needs to get a smartphone.
I say “surprise” because he’s actually had one for about four years and didn’t even realise (a very basic cheap Windows/Nokia thing with a tiny screen and a physical numeric keypad). He also got a new Kindle Fire or similar last Christmas and has barely touched it.
It took me 15 minutes to clarify to him what a full touchscreen was as opposed to something with buttons. Ha can just about do email on a desktop or laptop, and does some online work but only when there are easy-click portals etc.
All he really wants from a smartphone is email connectivity and frankly that’s going to be about the limit of his capabilities.
However we don’t want to get some cheap basic tat with a horrible interface and sluggish processor etc. Say we will budget up to £160
What do we go for? I think we’ll have to force him into full touch screen “like the SatNav”, in his words, as I am assuming physical keypad stuff is a bit of a compromise. Or are Blackberries making a comeback?
Any recommendations welcome. Am thinking a low end Motorola
He has an existing mobile number on an EE PAYG but has rarely used it. Is there anything to be gained by not bothering to get it ported? Basically I want to choose a model, go to Carphone Warehouse and get it all set up for him on his existing number regardless of network. Is this too big an ask? Is there still going to be a load of legwork for me?