Cheap tablets today

[Snowman9000]

Can we get something for say a hundred bucks, for this usage:

Put a button on the screen that launches the browser and goes directly to a website?

I know I can do it on a PC for example.

This is for an 89 year old with no computer experience to be able to read our travel blog. Nothing else is contemplated. No email, chat, browsing, nothing. There is wifi in the senior complex where she lives.

$150 or $200 is fine, if that is what it takes.

[Chris_Bryant]

Google "kiosk mode"-

[1492]

Quite simple with a basic Android(?) tablet. Just make sure to set WiFi connection to sign-in automatically, and website if necessary? Having to figure that out would be a much bigger challenge than launching a browser?

Though wouldn't want to use them as all around devices, these inexpensive tablets make great appliance devices. I've got a $29. tablet that acts as an alarm clock/weather, and set as a real-time GPS tracking of morning Bus to Metro(rail) schedules.

[riven1950]

We have had 2 RCA 10inch tablets , from Walmart , for about 2 years. cost < 125.00 and work great. Have Firefox synched with my desktop. Quit using my netbook.

[GordonThree]

If the tablet has a guest mode or kids mode, it's worth reading the instructions on how to use that. It will save grief down the road, protecting the tablet from having its wifi changed, or other apps mysteriously installed.

[kerrlakeRoo]

I'm on a RCA 10.1 " viking now. They work well and are about as simple as you can get because if they screw it up teach to hold start button and restart, most mistakes are gone with just that fix.
Helmart has the 11" version available now for about $100 so try it.

[pconroy328]

Snowman9000 wrote:

Put a button on the screen that launches the browser and goes directly to a website?

As posted, configure the default Browser's home page to be the website.

When the Browser's screen icon is touched, the browser will open and go directly to that website.

You may have to play with some other browser settings.

[2oldman]

Is pushing a button the same thing as clicking an icon? What does cheap tablets mean?

[MrWizard]

i have the 10" viking pro, works great, i use it for hours every day
yes open chrome , visit your blog , go to your blog , then set it has as the home page

delete all the other buttons from the home screen , and the adjacent screens

makes it a little harder for her to mess things up

[GordonThree]

for a small screen, even 50-60 for a china special tablet these days. to accomplish your one button loads a website request, you'll need to open the website the old fashioned way once in CHROME, then go into the "..." menu and choose "Add to Home Screen". This will create a shortcut direct to the website.

Of course, the seniors will find ways to turn off WiFi, or otherwise corrupt the tablet, mine 95 year old grandmother always gets nervous when she "breaks" the tablet. despite asking not to touch any other buttons, they always do. Airplane mode is a favorite to turn on and then "nothing" works.

10-13 inch tablets are harder to find cheap, that's the only part of the device that costs money to manufacture. 13 inch chrome book are cheap, but not the touch screen ones

[turbojimmy]

I was kind of curious myself so I googled it. My last tablet purchase was years ago - Dell Venue 8. I got 2 - they were having some sort of promotion so they came out to be around $100 each.

But, this RCA thing at Walmart has a nice big screen and is only $80. It's an Android operating system which I really like. I would think that you could customize the browser's (Google Chrome) home page - I know you can on the PC version.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-11-Galileo-Pro-11.5-2-in-1-Tablet-with-Keyboard-Case-Android-6.0-Mars...

[mlslcan]

Simple answer is yes it can be done. Just set the homepage on the browser to your website and add the browser shortcut to the desktop. Along with the browser set up you will need internet connection. Most tablets do not have ethernet ports so wifi will have to be available at her location. Another option would be a tablet through a cellular provider with a data plan if there is available connectivity at her location.

Most tablets would meet that need. Another factor to consider is screen size and resolution for reading.

Mike