iPad for Dad, # 14: A Report from Dad

When my daughter and son-in-law provided this iPad, it was with the knowledge and recognition that I never honed my computer skills to my satisfaction. Nevertheless, I made significant strides using a laptop and writing paragraphs of opinion over the years. The laptop, while useful, could be complex. The iPad is not.

I have been keeping a journal in longhand since 1949. In addition, in this computer era I have written perhaps more than a thousand, not quite essays, but certainly multiple paragraphs on a range of subjects – poetry, politics, church, social issues, sports, music, family, etc., etc., etc.

My present experience with iPad is a delight. The tiny keyboard and screen belie the capacity. I rarely play games, but I can. This gadget has already ingratiated itself — what with Google, Wikipedia, keeping my writing on the yellow pad, e-mailing them if I wish, and soon printing. One can go on and on typing at a swift pace to keep up with the swift line of mental (and emotional) opinion.

So how useful is iPad? Notably it’s my stream of self-expression; then a source of information; then a place to listen. It’s not quite my reader as yet, because I prefer to snuggle up with the smaller book or periodical.

Read a post I wrote, Journaling Legacies, about dad’s lifelong enjoyment of writing.

If you like this post, read some of the other descriptions of our Father/Daughter iPad for Dad adventures – iPad for Dad, #1, iPad for Dad, #2, iPad for Dad, #3, iPad for Dad, #4, iPad for Dad, #5, iPad for Dad, #6, iPad for Dad, #7, iPad for Dad, #8, iPad for Dad, #9, iPad for Dad, #10, iPad for Dad, #11, iPad for Dad, #12, iPad for Dad, #13, iPad for Dad, #14, iPad for Dad, #15, iPad for Dad, #16, iPad for Dad, #17 , iPad for Dad, #18, iPad for Dad, #19, iPad for Dad, #20, iPad for Dad, #21 and iPad for Dad, # 22.

2 thoughts on “iPad for Dad, # 14: A Report from Dad”

I am impressed that you have been keeping a journal so long and writing in longhand. I have trouble writing a note in longhand and all my letters are typed on my computer and printed. I hope your experience with the iPad continues to be a good one.

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I have been thinking about getting an iPad for my 92-year-old grandfather. He is currently using a 10-year-old Dell with dial-up internet. (He tells me he is content with that, but I’ve had to go there a few times recently to “fix” things, and I wonder if his computer is getting ready to give up the ghost.)

Anyway, I think the iPad would meet his needs, but I worry that he will have trouble adjusting to a new keyboard. He has arthritis, and his fingers kind of curve, so I think he likes his old keyboard with its “deep” keys that require definite pressure. If a new keyboard is too sensitive, he is more likely to press keys he doesn’t want.

I also worry about the size of the iPad screen. My grandpa has only one eye, and his vision is not too good. I assume, even though the iPad would be smaller than his current computer, it would also be clearer.

Can you give me any input on how you like your iPad keyboard, and what you think of the size of the iPad screen? Are there ways to adjust the text size and icon size on the screen?

Thanks for your help!

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