Looking for the easiest, simplest, self healing laptop type device to buy for my father (76) who has just come to terms with the need to get "on the interweb and play with his digital camera pictures, maybe an email"

I live 250 miles away, so cannot do much by way of hands on tuition, coaching or more importantly support.

Will be visitin this weekend, so any suggestions as to what to buy, and any other advice?
This man has a mice in his garage, not his lounge

BTW, no get a MAC advice as I can't help at all with them, sorry.

Make sure you show him remote assistance helped my with my dad.

I think at a given budget (and assuming windows only) they'll all be pretty even.

My asus is plenty sturdy, but it's heavy, and won't survive a drop, my dad has a HP, which is lighter, and ended up fairly knackered after about 2 months of light use, very much a matter of having a play and finding something suitable.

I'd suggest spending some time getting it set up in idiot mode more than anything else, auto updates on everything, firefox with adblock, thunderbird (is it possible to block certain attachment types? if so, block the usual evils)

Generally I aim to get a computer set up to the point that 99% of what the user is likely to do is already available and functioning, so they don't have to do anything, and you don't have to fix stuff, apart from the occasional remote login to install something new.

Has to be a Mac! Comes with everything he will need software wise all nice and stable. A copy of aperture and photoshop if he gets into the digital photography seriously, meanwhile he can use iPhoto that comes with the machine. The cheapest model will still be good,

Caber

I've heard recently of MAC's having problems with Hard Drive reliability...

A few reports from a number of users, not linked... odd?

S

Local laptop repair/second hand parts supplier said Toshiba are most reliable. I've had a couple work and own and have been 100% reliable. He could always learn to play on the computers at the local library, most in my area are free and the staff can help him till he gets the hang of it, then if need be he can get his own.

had similar with my Pa. he had an ageing Compaq and wanted to update, he was going for an Acer but persuaded him to go the Dell route 17 in screen etc as its his only PC. got a deal with them for 5 yr next day support for not a lot extra. typical after that recommend he had an issue, he tells me they were excellent in resolving what was a s/ware conflict. think 4gb, 320hd + a cple of extras with the warranty was about £600.

Local libary is a good idea and one that I have encouraged, but it's not happened , I guess local is no6yt that local in "The valleys"