Android phones, apps and tablets

My name is Ludd and I'm not that good at modern technology. I've got a big desktop machine at home, which gets heavy use by all 5 family members. I've got an ancient IBM laptop running XP and with zero battery life and it's really slow, and I have an even slower Dell laptop that is about 10 years old and occasionally gets used.

Now Mrs Ludd says she would like a smartphone, and having recently played with her sister's iPad mini I think she'd also like a tablet. I'd certainly like one for email and general time-wasting browsing, perhaps also for BBC iPlayer and showing photos. I see craphone warehouse are doing a deal on a Samsung Galaxy Ace - which is what Luddlet #2 had until recently - for £13 a month upwards (depending on data/mins/text limits) and they're throwing in a "free" Galaxy Tab 7" tablet. Does that seem a good deal to folk here? Mrs Ludd currently pays £9 or £10 a month just for calls and texts on her elderly unsmart nokia.

Answer this simple question: Does Mrs Ludd use Gmail?

If she does: Buy a Google Nexus 4 (or 5 in 2 month's time) as a phone, and get her the Google Nexus 7 tablet.

If she doesn't: Buy an iPhone and get her an iPad.

That's pretty much it, no other factors need be considered... it all just works.

Don't bother buying a laptop or anything else... a decent phone and tablet in which the data is sync'd over the air and these devices stay in sync is all she needs.