Thursday, April 22, 2010

The Old and the New



What do you see when you look at this picture?. You may say a old computer but when a person in their late sixties-seventies they see confusion and stress. Its not the technologies that is the biggest problem its how it is portrayed and delivered to the elderly. Sometimes change just for the sake of change is not the best. Change at a controlled pace can be. How to we approach this is the real question. Do the young have the answer as they seem to be the ones controlling the pace.

Tom

2 comments:

  1. This won't be a popular opinion, but I think the rate of technological change should not be slowed down for elderly or other vulnerable people, harsh as that may sound. Prosperity and progress depend on giving the younger working people or soon to be working people, competitive tools.

    It is important to give elderly people assistance in using new technologies, I believe we discussed whether there should be govt programs in a previous blog, or perhaps younger people should lend a helping hand to their older relatives. Govt subsidies for internet use, which I believe Tom suggested, is also another idea. Certain people may not WANT to use the net as deeply as others, and they could be taught to use it for basic things so they are prepared in case they need it.

    Email, knowing how to pay a bill online (and the associated risks) and basic experience browsing company web sites for contact information, is what I think may be necessary knowledge. As well as setting up a secure connection.

    Grish

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  2. You pose an interesting question Tom but I think it also relates to everyone - Can we keep up with technology? But what is keeping up with technology? Let's quickly break a brand down and look at the individual gadgets it has - for the sake of it i'll use Apple.

    www.apple.com


    Upon entering the site the homepage allows us to see (via the toolbar) 4 links to 4 of Apple's tangible products (i'm excluding iTunes store for the purpose of this blog). Each link allows you to view numerous models of each product. In the last year I purchased an iTouch and a MacBookPro, I do not own a iPad or an iPhone does this mean I am up to date or not? As each of my possessions are the latest versions (for now).
    What about someone who just purchased an iPhone 3GS, by next year (or before) the next generation(4GS) will be for purchase , would they be considered not up to date?

    These gadgets will still be working and if we take computers as an example, new software can be installed on older computers allowing your system to be updated but your machine would still be "a thing of the past".

    Confusing, yes it can be. Expensive, yes it is.

    Off the topic a little - my biggest worry about the quick role over of technology is the waste factor rather than being the kid with the newest gadget on the block. As companies role out new gadgets or "twin gadgets" as i like to refer to them as, are they being responsible for the waste they and the consumers are creating. Most new technologies do not have the lifespan as older ones, warranties now are significantly shorter than years ago - with most of them being 1-3 years. So how is this being managed, why are we (the young 16-35) not being taught how to dispose of our technologies in a better fashion as we are the one's with the buying power, we are the one's that the products are targeting.

    Kellisa

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