Digital Home Thoughts: Getting Seniors Connected

"Well the Telikin is an entirely different sort of PC. Built as an all-in-one device, the machine includes an 18- or 20-inch screen, large-print keyboard, and a normal wired mouse. It runs an unnamed version of Linux and is completely locked down, dumping you into a kiosk-like experience that you can’t leave."

Targeting seniors and getting them connected is an admirable task. While some seniors may be comfortable and fully able to live a full life without going online, I can see that many want to remain connected to their family, and the Internet is a great way of doing it. The problem is that computers tend to have large learning curves and lots of kinks to confuse people not used to technology. Having grown up with computers, most things are second nature to me, but when working with my parents, I can understand the challenges that face them. I like the Telikin concept, but I think a more successful implementation would be something based on Android. An iOS device would also be welcome, but I suspect Apple is satisfied that their current offerings are sufficient. A custom Android tablet could prove useful to seniors as it provides a more intuitive and easier to use interface. With Ice Cream Sandwich and beyond, usability is also up there. It would be great to see more seniors get online and be exposed to everything that the Internet has to offer!