New Information Technology, and Older Users
I am from the "Old School Generation" and have learned how to manage my life through my years of trial and error experience. The rude awakening that today's New Technology makes everything I do best and efficiently seem like a slow reinvention of the same old wheel, has brought me a moment of pause. As I have learned to relax around all of these new-fangled technological consumer products, the "New Technology for an Old School Generation" has become a vast pool of life changing gadgets. My new alarm sounding, light blinking, text reminding life tech-tools have allowed me to enjoy this era of my life with the constant scheduled enjoyment never before experienced. I would like to share with you how truly simple it is to cross over to the technological gadget lifestyle. You may never forget where you are supposed to be, who's birthday it is, or if you have already taken today's medications again!
In-Depth Unbiased Information that Compares SmartPhones
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New Technologically Designed Smart Phones
I use to think just how cool my circa 1980's and 90's cell (mobile) phone was— even as I was trying to find a place in my coat pocket or purse where the bulky brick-sized behemoth would fit. As the years moved forward, so did the cell phone design, managing to end up small enough to fit in my coin pocket and even tucked inconspicuously in my cleavage. As the cell phone exterior design became much smaller, the cell phone interior brain became much larger; figuratively speaking. I was always able to devise several reasons why I hated to upgrade my phone, or change to a new cell phone plan, all of which seem reasonable until I actually begin to shop. Today's smart phones play such a significant roll in my life that I surly would be lost without them.
New Technology Allows langauge Translation in an App, helping Military and Travelers Very Soon!
Reasons for NOT Upgrading to New Technology; or so I Thought...
At first the idea of having to program all of that old information into a new phone was just far to daunting of a task. But then the nice young girl told me she could transfer every bit of my information to a new SmartPhone, and in just a few seconds. Reason one for not upgrading to new technology quickly was thrown out the window.
Having to learn how a new phone operates was something I certainly had NO time for or desire to learn. Then while looking at the smart phone's hanging on the wall of the "Phone Store" a representative allowed me to surf around on one. Well, it was only seconds before I had fallen in love with the simplistic way this tech device functioned. I could find every screen with ease and the function buttons were placed in a very simple pattern even I could manage. Reason two now lay quietly beside reason one.
These New Smart Phone's are just to high-tech for an old-bird like me to use, it would just be a waste of applications and technology. Then I swished my finger across the screen to find a fully touch responsive gadget that was like playing a video game while managing my life all at the same time...hm-mm, now I was starting to get the whole fun filled idea of these New Technology rich products! Reason three, gone the way of the Do-Do bird.
Managing Life from One SmartPhone Location!
All-in-all I kept fighting with less vigor as I challenged myself to get familiar with the Newest Cell Phone technology. This is what I found;
- High quality sound that is easy to hear even with a hearing-aide (my dad confirmed this for me).
- My favorite music at a touch.
- Perfected regular phone functions.
- Easy GPS system in the palm of my hand, in or out of my car.
- Internet access no matter where I am, and the interactive device fits right in my pocket.
- Every date and appointment organized simply on one calendar.
- Daily reminders as to medication timing, doctors appointments, anniversaries, needed groceries, and anything else I tap into the hand held smart phone calendar.
- Access to a calculator, timer, stopwatch, alarm clock, world clock, notepad, and even a sketch pad.
- If my eyes are tired and I can't see so well, I can turn on the voice commands and operate my SmartPhone through the use of my own voice.
- I have an on-board camera that is ready to use in a blink. I rarely miss a fun sudden photo opportunity, and I have even used the camera as a documentation tool for a car accident I witnessed.
- When I am playing the waiting game at the dentist office, I can actually be playing Spider Solitaire, Scrabble, or any other (even action) games I have an app for. I love the portability of all of the games; keeping the brain working at quick pace is vital for the Old School Generation!
- If (God forbid) I can't recall where I am, or get lost, my memory stops working, if I wonder away from a familiar place, or get kidnapped (had to throw that in) the internal locating device in my SmartPhone can help my loved ones find me easily—or know where not to look.
- Anything (almost) that I can do on my computer I can manage on this tiny little Smart Phone. And it fits in my pocket, I can take it everywhere, it is easy to use, and the games are a productive way to help keep my mind sharp in these later years.
SmartPhone Comparison Chart
PHONE
| ESTIMATED AVERAGE COST
| MEMORY
|
---|---|---|
Samsung Galaxy S Pro
| Not Yet Available
| 512 MB LPDDR2
|
Evo 4G
| $300
| 512 MB LPDDR1
|
iPhone 4
| $200 (16GB) -- $300 (32 GB)
| 512 MB LPDDR1
|
Droid X
| $200
| 512 MB LPDDR2
|
Motorola Droid
| $100
| 256 MB LPDDR1
|
Nexus One
| $180
| 512 MB LPDDR1
|
Dell Streak
| $500
| 512 MB LPDDR1
|
Nokia N900
| $480
| 256 MB LPDDR1
|
Blackberry Bold 9700
| $200 (T-Mobile)
| 256 MB LPDDR1
|
Blackberry Storm2 9550
| $150
| 256 MB LPDDR1
|
Palm Pre Plus
| $50 (Verizon) -- $150 (AT&T)
| 512 MB LPDDR1
|
WHAT YOU THINK REALLY DOES MATTER!
Are you worried about being able to understand the New SmartPhone technology?
Teaching an Old Dog, a Few New Smart Phone Tricks
When I think about the fun, time saving, life managing attributes of the New Technology gadget, the Smart Phone, I have to smile. This one tech gadget has changed my daily life, and for the better! Yes. I kicked and screamed about technology taking over the world. Flashes of a monotoned calm computer voice asking for, "Hal" had long been my perception of such science-fiction concepts. I have reassigned my thinking with joy and convenience these days. With a little help from those gadget savvy youngsters who service the world of technology, I found a cohesive relationship with my Smart Phone.
Using a modern cell phone gadget keeps me on time, medicated properly, in the know, and even entertains my down time with games. Am I emmersed in new devices? No, not just yet. But the idea holds very little fear now that I have a wonderful understanding for the use and usefulness of a Smart Phone.
Concluding New Technology for an Old School Generation
In conclusion, I leave you with this; no matter what generation you come from, today's New Technology can bring your life a manageable edge. So the New Technology for this Old School Generation gal, has become more a friend and less a foe. Don't be afraid to reach out to those who were born into this world with laptop in one hand and an iPhone in the other, what they can teach us old dogs, is much!
Comments for "New Technology for an Old School Generation"
Loved this Hub, and I think in your bulleted list you've captured all the many reasons smartphones can really make life so much easier and less boring. I feel like I play "the waiting game" a lot and a well-equipped phone is the best way to deal with that. You brought up some very important health & safety considerations, too. My folks now both have iPhones and while they don't use them as much as I do, I'm glad they're making use of the more important features.
Very useful info? Thanks a lot for your brilliant sharing!
Blind old dog, star trek fan and stuck with the ole school cell phone. Enjoyed the read though, who knows. Maybe someday someone will come up with a smart phone app for the legally blind.
Live long and prosper. Mike
I do appreciate this so much K9 - I am actually considering trading back my "smart" phone because I have done so many stupid things with it, you make a very good point! Thank you for sharing some tech reality, up, useful and awesome of course!
I love new technology and have a Blackberry Curve, but I have not enjoyed this smart phone as much as I thought. The web searching is quite slow and the screen on the phone is very small. Next, I will go for a Droid or iPhone!
Nice hub! :-)
Hi, I am not to bad with technology, saying that I can't get the stupid cell phone to do what I want! its the phones fault not mine! lol I tend to ask a child to fix something for me if I can't figure it out! true! they get it in one second! but seriously, I love my pc, a phone is just for, well, talking, but thats because I don't really need it, and last but not least I love all things easy, and if it makes it get the job done quicker then whoopee! do you know how slow I am though? talk about a Duh moment! I have had this pc for at least two years, and only just discovered the mic speech thingy! not that I think its going to be that good, speak into the mic and it writes for you, on the last computer I had it wrote in chinese! well, not exactly but thats how it seemed to come out! ha ha I will stick to writing by hand! great hub, got me chatting! lol
Hi K9--I am a big dorky Trekkie myself...love old Willie Shatner, heehee! I always feel that I am just behind the technical curve, although I love all these gadgets and gizmos. My kids seem to just "get" it all naturally.
I have a new title, 'New technology for over the hill old fogies like us'.....lol
I keep saying I am old and my fiance keeps cussing me for it so I'll just say mature 40.
I like the way you remind us of where we are coming from with technology. Great article. keep up the good work.
Very interesting hub, I am a complete idiot when it comes to new technology, the only reason my family gave me a touch screen mobile phone, was so that I would become all confused again, I can never quite work out which bit of the screen I should be touching and usually end up screaming in frustration at the damn thing while it decides which game it wants to play when all I wanted to do was call my husband to find out when he will be home. Computers I am a little better with, though not much. Now, which remote do I need to find the news on the T.V.?
YAY!! As a major tech evangelist, I love reading 'conversion' stories. Great Hub!
Well, I'm 35 and don't have a smart phone. I guess my issue is not that I don't think it will make my life easier-it is that it will make my life to easy to never look away from the smart phone. I can very easily procrastinate and I don't want my computer to be available wherever I go or that may be all I do. It is one reason why I do not hae a lap top. I could end up getting nothing else. Or perhaps it is because the people I see with them who are younger than I am by a fair amount-say, 20 and under-spend all their time on them and ignore the choir rehearsal, they actually interruptthereheaarsakl becausetheir section is rehearsing and they aren't singing, or they sit next to each other yet communicate by texting.
Great hub, K9--I marvel at the way the younger generation (and it comes earlier and earlier) can whip around the technology without batting an eyelash!
K9, I am so like you with technology! My mobile phone dates back to the days when I had a full head of hair (OK - maybe not quite that far back...) and is capable of what was a major new feature at that time: sending SMS messages! I used to get free upgrades on phones whenever I asked for them and give them to my ex and her family. My trusty old phone still works perfectly well, on those occasions when I remember to switch it on.
I wouldn't describe myself as a technophobe, I just could never imagine me using one of these phones that you simply touch for instructions, or has Internet, or takes pictures, or anything like that. I'm just an old fashioned dog as well, who is happy the way he is! :)
PS - Love the link to the original Star Trek. My all time favoruite TV programme!
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