I have decided there are three types of people in the world: The first type doesn’t ever want to change. They want things to stay the same way that they were last week, last year, or even last decade. They fight change to the very end, and if they do have to make a change, they are never happy about it.
The second type of person is the one that isn’t completely resistant to change, but doesn’t jump in line the second something new is announced to try it out. After the new thing has been tested and proven to work, then they are happy to change to it.
The third type of person is the one that wants to be at the cutting edge of change. As soon as some new idea comes out, they are trying it. They just have to have that new whatever, no matter what the cost.
My parents are the second type of people. The other day, my father came up to me and started talking to me about tablets. I thought it rather odd at first since they never really seemed all that interested in my tablets when I have had them around their house before. I have noticed that they do tend to try new things, but sometimes it just takes some unconventional methods.
For example, my parents swore they would never get on Facebook. They didn’t see the point, and said they never would. Then my sister had a baby – and she started posting pictures on Facebook. Before that baby was six months, old my parents were on Facebook, sharing a single profile. But when my mother started running, she found out she could post her runs using her Nike wristband directly to Facebook. Now, she has her own page – they just had to see that there are some good reasons to have something, and then they were willing to try it. It just takes the right kind of motivation.
My parents purchased their first computer from Gateway a few years after they started selling them in those cow-looking boxes. Since then, they haven’t always had a computer. There were times when my siblings or I had our own computers, and my parents were fine without one. About five years ago, they decided to buy a laptop. That laptop is on its last leg; I have fixed things on it a few times, and tweaked the software to keep it running as best I could, but the end is near. That is why my father started talking to me about tablets. He started asking what he should buy, and I answered like I usually do: “Well, what do you want to use it for?”
His needs are pretty simple. He needs to be able to browse the internet, check his email, check Facebook (of course), and he would like to try reading ebooks on it. Plus, it needs to have at least a 10-inch screen. I immediately thought that an iPad would be perfect for him because of how simple it is to use, but then I thought that, with how basic his needs are, maybe Android would be better because he could get one a little bit cheaper.
Then I had an idea. I have an extra TouchPad at home that I had bought for my wife, but she doesn’t use it. I could wipe the data, update it to the newest version of CM9, and set it up for my parents to try out. That way, he could spend some time getting to know Android before we made a decision on what to buy. I personally think that an ASUS Transformer would be great for him with the attached keyboard dock, but we will have to wait and see what he decides. In the mean time, I have to get that TouchPad ready for him to try and see what he thinks. I’m interested to see how my parents decide things on this new technological journey, and will keep you updated along the way.
It’s always interesting introducing your parents or other older relatives to new technology. My uncle does not really protest when I jokingly refer to him as a Luddite…..lol.
Some older people are funny when it comes to technology. I have an older couple at my church that will bring me in copies of error messages and then want me to fix their computer problem for them on the spot. I usually tell them I need to check some things out, then Google the error message and tell them what I find. They are happy cause I fix their problems, and I don’t even have to touch their computer.
My mother was in a similar situation and seemed to like my Transformer, so me and my sister decided to give her one for her birthday… This was back at the start of the year before the TF300 was out, the old one cost us $325 so it was still a decent deal, specially since I just gave her my own dock as I don’t use it much unless I’m traveling… She’s really taken to it. There’s a few things she still needs the old desktop for but they are few and not daily sort of tasks (creating new Gmail labels, printing certain documents or opening some PPX slideshows). She’s now considering AT&T’s new shared data plan (my sister is still mooching off their family plan) in order to get cheap(er) tethering for the tablet…
If my parents do switch to the tablet I could see their current laptop hanging on for another few years if they only need to use it sporadically. I’m hoping to talk to my dad in the next couple days and see how he is doing with the tablet.
Tablets are the perfect technological conversion devices! Easier to use than pc’s but diverse in their uses, they quickly become truly personal computers because of the interaction method (I think).
Last year I bought my mom and iPad 2, this year she upgraded herself to a 3 without telling anyone about it and you never see her without at her side. My step dad who never even used a computer more than a couple times a year? Every night he’s on Craigslist or looking up antiques on the Xoom I got him.
It’s been really fascinating to a geek like myself. I hope your experiment goes well.