Todays Modern Technology.

[padi56]

My microwave has a few features I do not use, my VCR and mobile phone a few dozen, my PC keyboard a few hundred, and Windows XP a few thousand, yet I do not buy state of the art, cutting edge, latest must have technology, I buy medium range products which to my senior citizen's mind hopes it can cope with.

Why of why are things so bloody complicated. when I stay at a hotel with remote control air-con I am totally buggered, new TV remote controls are a foreign land to me, I have yet to master the remote control of the VCR, which is now so old that most of the lettering has worn off the hand-set.

Why cannot manufacturers make a range designed for old codgers I ask myself.Think clue is highlighted old codgers like me (and it has to be said) are not any-body's target market, because we don't replace our 'stuff' often enough for them to wring the maximum profit out of us.

My son recently showed me his latest mobile phone. To describe all its facilities took about half an hour. Finally, in desperation, I asked, "Does it make phone calls?"The look I received was (almost) worth the preceding bloody 30 minutes!

My own mobile phone, purchased about five - six years ago, has gone from "state of the art" to "acceptable (just)" to "ho, hum" to "embarrassing antique" and now to "bloody collectible". As far as I'm concerned it's a mobile phone that I can understand and use. Oh, and it's only of any use if you want to phone or, God forbid, text people.

[Goodwatch]

Well Peter, there are a number of companies that are actually trying. Philips tried with a range of domestic appliances for those not interested or not able to control a gazillion features. In my country several cell phones with just the basic features (no camera, no games, no e-mail, no controls for the Star Ship Enterprise ) are being sold. Not old fashioned clunkers, but modern, basic phones with large buttons. The same goes for VCR’s. With some recorders (my DVD recorder inclusive) you need to be a rocket scientist to grab just the basic function: to record a programme at a specific time. There even is a special PC for senior citizens. It’s a Linux based, networked box with access to Internet, e-mail, word processor, a program to store and edit photographs and a chess game. You cannot easily change the settings (and thus cannot foul up) and the whole package comes as a subscription.

But somehow all these efforts don’t seem to attract a large following although our population contains a growing number of 55+ citizens. I don’t know why this is. Perhaps these VCR’s, phones and others stuff bare the ‘this is for old geezers’ label just a bit too obvious.

[JJ Irani]

LOL! Padi...I think it's known as the "Generation Gap"!! When new things would come on the scene in the '70s and '80s, my dad would find them strange and was always quick to chip in with the usual "We never had these things in our days!"

I guess I sometimes say the same to my grandkids!!

[Launch Mini]

When I went to get my "new phone" ( because it was free), the guy asked what features I was looking for.
I simply said," Large numbers that are easy to see"
And he looked at me like I was from Mars.

[Rockrolex]

Can't help you, Padi. I happen to be a gadget freak myself. Arleen is always berating me for buying the phone, computer, DVD player, etc., with more stuff on it, rather than less. She keeps saying, that's just one more thing to break. Unfortunately she is sometimes right. But I can't help myself. Being an electronics engineer by traning, I have a fascination with anything electronic or having to do with computers.

What surprises me is that my kids, who are not engineeringly inclined, are even better at operating this stuff than I am. They grew up with it so it comes naturally to them.

I, on the other hand, have to work at it. But I will say I am better at diagnosing computer problems than they are. That is my one saving grace.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Goodwatch

With some recorders (my DVD recorder inclusive) you need to be a rocket scientist to grab just the basic function: to record a programme at a specific time.

Now Frans I can relate to,and why so many bloody buttons on the R/C if people were honest,how many would say they use all these features my guess would be very few.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Rockrolex

Can't help you, Padi. I happen to be a gadget freak myself. Arleen is always berating me for buying the phone, computer, DVD player, etc., with more stuff on it, rather than less. She keeps saying, that's just one more thing to break. Unfortunately she is sometimes right. But I can't help myself. Being an electronics engineer by traning, I have a fascination with anything electronic or having to do with computers.

What surprises me is that my kids, who are not engineeringly inclined, are even better at operating this stuff than I am. They grew up with it so it comes naturally to them.

I, on the other hand, have to work at it. But I will say I am better at diagnosing computer problems than they are. That is my one saving grace.

Well Ed I am pretty good around my computer,can fix most problems if they occur in windows.But things like these new generation mobile phone baffle me.My sons new phone the hand book guide is 249 pages its like a bleeding library book.They must had cut down half the rainforest to supply the paper. And to do anything on the bloody things, are so long winded,Menus into sub-menus and so on.But do we actually need all these features,do we use all of these things.To most people I would doubt,think its a little bit like Tourbillons,they are most prestigious among the world of complications in watches.But in reality of little real bloody use in the wrist watch world.