Ivan and I talked this morning at the gym of an ever-widening generational GAP in technology knowledge that could be an opportunity for anyone targeting the over-50's market. Make young items simpler for those on the other side of the GAP/Chasm to use.
1. LG's cellphone for the elderly
i. My mother needs a phone this simple: A green dial button with icon, a red hang up button with icon, a screen with a slide show of people to call. Number buttons should be covered so they are not pushed inadvertently.
ii. Why can't the phone look and handle like a traditional phone with dial and handset, so the elderly can use it like a familiar item but just not be locked to a land line?
iii. Elderly? Heck, I'm 30, and I don't want any of these extra features. I have a digital camera. I have an iPod. In a cell, I want: small size; long battery life - 3 days, real life use; great reception; virtually indestructable; nifty design; ease of use; I don't care about a color screen. I don't care about these entertainment features. I have specialized devices for those functions that excel at them-- a phone will never be more than a kludge.
2. Rosy outlook for gadgets for elderly
"'What we're finding is that the things that are easy to use are disappearing off the market," he added, citing an anecdote of an older couple who could not find a microware they could work.Regards
"With older people, you have to start from where they are, make things easy to use. Then expose them to these and you will see a far larger uptake."
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790 - www.innercircleforum.com
trevor@innercircleforum.com
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