When you're young and keeping up with the latest technology, it can be frustrating to have older parents who seemingly refuse to embrace technology or have no interest in it. You may wish you could get them to see the benefits that come with using a smartphone or switching to a digital streaming service, but this may be too big of a leap for them. What you may want to do instead is look for in-between solutions, or tech that is more approachable and easier for them to use as people who have not been following along as tech has matured. Here are a few such options for less tech-savvy parents.
DVR
Maybe you can't convince your parents to give up cable television and switch to a streaming service. Getting them to embrace DVR is a good intermediate step that will make their TV watching so much more flexible. DVR, or digital video recording, allows them to record shows without watching them. They can then go back and watch those same shows later on. Thus, your parents can keep their cable subscription, but have more options of what to watch at any given time. Most internet service providers and cable providers offer DVR as an add-on service for just a few dollars per month.
Simple Smartphones
The newest smartphones have so many excellent features, from top-notch cameras to voice recognition. This is awesome for you, but it might be too intimidating for your parents. Consider buying them a smartphone designed specifically for seniors. Such smartphones usually have pared-down operating systems that only accommodate simple apps. They can make calls, download basic apps, text, and check email, but not too much else. This may sound really limiting to you, but it will sound so much more comfortable to someone who still thinks of a phone as a device with a cord.
Chromebooks
When it comes to computers, the newest operating systems can be a bit confusing to someone who has not followed along with each update over the years. All your parent really needs to do on their computer is probably connect to the Internet, check email, and do some basic searches. Consider buying them a Chromebook for this purpose. The Chrome OS is very simple and basically interfaces with a browser. It might be a bit limiting for someone working in design or tech, but it's perfect for a parent who is intimidated by computers.
Share18 June 2019
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