Quote: BBC – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11501622
“One thing that appears to be crossing the age divide is the Apple iPad. Figures compiled by YouGov show that 20% of new iPad owners fell in the over-55 bracket, compared with 27% for 25-34-year-olds and 24% for 35-44 year-olds”
On a personal level, my dad has bought one! OK, my dad is very ‘techy’ anyway, where do you think I get it from? He is 78 though! He already had an iPod, a laptop and a desktop. He’s now given his iPod and his laptop to my very happy son. He uses his desktop from time to time but many uses his iPad. His iPad is always with him and infact it’s in Madeira with him right now on his annual month in the sun!
I have been receiving emails from him, the odd image (has has his digital camera with him; of course!) and I know he will be spending his time downloading the newspapers, reading the odd book and taking the odd trip onto the net.
The ipad is great! His eyes aren’t the best and so he can see the iPad enough to use it. The touch screen format is simple and intuitive. He sits quite happliy pootling around the globe from his chair, or from the flat in Madeira, or round at our place, where-ever he is in the world!
The snags? His iPad is the top of the range so cost a fotune – a barrier for some. He already had Wi-Fi at home so hook-up was simple – a barrier for some. He’d already use Apples products before so was very familiar – a barrier for some.
How long will it be before everyone over 60 gets an iPad and Wi-Fi? Everyone of a certain age having their own communctions device (what-ever it will be called) would then feel more in touch, have instant access to all the services, feel safer and not excluded.
I look forward to being retired, sat in my chair with my ‘iPad of the future’ . The question being, what will we be able to do on the device of the future that we can’t do now?
Andy