Technology for Seniors

Written By: Ron - Dec• 03•11

Here are some of the things we talked about on the “Ken the Contractor” show.  Enjoy them and visit his site and ours for updates!

The facts to prove technology isn’t as alien to elderly people as some might think-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/housing-network/2011/jul/13/oldest-tenants-newest-technology?INTCMP=SRCH

  • Over-65s are joining Facebook faster than any other age group
  • The fastest-growing demographic on the dating site Match.com is the over-50s
  • 60% of baby boomers in the US (almost 47 million people) are consumers of social media including blogs, forums, podcasts and online videos


Services are currently out there, some of them with names like

Healthsense (http://www.healthsense.com/) and iReminder (http://ireminder.com/) and Lifeline (www.lifelinesys.com)

  • There are costs associated with installing the hardware,
  • the sensors within the house
  • which can cost, you know, up to eight to $10,000.
  • then there’s usually a monthly fee for the actual service for monitoring and that can start at anywhere from $10 for a very basic service up to $100 for 24/7 home monitoring with a live person kind of keeping track.

    • Watching the Elderly
    ISPY Connect (open source software – you have to purchase the hardware)
    http://www.ispyconnect.com

    Started out with the software owner/designer wanting to prove or disprove ghosts and UFOs.

    Now it is mainly used for Security in Homes, offices, staff watching, nanny cams, pet watching and on for free.

    IP Thermostats
    $250ish and up 
    Keep them from running the temp up too high/low when confused. 

    Walk in Bath Tubs

    Pros:

    • Comfort
    • Muscle & joint pain helped via water-jets (Jacuzzi-like)
    • Fits in area size of regular shower/tub

    Cons:

    • Waiting for it to fill
    • Can’t open the door until drained…time
    • Less expensive models sometimes have problems with leaks around walk-in door
    • Can be too complicated for some elderly people to use.
    • Some customers complain of claustrophobia
    Special useful item for all of us not just our elderly friends and family.

    Check out OpenIt!Do you have problems opening those stinkingly uncooperative “blister packs” that some products come enclosed in?  I realize that they are done this way for security purposes but come on, you can’t hardly get into them.

    For under $15, one product on the market can really help, “OpenIt! Plastic Package Opener”!  Take a look and see what you think.

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    Try Stumbling and See How You Like It

    Written By: Ron - Aug• 15•11

    This week I am going to talk about an interesting site that I put off using for several years.  There was really nothing wrong with it but I just didn’t "get it".  I was told by a friend how they used it to discover new things in areas of interest and enjoy winding down at the end of the day by stumbling upon different sites.

    The site is, you guessed it, simply named Stumble Upon (stumbleupon.com).  The way SumbleUpon logoStumble Upon works is you begin by creating a free account with an email address and password.  They also allow you to "relate" it to your Facebook account so that you use the same sign-in for both.  I don’t like doing that so I have a separate account. 

    You then proceed to manage your interests in Stumble Upon.  They have some categories set up to guide you through the process. Once you are done you can start stumbling.  My interests are currently set at things like Gadgets, Technology, Internet, Christianity, Programming, Movies, Photography and TV to name a few.

    To stumble you start from your Stumble Upon homepage and click the large golden button labeled, "Stumble Your Interests".  It also adds a toolbar to the top of the browser.  Do not worry.  It is only temporary while you are stumbling.  If you wish to add a "full time" Stumble Upon toolbar you can, but the choice is yours.  I don’t want extra toolbars so I don’t choose that option. 

    It then takes you to other sites dealing with one or more of your interests.  The toolbar also allows you to "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" the site depending on how you like it.  You may also share the site with Twitter, Facebook, email and others if you wish.

    I do like to stumble upon sites using this on occasion.  It is really great when you find a site that you are interested in; however, I have found that I have about a 50/50 chance of getting a site that actually interests me.  If you don’t like it or don’t care you don’t have to rate it and can just click your, "Stumble!" button to continue on to the next suggestion.

    You can also choose to share your interesting sites with your followers…yes, think Facebook or Twitter-like on that one.  There are many other options on the site you may want to experiment with, try it out and let me know how you like stumbling through cyberspace.

    image

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    In the Cloud

    Written By: Ron - Jul• 15•11

    I was talking to a friend of mine about security of documents in the “Cloud”. I presented him with a thought that I voice often and that is, at this point in time, I do not put anything confidential online; including in my emails and online storage. Never do I have my social security number, debit card number, bank usernames or passwords online anywhere.

    A very basic definition of the cloud is (when talking computers and technology) the place where companies deliver many services online.. In other words the service is on a server somewhere in cyberspace and not on your local hard drive. You can access these services from your computer.

    imageSome of the services include fully developed applications like Google Apps, Microsoft Office 365, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo mail and even fun things like Pandora. There are also many cloud storage services, for instance, DropBox (my favorite http://bit.ly/use-DropBox), Windows Life Mesh, Amazon S3, etc.

    There are a tremendous number of cloud services to choose from. The list grows daily – probably by the minute. Some of these services are free while others are not.

    One concern I have is where your information stored. I mean where geographically, as in what country? What if your important data is stored on a junk (not one of the best available) server somewhere in a war-torn country where the costs are much less expensive? Then what if that country has a military coup or is destroyed by some other country? How do you get your data and/or what are the new guys doing with your information?

    Next, what if the company that has your information goes bankrupt or is sold to someone else? You would hope that proper provision has been made for continuous service, but what if it hasn’t?

    Here is one last thought for you to lay awake at night and consider. Where is one of the weakest links in any security? It would be people, plain and simple. More than likely your password is safe and won’t be compromised by people in the company servicing your online data but that isn’t my people concern. Think about the “uncrackable safe” scenario for a bank. Banks want to advertise their vault as one that no one, not even the locksmith can get into. This gives their customers a great feeling of security. But think about this…if even a locksmith can’t get into it, what happens during an emergency or some foul-up? How can they get their money out? It could be locked up forever. So there has to be someone with the ability to get into that safe through a “back door”.

    The same thing is true for cloud storage. Even though it may be ultimately and inscrutably secure, someone has to be able to get to the data on the servers in case of an emergency. This could quite possibly be their most dissatisfied and disgruntled employee. Think about that for a minute.

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    Crap Cleaner & Porn Browser Mode

    Written By: Ron - Jun• 15•11

    A reader from Shenandoah, Virginia wrote and asked me a couple of good questions.  First, she wanted to know which files she should delete when working in her browser under Options. 

    When using your browser to delete temporary/old files (settings vary per browser), there is one that I don’t delete.  That is the one that has to do with deleting saved passwords.  Note that it is labeled slightly different in the various browsers but you will be able to figure it out from the title.  For more experienced users you may choose differently, but that is OK, to each their own.  I like to keep the "recorded" passwords in particular so that the individual sites will not need me to remember the passwords and retype them the next time I visit a site.  This is only true if you allow your browser to remember your sites’ passwords.

    imageAfter saying all of that I have a better recommendation.  I am surprised, but it appears as though I have never mentioned this application before and I have been using it for many years.  The app is called "Ccleaner" (ccleaner.com) and according to the site, "Historically the software was originally called "Crap Cleaner", but this was shortened to CCleaner to prevent any offense and to allow corporations to use it."  So there you go for your "inside info".

    CCleaner will run through your programs and delete all of the unneeded files.  Now be warned that it is removing files from your computer which could cause problems; however, after using it for years, I have never, ever had any issues caused by CCleaner.  

    Once, you install it, run the CLEANER at the top, left side and after it completes run REGISTRY.  I always use the default settings and delete all of the suggested things that will come up in the list.  It will clean your browser (which must be closed for CCleaner to run) and your computers "junk" files too.  They ask for $24.95 for priority support, but as of now I have never had a reason to get support, so I suggest the freebie.

    Donna also asked about what "InPrivate Browsing" which she saw while looking around her browser.  It is also labeled as, "Private Browsing" in FireFox and "Incognito Windows" in Google Chrome; however, it is the same thing.

    imageThe InPrivate browser settings are jokingly called by many the "Porn Browser Mode".  Basically, InPrivate and its other nomenclatures, will not leave a trace of where a person has gone on the internet, i.e., no cookies.  Then if someone else checks their computer they can’t see what sites they have visited in the past.  Although you should be aware that your internet service provider can provide that information if needed,  InPrivate only keeps your history off of your local computer.

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    To Nook or Not to Nook, is that the question?

    Written By: Ron - May• 16•11

    OK, although I never thought I, or my wife would participate in the latest technological "fad," we have.
     
    It’s confession time here.  I bought one; but it is mainly for my wife’s use.  The culprit is an e-book Reader.  Yes, a month or two ago I bought a Nook which is sold by Barnes & Noble stores.  Now one aside here:  If you know me you know that I am tight, a penny-pincher, cheap and any of the other words with the same connotation.  So I bought one of the black and white or e-ink, refurbished ones for about half the price of buying one new.  It has the same guarantee as new, so I figured, "What the heck, let’s give it a spin."

    Again, being a miser, I first went out and got some old Edgar Rice Burroughs books I had read as a kid.  They are free all over the net.  I downloaded mine at Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org). 

    I am an avid reader, when I have the time, and figured I would miss the tactile sensation of holding a paper book.  I found that after about three minutes I was lost in the book and could care less about the feel. I have to admit I liked the experience.

    imageMy wife likes to read (especially in the summer when school is out) so we bought her first e-book.  This is in a continuing series she reads and she likes it too.  And not having to stack the book somewhere to store it is good, too.  Once read you can archive the book, go back another day and re-download it for another reading. We also now have a book or two from the Barnes & Noble Nook site.

    The Nook I bought will also surf the net (in black and white, or e-ink) but it is not really an enjoyable experience.  However, if you get one of the new color Nooks (Nook Color) it is a good thing…not bad at all.  With the Nook Color you can surf the net, check email and do many things that you can do on more expensive tablet PCs.  It also has the Android operating system which is another plus in my opinion.

    That being said, it is not a fully developed Android tablet with access to the Market and the full gamut of Android applications and features.  It does have some of the Android Market at this point but not the major part, although I imagine that will change in time.

    You can also get full copies of most of your favorite glossy magazines with lots of photographs on the Nook Color.  It is excellent to read them this way and there are no trash byproducts when you are finished.  Magazines for the e-ink readers display gray-scale images and most images are omitted from these.  Many newspapers are also available for e-readers.

    There are a couple of things you should note.  If you read mostly indoors, even in rooms with miserable lighting, the Nook Color is a good choice with a listed battery life of about eight hours. If you read outdoors at a picnic bench or on vacations at the poolside, get the e-ink reader like I did. E-ink displays look their best under bright light and require reading lights or ambient room lighting indoors.  The e-ink is amazing to see in action, but not in poor light.  This one also has an advertised battery life of ten days, yes, days… not hours. Also, the lack of a touch screen on the e-ink reader makes navigation awkward on anything other than books.

    Speaking of books, you can get most of the latest titles Barnes & Noble carries for your reader.  The prices are below the prices of printed books, so that is another good thing. 

    I now disagree with my first statement.  I do not believe it is a fad as something like it will be around for a long time.

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    Wireless or Wired in Your Home?

    Written By: Ron - Apr• 16•11

    You live in a home as we all do, whether an apartment, townhouse, single-family, duplex, etc. Also, you use a computer in your home.  OK, I know that last one isn’t true for everyone but if you are reading this I will make that assumption.  You may be thinking about upgrading your internet connection; either a more modern Wi-Fi router or hard-wired with multiple outlets around your home…which way should you go?

    Cat5 infoOne thing to consider is that Wi-Fi requires you to set up one additional component for somewhere around $50; whereas, wired requires you to run Cat5 cable throughout your place with a significantly higher cost.  That could be a limiting factor.  If you are doing some major rehabbing of your home or building a new home, the decision becomes easy.  Wire your home if at all possible.

    But isn’t Wi-Fi any good?  Absolutely, Yes!  But Wi-Fi does have some limitations.Generic Wi-Fi Router

    As Bill Testerman, of  Silicon Logic, states about wireless, “Distance and the speed of your connection are inversely proportional in logarithmic fashion.  Thus, for a given frequency band, higher speed always means lower distance.  You want to sit 50 feet from your access point?  Prepare to sacrifice performance.”

    Unfortunately he goes on to say, “The only workaround is high-power radio transmitters, which are limited by the FCC to fairly low values, due to potential interference and other issues.  With a wired connection, you don’t suffer nearly this significant a loss over distance.”

    Basically, wired is solid, wireless has some limiting factors.

    Simply stated, with Wi-Fi the further you are from the source, the greater your broadcast signal degrades.  Also, other factors interfere with your signal.  Construction materials, i.e., drywall, concrete, etc. in your home can slow down the waves along with wireless phones, copper wires in your walls, running HVAC etc.

    After all that “bad” news I will say that for my internet use, wireless router is fine.  I can surf the net, work from home, and watch videos including Netflix and Hulu, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc. I like it and for $39.95 it was well worth the investment in the wireless router and a quick set up.

    I have wireless in my home and love it…best of all I can sit on my back porch to work, or swatch and play online– not necessarily in that order.

    The only workaround is high-power radio transmitters, which are limited by the FCC to fairly low values, due to potential interference and other issues
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