Am I the only one getting older and becoming anxious about technology?

[morningcoffee]

I'm in my mid forties. I've always been slow to learn how to use technology and I see myself getting further behind.

 

I'm not talking about keeping up with technology for the sake of "keeping up with the Joneses". I'm really thinking about my future ability to pay bills, deal with health care providers, banking, communicating with organisations, re-enter the full time workforce etc. 

 

I'm not really looking for advice but just wanting to know if I'm the only one. 

 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

I get like this sometimes, but then I make some great leap forward and cure myself for a while.

 

I choose to believe that 

1)  Early adopters are stupid, paying exhorbitant prices for buggy early versions of things

2)  I am waiting for the bugs to be ironed out and the price to come down before jumping in

3)  When I jump in, I do it thoroughly but I don't do upgrades for a while.  This stuff is supposed to be a bunch of tools, not a second job, LOL

4)  When I'm ready to jump into something, there is always help, and as long as I can formulate really precise questions I can get the help I need, almost always for free.

5)  There is technology that I'm totally looking forward to!  For instance, by the time I'm not safe on the road I'm counting on self-driving cars to take me everywhere.  That means that I'll be able to go to the mountains and come back without relying on marginal driving skills on curvy windy mountain roads.  That's a good thing!

6)  I've had lots of practice in going against the flow.  After all, I'm a homeschooler!  So it doesn't bother me all that much.

 

Except paid TV. That has passed me by completely and I don't see how I'll ever catch up to that one.  But at least I have Amazon Prime.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Carol in Cal.

[marbel]

The only thing I worry about with regard to being behind in technology is related to reentering the workforce.  There are a lot of things I don't know how to do and I don't feel I have the time or ability to learn them to be functional enough on a job.   Like, Excel spreadsheets.  I can't figure them out.  My husband has tried to help me but he is a geek and can't get down to my level.  I think our public library has classes.

 

Other than that, no, I'm not worried.  Everything gets easier all the time, and there are always going to be young people who can deal with stuff and help me out.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

There has been only one area for me.  Cell phones.  I have been very resistant.  I have a prepaid piece of crud "feature" (AKA dumb) phone that I never use.  I don't even have an ongoing plan.  I just buy minutes in the rare event I need to use the phone.  I don't give the number out and just claim I don't have one because I figure it would be pointless if I never have it with me. 

 

I sometimes feel a little left out.  People will say oh just download our app.  Once at dance the instructor invited parents to come in and film moves for the routine (I couldn't do that). 

 

But that still doesn't really  make me want to go and buy one because I think for the little thing here or there it would just be a waste of money for me. 

 

I have tablets, computers, use on-line banking, etc.  I could even probably put a basic computer together because I've seen my DH and son put them together so many times (and I used to be into doing it). 

[Prairie~Phlox]

I love all of the stuff that I can easily do. Paying bills without having to use a stamp, or even just having things electronically withdrawn is awesome. I deposit checks through my phone, super easy. So many time & moneysavers for sure.

[Guest]

I am actually annoyed that one of my health care providers doesnt upload my bloodwork results into their patient portal. I want trends as well as snapshots...so easy to see on the other providers' portals. Maybe I am annoyed that the lab doesnt make it easy for all of us and put all my data in one place, accessible by all. As noted above, this is supposed to be a time saver.

[Guest]

I'm not anxious about web based tech or anything like that, and am comfortable opting out of a lot of linked and bio technology. Pick and choose what suits you - don't stress about having to adopt if all because it will never be necessary. There will always be a leading edge and always be a lagging edge, and being on the lagging edge of tech is just fine. The only case I'd amend that is employability. But it's not like you won't be able to function in five years because you won't use a VR headset.

[Bluegoat]

In a way.  There are a few things I've resisted.  I don't have a cell phone, and I don't do internet banking.  I also haven't bought a tablet or anything like that, I still use a laptop.

 

There are different reasons for these but mainly I don't think the trade-offs for convenience are all that worthwhile. But in some cases I've started to think it is a losing battle, I'll have to buy into things.  It's a bit weird to feel behind, when I was younger I was pretty good with technology at school and in my work.  Now the idea of learning some of it just tires me.

[38carrots]

I don't worry about my own use of technology, and yet I'm a bit anxious. I don't like the technology. I don't like that in order to be in touch one pretty much needs to be on FB. I hate what it implies and the invasion of privacy. I have and barely use a dumb cell. However DD is going to be travelling abroad on her own this winter, and she would feel more comfortable if she could text me at any time. I think I will love having a smart phone--mostly for such things as a pedometer, GPS, calendar, and the ability to text DD. But the whole technololgy thing and the wireless technology and how everything is interconnected--this makes me uneasy. I feel old and behind my times...I'm 40.

 

ETA: I do internet banking; I have a tablet; I shop online all the time.

Edited October 31, 2016 by 38carrots

[creekland]

I've resisted all attempts to get me to buy into smart phones.  I stick with my lowly cheap TracFone - something like $20 for three months and just $5 for the phone.

 

Today at school I received a text update from the teacher I'm in for (who has cancer and is undergoing treatments).  When I pulled out my phone to share the text with the kids (she's ok with that), I started to apologize for my lack of keeping up with technology, but you know what?  The class (9th graders) agreed that I was smart to stay cheap and stick with the internet on my computer!   :svengo:

 

I don't feel so badly about being in the dark ages now.  When I tell people I'm not on FB they often think I'm better off skipping that too...

 

There are pros to not buying into everything IME.

 

That said, I do pay most bills online and use technology like smartboards in school.  I doubt I know how to use the boards as well as some do, but I have learned to use them some - graphing calculators too (for Alg -> Calc - I resist using them for Stats).

Edited October 31, 2016 by creekland

[morningcoffee]

There has been only one area for me.  Cell phones.  I have been very resistant.  I have a prepaid piece of crud "feature" (AKA dumb) phone that I never use.  I don't even have an ongoing plan.  I just buy minutes in the rare event I need to use the phone.  I don't give the number out and just claim I don't have one because I figure it would be pointless if I never have it with me. 

 

I sometimes feel a little left out.  People will say oh just download our app.  Once at dance the instructor invited parents to come in and film moves for the routine (I couldn't do that). 

 

I could have written this  ... even the bit about pretending not to have a cell.  

[Pawz4me]

I use lots of technology. I have a smart phone, a laptop, an iPad, a Kindle Fire and a Kindle e-reader. Those are all mine, not shared devices. But mostly I use them for fun and convenience. And that I don't mind one bit. I really need to learn Excel, as that seems to be something that just about every employer wants. But I don't want to learn it. I'd rather do fun, non stressful stuff with my tech toys. ;) 

[Liz CA]

It's not so much the optional stuff like FB, Snapchat and what not. I am not on any of those and don't miss it. But I have been wondering - if I am still alive in 10-15 years - if there will be still humans to check your purchases out in stores? Will I have to communicate with a robot if I cannot find something? :)

Will drones deliver my online purchases and accidentally run into my car while trying to land? :lol:

Leave it to me to think of this kind of stuff...

[morningcoffee]

I completely reject this idea.  I don't mean that I necessarily disagree with you specifically.  More that, I dislike the idea of that as much as you do.....so I find other ways to be "in touch," at least with those important enough. 

 

Today is Halloween.  I got my kids all dressed up, lined them up in front of their carved pumpkins and then took a very short video of them saying Happy Halloween!  I then sent a text message with that video to my parents, my sister, my oldest daughter, etc.  I don't even think it required that much more effort than uploading to facebook.  Sure, there weren't 65 people that saw it...but really, I don't know 65 people well enough that my kids need to say Happy Halloween to them.  I connected to the important people.  Random person I went to high school with 20 years ago....don't care if they see my kids say Happy Halloween. 

 

I love that we have tech to do that.  Honestly, it felt very Harry Potter like.  Like those magically moving pictures they have all over.  Except it wasn't magic.  It was tech.  And I am totally thrilled with that.

 

I just reject the idea that so much connection with everything else is NECESSARY. 

But I think a lot of groups and companies use facebook to communicate - in fact, one of my husband's church groups only uses facebook to communicate and if you're not on facebook then you miss important information. 

[Liz CA]

But I think a lot of groups and companies use facebook to communicate - in fact, one of my husband's church groups only uses facebook to communicate and if you're not on facebook then you miss important information. 

 

Well, this is true. Dh has a FB account to communicate with family and golf buddies. I just don't see the need to have one as well. If something interesting happens, he tells me.

I really don't know if I would feel compelled to establish a FB account if I didn't have dh's.

[Garga]

Right now with the kids, I have very little free time. I have time to myself in little spurts. I have trouble learning things in little spurts. I need to sit down for 3 hours and figure out my phone. I don't have 3 hours to figure out my phone. So, it's not figured out. It's not a smart phone, so at least I'm only paying $20 every three months for it. The only reason I have it is for if I break down on the side of the road in the middle of a snowstorm.

 

I think that when the kids are grown I'll have the time to start learning this stuff. Maybe. In the meanwhile I do feel a bit of mild unease that I'm getting too far behind.

 

It took me months to wrap my head around "the cloud." And about half a year to figure out what everyone meant when they said "app." I found the concepts confusing and felt very, very old. :)

Edited November 1, 2016 by Garga

[Guest]

I am concerned about privacy issues, software freedom, etc. and am very grateful to be old enough to "pass" as a technophobe since it is so much easier to choose to opt out of the surveillance society by feigning ignorance.

 

Since I am in my early 50s, no one questions me when I say I "don't understand" Facebook or that my computer is "too old" to run Intel Management Engine or other spyware.

 

It wouldn't go over very well if a 30-something tried that.

[Ausmumof3]

I don't know. I think what's easy about smart phones is they are so smart. iPhone at least is pretty easy to figure out. If you worked your way around Windows you can definitely work your way around an iPhone. I see technology becoming easier and easier to use even as it can do more. Kind of how in the earlier years if you wanted to drive it was a major complication to learn because everything was manual but now there's power steering and automatic and tiptronic etc it's far easier.

[Bluegoat]

One thing is that I think at this point, things like FB aren't going to become as necessary as, say, a telephone.  For most people no phone at all would be tricky, though I've known people who have done it.  But with internet communications, there seem to be too many different choices for any one to become a real requirement.  FB is the closest but many people, especially the younger ones, seem to prefer other things.

 

But I sometimes think I might end up like the people without phones.

[Wheres Toto]

 

 

Except paid TV. That has passed me by completely and I don't see how I'll ever catch up to that one.  But at least I have Amazon Prime.

 

I think this one is going in the opposite direction.  I know a lot of people giving up cable and satellite in favor of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime.

 

We have a lot of tech - two laptops for dh and I, two desktops for the kids.  The kids and I have Kindle Fires, dh and I have smartphones and we're getting one to leave at the house because the kids are starting to stay home alone in little bits of time and we don't have a landline.   I'm very active on Facebook, including private groups for activities the kids are in.

 

We live in the boonies where cell service sucks so I've had to learn a bunch of stuff about how to boost signals.

 

I've always kept up pretty well because when I work my job is very tech dependent.  I'm an executive assistant and I have to keep up with Word, Excel, Powerpoint, internet searching, databases, conferencing software, how to set up webconferences and file sharing using a variety of software, a few different types of proprietary databases that companies used (I worked for a marketing company so we had to work with the software our clients used).  My last position (that I left in March) I also had an Iphone and often had to help my boss fix her iPad so I had to learn those too.  Our email system didn't sync well with iPhones so I had to learn all kinds of things about reloading and tweaking things so they would work.  

 

I'm 47.  I've been working as an assistant since I was in my 20's and worked on WordPerfect 5.0 in Dos.

[Wheres Toto]

Netflix, Hulu, etc...they ARE paid tv.  Just a different version.  They aren't cable, but they also are certainly not over the air broadcast tv. 

 

I usually see those referred to as subscription services, not paid tv.  IME, "paid tv" usually refers to those where you can watch shows as they are airing on a network or cable station, without needing a computer.

 

We actually have an antennae for our main channels.  Surprisingly considering how crappy our cell signals are, we get a lot of over-air channels.

[The Girls' Mom]

I don't worry too much.  My in-laws are in their 70s and can operate an iPhone, have an iPad, and regularly use the internet for bills, etc.  If they can learn when they didn't even grow up around it, then surely I can keep up.  I *have* noticed that my kids can pick up on new tech faster than I can, but that is just the nature of the beast.

[Lady Florida.]

I don't believe it's an age thing but more a personality thing. I turned 61 yesterday. Read below to see all the devices I have. Two people born the same year as me are Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Gates is 2 days older than I am.

 

I know people my age who have trouble using the simplest cell phones. I have a friend 12 years younger who needed me to show her how to use her Roku. While it's true that the older we get the harder it is to learn new things, any new things, all fear or dislike of technology isn't age related.

 

 

I love all of the stuff that I can easily do. Paying bills without having to use a stamp, or even just having things electronically withdrawn is awesome. I deposit checks through my phone, super easy. So many time & moneysavers for sure.

  

 

I love the convenience technology provides. In addition to the above, I love being able to talk to my grandsons on video so we can see as well as hear each other. I love texting. I love electronic shopping lists and coupons and calendars and more.

 

I use lots of technology. I have a smart phone, a laptop, an iPad, a Kindle Fire and a Kindle e-reader. Those are all mine, not shared devices. But mostly I use them for fun and convenience.

 

I use my devices in productive as well as fun ways. I have a smart phone, laptop, Kindle e-reader, and tablet. I had a Kindle Fire but replaced it with the tablet. Mine are also not shared. We use a Roku to watch nearly all of our tv shows from streaming services.

[Lady Florida.]

I *have* noticed that my kids can pick up on new tech faster than I can, but that is just the nature of the beast.

That's certainly the case in our house. Ds and I have the same phone but I got mine 3 months before he got his. Within a week of him have the phone learned of things it can do that owning it for 3 months didn't teach me. :D

Edited November 1, 2016 by Lady Florida.

[Serenade]

I'm in my mid forties. I've always been slow to learn how to use technology and I see myself getting further behind.

 

I'm not talking about keeping up with technology for the sake of "keeping up with the Joneses". I'm really thinking about my future ability to pay bills, deal with health care providers, banking, communicating with organisations, re-enter the full time workforce etc. 

 

I'm not really looking for advice but just wanting to know if I'm the only one.

You're not the only one.

 

In some areas, there are already things that you can only do with a smart phone.

[Serenade]

I don't know. I think what's easy about smart phones is they are so smart. iPhone at least is pretty easy to figure out.

I, too, think an iPhone is pretty easy to figure out. It is fairly intuitive, although I've found that my upgraded phone (now a couple of years old), was not as intuitive as my first one.

 

 

If you worked your way around Windows you can definitely work your way around an iPhone. I see technology becoming easier and easier to use even as it can do more. Kind of how in the earlier years if you wanted to drive it was a major complication to learn because everything was manual but now there's power steering and automatic and tiptronic etc it's far easier.

See, I don't see if becoming easier and easier. It seems to me that when devices are upgraded, they actually become harder to use. I can't name one at the moment, but there were features on my old phone that I really liked, and when I got my new phone, those same features either seemed to require more steps, or they were hard to figure out. Sometimes somebody just wants a basic function, and not something that is more complicated and does more, but also ends up being harder to use.

 

I want my electronics to be as simple as turning on a TV. Well, as simple as turning on a TV in the old days. It's a good thing I never watch TV anymore because I have never once bothered to figure out how to use all the remotes and such for our new (also two years old, LOL) TV.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I could have written this  ... even the bit about pretending not to have a cell.  

 

I've had people get mad like they don't believe me.  The phone sits in a drawer.  I'm not even sure if it works anymore at this point.  Plus I don't want anyone calling me on my cell.  With my luck I'll have it with me and be in some place where having it ring would be very bad. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

A huge turn off to me with cell phones (smart phones ) is the size.  The Kindle Fire is about as small as I can tolerate.  Smaller, I think it would be too annoying to use.  I bring my tablet with me wherever I go and lots of places have free wifi, but anytime I try to type on-line or whatever I give up.  I can't stand doing it. 

 

 

[38carrots]

I completely reject this idea.  I don't mean that I necessarily disagree with you specifically.  More that, I dislike the idea of that as much as you do.....so I find other ways to be "in touch," at least with those important enough. 

 

Today is Halloween.  I got my kids all dressed up, lined them up in front of their carved pumpkins and then took a very short video of them saying Happy Halloween!  I then sent a text message with that video to my parents, my sister, my oldest daughter, etc.  I don't even think it required that much more effort than uploading to facebook.  Sure, there weren't 65 people that saw it...but really, I don't know 65 people well enough that my kids need to say Happy Halloween to them.  I connected to the important people.  Random person I went to high school with 20 years ago....don't care if they see my kids say Happy Halloween. 

 

I love that we have tech to do that.  Honestly, it felt very Harry Potter like.  Like those magically moving pictures they have all over.  Except it wasn't magic.  It was tech.  And I am totally thrilled with that.

 

I just reject the idea that so much connection with everything else is NECESSARY. 

 

I have no problem being in touch with my close friends and family via phone / email. By needing to be in touch I meant coaches, music teachers, homeschooling groups, events etc. I'll never know about what's going on in our homeschooling community if I wasn't on FB. Well, I guess I could find a friend from the group who is on FB and call her and ask what's new, but I wouldn't impose this on anyone. Nothing is via email anymore, never mind he phone. If DS's music lesson is cancelled and I'm not on FB, I would have no way of knowing.

[38carrots]

I've had people get mad like they don't believe me.  The phone sits in a drawer.  I'm not even sure if it works anymore at this point.  Plus I don't want anyone calling me on my cell.  With my luck I'll have it with me and be in some place where having it ring would be very bad. 

 

It probably doesn't. Ask me how I know.

[morningcoffee]

I don't believe it's an age thing but more a personality thing. 

Yes I agree but the part of my personality that is bewildered by technology is getting worse with age! 

[Slartibartfast]

I've had people get mad like they don't believe me.  The phone sits in a drawer.  I'm not even sure if it works anymore at this point.  Plus I don't want anyone calling me on my cell.  With my luck I'll have it with me and be in some place where having it ring would be very bad. 

 

 

You can turn off the ringer if you don't want it to ring.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I have no problem being in touch with my close friends and family via phone / email. By needing to be in touch I meant coaches, music teachers, homeschooling groups, events etc. I'll never know about what's going on in our homeschooling community if I wasn't on FB. Well, I guess I could find a friend from the group who is on FB and call her and ask what's new, but I wouldn't impose this on anyone. Nothing is via email anymore, never mind he phone. If DS's music lesson is cancelled and I'm not on FB, I would have no way of knowing.

 

I am on FB, but begrudgingly.  It was the only way to stay in touch with certain information.

 

What annoys me to no end are the zillions of e-mails.  In some cases even after trying to unsubscribe I have to block them to stop getting them.  Then some stuff I do want to get e-mails, but do they really need to send a daily e-mail?  For example each of the activities the kids do they e-mail constantly.  The activity might be a once a week thing for an hour and I get a daily e-mail.  I don't want to read that many e-mails. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

You can turn off the ringer if you don't want it to ring.

 

Yes, I know that, but if you look at a cell phone once a year you forget about that stuff.  Plus if the ringer is off, why bother having it with me?

 

That's the sort of thing you get savvy with when you actually use the thing. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I have to say I am impressed with some of the features.  DS has a smartphone with no data plan of any kind, but it still works where there is free wifi and he can take pictures and stuff.  He was skyping with his grandfather while we were at a concert and showed my dad part of the concert.  I thought that was pretty neat.

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Even the thought of being constantly available is annoying.  I don't want to be in the grocery store and have my doctor calling me to tell me about my urinalysis.  I know, I can turn it off.  But it's also why I don't want to give the number out to just anyone.

 

 

[morningcoffee]

I have no problem being in touch with my close friends and family via phone / email. By needing to be in touch I meant coaches, music teachers, homeschooling groups, events etc. I'll never know about what's going on in our homeschooling community if I wasn't on FB. Well, I guess I could find a friend from the group who is on FB and call her and ask what's new, but I wouldn't impose this on anyone. Nothing is via email anymore, never mind he phone. If DS's music lesson is cancelled and I'm not on FB, I would have no way of knowing.

Exactly! And it took me a very, very long time to realize that's why all my yahoo homeschool groups were so quiet .... 

[Carol in Cal.]

I think this one is going in the opposite direction.  I know a lot of people giving up cable and satellite in favor of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime.

 

 

So basically what you are saying is that I am a trendsetter rather than a Luddite?  I'll take it!  :)

 

(It was the same with hiking.  I have always hiked preferentially in various types of running shoes, and when they came out with trail runners I decided that those were the perfect shoes to hike in.  I HATE ankle support as it horribly strains my knees when I'm walking on steep granite.  And I hate rigid, heavy shoes when I'm hiking--they are far more tiring than running shoes.

 

Well, lo and behold, the best hikers in the world, nutsy people who hike for literally several thousand miles to bag the Pacific Crest Trail, wear trail runners.  I knew that they were better!  I'm a total trendsetter!)

Edited November 1, 2016 by Carol in Cal.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oh I am on the verge of giving up cable. I hate their high prices.  Except they get you with their bundled deals.  If you buy separately you pay close to the price of three things for the one thing (TV, phone, Internet).

 

 

 

 

[EmseB]

I am anxious in another way -- just how all-consuming tech is for me.  I remember as a kid being sort of addicted to that feeling of hearing the "You've got mail".  And it's still the same way for me, just not as new.  I know it doesn't effect a lot of people this way, but I just feel like I'm so tied to my phone and my computer.  And here I sit on this message board, right??

 

I know I can just get rid of it, but it's a double edged sword because it is a tool I use for things.  It is really, really useful and helpful for school and life.  Many things are so much easier than they used to be.

 

But, I just know I don't want to spend the rest of my life with my face in my phone.  And I want to stop now and get a handle on it while my kids are still relatively young, but it is sooo hard.

[catz]

We haven't had cable for 12 years and it's been fine.  The past few years we do have netflix and amazon prime which is nice.  I much prefer to watch things on demand.

 

Honestly, I love technology with the burning passion of a thousand suns.  Being able to schedule appointments online and track things in google calendar is a big plus for me.  I'm 46.  On the other hand, I have a degree in comp sci so I was kind of ahead of the tech trend. 

[mommyoffive]

I am so far behind, i don't know if I could catch up now.

[creekland]

Well, this is true. Dh has a FB account to communicate with family and golf buddies. I just don't see the need to have one as well. If something interesting happens, he tells me.

I really don't know if I would feel compelled to establish a FB account if I didn't have dh's.

 

I'm with you.  Hubby has FB (and likes it, but isn't addicted to it).  If anything important happens via FB, he lets me know.  If I need to send a message to one of our boys, I still opt for e-mail or texting.

 

I keep thinking of adding FB, but I enjoy my non-technology time too much and worry that it would creep away more of that.  This board gives me enough online time with friends.

 

I've yet to wish I had a smart phone - esp when I look at the costs for them compared to my dumb phone.  Our internet can travel anywhere in the US as long as we take our laptop (don't need WIFI), so that works while traveling - larger screen for older eyes too.  It uses WIFI when out of country - just as a smartphone would.

[regentrude]

I am not concerned. I am not "into" tech for tech's sake, but I know I can always learn what I need when I need it.

Two years ago, I had to learn how to record and edit video because I needed to make a semester's worth of videos for an online lectures. So I learned how to use the software and camera and record screen while writing on a tablet, and embed little cell videos and whatnot. Nobody at work had asked whether I knew how to do it; they simply assumed I would be able to figure it out. Same thing with excel; If I need to do something, I find out; google is your friend.

These things are not rocket science. We teach our kids to be life long independent learners; we should be, too.

 

I was a holdout with respect to smart phone, and I still don't feel the need to use the internet on my phone all.the.time - I much prefer to do that on the computer. (And I have learned not to download email when I am out and about, because then I feel compelled to answer immediately which is unnecessary.)

But I am glad that my teenagers can easily text me, or I can take a quick picture, or listen to audio books that I borrow from the library. I am still very selective who gets the number, because I don't need anybody but family call me when I am out and about. 

And as for price: I have a windows phone that cost be $25, and I use prepaid, no plan. 

 

As for facebook: if you're concerned about privacy, just don't post stuff and only use your account to obtain the information of whatever group or organization made it necessary for you to join. 

I was  a fb hold out for a long time and joined long after everybody from our hs group. I thought "I didn't need this", but I have come to greatly appreciate the convenience of group communications which cannot be replicated easily by email, and the ease of sharing information about events. I run a fb page for local hiking that is a companion to my website, and it is way easier to update on fb than to write new html code every time I want to share new information. So I am very glad I did join.

 

My dad is 80. He has some troubles with computer setup and cannot fix it when things don't work, but he uses Word, plays chess online, books travel, checks events. 

My FIL, OTOH, had refused to learn how to use a computer when they became available 25 years ago, and has never used one - he made MIL type everything. A computer could now greatly enhance his quality of life;  he is blind and living on his own. I could never understand his blanket refusal to engage with technology; he is an educated man and used to be a physics professor. There would be so many things tech could help him with, but he was too darn stubborn in his refusal. I don't get it.

 

Edited November 1, 2016 by regentrude

[marbel]

<snip>

 

I love the convenience technology provides. In addition to the above, I love being able to talk to my grandsons on video so we can see as well as hear each other. I love texting. I love electronic shopping lists and coupons and calendars and more.

 

I use my devices in productive as well as fun ways. I have a smart phone, laptop, Kindle e-reader, and tablet. I had a Kindle Fire but replaced it with the tablet. Mine are also not shared. We use a Roku to watch nearly all of our tv shows from streaming services.

 

I agree.  I love having my calendar and to-do list and grocery list all available on my phone.  I love online banking and bill-pay.  Every now and then I talk to, or read about, someone who drives around paying bills on bill-paying day.  I can't even imagine doing that; it's so inefficient.  When a bill arrives, I set up the bill-pay by whatever method works best (and costs me nothing) and it's done. Whenever possible, I set up autopay so I don't have to think about it.  I used to get very anxious about bills going unpaid or paid late - electronic banking has eliminated that source of anxiety for me.    

 

I love texting rather than making phone calls.  Sure, if I want to have a nice chat I'll call, but for quick question-and-answer conversations, text me please.  And if I'm meeting you, text me the address so I can plug it into my GPS and get there without writing out a long list of directions.  

 

Coupons - show the bar code on the phone rather than use paper and ink from my printer - yeah baby.  

 

I do admit that I'm behind on the TV operation.  We don't have a Roku or anything like that, just netflix, Amazon prime streaming, and DVDs from the library or our own collection.  I do have trouble with that sometimes, mainly I think because there are 3 remotes and I never know which one to pick.  But if I'm watching something alone I'm happy to do it on my kindle fire, the operation of which is simple as can be. 

 

This thread is inspiring me to check out the library for classes so I can see if I can learn Excel and maybe get better with Word or it's equivalents.  

 

BTW, I am 60.  

[kewb]

I do have some anxiety about returning to a corporate job. Everything else, my kids will or dh will teach me. It takes me awhile to master skills like casting to the TV from my phone but I get there eventually.

[Bluegoat]

I don't believe it's an age thing but more a personality thing. I turned 61 yesterday. Read below to see all the devices I have. Two people born the same year as me are Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Gates is 2 days older than I am.

 

I know people my age who have trouble using the simplest cell phones. I have a friend 12 years younger who needed me to show her how to use her Roku. While it's true that the older we get the harder it is to learn new things, any new things, all fear or dislike of technology isn't age related.

 

 

  

 

Yes, personality wich also includes interest.

 

My granddad, who is 90, is very technically able - he was an aircraft tech and then a computer programmer.  He has no computer, email address, or anything.  He just has no real interest.  I suspect he might enjoy the photo aspects of FB  but really, he wants to interact with people in person.

[Bluegoat]

A huge turn off to me with cell phones (smart phones ) is the size.  The Kindle Fire is about as small as I can tolerate.  Smaller, I think it would be too annoying to use.  I bring my tablet with me wherever I go and lots of places have free wifi, but anytime I try to type on-line or whatever I give up.  I can't stand doing it. 

 

I hate talking on cells, or even to people using a cell.  I can't hear them well.  It's been a big reason for me to avoid them.  My sister only has a cell and I miss about 3/4 of what she says.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I hate talking on cells, or even to people using a cell.  I can't hear them well.  It's been a big reason for me to avoid them.  My sister only has a cell and I miss about 3/4 of what she says.

 

Oh that too.  Talking on it is awful.  As my  husband points out though, people don't buy smartphones to make calls.  I think he is right.  Really?  It's better than a regular phone for phone calls?  No way. 

 

Well that and I don't want to spend money on it.  If I wanted any part of it, I'd just want Internet for entertainment.  I would almost never make calls on it.  I spend enough on entertainment though so I can't justify the expense. 

[madteaparty]

I'm anxious about many things but not about this. And it is not age, I like to think it's about choice but maybe I'm deluded? Example: I'm thinking of ditching my smartphone and already shut down Facebook, whereas my DH conducted an interview in virtual reality the other day.* We are the same age :)

* for his job

Edited November 1, 2016 by madteaparty