Part of my vacation days this year were spent with my mother in law. No, it wasn't a torture nor was I forced into spending time. I enjoy her company and we usually have a good time talking about current sports in the New England area. She lives down in Florida so watching any Boston sports team comes few and far between. Around this time of year we get into the NFL and talk about who we are each looking to get on our fantasy teams. Thanks to the lovely labor stoppage, that wasn't possible this year. What we did spend a lot of time on was apps. The new thing she was into was getting a phone that she could download apps on. My wife's sister showed her some options and she went with an android phone from Metro PCS.
As the week went by, she explained to me how frustrating her new phone was. It would perform slowly, short battery life and games freezing were the big issues. Having an android phone of my own and having to take care of my wife's Droid Incredible I am somewhat of an expert on how to use them. So I took the time and wiped out a lot of junk, cleaned up the running processes and streamlined the multiple apps running one function. Yes, Metro, customers do not need five apps the will run a wifi signal for them. You may want to look into the bloat ware on your phones, but I'm off topic. Off anf on throughout the week, I tuned the phone so it kept running smoothly. By the time she was ready to leave, she had made the comment that keeping the phone running at optimal performance was way too much work. I had to agree. For me it is no big deal to go in and tweak a few settings because I know what I am looking for. For her, the wrong process killed would leave her phone running worse than before. So this got me thinking, what would be the best option for her? Then I went a step further thinking that she probably isn't the only one feeling this way. Today's tech toys are not easy for anyone, especially those that have little exposure to the old stuff never mind the new cutting edge items. With all this going through my mind, I have decided to look into areas of tech that is important to have but would be easier to use for inexperienced users.
The first items I'm looking into are smart phones. Since I just spent a good amount of time with the mom in law on this one, I think its a good area to start. For those that are looking for the easiest smart phone to use with apps available, hands down it is the iPhone. Anything from Apple tends to be user friendly and with its plug and play iTunes options, what better way to go. The phone handles all the apps anyone would need, the quality is exceptional for a newbie, and it is available on the two biggest networks AT&T and Verizon. The only problem is the contract issue. Both phones require them and for the most part it is a two year commitment. I will be looking into Metro PCS to see what other choices they have and will send them along as I discover a solid prepaid option.
For my choice on a solid phone for a tech impaired or technophobe, the iPhone is it. I would feel very comfortable handing one to my mom and giving her the basic directions and knowing she would be just fine.
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