Robot Journal : The perils of parents and computers AKA iPads might be good for moms.

1/28/2010

The perils of parents and computers
First, I need to point out that we are talking about older parents here. And not you yummy mummies (as "they" say).
I helped buy both my mother and mother-in-law new laptops last year. As far as PCs go, I am big fan of the IBM ThinkPads as they tend to be pretty rock solid (at least the ones I have) and got them the consumer-esque ones made by Lenovo (who bought the laptop business from IBM a year or so ago). The actual computers were nice enough but a bit clunky looking and were loaded with Windows Vista as well as small suite of idiotic Lenovo applications.

So, the moms have new laptops. For the most part they have worked well and any problems were usually due to things beyond the control of the computer (printers, internet connections, bears). My big issue has been that I don't have a computer with Windows Vista installed, so tech support over the phone has been tricky... and I got to thinking about tech support for moms when Apple introduced their iPad yesterday.

Giving my mom an iPad might work for her (and make the best son ever! (except for my brother who provided her with adorable grandchildren)) but there are some issues with it. The touchscreen would be great, but I don't see the typing on the screen being super easy for her. Sure, there's a keyboard dock.
But primarily it can't really be your primary computer - I mean, where does she store her MP3s of Elton John and Billy Joel? Or Jeebus-forbid photos of those grandbabies?

What moms really need is a simple laptop that runs the iPhone/iPad operating system.
Easy, idiot proof OS plus actual storage would be sweet. Tech support for moms, in theory, could become a thing of the past (the solution would be "Hit the home button"). They could read the emails. Look at their grandbabies. Play their soft rock.
Dear Internet: Please build this for my mom.
KTHXBAI!

iPads
As far as the actual iPad, it's actually something I've wanted for a while. Mrs. Robot and I have talked about how it would be cool to have a bigger, touch screen iPhone type thing that we could mount on the wall or stand on a table and show news on it or the recipe for what we are cooking or control the music or look at BonerParty.
Would I buy an iPad? Probably not right now. I plan on buying a MacBook soonish and that is just like an iPad, except more computer-y.

I think it's cool, though. I suspect the iPad will be one of those things that you actually have to use to really get it.

Totally unrelated
Fun quote from the iPod launch in 2001.
"The iPod, with its backward-looking feature set and dramatically inflated price, has only its looks going for it. That sounds like another tragic product from Mother Apple: the Cube."

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