(BPT) - Even though they’re still common, jokes about clueless baby boomers calling their kids to figure out how to use technology are starting to feel outdated. While today’s youngest generations are practically born with tablets, smartphones and laptops in their hands, grandparents are also adopting technology at a startling pace.
Boomers’ enthusiasm to consume new technology is growing and changing as fast as the field of new products available. In fact, a 2012 Forrester Research technology survey found 78 percent are online, and of those, 54 percent own laptops. Tablet use among boomers is growing too; 11 percent already own one and another 15 percent plan on buying one soon.
kAm(9:=6 E96 3@@>6CD’ 86?6C2E:@?2= EC2:E @7 AC@8C6DD:G6?6DD 96=AD E@ 6IA=2:? E9:D E649 CFD9[ >@C6 AC24E:42= C62D@?D 56>JDE:7J :E 2D H6==] |2?J 2>@?8 E96 86?6C2E:@? 2C6 2E E96 A62< @7 E96:C 62C?:?8 A@H6C[ H:E9 >@C6 >@?6J E@ DA6?5 @? E649?@=@8J E92? @E96C 286 8C@FAD] p a_`a DFCG6J 3J }:6=D6? D9@H65 E92E H:E9:? 7:G6 J62CD[ 2AAC@I:>2E6=J d_ A6C46?E @7 E96 &]$] A@AF=2E:@? H:== 36 d_ @C @=56C[ 2?5 E96J’== 4@?EC@= f_ A6C46?E @7 5:DA@D23=6 :?4@>6] u@C E9:D 86?6C2E:@?[ 2 7@CH2C5\E9:?<:?8 >:?5D6E 92D 2=H2JD 366? 2 4@>>@? EC2:E[ D@ 4C@DD:?8 E96 5:8:E2= 5:G:56 H2D 3@F?5 E@ 92AA6?]k^Am
kAms6DA:E6 E96:C AC@G6? AFC492D:?8 A@H6C[ >2?J 25G6CE:D6CD 2C6 =62G:?8 E96D6 4@?DF>6CD :? E96 =FC49] p=E9@F89 3@@>6CD 244@F?E 7@C ch A6C46?E @7 E@E2= D2=6D @7 4@?DF>6C A24<2865 8@@5D[ }:6=D6? 6DE:>2E6D E92E =6DD E92? d A6C46?E @7 25G6CE:D:?8 5@==2CD 2C6 E2C86E65 E@H2C5 25F=ED 286D bd E@ ec]k^Am
kAm~G6C4@>:?8 E96 =62C?:?8 4FCG6 2D H6== 2D E96 =24< @7 2EE6?E:@? 7C@> >2C<6E6CD 92D D9@H? ;FDE 9@H >F49 3@@>6CD G2=F6 E96 =2E6DE E649?@=@8J 56G6=@A>6?ED] qFE 7@C E9@D6 H9@ 5@?’E J6E 92G6 E96:C 92?5D @? E96 =2E6DE 82586ED[ @C82?:K2E:@?D =:<6 pp#! 2C6 >2<:?8 :E 62D:6C 7@C 3@@>6CD E@ 86E 4@??64E65]k^Am
kAmQpp#!’D 8@2= :D E@ AC@G:56 G2=F6 E@ :ED >6>36CD[ 2?5 @FC C6D62C49 92D D9@H? E92E >2?J pp#! >6>36CD 2C6 62C=J 25@AE6CD @7 E649?@=@8J[Q D2JD p?86=2 y@?6D[ D6?:@C G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 qFD:?6DD s6G6=@A>6?E 2?5 {:76DEJ=6 !C@5F4ED 7@C pp#! $6CG:46D] Q%9C@F89 pp#!’D C6=2E:@?D9:AD H:E9 C6E2:=6CD 2?5 >2?F724EFC6CD[ @FC ?62C=J bg >:==:@? >6>36CD C646:G6 5:D4@F?ED @? E96:C 72G@C:E6 E649?@=@8J AC@5F4ED]Qk^Am
kAmu@C 6I2>A=6[ >6>36CD 42? 86E 5:D4@F?ED @7 d E@ `a A6C46?E @? 2 C2?86 @7 w! AC@5F4ED[ `_ A6C46?E @77 p>2K@?’D z:?5=6 6\C6256CD[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 A@AF=2C E23=6E z:?5=6 u:C6[ 2?5 6G6? 5:D4@F?E65 A9@?6 D6CG:46 7C@> '@?286]k^Am
kAm(96E96C E96J’C6 <66A:?8 FA H:E9 E96 ?6H A246 @7 H@C< 2E E96 @77:46 @C D:>A=J =@@<:?8 7@C 2 36EE6C H2J E@ 4@??64E H:E9 72>:=J[ E96C6’D ?@ 5@F3E E92E 3@@>6CD 2C6 56>2?5:?8 E649?@=@8J E92E 96=AD E@ :>AC@G6 E96:C =:G6D] pD E96J 8C23 6249 ?6H @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 4@??64E[ E96 :562 @7 3@@>6CD 36:?8 369:?5 E96 E649?@=@8:42= E:>6D :D 725:?8 72DE]k^Am
kAmu@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE 5:D4@F?ED 2G2:=23=6 E@ pp#! >6>36CD[ G:D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]22CA5:D4@F?ED]4@>^QmHHH]22CA5:D4@F?ED]4@>k^2m]k^Am
kAmk:>8 DC4lVk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]2C24@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`egfhU2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fQm9EEAi^^HHH]2C24@?E6?E]4@>^AC:?ED:E6^x>286(C:E6C]2D9In2CE:4=6:5l`egfhU2>Aj>6>36C:5lfac`fk^2mV 3@C56ClV_V H:5E9lV`V 96:89ElV`V ^mk^Am