Tech Tides Turning for Boomers and Beyond?

Let's hope so!

When boomers age, tech talks, but VCs are elsewhere. At the SCU Boomer Business Summit, Intel Capital finalist judge Nancy Kamei tossed a bucket of cold water on an audience of entrepreneurs dreaming of VC investors. She said she and her peers agree that this is the worst of times, the worst investing climate in 22 years. And maybe that’s true for those who would seek venture capital to fund their startup. But as the first of the baby boomers turns 65 next year, it hasn't escaped the largest organizations that it’s time to think about the intersection of technology, baby boomer aging, and caregiving. Or maybe the iPad has awakened new hope for computer vendors and Internet users.

Microsoft is updating its boomer computing guide. Remember the Guide for Aging Computer Users? In May, Microsoft updated the guide and renamed it Computing Guide for Boomers, including not only demystification and accessibility advice about PCs and peripherals, but also a guide to selecting a computer for your parents. Kudos to them for recognizing the growing physical limitations—vision, hearing, dexterity of even the most hopping-skipping-and-jumping boomers—but also that they have caregiving responsibilities that may include communicating with aging parents—online.

An AARP Web site update for the rest of us. AARP has revamped its Web site to include a technology category on the home page (yay!), but it also has launched a community section of the site. We can create our online profiles and blog away about new products and tech trends and upcoming events that may include learning about new tools. As many of you have heard me predict, technology and service vendors are going to find their audience ultimately through hubs that have already built up community. Maybe someday, one of those hubs will be AARP, with its 50+ boomer/senior demographic.

Yo, non–iPad swipers: next, a gazillion options for boomers. Apple's transformative this-ain't-no-computer iPad launch sent a message that I bet will be heard loud and clear by vendors. While 88% of baby boomers surveyed by AARP have no plans to buy an iPad, they may start looking around for something to replace those desktops (57% of surveyed boomers, according to AARP). Expect Dell, HP, Acer, et al. to offer a plethora of beautiful tablets at low prices. And maybe they'll want low-priced software like PointerWare or InTouchLink layered onto one of these, which, if combined with the Microsoft Guide, would actually get us to the point (no pun intended) where PCs can be used by ordinary people.

By Laurie Orlov
Aging in Place Technology Watch Blog

[First posted June 19, 2010, at Laurie's Aging in Place Technology Watch Web site.]