Last Wednesday evening, my wife and I went to visit a friend of ours who had recently been placed into a care facility nearby. We went to check on her to see how she was doing and if there was anything she needed. She was excited to show us her new-found technology endeavors in which she was surfing the Internet with ease. Though I was supportive in congratulating her and her newly acquired talents, I was more interested in the computer system itself that the care home was using.
I wrote down the brand name of the computer system, which is made by a company called Telikin. On its website, I gleaned the following information about the two models available.
The first model is the Telikin Touch 18″ Touch Screen Computer that features the following:
- 18.6 inch LCD touch screen
- Dual core 1.8 GHz processor
- 2 GB SDRAM
- 320 GB hard drive
- 1.3 MP webcam with microphone
- 4 USB ports
- 6 in 1 memory card reader
- Wireless 802.11 b/g/n
- Built-in speakers
- Wired keyboard and mouse
- Price is $699
The second model the company offers is the Telikin Elite 20″ Touch Screen Computer that features:
- 20″ (16:9), 1600 x 900 touch panel
- Dual core 1.6 GHz processor
- 2 GB DDR3 memory
- 500 GB 3.5 SATA II hard drive
- Stereo speakers with SRS technology
- 1.3 MP webcam with microphone
- 4 USB ports
- 6 in 1 memory card reader
- 1 HDMI out
- Wireless 802.11 b/g/n
- Built-in speakers
- Wired keyboard and mouse
- Price is $999
For the geeks who are reading this article, your first thoughts are most likely similar to mine: We could build the hardware for a lot less than what Telikin is charging. Though this might be true, what Telikin is offering is something more than just hardware and software tossed together. The company is offering a full 60 days of guaranteed satisfaction plus 60 days of VIP support. For those of us who have tried to support our older senior citizens with help over the telephone, this alone is invaluable.
In addition, the folks at Telikin have devised a simple-to-use touch screen system that is based off of Linux, not Windows. The likelihood of the system becoming infected is a lot less, plus it is harder to do something wrong or to install something that could cause havoc on the system. The system is devised to be self-contained and users are discouraged by the way the system is designed to install anything from the Internet. Plus, the user has all of the features normally associated with a standard computer including the following:
- All-in-one design
- Virus-resistance
- Video chat
- Web browsing
- Wireless (Wi-Fi) ready
- DVD/CD player
- Games: built-in and online
- Custom interface + built-in apps
- Free lifetime updates!
- Photo viewing through Facebook
- MS-compatible word processor
- Calendar with notifications
- Address book with easy-connect
- Adobe Flash support
- Supports HP printers
For six years, I taught computer classes for the community education department at our local junior college. The majority of my students were seniors and I watched as they struggled to learn the basics of the PC and how Windows functioned. I watched as some of the seniors failed to grasp the very basics of using the mouse, which at the time was almost like a death sentence for their future in using a Windows PC.
As I watched the seniors using the Telikin computer, and the ease with which they used the touch screen to access the Internet, I wondered to myself how much simpler this would have been for my senior students. So are the computers from Telikin a guaranteed way for all seniors to use a computer? Of course not. There are always people of all ages who struggle daily using a PC. But I do believe that these types of computers would be beneficial and, with a 60-day guarantee of satisfaction, what would you lose by having a senior try it out?
The computers from Telikin are also available from retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, Radio Shack, and Sears.
What do you think?
Comments, as always, are welcome.
Source: Telikin
CC licensed Flickr photo above shared by eurleif
Not sure.
For what they offer its not to bad.
Only thing that worries me is Linux.
Yes its less prone to viruses but what if a friend says “Oh I found this great new program/game (whatever) you should try it.” Then they find its Windows only and then wonder why they cant use it and then think their system is broken.
My mom loved Majong and she would go to Walmart and go to the discount rack and pick up several different copies.
Now if she had been using Linux she would had been upset that they didn’t work.
And even if she knew it was Linux there are so many different flavors that what works on one destro of Linux does not mean it will work on all.
I remember teaching my father-in-law, and also my mother, to use a computer.Ve-e-ry slow and difficult. Dad in particular had a lot of trouble, as Ron said, using the mouse.
We switched him to a trackball and he did better, but it was still dicey and it frustrated him, even though he “practiced” hard at it. It seems so natural to those of us who’ve done it for years, but it can really baffle somebody in their 80s or 90s like Dad.
I know some older folks are pretty sharp with tech – but a lot of ‘em have talents going in other directions, and find computers very hard.
I think OS is pretty much beside the point – Linux really is better than Windows for something like this. I don’t think most older folks are going to be doing a lot of deep customizing of the programs – and if they do want to, Linux is almost better than Windows for that. Gramma will learn that better programs than the ones at Wal-Mart are available with a click right on line, and install much more easily than her disc-based bargain bin ones.
And Word “compatibility” hasn’t been a problem for years – look at OpenOffice & LibreOffice. I know – I use Openoffice at work every day. Mom won’t know the difference writing letters, even doing church newsletters. That’s a non-issue.
If this company has worked out a good support system, that would be a big piece of the puzzle! Probably more important than all of the above. Good luck to ‘em – they may have found a way to exploit a new niche in what is nowadays a pretty saturated US market.
Re “a good support system”: Telikin comes with 60 says free US-based telephone support. Users can purchase ongoing telephone support for $10 a month. On-screen help (text and video) is available for all applications (email, contacts, video chat, photo sharing, games, etc.)
Mahjong is preinstalled on the Telikin.
there are so many games now that have been windows only moving into linux formate and most new ones that come out include play on linux built in , many other games today are using flash and HTML 5 which linux handles very well .
i can tell you now that in the next 12 to 36 months your going to find window hard and hard to find now that lap top and desk top are pretty much gone Microsoft making it own tablets , there is already alot oiut there in the pipeline steam on ubuntu , ubuntu on Dell this is the future PC is moving from windows and after this fall the move is going to be sweeping ..
I know of many people who would find a touchscreen difficult or impossible to use. My Dad is an 84-year-old retired professional. He has almost no use of his left hand or arm. He types one-handed. My Dad uses Skype to call his family. He insists on using MS Word to write his books and communicate with colleagues. He doesn’t want “compatible” office suites. I know many people who would want to at least install Skype on their computers. These Telkin computers would not be good for them.
Skype is preinstalled on the Telikin. Also, software updates and new applications are loaded automatically, so users – especially seniors – do not need any technical knowledge at all.
Great idea for the right audience, which is a massive one!
I’m 66, all my friends are retired, plenty are older. We all have computers. We like to work with pictures, video, email. They all had me show them PrintShop, make their own cards etc. I download loads of programs….on lockergnome advice. I love Snippy. I use google crome, google phone home, loads of programs I downloaded. On top of that the price is too high. I’m insulted.