The Virtual Meeting Coach

Microsoft VP Steve Sinofsky Shows Windows 7 on a Netbook

For me to be comfortable recommending a netbook to seniors or other ABBS (aging Baby Boomers not yet comfortable calling themselves “seniors”) a couple of features are mandatory that might not be so important to younger people. Of course, some netbook features remain negotiable, depending on how much people want to spend. But IMHO the following five things are NOT OPTIONAL for seniors:

1. 8″ or larger screen – the bigger the better, with high resolution capability
2. a close to full-sized keyboard with raised keys and close to standard spacing between the keys, the spacebar and the touchpad
3. a bright 1.3 megapixel or better webcamera with good color fidelity
4. at least one on-board microphone that captures human voices well, so you don’t HAVE TO plug in a separate microphone
5. on-board speakers capable of delivering strong volume, so you don’t HAVE TO plug in remote speakers

Why these things are not optional for seniors seems obvious to me. But talking to salesmen in electronics stores, I discovered that they weren’t necessarily top-of-mind to them.

More than other groups, seniors may have eyes, ears, and fingers that may not always work as well as they used to. These don’t have to be handicapping conditions to be annoying. And devices that make things harder will only prevent seniors from reaping the benefits netbooks have to offer.

To enjoy using netbooks, seniors need keys that have a solid but easy touch and are as large and well spaced as possible. Keyboards that are 92% of standard size, or larger, will work a lot better for seniors than tighter keyboards. The same goes for display screens. All the convenience of having an inexpensive, small, light-weight, mobile device will be wasted on seniors if the display screen is too small or not bright enough to see without struggling.

Webcam fidelity and brightness matter a lot for this group, too. And, since regular mobile communication will be one of the most important tasks for seniors using netbooks, the onboard microphone and speakers must be of good quality and offer ample volume. The last thing senior users need is to have to hunt for an external microphone, earphones and/or external speakers just to make a Skype call or to participate in other kinds of virtual meeting with family or online learning groups.

MY PERSONAL FAVES

I spent one whole day in San Francisco, going from one electronics store to another, testing every netbook I could put my hands on. (For this trip, I skipped the cheap laptops, although there are several with great promise.)  I found three netbooks I like a lot – using my criteria above – and one I see as a marginal option. Because price is another serious issue for seniors and ABBs on fixed or dwindling incomes, I restricted my search to basic models available now for under $500.

Top 3:

1. Toshiba Atom NB 205/N311. Windows XP. Island-style keyboard. 6-cell battery (3 cell is standard). 10.1″ display. Adequate camera and sound. Comes in white, pink, blue, brown. $398. Link to full stats at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-NB205-N311-10-1-Inch-Frost-Netbook/dp/B002BDUATU. Comes standard with 1GB RAM.

2. Acer Aspire One Z250. Comes loaded with VISTA (free and easy upgrade to Windows 7 later). 11.6″ display. 2GB RAM. 6-cell battery. Nice camera, speakers, and microphone. The one I tested was royal blue. $378. Link to full stats at Walmart.com: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=12024696#Specifications

3. Lenovo S10-2-G “Ideapad”. Windows XP. 10.2″ screen. Comes either with 1GB ($349) or 2GB RAM ($364). 3-cell battery. Nice camera quality and excellent speaker. Link to full stats at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Ideapad-S10-1311UW-10-2-Inch-Netbook/dp/B001TLVSZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251127987&sr=8-1

Marginal:

1. HP Mini 1050NR. Windows XP. 10.1″ screen. 6-cell battery. 1GM RAM. Adequate camera but onboard microphone and speakers aren’t really up to par for seniors who want to use them for free video conferencing without having to plug in peripherals. $435. Link to full stats at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BH4NFS

Tomorrow: Why You Might Consider Holding Out for an Asus Eee PC Touchscreen Netbook, Models T91 or T100H – And Paying More Than $500 For It

Regular readers of this blog know I’m not a thirty-something. In fact, I’m almost sixty-something, an ABB (aging Baby Boomer) who’s been online teaching and learning with people around the globe since before we had graphic browsers. A hundred thousand hours of typing and mousing have earned me the arthritis showing up in my hands…

What you may not know is that this spring I moved the World Headquarters for “The Virtual Meeting Coach” to Mountain Meadows, an active senior community in beautiful Ashland, Oregon. The move was not planned, and I’m not retired. But coming to Mountain Meadows has turned out to be just as powerful a next step for me as it was for my neighbors who planned their retirement here.

I’m surrounded by beauty and some of the smartest people living in the Rogue Valley, ages 55 to 104. Some are retired. Some continue working. All of us enjoy meals in our fabulous clubhouse, the warmth and companionship of our community garden, an onsite fitness center, and the comfort and stimulation of each others’ humor, curiosity, and lifetimes of experience. I’ve been telling friends I fell through the looking glass into a world I never imagined could be so much fun.

Within the first week of my arrival, I hooked up with the computer users group, shepherded by Chris Menefee, a brilliant, generous retired librarian and active senior technology advocate. Chris had been leading the group’s exploration of social networking sites and begun working with Ning to setup a private site for Mountain Meadows residents. With a little more coaching from me from the wings, Chris launched the network within the month and residents began signing up for it by the dozens. At the same time, I started offering some informal group computer coaching for residents having trouble using their computers.

Like flowers just waiting for water, one resident after another has raised their heads – and their hands – asking for help crossing over the great “digital divide” into the 21st century. Bob Griffin, chairman of the activities and events committee of the Mountain Meadows Owners’ Association authorized my “cloud computing initiative” for interested residents. And, beginning in September, it’s our shared hope that over the coming year, we will grow a garden of elders who  feel confident and comfortable computing anytime and from anywhere they can get on a WI-FI connection.

I’m calling the first step of this cloud computing initiative, “Up, Up and Away: Elders Everywhere and Especially Online!” Participants who don’t already have a laptop or netbook have been shopping for them this summer so they can take advantage of all the FREE Web2.0 apps available in the cloud and the clubhouse Wi-Fi internet connection I’ll be using for their classes. Championed by the intrepid online shopper, Annette Pirie, dozens of Mountain Meadows residents have been shopping – both locally and online – collecting stats, features, and best prices for netbooks and cheap laptops, and sharing their research with each other in the community Ning. I’m so proud of them all I can’t quit grinning!

I promised folks I would put my own arthritic fingers on as many netbooks as I could find during a recent business trip to San Francisco and post my research and my recommendations into the Ning before September 1st.  As I started writing up my notes this weekend, it dawned on me it made good sense to share my experiences here, too. (Duh!)

So, tomorrow’s post will feature my brief notes and recommendations for currently available netbooks that I expect will perform well for Seniors and ABBs (Aging Baby Boomers who don’t yet want to call themselves “Seniors”) who are seeking an easy, cheap route to cloud computing.