COMMENTS

25 responses to “Open Thread Update: What’s Your Future Tech Wish?”

1. Would be cool to have a class on making a side income with AI or online tools and tech.

   Reply to Brian Scott

2. I’d like a simple version of Microsoft Word, Such things as drawing pictures in the middle of documents and many other features aren’t needed by most users and should not be forced on everyone. Things unwanted or needed by most should be an add-on available to those who do.

   Reply to Nannette Chapman

3. Support the hearing difficulties to be addressed and would add better lighting in TV shows and other media that now lean towards using dim lighting and emphasize dark dramatic scenes. Lip readers loose the cueing! And many captioning services run way behind the action and have poor accuracy- in my area ABC! I’ve sent screen shots to a program I follow showing absurd inaccuracies

   Reply to Diane

   1. I second this one. New programs of all kinds and YouTube pieces are wildly inaccurate!

      Reply to Barbara

4. Technology to enable you to drive at night the same way you drive in the daytime (no vision problems).

   Reply to Lydia

   1. Yes, yes, yes!!! Once you’ve had cataract surgery (and most everyone I know has had at least one) nighttime driving becomes a nightmare. Add rain, no way on the road! Yes, they do a little “cleanup” on surgery first 3-12 months, but after that you’re on your own. Ironically, I do fine in totally unlit country roads with limited traffic at low speeds. Otherwise, I have dropped out of several nighttime activities as have some friends.

      Reply to Barbara

5. I didn’t click on “more smartphone” technology for two reasons. First, such things are almost always Apple i-phone technology — supposedly because that’s what most people have. I have an Android phone (actually, my 3rd one). WHAT I WANT: More articles targeted to Android phone users. Next I want the manufacturers to sell me the phone with the minimum number of apps. I will decide what apps I need. Finally, improve the sound when I am listening to another person who’s called me.

   Reply to P.M. Bellace

6. I’m frustrated with our Tech Service companies inflicting their updates on us whenever they like. Some of these are so techy oriented that many senior citizens will never use them. Usually one has to read through how to use the new formats before they can make that emergency or urgent call that is needed.

   Reply to Willi Tebow

   1. I like your comment. I agree with you. People that don’t need all the extras should have an option to turn them off. Everyone has different needs.

      Reply to Joan Feldvary

7. I am not yet hard of hearing but get annoyed and have trouble hearing the actors with the excessively loud background music. Add to that trying to watch TV at home go see a movie and the sound level goes from barely able to hear to blasting my eardrums. I wish there was a TV with technology that would prevent the sound from dropping lower than a set decibel level and not be allowed to go above a set decibel level.

   Reply to Kim

   1. This sounds like a wonderful idea. I bet it could be done, too.

      Reply to Winifred Creamer

8. Thanks Virge, I didn’t realize my ability to hear with clarity was related to hearing loss. I’ll be looking for future info. re AI to help this very frustrating
   problem!

   Reply to Toni A Nigg

   1. Hearing with clarity is my problem. I miss a lot due to this problem. I stood up one day and suddenly had sunnen hearing loss in 1 ear. Even a hearing aid only helps a little. Especially with tinittis.

      Reply to Joan Feldvary

      1. Work with your ENT and possibly your allergist and dentist on tinnitus. Mine have been invaluable. You may have triggers like salt, aspirin, loud noises, junk food, stress, or extensive orthodontic work as teens. We all have a bit of loss at high CPS in noisy places, but earwax makes it worse. Generic and/or specially made bite plates have helped enormously. I know others who benefitted from supplements like gingko, and/or auditory training.

9. I think all of us who are hard of hearing desperately want what you want. Better hearing aids. I’ve spent $7200 for my first pair, and about $6000 for my second pair.
   Not getting what I paid for. I live in a senior community. With our group entertainment, especially, with music provided, I can’t hear the person next to me nor the person across from me. When I get to gether with my family, if there are two conversations going, I can’t make out either one. I may as well stay secluded at home

   Reply to Joanne

   1. Yes, I can definitely relate. Even though you are in a crowd, you are isolated. Just not able to contribute to conversations. I try to explain my hearing issues to others so they could help me hear them; but either they don’t understand or forget immediately what I have told them, therefore I am constantly asking them to repeat or I think they said something different then what they said.
      I ask them to look at me when talking to me and to use my name to get my attention first.

      Reply to Carlyn

   2. indeed classes for Microsoft etc, pdf’s for legal matters, and I need to find a job that may require that and classes for new android phone operation, plus job hunting skills. I currently work part time retail sales only using pos transactions. thank you.

      Reply to Lorraine Meyer

10. As we are running short of healthcare providers and homecare aides, I would love to see more sophisticated home health monitoring equipment so that people could take better advantage of telehealth and perhaps even be released from hospitals sooner without jeopardizing their recovery. Also robotic home care equipment that could help with lifting, repositioning, and physical therapy.

    Reply to Gary Hermes

11. The vote list above needs an ‘other’ category. Maybe some of us don’t need or want to know more or have advances forced on us in technology. In fact, that would be my wish…To have a choice. AI and upgrades are forced on HS because the tech giants are competing. Most these advances are not needed by senior individuals. We need a choice to updates or ‘advances’.

    Reply to Kathy G

12. Wow! BETTER hearing aids would be great! I’d like VOICE ONLY…
    I also wish there could be a way to block SPAM calls COMPLETELY!! Verizon tells me I can pay for a service, and I say NO! Thank you, but you get enough money already! I used the NYC block system, but some sneak through.
    What’s the point of passwords anyway? I keep getting notifications that sites have been hacked and I can get free monitoring for a year. Closing the barn door after the foxes got in, I think.

    Reply to Barbara Litt

13. Similar to your hearing aid request, Virge, I’d like tech that kills the background music in TV shows, podcasts, and videos, so I can hear the voices clearly. The older I get, the louder the background music seems to get and the less able I am to differentiate it from the voices I’m trying to listen to. Sometimes I have to turn off the show because the background music is so loud and annoying. Do you all have that problem, too?

    Reply to Joan Price

    1. yes. I now use captions on my TV, too. I know the technology exists, too…

       Reply to Virge

       1. Easy better security
          Always worried re hackers etc

    2. Yes! Back ground noises are annoying. I agree with you and hope we can mute the music not the voices from either TV programs or other devices

       Reply to Joy

    3. Hi Joan,
       This Joan is with you. I have to turn on the CC on my TV to understand what is being said due to the music.

       Reply to Joan Feldvary