Open Thread Update: What’s Your Future Tech Wish?
Last time we asked you readers what was on your tech “wish list” as we gear up for CES, the tech industry’s ‘coming out party” for new tech developments and products. To which we say…..
We want to hear better not louder!
Although our poll reveals that “health related tech” is tops on your future tech wish, many comments specifically mentioned better hearing technologies. Readers Carlyn, Joann, Joan, Barbara and others join me in being frustrated with current hearing aid technology, which is incapable of sorting out and boosting speech and adding clarity.
Several readers singled out issues with TV volume. “Mute the music” pleads Reader Joan, who turns on Closed Captioning “because the music drowns out the dialog.”
Reader Kim sums up the issue:
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.
And Reader Diane adds a little-acknowledged hurdle for the hearing impaired in media.
I 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 lose 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.
Less is More – Really!
Many readers also report Update/Upgrade Fatigue. Reader P.M. wants manufacturers to understand that less is more.
I want the manufacturers to sell me the phone with the minimum number of apps. I will decide what apps I need.
Reader Willi adds…
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….
… 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…. Most these advances are not needed by senior individuals. We need a choice to updates or ‘advances’.
-Reader Kathy G.
Other readers offer interesting wish lists for telehealth, home care, home robotics, better security. Surprisingly, there was only one comment addressing a serious issue for older people who want to maintain their independence.
Technology to enable you to drive at night the same way you drive in the daytime (no vision problems).
-Lydia
YOUR TURN
How about you? This is your chance to let your voices be heard about the tech developments that most matter to you! We’ll take your opinions to the CES show and seek out the tech that is close to your interests. Share your thoughts in the comments!
Do you have a tech resolution that you’d like to accomplish this year? Maybe it’s finally setting up a password manager or hosting a Zoom meeting with friends. Submit your tech resolution online to have a technology trainer from the Senior Planet hotline give you a call to help you reach your goals. Submit here: seniorplanet.org/tech-resolutions
PREVIOUS COLUMN:
It’s almost time for CES (the Computer Electronics Show) the annual gathering where tech titans and wanna be titans, visionaries and inventors gather to showcase their tech visions made real.
Previous years have featured tech that seemed impossible at the time – robots, wearable technology to monitor practically anything, and gadgets to make life safer, smarter, easier.
Still I can’t help thinking I could make a few helpful suggestions of tech that would improve my quality of life.
Future Tech Wish List
Personally I would like to see:
-technology that would instantly turn down the volume of music played at ear-shattering volume in passing cars, in neighbor’s backyards and in boomboxes by wanna-be subway performers.
-hearing aids that automatically filter out background noise and use AI to fill in the clarity in speech that I’ve been losing every year. Just making things louder isn’t the answer, people!
YOUR TURN
But that’s me. What technology are you hoping to see at CES, now or in the future? Take our short poll to register what general tech categories you are most interested in. And share your dreams and ideas in the comments – and we’ll ask our CES correspondent to look for them among the booths at CES in January!
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; her blog “Don’t Get Me Started” puts a quirky new spin on Old School New York City. Send Open Thread suggestions to editor@seniorplanet.org.
Interested in personalized content? Sign up for free
Create an account and join our vibrant community to get reminders on classes and unlock a more personalized experience.
Comments
I need a levels of learning program for my IPHone. I do not want what the market offers in simplified phones. I would like a program that introduces me to one kind of App or groups of Apps at a time. I would select the App list and hope to see it grow. I am perfectly capable of learning how to use IPhone but using it all at once is a frustrating challenge. I believe there are models for what I am suggesting in language learning and other fields. The tech guys could easily do this.
I want to know what’s out there for the visually impaired. I’ve heard of an AI scale such as Alexa having the ability to describe what’s going on in a movie that’s not being said. I don’t know whether it was an app for a specific movie or a specifictheater. But the idea that somebody can go with their family to a movie and get nearly as much enjoyment out of it as the rest Something like that for television would be great too. Any products for visually impaired would be amazing.
I have a couple of wishes. I would like home, assistant AI, such as Google or Alexa to have a skill where I could say, Alexa note that I just took my medication. My medication is as needed, however not to be taken within three hours of a previous dose. I would then like to be able to say, hey Google when did I take my medication last? Then the skill could tell me what time I last took my medication.
Would be cool to have a class on making a side income with AI or online tools and tech.
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.