Tech Talk by Tak Sato
In October, I took my mom for a drive through the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Reservation. The wonderful weather beckoned me to make it different from our daily FaceTime visit.
I started the hotspot on my Google Pixel smartphone, secured my wife’s old Wi-Fi-only Apple iPhone to the smartphone holder on my windshield ($20 at Amazon), connected the iPhone to Pixel’s hotspot and FaceTimed with Mom.
I flipped the camera so she could see the scenery while I drove with the leaves finally turning golden-orange in the valley. If there’s a need, technology usually has the answer. Though we live thousands of miles apart, Mom and I shared a leisurely drive through the park near my house.
Sometimes, pulling the tech pieces together to do what you want takes a bit of research and imagination.
What to Buy
Apple and Google announced their new smartphone models in the fall. There’s enough written about the new iPhone 13 (Apple) and Pixel 6 (Google) online, so Google away to learn more.
Older adults often ask me which iPhone they should buy. I usually recommend an iPhone SE (2020) starting at $399 instead of the top-shelf iPhone 13 or last year’s iPhone 12, starting at $799 and $699 respectively. Shiny new gadgets wow us but it’s important to match your needs to the device. If you could only own one car, would you buy a rear-wheel drive Ford Mustang or an all-wheel drive Subaru Outback, knowing Cleveland’s winter?
Knowing what to buy comes down to what you need and what you can afford. The money part is easy; that’s dictated by your budget. What’s not so clear are the many ways technology can help with day-to-day tasks.
Recently, when I had coffee with my friend, he was visibly flustered. He said his dad, aging in place alone and in his 80s, won’t wear the emergency necklace with a button to push if he has an unexpected tumble and needs help. I shared with him that I’m thinking about getting one for myself.
Regular Tech Talk column readers may have picked up that I experienced complete hearing loss accompanied by vestibular disorder at the start of the pandemic in 2020 (not COVID-19-related). I regained my hearing this summer through the wonderful medical technology of cochlear implants (CI). By the way, if you don’t quite need CI but are still hard of hearing — with or without hearing aids — May/June 2021 issue’s Tech Talk column, has tips on how technology can help in everyday situations.
Although CI restored my hearing, I need physical therapy to keep my vestibular disorder at bay. On several occasions, I felt that a fall detection device would be handy. But I’m thinking about getting an Apple IWatch or Samsung GalaxyWatch that work in conjunction with a smartphone or, for a fee, as a standalone device.
The fall detection and reporting process of these smartwatches takes into consideration the possibility of the wearer losing consciousness. When it detects a fall, the wearer has to turn off the counting-down alarm by answering the smartwatch’s question. If the countdown goes to zero and the user hasn’t stopped the alarm by answering the question on the smartwatch’s screen, it will call 911 for help.
Here’s the takeaway: smart phones, tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots and tech gadgets can make life easier in many ways. Keep an open mind and allow technology to broaden your world.
