I hope I never get so old as to require my progeny to buy me an idiot-proofed version of the latest technological innovation — that’d be insulting. But I might just get one of these Telikins for my mum.
Billed as a “senior-friendly” computer system, the Telikin features an 18-inch capacitive touchscreen, dual-core 1.8GHz processor, 320GB hard drive, 802.11b/g/n wireless, a 1.3MP webcam for video conferencing with the grandkids, and a suite of basic connectivity software including a text editor, email client, weather tracking and news feeds.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m well-versed in elderly folks’ aversion to new technology. Hell, convincing my grandfather that fuel injection wasn’t the work of the devil required a six-month discussion with diagrams. But this — it’s like the physical embodiment of AOL’s old web portal. For one, the Telikin runs a proprietary software suite that prevents any third party software from being installed — good for preventing Trojans, bad for expanding the system’s utility beyond the dozen pre-installed functions that it comes with (of which PowerPoint was somehow deemed necessary).
The 18-inch screen version costs $US700 and is ready-to-go out of the box. The upgraded “Elite” version includes a 20-inch screen, 500GB hard drive, HDMI port and runs $US1200. [Telikin]