Gadgets for Grandparents: Moderate setup help required
Some grandparents have embraced the fascinating world of technology and electronics. They can find their way around a computer. They can even send email and have viewed pictures online once or twice. They have heard of Facebook and, possibly, Flickr.
If your grandparents do not own a computer, check out our posting “Grandparents Gifts: Gadgets That Require No Setup.” If your grandparents are capable of finding internet and send email, read on. Here are some gadget gifts for your computer-familiar grandparents.
Free Gadget Gifts
Are you on Facebook? Of course, you are. Introduce Facebook to your grandparents.
Here is waht you need to do:
- Create a page for your grandparents on Facebook
- Upload a picture of them as a profile picture
- Go through all settings and make sure security settings are set correctly
- Look for your grandparents’ friends who are on Facebook and show how to add friends to your grandparents
- Add yourself as their friend
Done.
If you are on Flickr, invite your grandparents to be your contact on Flickr. Create an account for them. Install a plugin on their computer that would allow them to upload their own pictures to Flickr. Set the permissions accordingly and explain how it works to your grandparents.
The easiest way, however, is to install Picasa on your grandparents’ computer. Setup their web photo album and connect it to their Picasa software. Picasa will take care of organizing all pictures on the computer, upload the pictures from the camera or memory card, and even recognize faces. Some of the functionality requires a computer-savvy person to go through setup, but that’s no problem, right?
Gadget Gifts – shopping for electronics
Give your grandparents fantastic camera – Canon PowerShot S90IS. This small camera is light and powerful. It has image stabilization too. Read the full review of Canon PowerShot S90IS.
For those grandparents, who are still driving, a GPS system could be of great help. Of course, they might know their way around the house well, but if they take trips every so often, a GPS device will plot the best route and report on traffic.
Garmin Nuvi GPS systems have bright big screens and easy to navigate. They give turn-by-turn directions, announce streets by name and some even supply real-time local weather, trafic, gas prices and local events. Advanced features might require additional subscriptions. You might consider those as additional gift possibilities.
GPS Units to consider:
- Garmin Nuvi 285WT (requires MSN Direct subscription for traffic)
- Garmin’s nuvi 260W Widescreen GPS
Read more about GPS Devices in our Holiday Gift Guide.
Some of the grandparents are still very active. They run, they hike, they bike, and they ski. Hey, we have a suggestion for those active seniors too. How about Forerunner 305? It is a superb gift for an outdoor person. It looks like a watch, though bigger. It has a heart rate monitor and GPS built in. Read Garmin Forerunner 305 Review we did a while back.
Related posts:
