Computers for the elderly

Fraggleen

Any good recommendations for a simple-to-use computer for my elderly mother, preferably with large/easy-to-read keys? Or anyone with any experience of 'simplicITy'?

gonzo127

well to be honest i havent come accross a large key keyboard before so cant offer help there

and as far as simplicity goes, although i think it is quite a good idea in theory however i feel they are still quite expensive for what you get, as you can get a simular interface by using Ubuntu netbook remix which you could put on a system yourself (if you are reasonably comfortable with computers) so not only would you get a better laptop/computer for the money you also will gain full access to a much larger support network via the ubuntu forums this is quite a good review http://desktoplinuxreviews.com/2010/05/24/ubuntu-linux-netbook-edition-10-04-lucid-lynx/

just remember if you think it might want to go this way you can always download it and try it out in livecd mode so you can get a feel for it

Richie-from-the-Boro

Keyboard, mad price though

gonzo127

cool richie never seen one like that before, but as stated that price is shocking!

Inactive

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

Keyboard, mad price though

OUCH at the price...;)

bat999

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

Keyboard, mad price though

All the keys are hand-carved from ivory.;)

GillM

Out of curiosity I just searched for BigKeys on Ebay and there are a couple at £50 with free postage - still quite pricey though.

Robin_T_Cox

Fragleen, please give us a clue or two. What is your mother's age? What limits exactly does her age place upon her use of a computer?

amcluesent

The RNIB shop does a keyboard with extra large, high contrast letters on standard size key tops.

I know it sounds daft, but my elderly mother 'got' how to use the iPad when even what a mouse did was utterly baffling.

Richie-from-the-Boro

bat999 wrote: »

All the keys are hand-carved from ivory.;)

I bought 24 for a job last year [ 18 dumb PC's plus 6 for spares ] at £22 per unit nett nett, they were bought through a ' grey ' wholesaler though. I've never needed to ask since, but I'll bet I wont get anywhere close to double that price now.

N.B. 30% for spares is ridiculously high, but I had a pig of a job getting them at the right price I made a decision to buy right there / & / then ! I'd never been asked for such a thing before and never since, so with no demand / competition its hardly surprising the price is regulated by the ' get as much as you can ' greedy rule.

Farway

Robert Dyas, jumbo keyboard, £7.99

http://www.robertdyas.co.uk/P~150186~Jumbo+Keyboard

These are also in their shops.

I volunteer at local Age Concern and we had large keybord for £99, from what I could see in store the 7.99 is much the same, except for the price of course