Okay, I think that this finally is my last CES 2012 post, at least for now. Today, I want to tell you about a product that won an an International CES Innovations 2012 Design and Engineering Award: TelyHD.
This is essentially a dedicated network media player that only has one application: Skype. It runs on Android, [...]
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HDTV Almanac - Great Gift for Grandparents
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alfredpoor
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Rodolfo
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Re: HDTV Almanac - Great Gift for Grandparents
I agree with you in that grandparents could particularly benefit from a product like this and hopefully the company will make some changes to make it more suitable to seniors:
A) The unit only has HDMI connectivity. Typically grandparents, especially those in assisted living and retirement places, do not have the latest TVs. Although HDMI has been out for about 10 years there are many legacy TVs that usually old folks are using, so backward compatibility is a must if trying to target that group. This is a similar problem with the Internet Smart Box LG introduced over a year ago, they presented the box as a unit that would allow a legacy TV to enjoy Smart TV features but it had only an HDMI output, which would automatically make it NON-backward compatible with the legacy TVs they claim could be used for.
B) Price. For this to be actually attractive to seniors, which are the ones typically having the least money, the unit should cost less than $250 so a senior could purchase it on his/her own, rather than waiting until their folks come up with the generous gift that may never happen. Independence is a great feeling when one reaches that age.
C) Not all assisted living places, especially the lower scale ones or in other countries, allow seniors to have access to the Internet from their own rooms, if at all in the building. Perhaps a solution could be an extra very limited and cheap Wi-Fi modem that could be installed in the main office connection to the Internet of the retirement home so only his/her TelyHD can link to it, rather than an open Wi-Fi router proposition that may be objected by the main office.
This faces the same problem than the Wi-Fi picture frames for seniors, like Kodak Pulse, they require Wi-Fi service to use the main practical capability, of me updating the photos on my 96 yr old Mom's frame in Argentina.
Best Regards,
Rodolfo La Maestra
A) The unit only has HDMI connectivity. Typically grandparents, especially those in assisted living and retirement places, do not have the latest TVs. Although HDMI has been out for about 10 years there are many legacy TVs that usually old folks are using, so backward compatibility is a must if trying to target that group. This is a similar problem with the Internet Smart Box LG introduced over a year ago, they presented the box as a unit that would allow a legacy TV to enjoy Smart TV features but it had only an HDMI output, which would automatically make it NON-backward compatible with the legacy TVs they claim could be used for.
B) Price. For this to be actually attractive to seniors, which are the ones typically having the least money, the unit should cost less than $250 so a senior could purchase it on his/her own, rather than waiting until their folks come up with the generous gift that may never happen. Independence is a great feeling when one reaches that age.
C) Not all assisted living places, especially the lower scale ones or in other countries, allow seniors to have access to the Internet from their own rooms, if at all in the building. Perhaps a solution could be an extra very limited and cheap Wi-Fi modem that could be installed in the main office connection to the Internet of the retirement home so only his/her TelyHD can link to it, rather than an open Wi-Fi router proposition that may be objected by the main office.
This faces the same problem than the Wi-Fi picture frames for seniors, like Kodak Pulse, they require Wi-Fi service to use the main practical capability, of me updating the photos on my 96 yr old Mom's frame in Argentina.
Best Regards,
Rodolfo La Maestra
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alfredpoor
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Re: HDTV Almanac - Great Gift for Grandparents
All good points, Rodolfo, especially about seniors who live in group home settings. However, I suspect that the proportion of all U.S. grandparents -- which includes people as young as in their 40s -- who live in such settings is rather small. I suspect that there are still enough grandparents outside of nursing homes who would have the interest and the means to make a product like this successful. I know plenty of grandparents who routinely drop $250 or more on some football tickets, a day of golf or skiing, or a dinner out with friends or family.
You do provide an interesting take on the topic, however. Thanks for your insight.
Alfred
You do provide an interesting take on the topic, however. Thanks for your insight.
Alfred