WP8 for the elderly? Heck yeah!

madsedan

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OK, so I have been extolling the virtues of WP8 and showing off my lumia 920 since release in early November to friends and family, and most of them are hardcore Iphone users so its fallen on deaf ears. BUT, I had an epiphany last week while listening to my mother and a friend complain about their Android phones and how they never have gotten used to them. I showed them my phone and basically had them tell me every issue they had with their phone and I was able to address each one to their liking on my WM8 phone. I know that most of these could have been addressed on their Razr Maxx devices but them marveling at how smoothly, quickly, and easily I was able to make these changes on my device thrilled these 60 year olds lol.

-?My clock is too small to read when I open up the phone? BAM live tile as large as you want and easy to read.
-?The icons are a little too small I do a quick look? BAM adjustable tile size for your high frequency items.
-?I really only use text, calls, and occasionally internet? BAM your most used tiles are up top above the giant clock lol
-?The calendar function is hard to use? BAM chronos calender?s large and detailed live tile? right under the giant clock

Anyway, you can see where I?m going with this, the next evening my mother had me meet her at the At&t store where she started a new plan and picked up an HTC 8x, because of the blue/purple color, and loves it. Her friend went to the At&t store last night and picked up a yellow 920, because of the color as well. I e-mailed my mother today about my wife?s birthday party and she responded (FROM HER PHONE!!!!) that she just put it in her calendar with a reminder and loved the purple Windows phone.

These phones are perfect for old people, this is an old person?s smart phone, hilarious. So if you have an older friend or relative that?s fumbling around trying to read the iphone apps or can?t set up widgets on an android show them the WP8 phone!
 
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stmav

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Re: WM8 for the elderly? Heck yeah!

It's not a secret. I know of 3 people over 50 that have had WP8 since launch. One since WP7.
 

willied

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My grandmother got one. Not sure how she's doing yet since she lives 1000 miles away. She did ask me about something over the phone about editing a contact, but I couldn't seem to help her. She's darn near useless with technology. Basically all of my mother's family is.
 

Chris_Kez

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I'm getting one for 80+ dad. This is his first smartphone (first "computer" in fact) and I'm thinking the large tiles and person-centric design should be good for him. I thought about an iPhone but damn those icons are small and then he needs to get into the phone app or the mail app or the messaging app. My plan is to add all his contacts plus some basic apps (pandora, weather, battery, a news reader) and pin some big tiles to the start screen. That should cover 90% of what he does.

Any suggestions for apps that would be good for an older person? I was thinking the magnifying app Reading Lens would be fantastic, as would an emergency app that has pertinent medical stuff and emergency contacts. Anything else I should consider? Is there a decent medication/pill reminder app? I thought about maybe a generic note/task app but it would have to be dead simple.
 

ballanda

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I'm afraid there will never be a better phone than the iPhone for elderly people. 3 reasons:

There's no difference between start screen and list of all apps on an iPhone. Everything all right there in a neat little box (icon). Static, boring, but great for idiots. Hubs on WP are too difficult for the elderly mind to grasp.

Windows Phone can be very confusing because the UI uses text as buttons without any indication / highlight that it can be tapped. iPhone is easier to navigate. Back navigation in the upper left. Start over by pressing the only button on the face. Again, super for idiots.

The concept of tap and hold (long press) will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever make sense to an old person. I don't know why. That's just my experience.
 

Microsoftjunkie

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I also agree that windows phones are great. Wp7 is more than enough for elderly individuals. Just put whatever tiles they use, mainly call, text and web and unpin everything else. Makes it a world easier to operate when you're not looking at a hundred different things.
 

Chris_Kez

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I'm afraid there will never be a better phone than the iPhone for elderly people.
There's no difference between start screen and list of all apps on an iPhone. Everything all right there in a neat little box (icon). Hubs on WP are too difficult for the elderly mind to grasp.
.

Have to disagree. Medium and wide tiles are much easier to read than icons, and live tiles also flip to provide additional context. The scrolling alphabetical app list on WP8 is also easier to use. It shows the app name in very large letters, with the tile next to it. On iOS, you flip through multiple grids of icons, OR you use universal search- and for search you must recall, not just recognize the app name.

Hubs can be tricky but I'd argue that the people hub at least is more user and novice friendly. Being able to pin a contact and have all your interaction in one place is an improvement over the iOS model.
 
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