Good morning!!!!

[RedNeckGeek]

"The Best Defense", an Outdoor Channel cable series, had an episode last year with a church shooting scenario. And Gunsite Ranch, an Arizona based firearms training school, has been giving church shooting classes for over a year. A sad sign of our increasingly disturbed times.

 

[rswyan]

48F with 9 mph winds out of the north, feels like 44F, low tonight supposed to be 38F.

Big front came through last night with thunderstorms and very high winds, tornado warning issued just to the south and west of us. Heard one tree break and hit the ground.

Got the 25 crocus bulbs all planted yesterday before all that came through. The Woman made some green chili enchiladas which turned out great.

Trash/recycle day tomorrow, so out to remove pallet forks and put on trash/recycle can picker-upper here in a few.

Thoughts and prayers for Randy and all the others directly affected by our most recent national tragedy.

 

[txdon]

Would this be a first time computing experience for your mom, Don?

Yes it is her first experience and I have been away from pc for many years with my apple products so I may not be much help there for here. I might have to look into a small child's device, maybe one with a touch screen.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Yes it is her first experience and I have been away from pc for many years with my apple products so I may not be much help there for here. I might have to look into a small child's device, maybe one with a touch screen.

Do you use a Mac computer at home? If so, it might be a good idea to set her down in front of it and show her a few basic things like browsing the web and reading email, just to see of she catches on. If that goes well, think about setting her up with a Mac laptop or one of the all-in-one iMacs they have these days. It'll have a larger screen, and if she's vision impaired, you can adjust the screen resolution to make everything appear larger.

It might take several sessions for the light bulb to come on. If, after that, she's still lost and uncomfortable, just be glad you found out before you spent a bunch of money on a computer that won't get used, like I did.

If you're thinking about a smaller device, like a pad or phone, keep in mind that the small keyboards are difficult to use, even for those with sharp eyes and good reflexes. And as I mentioned, the smaller the device, the more limited the functionality and clumsier the interface. Let her try your old iPhone 4S if you still have it. It'll still work off a WiFi network even if it no longer as a cellular account associated with it.

More :2cents:

 

[sodamo]

Yes it is her first experience and I have been away from pc for many years with my apple products so I may not be much help there for here. I might have to look into a small child's device, maybe one with a touch screen.

Would highly recommend you keep her on same system as you use, IOS? Gave my MIL an iPhone last few years she was alive. Of course she used it very basically but my wife and I were also her support. The fact she was in NJ and we in HI didn’t matter, we had to diagnose/help via phone. If you do the small child’s device best get one for yourself also. My granddaughter has had an iPad since she turned 5. Mom should find an iPad very intuitive for her limited use. And when she is done with it, you get the benefit. You could make her a family member making troubleshooting even easier with shared items.

 

[ronjhall]

Don I think your mom could do good on a 12” iPad. Us that have been around computers for many years have problems dealing with the short comings of the pad type computers. But they are great for emailing, messaging, browsing, pictures.
When in landscape position. Each typing letter is at least 1/2” square. Should work good for her. Just put the apps that she uses on one page. Move all others to another page.
I can warn you though. My mom was about your mothers age when she wanted a notebook. Got her one. She learned the basics. But did not want to pay for internet access. She was using dialup. Not having a reliable connect frustrated her and finally lost interest. I aways brought my notebook to her place to look up stuff for her.
You can get a iPad 12” for a little over $300 on Amazon.
Amazon.com : Apple iPad with WiFi, 32GB, Space Gray (217 Model) : Computers & Accessories
It will not have cellular. Only WiFi.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Don My niece got mom an old ipad and she panics every time we tell her to do something like touch the screen there if you want the video to get small. Hope you have better luck than we are. We go in and find a sermon or game show and she watches it and lays it on the bed. Ed

 

[txdon]

Thanks for all the suggestion on the computer device. Like Ron said the internet connection will determine a lot. $60 a month for wifi or $? for phone connection to a pad. The iPhones are too small for her and the screens too sensitive. Need to make a call to AT&T to check on internet service for a pad.

 

[wngsprd]

Does anyone have elderly friends or relatives that are not computer/smartphone savvy but have a basic device - tablet, pad, or laptop. I'm looking for a device that my Mom can communicate via e-mail, news, weather and simple large icons, but very, very basic and preferably on sale on black Friday.

You described an Amazon Fire perfectly...on sale from $50 (7" tablet) to $150 (10 " tablet) based on an email I got Saturday from Amazon. It is simple, and easy to use...you log it into to her Wifi and into her email once, all she will have to do thereafter to see email is tap the mail icon, or the other app icons...which are a big 1.5" square on our 7" Fire.

Our son gave one to us a couple of years ago, and we keep it next to the recliner for quick access...it is much faster than my old PC. Amazon downloads updates to it occasionally, and we don't even know it. Never had a technical glitch or problem with it...it's been as trouble free as a book Besides mail, we run a weather app, iHeart Radio, Alexa, a couple of games like Spades and Hearts, some another stuff, and of course the built in browser...each opens quickly by touching the large icons.

 

[txdon]

Thanks wngsprd I will look into it! Oh, now I have to find that thread on rural internet for $20 from AT&T that connects to a vehicle but with an adapter can get power from 110.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Thanks wngsprd I will look into it! Oh, now I have to find that thread on rural internet for $20 from AT&T that connects to a vehicle but with an adapter can get power from 110.

At&t already killed that deal.

 

[mostly_gas]

Good evening all. 54F at the start, overcast light wind. Wind only increased to moderate today, sky overcast most of the day, and high temp only made to 64F. Choir practice this morning, followed by bike ride. Today was Mrs Gas birthday, so wrapped her present while she napped, then gave it to her, a Keurig coffee maker.

 

[mostly_gas]

Kyle only a few miles south of Red river, not unusual to be on the other side of cold front then Dallas Have another cold front coming through tomorrow, Wednesday forecast for rain and high of 49F.

 

[sodamo]

Thanks for all the suggestion on the computer device. Like Ron said the internet connection will determine a lot. $60 a month for wifi or $? for phone connection to a pad. The iPhones are too small for her and the screens too sensitive. Need to make a call to AT&T to check on internet service for a pad.

Don, I suspect least expensive may be to add to your account, that’s what we did.

If you have AT&T Unlimited there is a new hotspot option, Netgear Nighthawk.

 

[Buppies]

Happy birthday Ms Gas

 

[sodamo]

At&t already killed that deal.

Not totally killed if you have a Mobley, but harder to do. Finding a Mobley is hard.

My Mobley account says it is eligible for Upgrade, so I just did that. $49 for Netgear Nighthawk Hotspot, 2 year contract using my Mobley line. Haven’t got it yet so maybe some unknown glitches to report, otherwise my $20/month unlimited Mobley plan transfer to a much more capable device

 

[RoyJackson]

2017-11-07, 0332

29 right now...high in the low 40's today.

 

[Eric Salop]

Does anyone have elderly friends or relatives that are not computer/smartphone savvy but have a basic device - tablet, pad, or laptop. I'm looking for a device that my Mom can communicate via e-mail, news, weather and simple large icons, but very, very basic and preferably on sale on black Friday.

Don, whatever device you get, consider showing your mum how to do just one thing well first, as she may find it confusing to take it all in at once and then be reluctant to use it. You can then show her a little more each time you visit and build up her confidence in trying new things.

 

[Eric Salop]

Good morning, a rainbow was sliding slowly across the sky as I waited for this laptop to boot up. Despite the operating system being in solid state memory, microsoft sometimes slow it down to the point that almost takes me back to the days of floppy disc drives. Now it's running, I can see a fast approaching wall of yellow on the radar map that leaves no doubt that this is the last sign we are going to see of the sun for quite a few hours.

The strangest thing about dreams has got to be not what goes on inside them, but the fact that you just don't realise you are dreaming until you wake up. I woke this morning thinking I had been shot because I hadn't waited for a crazy guy dressed like Ned Kelley to empty his magazine before I attempted to find a weak point in his body armour. You can guess the story that was on the news as I slowly came to, then realised that what for me is only the stuff of nightmares will for some, occupy your daytime thoughts too, however unlikely such an event will be.

Got to leave plenty of time to appreciate all the good things in life too. I am certain to get a good soaking while I go check on the sheep, though I often find walking in the rain quite exhilarating and tend to appreciate my breakfast, complete with a steaming mug of tea, far more when I get back. Hope everyone finds at least one little thing that they enjoy doing today.

 

[wngsprd]

52 and dropping all day, so will be in 40s all day, and rain comes about 7am.

Eric, I like a walk in the rain, too. How's that rain jacket working? I forgot the name, but remember looking it up when you talked about it a while back.

Election day here, governor and other state positions. So I'll be driving over to the elementary school where all 3 of my boys attended to vote. Brings back memories.

Roy, hope you're feeling better.

CWB, hope you find an elk.

Randy, still think about you often. It must be tough. Drew and others already went through this.