TEM Talks – Tech Education Moment Blog #64

Dear Miss Avon

What will “the New Normal” pandemic changes look like in the future?

The “New Normal” after the pandemic changes are likely to include these 12 things.

1. attending church, funeral, graduation and related program events anywhere, anytime, online rather than at a physical building location
2. attending business meetings and conferences online rather than in person
3. cleaning public and common area surfaces and spaces much more frequently
4. going to the movies, concerts, or sports events via a streaming service rather than in person
5. home schooling rather than public schooling via distance learning
6. online grocery and retail shopping rather than in a physical store shopping
7. preparing more meals at home and less family restaurant dining
8. private transportation rather than on a crowded bus, airline, ship, or train
9. seeing the doctor online rather than via an office visit
10. staying socially connected online rather than at physical site locations
11. working from home rather than working from the corporate office location
12. requiring health checks before starting work or using a public or group facility

Dear Miss Avon: What is the good, the bad, the ugly of IoT for seniors (Internet of Things)?  TEM Talks Tech Education Moment Blog #54

The Good: IoT is terrific for seniors during the current season of social distancing communications and such.  IoT can help seniors to stay healthier and self-sufficient longer. That is, for seniors who have access, know how, and will use IoT technology.

The Bad:   There are still major Digital Divide issues in many homes where seniors do not have Wi-Fi connectivity, up-to-date Internet devices, or someone competent and patient enough to show them how to install and/or use IoT gadgetry.

The Ugly: There are still significant numbers of seniors with trust issues when it comes to using IoT technology, especially for banking and bill paying.

The internet of things is collecting and sharing data over the Internet by adding sensors and intelligence to ordinary, everyday objects to make the objects smart. This could include water bottles that tell you how much water you drank today, toothbrushes that measure mouth cleanliness, refrigerators that order restock supplies for you; telemedicine monitoring shoes, socks, and watches; self-driving and conversational lawnmowers, trucks, and cars.

beyondcomputerbasics@yahoo.com