Forum Home
Press F1
 
Thread ID: 117561 2011-04-25 00:19:00 Email for my 90-year old mother Tony (4941) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1196816 2011-04-25 00:19:00 For about 15(?) years my mother in England has used an Amstrad combined phone and emailer. It is quite a cunning little device that looks like a phone but has a small screen and keyboard that allows you to send and receive text-only emails. We've just heard that the service is going to be discontinued in June. Doesn't surprise me, I've always been amazed it hung on this long. The number of users must be minuscule these days.

So the question is, what can we replace it with? I did some research a while back and the only thing I found was an American device that only worked in the USA. The main problem is that she steadfastly refuses to have a computer - which is understandable at her age.

Any ideas anyone? The only thing I can think of is a tablet of some sort, that doesn't look like a "computer". There are still issues with that about signng up with an ISP, getting Mum trained - and accepting the device in the first place.
Tony (4941)
1196817 2011-04-25 00:27:00 I suppose a cell phone wouldn't be any better than a PC. mikebartnz (21)
1196818 2011-04-25 00:30:00 I suppose a cell phone wouldn't be any better than a PC.I guess it is a possibility, but I think screen size might be an issue for old clumsy fingers. Tony (4941)
1196819 2011-04-25 01:45:00 Maybe contact NZ/UK Telecom/Vodafone for similar products/services. Perhaps browse ebay to research alternative products. kahawai chaser (3545)
1196820 2011-04-25 01:55:00 Maybe contact NZ/UK Telecom/Vodafone for similar products/services. Perhaps browse ebay to research alternative products.My sister in England will be looking at other service provider possibilities. As I said in the original post, the only actual device I have found only works in the US. Tony (4941)
1196821 2011-04-25 03:11:00 Teletext?? I seem to remember that emailing might be a feature but don't seem to be able to find anything about it on the net? johnd (85)
1196822 2011-04-25 03:23:00 Teletext?? I seem to remember that emailing might be a feature but don't seem to be able to find anything about it on the net?

No, teletext is read-only, afaik

en.wikipedia.org


Because standard teletext is one-way -- there is no way for the TV viewer to communicate back to the broadcaster -- the user must wait for the page he or she selected to be broadcast
bot (15449)
1196823 2011-04-25 03:25:00 Consider getting her a tablet? Cato (6936)
1196824 2011-04-25 03:28:00 Consider getting her a tablet?That's one of the possibilities I mentioned in the original post. Tony (4941)
1196825 2011-04-25 03:29:00 I think what you're after is a teletypewriter (TTY) device, usually sourced through hearing/deaf societies/associations
www.hearingnz.org.nz
www.vanasch.school.nz
feersumendjinn (64)
1 2 3 4