Telikin Touch – A Simple Computer for Seniors?

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telikinIf you’ve been trying to find a simple to use computer for your parents or grandparents, the Telikin Touch could be the answer. It’s a touch screen computer that comes in two sizes: 18 inch and 20 inch. A special easy to use and understand interface offers email, facebook, video chat, photo sharing, calendar, address book, news, weather, games and of course web browsing. Just take it out of the box, connect it to your existing broadband connection and you’re ready to go. It also offers a special Tech Buddy feature that is basically a remote access application that allows a designated friend or family member to access the Telikin Touch from their personal computer. The tech buddy can connect to the Telikin and see what the family member is seeing and help them with problems and questions.

This sounds like a great upgrade from the MailStation and MSN/WebTV devices of several years ago, but the price of the Telikin is pretty steep in my opinion. The 18 inch version is $699.00 and the 20 inch goes for $999.00. I actually think that I would recommend an iPad or an Android tablet with a keyboard over this solution. What do you guys think?

11 thoughts on “Telikin Touch – A Simple Computer for Seniors?”




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  2. Your comment about the iPad or Android tablet is well taken. Assuming that many seniors are retired and hence more likely to view information from the net rather than produce work — and given that seniors are likely living on a fixed income — the price of the Telikin is probably prohibitive for the intended application. More adventurous seniors could probably find a good deal on a netbook — plus an interest-free payment plan — on one of the TV shopping channels.

    1. @John That post was not meant to imply that seniors do not have the smarts to use regular computers. Heck, my partner’s grandma is 93yrs old and uses a regular computer everyday. But, there are some people that have never used a computer and might find a standard PC/Mac to be either too complicated or overkill for what they want to do. That’s where these simplified devices come in.

  3. I recommended an iPad to both my parents and in-laws. Since we’ve done that, I haven’t had a single call of “you have to come over…something’s wrong with the computer.” with no worries of virus and no pop-ups to mislead non computer savvy elderly, I think iPad or Android is superior in every way. The prohibitive price is just the icing on the cake.

    Don’t get me wrong this is a great idea… 5 years ago.

  4. My Mum would never be able to use one of these hell she can’t even use a mobile phone so this would be a completely waste of money 🙁

  5. @Jack – If I hadn’t looked around and found the absolutely most basic, cheap phone I could find for my grandma, I would be saying the same thing. Luckily, I accidently stumbled on this little flip phone from this prepaid company Tracfone’s senior line (SVC) and its worked out very weel for her so far. That’s why I’m confident that she could handle something like this computer easily, but the price for her is an issue. Paying $20 for a cell phone is an understandable investment then compare that to a nearly $700 computer is harder sell when she’s budget restricted. I absolutely think you can find a better and just as easy to use product for a lot less like a Tablet – the HP and Blackberry tablet models actually go for under $500 for the most basic. I think the idea is good, but really fully realized.

  6. IPad screen is too small for many elderly who have vision problems…wish Apple made a larger version for this purpose! We tried an iPad for my mother, but it didn’t work very well. By the time we increased the fibt to the size she could read, the appearance of the page was very awkward. Guess we will try the Telikin next!

  7. My father uses a sytem from caringfamily.com. It is a computer with a printer/scanner with no screen or keyboard. I send him email and when he gets up in the morning, it is printed and waiting for him. If he wants to send me something, he places it on the scanner and presses “send”. All he needs to know is to press one button.

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