London: Those excluded from the digital
revolution, particularly the millions of elderly people, have
a new hope with the launch of an easy-to-use computer to get
them online.
The stripped-down 'SimplicITy' PCs, which is less
prone to viruses than standard computers, have just six
buttons and allow technology-shy users to surf the internet,
send emails and watch videos without having to navigate around
cluttered desktops.
"Elderly people will be able to stay in touch with
relatives overseas, and order their groceries online rather
than having to traipse to the shops," said Valerie Singleton,
the former Blue Peter presenter and co-founder of Discount
Age, the website which devised the idea.
Launched for the first time ealier this week -- for
435.99 pounds and 525.99 pounds --it is slighlty more
expensive than the market average for a simple desktop
computer, the Daily Telegraph newspaper said today.
"Everyone has been focusing on the cutting edge and
trendy things and the older generation have been left behind,"
Wayne Cooper, simplicITy project manager, was quoted as saying
by the British daily.
He said the computer is as basic as you can get it.
"You just take it out of the box, plug it in and it all loads
for you," Cooper added.
The company claimed it had already received interest
from several nursing home chains interested in installing the
machines in communal areas, as well as approaches from
Germany, the US and Canada.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, November 12, 2009, 20:02