The Reader

Jim B,

For someone who uses it only for email, and is on a limited income, yes, it might be a good option, but I doubt it.

Something you said, makes me ask several more questions. What you said was "mom" and "saves money for limitied (sic) incomes." You need to look at several things: technical skills, memory, how they use the internet, how are you going to keep her computer up to date on security patches and software, and other things.

How are her technical skills and memory? I have been around and helped the elderly that had different levels of short term memory, and who's technology skills are limited. And will they stay the same for the foreseeable future?

For you and me, the tethering directions seem as simple as breathing, but for some elderly it might as well be written in Greek. Heck, if I took my neighbor's Razor from him and gave him my iPhone, first thing he would do is throw it at me and the second is verbally tear me a new output port. He has his limits to the level of technology he wants to learn at 70 plus. He is sharp, he just retired as a CPA.

For someone who only uses it for email, 2Gb is probably enough, but if they web surf, that may get a little tight.I know I put a 5Gb boundary every month on my cable connection. I know a few senior citizens that do a lot of surfing, like my neighbor. If they download anything like software updates or bunches of photos of the grandkids, they might also be frustrated by the speed as well as the data limit. (PC or Mac, they both need software updates.) The upgrade for my Mac to OS X 10.6.4 was, I think 500Mb.

How's the cellular signal at mom's place and does she get a 3G or Edge signal? At home I get the following speeds, 1580 Kb/s on 3G, and 138 Kb/s on Edge. At work on a T1, I used to have idiots email me a dozen 1Mb photos and I would scream at how slow they downloaded. Now imagine your mom downloading the same dozen photos, at Edge speeds. People don't thing about photo data sizes when taking photos or attaching photos to emails.

I get 12,700 Kb/s over WiFi, because I get my internet over cable and use wireless in the apartment. It is about $10/mo to add internet to my cable. Which is cheaper than $45/mo for data and tethering, on top of $40/mo for cellular voice. That is $85/mo plus taxes, for phone and poor internet.

I used to get by on a pay-as-you-go cellular plan for $8-20/mo, plus $45/ mo for basic cable and internet. I didn't have a landline. Throw in NetFlix for $17/mo, so for $70-82/mo, I had phone, fast internet, and entertainment.

If I took away my neighbor's cable, he would shoot me. He is a sports fan and I'm not. I have basic and he has the sports package. He is bored off his backside, because he can not get out and play golf and his movement is limited.

So yeah, tethering can be can be done, but should it?

Yeah, tethering is cheaper than a freestanding internet connection, but it is a good way to lower her total expenses versus its limitations and her current and future skills? Only the two of you can answer that.

Brent

I am not an advocate for the elderly or the differently-abled, I just play one in real life, way to many times. I am a rigging inspector for heavy lifting equipment. (Our average construction lift was 40 metric ton.)

On Jun 25, 2010, at 7:46 AM, Jim Butterfield wrote:

> Hey Jim for a simple person like my mom.. i could be an option.. could save on having a home internet connection..lets say they only check email once in a while... saves money for limitied incomes... but yes the user will need to monitor there usage...
>
>
> --- On Thu, 6/24/10, Jim Saklad <jimdoc@me.com> wrote:
>
> From: Jim Saklad <jimdoc@me.com>
> Subject: Re: [apple-iphone] iOS4 Tethering
> To: apple-iphone@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Thursday, June 24, 2010, 9:12 PM
>
>
>
> > ... your data usage will skyrocket and there is no more unlimited data. I doubt you will be pleased with your download speeds.
>
> Tethering is for when you cannot get online any other way. It is NOT your first choice if you have Wifi, cable, FIOS, or DSL available to you.
>
> --
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Jim Saklad mailto:jimdoc@me.com

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