How to upgrade Dad this Father's Day
Is your Dad still collecting jars of change, rocking an old flip-phone, or using a “vintage” point-and-shoot (with film)? He might be set in his ways with gadgets of days gone by, but tech adoption is actually skyrocketing among older adults.
According to a new survey by the Pew Research Center, some 42% of seniors now report owning smartphones, up from just 18% in three years ago. And nearly 70% now use the Internet, a 55 percentage-point increase in just under two decades.
Despite these gains, the study also found many seniors remain disconnected and discomforted with the the digital revolution. Many are primed and ready, but remain timid and confused. The last thing they want is to get stuck coming to you every five minutes for gadget-help. (Which is pretty much the last thing you want too, right?)
Upgrading Dad
Father’s Day (June 18) could be a good excuse to replace some of dear old dad’s outdated tech with simple, low-cost replacements. It might also be a great time to help ease him into modern life with confidence, no matter what his age. Here are several ideas, based on many old gadgets my very own dad has lying around.
Upgrade his flip-phone
Let’s start by making sure he has a smartphone and knows how to use it. You don’t have to go all out and hand over the most expensive iPhone 7 Plus or Samsung Galaxy S8. There are Android smartphones like the ZTE Max XL ($130) or the R1 HD ($50) that won’t break the bank.
If money’s not an issue though, splurge for an iPhone through a service such as Enjoy. It sends technicians to dad’s house to set the phone up for him, and teach him how to use it. HelloTech is another useful site to know about here. It offers 24/7 tech support, with people who have all the patience in the world, for all kinds of questions. Apple recently launched a series of classes at its stores across the country too. One of the classes is aptly named “iPhone Basics,” and promises to help newbies, “explore new features and share a few helpful tips and tricks.”
Related:
The best, cheapest way to get good tech support
20 luxurious gifts to treat your dad this Father’s Day
Upgrade his apps
Once he has that smartphone down, a few apps can really help him out too. The two that I put on my dad's phone recently: Dosh and Square Cash.
You know all those jars of change Dad keeps around the house? Dosh is an app that can fill up his bank account with spare change that he earns just from shopping like normal. All dad has to do is install the app, connect his bank or credit card by snapping a photo, and then shop just like he already does. Whenever he swipes his card, at one of the 100,000 connected merchants, such as Target, HomeDepot, and Avis, the app instantly checks to see if there are any rebates or cash-back offers available and then applies them automatically. Money comes flowing back in without any extra effort, which is a level of simplicity that even your frugal dad likely appreciates.
Now that we’ve gotten dad to ditch loyalty cards and coupons, and he’s saving money at every turn, here’s an app that will let him finally leave his old, dusty checkbook at home too. It’s called Square Cash, and it’s like a virtual wallet. With the app installed, your pop can exchange money with just about anyone, just by having their phone number or email address. It’s super handy for splitting restaurant tabs, or for those times where your dad absolutely insists on giving you gas money even when you tell him it’s no big deal. Square Cash is free to download, free to send money back and forth, and dad can send money from his virtual wallet right to his bank account in an instant, with just a couple of taps. What’s really sweet though? Is that you can add money to his account too. So you can go in with your siblings and get dad the vacation of his dreams.
Upgrade his home
Now, if there’s one thing I think many fathers share, it’s the unstoppable itch for home improvement. Installing home lighting, a new thermostat, and a set of window shades is one thing, but when those things can think for themselves? Well, it can be pretty intimidating, especially when it comes to rewiring.
To ease dad into a smart home without too much fuss, take a look at the Honeywell’s Lyric Gateway. It’s a smart home security system that he can plug in — no wires, no confusion. It can also be the hub of all kinds of other smart gadgets, syncing everything from temperature control to electronic door locks and bringing it all together in an easy-to-use control panel. Dad won’t have to mess with a dozen different apps every time he wants to do one simple task, which makes the whole smart home trend a whole lot less scary too.
Upgrade his gaming
Your upgrade Father’s Day project doesn’t have to be all about the nuts and bolts. Show him that tech can also be a great tool for kicking back and relaxing. No, I’m not talking about dropping a couple thousand dollars on a new TV for him, but something fun like the Vuzix iWear video headphones will give him the same experience anyway. It might look like something out of Star Trek, but this headset is actually a virtual home theater with some serious power. It connects to Blu-ray players, computers, smartphones — just about everything — and when dad puts it on he’ll see a massive 130-inch virtual projection of whatever movies, TV shows, or sporting events he wants. It even does virtual reality, but maybe we’ll save that project for next Father’s Day.
I also just found out — you can trade in a ton of old gaming consoles, even broken ones — at GameStop. That might be a great way to clear the clutter and help spring for something new for Dad to get his game on too!
What are some old gadgets that you would love to upgrade for your dad? Be sure to let us know in the comments section. Happy Father’s Day!
Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech contributor and host of USA TODAY's digital video show TECH NOW. E-mail her at jj@techish.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenniferJolly.