PCs seen as key Web connector for older Americans, with tablets on the rise, says Geeks on Site CEO
January 22, 2015, Miami, Florida – Increases in computer usage and online access among older Americans 55+ are expected in 2015. The device of choice for Americans aged 65 or older is still the desktop PC. Mobile phones and tablets are increasing in usage among Boomers as well.
Active seniors are deepening their use of computers and digital tools, according to the Pew Research Center, and the outlook is robust for older Americans’ increased digital connectivity in 2015. Growth in the percentage of older adults (65+) using the Internet has been steady — now nearly 60 percent — though not as fast as the growth for all adults (86 percent of American adults now go online regularly). Look at some of the recent numbers:
- 44% of smartphone owners age 50+ access the Internet or check email daily from their device (Pew).
- 89% of seniors 65+ have personal email and use it regularly (Nielsen).
- 41% of internet users 50-64 and 27% age 65+ say they watch videos online (Pew).
- The top four online websites for people over 60 are Google, Facebook, Yahoo and YouTube (AARP).
“As Baby Boomers age into their 60s and 70s, they are showing a determination to stay current with digital technology’s advances,” notes George Otte, CEO of Geeks on Site, the Miami-based computer repair and services company. “We see an increased reliance on using the Internet, but with more comfortable access models like desktop computers, rather than smartphones and tablets. It’s within this segment that we see an opportunity to guide and help these Boomers.”
Older Americans are also increasingly using tablets and mobile reading devices like Kindles for pure digital reading and book storage. But for daily Internet use, adults 65 and over are working with desktop PCs more frequently. As a result, they are often inadvertently prone to attracting malware and spyware. There is an opportunity to educate this audience and increase their knowledge of the dangers and scams that exist online.
“Our home tech teams often find that senior adults aren’t quite sure about when e-mail attachments look suspicious, or when clicking a URL in what looks to be an authentic e-mail leads the user to a computer virus,” Otte says. “These are the types of computer users that our company Geeks on Site can help. Baby Boomers didn’t grow up in a digital environment of mistrust, and as such, they can be shown how to recognize certain Internet and computer warning signs.”
Geeks on Site is a leader in the PC repair and services category, among both residential and commercial locations. Geeks on Site provides safe and convenient computer repair and services via online remote PC repair delivery as well as traditional on- site, in-home and in-office service. This includes support for PCs, networks, printers, scanners, smartphones, MP3 players, software and hardware support.
About Geeks on Site
Geeks on Site is among the fastest-growing companies in the residential and commercial computer repair industry. The Miami, Florida company provides safe and convenient computer repair and services via online remote PC repair delivery as well as traditional onsite, in-home and in-office service. Geeks on Site provides support for PCs, networks, printers, scanners, smartphones, MP3 players, software and hardware support. Click to https://www.geeksonsite.com for more information.
FOOTNOTES:
http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/04/29/older-adults-and-technology/
http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2013/the-me-generation-meets-generation-me.html
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2153080/baby-boomers-embrace-technology-as-much-as-younger-users.html
http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/03/28/baby-boomers-and-technology/