Well, this weekend found me linking up with my dad to help him take a big step forward into the world of mac. Three years ago, he had started using an iPhone 3GS. The reason for his leap into the world of iPhones was simple. He had calculated the cost for his landline phone and long distance to be similar to the cost of an iphone with a data plan. He was able to move his phone number across to the iPhone, and, he was able to enjoy the benefits of nationwide calling, web browsing, mapping directions, watching videos, Facebooking, and so much more. He absolutely loved making the switch. Also, because everyone in our family is an AT&T customer, he has been able to keep his minutes of usage very low on his account, and often has minutes rollover to the next month.
He had been considering a new phone for most of the year and when the iPhone 5 came out, he decided to make his move. He and I visited an Apple Store near Pittsburgh, PA, and he was able to walk out the door with a new phone. Even better, he was able to move all of his files, photos, calendars, and apps on his phone to iCloud. So when he turned on his new iPhone, everything that was on his old iPhone was there--including his wallpaper.The people at the Apple Store were incredibly friendly and enthusiastic, and were also very patient with my dad as they walked him through some of the initial aspects of set-up that were continued and built upon when we arrived at home.
In addition to purchasing his iPhone, he took the plunge and grabbed up an iMac as well. The last computer he purchased was back in 2000, and it had died and gotten resurrected at least three times. I spent a good chunk of the weekend helping him get set up, and moving photos and music to his new computer, but I think he is pretty well set now. Any calendar appointment, email, note, contact, or reminder that he sets up on his phone immediately syncs with his desktop, so he is able to easily see birthdays, dr. appointments, and more on his computer. Furthermore, we went out and bought him a back-up hard drive, so he can use time capsule to back-up his computer. That's a new and needed concept for my dad (and for anyone really).
Last night, as a result of his new acquisitions, we were able to play around a bit and talk on FaceTime using both his phone and his computer. There is a lot for him to learn and explore on his new pieces of technology, but my dad is already learning some cool tricks, and really enjoying his purchases. I even found him a free app that allows a person to learn how to type, one step at a time.
I'm excited for my dad to be able to explore more on his tools, and I think my dad is pretty excited about exploring as well. It may seem a bit strange, but it was really enjoyable to be able to help my dad get set up on all of this new technology, and I'm glad I could serve him in this way. He has done so much for so many people throughout his life, including me, that it was just great to help him get set up. I really hope he can get as much use out of these tools as he did his previous phone and computer.
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