In the US, Microsoft has worked with HP to develop so-called ‘senior PCs,’ machines that are somewhat stripped down, but allow an older generationto get online. Now, at the Digital Inclusion conference in London, Microsoft announced that it’s developed a similar computer for the British market.
Working with a pair of charities, Age Concern and Help the Aged, and the Milton Keynes council, the company has developed a machine that will allow seniors to manage prescriptions, as well as offer simplified tools for everyday computer tasks, such as working with photos. It will include a ‘digital literacy curriculum,’ meaning simple guides to such tasks as getting online. At first the PCs will be given to a thousand senior households, with the figure then jumping to 10,000. It’s part of an initiative help reach the 17 million UK citizens, almost one-third of the population, who are deemed to be “digitally excluded.”
“Reaching most of the final third will mean that we have tothrow out the rule book. We will only solve these issues by taking risks and trying new things,” said Microsoft’s head of skills and economic affairs Stephen Uden. “Some of the projects weare working on will work. Others will fail.”
It’s expected that the PCs will roll out within the next year.
