Great Age Guide to Better Living Through Technology [Paperback]

Sandy Berger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2005

Sandy Berger’s Great Age Guides are designed for those of us, 40 years +, who have reached a Great Age in our lives but did not have the opportunity to grow up in a world of technology. We now live in a Great Age of technology that offers many solutions and opportunities for living better. Whether its information through the Internet, planning our travels, shopping, managing our finances, or staying in touch with friends and family around the world and sharing digital photos, this Great Age of Technology has a lot to offer if we know where to go and what to do. Sandy Berger helps us to discover what this Great Age of Technology can do for us and how to make the most of it in the Great Age Guide to Better Living Through Technology.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sandy Berger is seen and heard everywhere these days: in her Compu-KISS newsletter, on her radio program, in her newspaper column, in her three books, and on the Internet and by fans from around the globe. And although she is the host of the Computers and Technology section of the AARP web site, a far broader age group seeks her opinions. It's the universal appeal that put Sandy in Parade Magazine and on the Today Show. Dubbed "the Martha Stewart of e-learning," Sandy is knowledgeable, likable, and has a way with people. The New York Times placed her in the top five most influential people in e-learning.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Have you ever stopped to think about the role of technology in your life? There's no doubt that today's younger generations will benefit from current and future technological advances, but today's older generations are already seeing the biggest lifestyle improvements ever. We are living longer, more active lives than our parents and grandparents. Our ancestors went from youth to middle age to old age. We, with a new mentality and the help of technology, have added an entire epoch to our lives—the Great Age!

Everyone knows that the term baby boomer refers to individuals who were born after World War II. This group is generally recognized as encompassing people who were born between 1946 and 1964. The boomers' older siblings don't have a moniker associated with their generation, but along with the boomers, they are often referred to as zoomers because they are not ready to be

relegated to a rocking chair. Boomers and zoomers are zooming into the latter part of their lives, zooming into technology, and zooming into everything they do. They are vibrant individuals who deal enthusiastically with all aspects of their lives. They are ready to enjoy the Great Age they have created.

About Sandy Berger's Great Age Guides

It's about time that someone addressed the issues that face those of us who did not grow up with computers. We are not technologically impaired. We are not dummies. And we are not about to be overlooked.

It's just that we didn't learn about computers in school, so we sometimes approach the new-fangled digital world with a bit of trepidation. Can someone please tell us just what we need to know without the complicated mumbo-jumbo?

That is exactly what this series does. It is explicitly geared for the needs and wants of baby boomers and beyond. It tells you just what you need to know—no more and no less. It uses the winning formula of need-to-know information along with easy-to-understand explanations.

Over the past decade, I have helped many boomers and their older siblings learn how to use computers and technology to enhance and improve their lives. I understand the needs and wants of this generation. After all, I am enjoying the Great Age myself. I am anxious to help guide you into the world of technology where the Great Age is full of enjoyment and anticipation.

Better Living Through Technology

Most of us realize that the path to better living is through technology. Computers and technology now affect every aspect of our lives. They have extended our longevity, improved our health, made travel planning easier, and even made it easier to handle our finances. Sandy Berger's Great Age Guide to Better Living Through Technology is filled with information that will enrich your life. It will put you on the cutting edge while making sure that you are far from the bleeding edge. It will help you get comfortable with technology and allow you to understand the many ways that it can make life easier.

This book is intended to give you a taste of the richness and ease that technology can bring to your life. I will give you an idea of what technology can do for you. I hope that this will lead you to explore more possibilities on your own. Websites are given as examples of where you can find more information. Each web address has been checked and rechecked, but if you can't get to a specific website of some reason, just remember that you can probably find many similar websites if you look around.

Remember you don't have to memorize anything here. Just sit back, relax, and absorb whatever information is important to you. This book will give you the gist of what computers and technology can do for you. After you know what is out there for you, you can experience as much or as little as you like. No pressure—just relax and enjoy this book and you will come to enjoy technology.

What's Inside

There are no special instructions for using this book. Start at the beginning or jump around as you please. I've added a quote at the beginning of each chapter because we can always learn from others. I've also included several special features to help you in your quest for knowledge.

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Sandy's Tips - Sandy's Tips give you my personal tips, tricks, and shortcuts to make life in the digital world a little easier

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Lingo - The Lingo boxes explain any high-tech terms in easy-to-understand language.

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Blooper Alert - The Blooper Alerts help you avoid some of the pitfalls. By telling you about some of the places where most people stumble, these alerts enable you to stay out of trouble and to feel a whole lot smarter.

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Trivia - The Trivia boxes are just for fun. They are tidbits of fascinating information—little things that include today's factoids as well as details from the good old days.

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How This Book Is Organized

• Chapter 1, "Becoming a Digital Family," presents ways family members can communicate with each other, create family websites and fun family projects, and even research the family tree.

• Chapter 2, "Search and Learn Online," explains how to use search engines to find what you need. You'll also learn about online encyclopedias, virtual libraries, museums, and other research tools.

• Chapter 3, "Shopping Online for Fun and Savings," brings the digital world of shopping into your living room.

• Chapter 4, "Easy Travel Planning," gives you everything you need to know about travel planning, Internet travel resources, bargains, and discounts.

• Chapter 5, "Managing your Finances," helps you understand online banking, personal finance programs, and investing via the Web.

• Chapter 6, "Digital Photography and Instant Printing," helps you stay up to date in the world of digital cameras, printers, and scanners.

• Chapter 7, "Music, Games, and Digital Diversions" introduces you to the ways that high-tech resources have changed old hobbies, such as music appreciation, cooking, and gardening, and created new ones, such as geocaching.

• Chapter 8, "Online Health Information and Resources," explains high-tech health devices and advances and gives you digital resources for staying healthy.

• Chapter 9, "Meeting People Online," investigates the many ways you can meet people online and have safe and exciting online relationships.

My fondest wish is that you enjoy this book and have fun with technology!

© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Que (September 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789734400
• ISBN-13: 978-0789734402
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,273,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't put it down, September 16, 2005

By 

Jane Larsson (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Age Guide to Better Living Through Technology (Paperback)

I just started reading this book and I can't put it down. I thought I knew a thing or two about computers, technology and the Internet already, but there is so much more. And I'm finding a lot of it here in this book. I just don't know how to find the time to play with all the new suggestions and ideas in here for me, and the whole family. I look forward to reading the other books in the series when they are released. Keep them coming.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Age Guide to Better Living Through Technology, December 15, 2005

By 

Fern Truschke (Kansas City, Mo USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Great Age Guide to Better Living Through Technology (Paperback)

This book gave me the courage to finally purchase a digital camera/printer setup. Sandy gives you step-by-step insructions in PLAIN ENGLISH, no computer-ese. And just when you have a question, Sandy answers it -- she speaks our language (the Boomers!).

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars introduces many topics to newcomers to the Web, September 30, 2005

By 

W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Great Age Guide to Better Living Through Technology (Paperback)

Berger talks in plain language, to demystify the use of various technical items. She writes for a still large crowd that is new to much of this. Naturally, the bulk of the book explains how to use the Web. She shows some of the myriad resources available, from geneology to sharing photo images.

For searching, she describes the main search engines, Google, Yahoo, MSN etc. For Google, she gives a sidebar on how the word derives from 'googol'. But, like so many other texts, it does not analyse this further. 'Google' is also a pun on 'goggle', where that means to look at something and gape. (Goggles are spectacles, in a related meaning.) Why is it that so many writers can't go beyond Google's official explanation of its name? The name is actually quite ingenious, and more so than just their explanation.

Anyway, on other topics, the book spends time showing how to use music, as in buying it online. Or in subscribing to satellite radio, say. Plus, she brings to your attention various sites that hobbyists might frequent, for such activities as scrapbooking and geocaching.