Boomer Tech Classes Will Answer Your Questions about Devices and the Latest Technology Trends

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AARP New Mexico is taking some of today’s trending technology, and getting people’s most burning questions answered through a six-part series that begins Wed., March 3, at 1 p.m.  That first class starts with the radical idea of whether people still need a home computer when more cost effective tools do the same things and will look at some of those other options.

The Boomer Tech series is in partnership with Villages of Santa Fe featuring presenters Ambrose Ferber, Associate Director of Technology and Chair of Computer Science at Santa Fe Prep, and Ann Church, President of Villages of Santa Fe.

“Villages of Santa Fe has presented Boomer Tech since 2016 and we are happy to share this great program with AARP New Mexico members and friends,” Church said.

“We know that technology, especially since it is constantly changing, can be challenging. We will be presenting information and answering your questions twice a month, online. This is not some nerdy lecture about the inner workings of the computer world, but advice on day-to-day use for getting the most out of your devices,” she said.  

“These classes will also be interactive so we can address specific questions or challenges you might be having with a device or system. Our hope is that the technology you are using is not only useful but also fun,” she said

The Villages’ past classes were in person but like most other things, these will be done virtually using the Zoom platform. Participants can sign up for one class or all of them. Classes are free and open to the public. To register visit: http://aarp.cvent.com/SFe

The class schedule is as follows:

March 3, Wed., 1 p.m. MT
Do I really NEED a computer? Most of the functions on your old computer, the one that weighs more than your dog, are available on lightweight, inexpensive tablets or on your phone. E-mail, text, watch TV and movies, order anything online including your dinner, join daily exercise classes on Zoom, read the New York Times or local newspaper, follow daily happenings on podcasts, listen to audio books. You can spend less than $150 on equipment and still have all that.

March 17, Wed., 1 p.m. MT
Zen and the Art of Phone Buying. With the iPhone 12 starting at $999, what are less expensive, reliable options? We live in New Mexico, what’s the best service for rural areas? What is Google Fi and is it a good option for me? Why is some phone service so terrible and why are there so many options for phones and plans out there? What about landlines? Introduce some peace and calm into your digital life.

April 7, Wed., 1 p.m. MT
Head in the Clouds. You may have heard people using terms like the cloud, cloud computing, or cloud storage. But what exactly is the Cloud?  Should I use iCloud, Google Drive, or some other Cloud "thing"? Is it safe? What are the benefits to me?

April 21, Wed., 1 p.m. MT
No More Password Lists. We all want to keep our personal information safe, but with all the requirements for passwords, and the bank requiring us to change passwords every 90 days, how does one keep track? Is it safe to use a password program? Are there better ways to create and remember a password?

May 5, Wed., 1 p.m., MT
Spring Cleaning - get rid of those old apps and files. Clean those fingerprints and smudges off the screen, blow out the crumbs in the keyboard, then cleanup the old files and apps so that your devices run faster. But don’t forget the backup.

May 19, Wed., 1 p.m. MT
Cutting the Cord – Are you paying more than $200 a month for cable? Want to cut the cord or just your monthly bill? Learn how to cut your monthly bills and get the programs you need (or just really want). Make a list of what you watch, so you can find a subscription that provides you the programming you like, while saving you money.

Again to register, visit http://aarp.cvent.com/SFe