Phones for the more mature: Part two

Old versus new

After a long battle with technology, my grandparents have almost discovered how it all works. Besides a few glitches here and there, they have definitely come a long way. Not only do they own a computer, a DVD player, a mobile phone, they also purchased their very own GPRS.

Recently, my Grandmother announced that she wanted a brand new mobile phone. Her reasons were simple. She no longer wanted a brick for a phone that is capable of only SMS, phone calls and has limited memory that can only store ten contacts. Rather she wants, as my grandmother says, a 'young and hip phone’.

I am fully confident that my grandparents will be able to use a phone that offers multiple functions and applications to its full potential. Although my grandmother would like the latest mobile phone, she made it clear that she does not want a phone that has a complicated set–up. I have learnt that most seniors would prefer to have the latest technology that is not too complicated to use. If you are a senior and looking for a new mobile phone then you are in luck. There is a wide range of latest mobile phones that are simple to use.

BlackBerry ban in India

Email being accessed on a BlackBerry phone

I recently read a headline ‘India threatens to ban Blackberry email, messaging’. As I read the article I realized that the reason for the ban was that the government could not access BlackBerry users’ encrypted e-mails and instant messages. My first thought was, why would the government want to have access to people’s personal and private conversations.

My second thought was, is it right for the government to spy on legitimate and confidential communication? Citizens also have a right to privacy. Business users, for example, need some encryption, hence, the popularity of the BlackBerry within businesses.

The BlackBerry phones were to be banned in the hope to guard against abuse by criminals and terrorists. It was argued that terrorists could use Blackberry phone security features to communicate. This is understandable in that India has experienced terrorism in the past but my concern was whether the banning of the BlackBerry phone will really make a difference in stopping terrorism.