Posted by Peter Radsliff on Tue, Aug 17, 2010
These highly-rated iPhone Apps help family navigate the challenges of caring for their parents and what to do in an emergency. And now for a limited time only, they are FREE!
Do not hesitate. Go right to the Apple iTunes App Store and download both of these apps so you will have them when you need them. Elder 911 can be downloaded from your iPhone or iPod touch. Elder 411 contains a lot of video content and needs to be downloaded on your computer, and then sync'ed to your iPhone or iPod touch.
If you wish to read more about the apps before downloading, visit: http://www.elder411.net. Both apps take over 35 years of expertise from Doctor Marion and make it portable and instantly accessible. Lots of robust app features such as embedded videos, search, browse, notes, and email. Plus, registered users will get a full digital copy of Doctor Marion's book, "Elder Care Made Easier."
Don't wait until you get a phone call from the hospital. Get prepared for that day now, and have Doctor Marion at your side as you face the challenge of caring for an elder loved one.
Posted by Peter Radsliff on Thu, Jul 01, 2010
Presto subscribers have asked if we could develop a way to more easily get photos to their Presto Printing Mailbox users. That easier way is now here -- announcing a new free service: Presto DailySmile™ which lets you deliver a photo-a-day from Facebook or your computer to a Printing Mailbox.
If you are a Facebook user, you just tag photos from your albums or those you have access to, and they will automatically be added to a DailySmile "Photo Queue." Photos from that queue are then automatically delivered to your Presto user one per day.
For people who don't use Facebook, just upload photos from your computer at the Presto DailySmile website ( http://www.PrestoDailySmile.com ) and they likewise will be delivered one per day.
Facebook users who use Facebook Mobile will be able to add photos to their queue from their cell phones. And, you can even subscribe to certain albums which will post any added photos directly to the DailySmile Photo Queue.
It's tremendously easy to set up a week's, month's, or year's worth of photos and once you set it, you can almost forget it (because you get daily delivery confirmation emails and an “out of photos” alert email).
Since many people under a certain age primarily use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and family, Presto DailySmile can go along way in connecting grandkids and their grandparents. And it's free!
Visit http://www.PrestoDailySmile.com and sign up now. See how easy it is to keep the love flowing to your Presto user.
Peter Radsliff, Presto CEO
Posted by Peter Radsliff on Thu, Jun 03, 2010
Father’s Day is right around the corner. How often do you talk to Dad or Grandpa? What if you could make him smile every day with minimal effort on your part? If you'd like to find out how, I'm hosting an online seminar to preview a new, free service from Presto that does just that. Don't miss this sneak peek of a new technology that has the best chance of connecting grandkids to their grandparents.
Day, Date & Time: Monday, June 7, 2010, 11:00 A.M. Pacific Time (2:00 P.M. Eastern Time)
Web login at: www.dimdim.com room: prestoservices
or click: https://my.dimdim.com/prestoservices
Telephone dial-in: 605-715-4949 Pass code: 772375
Posted by Peter Radsliff on Thu, May 06, 2010
Face it, it’s almost impossible to get Mom something she really wants. Because what she really wants, is you: 24/7/365. So why do we always give “temporary” mothers day gifts like flowers or candy?
You know what she really wants; something that will make her cry (the good kind of tears). Something she is not expecting. Something she doesn’t even necessarily want if you asked her first. Something that isn’t easy to return, or put in the closet. Something that will bring her joy day, after day, after day.
I know a product that will do this. I know it because other people who have given it to their Moms have told me so. They, and their mothers, have told me, “it has changed her life…and ours!” and “it turned my life around” and “now it’s worth living a few more years” and “thank you again, from all the mothers”— I could go on with dozens more.
I am completely biased, because it’s my company sells this product. It’s my job to try and get you to buy this product for your Mom, or Dad, or in-law, or other elder loved one. But nothing I could say will remotely tell the story of my company’s product like the words of our customers above. And, quite honestly, after three years of seeing how much people love our product, and what a difference it has made in their lives, I can’t even possibly try to convince you by telling you what it is, or what it does.
But, I will tell you where you can read over 100 other user reviews that tell all about it: http://www.tinyurl.com/prestoamazonand http://www.tinyurl.com/prestodrugstore. And, I will lower the price in my website store for mothers day to make it LESS than sending a dozen roses. And, I will give you a 60-day moneyback guarantee. And, I willnever ask you to sign a contract for our service. How much easier can I make it to make your mother cry?
So just do it. Take a risk. Don’t ask her first. Don’t ask your sister or brother. Mom’s not getting any younger, you know. Take action now and prove that you’re the good son or daughter that she has always told her friends you were. Give the gift of family connection while she can still best enjoy it. And, if it’s too late for mothers day, it doesn't matter. It’s not too late for the other 364 days of the year: www.presto.com.
Posted by Peter Radsliff on Sat, Mar 20, 2010
Aging-in-place news: On thursday March 18, 2010 there was a meeting of the newly formed Aging Technology Alliance at Mary Furlong's “What's Next” Boomer Business Summit in Chicago. The meeting had about 50 people from companies, organizations and consultancies interested in joining the alliance. The alliance board of directors presented the vision, mission and new name of the organization to the attendees plus the plans for organizational structure, membership criteria and upcoming plans. There was a groundswell of interest in the alliance and most of the attendees filled out membership forms to join.
Presentations were made by board members Peter Radsliff (Presto Services), Michele Ahlman (ClearSounds), Jill Gilbert (Digital Health @ CES), Bud Myers (firstSTREET), and Laura Mitchell (GrandCare Systems).
The board made it clear that the alliance (nicknamed “AgeTek”) was devoted to promoting the awareness, benefits and value of member products and services, and that this organization was more of a trade group (like a chamber of commerce), rather than an future-think tank. AgeTek Members were defined as for-profit companies with under 100 employees.
The board also presented a special class of Advisory Members for academic institutions, non-profit organizations and for-profit companies with over 100 employees. These advisory members will play an important role in bringing information to the broad membership, acting as a link out to academia and industry, and assisting members in finding methods of distribution for their products and services.
A final membership class of Associate Members was also announced for vendors and service providers who wish to participate with and have special access to AgeTek member companies.
During the meeting, the board broke the room into six committees to discuss the alliance's mission and goals. Each group reported back to the larger group with their one big takeaway while board members attached to each group were tasked to bring the comments and any concerns back to the board for consideration and action. The board mentioned that through these six committees the work of the alliance would get done.
Finally, membership forms were passed out, filled out and turned in and the AgeTek logo was unveiled on a special t-shirt that was commissioned by the board, beautifully designed by Angie Gubler and expertly silk-screened by Rick Creager.
Membership in the Aging Technology Alliance is now open and everyone is invited to join in their respective classes. Commentary on the alliance and meeting itself can be found here on analyst Laurie Orlov’s blog. More information can be found at the alliance website: http://www.agetek.org.
Presto and AgeTek - As Presto’s CEO, my hopes are that belonging to an alliance such as AgeTek will provide many synergies that can help Presto get into the hands of more families that need it to combat social isolation and facilitate long distance caregiving. I was elected as the AgeTek board chairman, and in this capacity I will also strive to create partnerships that can bring more value to existing Presto subscribers as well. It's a brave new world in home health technologies, and smaller innovative companies like those in the alliance is where all the interesting work is happening.
Peter
Posted by Peter Radsliff on Sun, Mar 14, 2010
An important event is happening in Chicago next week. At the tail end of the Aging in America Conference (put on by the National Council on Aging and American Society on Aging) is another one day conference called the “What’s Next Boomer Business Summit.” It is put on by Mary Furlong and Associates, a boomer-focused marketing strategy consultancy.
I came to know Mary Furlong through Presto's co-development of its Elder Apps for iPhone and iPod touch with Dr. Marion. After getting to know Mary through that project and guest lecturing in her entrepreneurship class at Santa Clara University, I have come to know that Mary's company is helping guide many companies trying to succeed creating technologies, products and services for the aging demographic.
The reason I'm writing this post is to suggest to any companies attending Aging in America that if you haven't already signed-up to attend What’s Next on Friday, you may want to change your plans.
Mary has put together an extremely interesting collection of industry thought leaders and organized them into a powerful conference program on Friday 3/19, plus two days of "bootcamps" the previous Monday 3/15 and Thursday 3/18.
After one of those bootcamps on Thursday 3/18 at 4:30, there will be an open meeting of the newly formed Aging Technology Alliance. Look for more on that in a separate post. To find out more about the What's Next Boomer Business Summit, visit:
http://www.boomersummit.com/
See you there!
Posted by Brook Lennox on Thu, Feb 04, 2010
I've never received an email from my Dad who is now in his eighties. It's not that he doesn't want to communicate; he LOVES to talk on the phone.
It's just that "easy email", is not easy on his computer.
Even after many attempts with the computer, it's too hard to:
- Find the email program and create an email
- View a photo I've attached or send one himself
- Type and send the email
Just so many choices and buttons to push. It's all a bit too confusing. What makes it tougher is that I live 7 hours away, so I can't just drive over when he's got an email or computer question.
So how do you "keep it simple" with email?
My dad needs easy email - no computer, just a printer that will print emails and photos that I email to him.
With a Presto Printer he can just:
- Plug the Presto Printer into any phone jack
- Put paper in it
- Turn it on
- That's it! He receives emails and photos
Four times a day the Presto service will check if he's gotten an email and "magically" print it out for him.
Anyone in our family can send him an email to his name@presto.com email address.
Now that's what I call "easy email"!
Posted by Peter Radsliff on Fri, Jan 08, 2010
[photo: Presto Services Inc. shared under creative commons license]
Las Vegas, NV - Consumer Electronics Show - Day One
Presto Services Inc. and Dr. Marion combined forces to promote their Elder 411 and Elder 911 Apps for iPhone and iPod touch at the CES Silver Summit. The first day has a good crowd of people at the show, many of whom came by the Silver Summit pavilion to see all the companies with elder technology there.
Attendees commented on how robust the Elder Apps were and were amazed that they only cost $0.99 and $1.99 each. Elder 411 contains over 500 pieces of expert elder care advice including video and audio content, helping arm family caregivers with information when and where they need it most. Elder 911 provides a crisis timeline and many expert checklists to help a caregiver navigate an elder medical emergency.
Both apps are on display in booth 3209 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center along with Dr. Marion and Presto's other products including the Presto computerless email solution.
Attendees and press have an opportunity to meet Doctor Marion herself and Presto's CEO Peter Radsliff to discuss elder care technology and the future of the industry.
Posted by Peter Radsliff on Thu, Dec 10, 2009
[above photo: examples of email delivered using Presto’s pre-formatted email templates]
If you think email for seniors is the same as email for the rest of us, think again. If you are in your forties or fifties and worked in an office, you probably remember “getting the memo” of when electronic mail training would start. I remember saying “E-mail? Who needs that?! Another thing to check in addition to my in-box (the physical one), voice mail, and pager messages. How am I going to get all my work done when I spend most of my day communicating?!”
Well, it was soon thereafter that I realized email allowed me to leverage my work day and delegate tasks to subordinates very efficiently. It allowed me to keep projects moving, regardless of time zone, country or whether project team members were in the office or not. And, once my pager was replaced with a cell phone, then my productivity really went through the roof (whether these tools made for better quality work or a better lifestyle will be the subject of an entirely different blog post).
This is the way most of us see email. Efficient, effective, productive, plus sometimes a hassle and a burden, but indispensible nonetheless. Email has become essential to our lives. Even if email for some is being eschewed by messaging on Facebook, it’s still electronic communications and basically the same thing in a different wrapper. This is the viewpoint most of us have when thinking of email.
And when adult kids think about email for seniors like their parents, they view it from their own experience. “Will it be a hassle?” “What about phishing scams and spam?” “Will they print out hundreds of pieces of paper? That’ll cost a fortune in ink.” “How about identity theft?” Let alone having the patience to be their computer tech.
But this viewpoint is not at all correct when considering email for seniors. Think of the example above when email was new to the office, and those encountering it (like me way back when) started to explore its uses. After the initial imposition to the standard set of office work tools, it became an incredible adventure. Like setting off into the jungle for the first time, although instead of incredible flora and fauna one encountered chain letters, jokes and the occasional inappropriate cartoon.
Just like in those early days, today when someone provides email for seniors, the elders go through the same wide-eyed wonder. Seniors are floored to receive digital photos the same day they were taken. Or when they get a letter from a child across the globe. To them, email is much more like an instantaneous post office than like a replacement for the office memo.
And, as with letters in their sidewalk mailbox, what seniors really want is to receive incoming mail, not to be required to write a response for each as is the custom with email. When a response is required, research has shown seniors are happy to respond back in any of a number of ways: in person, by phone, by mailed letter. Few seniors who use a computerless email solution instead of a computer felt incomplete not being able to respond in kind to each electronic missive they received.
With simple, hassle-free (and low cost) computerless solutions like Presto, email for seniors takes on a whole new meaning which doesn’t need to include the complexity or cost of a PC with Internet service. Bottom line, gifting email for seniors is one of the greatest things a family can do. It will invigorate the senior’s mind, while making it far easier for the rest of the family to stay in touch.
Posted by Peter Radsliff on Fri, Dec 04, 2009
I hear it all the time, “Eee-mail machine?! What in the world would I want with eee-mail machine?!” I’ve heard this many times from people relating what their mom or dad thought of the idea of being given an email machine like Presto as a present to stay better connected to their extended family.
Usual excuses include: “I don’t need an email machine.” “I’ll never use it.” “It’s too expensive.” “It’s too big.” “I’ve gotten along just fine this long without it.”
What goes unsaid is: “I won’t understand how to use an email machine.” “It sounds complicated.” “It will be just another hassle.” “I will be bothered all the time by it.” “I don’t want to be a burden.”
But here are actual quotes taken from different people who wrote to Presto after it was “forced” upon them by their kids: “Best Present Ever!!!” “LOVE IT!!!” “Wonderful!” “I’m thrilled” “Brought me back into the land of the living.”
What we have found from tens of thousands of Presto users is this…
1. Elder parents don’t understand what an email machine is, or its benefits.
2. Their adult kids are the ones who typically push Presto onto them.
3. Resoundingly, elders who are given Presto say it is the best present they have ever received.
We also know people love Presto because…
• Presto consistently scores 9’s and 10’s on customer satisfaction surveys.
• Almost no one discontinues the email machine service because they are unsatisfied.
• Our 60-day money back guarantee is rarely ever used.
So my advice to families is this: take the bull by the horns. Show up at Mom and Dad’s house with a Presto Printing Mailbox this Holiday, plug it in, and in a short while show them the photos that you emailed to them from home when it prints out automatically from this magic email machine.