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By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

What do you do at work when the latest versions of e-mail and word processing programs are installed? Jump for joy? Or scream and cry in frustration?

A new study shows that baby boomers have a unique relationship to technology – different from any generation before or since – and they’re actively shaping the devices, software, and services of tomorrow by the choices they are making today.

That’s what AARP and Microsoft found out when they offered a series of focus group discussions with baby boomers in four U.S. cities: San Francisco, Phoenix, Chicago, and New York. The report about the findings from the meetings is “Boomers and Technology: An Extended Conversation.”

What do boomers, who came of age before most of the software applications and devices now considered essential were invented, want in the technological devices they use? Rob Sinclair, director of accessibility at Microsoft, said:

Baby boomers are savvy consumers who expect technology to be safe, easy to use, and flexible enough to adapt to their individual needs. When new technology products enter the market – products that are well-designed and can help create the life baby boomers want – they are enthusiastic early adopters who help lead the way.

Baby boomers have the numbers and the economic clout to make their technology choices matter. Consumers in their 50s show the highest intent to purchase consumer electronics among any age group.

And baby boomers want technology that reflects their values and helps them express those values with greater purpose, meaning, and impact, the report indicates.

Author and futurist Michael Rogers, who worked with boomers in the focus groups, makes these predictions about the future of technology by the year 2019. Baby boomers will:

• Be wearing sensor-equipped exercise clothing and GPS-enabled running shoes during workouts to monitor their physical condition, track the calories they burn, and upload the information automatically for storage and analysis.

• Have prescription glasses that connect wirelessly to the Internet or other networks and display information in the lower half of the lens.

• Carry mobile devices that can function as electronic wallets, offer full telepresence, and project large-format images on the wall.

• Use technology to help them care for their aging parents – employing sensors that alert them to changes in behaviors or routines that could signal problems – and to manage their own health with tools ranging from low-cost gene scans to implanted microchips that contain their health records.

• Use computers to control energy use in their “green” homes and to redefine when, where, and how they work.

Does that sound great to you or intimidating?

It seems to me that these days, it’s easier to use the new technology. When I first worked for the state of Washington, I disliked intensely any changes in software. I complained loudly when the state switched from WordPerfect to Microsoft Word. Changes in the Windows platforms also were a bother.

Recently, however, I’ve learned how to use an iMac, a video camera, a digital camera, and a scanner.

When I wanted to replace my cell phone due to high levels of radiation, I was disappointed that I couldn’t get a BlackBerry. It’s too expensive to pay $30 a month more to connect to the Internet.

However, there’s one thing I haven’t mastered. That’s using my DVD player. I bought one with a hard drive so I could edit my videos on it. Either I couldn’t figure it out how to do it or the DVD doesn’t perform that function. In addition, I haven’t been able to figure out how to record TV programs. However, that’s not a big problem because I seldom watch television.

How about you? How savvy are you about electronic gadgets? Do they make your day or add to the stress and frustration to your life? Leave me a comment below about your tech life.

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