Baby Boomers shaping the future of technology: research

 Baby boomers have a unique relationship to technology - different from any generation before or since - and they are actively shaping future devices, software and services by the choices they are making today, says a new research report from AARP and Microsoft.

AARP is a nonprofit, membership organisation that helps people above 50 to be independent, have choices and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.

Curious to understand more clearly how baby boomers view and use technology, AARP and Microsoft decided to find out. In May 2009, the two organisations sponsored a series of focus group-like discussions with baby boomers in four US cities - San Francisco, Phoenix, Chicago and New York.

Author and futurist Michael Rogers led the sessions as the baby boomers shared their technology-related experiences, insights and expectations - and how their personal values shape the way they choose and use technology.

The result was Boomers and Technology: An Extended Conversation, a report that offers fresh insights into a generation whose influence on technology is often overlooked, and creates a compelling picture of how boomers and other consumers will use technology in the near future.

''Baby boomers are savvy consumers who expect technology to be safe, easy to use and flexible enough to adapt to their individual needs,'' said Rob Sinclair, director of accessibility at Microsoft, who notes that many baby boomers came of age before most of the software applications and devices we now consider essential were invented. ''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.''