Get up to speed with smartphone, digital TV

My husband and I haven’t tried to keep up with all the latest technology and devices. But it’s becoming apparent that we will soon be “left behind” and be unable to access things almost everyone else uses on a daily basis. For instance, when we travel we see people getting flight information from their phones faster than we could possibly find it on our own. How can we learn about the new technology, and what will it cost?

If you don’t want to be left behind, embrace the tech nologies that are making the biggest changes in daily life — smartphones and digital TV.

Smartphones provide internet access anywhere, which will simplify travel, provide news and entertainment, and help you stay close to friends and relatives. Any wireless phone company will show you how to use a smartphone and provide a list of service plan prices.

The TV industry is producing a wider array of shows than ever before, and many are available via internet streaming services that cost less than cable TV. For example, an allyoucanwatch streaming service can send programs directly to your digital TV for a flat monthly fee ($8$14 for Netflix, $8$12 for Hulu).

In order to receive these programs, you will need some equipment. You will need to either buy a smart TV ($200 and up) or purchase a streaming device ($30 and up) that will work with your existing digital TV. You will also need a home WiFi network to stream the shows from the internet to your TV. If you don’t have a network, you will need to buy a wireless router that attaches to your internet connection.