America’s seniors have historically been late adopters to the world of technology compared to their younger compatriots, but their movement into digital life continues to deepen, according to newly released data from the Pew Research Center.

Baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 in a time when the U.S. saw a significant surge in the population. For Baby Boomers, who are now 55+, grew up before mobile technology was in everyone’s hand. Boomers were already in their teens to their early 30s when the first IBM PC’s and Apples were available to consumers. These folks are now retiring from a workforce that cannot fathom a pre-computer world.

The Silent Generation is a designation used for people who were born between 1925 and 1945 when family values dictated that children “be seen but not heard.” Folks who are 70+ originally used rotary dial phones with cords, they used paper maps to get around, and handwritten letters were how you conversed when not in person. Folks from this generation have an interest in technology, but they do require more assistance with learning.

We did some research and came up with current tech these generations use

The 55+ crowd [Source: howstuffworks.com]

• Computers and Laptops
• Social Networking
• Smartphones
• iPads
• Online Banking
• Online News Sites
• Kindles and Other E-readers
• Flat-screen TVs and Home-entertainment Equipment
• Home Health Care Technology
• GPS

The over 70 crowd requires a bit of help to get started, but rely on technology such as [Source: usnews.com]

• Cell phones (and some do use smartphones)
• The internet
• Tablets / e-readers
• Direct deposit (pension checks, social security, etc.)
• Flat-screen TVs
• social media (with immediate family and friends)