E-mail only system?

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by Kathyhl, May 22, 2007.

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  1. Kathyhl

    Kathyhl Registered Member

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    This may be one of the lamest questions I've ever asked here, but here goes. My mother is almost 80, and wants nothing to do with computers, however, if all she had was some type of e-mail set up, I know she would love to keep in contact with the family. Is there anything at all like that anywhere?

    Thank you for any responses you may have.

    Kathy
     
  2. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    While we're waiting for better ideas.

    A used Windows 98se with 14" monitor, 2 button mouse at the local Goodwill, Thrift store or church donation. $50 total.

    A new Linux OS computer. Wal/K mart ~$250.

    I know they're computers.

    But virtually virus proof solutions.

    When my elderly folks Windows 95 computer died. I sent them the, "Windows 98se with 14" monitor, 2 button mouse at the local Goodwill, Thrift store or church donation. $50 total", way. We're both happy. It'd be a nightmare if they'd had gotten an XP box.
     
  3. Kathyhl

    Kathyhl Registered Member

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    Thank you so much Zapjb. I never even thought about an older model. And Actually I have one, so there's no reason I can't get just the e-mail going and delete everything else that would need upgrading or would cause her confusion. I figure with three of us kids, we can share the isp costs, and all she'd get is the benefit! What a wonderfull idea!!!

    It also gives me something constructive to do in order to prepare it for her.

    Sometimes we just can't see the forest for the trees:rolleyes:

    Kathy
     
  4. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    You're welcome. :D
     
  5. hjbyram

    hjbyram Registered Member

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    Have you looked into The Mailstation?
    http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/mailstation_review

    I bought one of these for my Mom who can't deal with the mouse & she loved it. The editor is not very good, but she was able to correspond with her friends via email. The problem we had was that the monitor is very small. However, you can hook it to a printer. We had it for several years, with no problems. (We dealt solely with Earthlink.)
     
  6. Kathyhl

    Kathyhl Registered Member

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    Thank you Hjbyram, I had no idea something like that even existed. Will try it out along with fixing an old one I have around here.

    Kathy
     
  7. Marja

    Marja Honestly, I'm not a bot!!

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    OK, this might be a dumb 'follow-up' question...:p

    I have a relative that might be able to deal with mailstation-
    Can it get spammed too??
    Told ya it was dumb...lol!

    Also, Kathy, I learned on one of those $50 machines...it's a great starter puter! Who knows what it will start..?:D
     
  8. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    The review is from 1999. And from the review:
    Looks very hard to read.
     
  9. midway40

    midway40 Registered Member

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    I have been seeing commercials about this computer-less email system:

    Celery
     
  10. hjbyram

    hjbyram Registered Member

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    midway40 - yes that is probably correct as that is about the timeframe I bought this for my Mom.

    This has only one earthlink email account only, NO web access. As I recall it allowed to retrieve news highlights & TV highlights and email, that was it, very limited. It could be connected to a printer. Ours was dial-up.

    The screen display was very small, which is why my Mom ended up having to give it up & giving it to a relative.

    More googling finds only some press releases from 2002 & 2003, I'm beginning to think these aren't in existence anymore? There used to be 3 models/plans. I found this 1-866-874-2071 listed for them, but did not call. When I try WWW.MAILSTATION.COM, it now takes me to WWW.EARTHLINK.NET & I don't see any readily available info on them on the site.

    Sorry everyone, I think these are no longer offered, probably because of the viewing problems. My apologies for not checking into it first before posting. I'll do better next time.
     
  11. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    From the Celery site.

    Email by Fax: How It Works
    To receive email, customers just answer the phone. Instead of unpleasant fax noises, they hear our friendly voice message, then their email prints.

    Seems nonsensical to me.
     
  12. hjbyram

    hjbyram Registered Member

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    My apologies zapjb - I mistakenly replied to midway40 rather to you -
    definitely need to do better.
    And I agree with on the Celery site, which I have not heard of before.
     
  13. hjbyram

    hjbyram Registered Member

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    Everyone - did a little more searching last night. It appears the Earthlink Mailstation was originally done by Cidco & Earthlink bought them. It also appears the name has changed to Earthlink Mivo 250 & 350. Amazon.com is showing a cordless model, currently not available on the Amazon website,
    http://www.amazon.com/EarthLink-Mivo-Cordless-E-mail-Appliance/dp/B00005O0KW The reviews on the Amazon website are from 2002-2004 & are all over the place. (I still can't find these items on the Earthlink website, so am unsure of their availability as new models.)

    I also found this, stumbled across it by accident on the Amazon site https://www.mailbugstore.com/splashPage.hg
    However the mailbug can't be connected to a printer & can't accept attachments.

    It appears both of these items charge extra if no local access number is available in your area.

    Please note, my experience with the old Mailstation 250 was several years ago now (2000 I think), we had no setup or access troubles & excellent customer support, but we also had no difficulties with the machine while my Mom used it, which was about 2 years. Our only complaint was the small display screen & not very good text editor. I had to prop the machine at a certain angle for my Mom to read the text properly due to glare problems. For lengthier received emails, we ended up printing rather than scrolling. I'm only commenting here, not recommending.
     
  14. Kathyhl

    Kathyhl Registered Member

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    Thank you everyone. I've been following all the responses on here, and with everything said, plus what I "thought" I would do, my best bet is to have a tech make exactly what I want.....to much crap comes with a new pc that my mother wouldn't know from her fried chicken, which means I'm just going to have to wait a little while longer to put my good intentions into play. I had also planned on paying her isp each month for her, rather than give her something and then leave her with a monthly bill, but I also need to find out exactly what she does have where she's living, being as it's a very small place in Arizona, so connection may well be a problem anyway. Luckily I never mentioned anything to her, so I really have lots of time to find out exactly what I have to work with.

    Again, thanks to everyone who has taken their time to do a little exploring for me.

    Kathy
     
  15. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    @Kathyhl
    http://shop2.outpost.com/isp/phone_prefixesAZ.html
    FRYS ISP
    $5.99/mnth unlimited dialup

    Access #s Arizona

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    Last edited by a moderator: May 23, 2007
  16. Kathyhl

    Kathyhl Registered Member

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    zapjb,

    Thank you SO much, what a wealth of information!

    Kathy:D
     
  17. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    You're welcome. Any of those access #s work for your Mom?
     
  18. Kathyhl

    Kathyhl Registered Member

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    She lives in Bouse, but sometimes goes into Lake Havasu for her shopping, so yes, that one might work.

    Thanks again ;)
     
  19. Marja

    Marja Honestly, I'm not a bot!!

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    HI Kathy and All!

    I read about something by HewettPackard called Presto..

    You can't send any email from it, but you can receive email and photos from anyone that has a computer.

    Here is a link that explains it all, real simple, no isp, no puter, no spam (they say)-just a phone line....

    http://www.presto.com/index.aspx

    Not sure that's what you want, she won't be able to reply except by phone or letter?:doubt:

    Just an idea!:)

     
  20. Kathyhl

    Kathyhl Registered Member

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    Thank you Marja,

    I had no idea something like that even existed, so it's really nice to know I can pass it on under the right circumstances. With my mother, a send and receive program is more what I was looking for. My mother would feel like she needed to respond, and between my sister and two brothers, it would get a bit expensive for her to reply by calling all of us, especially as we are all in different states ;) But again, thank you so much for the information and knowledge.

    Kathy
     
  21. Marja

    Marja Honestly, I'm not a bot!!

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    Yer welcome!:D

    I kinda figured it wasn't what you needed-does she type?

    If you get a bare bones puter, you could put a voice recog prog on it, then she wouldn't even have to type.
    Or use Voip or ...?

    Seems with this Presto, there should soon be an alternative that would let people also send...who knows by Fall?

    I'll PM ya if I come across anything else!

    Marja:cool:
     
  22. Kathyhl

    Kathyhl Registered Member

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    As a matter of fact she used to type years ago, so I doubt that would ever be a problem for her, she just doesn't want anything to do with something technical now. She figures the less hassles she has to deal with, the better. I can't really blame her, and she's now trying to live as simple as possible in her older years, which is why I initially started looking for something very simple, but with today's technology, I guess nothing is really simple anymore :p

    Thanks Marja :)
     
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