Teach Parents Tech

If you know a little more about tech than your friends and family, there's a good chance that you are their lifeline when they are in times of dire technological need!  I know that I have spent time on the phone, in my parents' study, at my coworkers' desks, and in crafting emails to answer common techie questions.  Some questions are very specific and need my personal response, but other questions are common to most computer users who are still learning the basics.

Google feels your pain, and has created a new site called Teach Parents Tech that allows you to send your parents (or anyone else) a "tech support care package."

You begin by addressing the letter to your loved one, choosing an intro then selecting the videos (max: 12) that you think your friend or family member will enjoy watching.  There are about 50 videos in all.

After you have chosen your videos and a clever closing, you can preview your email, and off it goes!

Most videos are 30 seconds to 1 minute in length and are very clear and simple to understand.  If you would rather not send an email through their site, you can click View All Videos, click on a video and find the direct link to that video on YouTube.  Then you can send your own email with a more personalized response.

http://www.teachparentstech.org/