Laptops for the Elderly? Fujitsu's Raku-Raku Notebook Is Built Just for Seniors

One day, early on in my job at LAPTOP, I made a crack during an editorial meeting about old people who join Facebook. Since then, I've been known affectionately around the office, fairly or no, as something of an ageist. So, it is with irony that I announce Fujitsu's Raku-Raku notebook, which was designed with senior citizens in mind. This notebook, which will be available only in Japan (a country, by the way, with a rapidly booming elderly population), and derives its name from the Japanese word for "easy." Now, where have we heard that rationale before? For starters, the typeface on the keys is enlarged for easier viewing. And, as you can see in the picture, vowels and other commonly used letters are color-coded. There's also a one-touch button from which users can adjust volume, draw up FAQs, and change the screen resolution. In a similar vein, users can access commonly used features such as e-mail and Web browsers through a single menu. Finally, built-in software allows users to advance through Web searches using mouse clicks, which is useful for people who have difficulty entering characters.