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Telikin focuses on seniors with non-Windows touch all-in-ones

Telikin offers non-Windows-based all-in-one desktops for seniors and others that may not be comfortable with computers.

Rich Brown headshot
Rich Brown
2 min read
Telikin's 20-inch Elite all-in-one offers computer novices a custom-made touch interface.
Telikin's 20-inch Elite all-in-one offers computer novices a custom-made touch interface. Telikin

Traditional PC vendors often make claims that a certain application or function is "easy enough for grandma," but Chalfont, Penn.-based Telikin seems to offer a more ground-up approach to broad usability with its 20-inch Elite and 18-inch Touch touch-screen all-in-ones. Forgoing Windows, these systems use a custom operating system designed to provide intuitive access to basic computing functions like Web browsing, video chats, and other typical light-duty media consumption and communication-oriented tasks.

Telikin doesn't offer many details on its Web site as to the technical underpinnings of its two all-in-ones. You'll find no mention of the name of its custom operating system (we assume a Linux variant), and only the most basic hardware specs. The $999 Elite model lists a 20-inch, 16:9 display, a dual-core 1.8GHz E350 processor (with no mention of AMD, maker of the E350), and 2GB of RAM. The $699 18.6-inch Touch model is described in a bit more detail, listing the same CPU and memory, along with a 320GB hard drive. Both models come with USB 2.0 jacks, a Webcam, Wi-Fi, and a wired mouse and keyboard. The Elite also has an HDMI output.

Based purely on the hardware, the Telikin systems may seem a bit overpriced. An equivalent Windows equivalent system for $999, for example, would have a 23-inch display, at least a Core i3 or a Core i5 chip, and an optical drive, possibly even Blu-ray. For $699, you can get a 23-inch touch-screen all-in-one from Dell with a 500GB hard drive, a slightly better CPU, 4GB of RAM, and an optical drive. With the Telikin systems, you're paying more for less, although that's essentially the point--simplicity. And while the iPad and other tablets claim to offer similar ease of use, Telikin's systems have larger screens that may be easier to see. People with arthritis or other manual-dexterity difficulties may also appreciate that the Telikins are fixed desktop devices that don't need to be held.

To purchase either the Telikin Elite or the Telikin Touch, you can go to Telikin's online store, or look for them on Amazon.com.