From Typewriters to Touchscreens: One Woman’s 84-Year Journey Through Technology

The sound of a crackling radio once filled her evenings — not notifications, not screens, just stories carried through static. While the radio played in the background, she and her brothers found ways to entertain themselves outside. She also loved books and spent a lot of time reading. When technology began to take the world by storm, it was both fascinating and overwhelming to her. Technology slowly began to shape her life in ways she could never have expected.

Meet Eleanor Colombani, an 84-year-old woman living in Idaho. Eleanor has lived a life full of adventure, love, and family. She has lived in many places and experienced a wide variety of things. She has also been lucky to witness the growth and changes in the world that have shaped society. While speaking to Eleanor, she said early on that one of the biggest changes she has seen has been around technology. She said she was shocked by how quickly things began to change as technology advanced. From radio to television to mobile phones, the day-to-day life of individuals is much different from what it was when Eleanor was young.

Eleanor grew up in what was then a small town in Northern California. Life was simpler, she said. The only “techy” thing they had in the house was a radio, so the kids spent most of their time outdoors, playing and adventuring. Their father was in the military, and they often went long stretches without seeing him, so it was important for them to spend time as a family when he was home, and their radio brought them together. Eleanor said, “Sometimes our family would have a night of listening to a program that was popular with the family.” She went on to explain that back when she was growing up, they had scheduled programs, called serials, on the radio that were stories read to the audience. “They would give you a little bit and then the next time they would give you a little more,” Eleanor said about these serials. “Everyone listened because it was so exciting.” Think episodes of your favorite television series only in audiobook style. Eleanor found that part of the radio to be her favorite part because she was an avid reader. She loved books of all sorts, and having new ones read to her was fascinating. She said that often it was hard to wait for the next part because she was so immersed in it.

The radio brought stories into Eleanor’s home. Later, the telephone brought voices — and sometimes, a lack of privacy — into everyday life. Like today, chatting with friends was a fun pastime, though they used their voices instead of their fingers. She recalled that when she was young, they not only had rotary phones, but also what was referred to as a “party line.” Eleanor explained: “…there would be four families on the phone line so that everyone would hear the phone ring…then everyone would hang up except those who wanted to be nosy and see what was going on.” Eleanor made it clear that she found the party lines obnoxious because there was no privacy. “If you wanted to keep a secret, you didn’t talk about it on the phone,” she said. She was glad when party lines became obsolete. That was a real benefit of advancing technology, in her opinion.

However, while the privacy of a mobile phone was appealing, as was the ability to call from anywhere at any time, Eleanor admitted that she has always struggled with mobile phones. When asked when she got one, she said she did not get one until much later in life because she found them overwhelming and confusing. Even now, after moving into an assisted living home, she has given up her mobile phone and returned to a landline, which she finds much easier to use.

As technology continued to evolve, screens began to replace sound — introducing television into households like Eleanor’s. However, even as new technologies promised more entertainment, her family chose something different. She recalled that most other families around them had televisions, but her parents refused. They preferred spending time outdoors and wanted their children to do the same. While she may have been frustrated at times as a child, she now looks back with gratitude for that decision. She has fond memories of family time at the beach, listening to the crash of waves and enjoying the spray of salt water on her face, instead of staring at a screen.

Eleanor enjoys watching movies now, but has little interest in television programs. Above all, her passion is books, which she spends most of her time reading. In fact, she shares that passion with anyone she encounters. “I’ve got a library here [in my room] that I’m loaning out to people who want a book. They can come in and pick one up as long as they bring it back,” Eleanor said with a smile. She joked that she might start charging fines for overdue books, just like a real library. Her neighbors had better keep track of Eleanor’s books, or they may become part of her side hustle.

As the conversation came to an end, Eleanor summed up her feelings on the rapid growth of technology when asked whether she tended to adopt new technology quickly or hold off. With a laugh, she said, “I’m still holding off.” She attributed her hesitation to the challenges of learning new things as she has gotten older, but it was clear that Eleanor values the written word above all else. She has chosen to stick with that as her primary way of connecting with others. She believes it gives her a fuller life, and after spending time with her, it is hard to disagree.

Eleanor still reaches for a book at the end of each day — not because she has to, but because, for her, that’s where life has always felt most real. In a world that rarely slows down, she has found something many are still searching for: a quiet kind of connection that doesn’t require a screen.