enlarge Photos by John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Susan Dubuque of Cape Elizabeth doesn’t know what all of her remotes do, but she enjoys being able to easily record television programs with Ti Vo.

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Drew Dubuque likes his technology, but he doesn’t like to overspend on it. He enjoys playing a computer golf game in the family room of his Cape Elizabeth home.

Make no mistake about it. When it comes to using technology for entertainment, baby boomers are taking full advantage of their options. The savvy required for such use may have originated in their workplaces, but, these days, boomers are widely applying their skills away from the job in the name of fun.

Music, a boomer staple, comes these days from online streaming, downloads and top-quality at-home sound systems. Televisions are big and they're flat. Video games aren't just for kids. As for iPods, don't leave for the gym without one.

Melissa Libby, 51, a Portland nurse practitioner, works out at The Bay Club in downtown Portland. She said she wouldn't exercise without her music.

"Music is everything to me," Libby said. "It makes the gym a lot more fun. I like to be in my own space. The iPod helps me tune out." Listening to artists like Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Modest Mouse makes that possible, she said.

"It's an escape. It's almost like silence," Libby said.

Heidi Michaels, general manager of Planet Fitness, knows firsthand how important technology is to members of the Portland and Westbrook facilities. Although some might argue that exercise itself is not fun, providing entertainment during a cardio workout definitely draws customers in, Michaels said.

"It appeals to members and to potential members," she said.

Planet Fitness provides individual television screens on each piece of equipment, including treadmills, stationary bikes and stair climbers. Members can plug in their personal headphones, listen to and watch a broad range of news, sports and entertainment channels.

"TV made me fat; now it's making me thin," said Susan Dubuque, 53, of Cape Elizabeth, who exercises at Planet Fitness in Westbrook.

Michaels, 51, is a self-described "sports nut" who uses the television when she exercises, and is also learning to use an iPod, complete with "my own workout music."

Just as more sophisticated technology has found its way into boomers' exercise routines, it is also transforming home entertainment. Music is just the beginning.

"Boomers are into it," said Terry Sullivan, general manager of Best Buy at the Maine Mall in South Portland. "Their knowledge around technology is very good -- they've been educated (at work) over the last 20 years."

That education translates into shopping and spending, Sullivan said.

In addition to purchasing everything from home theater systems to high-definition televisions, Boomers are paying for installation services by Best Buy's "Geek Squad" instead of taking the time to do the work themselves, Sullivan said.

"We're selling a lot," said Bryan Corliss, assistant store manager of South Portland's Circuit City. Boomers "aren't shying away from it."

But they're not necessarily breaking the bank to do it.

Just ask the Dubuques of Cape Elizabeth. While Susan Dubuque takes advantage of TV while she works out, she and her husband, Drew, 51, make full use of entertainment technology at home without major expense. Drew Dubuque acquired a TiVo for free from the Cape Elizabeth Swap Shop (an exchange at the town transfer station). He ordered the family's surround-sound system from a discount catalog for under $100. His iPod and Bose sound system? Fiftieth birthday gifts.

"I get everything cheap," said Dubuque. "I'm not the first to get anything; I'm a little behind the curve. If you wait your time, you get good deals."

He takes advantage of the Internet's offerings too.

"I love Pandora," he said. A part of the Music Genome Project, Pandora.com works like a jukebox. For every artist and/ or song requested, Pandora gathers similar music for users' listening. By accepting and rejecting suggestions, consumers can hone their collection to specific tastes. And, in keeping with Drew Dubuque's low budget, it's free.

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