SMARTPHONE CLASS: learn, tips, tricks and techniques (2014, husband, single)
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I'll try that. (If I can still find the cable!) This is a Blu phone and I don't know anything about phone files--I don't know how to control where the photos go on the phone. Thank you for the help and I'll try it when I get up the courage. (In a bad mood over the vacuum cleaner right now, lol.)
Although I don't do it often, I figured out how to transfer pictures from my Tracfone to my desktop computer and wrote myself a note on how to do it. Basically, here's what I do. It may work for you too.
With both devices turned on and hooked up with the proper USB cable, click START > Computer > Double Click "Removable" icon to open a window with the contents stored on the phone. Double Click the "pictures" folder of the phone to open it. Then CLICK and DRAG the images from the phone to any location on your computer (menu screen on left side) you want to take them. (I suggest you drag them to your Pictures folder on your computer). Then close out the window on your computer. Then Right Click the "removable" icon and select "eject".
That's it. Now turn off the phone and disconnect the cable. Now the pictures should be in your "Pictures" folder on your computer. Although I don't have my smart phone yet, I suspect that the procedure would be very similar. To recap: Basically, you just hook everything up and turn everything on. Then double click the phone (removable) icon to open its files. Then double click the pictures folder of the phone which will be visible on your computer's monitor. Then left click and DRAG the photos that you want to the Pictures folder on your computer. Then close things down and turn the phone off and disconnect the USB cable. The pictures you dragged to your Pictures folder on the computer should be on the computer AND they will still be on your phone unless/until you decide to delete them from your phone. Hope this helps.
If memory serves, you are an engineer or something similar. Most of us are not as mechanically minded as you are. This is a great thread. Please go and take a nap.
One doesn't have to be mechanically minded to use Google or YouTube to find answers.
I have rarely even HELD a smart phone. On rare occassions people have asked me to watch a video and said "here, hold it." Every time I have the screen goes blank and I am told that I turned it off, how I do not know.
I am so thankful you are doing this.
You may not have turned it off by accidentally hitting one of the side buttons, the screen could have timed out. Some phones time out pretty fast.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vicky3vicky
Also, it will be a Verizon phone [the only company that has coverage here] what is a good beginner phone that is not incredibly expensive?
You maybe should consider going to Walmart or one of the off brand store like T-mobile to take advantage of Christmas sales where you can buy a cheap android to learn on. It will be worth the $50. You can also buy an android tablet fairly cheap, that will allow you to learn how to use an android but it will be bigger to hold onto.
Once you're comfortable, then go to Verizon to get a better android to use as a cell phone. We have Verizon. They used to have some really great sales but stopped.
You don't want to cheap out. Most of the cheaper phones are garbage that will not last.
I have a Samsung note 9 for the last 3 years. My grandson has had cheaper ones in those 3 years that just don't last, or will freeze up. You may even find apps are not compatible with the device.
I also want to mention that you may not even need a cell plan through Verizon. This isn't my strong point... I believe there are 3 companies, Verizon, AT&T and Boost who control the 5G in the US. From my understanding, the smaller companies buy 5G from those larger companies, so you don't need to pay Verizon's prices to get their 5G. We've always had it because my hub drives a big rig, times have changed due to 5G. Our cell bill was high ($200+) which is crazy these days when you see plans from places like mint mobile for $15 a month.
My hub will be retiring, I'm going to suggest to him we consider switching carriers.
I do not suggest an Iphone. I will never buy one. My hub has one. You can't put an SD card in it for media storage. If you get a cheap iphone, you may not be able to save any more photos because you used up all of your space. Also, they do have a cloud back up that you may fill up. The way around that is to download everything on a computer using apple's main media program itunes. I'm clueless after that. My daughter has all sorts of backups that she can't just transfer to an iphone because the storage drive isn't big enough. Her big issue is her laptops will crap out, then she loses that data. Android is just easier.
With an android, I don't have to worry about any of that, I take my SD card out, put it in the new device. When I turn on the new device, sign into my google account, it asks me if I want to set my new device up to replace my old one. I select yes, it will automatically do it's thing, when it's done, everything is there, my texts, contacts, photos and apps.
Iphones are expensive, over rated pieces of garbage IMO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Answers
Not a silly post at all. I've read thread after thread making fun of people who didn't have smart phones because they didn't know how to use them. This is the first thread ever helpful. Thank you for putting kind information on here. I have been looking for my first one and am totally lost and have no idea where or how to start. It is rude to make fun of people for not knowing something. I've always hated how people get so smug about what they know.
Anyway, thank you, I will be back I'm sure.
To start, you may be better off buying a cheap android from Walmart to get used to it, then do the upgrade with a better phone and carrier. There are apps that allow you to make wifi phone calls for free. I started on a tablet which was easier.
I had a blackerry that had a keyboard. I didn't want to go to the touch screen keyboard because most were garbage up until a few years ago.
Quote:
Originally Posted by steiconi
I have a smart phone, but don't know how EVERYTHING on it works because I've only spent time figuring out what I need.
I believe I inspired this thread when I complained in another thread that the QR reader app on my phone wanted to charge $25/month. I had never needed to read a QR code before, so didn't realize you just use the camera.
And no, I didn't pay $25, I deleted the app.
But I can imagine some people--seniors OR youth--might get suckered into paying for unnecessary apps because you don't just magically know stuff, you have to learn it. I'm hoping to pick up new tips from this thread.
Took me years before I got a touch screen, I fought it. Miss my blackberry with keyboard. Had my android 3 years
Quote:
Originally Posted by charlygal
One doesn't have to be mechanically minded to use Google or YouTube to find answers.
This thread is supposed to give people personal help instead of someone having to google it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland
My main question at this point in time is that I bought another phone (Android) a few months ago and, unlike my previous phone, I can't just plug it into my laptop and transfer the pictures from phone to laptop.
I always like to keep the pictures on the laptop, mainly because I can edit them there--the laptop is big enough to SEE them on--and because I use the laptop more often than the phone.
So the problem is that now, if I plug the phone into the laptop I can only import them to Google photos or, I think Amazon photos. I just want the old way where I could transfer them directly into My Pictures on my laptop. That would be my question, my dilemma, but right now I'm so frustrated that I've gone back to using an actual camera when I want to take a picture. I don't know how to organize the pictures in the phone either but not too concerned about that.
Go on your computer, open google. Top right corner by your name is the circle with 9 dots, click it, look for photos.
I have photos organized into albums. That allows me to click on the album to save it directly to my computer. I'll have to look into how to back up all photos that are not in albums. I see there is an archive options which should do it but I've never used it.
Thanks, Galaxy. But unlimited data isn’t truly unlimited, right? There is a certain amount and then it slows down, correct? Is it still usable, like to watch videos, at the slower speed?
Not with every carrier. I’m with Consumer Cellular. And you pick a limit and they charge you for it. If you go over that limit they just bump you up to the next category and you pay for it. The difference is like five bucks. They don’t appear to slow anything.
Verizon, the only carrier that works here, has informed me that I must get rid of my years old 3G flip phone. Because of what I've read about cell phone risks, I have a landline I use most of the time. That goes out when there is too much rain and then I have to use the cell phone until they fix it. Otherwise I keep it turned off.
Now I have to decide between a 4G flip phone or a 4G smart phone, either of which will allow me to keep my same senior plan. I have no need or interest in using a phone in place of my computer. There are a few benefits to having a smart phone, like to get discounts at a store where I shop but it's not worth upgrading for that.
But here are some basic questions I have about smart phones:
Can I turn them completely off like I can with my flip phone?
Can I use a wired headset with them?
and meanwhile, as to transferring my phone pictures to my laptop, I went to settings and checked off the tethering part. I've had my USB cord connected to phone and laptop and as usual, I still can't transfer pictures. Probably, as Roselver said, I have to use Google photos.
So I have signed into Google and will try to figure it out.
BTW, Google seems to have decided to organize my phone pictures FOR ME! Which is annoying. They have put pictures of my dog into an album with his name. The pictures I took of my autumn garden just so I can remember where things were planted, they have gone ahead and made albums too and labeled them Best of September and names like that! Annoying because I want to organize my photos the way I WANT them organized!!!!!!!
No wonder computers can be so frustrating. With my previous phone I could just Import Photos. They would go to My Pictures. Then I could edit them, name them, organize them. Now GOOGLE PHOTOS has taken over and what they do is out of my control. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Ok, seniors! Welcome to becoming smarter with your smartphone!
It occurred to me after reading in another thread where "QR" codes were loaded to their smartphone and then couldn't read the small print on the screen. It occurred to me reading that that they might not know how to magnify the screen image.
( The QR code, which automatically uploads something to your phone buy "taking a picture" or the QR code- that funny little square both that looks like a messy spiderweb on menus, in stores, on signs that says "Scan here".)
We turned in our prepaid flip phones, with a large accrued credit balance to smart phones when Spouses work required one for spouse to clock in and out, send notes to staff, etc.
That was 10-12 years ago.
Because we had Verizon, we went to their large store in the mall, and because we were new to them, they had a class to teach you the basics of smartphone usage. I had seen TV commercials or heard radio commercials for this s app, that app or feature... Sometimes using the phrase "intuitive to use".
When I told that to the teacher, he said "oh, I don't think there's anything intuitive to these. You have to be taught how to use them".
True that, but once you're familiar with them, many features are indeed "intuitive", because with the basics, the usage CAN be intuitive.
Most of us seniors graduated highschool without a computer. Never even had a course, or much of idea of what a "personal computer" even looked like.
Some of you may have learned them in college and you were off and running, but you had to learn how to use them, learn a whole new language, and tips, tricks and technics".
Armed with some basics, you could learn new programs easily.
For example, using a word processor program, now you can adapt to a new word processing program easily.
A word processing program is a FAR cry from learning to use a typewriter, BUT even knowing how to use a typewriter made it a bit easier to work the basics of a word processing program.
And so it is with a smart phone.
I was still reluctant and just thought of it as a phone and maybe a camera in case of car accident. I didn't understand what all a smartphone can do, but I learned. Yeah it was a bit difficult, a whole new language and uses.
I was surprised, and now I think I couldn't be without one!
So: here's a class for those who are "dumb" about smartphones.
So: here is a class for you to ASK QUESTIONS, and SHARE or TEACH those who come here!
PLEASE! A few "rules$/":
PLEASE! DON'T treat a question as a "dumb question".
PLEASE! DON'T be afraid to ASK!
PLEASE! be as thorough in asking your questions so that the readers can understand what you want to know.
PLEASE be kind in your answers and sharing your knowledge!
PLEASE state what KIND of phone you are asking about.
Basically there is Apple and Android.
While they may share the basics, there are thinks are unique about each.
AND, it might be helpful to state what type of plan you have regarding talk text data.
If you are limited to, say, 2 gigs data, and learn about downloading a bunch of apps and setting them up, you might use your data quickly and be charged for more.
Whereas unlimited data, well you won't need to worry about using too much data to quickly.
If you have wifi at home, if you set your phone to connect to it, you won't use any data. Same as going to or using public wifi, just be on alert that public wifi may NOT be safe for sensitive information.. like accessing your bank account.
I have an Android. I have a plan with unlimited talk text and unlimited data.
I am typing this post on my Android smartphone.
Some of you know all that, some of you know now be of what I just said.
Some of you might know some of that, but not all.
Ok, being respectful at all times, let the CLASS BEGIN...
Anybody have a FIRST QUESTION?
When I got my first iphone about 10 years back, I found it very, very confusing to use. “ the phrase "intuitive to use".” wasn’t true. I searched for the factory instruction manual and downloaded it, all 300 pages. With that many pages of instruction, it can’t be intuitive to use. I wasn’t a computer dummy, I had worked with computers for much of my career.
Verizon, the only carrier that works here, has informed me that I must get rid of my years old 3G flip phone. Because of what I've read about cell phone risks, I have a landline I use most of the time. That goes out when there is too much rain and then I have to use the cell phone until they fix it. Otherwise I keep it turned off.
Now I have to decide between a 4G flip phone or a 4G smart phone, either of which will allow me to keep my same senior plan. I have no need or interest in using a phone in place of my computer. There are a few benefits to having a smart phone, like to get discounts at a store where I shop but it's not worth upgrading for that.
But here are some basic questions I have about smart phones:
Can I turn them completely off like I can with my flip phone?
Can I use a wired headset with them?
Verizon, the only carrier that works here, has informed me that I must get rid of my years old 3G flip phone. Because of what I've read about cell phone risks, I have a landline I use most of the time. That goes out when there is too much rain and then I have to use the cell phone until they fix it. Otherwise I keep it turned off.
Now I have to decide between a 4G flip phone or a 4G smart phone, either of which will allow me to keep my same senior plan. I have no need or interest in using a phone in place of my computer. There are a few benefits to having a smart phone, like to get discounts at a store where I shop but it's not worth upgrading for that.
But here are some basic questions I have about smart phones:
Can I turn them completely off like I can with my flip phone?
Can I use a wired headset with them?
3G is essentially being discontinued at the carrier level. It's around fifteen year old technology at this point. I remember that the "iPhone 3G" - basically, the second iPhone, coming out in 2008, main selling point WAS 3G capability, which was high bandwidth at the time. While the majority of the "3G" technology that comes to mind are cell phones, anything that is communicating over a 3G network will lose data service, unless it has some sort of alternate communication method, like WiFi.
Yes - most likely directly for many makes of Android phones. Wired headphones can be used with iPhones/iPads with a dongle. Look for a "3.5mm audio connector" on the device specifications.
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Solly says — Be nice!
