I’m considering rejoining the human race by getting a smartphone.
But I don’t have any people available who could help me learn how to use it.
My husband doesn’t have a smartphone, and my kids now live in other parts of the country.
I don’t want to get a new phone and then be unable to send or receive calls and texts because I can’t figure out how the phone works.
Has anyone else been in this situation? Can you recommend any resources (books, Web sites, classes) that might help me? Also, are there more learning resources available for some types of smartphones than others? I think it would make sense for me to choose my phone based on how easy it will be to learn to use it.
Any phone has a window of learning - but you can do it - and will be so glad you did!
Look online at your local library - they may offer classes.
YouTube is your friend. If you decide on a model of phone, we can post a few starter videos for you.
Whatever phone you choose, don’t leave the store until you honestly tell someone “I have no skills!” and make them walk you through: making a call, receiving a call, retrieving voice mail, sending a text message and how to connect to the internet.
If you get an iPhone, I’m guessing you can sign up for a period of undivided attention from an Apple staff member for a one-on-one tutorial.
Editing to say: do you have an iPad, iTouch or Apple computer?? An iPhone operates much the same way.
I don’t have a lot of advice. But just to share…I joined the human race 1 year ago and finally got a smartphone. I’m not really good at figuring out tech stuff. First, you can ask them in the store if they can show you some of the basics (take notes if you need to). I was fortunate because at the time of the purchase, my adult daughter was in town and showed me a few things. I’ve been on my own with it ever since. I surely don’t take advantage of all the things that can be done on a smart phone. But calls are easy. Texts are a lot easier with a keyboard than what I used to have to do on a dumb flip phone. I find a big plus is having GPS, whereas I used to print out directions before. I know there is way more that can be done, but I’m happy with using it for the basic things. When I would see my daughter on a visit, she’d help adjust this or that for me. She is in town now and I recently said, “I can’t recall how you turn the flashlight on” (even though she had shown me when I got it) and she showed me again. So, you don’t have to know or use everything at the outset. If you can get the store to show you calls, texts, GPS, adding contacts, or any other basics, you are good to go as a start. As an issue comes up, either ask someone who has a smart phone how to do it, or sometimes you can google that question and get an answer to it. A couple weeks ago, my phone went dark and I could not turn it on at all. I figured I was going to have to go to the store for help. I happened to post that issue on FB and voila, a FB friend told me the solution!
You are not alone, Marian and kelsmom. We’ve been thinking of upgrading too, so I’m curious about suggestions for how to learn to use a smartphone’s features.
Buy a smartphone and just play with it. Unlike a PC, pressing a wrong button (or widget) on a smartphone has less of a risk of locking, freezing or corrupting the phone’s functions. Like anything, you will become more familiar and better with practice. And don’t try to learn all of the functions at once. With my first smartphone I never used the camera. I didn’t realize that I had GPS for about a year after buying the phone. LOL.
Smart phones aren’t popular because they’re hard to use. A lot of it will be intuitive. Many people you know will have whatever phone you choose so you can ask them for pointers. Coworkers are a good resource. I have always found the people at the T-Mobile kiosk at the local mall to be pleasant and helpful.
I have Verizon, so I wouldn’t be getting the phone in a store. I would be ordering it online and then trying to set it up alone in my home. This is part of the problem.
This is a great idea. There’s an Apple store near me. Even if I have to get the phone through Verizon, maybe they would help me if it’s an Apple phone.
I don’t have any of these devices, but my husband has some kind of tablet. I’ll find out what kind. If the interface on his tablet is similar to that on an iPhone, he might be more of a resource than I thought.
I am probably the last person in the country who works in communications and does not own a smartphone. I delayed it because I didn’t want the higher monthly phone bill. But I delayed too long, and my kids (who are, of course, smartphone experts) have moved to distant parts of the country, taking their knowledge with them.
I use Verizon and picked up my IPhone6 at the Verizon store. So, they can help you get started there . But yeah, you likely could go to an Apple store for a some help too. Like others said, once you know the very basics, you can always ask a friend who has a smart phone how to do something or about this or that setting.
I have Verizon. I have bought my Verizon phones at Verizon stores, Best Buy and Sam’s Club. Why do you think you can only order your Verizon phone online??!
My 85 yr old mom taught herself how to use a smart phone (android) and then an IPhone. Just takes a wee bit of time playing with it to learn how to use them. IMO, I think apple products are a bit more intuitive so easier to figure out so that is always my recommendation to first time smart phone users.
Because the last time I wanted to upgrade, I went to the Verizon store and said “I need a new phone.” And the guy there said, “You have to go home and order it online through our website.”
I have gotten advice at the store – for example, before the first time I traveled on a plane with my current phone, I went there to find out how to turn it off – something that wasn’t intuitively obvious (at least to me). But there’s usually at least an hour’s wait for service, so I don’t go there often.
I have Verizon and they have free classes in their stores just for this purpose. I went to one when I got my new Samsung Galaxy 6 since it had so many more capabilities than my old smartphone. There was just one other person in the class – an older woman who said it was her 3rd time there to learn how to use her tablet. I found it to be very helpful. Samsung also offers free classes in some Best Buy stores. I’ve been to 2 of those and each time was the only person to show up so I got a one on one lesson on various functions that mattered most to me.
My 90 year old mom got an IPHONE last year and I advised her to go on youtube for “lessons”. There are plenty of people who post little how to videos that are particular to your smart phone. Frankly I think the smarts phones are much easier to use than the old flip phones. (BTW Nana is now an IPHONE using champ and the tech savy go-to girl in the retirement home)
It’s been about three years since I got my current dumb phone through Verizon. The situation may have changed. That’s another thing for me to check out. I should visit the Verizon store.
We also have always gone directly to the Verizon store to purchase a phone, leaving with it in our hands. As a first time smartphone buyer, I think this would be critical for you to see size, handle a phone, etc - in person, not online! There are different sizes of phones - iPhone or otherwise. If Verizon is your carrier, you can go to any Verizon store - even if it’s not the closest one to you!
