Computer Help and Support

It doesn't bite.

When you buy a phone from a major carrier, it comes with the carrier's SIM card in the box. Actually, the salesperson from the store can set it up for you. Depending on the phone, there's a little pop-out tray the SIM card goes in, or the cover of the phone comes off and the SIM card slot is under the battery, or something like that.

But figure out your coverage area. I have T-Mobile, which has pretty good coverage and customer service and I've been with them since... 2006? I currently have the unlimited plan, which is $40 a month.

I also have an Android phone, so that's where my bias is. I used an iPhone last summer for the Census and wasn't really impressed. Not that I'm an Android fanboy, but like Microsoft, it works well enough and I'm comfortable with it.

So with an Android phone, the first thing to need to do is get a Google account. You can get an Gmail account, or I think you can associate a non-Google email address with it as well now.

Then you set up the email on your phone to your account(s). Now your email app can send and receive emails from one or more accounts. I have two of them, a Gmail account and a Yahoo account, but that's just me. You can put as many on there as you need to.

Then start putting in your contacts. Name, phone numbers, emails, etc. There's a built-in app for that. Try calling and texting people.

You'll want to setup your voicemail, too. That's sort of a one-time thing, just record your outgoing message.

Then start customizing and playing with your phone. Change your ringtone and your message alert tone. Explore font options, colors, and sizes. Basically, just poke around and get used to how it works. Try out the camera, take some pictures and movies. Figure out how to turn the flash on, how to zoom in, that kind of stuff.

Try going on the internet. Get used to DU on a mobile browser, for example. You might want to install a different browser (for example, Firefox has a mobile version) and you should install some kind of anti-virus software. AVG is popular, and the basic edition is free.

Google includes a few apps on the phone that are useful, such as Google Maps (enormously useful, it includes GPS navigation, traffic levels, satellite views, and businesses and restraunts). You can try them out a little.

After you get used to the phone, there are ways you can use the phone to increase your happiness. For example, you can get wireless earbuds (Bluetooth earbuds) and use your phone as a music player, or for listening to podcasts.

You can get games you might like from the Google Play store. Chess, Scrabble, Words with Friends, Candy Crush, Angry Birds...

Also, many places have their own app. For example, your bank probably has one. You'll be able to quickly check account balances, see transactions, and transfer money with their app. The big banks also let you deposit checks simply by taking a picture of the front and back of the check!

Social media sites have their own apps as well... Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

What's going to happen is that gradually you'll see how the smartphone can help you out. Let's say you like to play an instrument. Well, you can install a tuning app, and a metronome app. Now you're always in tune and on time.

Let's say you have a burning desire to learn Morse code. Well, there's a bunch of apps available for that. Having trouble remembering to take your medications? There's probably an app for that. Or you can set a bunch of alarms on your phone.

Actually, that's how I keep track of break time at work, I have alarms set so I don't miss a break.

There are a variety of ways to stream music, if data usage isn't an issue (you don't use your data plan if your phone is on WiFi). Pandora is a big one, and many local radio stations have a free app that will stream their broadcast. For example, as I time this I'm streaming 99.1 WPLR. Or if you like podcasts, Stitcher has alot of them.

The major and minor networks also have streaming apps. Got a Netflix account? Disney +? Paramount+? Peacock? Hulu? Amazon Prime? Well, now you can watch on your phone.

Basically, as you get used to it, ask yourself "hmmm, is there an app for that?" and then poke around a little.


Oh, and if you have a reasonably modern car, it probably links up to your phone now, so you can play music and phonecalls through your car's speakers.