NE W
Senior’s Smartphones & Tablets
An independent guide to getting started with your smartphone or tablet
sixth edition
Digital Edition
100% UNOFFICIAL
For iPhone, Samsung, iPad & more
Make & receive calls Download apps
Take & view photos Send & read emails
Browse the web Watch films & TV
Contents 62
Call with FaceTime
8
Complete guide
Getting started 8 The complete guide to smartphones & tablets 18 50 of the best smartphone apps 25 essential tablet apps 28
iPhone & iPad
56 Control your privacy settings 58 Add a person to your contacts list 60 Call people from your contacts list 61 Make a call using the iPhone’s keypad
78 Manage your apps 80 Check out the iTunes Store 82 Get the most out of the Camera app 84 Edit images in Photos
38 Activate and register your new device
62 Call someone using FaceTime
86 Shoot video on your iPhone
42 Make your Apple device easier to use
64 Manage your iPhone messages
88 Purchase an iBook
46 Change Settings to suit you
66 Access email on your iPad
90 Stay informed with News
48 Set up a Wi-Fi connection
68 Add an event in Calendar
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49 Connect to mobile data
70 Tell the time with the Clock app
94 Find your way with Maps
50 Set up iCloud and start syncing
72 Talk to your phone with Siri
52 Change your wallpaper
74 Get more from internet browsing
53 Set a new iPhone ringtone
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54 Set a personal passcode
76 Use the App Store
Use the Notes app
“Accessibility is a hallmark of all Apple products”
Getting started Pepper Plate Whether you are planning a dinner party for 12 or simply want a little inspiration to help you cook something new and exciting for lunch, Pepper Plate is packed full of recipes and tips. The app also provides step-by-step instructions and cooking timers to help you nail your perfect dish, as well as shopping lists, meal planners and you own personalised recipe book to store your favourite dishes.
AroundMe If you enjoy plenty of holidays and weekend breaks then this is a useful app to help you in unfamiliar surrounds and discover what services and amenities are near to your current location. You can get a complete list of all local businesses for a particular category and get them displayed on a map to make them easy to find. A useful travel companion when you’re planning on visiting new places.
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Polaris Office Through Polaris you can create, edit and share Word docs, PowerPoint Presentations and Excel spreadsheets
You can share your documents with other people over email or the various social networks
You can also download and edit files from other cloud services, such as Google Drive and Dropbox
Connect the app to your computer to view and edit docs stored on your PC while on the move
BBC News If you need a clean and accessible app that delivers all of the latest news headlines then the free BBC app is a safe bet. You will find breaking news, features and analysis, videos in selected stories and an ‘edit’ feature that lets you personalise the app to only include the news that matters to you. A great way to stay on top of the hottest stories and share them with your friends and family.
Pocket Most web browsers allow you to keep multiple web pages open so you can revisit stuff you came across earlier. Pocket allows you to save articles to savour later without letting those tabs build up. Pocket syncs across devices so that you can save something on your mobile and then enjoy it later on the bigger screen of your tablet. It also allows you to access your content offline, which is ideal for those long journeys.
50 of the best smartphone apps
Duolingo There are many different reasons to learn a foreign language. Perhaps you’re planning a trip away, or perhaps you just want to master a brand-new skill. Whatever your reasoning, the Duolingo app makes it easy to learn thanks to a series of simple tasks that test you as you learn. Supported languages include French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Danish and Swedish and the pace is suitably relaxed so that you’re never overloaded with information. Phrases and tenses are delivered in bite-sized fashion for you to identify and use correctly in context before moving onto the next. As such you’re learning and taking in information without really realising you’re doing so. It is this liberal learning method that sets Duolingo apart from other language apps as it makes the teaching of foreign languages feel more akin to an enjoyable game rather than a lesson.
Pinterest is like your own digital scrapbook, a place where you can ‘pin’ anything you find on the net to use as a source for ideas when you need it. These could be anything from furnishing to cake ideas. You pin it to your boards for later reference.
Instagram is a social network for photo-lovers. You can apply a range of filters to photos and then share them with the world. You can also follow other people, and marvel at their pictures to feel part of a thriving community.
Cut The Rope If you’re on the lookout for an intriguing and compelling game that doesn’t require super-sharp reflexes and isn’t overly complicated then Cut The Rope fits the bill perfectly. In the game you have to feed sweets to a hungry creature by swiping the screen to cut the ropes suspending the sugary treat. An added challenge comes in the form of passing the sweet through the floating stars situated within the level and what starts off very straightforward soon gets slightly more perplexing as you have extra hazards to dodge and traverse. It’s the perfect game to dip into when you have a free moment and there are plenty of levels to ensure that you won’t finish it within a day. You will also be seduced by the sharp graphics and charm of the game, that comes from the makers of the hugely successful Angry Birds series. It’s good fun to pass the time.
Twitter is a social network that allows you to share thoughts, links, videos and more. You can follow as many people as you want, from A-list celebrities to your friends and whenever they post anything it will appear in your personal timeline.
Dropbox
The Dropbox app provides a free cloud storage facility that you can upload all of your important files and images to for safe keeping. You can also access your files from anywhere when you need them on various different devices.
MyFitnessPal
Staying in shape couldn’t be easier thanks to this allencompassing app that helps you monitor your calorie intake. Use your device to scan the packaging of your food types to check the calorie content and log your exercise routines.
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iPhone & iPad
Activate and register your iPad Just got an iPad or iPhone? We’ll guide you through the process of setting up your device and registering it to your Apple ID
O
nce you have unpacked your new Apple device and are ready to activate it, you can start using it to enhance your life. The entire setup can be carried out independently from your computer, which makes it a quick and easy process. All you have to do is connect your new device to a power source
and then press the Power button, which is situated on the top-right of an iPad or iPhone. This will bring up a generic lock screen with a slider at the bottom. Tap and hold on the slider with your index finger and swipe it to the right to unlock the device and the next series of screens will guide you through the setup process. It’s really simple, so
don’t worry about it, it’s an easy step-by-step process. In this tutorial we will take you through each stage of the process and explain what each screen is asking you to do, whether it is setting up your Apple ID (if you don’t already have one from making purchases on iTunes) or connecting to Wi-Fi.
Activation Prepare your iPad
01
When you switch on your device for the very first time you will be presented with a plain-looking lock screen with a slider at the bottom. Tap and hold the slider and swipe it to the right to unlock your phone or tablet.
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02
On the first two set-up screens you will need to choose a native language for your device and also choose your region so that the content of the iTunes and App Stores can be set accordingly. Tap your preference.
03
Your device chiefly relies on a Wi-Fi network to be able to connect to the internet and fuel a wealth of different services. If you are within range of a Wi-Fi network then it will be detected. Enter the password and connect.
Activate and register your new iPad Adding apps The Dock contains four apps as standard but you can add an extra one by tapping and holding on an icon until it starts to shake and then dragging it with your finger into the Dock
Your apps A selection of Apple apps are built in to the operating system and will appear on your Home screen as standard. Tap on an icon to launch the app
Your Dock The Dock is a row of app icons in a strip at the bottom of the screen. This Dock is present no matter which of your screens you’re on and should be used for your mostused apps
04
Location Services allows apps to gather and use data indicating your approximate location, which can be useful. Enable or disable it here. You can activate it later from Settings> Privacy>Location Services.
Your Settings Your first port of call should be the Settings app. Tap on this to start modifying and customising certain aspects of your device
05
The next screen presents you with three options. You can either set up the device as a new iPad or iPhone, which is what you’ll be doing, or restore it from previous settings backed up to your iCloud or iTunes.
06
You’ll need your own Apple ID to enjoy the main features of your device, such as being able to download apps, music and videos and back up and sync your data and settings with iCloud. Sign in or create a new one.
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iPhone & iPad
Manage your iPhone messages Messages are a quick, simple and easy way to communicate. Here we run through the options to keep yours neat, tidy and current
M
essages are a staple diet of any modern smartphone. They are quick, easy, and shorter than a phone call. The iPhone follows Apple tradition and adds a little style and panache to the tried-andtested texting experience. Texts aren’t simply stored in an inbox, they’re stored in conversations,
exactly as a user would talk to someone face-to-face. Being colour coded, users can quickly scan a conversation. The integrated copy, paste and replace commands mean that users can take even further control. All this works beautifully for almost any exchange of messages, but as a conversation grows it can become
unwieldy. This is where control needs to be passed to the user, and the iPhone does so with great functionality. Two taps and the message sender can be called, three taps and a conversation can be deleted. Three taps again and you get total control of the elements of a conversation. Once you start, you’ll never look back.
Messages Manage and organise iPhone messages
01
Tap Messages to view sent and received messages. To remove a message tap Edit, select one, and tap Delete. Alternatively, swipe to the left on a message and select the Delete option.
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02
To view a message thread, tap the desired message in the list. To send a message, hit the box at the bottom, type in a message and then simply give the up arrow icon a tap to send.
03
If you press and hold the up ‘send’ icon, you can add special message or screen effects to your messages. Tap on an effect to see a preview of it, then tap on the send icon.
Manage your iPhone messages
Tap back A relatively new feature is the option to press and hold on a received message to instantly respond with a graphic or effect that reflects what you think of the message
Call and contact A conversation is related to a specific contact and there are several options for the contact. Tap ‘i’ in the top-right corner and icons to Call or FaceTime will appear. You can also tap on view the contact
Conversation A conversation contains all the messages sent between the contact and the recipient. Usually the message bubble in green/blue is the message sent by the phone owner
Voice messages If you are sending an iMessage to another iOS user then you will also have the option to record and send an audio message by tapping the mic icon to the right of the text box
04
The camera icon next to the text box will let you take a photo or send one from your gallery. Next to that is the app store icon where you can download content to send in messages.
05
If a message needs to be removed from a conversation, first tap and hold on the message and then choose the More option. Doing so will place a circle next to each message.
06
Selecting messages activates the Delete and Forward icons at the bottom of the screen. Tap Delete to get rid of selected messages, tap Forward to send messages to a new recipient.
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Android
Activate your Android device A few steps early on in your Android ownership will enhance the experience over time. Fortunately Google has you covered
A
ctivating a new Android device is easier than you may expect because Google has made efforts to ensure that everything you need to do will work provided you have a valid Google account. We would advise you to set up a new Google account before you begin the activation process because this will give you access
to a huge variety of tasks. Emails, calendars, contacts, movies, apps, games, photos, YouTube and so much more are provided by Google free of charge, and built in to your device are apps designed to leverage all of the functionality each offers. One Google account will cover it all, but we will offer some tips as to which options to enable and what
extra things you need to do to be up and running in no time. The entire process should take less than ten minutes and when you are finished, you will have immediate access to all of the accounts and data you need. Please remember that each device’s activation process will look slightly different, but the screens should stay in the same order.
Sync accounts Set up your device
01
The first thing you will have to do is set the device’s language. It should already be Set to British English but you can change it if you want. If you want to change your choice later on you can do this in the Settings app.
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02
Now you must agree to all of the company’s Terms and Conditions. The next button will cannot be pressed until all of the circle have been checked. Each manufacturer is different so we recommend checking the terms.
03
The next step is to find and pair to your Wi-Fi internet connection. The process for this is explained in another tutorial within this book so follow that and you will be ready to start activating your device.
Activate your Android device Movies & TV You will even be able to rent and buy TV shows and movies directly on your device
Mail When you associate your device with your Google account, Gmail is just one advantage given to you
Google Chrome Activation also lets your Android web browsing be shared amongst all of your computing devices
Calendar The activation process ensures that your calendar and information is synchronised over all of your devices
04
Google will ask if you would agree to them using your location data for their services as well as saving diagnostic information. This one tap could save you a lot of headaches in the future and is highly recommended.
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The date and time will appear next and should already be correct if your internet connection is valid. It is important to set the correct time because apps cannot be downloaded otherwise for security reasons.
06
To protect the information on your device or stop unwanted people form using it, you can set up one of two security options. You can either use the device’s fingerprint scanner or set up a password/ PIN.
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Android
Edit your photos in Google Photos The Google Photos app is great for creating advanced edits while being ideal for newcomers
A
s well as being a place to store and share your images, Google Photos also has a number of editing tools to improve or play around with photos taken on your phone’s camera. You have the choice to use it in any way you see fit and can do anything from make simple changes to the size of the image, add a fancy filter,
or you may decide to delve a little deeper and manipulate every single aspect of your photos. It is rare for any mobile app to remain so easy to use and yet embed so much advanced functionality, and most of your time will initially be spent finding the functions and playing around with them to understand how they work.
We will cover most of the features, but the best way to understand how it works is to experiment, so take some time to get to know the app and let yourself go a little. You can undo any changes you make. The end results may surprise you because the Google Photos app gives you the tools to improve any image.
Gallery Make your photos unique
01
When you save any image that you have received in an email, it will be saved to the Photos app. The same is true of those saved from the web or taken on the phone’s camera.
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02
Tap on an image and then on the ‘Edit’ icon along the bottom. The first option given is a series of filters. Tap on a filter to apply it and if you want to revert back, tap on ‘Original’.
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If you select the ‘Auto’ filter, Google Photos will analyse the image and then tweak the brightness and colour to give you what it calculates to be the best image possible.
Edit your photos in Gallery
What you see Every change you make is shown in the main screen of the Gallery so that you can make immediate decisions as to whether further adjustments are required or not
Perfect filters The range of filters available is varied and high in number, and some will even let you adjust how strong the filter is when applied
Manage everything There are many advanced tools available under this icon which let you manipulate and improve every aspect of your image. It will take some time for you to explore
Frames and cropping There is a wide selection of frames available plus the ability to make very precise crops to your photos. The cropping will usually be completed first
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You may notice a second ‘Edit’ icon; tap this to tweak the Light, Colour and Pop of the image. You can always press the ‘X’ icon at the top to undo any changes you have made.
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If you want to go into more detail, tap on the downward arrows to access further tweaking options. Any sliders that have been moved will be highlighted in blue.
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Use the Adjustment option to rotate images, flip them, alter the aspect ratio, crop the image and more. Click ‘Done’ to save any alterations that you make.
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