Electronics

[lovesallanimals]

OK - I really need some help here.  I am tecnically challenged.  I know my computer but that is it.  I still use a flip phone as I am overwhelmed by the thought of a smart phone.  What is the difference between today's TVS trac phone and a smart phone?

I only use my flip phone for emergencies - I use my landline in the house for anything else.  The main thing I am looking for is to browse the internet, take photos and videos.  I hate to spend several hundreds of dollars when I only would like these functions.  

Also, after the year is up, is there a monthly fee for a tracphone?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[gardenman]

The TSV is a smartphone. While a smartphone can be overwhelming, they're not that bad. They come with some apps preloaded and then you can add more. Pretty much everything is done by simply tapping on an icon on the screen. The neat thing is you get a digital camera, camcorder, audio recorder, GPS unit, MP3 player, web browser, and more, including a phone, all in one tiny little inexpensive package.

After the year is up you have multiple options. You can often add another year's service to the phone by going to the Tracfone website and adding something to your cart. They'll typically then give you the option to add a year's service for$49.99 (down from their typical $100+  fee). Once you add that option to your cart you can then delete whatever it was you'd added originally and only buy the year's service. Or you can go month-by-month adding more service. It's your choice.

If you feel overwhelmed while learning to use the smartphone, don't worry. Just try one thing at a time until you get comfortable with it. You can always learn more later.

The GPS function is a good one to start with. Your phone will come preloaded with an app called "Maps." Simply tap that and at the top of the next screen will be a "Search here" box. Type in a destination (Walmart perhaps) and hit the green enter thingie that looks like a magnifying glass on the keyboard and up will come all of the local Walmarts (or whatever you type in. It could be an address or a store name, or store type, like gas station.) Pick one by clicking on it. You can then see it on the map and either get directions by clicking the "Directions" button or click on "Start" and it'll guide you there. Pretty neat stuff. 

A smartphone isn't all that difficult to learn. Just pick an option and start playing with it. You'll get the hang of it in no time and wonder how you ever did without it.

[Catlady Nicole]

hI @lovesallanimals !  I'll try to help as this is exactly what I do for my Mom.

The TSV is a smartphone.  It can make calls like your flip phone, but it can also browse the internet, take photos and videos.  You can download apps for all sorts of things like social media, your email, the Trafone app so you can monitor your usage and add minutes/data.  Do you have a tablet, iPad, or Kindle type device?  If so, smartphones are very similar to them, just can make calls too.  

After the year is up you can go to the Trafone website and purchase another year of service for $99 to $199.  The difference in price is the difference between unlimited data/texts/minutes versus capped data/text/minutes.  It really depends on your usage whether you need unlimited or can live with say a 2GB data cap (for internet use) and say 1500 minutes (for text and calls).  Also note, if you think you'll be using the phone at home mostly to surf the web etc, you can connect you your home wifi and then you won't be using any data at all.  The data is really for when your away from home and want to use the maps feature, check emails, etc.  

I hope this info helps and if you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

ETA, @gardenman is spot on with his info as well!!  Especially the $49.99 deal!  

[lovesallanimals]

Thank you everyone for all your help!

I know I will have to take the plunge and get with this century!  I feel like an idiot when I see very elderly people as well as children using these phones and I know I am not stupid so I have to finally get one and not be intimidated.

Again, thank you all for your kind help.

[Teddixat]

@lovesallanimals    I think most of us felt intimidated when we switched from a flip phone to a smartphone but trust me, you will learn how to operate it pretty fast  and once you do you will wonder how you lived without it.   

[FranandZoe]

Since you're used to using a computer you won't have any trouble using a smart phone.

[coffee drinker]

@gardenman Can you please elaborate on the $49.99 fee.  We had Trac Phones a while back and it seemed every month we had to buy, at a retail store, minutes to use for that month.  Is this still the case or are minutes "bought" for an entire year.   My interpretation of the presentation this morning, the phone came with so many hours.  Is that for the entire year or must they be used within a certain time.  Currently, I have a smart phone (for a not too smart person) and it's over $40/mo. and I don't really use the thing.  Maybe for an occasional call or to text someone, but even those don't seem worth the expense.  I realize I would still have to finish paying for the phone I have and that will finish in early 2024.  Sorry to sound so confusing, but I'm. 

[Katiek]

@lovesallanimals- as others have said, a "smart" phone is merely one that in addition to making calls can operate as a mini-computer.  You can download lost of apps and do all sorts of things, but you can also start slow with the basics.

When I first got a smartphone, I didn't think I'd use it for much except some work email, but I use it for a lot more than that now.

One basic thing you might use it for is to check email accounts.  It also has a build in phone, and I'll often take a picture and then text it to my family or friends.  The fact that the phone is integrated with the camera makes this very easy to do.

I've also used my smartphone to make video calls to a doctor for "tele-medicine visits"  or to scroll twitter or other internet sites when I'm at a restaurant or office visit and have to wait.

I don't use my phone much to listen to music or for driving directions, but I know other people who do.

Once you have a phone, I'm sure your friends will be able to help you.  Just don't get confused by all the options.  You don't need to start using everything at once.  Start with some basic things, and you'll grow into the rest.

[Squirrels Are Trash]

@lovesallanimals  No advice, just a comment. Don't feel bad about not being an expert in smartphones. I'm in tech and when I got my first iPhone, I was lost (I don't find Apple as intuitive as everyone in the world does.) I brought the phone to work, and our head of IT showed me around iOS. 

There are tons of tutorials on youtube that might be helpful. Try googling "beginner tutorial android smartphone." Geeks on Tour has a few.

[gardenman]

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@coffee drinker wrote:

@gardenman Can you please elaborate on the $49.99 fee.  We had Trac Phones a while back and it seemed every month we had to buy, at a retail store, minutes to use for that month.  Is this still the case or are minutes "bought" for an entire year.   My interpretation of the presentation this morning, the phone came with so many hours.  Is that for the entire year or must they be used within a certain time.  Currently, I have a smart phone (for a not too smart person) and it's over $40/mo. and I don't really use the thing.  Maybe for an occasional call or to text someone, but even those don't seem worth the expense.  I realize I would still have to finish paying for the phone I have and that will finish in early 2024.  Sorry to sound so confusing, but I'm. 

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@coffee drinker 

TracFone has a lot of plan options. The $49.99 one is their cheapest but is hidden and doesn't include extra minutes, texts, or data. It's just to keep the phone active. It only shows up if you have something else in your cart. It's a good option if you like your phone, have a surplus of minutes, texts, and data and don't need more.