The most basic smartphone?

[shipgeeks]

The other element of the cruise I was concerned about was the test results.  As it turned out, they came straight to my email, so I was able to easily print them out and show them at checkin.

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

The other element of the cruise I was concerned about was the test results.  As it turned out, they came straight to my email, so I was able to easily print them out and show them at checkin.

 

Thanks for your information because that has been a concern of mine.  

 

One of the advantages for me of my smartphone (and of the flip phone previously) is that I can make long distance calls at no charge as compared to my landline.  That is due to the plan that I have with Consumer Cellular.  I am still "exploring" phone and have much to learn.  Every once in awhile, it will make some brief noises that I have figured out are "notifications", but "notifications" of what?  (It's not an incoming call; that's a different sound.)  

[Von & John]

On 3/21/2022 at 12:26 PM, MizMoon said:

NSnJW - Thanks, I'm sure I'll be fine - as long as Russia doesn't take Alaska back ( I know the situation is Ukraine is very serious - and so am I) - 43 days to go!  

 

Russia would not find a Welcome in Alaska...

[Von & John]

On 3/25/2022 at 12:01 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

Thanks for your information because that has been a concern of mine.  

 

One of the advantages for me of my smartphone (and of the flip phone previously) is that I can make long distance calls at no charge as compared to my landline.  That is due to the plan that I have with Consumer Cellular.  I am still "exploring" phone and have much to learn.  Every once in awhile, it will make some brief noises that I have figured out are "notifications", but "notifications" of what?  (It's not an incoming call; that's a different sound.)  

 

The alerts could possibly text or e-mail...

Also - if any of your App's have notifications - they would send out an alert as well

[rkacruiser]

53 minutes ago, Von & John said:

 

The alerts could possibly text or e-mail...

Also - if any of your App's have notifications - they would send out an alert as well

 

Thanks for your information.  I check texts, nothing there.  I have not connected my e-mail address to the phone.  I think there is an App that is notifying me of "something", but, which one?  I have installed only one App that did not come with the phone.  I have 3 voicemail messages, supposedly.  Yet, I call the number shown for the voicemail acquisition, and it doesn't work.  Plus, I have not yet set up a voicemail message!  Much for me to figure out and  learn!  

[Von & John]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thanks for your information.  I check texts, nothing there.  I have not connected my e-mail address to the phone.  I think there is an App that is notifying me of "something", but, which one?  I have installed only one App that did not come with the phone.  I have 3 voicemail messages, supposedly.  Yet, I call the number shown for the voicemail acquisition, and it doesn't work.  Plus, I have not yet set up a voicemail message!  Much for me to figure out and  learn!  

 

Good Luck - you'll get the hang of it...

Resources to Learn:

1)  Cellular Service or Cell Company which sold you the phone

2)  You Tube Videos

[rkacruiser]

16 hours ago, Von & John said:

Resources to Learn:

1)  Cellular Service or Cell Company which sold you the phone

 

Quite correct and I am guilty of not taking the time of using this resource more than I have.  I would prefer a hard copy instruction manual when one spends the amount of money required for such products like these phones.  There is such a manual online, but the amount of paper and ink it would take to download and print it!  ☹️

[Tom47]

16 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Quite correct and I am guilty of not taking the time of using this resource more than I have.  I would prefer a hard copy instruction manual when one spends the amount of money required for such products like these phones.  There is such a manual online, but the amount of paper and ink it would take to download and print it!  ☹️

Consumer Cellular provided print instructions

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, Tom47 said:

Consumer Cellular provided print instructions

 

What print instructions that I received were so incomplete that I was unable to get the phone in service.  I had to hire a tech person and he discovered that a critical piece of information had not been included with the instruction sheet that was included with the phone.  I was disappointed in Consumer Cellular; I had been pleased with their service when I was just using my flip phone from them.  

[Tom47]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

What print instructions that I received were so incomplete that I was unable to get the phone in service.  I had to hire a tech person and he discovered that a critical piece of information had not been included with the instruction sheet that was included with the phone.  I was disappointed in Consumer Cellular; I had been pleased with their service when I was just using my flip phone from them.  

Wow!!  I am still discovering how to do stuff on my phone, but the instructions have been very helpful.

I have found that CC phone reps have also been very helpful.  My granddaughter showed me how to do QR codes.  There is an app that you must download from Google.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Tom47

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, Tom47 said:

There is an app that you must download from Google.

 

Thank you.  I did not know that.  

 

20 hours ago, Tom47 said:

I have found that CC phone reps have also been very helpful.

 

As I have when I can speak to them.  Being on hold for so long is discouraging.  

[Tom47]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thank you.  I did not know that.  

 

 

As I have when I can speak to them.  Being on hold for so long is discouraging.  

You're Welcome

[Tom47]

rka

You should enable "find my device" in settings(requires an app).  Also find your phone "build# and write it down

[rkacruiser]

31 minutes ago, Tom47 said:

rka

You should enable "find my device" in settings(requires an app).  Also find your phone "build# and write it down

 

Why?

[Tom47]

40 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Why?

In case you ever lose it.

[rkacruiser]

50 minutes ago, Tom47 said:

In case you ever lose it.

 

Thank you.  I remember seeing that choice when I started to get the phone in service.  It didn't require an app as I recall.  It was just part of the Samsung options with which I was offered.  

[crystalspin]

@rkacruiser

After you get a notification PING, swipe down from the top of screen and look for either the top "thing" or something with a close time as current. that will be the trigger.

Edited June 9, 2022 by crystalspin

[rkacruiser]

13 hours ago, crystalspin said:

@rkacruiser

After you get a notification PING, swipe down from the top of screen and look for either the top "thing" or something with a close time as current. that will be the trigger.

 

Thank you.  I have learned to do that and have yet had any notification in which I have any interest.  

[crystalspin]

34 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thank you.  I have learned to do that and have yet had any notification in which I have any interest.  

There is a way to stop individual apps from setting off notifications, but I do not know it!

[Tom47]

5 hours ago, crystalspin said:

There is a way to stop individual apps from setting off notifications, but I do not know it!

I did find out how to do it.  It is in settings, apps, notifications, on my ZTE phone

[baldilocks]

We use TracFone. You can buy a nice 4G phone for about $50-$75. We do not use our cell phones all that much which makes our cost low. You can buy time, minutes and phones for TracFone via discount stores, grocery stores, online or direct customer service (sometimes you can get a best deal from CS). All toll, each TracFone costs us about $9 a month. Service has been excellent for us. 

[shipgeeks]

We have TracFone, too.  (Our old one, from working days, was recently replaced by them.)  The only time we use it now is at the end of a cruise, to call for our ride home. Does yours have functions such as being able to show your vax records, covid test results, boarding passes, etc.?  That is what we continue to do on paper.

[baldilocks]

2 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

We have TracFone, too.  (Our old one, from working days, was recently replaced by them.)  The only time we use it now is at the end of a cruise, to call for our ride home. Does yours have functions such as being able to show your vax records, covid test results, boarding passes, etc.?  That is what we continue to do on paper.

Yes. The phones we have more stuff than we can deal with. We take a photo of our vax records. We can connect to RCI or Celebrity via WIFI. But...we still do old fashioned paper copies for our boarding docs and vax records. We have seen people having trouble in the terminal bringing up stuff. I think it is all the steel around.