While the youngsters of today tend to have no problem with modern technology, this does not come without its downsides. Even those of us now entering our 30s have long been seen as the tech generation, and this, unfortunately, places us in the group unofficially labeled at family tech support. The point of this ‘Best of List’ is to help out our readers prep a new mobile phone for somebody unfamiliar with Android or mobile technology, to get them over the initial hump and, hopefully, working on their own.
Messaging
Text messages are a very important component of modern communication, and this looks like it might be the way forward for the foreseeable future. While chances are that anyone you are introducing to mobile phones is already a little familiar with text messaging, our personal experience leads us to believe that this might not be the case with Internet-based systems. A good bet here is to start off with something like Facebook Messenger, a very useful tool that can help streamline the experience and integrates well with Android devices default systems.
Mapping
The element of modern mobile phones which has saved us from being lost dozens of times, maps and GPS services are a fantastic addition to any new mobile phone. Not are these great in helping those of us with less than amazing memories when it comes to directions and street names, navigational guidance systems based on these are also very user-friendly, and allow hand-free path-finding. Convenient, and a way to mitigate driving distractions and arguments, programs like Google Maps and Sygic streamline the traveling experience into something far less stressful than it has ever been before.
Entertainment
This can be a bit of tricky one, given the enormous range of entertainment possible through modern mobile technology, so let’s try to keep things simple for the sake of the user. The best start here would be a simple video system like YouTube. Not only is this program well established, it is reliable, user-friendly, and a great start in introducing newcomers to what internet-based video has to offer.
Games are another area where recommendations can become quite difficult. Video games can be quite impenetrable to outsiders, so when installing games on a new device we would recommend something simple and familiar. A good place to start here would be card games, with these being common offerings on the likes of the Google Play store. Alternatively, those more competitively inclined might try out some online casino games, as these offer huge quantities of slots and card games which easy to pick up and play.
Mistakes Will Be Made
When introducing somebody new to a mobile device we need to run with the understanding that mistakes are inevitable, and we need to be ready for that. Explain the difference between a window and an ad which looks like a window, and how to tell the difference between a real person and a spammer, as a start. Remember that frustration and mistakes will only make people coming back to your again and again, so when you introduce somebody to the world which Android devices can open up, you need to teach them how to fish, rather than going through the effort of catching the fish for them.
