My First Smart Phone - Advise please

[Speedo1968]

Any recommendations for a first Smart Phone for someone in their 70's ?

 

I have a basic phone mainly in case of emergency, and a few local contacts.

The screen is small and it does not have text prediction as my old UK phone had, so is a hassle texting.

 

I have used a computer / laptop since the year dot but find touching and moving fingers on a Smart phone ( even the 'keyboard' ) very difficult. 

I don't have large fingers or stiffness in my hands but in my past work I have had to be gentle yet firm and responsive to reaction/movement.

 

I would use a Smart phone only for contacting my daughters in the UK and perhaps taking photos.   

There are difficulties and a cost when using a laptop to Smart phone.

I can easily use LINE on my laptop ( to phone ) here in Thailand but my daughters use Skype or WhatsApp with their phones.

Not really wanting a large heavy Smart phone in my pocket but need a phone that I can text on easily.

 

Can someone please recommend some phones I could look at that are easy to use and without too many bells and whistles, no particular price range?

What would be the most suitable browser other than Google ?

Are finger pressure settings available on any phone ?

[timendres]

I would recommend any of the cheap Android phones that are branded by the Thai phone companies. You can typically find these for between 2k and 3k baht. Try to get the largest screen possible to make using the keyboard easier. Try to get the latest possible version of Android. Any of these phones are fine.

[Salerno]

33 minutes ago, Speedo1968 said:

Can someone please recommend some phones I could look at that are easy to use and without too many bells and whistles, no particular price range?

As above, for the usage you state any of the cheaper phones will do. Make sure it has latest Android. Only issue would be how much photography and how fussy you are (cheap phone could have poor quality camera - still OK for happy snaps though),

 

36 minutes ago, Speedo1968 said:

What would be the most suitable browser other than Google ?

Google not being a browser I'll read that as Chrome. It will come with a browser and if you don't like it you can install a bunch of them including Chrome and Firefox until you find one you like.

 

38 minutes ago, Speedo1968 said:

Are finger pressure settings available on any phone ?

Can tweak it in the settings on all I believe.

[DaRoadrunner]

3 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

I can easily use LINE on my laptop ( to phone )

As a fellow technological Dinosaur, I wish someone would explain to me how you get to use LINE to phone on a laptop?

 

You are not alone OP! There is still one other person in the world that has not got an iphone.... ME!

[Speedo1968]

15 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

As a fellow technological Dinosaur, I wish someone would explain to me how you get to use LINE to phone on a laptop?

 

You are not alone OP! There is still one other person in the world that has not got an iphone.... ME!

I use my laptop, friends use their phone.

I can use LINE here in Thailand to chat, message or video chat, my end is free as my wifi connection is free, my friends are also not charged.

Firstly you will need the LINE name and phone number the person you wish to call ( for security only one of these should be provided but sometimes one or the other is not listed when you try to find them on LINE ).

The person with the laptop has to initiate the contact.

When the person replies save their details as a friend.

It should be free of charge in both directions.

I say should be free because when I tried using Skype to contact my daughter in the UK she was charged a lot because it was laptop to phone.   It will also depend on her internet provider, hers was Sky !

 

i tried using WhatsApp and found it too complicated as I had to download another program first.

 

There are videos on youtube that expalin how to use but are so fast I can't understand them.

There are numerous websites  with info, one is How To Use LINE, which answers many questions guess once you have sussed it out things will fall into place.

[madmen]

Look no further than lazada 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/a82-67-ram4gb-ram-rom-64gb-rom-4800-mah-android-i662108647-s1291432511.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.15.23293b90kycfxu&search=1

 

I own the 6.3 inch version and give it 6 stars it's that good 

 

4g ram 64 gb and 10 core 

 

2000 baht 

[BritManToo]

Huawai Y9 Prime, 5,270Bht

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/0-10-huawei-y9-prime-2019-ram-4-gb-rom-128-gb-l-659-i701322916-s1345070167.htm

 

Nice big screen for olds like us (6.6") and a decent camera.

[DaRoadrunner]

On 1/30/2020 at 2:29 PM, madmen said:

Look no further than lazada 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/a82-67-ram4gb-ram-rom-64gb-rom-4800-mah-android-i662108647-s1291432511.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.15.23293b90kycfxu&search=1

 

I own the 6.3 inch version and give it 6 stars it's that good 

 

4g ram 64 gb and 10 core 

 

2000 baht 

Your link is not working. Please check and also provide the brand name and model of phone. Thanks.

[chickenslegs]

11 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Your link is not working. Please check and also provide the brand name and model of phone. Thanks.

Looks like there is a problem with the Lazada website. I tried the link and got the message...

"We have detected unusual traffic from your network, please try again later."

I get the same message when searching for any product on Lazada.

[madmen]

20 hours ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Your link is not working. Please check and also provide the brand name and model of phone. Thanks.

"Product details P30 PRO Aova A11, smart phone, take pictures, watch movies, listen to music, 4G + 64G memory, 6.3 inch water drop screen, large memory, fingerprint scanner, 4 rear cameras, Angel Wing-6.3 inch touch screen, HD ++ - use Can work with 2 SIM cards without network - can add memory cards up to 64 GB - RAM 4 GB / Rom 64 GB - Front camera 8 megapixels, Rear camera 16 megapixels - Operating system Android 9.1-Operating system 10 Core-Processor 8 CPU-Pattern scan The unlocked cell only 1 second - scanning their faces. Even in the dark - 4800 mAh battery"

 

Still available at 1990 baht and ROCK SOLID build. There is a 6.7 inch for 2300 baht but I didnt see it until later or would have got that. The scrolling especially is smooth as silk and its lightening fast.

 

 

[DaRoadrunner]

On 2/1/2020 at 7:28 PM, madmen said:

"Product details P30 PRO Aova A11, smart phone, take pictures, watch movies, listen to music, 4G + 64G memory, 6.3 inch water drop screen, large memory, fingerprint scanner, 4 rear cameras, Angel Wing-6.3 inch touch screen, HD ++ - use Can work with 2 SIM cards without network - can add memory cards up to 64 GB - RAM 4 GB / Rom 64 GB - Front camera 8 megapixels, Rear camera 16 megapixels - Operating system Android 9.1-Operating system 10 Core-Processor 8 CPU-Pattern scan The unlocked cell only 1 second - scanning their faces. Even in the dark - 4800 mAh battery"

 

Still available at 1990 baht and ROCK SOLID build. There is a 6.7 inch for 2300 baht but I didnt see it until later or would have got that. The scrolling especially is smooth as silk and its lightening fast.

 

Looks like this one.... 1389 baht

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/-i713052742-s1366274062.html?

 

Can anything beat it at the price?

 

[madmen]

33 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

 

Looks like this one.... 1389 baht

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/-i713052742-s1366274062.html?

 

Can anything beat it at the price?

 

How can they possibly make a profit. I'm typing from one now and after 2 weeks use its flawless. Even comes with a rubber back protecter and screen protector 

[ChaiyaTH]

53 minutes ago, madmen said:

How can they possibly make a profit. I'm typing from one now and after 2 weeks use its flawless. Even comes with a rubber back protecter and screen protector 

It is full of spyware and ad ware, they (Chinese) earn with your data and advertisements (even within settings).
Xiaomi does the same too on cheaper models, there is ways to get rid of it though.

[madmen]

21 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

It is full of spyware and ad ware, they (Chinese) earn with your data and advertisements (even within settings).
Xiaomi does the same too on cheaper models, there is ways to get rid of it though.

I Don't know. Anti-virus says all clear. Phone lightening fast so no worms hogging cpu 

[ChaiyaTH]

17 minutes ago, madmen said:

I Don't know. Anti-virus says all clear. Phone lightening fast so no worms hogging cpu 

Is sending data, that is kb's at the time, you would not notice with today's processors etc. Anti virus won't show you that. Same as parenting spy software.

[Speedo1968]

From Original Poster
Many thanks for all the interesting replies and suggestions regarding best phone.

Perhaps it would be worth buying/trying such a low priced phone as the AOVA P30 Pro as a practice model for my fingers, then once I feel confident move on to a more expensive phone.

 

What browsers other than our dear friend/fiend Google are most suited ?

For security is it worth using something like Kaspersky ?