Question Suggested Easy to Setup and Use Smartphone?

[tixe ylno]

Looking at getting another mobile phone. This time a smartphone. My previous mobile phones were very basic non-smartphones with very limited functionality.

Although I have had some experience using mobile phones (basic non-smartphone models), I find smartphones to be somewhat difficult to setup and to use. I have tried using two different (basic model) smartphones over the years but found them to be quite difficult to setup and to use. Subsequently both smartphones were disposed of.

Now I am required to obtain a smartphone with the ability to download apps and use them particularly with regard to carrying out banking transactions.

Any recommendation of a smartphone that is easy to setup and easy to use from the point of view of a beginner (to smartphones)?

Thank you.

 

[VidJunky]

Welcome to Android Central forums. Smartphones are as complicated or as simple as the user makes them usually.

What did you struggle with on those other devices? Did you know that YouTube has a video for nearly everything Smartphones related?

The thing with smartphones is that once you're in things get easier usually. For instance once you've established your profile, by that I mean the information associated with you that will be associated with your email, it's almost set it and forget it. Getting apps is less complicated than ordering from Amazon. Installing apps is roughly the same or easier than installing programs on a computer. Fewer steps anyway. Plus you have us. Anything you get stuck on, or need help with we can usually help or point you in the right direction. Did I mention YouTube? You name it and you'll find likely find it there. Want to change your wallpaper, YT. Want a new ringtone, YT.

I think it would be a subjective thing to say which would be easier. Most devices help you through the set-up, its all of the stuff you want after the set-up that gets sticky. Ringtones, wallpapers, fonts, font sizes, home screen layouts, really the personalization of the device. Having said that, I've heard forever that Pixels are Vanilla Android which just means it's Android without the bells and whistles added by other manufacturers. Not sure that really makes it simpler.

I'm actually surprised others haven't jumped in on this thread. Anyway tell us about your past experiences and see what we have for you.

 

[Laura Knotek]

What smartphones did you try and dislike? If we have an idea of what didn't work for you, then we might have better ideas regarding what might be more suitable for you.

 

[tixe ylno]

Thank you for the comments.

The first smartphone was a Vodafone Smart Mini 7 details here. This was purchased quite a few years ago.

Last smartphone tried was the recently released Samsung Galaxy A16 G5.

For the Smart Mini 7 smartphone, I found the touch buttons (and maybe the touch screen as well?) didn't always respond immediately. And I couldn't setup the phone, I couldn't understand entirely what to do to set this phone up (no user instructions).

In the end I took it to the seller to get it setup. The setup was done in a matter of seconds by a store assistant (who obviously knew what to do)! But after that I still couldn't navigate the phone due to not understanding what to do in order to do what I wanted the phone to do.

Gave up in the end and sold this phone.

The A16 A5 was far more complex with respect to the Smart Mini 7 phone. I had considerable difficulty in navigating the A16 G5. Frankly I did not know what actually had to be done to set this phone up (properly). Again no user instructions were included with the phone. A guide on how to setup the phone would have been very helpful here.

Had a lot of trouble with my password where the phone would repeatedly reject the password that I had just entered moments ago!? I knew I entered my password correctly numerous times, but no, phone still didn't like my password!

Also, I couldn't find the settings icon on the phone to make wanted adjustments after very briefly managing to get the phone to accept my password. After the phone self locked out after a certain time, the subsequent passwords to unlock the phone were again rejected by the phone!!??

Again, sometimes screen touches to select whatever on the display and other touches/swipes didn't seem to be recognized by the phone!? Beginning to suspect that the phone may be faulty?

In the end I gave up and "disposed" of the phone.

Very frustrating experience.

It didn't occur to me to check YouTube to see if there were any videos on how to setup the phone(s).

But in any case, a phone that can be setup easily without having to refer to instructions and videos is considered user friendly and intuitive. That's the type of smartphone I prefer. One should not be required to have a doctorate in IT in order to drive these damn smartphones!!

 

[winmod21]

~
But in any case, a phone that can be setup easily without having to refer to instructions and videos is considered user friendly and intuitive. That's the type of smartphone I prefer. One should not be required to have a doctorate in IT in order to drive these damn smartphones!!

Welcome to Android Central !

From what I've seen, most if not every smartphone manufacturer has easily accessible online users manuals & guides, typically with some how-to videos as well.

No doctorate required... for "setting-up", or navigating, or understanding.

For example, with the Galaxy A16 5G — that you had, and disliked, a simple browser search of: samsung.com → Galaxy A16 5G → manuals & how to guides . . . brought forth this:





. . . as would similar searches, I presume, for any other smartphone.

Users manuals & how-to guides are common place in the mobile phone industry, as with most other fields of technology. And as @VidJunky pointed out, users guides & manuals are often included with the UI (user interface) software – on the smartphone.

Moreover, this Android Central website → Forums → SAMSUNG ANDROID PHONES → More Samsung Phones . . and/or this "Question" section of the AC Forums . . is also a very good resource for you to utilize – if and when you need any help with "setting-up" & understanding a smartphone.

 

[tixe ylno]

Thanks for the detailed reply!

Actually I downloaded the user manual for the A16 5G before attempting to setup the smartphone. Problem was the manual just gave an overview of available functions and didn't describe the setup procedure. I didn't see the quick start guide until later, but that was not really helpful either as it basically said after charging the smartphone, just follow prompts (on the smartphone).

I didn't notice any guides on the A16 5G smartphone while attempting the phone setup.

What made things difficult was the phone/display lockout activated after 5~10 seconds of inactivity on my part. This put pressure on me to figure out what options should be selected quickly before the phone locked out. Then it required entering my password to unlock the phone. But as mentioned earlier, the phone almost always rejected my password. I was able to 'reset' the phone which enabled me to enter my password successfully. But this was only valid until the next lockout, when entering my password again to unlock the phone was subsequently rejected again!

I wanted to set the timer to longer delay before lockout (under settings, presumably), but I couldn't find the settings icon anywhere.

Basically going around in circles now with the phone usually rejecting my password and with no sign of the settings icon anywhere,

Gave up in the end trying to finish setting up this phone. And why such a short timer delay of only 5~10 seconds by default before locking out!? Longer delay should be enabled by default to give time to figure out which options should be selected.

The A16 5G smartphone was selected as a review claimed that this phone is supposedly easy to use. But I now suspect this claim was from the point of view of an experienced smartphone user, and the claim was not based from the point of view from a beginner to smartphones. Not good!

I doubt I'll try the A16 5G smartphone again as I really don't like the way it works.