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Hello, and welcome back to the Padded Room.

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I'm Margo, I'm here with Wayne, and this is Talking Tech with Wayne, the podcast dedicated

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to discussing smartphones, smart homes, and all those things in between.

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This show is a promise of information freely given to all that seek it, and that is a pack

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between us and all of you.

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Click into our website www.talking-tech.org and click the Join the Discussion button

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to join the discussion.

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While there, check out TV shows or click the Schedule A call button to explore how to bring

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a Talking Tech discussion group to your local church or community center.

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We also have a helpline where trained technicians are ready to answer your questions 24-7 and

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best of all, it's 100% free.

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That number is 215-406-HELP, 215-406-4357.

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Today we will be discussing smartphones.

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Smartphones have become an ambiguous part of our lives.

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Still they can be intimidating for seniors who may not be as tech savvy.

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Today we will be discussing them at length.

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So let's start with the basics.

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What is a smartphone and why is it important for seniors?

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A smartphone is a mobile device that combines the function of a computer and a phone.

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It is an important tool because it can offer the many benefits including staying connected

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with friends and family and accessing important information and providing security and emergencies.

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That's great to hear.

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How can our listeners choose a smartphone that's right for them?

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They should choose a smartphone that's easy to use and has important features.

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Some important elements include a large screen, a good camera, and easy to use buttons or

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touch screens.

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You should also consider the operating systems such as iOS or Android and choose one that

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is comfortable using.

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Those are some great tips.

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What are some popular smartphones?

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Some popular smartphones include the iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy.

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Both of these phones have models which offer large screen, good cameras, and are user friendly.

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Those are great suggestions.

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What about apps?

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Which apps are popular with seniors?

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Many apps can be helpful including communication apps like Skype and FaceTime, news apps like

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CNN and NRP, and health apps like MyFitnessPow and MedSafe.

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Many apps such as Mint and PayPal can be beneficial for managing finances.

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Additionally, many games and puzzle apps such as Sikduku or Words with Friends can be fun

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and engaging for seniors.

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Those are great suggestions.

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What about transportation apps?

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Are there any apps that can be helpful for those out there who may have difficulty getting

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around?

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Move or lift a popular ride sharing apps that can be used to request a ride on demand.

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Additionally, many public transportation systems have apps that can be used to plan routes,

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track bus or train schedules, and purchase tickets.

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That's great to know.

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What about safety apps?

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Are there any apps that can be helpful in case of an emergency?

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Yes.

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Many safety apps can be lifesavers in emergencies.

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Apps like Life360 or Circle of Six can share location and alert trusted contacts in a crisis.

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Additionally, many medical alert systems such as Medical Guardian or Lifhone have apps that

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can be used to contact emergency services in case of a fall or other medical emergency.

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Those are some great suggestions.

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Now, let's dive deeper into how to use a smartphone.

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For many of us, using a smartphone can be overwhelming.

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Where should we start?

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I always recommend starting with the basics of how to make and receive calls, send and

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receive text messages, and navigate the phone system.

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It is also important to learn how to download and use apps such as social media or health

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apps that can be helpful for daily life.

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Wayne, those are great tips.

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What about taking photos or videos?

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Taking photos and videos can be fun for them to capture memories and share them with loved

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ones.

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To take an image or video, open a camera app and press the button to take a picture or

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record a video.

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They can also learn to adjust settings like focus and exposure to make better quality

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photos.

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That's helpful to know.

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What about making the phone more accessible for those with vision or hearing impairments?

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Smartphones have many accessibility features that can make them easy to use for folks with

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vision or hearing impairments.

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They include increasing the font size, using voice commands, or using a screen reader.

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There are also specialized devices such as hearing aids or amplified phones can help

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those with hearing impairments.

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Those are important features to keep in mind.

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Wayne, what about backing up data?

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How can seniors make sure they keep important information?

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It's important to back up their data regularly, such as photos or context to avoid losing

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important information.

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That can be done through cloud services like iCloud or Google Drive.

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Those are important apps to keep in mind.

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Wayne, thank you for those insights.

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Now let's talk about smartphone security and privacy.

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As our listeners become more reliant on their smartphones, they must understand how to keep

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their devices and personal information safe.

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Wayne, what are some basic tips for smartphone security and privacy?

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Some basic tips include setting a passcode or some form of biometric on their device,

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which can be a thumbprint or facial recognition.

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It's also important to be cautious of suspicious links or emails and avoid downloading apps

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from unknown sources.

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Those are important things to keep in mind.

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What about using public Wi-Fi?

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Is it safe for seniors to use public Wi-Fi networks?

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Using public Wi-Fi can be risky as these networks are often not as secure and can be vulnerable

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to hacking.

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Seniors should avoid entering sensitive information on public Wi-Fi networks such as passwords

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or credit card numbers.

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Wayne, that's helpful to know.

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What about privacy?

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How can seniors protect their personal information when using a smartphone?

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Seniors can protect their personal information by being cautious of the apps they download

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and the permissions they grant to those apps.

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They should also be careful of sharing personal information such as their home address or

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a social security number with unknown or unverified sources.

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Finally, they can adjust the privacy settings on their phone to control what information

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is shared with third-party apps or websites.

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Those are important tips.

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Wayne, thank you for your insights on smartphone security and privacy.

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Now let's talk about troubleshooting smartphone issues.

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Even with the best smartphones and apps, problems can arise.

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What are some common issues seniors may face with their smartphone?

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And Wayne, how can they troubleshoot them?

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Some common issues include slow performance, battery drain, and connectivity issues.

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To troubleshoot these issues, our listeners can try closing unnecessary apps and restarting

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their devices.

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They can also try disabling unused features such as location servers or push notifications

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that help improve battery life.

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Those are some helpful tips.

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What about software updates?

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How can our listeners ensure their smartphone is updated with the latest software?

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Seniors should check regularly for software updates and install them when available.

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These updates can improve performance, fix bugs, and address security issues.

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To check for updates, seniors can go to their settings menu on their smartphone or look

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for the software update option.

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Life's important to keep in mind.

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What about physical issues, Wayne, like a crack screen or a malfunctioning button?

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Can they troubleshoot those issues on their own?

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Physical issues like a crack screen or a malfunctioning button may require professional

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repair.

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They should contact their smartphone manufacturer or the certified repair technician to address

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these issues.

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Those are important things to keep in mind.

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Before we wrap up this episode, do you have any final thoughts on troubleshooting smartphone

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issues?

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My final thought is while smartphones can be convenient and helpful, issues can arise.

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By following basic troubleshooting tips, seniors can address common problems and maintain

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performance of their devices.

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However, physical issues may require professional repair and they should contact manufacturer

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or certified repair technician if you encounter these issues.

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As with all the information we share here, flex your Google search muscles, log into our

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website www.talking-tech.org or call our helpline.

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That number is 215-406-HELP.

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That's 215-406-4357.

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Well, I see that's all the time I have for today.

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It has been my pleasure to be here and I look forward to the next time we can do it all

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again.

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I wish you all a farewell.