Smart Phone smarter than I can handle?

[Belfrybat]

I posted this a couple of days ago in the computer area with no replies, so will try it here. Connection to homesteading is we all need to try to save money, homesteaders included.
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I found a reasonably priced company for a cell phone with data ($20.00 a month through Pure Talk). I purchased an android smart phone through them. It is a Logic X1. The instruction book is a joke. So.... a few questions.

Keep in mind I haven't given this number out to anyone at all so my practicing has been on myself -- a landline and another cell phone.

When turn the phone on, an ad downloads and I have to X it out to get to the main menu. Are the downloading ads taking up my (very limited) data allowance? Is there anyway to stop the ads? They are very annoying.

Nothing in the book about texting at all. Anyone have any idea how I initiate a text? Is there a universal symbol for texting that I just am not finding? The button that I think is for texts (green box with a happy face) just takes me to received texts. I can't figure out how to start one or how to delete the ones I've received.

How do I download apps? One reason I got the smart phone is I want to be able to read those weird square barcode things. From what I've read I'll be able to get some items on sale if I can read them. I also want to be able to put coupons on the phone so I don't have to print them out. I see people just flashing their phones for the coupons. I gather that is another app?

The feature phone I've been using is a touchscreen, and has a lot of built-in apps I can use just fine. So I'm not completely stupid. But this phone is certainly making me feel like I am.

If no one knows the answers to how to use an android phone, could someone point me to a website that spells things out in simple English, not techy language?

[where I want to]

I only have had experience with two versions of the same phone so how much my advice relates I don't know.
There is a record kept on my phone of useage. It's in settings under bandwidth. Or simply 'data usage'. You might find it in the device section. Changes in that will tell you if these ads are using your purchased data.I suspect not.
I also have blocked popup ads through the same group of settings.
The apps section of the phone allow downloading, if it hasn't been preloaded. There are 'stores' where you can go to download as many aps are products you need to choose. The link to several 'stores' came preloaded and clicking on them takes me to the store or activates the app if its already there.
There is usually a help button in each area that explains a lot if not everything you need to know.

[Jokarva]

The green box with happy face is the text icon. Do you see a letter looking thing on the bottom left? Touch that and it should take you to a 'To' and 'Type message' screen (that's what mine looks like anyway). To delete just touch and hold on a text and either a trashcan or a 'delete' should show up, touch those to delete text.

It gets easier, but I still have to Google to remember how to do things sometimes.

[Jokarva]

Do you have Google Play Store on your phone? I think it comes preloaded on android phones. Go there to search for apps, when you find what you want just click 'install'. It automatically makes an icon on your screen. I am NOT a tech person (!) and can do the basics on my phone, but the non-instructions are aggravating. I think their focus is on younger folks who take this sort of thing for granted.

[Belfrybat]

Thank you to all of you. Yes, I have a Google play store, but I thought it was for games only. You know, like "play"? Why not just call it Google store? Sheesh! And now I can delete messages as well as send new ones -- yippee!

My touchscreen feature phone has things written out in English. Like "send message" instead of an inscrutable picture that is so tiny I almost can't see it.

I'm glad I'm only paying $20.00 a month as the learning curve may turn out to be too steep for me. But at least I have a month to see if I'm going to keep this or not.

[watcher]

Google is your friend in many ways. Google what you want your model of phone to do and the odds are there will be articles and even videos showing you how to do it. I don't know about your carrier but the two cheap carriers I have used (Straight Talk and now Red Pocket) have good customer service. "Chatting" with a tech can do wonders for me. I find trying to follow verbal instructions to do techy things much more difficult than written ones. For one thing I can reread them and try again if I screw up.

[Belfrybat]

Thanks Watcher. I did Bing the phone and model number but nothing helpful showed up. I gather this is an off-off-brand. I can't even find a silicon protector to fit it.

[Wayne02]

It's not you. Just because it's a supposed 'smart phone' doesn't necessarily mean it makes life materially easier, certainly not initially anyway. The learning curve will take awhile and even then you find yourself occasionally wondering if the technology is really improving your life or not. The bottom line is for many people these phones are simply entertainment devices that we justify by pontificating about how much more "productive" they make us.

I find using using google play store from the computer vs from the phone is easier for me, if for no other reason than I severely dislike poking out a one fingered input on the tiny screen of the phone. Or reading from the tiny screen vs the laptop/desktop.

There are likely multiple apps for whatever you want to do and google play provides user reviews that may or may not be helpful with the selection process. At the same time I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the number of reviews and info on an app and just download the darn thing and try it out. Then uninstall it and try another one if it doesn't work out.

The other thing I like about the google play store is it will tell me before I download the app if the app is not compatible with my phone (older phone).

I like apps that have a pc interface as well as the phone, as again I see no reason to sit there pecking out an entry on the phone screen if it can be done on the pc with an actual keyboard.

An app that I like and use is ourgroceries. This is a list app that allows for my wife and I to access/modify various lists (shopping, packing etc) from any device, phone, tablet, computer. It remains constantly updated. I keep the app open on my pc desktop as I frequently think of things to add/delete during the day. Further, I access it frequently from the phone to make notes while out and about. This is by far the most used app for my wife and I.

The most recent app I have tried and did not work-out is a business expense app to track mileage and business expenses. I have yet to find one that interfaces well with the pc and is not ridiculously over-complex or so buggy that it's near useless. I need to let some time pass and I calm down before trying anymore. Went to back to using paper expense books (gasp!).

One final note on important attributes of the phone itself. For me one of the should-be benefits of the smartphone is it should reduce the number of things I have to carry on a mostly daily basis. The camera on my old phone is very poor and not as good as my digital camera. I use a camera frequently - taking reference pictures of shop/repair projects etc. The camera on my sons newer phone is very good and this is perhaps the one thing I'm looking forward to when I someday purchase a new phone. Conversely, one of the things I'm not looking forward to on a new phone is they all seem to be the size of a kitchen table these days. I'm pretty set in my ways, and if the phone doesn't fit in the side-pocket of my carhartts like my current phone then we are going to have problems getting along, no matter how good the camera may be.