joyful2beeblogs

I am so thankful for my constant companion…my cell phone. When I eat out by myself I am never really alone. I can contact my friends on several different apps or play different games with my friends or by myself.

When I see something beautiful or interesting I use my phone’s camera to photograph pretty, clear pictures. The built in camera is light and easy to stash in my purse.

When I am on the road I use my GPS to check my destination’s distance and the ETA. Or I check for slow downs in traffic, like accidents or high water or storms. But there are even more uses for this wonderful gift from the internet powers that be.

Imagine my surprise when I found out about the smart phone!! Well, I got one and my best friend and sons, coached me enough to get off to a good start! All of these wonderful features squeezed into one little, all knowing phone that I could carry around with me, everywhere I went!

I admit it. I love these amazing gadgets and truly appreciate their multiple uses. I did not have access to the internet for personal use until after I was in my 50’s. So forgive me my deep, heart felt joy and thrill of learning new information that some of you younger folks already knew practically at birth! Perhaps I can rekindle the thrill for those already jaded with the treasure trove in that little handheld miracle!

The features mentioned below are only a minuscule view of what is available. The sheer volume of information, contacts, ways to access friends, points of view, photos, beauty, maps for navigation, entertainment, and unlimited knowledge at your finger tips is mind boggling for some of us oldsters.

Some of the following suggestions involve using a downloadable app, some are built into the phone already. One does have to be careful about who they download an app from nowadays. Just be sure it is from the app store for your phone and secure by whatever privacy protection you use.

1. Ever forget where you parked your car in a field or parking building? Use your smart phone to photograph the row sign or the level or floor number and section you are in.

2. Don’t have paper or pen to write prices on an item you are interested in purchasing to compare at another store? Take a photo of the price tag with the name of the store. Or better still look the item up on other stores and see what their prices are.

3. If you are not sure what brand or size to buy when your partner asks you to get something. Take a picture and send it to them to verify the object!!

4. If your car is in for service and the customer service agent tells you something you aren’t so sure you believe or understand is wrong with your car, look it up!! Learn what you can. Take your time and understand the problem before making a decision. Or use that phone and call a friend who understands cars to ask questions.

5. Are you trying to understand the directions your desktop computer is showing you on a site but they involve a lot of details? Photograph the screen with your cell phone and refer to it while you are following the instructions!

6. Do you ever mistrust the person on the special “chat” window about a service, bonus or something free and you have no way to copy the conversation or remember who you were talking to? Photograph the conversation from the start with your handy dandy cell phone! You will have proof the conversation took place, when it took place and what guarantees were made and who made them!

7. If you have “fallen and can’t get up” or have an intruder, if you have “Old Faithful” with you, you can just say, “Okay, Google, (Or whoever you system is with) Call 911″or whomever.

Lassie would have been just “little Timmy’s sweet dog” instead of his life risking rescuer if Timmy had had a cell phone! Lassie did have to run innumerable miles, in the mud and through dangerous situations to get help for Timmy and then get them there in time before the cave fell in or Timmy bled to death or whatever.

8. If you are a writer, poet, musician, or have thoughts you want to save but paper and pen are not available at the moment, use your phone’s voice record app for something you don’t want to forget. Don’t have time to write your dreams down? Record them orally and write them when you have time.

9. Ever have your electricity go out? Need a flashlight in a theater or dark field at an event? Use your phone’s flashlight app. I keep my cell phone with me all the time, the screen light itself can give a decent light or can be set as a strobe light for help.

10. Is there something to be read or being said in a language you don’t understand? You can use the translation app. Copy and paste or photograph the words, or speak the words into the microphone and it will interpret for you.

11. Is something not working right and you don’t want to pay someone to fix it? Look up “How to…” on YouTube. I have fixed my disposal, the toilet, and learned how to do various fix it jobs around my home.

12. Then we all know about weather apps complete with warnings for dangerous weather, calendars for scheduled trips to the doctor or lunch with a friend to help us remember when to do what with whom.

I will refrain from any more exuberance since the day is wearing on.

If you have some cool uses, please share them here. I am so thankful for my cell phone.