Android Phones for Seniors in easy steps

Excellent book. I purchased this book for my 71 year old mom who just got a new smart phone (Galaxy S9) for the very first time ever. The print is large, easy to read and there are many photos and good tips. It explains all the basics in a simplified way. Its very helpful. The layout is comfortable and enjoyable to read. Very happy with our purchase and would recommend. My mom will be a cell phone pro in no time...

Easy to read, and understand the how to's of Cell phones!

This book is ideal for the older generation who perhaps like me did not keep up with the growth in technology, yet are faced with having to use it. An easy book to read with step by step instructions and explanations.

There will never be an instructional book that is perfect for everyone. Any book will be too simple for some, too complicated for others. It's going to omit HOWTOs you think EVERYONE needs, and waste space explaining things you regard as having dubious usefulness. First off, this book touts itself as "so you don't have to ask the kids". But if you're anything like me, you got your smartphone as a hand-me-up FROM your kid. Therefore, the fact that it's completely pertinent to Android 6 and up makes it less than completely useful. Unless you went out to spend $$$ on a brand-new something you had no idea you'd be able to use, you probably want something targeting early versions of Android. Not that there've been wild changes as Android evolved - just enough to confuse. An edition of this book from 5 years ago would've been better for MY needs, but the author hadn't written one then. But if you'd learned to drive in a 1950 DeSoto, you wouldn't have much trouble getting behind the wheel of a present-day gasoline-engined car. One thing I founded extremely annoying was chapter 2. It's a collection of 1-page summaries of current-as-of-writing smartphone offerings from different manufacturers. As I mentioned above, they're all like cars. Different trim and accessories, but pretty much the same. If you want to pad the page count, stuff this info in an appendix, not up front. If you bought new, you don't need to pile buyer's remorse onto sticker shock. Aside from these nits, the book isn't that bad. It's laid out like the ubiquitous Dummies volumes, with page margins of about 30% for commentary, but without feeble attempts at humourous asides. (Not a recent invention, this body + marginalia approach actually goes back to the Hebrew Talmud.) The illos are in colour, giving a bit more visual "snap" than Dummies products. There are 2 glaring omissions of the "I think everyone needs to know" category. Unless you've recently emerged from a sarcophagus, you'll have a Contact List somewhere that you'd like to pour into your new Phone. Some detailed explanation would be in order, even if it's just for lists on Yahoo and GMail. Memory cards are another. The book talks about physically putting one in, but nothing about how to use it. My card is invisible, but that may be due to settings my hacker kid left behind when he gave me the unit. I WILL have to bother him after all... Not being of the Kindle persuasion, the price of this paper edition is about 1/2 of the corresponding Dummies volume, so it's a decent buy. But if you do Kindle, you can save another 50% by forgoing the new-book smell. And at that price, well worth acquiring.

mixed review. I liked the book - (have a copy on my Kindle and a paper copy) - my husband was less enthusiastic. I think this is a learning style issue-- I like to read/consult a book-to learn - he likes to "muck around" and "discover" on his own. I do find he picks up the book occasionally so it is useful to both of us. I think the title (which attracted me) put him off since I gave it to him for his 50th birthday.