Technology tips for Silver Surfers: Introduction

I am writing this to those of us who secretly, or not so secretly, wish we had a fourteen year old on call to solve all the technology issues we are sure are minor, but mystify us completely.

The one thing I would add to the description of said fourteen year old on call, is that they were forbidden to be so condescending to those of us not born in or versant with the computer age and refrain from laughing at us. Maybe this should be further addressed to only those of us who actually know what a slide rule is.

I confess that recently I was coerced into purchasing a smart phone. OK, I have no idea what caused me to give up my perfectly good old flip phone that actually made and received phone calls; let me speed dial those I chose to; and kept me blissfully ignorant of world events, messages from people too busy to call, and up to the minute notices of weather alerts. Having said that, I am, however, convinced that there are a number of features on this demonic device that would actually be of benefit to me if I could only master them.

I have learned how to text, I am challenged, but overcoming, when it comes to sending pictures to friends and clients. What I am resolved to do is make a study of how to meet each of my own challenges and to unlocking the many features available to me. I am cautiously optimistic that I will find some of them actually useful if only I become comfortable with them.

So as I undertake this research challenge, I invite you to send your own questions, challenges, and triumphs to me so that I can research them, or corner the elusive mute fourteen year old who knows everything, and share the answers with each of you. I encourage you to share new features you have heard about and want to know more about, as well as questions on solving the glitches you encounter whether major or minor.

For instance, just last week I leaned on my keyboard reaching for something and looked up and saw that my screen had rotated 90 degrees to the left. After about five to ten minutes of bending my head to the point of requiring a chiropractor visit, I finally found that by simultaneously pressing the ALT and CTRL keys while using my directional arrows I could reorient my screen. Simple, but frustrating until solved.

I promise to keep the answers to your questions and mine as simple as possible and include web site references for your own research should you need it.

In a related, but separate topic of our Technology section, we will be reviewing new hardware as it comes on the market and making recommendations as to its applicability for us, Silver Surfers.

Finally I leave you with this as my first attempt to help out. If you use PayPal, as I do, you will probably find that you get an email a month or more often, advising you that your PayPal account is somehow in need of more information or action. To ascertain if this is legitimate or just some low-life con man searching to steal from you, you might go to PayPal Help Center and they will direct you with such topics as:

How to protect yourself from fake emails

How do I report a fake PayPal email or website?

How do I know if an email is really from PayPal?

Please help me make this a useful tool for all of us, and I look forward to hearing from you. Simply submit your question/feedback below.

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