December 2020 chitchat

[stillstANNding]

No, no, Virginia. You can get one that goes on your wi-fi. That’s the usual way.

ANN

[Virginia]

So, I guess you are saying there are no additional charges after I buy it since I have wi-fi?

[Virginia]

Someone else tell me what kind they have. The ones like Air and anything put out by Apple is much more expensive.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Virginia ~

I also have an iPad, but I don't have WiFi, so I use cellular data. The problem for me is that the cellular data gets used up rather quickly, if I'm using a data intensive site. Also, without WiFi, I've discovered that I can't download certain apps.

Check with your cell phone provider to see if it also provides tablets/iPads. That's how I got my iPad last year. You might be able to get one at a lower cost. Spectrum also has iPads, if you're connected to Spectrum.

It is my understanding that you have to pay a provider for the tablet/iPad, just as you do for your cell phone or computer to have access/service. I pay monthly to my cell phone provider for the phone and for the iPad. Part of my monthly payment is paying off the iPad.

I also have an Apple keyboard for the iPad. I don't think it would work to have it on my lap in a chair. I bought a "Dummies" book, "iPad for Seniors," which is helpful.

I know it is frustrating to try to figure all of this out. I can't say that I have figured it out, even with the book. And I lose my connection on the iPad, because I don't have WiFi, which is annoying.

I wish I could be of more help to you.

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Walmart is on my list of Instacart stores, so at least here, Walmart uses Instacart for deliveries.

Our Instacart tips go directly to the shoppers. They are independent contractors.

agate~ I'm happy for you that you've received substantial compensation from Safeway. Perhaps other grocery delivery services should be held to that same standard.

I don't understand the rationale behind raising prices on delivered items, unless it is to cover the store's cost in using the delivery service. All of these stores have to pay Instacart for the service, so they have to make up that cost by charging more for Instacart ordered items.

Of course, Walmart is a gigantic corporation with a besmirched reputation through the years. Google, Facebook, Amazon, etc. pay zero in taxes. But we all keep using them. I have never been on Facebook, and we boycotted Amazon for many years, until I realized that I needed things quickly to meet Jim's and Jon's needs. I use Google Chrome for certain internet needs, because Firefox and Safari are outdated, and I am afraid to restart my computer. There's a chance it won't return.

Out of necessity, I use these ultra greedy, tax evading conglomerates. And Netflix, and HBO Max, and YouTube as sources of entertainment and information. I don't remember how many cable companies we've gone through here, as mergers transpired every few years. Until "phone companies" entered the fray, cable companies only worried about satellite dishes, which weren't that successful.

For me, Instacart is a blessing, and I am willing to pay the extra costs to not have to get ready, drive, get in and out of the van, shop on my feet for an hour or more, pushing a cart, stretching to reach the top shelf, stooping to reach the bottom shelf, loading and unloading the van, returning the cart, washing and putting away all of the groceries. I did that for several years while caring for Jim and Jon, and it wore me out.

And I remember single Motherhood, when I bought my groceries on my lunch hour and stored them in the company lunchroom fridge, until I got off work and loaded them back into my car, picked up my boys, unloaded them and the groceries. Or, I pushed both of their wheelchairs and a cart around a grocery store. I sure could have used Instacart in those days.

As a society, we are all about convenience now, with Uber, Lyft, Doordash, etc. This is particularly true during the pandemic. We live in a capitalist society, so we have to expect that we're going to pay more for that convenience. Every service agency has overhead, staff to pay, and marketing expenses.

I don't like it, and I wish it wasn't this way. But it is, so I have to accept it.

Remember when a bottle of Coca Cola was a nickel at the Mom and Pop store down the road? When TV first came into your home? When Color TV happened? When your telephone was on a party line, and you'd have to wait for the other party to finish their conversation, before you could make a call?

Now people spend $10 at Starbucks for a coffee concoction. We watch movies on a computer screen and communicate worldwide via the internet, and our TVs have hundreds of channels. Your smart phone has a flashlight. And we can virtually connect on any kind of device.

You're all farther along than I am technologically. I'm writing this on a 7 year old iMac with its original OS. I don't have a Smart Phone. My cell phone is probably 9 or 10 years old. It was my connection to Jim, when we were apart, to our nurse, and to John. I used it in ICU stays. It doesn't have a flashlight, but it has a history.

So, I give in to the future gradually, while holding on to remnants of the past.

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[SuzE-Q]

Virginia,

I've never owned an Apple product, so I'm not very familiar with it. If I was, I'd probably get an iPad because they are just so impressive. They are expensive because the technology is very, very good.

But, I don't know anything about how they work, so I'll probably pass.

In the next few days or weeks, I will probably get either the Samsung S6 Lite or S7 to upgrade from my Tab4.

There are probably newer reviews, but look for objective comparison sites like this:

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

I also got an external bluetooth keyboard, but I found it too small. This next time, I think I'll get a slightly larger one. It is used or attached to the case for the tablet as well, so it's very light, you can use them on any surface or your lap (if you could see that far). I bought a leather case and bluetooth keyboard off Amazon, just look at reviews. Mine was cheap and protects it well when not using.

I love that the new one has a stylus attached, that is very handy when tapping on the screen if you don't use an external keyboard, but the on screen one. I just love that I can pinch the screen or change the font size (Howie, if you were concerned about your eyes).

I just use wifi, it doesn't cost me more. I like ANN's idea of a cellular connection so you can take it anywhere and be online. But if you're only using it at home, it's not necessary. Plus, you can download content to read offline if you like. They also attach via bluetooth to a printer, but I haven't done that yet. With the next one, I hope to so I can print stuff directly from my tablet.

Con: I don't like that the charging cord is at the bottom of my current tablet, so I go through a lot of charging cords because the battery life is only around 4-5 hours, but if I plug it in to charge while I'm using it, it ends up twisting the cord and wearing it down because it bumps against the table or my body at the bottom of the tablet. I think the new one has a longer battery life, though. Will check where it plugs in on it. I've also never needed to replace my battery yet, the original one lasted as long as the useful life of my tablet!

They run using apps, so, they don't have an OS like Windows as its base. Maybe that's why they are easy to learn and use. I've only downloaded free apps, I haven't paid for any. I get limited free content to New York Times and New Yorker and a few others. I receive news alerts all the time when I'm online, I've set that up and you find options on news sites to add news alerts. Apps come from the Google Play Store, although some are preloaded on the tablet. There is an absolute ton of free apps for any interest you have! I use the Chrome app to access the internet. You can set up your bookmarks to sync with other devices (like your laptop), or it will do it if you sign into whatever account/email address you set up your tablet with. This will keep your bookmarks the same no matter if you're on your laptop or tablet or cellphone.

It truly only took me a couple hours to figure it out, with no instruction! And now, there are YouTube videos for any questions I have or help I need with it.

Hope that helps!

[SuzE-Q]

Yes, everything I've read, tips go directly to Instacart Shoppers, they are not shared with anyone.

I agree, important to tip, it IS taken into consideration when their salaries are set.

[Virginia]

Suze-Q, such good information re tablets. I will look at the top ones on the list you gave me tomorrow. Then I can look them up on the internet to see what I think. You gave me a good direction to go in. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this.

[SuzE-Q]

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I know it probably sounds like a foreign language at first (speaking of which, there are GREAT free apps for learning a foreign language!). Many here can help. YouTube is a treasure trove of helpful videos now, too.

Apps for purchase are only a few dollars too if you eventually want to venture there. Thus far, I've not felt compelled to buy any; most offer limited free versions.

You can browse websites showing top free apps which is a nice look at what others are enjoying.

You learned Windows10: you're going to find this a piece of cake! Also, my cable offers an app, so since I pay monthly for tv cable, I now have the option of watching tv on my tablet using their app. This was great when I was away from home, I used someone else's wifi, then watched tv on my tablet by logging in through my cable's app. There are also many tv programs, podcasts, radio or streaming services that you can access via your tablet now, too.

I also never use public wifi to access the internet using my tablet, for security reasons. I do have a free app to protect it from viruses, etc.

[Sunshine 2]

The apple products sync with each other. If you have an iPhone, your iPad syncs with it. A def advantage. Take a pic with iPhone and it shows up also on your iPad photo bank.
Same with FaceTime and every other feature. A def advantage if you have an iPhone when searching for a tablet.

[Virginia]

I do have an iPhone and would like to have an iPad, but they are just too expensive for what I want to use it for.

One thing I would like to know is there anyway of downloading books from Amazon like I do on my kindle? That would do away with having to have a Kindle. I am beginning to get so many electronics and not being tech savvy it gets so confusing. I have my computer, my iPhone, and my Kindle now. They take up a lot of space. I would like to be able to read on my tablet the same way I do on my Kindle. I know I could get an Amazon tablet, but don't know if they are sufficient for everything else. Anyone know? Cat use to use one to read and go on the internet. She was more tech savvy than I am.

[SuzE-Q]

I do have an iPhone and would like to have an iPad, but they are just too expensive for what I want to use it for.

One thing I would like to know is there anyway of downloading books from Amazon like I do on my kindle? That would do away with having to have a Kindle. I am beginning to get so many electronics and not being tech savvy it gets so confusing. I have my computer, my iPhone, and my Kindle now. They take up a lot of space. I would like to be able to read on my tablet the same way I do on my Kindle. I know I could get an Amazon tablet, but don't know if they are sufficient for everything else. Anyone know? Cat use to use one to read and go on the internet. She was more tech savvy than I am.

Yes, you can download the Kindle app to your tablet and then read books from Amazon, or listen to them via an app called Audible.

[Virginia]

Suze-Q, I just looked at the Samsung Galaxy S7. It is beautiful, but also expensive. That was the problem with the Air. I want to know if I will enjoy one before putting that kind of money in it.

What do you think of the nicest Kindle Fire Tablet? It is budget friendly and since you say I can read my books on it that helps. If I knew I would enjoy a tablet I wouldn't mind paying for a nice one, but I am not sure that I will until I actually use one.

I talked to my brother this afternoon and asked him what kind his wife has and he says she has an iPad, but seldom uses it. She just uses her iPhone. The only time I might consider watching a movie on a tablet is if I was sick in bed. My TV is in my living room, so it wouldn't make much sense for me to watch anything on a tablet when the TV is right there.

Guess I need to keep asking questions and make my decision after I have all the information I can think of.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Virginia ~

I hear you! I feel your frustration!

To me, a tablet/iPad and Smart/iPhone are redundant. My friends all insist that I should have an iPhone, because my phone is one step up from a flip phone. I don't need an iPhone. I have a computer and an iPad, so if I want internet access that's how I get it.

What about taking photos? I don't take photos. Where do I go to take photos? Don't need it. I have several flashlights and LED candles, so I don't need a phone as a flashlight. And since I never go anywhere, where might I need access to the internet, why do I need a Smart/iPhone?

Initially, I think, you said you wanted something to put on your lap so you could be comfortable. I can't balance my iPad on my lap, and type or scroll on it. I have to look down to see it, which causes neck and shoulder strain for me. The best position for me is to be sitting up straight and looking ahead at the screen. I even have to adjust my posture when I use my ancient cell phone to send texts. I realize that I'm looking down, then I correct and hold the phone up to my face.

We got the iPad for Jim last year, but he had difficulty learning how to use it. When I found the things he wanted to watch, the screen was too small for him to appreciate the program. The other purpose of the iPad was as a backup for our old iMac, and the intermittent outages of our internet on the computer. Thankfully, a new splitter solved that problem. But, I'm still glad that I have the iPad as a backup. But then, I don't have a Smart/iPhone. If I did, then I wouldn't need the iPad.

I have probably confused you more now. Just think about these things:

1. What do you have now, and how do they meet or don't meet your needs?

2. What do you want from the tablet/iPad?

3. Will the potential feeling of being flustered by the new technology be worth the end result?

4. Is it worth the expense?

Take a deep breath, and then step back a bit from it, so you can reflect and make informed decisions, which are best for you.

Meanwhile, how is the soreness from your fall? And how are your brother and sister-in-law doing? Healing prayers continuing.

Love & Light,



Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!

[SuzE-Q]

I think the Samsung S7 tablet is too expensive for me, too. But, the S6 Lite has enough features and far cheaper. It suits my purposes for web surfing, emails, reading, a few games, etc. I don't need the more expensive one. For you, it can be a good introduction and not very expensive. You can download the Kindle app and read books on it.

The Amazon/Kindle Fire is far cheaper and looks good. But, it doesn't give you access to Google Play Store's wealth of apps. I see Amazon does not even offer YouTube or New York Times, so their app offering would be too limited for me. Not sure what else is not available, those two stuck out for me as I use YouTube quite often.

I see you actually have to PAY to remove the Amazon ads which would really bug me.

For me, the S6 Lite is a nice balance between price and access. I don't have a fancy mobile phone, but, you're right, many people find a tablet redundant if their phones do much the same. I like the bigger screen on a tablet though, although some cellphones are getting larger for that reason, to provide a bigger screen. Still, it will never be 10", which is why I prefer a tablet, still.

If you want a basic introduction to a tablet for a few years, the Amazon/Kindle tablet could pave a smooth way for you: it's large, good quality, and has access to the internet, email and games. Just know that Amazon's choices for apps are very, very limited since they are restricting competitors' products. Plus, you may have to put up with their ads all over the place.

Yes, keep asking questions, there's no rush!