My new mobile phone, yikes. help!

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

If you sweep your thumb up from the bottom of the home screen you should get something like this... obviously I've got quite a bit installed.

View attachment 469849

On the search bar at the top type in Auto.


View attachment 469850

If auto rotate is not enabled press to enable it, it might be the app you're in is locked in portrait as some are.

Thanks, I'll give that a try. Keep getting a security message to the effect that a new sign in has been noticed. I presume that's because I've signed in to google with the new phone so that's not bothering me but it's also saying - 2 step verification settings changed: backup codes generated for sign in - I've no idea what these codes are and I'm worried that if I ever sign out I'll not be able to sign back in without them. Any idea what this is about or how/where I can find these codes?

 

[rmjbn1]

Congratulations!
Crikey now you'll never be off here

 

[StevenRB45]

Thanks, I'll give that a try. Keep getting a security message to the effect that a new sign in has been noticed. I presume that's because I've signed in to google with the new phone so that's not bothering me but it's also saying - 2 step verification settings changed: backup codes generated for sign in - I've no idea what these codes are and I'm worried that if I ever sign out I'll not be able to sign back in without them. Any idea what this is about or how/where I can find these codes?

If you gave it your old number they may have been sent as a text message to it. So switch on your old phone and see if it says anything?

Will be a 6 digit number on a message saying "your Google account verification code is xxx xxx"

Obviously once your PAC code has gone through future verification codes will come to your new phone they are only needed in the event of signing in on a new device and you get a new one each time.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

If you gave it your old number they may have been sent as a text message to it. So switch on your old phone and see if it says anything?

Will be a 6 digit number on a message saying "your Google account verification code is xxx xxx"

Obviously once your PAC code has gone through future verification codes will come to your new phone they are only needed in the event of signing in on a new device and you get a new one each time.

Thanks Steven. I still don't understand what these verification codes are and do I need to actually know what they are. I mean will I be asked to input one of these 6 figure codes at some time for some reason? If I do need to know then where/how do I find them? This is worrying me because I just don't know what it's all about. I haven't yet done the PAC code thing, probably today or tomorrow I'll be doing it but I have to remember how to do a text first.

I've also had an email saying my new device will soon be joining the Find Hub network if I don't opt out within the next 3 days. No idea what that's all about - Should I opt out? Have to say I'm not feeling in control of this new phone at all and feel it's got a bit of a life of it's own. I don't even know how to use it to get on the forum. Think I need to download the app so an Icon will appear on the home page - no idea how to do that though. So much to get my head round!

 

[StevenRB45]

The point of multi factor identification is to stop you losing control of your account in the event your user name and password is compromised.

So let's say you log into your Google account on a new computer or phone. To check it is you a message will be sent with a 6 digit number on it. If it's not you they won't get the message and will be blocked from logging in as they cannot proceed. If it's you you will be asked to enter the code from your message.

The find network is a passive location network meant to help locate lost devices using Bluetooth and WiFi signals it is optional so if you want to opt out you can although if you lose your device then you'll need to locate it with the MK1 eyeball.

The forum just open Chrome and type in the address.

You might find it easier if you set up your home screen how you want it.

Excuse the massive heads...if you look at the bottom row left to right is phone, a folder containing all communication apps (so email, what'sapp, teams Facebook etc), Chrome (web browser), maps, camera.

That's your quick access bar you put all the stuff you use daily there.

On top of that I have folders arranged by theme..so the car folder (on my eldests fringe) has my parking apps and fueling apps in it, also Citroën and Toyota related apps for example.

To create a folder you just drag one shortcut on top of another. Then touch the name of the folder to change it.


You can probably getaway with just the quick access bar in your case as I'd be willing to bet the things on mine will cover 90% of what you need.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

The point of multi factor identification is to stop you losing control of your account in the event your user name and password is compromised.

So let's say you log into your Google account on a new computer or phone. To check it is you a message will be sent with a 6 digit number on it. If it's not you they won't get the message and will be blocked from logging in as they cannot proceed. If it's you you will be asked to enter the code from your message.

The find network is a passive location network meant to help locate lost devices using Bluetooth and WiFi signals it is optional so if you want to opt out you can although if you lose your device then you'll need to locate it with the MK1 eyeball.

Thanks Steven. So I'm as well to leave the Find Hub thing to just connect itself in 3 days from now?

Regarding these code numbers. So it's not something where I have to record code numbers for possible future use? If invoked, it's a number which will be sent to me only and I then have to send it back to them to gain access. A bit like how things sometimes work when you're buying something on the internet? I'm not going to be irretrievably locked out of the phone?

Oh dear, there's so much about all this I just don't know. I've been trying to get the forum app down loaded onto the new phone but I can't find the app and have no idea how to get it onto the phone. That message I did yesterday was because I was able to link from an alert which popped up on my email - I suppose the email installed because I logged into Google when it asked me to in the basic setup. Which reminds me, I really must try to do the PAC thing.

 

[StevenRB45]

Every code is one time use, within 30 minutes of generation so yeah no point writing them down.

Opting out of find network is no problem at all, allowing it to join just makes your phone and other people's easier to locate if missing.

I will say I added a good chunk via edit to previous post about making it slightly less confusing in terms of day to day use. First step is setting up your home screen so it makes sense to you...doesn't have to make sense to anyone else it's your phone.

Once you're out of initial set up and it's a bit more business as usual it's a lot less complicated.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Every code is one time use, within 30 minutes of generation so yeah no point writing them down.

Opting out of find network is no problem at all, allowing it to join just makes your phone and other people's easier to locate if missing.

I will say I added a good chunk via edit to previous post about making it slightly less confusing in terms of day to day use. First step is setting up your home screen so it makes sense to you...doesn't have to make sense to anyone else it's your phone.

Once you're out of initial set up and it's a bit more business as usual it's a lot less complicated.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I've been really stressing out about this code number thing.

Think I'll just let it do it's thing and connect to the Find network - although I'll now have to find out how I'd do that if my phone did go missing/get stolen.

The home screen is still pretty much all "Martian" to me. There's wee bits I do understand, but much more I don't.

One thing I was wondering about this morning was regarding wifi vs mobile signal. I see 3 wee icons at the top right of the screen. The right one is obviously battery charge (showing almost fully charged right now) The one on the left looks like a slice of cake and is white all over so, I guess, meaning the WiFi signal from my router is good and strong (as I would expect as the router is in our living room and only about 4 yards away from where I'm sitting). The one in the middle is kind of like a triangle on it's side with just the left bottom corner - probably a bit less than a quarter of the total area - filled in white. Which, I guess, means the mobile signal is not strong? We don't get a strong signal here but the new phone is showing a stronger reception than the old dumb phone did. Often, with the old phone, I had to go into the back garden and hold the phone up to get just one bar of signal. So, is that triangular icon to do with mobile signal as I think it is?

I also wonder if/how I can tell if the phone is using my home, or any other, WiFi signal or using the mobile network. This interests me because I've got quite a low data allowance on the sim - actually it's a "new customer deal" where I get 10mb for the first however many months (3 I think) but then goes back to either 3 or 5mb (I don't remember just off hand) for the rest of the time (I'm paying monthly). Martin Lewis advises that not many people use more than 3mb so I'm taking his advice - as I did when looking for a sim.

Steven, thank you so much for taking the time to help me with this. It's ever so much appreciated. Please feel free to tell me to take a hike if it all gets to be annoying.

 

[StevenRB45]

You're not stopping me doing anything fun..

Your assumption if the little symbols is correct, the phone will default to WiFi so if it's on WiFi it's not using data.

If it's on data the pie disappears and a 4g or 5g logo will appear.

In this case I'm also attached to Bluetooth which is the other symbol next to 5g...as in the Toyota at the tip..

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

You're not stopping me doing anything fun..View attachment 469865

Your assumption if the little symbols is correct, the phone will default to WiFi so if it's on WiFi it's not using data.

If it's on data the pie disappears and a 4g or 5g logo will appear.

View attachment 469866

In this case I'm also attached to Bluetooth which is the other symbol next to 5g...as in the Toyota at the tip..

Great! Really starting to feel a little more at home with this.

I've just finished helping Mrs J make up the spare beds for our daughter and her crowd visiting sometime soon. I tend to put my mind into neutral when doing this. However a wee thought crept in as we were almost done - I run a big name free anti virus on my laptop and it seems to intercept quite a bit of stuff. Should I install something similar on the phone? I think I've seen they do one for phones.

 

[StevenRB45]

Great! Really starting to feel a little more at home with this.

I've just finished helping Mrs J make up the spare beds for our daughter and her crowd visiting sometime soon. I tend to put my mind into neutral when doing this. However a wee thought crept in as we were almost done - I run a big name free anti virus on my laptop and it seems to intercept quite a bit of stuff. Should I install something similar on the phone? I think I've seen they do one for phones.

I've never bothered, entire point of a pixel is it has many years of security updates and you get them long before the far more common Samsung phones get them so as long as you don't actively go out and seek malware it's unlikely you'll have issues.

In general restrict software downloads to the Google store, don't click on links in unsolicited text messages and it'll be fine.

Unless you go off book and start downloading weird apps trying to get free versions of things it's usually no bother. As previously mentioned if you download something any big company should be shown as the publisher as well as the app name which would apply for things like banking apps.

Re. Your data use things like web browsing use bugger all.

I only use more than that if I've been doing long journeys with the WiFi hotspot on so my son can watch videos on his tablet. But even so I've never used more than 5gb.

I assume it's GB not MB..

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I've never bothered, entire point of a pixel is it has many years of security updates and you get them long before the far more common Samsung phones get them so as long as you don't actively go out and seek malware it's unlikely you'll have issues.

In general restrict software downloads to the Google store, don't click on links in unsolicited text messages and it'll be fine.

Unless you go off book and start downloading weird apps trying to get free versions of things it's usually no bother. As previously mentioned if you download something any big company should be shown as the publisher as well as the app name which would apply for things like banking apps.

Re. Your data use things like web browsing use bugger all.

I only use more than that if I've been doing long journeys with the WiFi hotspot on so my son can watch videos on his tablet. But even so I've never used more than 5gb.

I assume it's GB not MB..

Yes GB not MB!

I'm very careful about even looking at an email I don't recognise and don't open many links at all. Anything which crops up which I don't recognise just gets deleted. also I'm not looking at anything I think could be rated as "dodgy" so I'm probably less at risk than most. The down side is I'm pretty naive with all this stuff so somewhat at risk of being caught out. becoming more aware by the minute though with help from you and others on her, and, of course, my kids - who despair over Dad's lack of knowledge in this area. "How can you sort my car but not know that Dad" is an oft heard comment.

 

[StevenRB45]

In general day to day use it's deeply unlikely you'll get any malicious stuff coming up. If you're using cosher software sources and the phone is up to date and not going anywhere questionable on the web then there's very little that could go wrong.

Oh and check when you install something permissions are appropriate. So if for example you download a calculator and it asks for permissions for camera and location...it has no good reason to want those.

Also most malware is aimed at PC...so opening something malware infested on your phone will likely do nothing.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Well, no-one's more surprised than me, but I think I'm pretty much "there" with the new phone! Last thing was to do the PAC thing which I did last night. Got slightly confused with Labara's website entering the PAC code, but it was just me being "silly" and I realized quite quickly that I was trying to alter a box which couldn't be altered! They advised me the number would be transferred between 9am & 6pm today. I was out buying compost this morning and Mrs J rang me - the "old" phone rang and worked. Later my new phone made it's "message received" Plingy noise and told me the number had been successfully transferred. I got Mrs J to ring it and the old number now rings the new phone - great!

So thanks to all who chipped in with help and a very big thank you to @StevenRB45 for the time he spent sorting me out, You definitely made the journey easier and smoother.

Now all I have to do is learn how to use it?!

 

[StevenRB45]

Some say they work as phone...

From what you've said in the past probably install some local parking apps for places you use and see if you can figure them out.

Other than that play with the camera and mess with it...you'll figure it out.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Some say they work as phone...

From what you've said in the past probably install some local parking apps for places you use and see if you can figure them out.

Other than that play with the camera and mess with it...you'll figure it out.

Ah, there's the first problem. How do I install an app? I've been wondering how to get the fiat forum onto it. At present I'm getting onto the forum by triggering a response to an email from the forum. T'wood be nice to have an icon, like on my laptop, which I can just click on

 

[StevenRB45]

I've always been browser based so just access chrome and do much the same you do on laptop.

However...

New Feature - Introducing the forum mobile apps (Android/iOS/PWA) ~ with installation instructions

Using the forum mobile apps ** We are using PWA technology, so they are NOT installed through the App Store ** I had been holding off writing this until we had both Android and iOS apps released, which as of iOS 16.4 (this is a requirement) is now the case, so I'm happy to present to you...

www.fiatforum.com

For all other apps swipe up from bottom of home screen.

Type in the search bar at the top.

Once there search for what you want.

 

[ZaphodB]

Just like jumping in a new (to you) car , you'll get used to it and where things are.....

I've got confidence in you

There is a (mid 60's) cleaner at work who just changed from a classic Nokia phone to a smart phone for the first time in her life and six months later she still asks what each and every button does and "how do I turn the volume down?", and only monday she said "can you help me find my grandaughter photos?"
She's managed to delete every single photo on the device (including the recently deleted folder)
She's also constantly sending "afsfkldlk" or ",.mczv" whatsapps/texts
She's sadly thick as a brick though (and I mean as thick as the proverbial, can't see to save her life and is half deaf lol) , should have never upgraded.