A totally updated and expanded, friendly, jargon-free, technology and computer guide for digital newbies-from understanding what a computer, tablet, and/or smartphone can do for you and buying the right one to sending email to winning auctions on eBay. Like a personal trainer for the digital age, Abby Stokes is the hand-holding, motivating expert that newbies - specifically older newbies - turn to when they want to become digitally literate. And her book, Is This Thing On?, is as smart, comprehensive, reassuring, and jargon-free as she is: the epitome of user-friendly. And it is now completely revised and updated to keep pace with the fast-changing digital landscape, covering tablets, apps, video streaming, social media, and much more. With the skill and assurance of a teacher who for over 20 years has personally taught computer skills to thousands of seniors and technophobes, Stokes covers it all: How to choose, buy, and start using the computer or tablet that's just right for you, plus how to set everything up for maximum comfort and safety. How to connect to the Internet, sign up for email, understand and use search engines, and get started with essential skills like word processing and text messaging. How to choose, buy, and start using a smartphone. How to take and share digital photographs and videos. How to discover online communities and participate in social media like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs. How to explore the world of apps, online music, streaming movies, and ebooks. And, importantly, online security - including what to do when things go wrong. Appendices include both Apple and PC keyboard shortcuts and 200 recommended websites and 100 apps; there are FAQs at the end of each chapter and tips and tricks throughout. An all-new companion website - AskAbbyStokes.com - will include video tutorials explaining the latest technologies

Guide to everything digital for newbies, technophobes, and the kicking and screaming

Stokes, Abby, author; Sloan, Michael, illustrator; Yale, Susan Hunt, illustrator

Abigail Stokes; Michael Sloan; Susan Hunt Yale

Workman Publishing Company, Incorporated

New York, NY: Workman Publishing

Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill

Third edition, completely revised and updated, New York, NY, 2015

United States, United States of America

Revised edition, New York, 2015

Revised, Updated, PS, 2008

Illustrated, 2015

Reprint, PT, 2015

some text are cut due to text close to the gutter

Includes index.
Previous edition: 2011.

A personal trainer for the digitally challenged.
Abby Stokes is the hand-holding expert who knows how to teach the joys of technology to anyone who didnt grow up using a keyboard or mouse.
Youll learn how to shop for a computer or tablet thats just right for you. How to sign up for Internet and email access. How to understand and use search engines, and get started with word processing and text messaging. How to choose a smartphone. How to participate in social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and more. And, importantly, how to protect your online security, and what to do when things go wrong.
Includes both Apple and PC keyboard shortcuts and more than 200 recommended websites and 100 free mobile apples.
Learn to:

This manual for novice computer users covers everything one needs to know to enter the computer age, including how to select and set up a computer, how to use smartphones and tablets, and how to navigate the social networking sites

488 pages : 23 cm
Includes index
Previous edition: 2011

2023-06-28