Get smart: A seniors' guide to shopping for a smartphone

Gone are the days when we would go to the telephone company, set up a landline at our house and leave it at that.

In fact, more and more seniors are making the switch from a basic cellphone to a smartphone complete with Internet, texting, a high-quality camera, apps and more, says Andrea Shovan, a salesperson at JCS Wireless in Cape Girardeau.

"They're wanting to FaceTime with their grandchildren, or maybe the only way to talk to them is by texting," she says. Many seniors like smartphones for the bigger screen compared to small flip phones, and they also like being able to take and share photos. They're especially looking for ease of use in a smartphone.

"What I personally recommend for the elderly or any first-time user is an iPhone, because they're simple to use and they're stable," says Shovan. "I would not go out and buy the biggest, newest, fanciest phone with all the bells and whistles -- a lot of times even younger people can't handle all that. It's really a matter of how willing you are to learn how to use it. It doesn't matter what age you are."

With smartphones comes access to thousands of applications, many of which are free to download and use. You can find apps to track the weather, find the cheapest gas prices in town, edit your photos, listen to music, play games and, of course, keep up with friends and family on Facebook.

Shovan says many of her senior customers are using their smartphones to navigate on vacation, and to hook up to the Bluetooth system in their vehicles so they can talk hands-free. Smartphones also have ways to set timers, alerts and calendar reminders -- a feature many customers like to keep track of appointments and when to take medications, says Shovan.

Still, shopping for a new phone can be stressful, so Shovan recommends doing some research and coming to the store with a little bit of knowledge about what you want in a phone.

"Talk to your friends about what they've got and what they like, so you have an idea what you're looking for," says Shovan. "The main thing is to not be overwhelmed. There is a lot to choose from, but if you go to a good local store, someone can help explain the differences."

When shopping for a new phone, you'll want to be able to see and handle the actual phone to see if it's a good fit for you, and make sure you can come back later if you have problems or questions.

"It's important to find a local store where you can talk to someone and develop relationships with them," says Shovan. "We can also help with any problems you have down the road."

As for the data you're going to use with your new smartphone, Shovan doesn't know of any plans yet that are designed for seniors, as there are with minutes. However, you can buy data depending on your needs, from tiny bits to large amounts, and adjust the data amount as needed. Going in on a shared data plan with your family might save money. She adds that more and more places are offering free Wi-Fi, which will cut down on your own data use, as Wi-Fi doesn't count toward your data usage.