Digital Buddies tablet how-to guides

Digital access and peer learning

Since the Digital Buddies project began, it’s been a steep learning curve! It’s led to lots of learning for us at Outside the Box, and for older people connecting to the internet for the first time with new tablets.

We realised the peer-support and shared learning aspect worked really well. Using new tech and building tech skills can be a slow and up-and-down process, so having a buddy in your corner to ask for help makes a big difference. Watch this wee video to see how the project has developed! With big thanks to the Scottish Government’s #ConnectingScotland funding for making it possible.

How-to guides for using your tablet and getting connected

Working with the Digital Buddies participants, we put together these guides. The guides break down the different things you need to do to set up a new tablet, connect to the internet, and use it for all sorts of things – from podcasts to video calls.

The guides have images showing which buttons to click. We’ve tried to make them as handy as possible, building on the Digital Buddies’ experiences of getting online.

Getting started with a Samsung tablet

This guide shows you how to get started when you first get a new tablet. Read the ‘Getting Started’ guide here. 

Setting up your Samsung tablet

This guide shows you how to set up your tablet for the first time. Read the ‘Setting up your tablet’ guide here. 

Charging your Samsung tablet

This guide shows you how to charge a tablet. Read the ‘Charging your tablet’ guide here.

Changing the Accessibility settings on your tablet

This guide helps you work out how to change the Accessibility settings. This lets you change some settings on your tablet, like the size of the text, to make it more accessible to use. Read the ‘Changing the accessibility settings’ guide here. 

Video calling with Facebook Messenger

This guide shows you how to do a video call on your tablet, using the Facebook Messenger app. Read the ‘Video calling with Facebook Messenger’ guide here. 

Listening to Podcasts on a Samsung tablet

This guide shows you how to download a Podcast app, to search and listen to Podcasts on your tablet. Read the ‘Listening to Podcasts’ guide here.

Sending an email using Gmail on a Samsung tablet

This guide shows you how to use Gmail to send an email on your tablet. It might be helpful, even if you use a different email host like Outlook or Yahoo. Read the ‘Sending an email using Gmail’ guide here. 

Replying to an email using Gmail on a Samsung tablet

This guide shows you how to reply to an email using Gmail. Read the ‘Replying to an email using Gmail’ guide here.

Get in touch

As always, we would love to hear from you! Let us know your thoughts these resources, and what else you would like to see.

Get in touch with us on Twitter, or email Christine@otbds.org (Borders) or Ruth.W@otbds.org (Perth and Kinross area) to find out more about Digital Buddies.

Become a Digital Buddy – Scottish Borders

Digital Buddies is looking for people to become Buddies in the Hawick, Peebles and Kelso areas. You need to be 16 years or older, and enthusiastic about supporting people to become digitally connected. Get in touch with Christine@otbds.org if this sounds like you!

Do you have a little spare time to become a digital buddy? We are looking for people aged over 16 to support older people to get digitally cnnected. Currently we are looking for buddies in Peebles, Hawick and Kelso.