# Could you use a random smartphone quickly? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2024, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307 "2024-03-25T00:05:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/1 "2024-03-25T00:05:37Z")
Inspired by something I saw on the news tonight concerning teaching children how to dial 911 on a smartphone. The last cell phone I had was a flip phone. The few times someone has handed me their smartphone to make a call I had to ask for directions. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/2 "2024-03-25T00:32:10Z")
Well, you click the phone icon, and then you click the keypad button to enter a number. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/3 "2024-03-25T00:41:12Z")
I couldn’t. All phones. I hope if I’m asked it’s those ones with big red button for emergency. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/4 "2024-03-25T00:41:48Z")
From the lock screen on Android phones, if you swipe up\*, a keypad will appear, and just under it is a button that says “Emergency.” There are probably other gestures for different phones, but they usually tell you what to do either on the lock screen or after a failed attempt. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/5 "2024-03-25T00:42:42Z")
Oh. Is that what that emergency is written there for? I wondered. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/6 "2024-03-25T00:43:36Z")
Yes. People ask me on a regular basis to fix something on their phone (or tablet or computer) or change some setting. I rarely know anything about the device in advance. But I’ve internalized the way modern UI designers work and it’s pretty much all the same with mild variations. Swipe around to figure out the gestures, explore the settings menu hierarchy, look for the search tool, etc. Occasionally some setting will be _really_ buried or named poorly and require searching the internet, but that’s also easy enough. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/7 "2024-03-25T00:49:42Z")
If it’s an emergency tho’, who has time to research. I say hand the phone to someone and say “don’t know how to work this thing” ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/8 "2024-03-25T00:56:25Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Swipe around to figure out the gestures, explore the settings menu hierarchy, look for the search tool, etc. “I’m dying, what do I do?” ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/9 "2024-03-25T01:02:22Z")
Any modern smartphone will have an emergency button on the lockscreen. I can’t tell you what it looks like on yours, but I can tell you I’d figure it out in \<5 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/10 "2024-03-25T01:03:17Z")
I am pretty fluent in figuring out random cell phones. I have had to use a variety of different ones at work and have had a number of different models for personal use through the years. I also have a number of tablets. I am more familiar with Android systems but can navigate around an I phone if necessary. I loved the LG phones and owned at least 3 until they recently stopped making them. My newest phone is a Pixel 7 and goodness did they hide some of the functionality. Took me awhile to figure that one out lol! ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/11 "2024-03-25T01:10:06Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Oh. Is that what that emergency is written there for? I wondered. My post was just a reply to the thread–your post wasn’t there yet when I wrote it. But either way, I left out some info. Tapping the Emergency button on an android phone does several things. - It brings up a keypad, so you can dial 9-1-1. There’s a little green phone icon you press to make the call after you dial. - If you don’t have a signal on your network, the phone will connect to any available network. - If you don’t have a working SIM card, it will still connect to a network and make the call. - The phone will switch to a dark theme to conserve battery. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/12 "2024-03-25T01:19:47Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > Took me awhile to figure that one out lol! Granted, there is some extra poking around on some phones. Ironically, when I went to check for the emergency button on the lock screen of my own phone (Pixel 6 Pro), I found it wasn’t there… but a swipe up brought up the pattern entry screen, which did have it. So I was still under my 5 sec limit. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/13 "2024-03-25T01:29:29Z")
That’s great! 5 seconds! The Pixel 7 made me program the side button to turn the screen of and on lol! I also had to get used to the swiping feature as it has no back button. Not a huge deal but a tad annoying. I bought it 2 weeks before leaving on a trip to Europe so it was extra frustrating at the time. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/14 "2024-03-25T02:38:38Z")
99% of phones are either Android or iPhones, and as far as making phone calls, they work pretty much the same. The only problem would be finding the phone icon if the user has put it in some nonstandard place (like I did on my phone, since initiating a phone call is one of the least common things I do with my phone). ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/15 "2024-03-25T04:55:19Z")
“Siri, call 911.” Alternatively, “Hey, Google, call 911.” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/16 "2024-03-25T05:10:00Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > “Siri, call 911.” > > Alternatively, “Hey, Google, call 911.” ⁢ Won’t work on my phone. I always disable the assistant and any buttons related to them. I have never found them useful. My dad has me do the same thing to his phone (though he does use speech-to-text), suggesting I’m not alone. * * * Assuming they’ve unlocked the phone for me, I do think I’d find it. Though I hate any of those that don’t let you swipe up and show all apps. Hunting for apps when you have multiple home-screens just sucks. (Though, on Android at least, I know how to go find apps from settings instead.) That said, since you’re going to have to unlock the phone for me, why not also pull up the phone app? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/17 "2024-03-25T05:15:13Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > “Siri, call 911.” > > Alternatively, “Hey, Google, call 911.” I do not know if it is a requirement these days but my smartphone has an “Emergency” button on the lock screen so anyone can call 911 if they have my phone (with no need to unlock it…press “Emergency” and you get a short countdown asking if you are sure and then that’s it…911 gets called if you confirm or wait out the countdown). IIRC it is actually a law that all cell phones can call 911 in the US even if the phone has no cell carrier (e.g. you didn’t pay your cell phone bill and your service was cancelled). ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/18 "2024-03-25T05:37:09Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > > [@zbuzz](#): > > > > “Siri, call 911.” > > > > Alternatively, “Hey, Google, call 911.” ⁢ > > Won’t work on my phone. I always disable the assistant and any buttons related to them. I have never found them useful. And now you know a reason they could be useful. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/19 "2024-03-25T05:49:17Z")
Nope. I find lots of em, can’t make them do anything. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2024, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307/20 "2024-03-25T07:10:53Z")
I look on with wonder at the end of Australian sporting contests. The players commonly walk around after the game and go meet the crowds near the seating. They takes heaps of selfies with their smiling face and those of their adoring fans. It doesn’t seem to matter what phone they are handed. I don’t know that I could take a selfie with my own phone. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-use-a-random-smartphone-quickly/999307.md?page=2)