# Is there an online community for help with electronic devices? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772 "2019-06-19T23:51:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/21 "2019-06-20T20:48:17Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I tried 1. The computer recognized a new device called moto e5 play (it is a Motorola, so that sounds right), but when I brought up the file manager and clicked on moto e5 play, it said, “This folder is empty”. The phone must be unlocked. If you usually have to draw a pattern or key in a passcode to use it, do that and the files should be available to cut & paste at the PC. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/22 "2019-06-20T20:56:56Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Okay, sorry for the incoherent OP. As I said, I was more than a bit sleep deprived. > > Let me rephrase my rambling better: where’s a good place to get advice on alarm clocks? What kind of advice? What features do you want? Most on-smartphone-based alarm clocks are pretty simple. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/23 "2019-06-20T21:49:05Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > What kind of advice? > What features do you want? > Most on-smartphone-based alarm clocks are pretty simple. [This](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=874442) is the thread. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/24 "2019-06-20T21:53:51Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [This](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=874442) is the thread. Thanks. Looks like there are plenty of good suggestions in that thread. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/25 "2019-06-21T02:10:14Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > 1.) Plug the phone into your cimputer via USB, drag and drop the photos over from your computer’s file manager. You missed step 1a, which was ninjaed (by a couple of hours - is that still a ninja?) below. > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Try the method outlined [here.](https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-217353/) Basically, you need to change the mode of the connectivity. I usually use “PTP” for mine, just to move pics back & forth. The “File transfer” option also works, but that’s full file transfer, also allowing you access to system files. If you don’t know what you’re doing, I’d suggest **not** using that option. **OP** , to answer your other question, a lot of companies have forums for their products; just google “[Product name] & Forum”. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/26 "2019-06-21T05:22:13Z")
For getting photos off an Android phone, just install Google Photos and have it sync all photos to the cloud. Then you can download any of your photos from the web. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/27 "2019-06-21T05:45:50Z")
Some generalized advice: applied to your specific problem: - step 1: try to come up with a phrase that describes what you want to do: “Move photos from android to PC” Was my first attempt. -step 2 Put said phrase into google: > **[Transfer files between your computer & Android device - Android Help](https://support.google.com/android/answer/9064445?hl=en)** > > You can use your Google Account or a USB cable to move photos, music, and other files between your computer and phone. > Important: Some of these steps work only on Android 9 and up. Does the first link look like a manual or some other reputable source? Skip any ads. - step 3 Follow the instructions. If that doesn’t work, here is a handy flowchart: > **[Tech Support Cheat Sheet](https://xkcd.com/627/)** > > 'Hey Megan, it's your father. How do I print out a flowchart?' To summarize: you don’t need a forum to get answers to common problems. In fact you’ll only be distracted. (I really hope you never came back here to read this) ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/28 "2019-06-21T06:52:03Z")
Here’s a Reddit sub-reddit for you: > [@](#): > > For people who have a hard time getting out of bed, getting good sleep, or just want to improve their sleep—or all of the above! > > Share your tips and tricks. Share your insights and challenges. Ask a question. List your morning routine. Post a picture of the sunrise. [https://www.reddit.com/r/GetOutOfBed/](https://www.reddit.com/r/GetOutOfBed/) ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/29 "2019-06-21T16:39:43Z")
I’ve tried all the suggestions above and none of them works as advertised. I don’t lock the phone and the screen in one of the links is nothing at all like mine. And the link to the manual does absolutely nothing. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/30 "2019-06-21T16:56:00Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I’ve tried all the suggestions above and none of them works as advertised. **All** of them? Which cloud service did you try? Were you not able to get Google Photos to back up photos? They don’t show up on the Google Photos web page? Go to the Settings (in the Google Photos app) and make sure the “Back up & sync” option is enabled. And it may take a few minutes for photos to get backed up. How exactly are you trying to e-mail the photos? One way is to display the photo (Gallery or comparable app) and click on the “share” icon, then choose e-mail. But I think you need to do that one image at a time. The other way is from the e-mail app, click on the attachment icon and then choose images to add. Don’t add too many, because e-mail has a size limit. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/31 "2019-06-21T17:00:05Z")
p.s. For USB connection, after you connect the phone to the computer, check the notifications on the phone (swipe down from top) and look for one about the USB connection. There should be one that asks what type of USB connection you want. Try changing that. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/32 "2019-06-21T17:06:42Z")
Okay more options 5.) Compress all the photos into a zip (the file manager has that choice built in) and upload it to a file-sharing site ([sendspace.com](http://sendspace.com) is a good one that has been around for a decade or more and doesn’t require registration.) e-mail the link to yourself and download the zip on your PC. 6.) Upload the photos to [Imgur.com](http://Imgur.com), send the link to yourself, save the photos on your PC (the photos will not be public unless you choose to make them so.) 7.) Create a private Facebook page, upload the photos there, download them from your PC. 8.) Create a [photobucket.com](http://photobucket.com) account, ditto. 9.) Create a mega.nz account, ditto. (And yes, the moto e[sup]5[/sup] play [does support MicroSD](https://support.motorola.com/us/en/products/cell-phones/moto-e-family/moto-e5-play/documents/MS127377). In capacities up to 128 GB. There are many, many options for buying both a card and a reader for the PC–[this](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00W02VHM6/) is just one, allowing you to buy a 32 GB card plus reader for 15 bucks. (You can de-select the bonus “two more cards.”) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/33 "2019-06-21T17:12:50Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > 1. How do I do that? And how do I get them back from the cloud. [This is for your specific phone](https://support.motorola.com/us/en/products/cell-phones/moto-e-family/moto-e5-play/documents/MS127310/). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2019, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772/34 "2019-06-21T19:32:06Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I’ve tried all the suggestions above and none of them works as advertised. I don’t lock the phone and the screen in one of the links is nothing at all like mine. And the link to the manual does absolutely nothing. Bullshit Emailing the photos will maybe be inefficient, but will always work. (if you have connectivity and email sorted on both devices) be more specific: which version OS of your phone? which OS on your PC? (to the last fucking digit which cloud service? which version of the corresponding client? what email client? what email provider? Are both devices connected to wifi? Who is your ISP? etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-online-community-for-help-with-electronic-devices/835772.md?page=1)