Allow WhatsApp set up without the use of a smart phone / QR code for the elderly.
Grandmother is almost 90, she has a standard phone. She does not like tablets or touchscreens hence why we got her the portal due to the voice commands and she can keep up with the family that is currently dispersed across the country. You should be able to create a WhatsApp account without a QR code or just the web version without a smart phone. In the case that is not possible, it would be much obliged at the least if it was clear at purchase that there is no way around it, as the product is targeted at the elderly and the fact that they don't need to necessarily physically interact with it ( HUGE selling point), downside can't use it because we can't link the WhatsApp calling function. Please HELP!
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shared this idea
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Russell Ward commented
Just trying to set up a Facebook Portal for my son, who was given it by his grandmother for Christmas so she could talk to hi,. He has no phone - he's too young for one - and it is proving impossible to connect without either a Facebook account (again, too young) or a mobile phone. Any advice (beyond selling)?
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Lou Salsano commented
Same for me. Thinking of buying a portal. But parent hasn’t got a smartphone.
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D R
commented
Agree, the portal is advertised for seniors but not easily set up. There should be a way to add contacts or delete contacts on the portal. There is no easy way that I found to choose contacts from my phone to sync to the portal. The only way was to download all of them. My elderly neighbor whom I bought this for does not need all my contacts and I do not need to link all my contacts to whatsapp. I do not find the whatsapp user friendly when setting up. The app could use improvement. Help is needed.
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anonymous
commented
I created a second phone account with whatsapp (second phone line with my cell) and gave one to my mother for the Portal. With newer cell phones, you can escan a second line. My cell lines were very cheap so it was not a big deal. I did have to put the phone number into it, and then scan (the q code) with my cell. It is working for her in this way. The contacts for her were on that cell phone line so they could be added into her favourites.
I made one glitch and that was not to check the receive messages from what's app (thinking it would be adds, notifications, etc that she didn't need). It's actually to receive incoming calls. Right now, she can phone out via what'sapp, but the portal is not taking any incoming messages (aka video calls). I think I'll have to reset the what's app piece up again. You do need a cell for the code in setting it up. I haven't found any instructions on editing the wa account on portal - just add and remove.The portal is actually really secure because of the limited outside access. It's just a pain to have to physically be there to make the whatsapp account changes. It was my glitch though in the setup.
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Anonymous
commented
I agree wholeheartedly!! We got the portal for my 87-year-old mother who does not have a smartphone. We have been able to set her up on Messenger but not on WhatsApp. Unfortunately, a number of friends and family are not on FB, and would rather use WhatsApp. Sadly, this limitation cuts them out of the equation. A great pity and not at all accommodating of the very real technical challenges faced by many elderly people.
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Anonymous
commented
Yes, I agree. I bought my grandmother a Portal Mini and set her up with a Facebook account. She cannot get a WhatsApp account because she has a flip phone. My aunt, on the other hand, has a smart phone with WhatsApp, but does not want a Facebook account. As of 5/2/20, Messenger can only talk to Messenger, and WhatsApp can only talk to WhatsApp. It would be nice for Messenger to be able to talk to WhatsApp and vice versa.