Please ask your questions here (not in email) – we promise to respond here, no such promise with email. This is a benefit of membership. Here’s info on how to post to this Q&A Forum. If you need more help, you can book a 30 minute one-on-one Zoom meeting using our Office Hours feature.
You must be logged in as a Premium Member to Ask the Geeks a question. All are welcome to freely browse the Forums.
Log In
Home
6:18 pm
January 25, 2012
Offline
My wife and I share one smartphone and also one tablet as we really have no need to incur the cost of each of us having our own. Have been looking for ways to share, similar to a computer where you can set up separate accounts for each individual and have one application available for use by both of us, but our files remain separate. (i.e. email or documents). There appears to be little, if any, information available on this topic and was wondering if you had any ideas on this subject. I would guess this could be a topic of interest for others.
Thanks for your help and suggestions.
12:24 pm
July 2, 2010
Offline
If it is an Android, watch this part of Episode 133 of our What Does This Button Do? show: Multiple Users on Android device
If you’re on Apple iPhone/iPad – you can’t do that, but you can set up multiple email addresses.
Let me know.
12:51 pm
January 25, 2012
Offline
Thanks for your usual prompt and helpful response. Have looked at the video several times and it is a good starting point, but still have lots of questions. Fortunately, my phone is android, but an older version 6 and appears to have a quest mode, but does not allow for individual accounts, so still researching. Potential good news is current phones limitations may help me convince my wife we need to upgrade to a newer model (leaning towards Moto G6) that will allow me to set up several individual accounts.
We have a new Fire HD10 tablet, which also is android based. However, as you know amazon and google are not exactly best friends, so not sure yet if individual accounts are possible. Will continue to explore the options..
Your video indicates the primary account holder must first sign in to unlock the phone before other accounts can be used. Seems like this could create a problem if the primary person is not available to unlock for other users or the phone has a finger print function of facial ID unlock feature.
Lots of questions and not many answers so far. Hope you will look into this topic and possibly consider for a segment on an upcoming weekly show.
Keep up the good work and thanks again for your helpful insight.
4:30 pm
January 25, 2012
Offline
Still researching and it appears Amazon is well ahead in allowing multiple accounts on a tablet. You can set up 2 adult accounts and up to 4 children’s accounts on your tablet. This feature is accessed from Settings – Profiles & Family. Need to look more at this, but lit looks good. Hope the PI will have a similar option.
Thanks 
5:03 pm
July 2, 2010
Offline
I realize that my demo showed unlocking the phone as the owner, then changing to another user, but I’m pretty sure that’s not necessary. Either of you should be able to pick up the phone, swipe down to settings and switch user. … I think. I only have my iphone handy right now so can’t check.
Chrome OS is great at multiple users – but right now there are no phones/tablets with Chrome OS just Chromebook laptops.
Does your Kindle Fire take photos? I don’t think it has access to google apps like Photos or Maps. That’s a deal breaker for me.
7:16 pm
January 25, 2012
Offline
Has a camera, but far from great, but usable if nothing else is available. Here are the camera specs from Amazon
“Fire HD 10 features a 2 MP rear-facing camera for taking photos or shooting 720p video. The front-facing VGA camera is perfect for Skype calls with friends and family.”
I have been able to install play store on my Fire and if the literature is correct you can turn Fire into something real close to a stock Android. Have not downloaded any apps yet but expect to be able to load google maps and other apps without problems. Following is link to “How to Geek” to get this done.
https://www.howtogeek.com/2327…..re-tablet/
If, as I expect, all above works this becomes a really great tablet at a super price and if you are a prime member a second source to save and backup your photos.
Hope this helps and maybe change your mind if looking for a very good and really affordable tablet.
All RSS1 Guest(s)
