About this site
opcionrural.com publishes patient, plain-English smartphone guides for older adults and the family members and caregivers who help them. The guides cover both iPhone and Android in step-by-step detail. Every article is written from real experience helping older relatives use the phones they actually own — not paraphrased from manuals.
About the author
Justin Lowen is a software engineer based in Austin, Texas. By day he builds web applications at L7 Informatics, working primarily in JavaScript and React on the frontend and Python on the backend. Earlier work was in polymer engineering and chemistry, after a degree at the University of Pittsburgh.
opcionrural.com started the way these kinds of sites usually do: the same questions kept coming up from relatives, neighbors, and friends who didn't want to call Apple support and didn't want to be told that "it's so easy." Writing the answers down once, carefully, in plain English, turned out to be more useful than answering each question over the phone. The site is what those written answers became.
The technical background helps with one specific thing: a careful eye for what the menus and settings actually look like on a current iPhone and a current Android phone. The patience comes from being the family tech person — which most software engineers end up being whether they planned on it or not. The guides try to be the kind of help that doesn't make anyone feel stupid for asking.
Editorial standards
- Plain language. If a technical word appears, it is explained the first time it appears in any guide.
- Steps tested on a real device. Each guide is performed on a current iPhone or Android phone before publishing.
- Re-verified periodically. Phone software changes; guides are re-walked and updated when steps move or change.
- Honest corrections. When a reader reports an out-of-date step, the article is updated and a dated note is added.
- No paid product reviews. Products mentioned were paid for personally, or borrowed from a public library or community organisation.
- No affiliate links inside instructions. Recommendation links, where they appear, point to the manufacturer's own page.
What this site is not
opcionrural.com is not affiliated with Apple, Google, Samsung, or any other phone manufacturer. It is not affiliated with AARP or any other senior-services organisation. It is not a substitute for advice from a trained accessibility specialist, occupational therapist, or medical professional. When a question crosses into one of those areas, the right answer is "please ask a professional."
Verify the author
Verification of the author's background is welcomed. Public anchors:
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/justinlowen
- Portfolio: justinlowen.dev
- Direct email: hello@opcionrural.com — replies usually arrive within two business days
Contact
Questions, corrections, and topic suggestions can be sent through the contact page or by email to hello@opcionrural.com.