Seniors got a whole lot smarter about their smartphones — and their tablets, laptops and TracFones— on Thursday, thanks to one-on-one tutorials called “Digital You,” offered free of charge by Minnesota AT&T at the Mower County Senior Center.

Over a dozen seniors gathered with their electronic devices to learn more about how to use the devices and what the devices could do. AT&T employees met with each of the attendees to field questions and demonstrate what their phone could do.

The class was offered by the company who, said Minnesota AT&T President Paul Weirtz, wants to make sure senior citizens get full benefit from their devices.

Valerie Bruggeman, director of external affairs for Minnesota AT&T, said there have been four Digital U’s conducted and she has been surprised by the diversity and experience level seniors have shown.

Still, reports released from the Pew Internet and American Life project show that while older adults are using their devices in increasing numbers, they continue to lag behind the overall adult population.

Seniors came Thursday with a full range of ability — from Gwen Mortenson of Austin, who already can text, email and take photos on her iPhone — to Betty Neus, also of Austin, who wanted someone to show her how to use her brand new tablet.

“I don’t even know how to turn it on,” she said with a chuckle.

Lorene Rector of Austin uses only a TracFone, adding she came to the class to find out how to activate it.

“I really don’t need anything else,” she said.

Other seniors learned about installing applications, such as FaceTime and maps, to creating a contact list, or using the camera.

Simply having a cell phone is a safety feature from which senior citizens can benefit, especially in the case of an accident or injury, Bruggeman said.

Weirtz said seniors tend to become more interested in the devices when they realize how important they are, say, to their grandchildren.

The devices can connect seniors in ways they had not dreamed, he added.

He told of a similar class that was held in Plymouth, Minnesota. There, one senior learned about FaceTime and found herself talking face-to-face with relatives in Germany.

“It completely opened her world,” Weirtz said. “She is embracing the new technology.”