Android Smartphones & Tablets The Complete Manual Issue 1

BDM’s Complete Manual Series✓ Android Smartphones & Tablets Your Android phone or tablet is the perfect tool for checking your emails on the go, browsing the Internet while you wait for your train or listening to music while you exercise, but it is also capable of so much more. From playing the latest games and watching on-demand TV to managing your work/life balance and writing that long-planned novel. This Android guidebook will take you from getting the most from the stock Android apps such as Gmail and Chrome, through solving common problems and on to learning about adding launchers and rooting your device. We will show you how to explore the OS and get more from any Android phone or tablet, whether it is four years old or the latest cutting-edge,…

Getting Started with Android Android Controls and Connections Android Controls and Connections Although the exact buttons and connection ports on your Android smartphone may vary, there are standard features that almost always appear. Let’s take a look at those buttons, connections and controls and see what they can and cannot do. Connections These are the plugs, ports and other interfaces which allow you to connect or add something to your device, or connect your device to the mains for charging. Most devices have a standard set of connection ports, but some may have additional ones. Micro USB/USB-C Most modern devices use Micro USB or the newer USB-C connections for both the charging cable and the data cable (for connecting to a computer to transfer files). The position of this will vary…

Getting Started with Android Tablet Controls Just as with the smartphone controls detailed on the previous pages, most Android tablet controls and connections follow a fairly standard layout plan. The exact position of the buttons may vary slightly between devices. 1 Sleep/Power As well as being the button that turns your tablet on and wakes it up out of sleep, the power button, when held also brings up a menu for shutting down and restarting your tablet. 2 Volume Up/Down The volume profile that the up and down buttons controls depends on what you are doing when it is pressed. When the volume display appears on screen, you can access more volume sliders. 3 Recent Button This capacitive button, when tapped opens the recent app screen. This shows a list of all apps…

Android Controls and Connections Touch Screen Controls Modern Android devices no longer rely on physical pressure to register a touch, instead relying on tiny electrical charges in our fingers. Single Touch To activate items on the screen such as application and settings icons, to type letters and symbols using the on-screen keyboard, or to press on-screen buttons, you simply (gently) touch them with your finger. The touch screen is capacitive, meaning it is sensitive to the tiny electrical charge in our bodies. This means you only have to tap the screen, not press down hard with your finger. Touch and Hold Touch and Hold means to tap an item on the screen and not lift your finger until a secondary action occurs. This could be a menu opening, allowing you…

Getting Started with Android Add and Use a MicroSD Card Add and Use a MicroSD Card Most Phones and many Android tablets offer the ability to expand the storage by inserting a MicroSD memory card. On modern devices, the capacity can be as much as 128GB, although this may vary and you should check before you buy an SD card. Inserting the card is relatively simple, although it might not be obvious to someone doing it for the first time. Choosing a MicroSD Some memory cards may not be fully compatible with the device. Using an incompatible card may damage the device or the memory card. Card Capacity As already mentioned, not all tablets can read all sizes of MicroSD card. The largest capacity card you will easily find is…

Getting Started with Android Adding and Syncing Accounts Adding and Syncing Accounts When you set up your Android phone or tablet, you will be asked to link it to a Google account. If you don’t already use one of the Google products such as Gmail, Picasa or YouTube (if you use any of these, you already have a Google account), or if you want to create a new account to use with a new tablet for instance, you can create one on your device during the setup. It is easier, however, to set up an account on your computer. Creating a Google Account You can easily find anything you want to do in Google, by simply searching using relevant terms. For example, if you want to find the Google+ account…