Android For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Introduction

You know it’s intimidating when they call it a “smartphone.” Worse, the supersize smartphone, the tablet, supposedly does everything your computer does but without a keyboard — or very many knobs or switches. Still, if you own one of these devices, don’t you want to get all the features you paid for?

This book makes the complex subject of Android phones and tablets understandable. It’s done with avuncular care and gentle handholding. The information is friendly and informative, without frightening you. And yes, ample humor is sprinkled throughout the text to keep the mood light. New technology can be frustrating enough without a touch of levity.

About This Book

Please don’t read this book from cover to cover. This book is a reference. It’s designed to be used as you need it. Look up a topic in the table of contents or the index. Find something about your Android mobile gizmo that vexes you or you’re curious about. Look up the answer, and get on with your life.

Every chapter is written as its own, self-contained unit, covering a specific Android topic. The chapters are further divided into sections representing tasks you perform with the device or explaining how to get something done. Sample sections in this book include

• Typing without lifting your finger
• Making a conference call
• Blocking calls
• Sending email to a contact
• Surfing the web on a mobile device
• Helping others find your location
• Recording video
• Creating a mobile hotspot
• Flying with an Android
• Extending ...