Android Smartphones For Dummies

Chapter 14

Using the Phone as a … Phone

IN THIS CHAPTER

Adding and editing your contacts

Making calls

Knowing what to do in case of emergency

At its most basic, a smartphone is still a phone. It can make and receive phone calls as most telephones have done for over a hundred years, keeping you in touch with friends and loved ones over long (and short) distances. In this chapter, you explore the features of the Android smartphone’s telephone function that help it truly stand out from its 20th-century counterparts, including features that could save your life in the case of an emergency.

Seeing Who’s Who in Your Life

All the information needed to communicate with any of your friends, family, or coworkers is stored on your smartphone as a contact. In Android, a contact is a collection of personal information that defines someone you want keep in touch with. For example, a contact on your smartphone could contain someone’s:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Email address
• Birthday
• Company details

Keep in mind, a contact is not just for names and telephone numbers. Your Android smartphone can store a lot of personal information about your contacts. Some of the information Android can store ...