Android Tablets Made Simple

Chapter 4

Syncing with Your Google Account

In order to use an Android tablet, you really should have a Google Account. A Google Account is the username and password you use for most Google services, including Gmail. Fire and Nook tablets are exceptions to this rule and don't use Google Accounts. They use Barnes & Noble or Amazon accounts instead.

You can use your tablet without a Google Account, but you'll miss out on some of the best cloud-based features of Android. You can still check your work email and use non-Google accounts on your Android tablet, so you don't need to give those up in order to get a Google Account. When you activate a new Android tablet, setting up a Google Account is one of the first things you'll do, as described in ...