Android™ Tips and Tricks: Covers Android 5 and Android 6 devices, Second Edition

Book description

Unlock the Full Power of Your Android™ Smartphone or Tablet

Discover hundreds of tips and tricks you can use right away with your Android device to get more done, and have more fun.

You’ll learn how to use your Android smartphone or tablet as a powerful communication, organization, and productivity tool as well as a feature-packed entertainment device. You will dig deep into the settings and capabilities of both Android itself and the preinstalled apps, developing the knowledge and skills to exploit them to the fullest.

Easy to understand and non-technical, Android Tips and Tricks is perfect for beginners—and for more experienced users ready to ramp up their productivity or move to newer devices. It covers all new and recent Android smartphones and tablets running Android 6 (Marshmallow) or Android 5 (Lollipop)—with bonus, in-depth coverage of Samsung’s widely used TouchWiz skin.

Here’s just a sampling of what this book’s tips, tricks, and techniques will help you do:

·         Connect to wireless and cellular networks, to keyboards and Bluetooth devices, and via VPNs

·         Transform your device into a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, and share Internet connections via USB or Bluetooth

·         Secure Android with screen and SIM locks, location settings, and encryption

·         Sideload apps from any source and keep bad apps from loading

·         Take Gmail to pro level with signatures, vacation responders, labels, archiving, advanced search, and secure two-step verification

·         Manage multiple email accounts together: POP, IMAP, web mail, and Exchange

·         Get more out of your Google Chrome browser, and share bookmarks across all your devices

·         Chat via text, audio, or video on Google Hangouts—and customize it to work just the way you want

·         Enjoy your music everywhere, whether it’s stored locally or in the cloud

·         Easily capture, edit, and share top-quality photos and videos

·         Transform your smartphone or tablet into a total social networking hub

·         Squeeze more battery life from your Android device

Table of contents

  1. About This eBook
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents at a Glance
  5. Table of Contents
  6. About the Author
  7. Dedication
  8. Acknowledgments
  9. We Want to Hear from You!
  10. Reader Services
  11. Introduction
    1. Grasping the Essentials of Android Navigation
      1. Navigating the Lock, Home, and Apps Screens
      2. Opening the Notifications Panel
      3. Opening the Quick Settings Panel
      4. Opening the Settings App
      5. Using the Navigation Panel, Menus, Controls, and Dialog Boxes
    2. Using the Touchscreen
  12. 1. Getting Up to Speed with Android
    1. Identifying Your Device’s Android Version and Its Skin
      1. Understanding Android Version Numbers and Names
      2. Finding Out Which Android Version Your Device Is Running
      3. Establishing Whether Your Device Is Using a Skin
    2. Setting Different Volume Levels for Different Audio Sources
    3. Using Manual Brightness and Adaptive Brightness
    4. Managing Your Notifications
      1. Responding to a Notification
      2. Turning the Notification Light On or Off
      3. Configuring Notifications for an App
      4. Clearing Repeat Notifications
    5. Configuring and Using Do Not Disturb and Interruptions
      1. Configuring and Using Do Not Disturb in Marshmallow
      2. Configuring and Using Interruptions in Lollipop
    6. Entering Text
      1. Using the Keyboard and Spelling Correction
      2. Entering Text Using a Hardware Keyboard
      3. Entering Text Using Dictation
      4. Entering Emoji
      5. Using Alternative Keyboards
    7. Setting Up a Phone or Tablet for Multiple Users
      1. Creating a User Account
      2. Creating a Restricted Profile
      3. Switching User Accounts and Profiles
      4. Deleting a User Account or Restricted Profile
      5. Understanding and Avoiding Problems When Sharing Your Device
    8. Getting the Best Battery Performance
      1. Identifying Power Hogs
      2. Eking Out Battery Life
      3. Recharging Secrets
    9. Managing Files and Storage
      1. Adding a Micro SD Card
      2. Connecting USB OTG Storage
      3. Choosing and Using a File Explorer
      4. Checking Space Usage and Reclaiming Space
  13. 2. Loading and Syncing Your Device
    1. Understanding Your Options for Loading and Syncing Your Device
      1. Choosing the Right Management or Sync App
    2. Getting and Installing Your Management or Sync App
      1. Installing a Management or Sync App in Windows
      2. Choosing What Happens When You Connect Your Device to Windows
      3. Installing Android File Transfer on OS X
    3. Using Your Management or Sync App
      1. Using Phone Companion in Windows 10
      2. Using Other Management or Sync Apps in Windows
      3. Using Android File Transfer on OS X
    4. Loading Files on Your Device
    5. Updating, Backing Up, and Restoring Your Device
      1. Keeping Your Device Updated
      2. Backing Up Your Device
      3. Restoring Your Device
    6. Using Remote Lock and Wiping
  14. 3. Customizing Your Device
    1. Setting Up Your Home Screens
      1. Adding and Removing Home Screens
      2. Adding Apps to Your Home Screens
      3. Adding Widgets to Your Home Screens
      4. Adding Web Addresses to Your Home Screens
      5. Organizing Home Screen Items into Folders
      6. Adding Dropbox Folders to Your Home Screens
      7. Repositioning Items on Your Home Screens
      8. Removing Items from Your Home Screens
      9. Rearranging Your Home Screens
      10. Setting the Wallpaper
    2. Using a Different Launcher
      1. Choosing a Launcher
      2. Installing a Launcher
      3. Switching Among Launchers
      4. Making No Launcher the Default
    3. Configuring Input Options
    4. Configuring the Lock Screen
      1. Choosing the Best Locking Method
      2. Setting Up Locking on Your Device
      3. Setting Up Smart Lock
      4. Putting a Message or Owner Information on the Lock Screen
      5. Unlocking Your Device with Your Fingerprint
      6. Configuring Lock-Screen Notifications
    5. Choosing Location Settings to Protect Your Privacy
    6. Encrypting Your Device
      1. Encrypting the Data on Your Device
      2. Decrypting the Data on Your Device
      3. Performing a Hard Reset
  15. 4. Connecting to Networks and Devices
    1. Using Airplane Mode
    2. Taking Control of Cellular Connections
      1. Displaying the Cellular Network Settings Screen
      2. Enabling and Disabling Data Roaming
      3. Choosing Among Cellular Network Types
      4. Configuring a New Access Point
      5. Connecting to a Different Carrier
      6. Keeping Within Your Data Plan
    3. Managing Your Wi-Fi Connections
      1. Turning Wi-Fi On and Off
      2. Connecting to Wi-Fi Networks
      3. Connecting to a Closed Network
      4. Working on the Advanced Wi-Fi Screen
      5. Whitelisting Your Device on a Wi-Fi Network
      6. Configuring IP Settings Manually
      7. Connecting Through a Proxy Server
      8. Improving Your Wi-Fi Connections
      9. Forgetting a Network
    4. Sharing Your Device’s Internet Connection
      1. Sharing the Internet Connection via USB Tethering
      2. Sharing the Internet Connection via Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot
    5. Connecting Bluetooth Devices
      1. Pairing a Bluetooth Device with Your Android Device
      2. Transferring Files to Another Device via Bluetooth
      3. Sharing an Internet Connection via Bluetooth Tethering
    6. Using VPNs
      1. Setting Up a VPN Connection
      2. Connecting via the VPN
  16. 5. Installing, Running, and Managing Apps
    1. Getting App Installation Right
      1. Evaluating Permissions When Installing Apps
      2. Getting a Refund on an App
    2. Configuring Your Play Store Account
    3. Sideloading Apps
      1. Installing a File Manager
      2. Getting the Package File for the App
      3. Setting Android to Allow Apps from Unknown Sources
      4. Sideloading the App
    4. Running Apps
    5. Working with the Overview Screen
      1. Switching Apps with the Overview Screen
      2. Closing an App from the Overview Screen
      3. Pinning an App to the Screen
      4. Opening the App Info Screen for an App
    6. Forcing an App to Stop
    7. Clearing an App’s Cache, Data, or Defaults
    8. Uninstalling Apps
    9. Rebooting into Safe Mode
    10. Resetting App Preferences
  17. 6. Taking Gmail to the Pro Level
    1. Setting Up Your Email Accounts
      1. Gathering the Information Needed to Set Up an Email Account
      2. Displaying the Set Up Email Screen
      3. Adding a Google Account
      4. Adding a Personal Account
      5. Adding an Exchange Server Account
    2. Configuring Gmail and Your Accounts to Work Your Way
      1. Choosing General Settings
      2. Configuring Settings for a Google Account
      3. Configuring a Personal Account
      4. Configuring an Exchange Account
    3. Triaging and Reading Your Messages
      1. Navigating Among Your Accounts, Labels, and Folders
      2. Working in the Conversation List
      3. Reading Your Messages
    4. Writing and Sending Messages
    5. Labeling, Archiving, and Moving Your Messages
      1. Labeling and Archiving Messages in a Google Account
      2. Moving Messages in Personal and Exchange Accounts
    6. Dealing with Spam and Problem Senders
    7. Searching for Messages
      1. Searching with Keywords in Any Type of Account
      2. Searching with Advanced Search Operators in Google Accounts
      3. Searching with Boolean Operators and Grouping
    8. Setting Up 2-Step Verification for Your Google Account
      1. Setting Up 2-Step Verification Using a Computer
      2. Setting Up 2-Step Verification Using an Android Device
      3. Logging In to Your Account with 2-Step Verification Enabled
  18. 7. Using Google Now and Maps
    1. Streamlining Your Life with Google Now
      1. Navigating and Customizing Google Now
      2. Customizing Google Now to Suit Your Needs
      3. Choosing Settings for Google Now
      4. Managing Your Activity in Google Account History
      5. Accessing Google Now from the Lock Screen
      6. Working with Reminders in Google Now
    2. Navigating with Maps
      1. Making Sure You Know Essential Maps Moves
      2. Saving Maps for Offline Use
      3. Choosing Key Settings for Maps
  19. 8. Browsing with Chrome
    1. Choosing Essential Chrome Settings
      1. Configuring Your Google Account
      2. Choosing Your Search Engine
      3. Choosing Whether to Merge Tabs and Apps on a Phone
      4. Setting Up Autofill Forms
      5. Working with the Save Passwords Feature
      6. Choosing Privacy Settings and Clearing Browsing Data
      7. Choosing Accessibility Settings
      8. Choosing Site Settings
      9. Enabling the Data Saver Feature
    2. Browsing the Web with Chrome
      1. Navigating Among Web Pages
      2. Managing and Switching Tabs
      3. Making the Most of Bookmarks
      4. Returning to a Recent Tab or a Tab Open on Another Device
      5. Returning to a Page You Visited Earlier
      6. Searching for Information
      7. Browsing Incognito
      8. Requesting a Desktop Site
  20. 9. Maximizing Your Productivity
    1. Managing Your Contacts
      1. Adding a New Contact
      2. Organizing Your Contacts into Groups
      3. Displaying Only the Contacts You Want to See
      4. Merging and Separating Contacts
      5. Importing and Exporting Contacts
    2. Mastering Your Schedule with Calendar
      1. Configuring the Calendar App
      2. Choosing Which Calendars to Display
      3. Controlling How the Calendar Appears
      4. Creating Events
      5. Inviting Others to an Event
      6. Dealing with Invitations
      7. Sharing Your Google Calendars
    3. Transferring and Syncing Files with Google Drive
      1. Setting Up Google Drive
      2. Navigating Google Drive
      3. Configuring Backups, Cache, Encryption, and Data Usage
      4. Creating a Folder
      5. Adding Files to Google Drive
      6. Keeping Files on Your Device
    4. Printing Documents
      1. Printing to Local Printers
      2. Print to an HP Printer Using the HP Print Service Plugin
      3. Printing to Cloud Printers
      4. Printing on Your Existing Printer
    5. Using a Chromecast Device
      1. Setting Up a Chromecast with Your Android Device
      2. Casting Your Screen or Audio to the Chromecast Device
  21. 10. Making the Most of Phone and Hangouts
    1. Becoming an Expert with the Phone App
      1. Making Calls the Easy Way
      2. Saving Time with Your Call History
      3. Taking Calls—or Avoiding Them
      4. Configuring the Phone App to Work Your Way
      5. Setting Custom Ringtones for Important Callers
      6. Blocking and Screening Calls
      7. Setting a SIM Card Lock
    2. Chatting, Talking, and Conferencing via Hangouts
      1. Getting an Account
      2. Getting Started with Hangouts
      3. Making Hangouts Comfortable for You
      4. Communicating via Hangouts
  22. 11. Exploiting Camera, Photos, and Videos
    1. Getting Great Photos with the Camera App
      1. Opening the Camera App and Navigating Its Interface
      2. Accessing the Camera from the Lock Screen
      3. Configuring the Camera App to Suit Your Needs
      4. Taking Regular Photos
      5. Taking Photo Sphere Photos
      6. Taking Panorama Photos
      7. Taking Photos with the Lens Blur Feature
      8. Editing Your Photos
    2. Shooting Videos
    3. Capturing Screenshots
  23. 12. Enjoying Your Music Everywhere
    1. Understanding Your Options for Listening to Music on Your Device
    2. Getting Your Music onto Your Device
      1. Understanding Which Music Formats Your Device Can Play
      2. Getting Your CDs onto Your Android Device
      3. Transcoding Existing Files
    3. Getting the Most Out of the Play Music App
      1. Getting Started with Play Music
      2. Setting Up an Account
      3. Syncing Your 50,000 Songs to Play Music
      4. Buying Songs from the Play Store
      5. Navigating the Play Music App
      6. Playing Songs
      7. Downloading Songs
      8. Deleting Songs from Your Device and Your Library
      9. Configuring the Play Music App
      10. Creating Playlists
    4. Improving Your Music with the Equalizer
      1. Turning On the Equalizer
      2. Creating a Custom Equalization
    5. Using Other Music Apps
      1. Three Apps for Identifying Music
      2. Three Streaming Services
  24. 13. Staying in Touch via Social Networking
    1. Getting Serious with Facebook
      1. Logging In to Facebook
      2. Adding Friends and Managing Invites and Imported Contacts
      3. Getting and Configuring Facebook Messenger
      4. Making Facebook Work Your Way
      5. Choosing Essential Privacy Settings
      6. Securing Your Facebook Account with Two-Factor Authentication
      7. Using Multiple Facebook Accounts on the Same Device
      8. Removing Your Facebook Account from Your Device
    2. Making the Most of Twitter
      1. Signing In to Twitter
      2. Navigating the Twitter App
      3. Configuring the Twitter App
      4. Securing Your Twitter Account with Login Verification
      5. Using Multiple Twitter Accounts
  25. 14. Using Samsung TouchWiz
    1. Getting Up to Speed with TouchWiz Essentials
      1. Using the Buttons in TouchWiz
      2. Navigating the Home Screen
      3. Customizing Your Home Screen
      4. Using Gestures to Control Your Samsung Device
    2. Customizing the Apps Screen
      1. Create a Folder
      2. Delete a Folder
      3. Uninstall or Disable Apps
    3. Working with the Notifications Panel, Quick Settings, and Settings
      1. Using the Notifications Panel and the Quick Settings Bar
      2. Using the Quick Settings Panel and the Settings App
    4. Using Multi Window
    5. Understanding the Galaxy Apps and S Apps
    6. Using the Camera App’s Extra Features
      1. Mastering the Essentials of the Camera App
      2. Making the Most of the Camera Modes
      3. Setting the Camera to Take the Photos and Videos You Want
    7. Browsing with Samsung’s Internet Browser
      1. Grasping the Essentials of the Internet App
      2. Saving Web Pages and Reading Them Later
      3. Returning to Web Pages with Bookmarks
      4. Opening Multiple Tabs and Navigating Among Them
      5. Loading Your Favorite Pages onto the Quick Access Screen
      6. Adding a Web Page Shortcut to Your Home Screen
      7. Browsing Secretly
      8. Syncing Open Pages Through a Samsung Account
    8. Improving Performance by Turning Off TouchWiz Features
  26. Index

Product information

  • Title: Android™ Tips and Tricks: Covers Android 5 and Android 6 devices, Second Edition
  • Author(s): Guy Hart-Davis
  • Release date: May 2016
  • Publisher(s): Que
  • ISBN: 9780134382319