Galaxy Tab: The Missing Manual

Appendix B. Troubleshooting and Maintenance

The Galaxy Tab runs on the Android operating system, so it’s vulnerable to the same kinds of problems that can occur in any computer operating system. Like any electronic device, the Galaxy Tab can be temperamental at times. This appendix gives you the steps to follow when your Tab is having…issues.

Make Sure Your Software Is Up to Date

No computer or Galaxy Tab is ever perfect; neither is any operating system. So tech companies (including Google, which makes the Galaxy Tab’s Android operating system, and Samsung, which manufactures the Galaxy Tab) constantly track down and fix bugs. In the case of your Galaxy Tab, those fixes come to you via software updates delivered wirelessly—called OTA (over the air) updates, via either Wi-Fi or a cellular connection.

So if you have a bug or other nagging problem with your Tab, there may already be a fix for it, via one of these updates. You get a notice that an update is available; you need to tap the notification to get the update started. Here’s how to install updates when you receive an update notification:

1. If you receive a notification, tap it. Tap “Install now” to install it, or “Install later” to put off the update until a later time. Tap “More info” to get more details about the update.

2. Tap “Install now,” and the update begins.

   You get a notice that your Galaxy Tab needs to reboot (shut down and restart) for the update to complete installing. Be patient, because it might take some time.

3. If you chose ...