Galaxy Tab: The Missing Manual

Chapter 4. Downloading and Using Apps

Apps, apps, and more apps. One of the main reasons you bought that shiny new Galaxy Tab is so you can get your hands on apps that do just about everything under the sun—and a few things that seem beyond the range of the solar system. In this chapter, you’ll find out how to download and use those apps, as well as how to uninstall and troubleshoot them.

Android’s Free and Easy Approach to Apps

Unlike the iPad, the Galaxy Tab, along with all other Android devices, takes a wide-open approach to apps. Google doesn’t step in to say what you can and can’t download. You’re free to choose from tens of thousands of apps, with thousands more being written every month. There are apps for tracking expenses, chatting with people, playing games, using social networks like Twitter, finding new friends, tuning your guitar, viewing maps of the night sky—even making your Tab work better.

Note

Some Android apps cost money, but many more are free. So whenever you find a for-pay app, search around to see whether you can find a free one that does the same thing.

These apps tie in to the Tab’s unique hardware and software. One even automatically detects potholes as you drive, using your Tab’s various sensors to measure sudden movements. The app then uses the Tab’s positioning software to locate exactly where the pothole is, and creates a text file with all the relevant information so you can send it to your local Department of Public Works. (Unfortunately, no app has yet ...