Android for newbies

15/12/2011 — AndroidZoom

I finally got an Android, and now… What?

Since my friends and acquaintances know that I’m working at Androidzoom.com reviewing apps and games, I’ve just become their geeky friend: the guy who they call when they’re struck on smartphones issues. They don’t mind at all if their doubts aren’t related to Android but other platforms: they assume that I got a cross-platform expertise. Well, that’s not really true. Although I try to keep abreast of stuff related to other platforms, my actual field is Android, with which I’m in my element.

After talking my friends into Android goodness for a long time, I got some of them buy an Android (I failed with others iFriends though). As many as my friends own an Android we get better user experience since we can recommend and share apps and enjoy them together. The only catch is that I have to give an “Introductory Master Class” to all of them each time one gets an Android device. Well, that’s not really a catch, I have to admit that deep down I like doing it.

I’ll try to list some of that quick tips that any new Android owner should take into account after unpacking their device. Of course, we could deepen any of these points, although it’ll have to be in next posts.

This is just a quick guide for Android newbies.

Battery

First off, you’ve probably chucked out a phone which battery last longer than the one you’re holding now. Batteries haven’t evolved as fast as mobile technology did. An Android is a powerful tool that allows you to take pictures and videos, play games, share content and stay connected 24/7. However, all this stuff drains lot of battery. You’ll have to get used to bring the charger always with you and plug it everyday. It’s like Andrew Niccol’s movie “In time”: you get a 24h-countdown to plug your Android back.
This is, obviously, a catch, I agree. However, what comes next are all advantages. Just an advice: there are apps that will help you to save battery, although better try to avoid “Task killers” miracles. What really will help you to extend your battery life are apps that control those resources that leak most battery, that’s it: screen filters, widgets to enable/disable WiFi/3G/4G and apps that monitor sync interval.

Phonebook and accounts

However, in this regard, smartphones have made a big leap. Since smartphones allows you to stay connected to the Internet, phonebook has been enhanced regarding sync, backup & restore and social integration. You can associate the different social networks profiles of your contacts on the phonebook: Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp… among others. From the phonebook you will be even able to share and post to them. What’s more, forget to copy one by one your phonebook when you change your mobile phone or import it from your SIM card. You will be able to backup your phonebook in different formats. What’s more, they will automatically sync with Google Contacts (Gmail).
And there comes an important issue: you need a Gmail account. You will need it to access the Android Market and other important features. Actually, that’s more than a need: it’s high recommendable and will make your life easier. If you don’t have a Gmail account, you can sign up from the phone. Gmail is one of the best rated Android apps: ease of use, fast, sync to check e-mails when offline… among lots of advantages. Just try it and you will see. Likewise, you will be able to sync another accounts from different e-mail server provider (Hotmail, Yahoo, etc)

Android Market: apps and games

Even more than the Internet connection, the keystone of the smartphones revolution are the apps (and games): they give new uses to our smartphones, beyond “calls” and “sms”. Since imagination has no limits, developers are working on new apps and games and hundreds of them are released everyday. Getting apps is as easy as launching the Android Market, searching the app you want and download it. It will be automatically installed in your device. You can also install apps from the .apk (the executable file of an Android app), by placing it on your device and launching it. From each Market app’s profile you will see app’s name, file size, rate, comments, developer description and other useful info. However, the info that provides the Android Market is quite limited so far. If you want to know more about the apps and games before downloading them you can visit Androidzoom: read reviews, watch videoreviews, check badges, sort apps by popularity, price, on sale,… among many other features.
You will find some paid apps as well. The Android Market payment system is totally secure, don’t hesitate on giving it a go: so you just need to choose your payment system preference and input your data. It will remember it for next payments. If you don’t want to get any paid app (although lots of them are worth), no worries: most of them have both paid and free version (look also for “Lite”, “Demo” versions).

Settings

I recommend you to spend a while toying the settings to get an idea of the amount of features you can set to your own. In the beginning it’s a bit complicate to get the hang of it, to know exactly where to change one or another feature. However, the “settings” menu is the “heart” of your Android device. Thus, the sooner you get used to it, the faster you will become an expert. From settings you will be able to change language, add new accounts, manage apps, set ringtones, enable WiFi, 3G or GPS, set display configuration, privacy options… among hundreds of features. You better try it yourself. What’s really good is that all Android devices share the same “settings” menu. There aren’t important changes even between Android OS versions.

The Daily use

Although you will probably try hundreds of apps and games, in the end you will use a limited amount of “daily” apps. The most used apps for most of the people I know are related to this categories:

  • Communication: Basically e-mail and instant messenger. Regarding e-mail, as I told you, Gmail is the most used app and, from my point of view, the best: ease of use, sync and integration with other tools. For instant messenger (well, actually phone-based pushed messenger) I’m using Whatsapp, but if you don’t like it there are tenths of alternatives: PingChat! (Touch), Kakaotalk, Kik Messenger… Although there are heaps of them, you will finally used the one that the most of your friends are using because there’s no integration among them. Try one of this app and you will realized why SMS have died.
  • Social Networks: Well, this depends on which SN you’re already using. There are Android apps for almost all of them (at least for all the most used): Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, G+,… What’s more, there are other client apps that allows you to manage multi-account: Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, Seesmic, Tweetcaster,…
  • News: You can keep updated about what’s happening out there thanks to your Android in three ways: checking Newspapers websites and magazines from the browser, downloading the official newspaper apps or with RSS feeds reader apps. This last is probably the fastest option and the one that I prefer but, you know, that’s a matter of taste.
  • Geo-location and mapping: Believe me, you’re going to use it more often than you think. And we got a winner in this regard: Google Maps. From it you can check maps (some even in 3D), places, local business, GPS, share your location, check-in… Google Maps is updated every week and new features are added.
  • Camera: There’s no need to download any app, there’s a default camera app and some devices even include effects and editing options. However, there are lots of camera apps that offer added-value: for editing, sharing (photo social networks) and even for playing.
  • Music: You can listen to your playlists on your device through apps of streaming services like Spotify, Grooveshark, Google Music,… from local music in your device or from radio apps.
  • Games: There are thousands of games on the market. Some of them are really worth and will end up with the boredom while waiting the metro. I’ll make you a list of the ones I liked most. Or better, follow Androidzoom blog as well as its Facebook, Twitter and G+ pages to get reviews and videoreviews of apps and games.

These are  just the basic tips you must know to start using your Android. From now, the way you manage your battery, the apps and games you download, the personalization and the daily use is up to you.

Anyway, if you have any question, you can always send a Whatsapp to that friend of yours who has achieved the upper level of Androidism.
Mr. Gálvez aka Mr. Lund knows from A as in Android to Z as in Zoom.


Posted in AndroidZoom, Tricks. Tags: , , , . No Comments »

Pocket videoreview #4 Molome

15/12/2011 — AndroidZoom
Our fourth pocket videoreview is about Molome, a photo social network especially created for photography lovers who want to share their personal tastes and upload their own pictures while they browse through the dashboard and find inspiration.  Pocket videoreviews feature our editor’s opinion and their main traits.

Posted in AndroidZoom, Pocket Videoreviews, Youtube. No Comments »

When I get an Android for Christmas

14/12/2011 — AndroidZoom

Well, in fact the title should be “if I get an Android for Christmas”. Hope you understand the nuance.

The following paragraphs contain what you may expect, for better and for worse, when you switch an Android on first time. Although it can be obvious to every actual smartphone user, I’ve tried to get into the skin of one of those ten million users who will switch on an Android for first time this Christmas. In particular, I’ve unboxed a brand new Nexus One, well aware that it’s neither a too expensive nor too new smartphone and that are not the size of the box nor the fanciness of the wrapping which determines the value of the gift. Don’t lose your Christmas spirit, ho ho ho!

OK, let’s get this started. Nexus One takes long to load and I don’t like that. Eventually the green bot appears welcoming in my first day. There they go the settings (Google location, Data & Time) which I do not want to go through just now, but fortunately they’re short and easy to set. First part is over and I’m very glad to be thinking that my mother would understood it as well. Perhaps I’m being too obvious, but someone has to explain it plainly, don’t you think?

Green bot continues messaging me, this time it talks about placing applications over the deserted desktop. “Drag your apps to your home screen!”, it says. Its wishes are my command so that’s what I do next. I tap on the bottom grid button and I see what’s in there. I might have not done anything yet, but the device already comes with several default apps, some of which are useful and some others which are not. Browser, Camera, Calendar, Clock, Contacts… those are the typical ones. I also have Books, Gmail, Facebook, Google Search, Gogle Maps, GTalk, Twitter and Youtube among others. I select the ones that I use most (that is Facebook, Twitter and Gmail) and I press on them until I sense the vibration, which means that they’re now on my homescreen menu. I drag and move them around until I have them right where I want them.

Then I swipe left to the other screen and start adding other apps like the camera and the calendar there. When I’m done, I simply tap on the green bot widget and drag it to the bin, it served its purpose. I want to connect my Nexus to the Wi-fi and after some failed attempts (password too long, why are 0 and O so similar?) I finally manage to do it. And then the adventure starts.

I sign in with my Google account and decide it’s already time to start exploring the market, already installed in my Nexus because I overwhelmed the seller about it when I bought it. It’s true that I could also visit AndroidZoom and read some reviews by the way, but as they are the typical apps I could not live without I prefer to go ahead: Whatsapp, IMDb and, why not, Angry Birds. There’ll be time to get lost out in the midst of the Androidverse and then I know I’ll appreciate my colleagues’ reviews in order to get some other casual game that may help me not to sleep during class. After that, it’s all about customization and appearance so I start setting my pictures and ringtones, which is quick and simple to do. You have to invest a while playing around with your newest toy, though, so in this regard isn’t different from any other smartphone I’ve had on my hands before.

And that’s about it, I think. I have everything I need.

Far from the truth. Because then, in that moment of apparent self-satisfaction, I think of my colleague Emmanuel, who is always changing the settings of his phone and doing incredibly strange things to it. I was always curious and now I want that, so I turn to him and ask him if he can help me turn my simple Android device into something more. But that, AndroidZoomers, is another story…that will be told tomorrow.

Despite her youth Ms. Grace is one of our oldest contributors

Posted in AndroidZoom, Tricks. Tags: , , , . No Comments »

Pocket videoreview #3 Launcher Pro

13/12/2011 — AndroidZoom

My Life Organized is the center of toda’s pocket videoreview. We want to introduce this organizer application and let you know everything about it. Discover what our reviewer thought about the app and find out its main advantages and disadvantages. Is your life organized enough? Try it out and learn it for sure.

Posted in AndroidZoom, Pocket Videoreviews, Youtube. No Comments »

5th Edition of AndroidZoom Cartoon Contest released

12/12/2011 — AndroidZoom
Here we are again, with a new edition of AndroidZoom Cartoon Contest. Christmas is just around the corner and its spirit has possessed Android or rather the opposite: Android has grabbed Christmas spirit. It seems that this Christmas is going to be greener than ever: Android growth is unstoppable and it’s expected that throughout Christmas a mob of new users will join the Android community. We took these three ideas: Christmas, green and Android community, to give birth the 5th Edition of AndroidZoom Cartoon Contest, this time starring The Grinch, although from a different approach.
.
.
As you can see, the bubble is blank: we expect you to fill it with witty, fun and original dialogues. Participating is as easy as attending this Facebook Event and posting your proposal on the wall. You can propose as many dialogues as you want until the deadline: December 19th at noon.

The winner will be chosen by AndroidZoom among all the dialogues posted. Although likes will be taken into account, other regards like wit, humour and originality will play a decisive role. Bear in mind that any user, developer, website or brand can post dialogues. It’s open to everyone. Indeed, this cartoon is unfinished because we expect all the members that made Android community up to work together on it. This is what Christmas spirit is about, isn’t it?

The complete cartoon with the chosen dialogue will be signed by the winner as a prize. Check out the AZC Album of previous editions to know how it works. Likewise, his/her name will be published on Facebook, Twitter and AndroidZoom blog the day after the deadline (December 20th).

You can get a personalized Android-like Christmas gift. It all depends on your wit and creativity.

Do you accept the challenge?

Posted in AndroidZoom, AndroidZoomCartoon, Developers, Google, Green. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . No Comments »

Pocket videoreview #2 Launcher Pro

09/12/2011 — AndroidZoom

The second pocket videoreview is here. We hope you enjoyed watching the first one and discovering its features. As usual, the video review features one enhanced application, this time is Launcher Pro, one of the most popular launchers for Android. If you watch the videoreview you can access to all the information about it and even download it with the QR code. Let us know what you think about it.

Posted in AndroidZoom, Pocket Videoreviews. No Comments »

Wonders of yore

07/12/2011 — AndroidZoom

We’re in medieval mood!

If Android was the Moon, there’s a dark side where most Android users never look at: paid games. Freemium and ad-supported games are the prevailing trend, while nearly all paid games have a demo or trial version to put our hands on first.

However, some developers strongly believe that their games are worth purchasing. It’s a risky move that, when borne out by experience, backed up by a great idea and endorsed by outstanding human and technical resources, can succeed. If we add some middle age aroma to the formula we may talk about a potion which makes invincible only who dares to drink it without blinking.

We’re proud to recommend these three great games below. They have in common three main things: they cost less than you think, they are medieval themed and they have been quite a surprise in the midst of rough seas of casual gaming. Treat yourself to a gift with these three wonderful games worth absolutely paying for:

Carcassone is one of those fun games that actually deserved to be converted from board to device. It has the essence of nearly every modern European board game: easy to learn, hard to master; lovely little wooden pieces and a non-military theme; and somewhat pedagogy everywhere.

It’s the perfect game to make more enjoyable long car, bus or train trips. Perhaps you can play Carcassonne on the go and save Catan by the time you get home.

.

Carcassonne
Discover more Android apps

It isn’t either chess or checkers but requires even more raw strategy than the aforementioned game. Castle Warriors is a quite innovative game in which it’d be better if you worry more about tactics instead of silly upgrades. It proves that everything isn’t invented yet and there’s still room for new and creative ways of spending our leisure time.

.

.

.

Castle Warriors
Discover more Android apps

The mere mention of thist name has to be able to get you goosebumps. It probably was the best thing not only ever done, but ever conceived. It was the precursor of what we call “quick time events” nowadays. It was created by Don Bluth, the same who, among many other things, drew the Land before Time (aka “In pursuit of the Enchanted Valley”) and The Secret of Nimh.

In short, anyone who has ever wanted to revive that so 80′s feeling or would wanted to speculate how videogames could be if things had turned out somewhat different, here’s Dragon’s Lair.

You know we love those developers who know how rummage through our childhood in order to bring back its most precious jewels. Who would have thought that we would play Dragon’s Lair on a phone?

Dragon’s Lair
Discover more Android apps

Posted in AndroidZoom, Games, Reviews. Tags: , , , , , , , , , . No Comments »

Pocket videoreview #1 Noogra Nuts

07/12/2011 — AndroidZoom

Today, we want to introduce our first pocket videoreview featuring Noogra Nuts, a really popular casual game. The pocket videoreviews follow our review’s philosophy: short but powerful. We have over 60 now and they all feature the apps’ most important characteristics and other information extracted from full reviews of our editors; enabling users to have a closer look at the application and helping them decide. Discover AndroidZoom’s first pocket videoreview and let us know what you think about it!

Posted in AndroidZoom, Pocket Videoreviews. No Comments »

The Android family

05/12/2011 — AndroidZoom
What makes so interesting belonging to a community in which every single user can develop and launch their own apps it’s that any type of app can be found. Since there are thousands of users sharing interest and lacks, it’s expected that come out apps to provide their needs. In this regard, there are families already using Android with specific needs and interest. Lots of apps are coming up pursuing covering that needs. We wanted to introduce you some of them in last week’s posts, and this time, we come with a new navigable videoreview on three apps that will make families life easier. Discover how Android can help you to take care of your loved ones, specially if you have kids. Check this out!

Hope you enjoy it

Posted in AZ Week, AndroidZoom, Apps, Videoreviews, Youtube. Tags: , , , , , , , , , . No Comments »

New Growing Pains got Android

01/12/2011 — AndroidZoom

As we introduced in the previous post, technology doesn’t have to be somewhat dangerous neither for children nor the relationship they maintain with their parents. Actually, technology becomes a great tool for families when it is used properly. However, the problem lies precisely on this issue: how to use technology to our profit. Smartphones have made it simple. Lots of developers are working hard on user-friendly apps and games to be used by kids and parents alike. What’s more, they’re giving new uses to our smartphones: uses that we could even imagine a few years ago. By now, smartphones allows us to entertain our children with games while they learn shapes and colours, to read fairy tales to help them to fall sleep, monitor their (and our) health or keep us updated about where your loves ones are, among dozens of other uses. So, it’s time to make the most of technology and take advantage of the simplicity and originality of the apps and games that are coming out. Don’t be afraid of it: the best results are for those who’ve used the best tools to achieve them.

Let’s start from the beginning. No matter how different we’re compared with the previous generation, there’s something that cannot change: telling fairy tales to children before going to sleep. They love it and experts recommend keeping doing it since it strengthen kids’ learning and imagination. However, you realize that one day 15 years ago you probably threw away your old fairy tales. No worries. If you have an Android, the solution is in your pocket. Fairy Tales with Pictures is just one of the pile of apps of this kind you can find on the Android market.

However, we liked this one due to two reasons: its simplicity, short fairy tales to read in barely 5-10 minutes; and because it contains (obviously) pictures that you can show to your children while reading.

Fairy Tales with pictures
Discover more Android apps

There are some kids who’ve problems with sleeping in one go. Maybe that’s your kids case. There’s an Android app that can help you to monitor your kids’ sleeping as well as yours. Sleep as Android is a sleep phases tracker that provides you with stats about how you or your kids slept. This way you will know if they do it in one go or if they stay away during the night. What’s more, by knowing their sleep phases you can calculate the best time to wake them up. Actually, there’s an smart alarm that can wake them up when they’re in a light sleep phase. You just need to place the phone close to their bed. It will automatically detect sounds and moves to track stats.

.

Sleep as Android
Discover more Android apps

Not all in life is sleeping and taking care. There’s also room for playing and enjoying with your kids. Scrabble is one of those classic games to be played with all the family together after having lunch. What’s more, is an educational game: while you and your kids enjoy playing it, they’re learning new words and how to make and spell them.

The classic board game has some catches: the main was the loss of chips. Forget that, Scrabble for Android works perfectly and keep you away from that situations.

The only flaw is that there are some country restrictions to download it (full available in the US).

SCRABBLE Free
Discover more Android apps

Posted in AZ Week, AndroidZoom, Apps, Reviews. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment »
«
Newer posts » »