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New to Android? Welcome to Android Advice!

Posted Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 7:59 am by Antonio Wells 10 Comments

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As more wireless carriers adopt Google Android, many new consumers ask frequently how to do common tasks on their Android phone. This section is dedicated to offering Android Advice to new and experienced Android consumers. There will be more to come, however here are the top 6 frequently asked questions by new Android users:

1. What Android apps should I download?

There are many list all over the web, even many on our website (coming from Blackberry to Android… see this list). We’ll list a few must have best Android apps to get you started:

• Must Have: Astro File Manager, use this app to browse files on your SD card. Bar Code Scanner, use this app to scan the QR bard codes with all of our reviews to quick link you to apps in the Android Market!
• Task Management: TasKiller
• Battery/Power Management: Power Manager or Screebl
• Email: K9 Mail or Exchange by Touchdown
• Music: Pandora or Meridian Player
• Home Screen Customization: aHome or SlideScreen
• Productivity & Note-Taking: Astrid or Evernote

Keep visiting www.AndroidTapp.com for the best Android app recommendations.

2. How do I setup email accounts?

First gather your POP3 or IMAP protocol access information. Launch Email > type email address and password > Choose either POP3 or IMAP account > enter Incoming POP3 or IMAP protocol information > enter Outgoing information > choose whether email account is default.

3. How do I save battery power?

Try turning off Bluetooth, Wifi and GPS when not needed. Try to minimize update intervals of some apps such as Facebook and Twitter from the settings menu. There are apps to help manage battery power for you such as Power Manager.

4. How do I Customize my phone?

There are many home screen customization apps to give a completely different experience; popular apps include  aHome, Open Home and SlideScreen.

5. How do I set Ringtones?

Either purchase them from sources like Amazon MP3 or download free with Mabilo Ringtones.

To place your own MP3 songs as ringtones go to the Android Market to download “Rings Extended“. Plug your phone to computer via USB cable. An icon will appear in the top left notification bar, slide the bar down (this is called the window shade). Tap USB connected > Mount > on your computer a new drive will appear > drag your own MP3 files to the drive > tap home button > Menu button > Settings > Sound & display > Phone ringtone > choose Rings Extended to browse your MP3 files on the phone.

6. How do I import my Contacts from SIM card?

From home screen tap Menu > Contacts > Menu > Import contacts > Import All (“Import” allows for single imports)

Have more questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below or Contact Us!

Related Posts:

• Best HTC EVO Android Apps
• Best Motorola DROID X Android Apps
• Android Advice Part 2
• SlideScreen

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Tags: Android Advice, Android App, Android App Recommendations, Android App Reviews, New Android Users

10 Responses to “New to Android? Welcome to Android Advice!”

1. NUAH P TARIGAN says:

   February 23, 2010 at 4:46 pm

   thanks for this

   Reply
2. r craig says:

   April 10, 2010 at 9:09 am

   how do I share pictures?

   Reply
3. Scott says:

   April 13, 2010 at 9:29 am

   How n do you download music from I tunes library with mac to droid

   Reply
   • Mike says:

     June 23, 2010 at 10:15 pm

     Download DoubleTwist. There’s a free app for your phone, and one you download to your computer. Once it’s installed, you can transfer music and video out of iTunes and onto your phone, as long as the file isn’t protected.

     Reply
4. Deborah says:

   April 27, 2010 at 1:13 am

   Okay so I get my mail on my hero through gmail. I have recieved some video’s in my e-mail. So I have downloaded them and then saved them to my sd card which it askes. Well I go into albums and there is no video. So it is in my sd card but where is my sd card and how do I get the video that is in it. I can come to my pc and mount the card and then it will play. Is there a way I can get it directly to my phone and watch it on my phone…..w/out my pc?

   Thanks.

   Reply
   • Android Tapp says:

     April 27, 2010 at 6:55 am

     Sounds like the videos are in a format that Android phones can’t read/recognize. Currently, they playback: 3GP and MP4; and do not playback: WMV, MPG, etc.

     Reply
5. DanO says:

   May 11, 2010 at 3:25 pm

   Why do so many apps that seem really useful require access to areas of the phone that they really shouldn’t need.

   Zxing’s Bar Code scanner wants to access the browser history, bookmarks read/write contact data-why? Where are all the tech privacy advocates on this-not a single article that I’ve seen.

   Why do I only see QR bar code links [on all the Android app sites] that only point to Google’s Android Market, when they could simply provide a link to the apk?

   Think about it, if you don’t want to give access to your history and contacts, you wouldn’t have the means to scan the QR code right?

   Reply
   • Android Tapp says:

     May 12, 2010 at 8:22 am

     @DanO I pondered this too until I asked a few developers then it made sense.

     You see bar code scanner apps do far more than scan and spit back a numerical value. QR Codes are capable of storing: Calendar events, Contact info, email addresses, geo-location data, phone numbers, SMS text messages, plain text and URLs. Did you know you can create a QR code of your own contact info for someone else to scan and save in their phone without typing a thing? That said, these types of apps are capable of sending the various data to those uncommon areas.

     You see QR Codes on many Android sites as it was a solution we as a community of websites provided to ease the frustration from many users not being able to link to apps easily from the Web. Google still has not addressed this issue. Further more there is no direct link to APKs in Google’s official Android Market; as this is a way to control and monitor downloads and purchase plus somewhat curb piracy. However you can find APKs to download directly from app developers themselves.

     Reply
6. DanO says:

   May 16, 2010 at 9:35 pm

   Wow, bar codes can do all that? Really?

   Give me a break, we all knew about the capabilities of bar codes in the early ’70’s. Cell phones have been able to move contact info for quite a while with Bluetooth, hell, my old Palm III could move that same data with IR.

   You’re not really addressing my questions.

   An *.apk file is just a file and can be linked to, and downloaded like anything else. HTC Sync provides a simple installer.

   There isn’t any real reason for a bar code reader to access your contact information, and browser history as a default unchangeable action.

   There isn’t any real reason for an application developer to snuggle up to Google and only make their applications available through “the market”.

   There are people, believe it or not, who don’t have a GMail account. Some people don’t really like Google’s infiltration any more than they do Facebook’s.

   I’d like to see coverage of legit applications that area available without going to “the market” and giving up more personal information.

   I’m sure you’ve seen the news by now:

   Google’s Wi-fi snooping is a disgrace
   http://www.thinq.co.uk/comment/2010/5/16/googles-wi-fi-snooping-is-a-disgrace/

   Reply
   • Android Tapp says:

     May 17, 2010 at 7:11 am

     Here is a simple and easy answer for you then. If you are not comfortable with Google services, privacy practices, and apps that should not access areas you are not comfortable with… then Stop using them! No one is forcing you to use them.

     Reply