Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tips for Android Beginners

There are 6 general actions which can be used on a typical Android device.

You firstly have the 4 command buttons at the bottom of the screen.

They are (in random order), "back", "menu", "home", "search".

The back button always brings you back a previous action. Much like the back button of a internet browser.

The menu button brings up a context menu. This menu shows additional options and/or settings depending on the context. ie. the options and/or settings shown differs in different scenarios.

The home button always brings your to your main CENTRE home screen (you have screens both left and right unless you are using Samsung Android devices). If you hold down on home, your 8 most recently used apps will appear for fast app switching. The home screen of the Android is fully customizable from setting wallpapers to widgets to icons. The rest of your apps will be within the app drawer. Unlike the iPhone, your apps will NOT all appear at the home screen. Only those which you choose to be shown are there.

The search button is also a context search button which basically let you search anything under the sun. From your apps, to music, to contacts, to the internet, etc. If you hold down on the search button, you will activate the voice command.

The second last action will be our usual swiping and pinching action.

The last action, and most important action, will be the long press. Sometimes when you cannot get your desired action using the menu button, you can press and hold your finger on the screen, on the target, to get your desired action to appear.
eg. Long press on a link in the browser, you will get loads of option to either copy, open in new tab, save, etc etc.
Or long press on an empty area on your homescreen to get options to change your wallpaper etc etc.
Or long press on an icon to move or delete it.

Just remember, if you wanna try to do something and you cant seem to do it, LONG PRESS! You most probably will get it :)

Try them out! Explore! And love your Android :)

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