Android Phones For Dummies. Dan Gookin

camera: The rear camera is found on the phone’s back. It may be accompanied by one or two LED flash gizmos.

      

USB/Power connector: Use this important connector to attach the phone’s USB cable. That cable is used both to charge the phone and communicate with a computer. This connector might be on the side of the phone, but more commonly it’s found bottom center.

      Take a moment to locate all the items mentioned in this section, as well as shown in Figure 1-2, on your own phone. It’s important that you know where they are.

      ✔ Additional items you might want to locate on your phone, items not illustrated in Figure 1-2, include the SIM card cover and media card slot. Use of these features is covered earlier in this chapter.

      ✔ Some phones, such as those in the Samsung Galaxy line, feature a physical button called the Home key. This key is found below the touchscreen.

      ✔ The Galaxy Note line of phones features a pointing device, in the form of a digital stylus called an S Pen. It docks at the phone’s bottom edge.

      ✔ The phone’s microphone picks up your voice, loud and clear. You don’t need to hold the phone at an angle for the microphone to work.

Using earphones

      You don’t need to use earphones to get the most from your Android phone, but it helps! If the nice folks who sold you the phone tossed in a pair earphones, that’s wonderful! If they didn’t, well then, they weren’t so nice, were they?

      The most common type of cell phone earphones are the earbud style: You set the buds into your ears. The sharp, pointy end of the earphones, which you don’t want to stick into your ear, plugs into the phone’s headphone jack.

      Between the earbuds and the sharp, pointy thing, you might find a doodle on which a button sits. The button can be used to mute the phone or to start or stop the playback of music when the phone is in its music-playing mode.

      You can also use the doodle button to answer the phone when it rings.

      A teensy hole on the doodle serves as a microphone. The mic allows you to wear the earphones and talk on the phone while keeping your hands free. If you gesture while you speak, you’ll find this feature invaluable.

      ✔ Some phones come with a set of earphones. If yours did not, you can purchase a set at any electronics store where the employees wear name tags. Ensure that the headset features a microphone.

      ✔ Some headsets feature extra doodle buttons, such as Forward and Reverse buttons. Though the headset may work fine with your phone, the extra buttons probably don’t do anything specific.

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Be sure to fully insert the earphone connector into the phone. The person you’re talking with can’t hear you well when the earphones are plugged in only part of the way.

      ✔ You can also use a Bluetooth headset with your phone, to listen to a call or some music. See Chapter 17 for more information on Bluetooth.

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Fold the earphones when you put them away, as opposed to wrapping them in a loop. Put the earbuds and connector in one hand, and then pull the wire straight out with the other hand. Fold the wire in half and then in half again. You can then put the earphones in your pocket or on a tabletop. By folding the wires, you avoid creating something that looks like a wire ball of Christmas tree lights.

Adding accessories

      Beyond earphones, you can find an entire Phone Store full of accessories and baubles that you can obtain for your Android phone. The variety is seemingly endless, and the prices, well, they ain’t cheap. Here are some of your choices:

      Phone case: Protect your phone by getting it a jacket, one that further expresses your individuality.

      Screen protectors: These clear plastic sheets adhere to the touchscreen, protecting it from scratches and other abuse. Ensure that you get screen protectors designed specifically for your phone.

      Belt clip: To sate your envy of Batman’s utility belt, consider getting a fine leatherette or Naugahyde phone case that you can quickly attach to your belt.

      Car charger: This gizmo connects your phone to the car’s 12-volt battery source. If you’re over 40, the power source was once known as a cigarette lighter.

      Car mount: This device holds your Android phone so that you can easily see it while driving. It makes for easier access, although these things are forbidden in some states. See Chapter 17 for information on using Bluetooth in your car for hands-free phone operations.

      MicroSD Card: When your phone supports this type of removable storage, consider buying this memory card. See the earlier section “Installing a MicroSD card.”

      Dock: This is a heavy base into which you can set your phone. Some docks are simple cradles that prop up the phone for easy bedside viewing. Others are more sophisticated, offering USB connectors and maybe even a real keyboard.

      Wireless charger: Not every phone can be charged wirelessly, but if yours can, definitely get a wireless charger. Simply set your phone on the pad or prop it up in the dock. The phone’s battery starts magically recharging.

      Screencasting dongle: This accessory connects to an HDTV or computer monitor. Once configured, it allows you to cast the phone’s screen onto the larger-screen device. It’s ideal for watching movies, Netflix, or YouTube videos or for enjoying music. Google’s Chromecast is an example of a screencasting gizmo.

      A Home for Your Phone

      Homes built in the 1930s and 1940s often featured a special hole in the wall called a phone cubby. It was the shrine in which you would find the home’s hard-wired phone. You should treat your Android phone with similar reverence and respect.

Toting your Android phone

      The compactness of the modern cell phone makes it perfect for a pocket or even the teensiest of party purses. And its well-thought-out design means you can carry your phone in your pocket or handbag without fearing that something will accidentally turn it on, dial Mongolia, and run up a heck of a cell phone bill.

      Your Android phone most likely features a proximity sensor, so you can even keep the phone in your pocket while you’re on a call. The proximity sensor disables the touchscreen, which ensures that nothing accidentally gets touched when you don’t want it to be touched.

      ✔ Though it’s okay to place the phone somewhere when you’re making a call, be careful not to touch the phone’s Power/Lock key (refer to Figure 1-2). Doing so may temporarily enable the touchscreen, which can hang up a call, mute the phone, or do any of a number of undesirable things.

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Don’t forget that you’ve placed the phone in your pocket, especially in your coat or jacket. You might accidentally sit on the phone, or it can fly out when you peel off your coat. The worst fate for any cell phone is to take a trip through the wash. I’m sure your phone has nightmares about it.

Storing the phone

      I recommend that you find a single place for your phone when you’re not taking it with you: on top of your desk or workstation, in the kitchen, on the nightstand – you get the idea. Phones are as prone to being misplaced as are your car keys and glasses. Consistency is the key to finding your phone.

      Then again, your phone rings, so you can always have someone else call your cell phone to help you locate it.

      ✔ If available, a docking station makes a handsome, permanent location for your Android phone.

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