What is a smartphone?
Basically, a smartphone is a completely ordinary phone that you can call and send text messages with, but it can do much more than that. A smartphone is also connected to the internet – and allows you to read emails, update Facebook, surf, listen to music, watch TV, read e-books … Yes, almost everything you are used to doing on a computer also works to do with a smartphone.
Your smartphone also has features that are not always available in a computer. There is, for example, a built-in GPS and compass, which ensures that you never have to get lost again. Just pick up a map on your mobile and your current position or directions will be displayed live.
A smartphone also has a built-in camera, like you can immediately use to post pictures or videos on the
Unlike a regular phone, a smartphone is not controlled with any buttons. Instead, it has a touch screen that allows you to navigate by tapping the screen and swiping with your finger. To type text, bring up the image of a keyboard, and then type by tapping the letter.
At first, this may feel awkward, but you can get used to it quickly.
What is Android?
Three major smartphone systems compete with each other.
iOS, which is used in Apple Iphone, Windows Phone, which has been developed by Microsoft and which is used in Nokia’s new phones and Android, which has been developed by Google. Here we focus only on Android.
Android is the most used system, and the explanation is that it is open. All manufacturers can use it, and there are Android phones made by everything from well-known Samsung and Sony to Chinese low-cost players such as Huawei.
Android is not only used in mobile phones but also in so-called tablets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Motorola Xoom.
What do the version numbers mean?
In the PC world, we are used to there being different versions of the operating system, for example -Windows XP and Windows 7. The same is true with Android, and this is indicated by numbers. The higher the number, the newer the version – and the more features and functions. In mobile phones, Android 2.3 is most common, while tablets often run Android 3. Around the corner awaits Android 4, which works on both tablets and mobiles.
As soon as a new version is available, a message will appear in your phone, and you can then run an update. You can also click on Settings, about phone, Software update, to see if there is one.
Unfortunately, you can not upgrade Android on your own. The prerequisite for this to be possible is that the phone manufacturer has adapted your model to the new Android version.
It can be mentioned that the different Android versions also have different tasty names. Version 1.5 was called Cupcake, 2.3 for Gingerbread, 3.0 for Honeycomb and 4 for Ice Cream Sandwich.
What is an application?
In the smartphone world – apps are called apps, but it’s basically the same thing.
If you get the Runkeeper app, for example, you can let your smartphone keep track of how much you run and with the help of
Wordfeud lets you play the alphabet while Officesuite is a complete office suite.
How do I install an app?
To get an app, click on the Apps screen icon and select Play Store. Now you come to Google’s app marketplace, where you can search by name or browse to a specific category. Once you have found the app you want, click Download to install it.
If an app costs money, you must fill in your credit card number.
What is a widget?
In addition to apps, there are also so-called widgets in the Android world. The difference is that a widget is always active, and that it is visible on your Home screen. For example, a widget can be used to view current weather, your personal calendar, a world clock, or your friends’ Facebook updates.
To add a widget, press the Menu key and select Add, Widgets. By clicking, the widget ends up on your home page. If you want to delete a widget, tap it for a few seconds. Then a trash can appears, and by dragging your widget here, you throw it away.
You install new widgets the same way you install apps, and you can find them on Google Play.
Do I have to run apps?
Apps and widgets work well for things you do often, such as emailing, updating Facebook and checking the calendar. However, getting an app is not a must. Just as with computers, a lot can be done via the phone’s built-in browser. For example, if you only want to find out about a train time, it is easier to browse to the website than to install their app.
To browse, tap the Applications screen icon and select Browser. Enter the web address, just as you are used to on the computer. Ordinary web pages are unfortunately confusing on the phone’s small screen, and you can therefore often surf to a special mobile page instead.
What is an app?
The word app comes from the English application and is really just another word for program.
Nowadays, people usually talk about programs in the computer world and apps in the mobile world, but the demarcation is quite unclear. For example, Microsoft calls the free version of Office that you can run through the Web browser on standard Windows computers for Office Web Apps.
What apps are on the phone?
When you buy a new phone, it contains a number of popular apps. Some are included in Android while others come from the mobile manufacturer.
Of course, you do not need to use these programs. For example, if you think the pre-installed calendar is bad, you can install another one. You can also download apps that replace the phone’s keyboard, camera or texting app.
Do the apps cost money?
There are both free apps and those that cost money, just as we are used to in the computer world. However, the apps that cost money are rarely particularly expensive. Among the ten most popular pay apps, no one costs more than 3 dollars, and you get most for just 8 dollars.
Where do I buy an app?
Unlike in the computer world, mobile apps are never delivered on CD or DVD. You always buy them digitally, and as a rule, you do it directly from your mobile via Google’s marketplace Play. Here they are presented in a common way, and you download the app from Google’s servers. If it costs money, you pay to Google, which then transfers money to the manufacturer.
All of this makes it easy to get new apps.
Does Google save my account number?
If you choose to purchase an app, you fill in your account information, and these are saved at Google. In other words, the next time you shop, you do not have to fill in the information again.
If you find this uncomfortable, you can go to wallet.google.com/manage. Log in with the same information that you use in your phone and click on Payment methods. Now you can remove the card, and the next time you buy something, you will have to fill in the information again.
In Google Wallet, you can also see what you have purchased, both in your smartphone and from other Google services.
Purchase mode. The first time you buy an app that costs money, you register your debit card information with Google wallet.
Are the apps secure?
Anyone who runs Android’s worst competitor iPhone does not have to be nervous about downloading apps. All iPhone apps are reviewed in advance, which makes security high.
This is not the case in the Android world, even if malicious apps are removed from Google Play afterwards.
How do I close an app?
Unlike in a computer, most apps do not have a power button. What you do when you want to quit is instead to use the Back or Home button to return to the home screen.
Should you wish to close an app by force, you can do so using Advanced Task Killer. It is an app that shows a list of programs that are running, and that allows you to quit it completely.
You can find the Advanced Task Killer app by searching for it in Google Play (see instructions below).
End. With Advanced Task Killer you can end programs by force.
What happens when I change my phone?
All apps that you have installed are linked to your user account. If you get a new phone and use the same login on it, you can easily reinstall them. This applies to both free apps and those that cost money.
To see which apps you have installed, go to play.google.com and sign in. Click on My Android apps and a list will appear.
Clear and delete apps
A common problem with Android is that memory runs out. Above all, slightly older mobiles get full quickly, and then you can not install more apps.
The solution is to delete apps you do not use, and you do this by pressing the Menu button and opening Settings. Scroll down and open Apps (named -previous Applications), Manage apps. Tap an app and select Uninstall.
Unfortunately, some manufacturers have removed the option to uninstall the pre-installed apps, in which case the uninstall box is grayed out.
Another option is Move to SD card. As a rule, it is the phone’s internal memory that is fully fastest, and by moving an app to the memory card, you save valuable space. However, this does not work with all apps.
How to control your updates
There are constantly new app versions that should be safer and better. To update an app, tap the application screen icon and open the Play Store (formerly called Android Market). Press the Menu key and select My apps. Now you see which apps you have installed, and by clicking on an app and selecting Update, you download the latest update.
An alternative is to let the phone download the updates automatically, and you do this by scrolling down and checking the Allow auto-update box.
You must then click the Menu button and select Settings, General. Here you check for Update
If you update an app, you get the latest version.
Check the app’s permissions
An Android app can access almost all the information in your smartphone. If you are unsure of what an individual app can do, you can see what permissions it has by pressing on the Menu key and select Settings. Scroll down to Apps and select Manage apps. At the bottom of the information page, you can see what the app is allowed to do.
To read the information:
- Your personal information. The app can read and change your calendar, contact information, send emails, read web history and more.
- Services that cost money. The app can call toll numbers and send text messages.
- Your messages. The app can read and edit SMS
- Your location. The app can see where you are using GPS. Network communication. The app has access to the internet and
can create bluetooth connections. - Storage. The app can delete and change the contents of the sd card. Controls for hardware. The app can change the audio
settings. - Phone calls. The app can see the status of the phone and block
ongoing conversation. - System tools. The app can format storage devices, download apps and make other system settings.
You can see exactly what an app can do with your computer by checking its permissions
Allowing risky programs
Most apps are distributed through Google’s Play marketplace, but there are manufacturers who do not want to go this route. The Norton Security security package is one such example.
To install such a program, your permission is required, and you do so by pressing the Menu button and select Settings, Apps. At the top are alternatives
Unknown sources, and it must be selected for the phone to be unlocked.
This is something you may need to do temporarily, but you should avoid always having this “shortcut” open as it exposes your phone to a greater security risk.
Risky. Accepting unknown sources increases both risk and flexibility.
How to download an app from Google Play
Open Google Play
The easiest way to download apps is to use Google Play. It is Google’s own marketplace for apps, and it was formerly called Android Market.
To access Google Play, tap the application screen icon and locate the Play Store (or Android Market). The icon looks like a shopping cart.
Browse the apps
When you open Google Play, a section called Current is displayed, and by swiping left or right, you’ll find more sections.
Under Categories, you can search for apps in specific areas. You can also select Top Seller to see the apps that sell best or Best Free Apps. To open a subsection, tap it. If you know exactly which app you are looking for, you can tap the magnifying glass at the top right and enter one or more keywords.
Read more about the app
No matter which way you go, you end up on the app’s presentation page.
At the top you will see a number of screenshots that show what the app looks like. You can also read a description and a summary of any news for the app.
To get an idea of how good the app is, you can scroll down to Reviews. Here are ratings from other users and their reviews.
At the very bottom you will find information about the app’s developers.
Download an app
All free apps have a button called Download (or Install), and to download it, simply tap and select Accept and Download. Now an icon is created among your other programs, tap on it and the app will start.
If you choose an app that costs money, the Download button is replaced by a price tag. Tap it to make your purchase and then select Continue. For the first time, you must provide your debit card number, as well as other information. Confirm with Save. Finish your one click on Accept and buy.
You have 15 minutes to test the app. If you are not — satisfied, you can click on Refund to uninstall the app. You then do not have to pay
Read more about the app
No matter which way you go, you end up on the app’s presentation page.
At the top you will see a number of screenshots that show what the app looks like. You can also read a description and a summary of any news for the app.
To get an idea of how good the app is, you can scroll down to Reviews. Here are ratings from other users and their reviews.
At the very bottom you will find information about the app’s developers.
How to protect yourself from dangerous apps
Make sure your phone can only download apps from Google Play by pressing on the Menu button, select Settings, Apps and uncheck Unknown Sources.
Read the description of the app in Google Play. If it is new and untested, it may be wise to wait to install it.
Read user comments under Reviews. If there is a problem, it should stand.
Check out the publisher: select Visit Developer’s Website. If it is an unknown company, you can search for information to see if something seems suspicious.
Check what the app is actually authorized to do (see above), and remove the apps that you think can do too much.
Get a security package for Android. It protects against malicious apps in the same way as an antivirus program in your computer.
There are many free programs in the play store.
- McAfee Mobile -Security
- Avast
- AVG