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DROIDS Made Simple For the DROID, DROID X, DROID 2,
and DROID 2 Global
■ ■ ■
Martin Trautschold Gary Mazo Marziah Karch
ii
Droids Made Simple: For the Droid, Droid X, Droid 2, and Droid 2 Global
Copyright © 2010 by Martin Trautschold, Gary Mazo, and Marziah Karch
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher.
ISBN 978-1-4302-3279-7
ISBN 978-1-4302-3280-3
Printed and bound in the United States of America 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Trademarked names, logos, and images may appear in this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, logo, or image we use the names, logos, and images only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark.
The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights.
President and Publisher: Paul Manning Lead Editor: Steve Anglin Development Editor: James Markham Technical Reviewer: Phil Nicklinson Editorial Board: Steve Anglin, Mark Beckner, Ewan Buckingham, Gary Cornell, Jonathan Gennick,
Jonathan Hassell, Michelle Lowman, Matthew Moodie, Duncan Parkes, Jeffrey Pepper, Frank Pohlmann, Douglas Pundick, Ben Renow-Clarke, Dominic Shakeshaft, Matt Wade, Tom Welsh
Coordinating Editor: Laurin Becker Copy Editor: Mary Behr, Mary Ann Fugate, Patrick Meador Compositor: MacPS, LLC Indexer: BIM Indexing & Proofreading Services Cover Designer: Anna Ishchenko
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The information in this book is distributed on an “as is” basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author(s) nor Apress shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this work.
(eBook)
■ CONTENTS AT A GLANCE
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From Martin and Gary:
This book is dedicated to our families—to our wives, Julie and Gloria, and to our kids, Sophie, Livvie and Cece, and Ari, Dan, Sara, Billy, Elise and Jonah.
Without their love, support, and understanding, we could never take on projects like this one.
From Marziah:
This book is dedicated to my husband, Harold, the best stay-at-home dad our kids could ever have, and to our kids, Pari and Kiyan. Their support makes it possible, and their praise makes it worthwhile.
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Contents at a Glance
■Contents ......................................................................................................... vi ■About the Authors ......................................................................................... xix ■About the Technical Reviewer ........................................................................ xx ■Acknowledgments ......................................................................................... xxi Part I: Quick Start Guide ..................................................................................... 1■Getting Around Quickly .................................................................................... 3Part II: Introduction .......................................................................................... 29■Introduction ................................................................................................... 31Part III: You and Your DROID. . . ........................................................................ 37■Chapter 1: Getting Started ............................................................................. 39■Chapter 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search .................................................. 67■Chapter 3: Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account ............................... 97■Chapter 4: Other Sync Methods ................................................................... 105■Chapter 5: Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity .......................................................... 127■Chapter 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets ....................... 137■Chapter 7: Making Phone Calls ................................................................... 151■Chapter 8: Bluetooth on Your DROID ........................................................... 189■Chapter 9: Email on Your DROID .................................................................. 197■Chapter 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging ......................................... 221■Chapter 11: Surfing the Web ....................................................................... 239■Chapter 12: Working with Contacts ............................................................. 257■Chapter 13: Managing Your Calendar.......................................................... 273
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■Chapter 14: Enjoying Your Music ................................................................ 287■Chapter 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More ..................................... 311■Chapter 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books .......................................................... 325■Chapter 17: The Android Market ................................................................. 343■Chapter 18: Taking Photos and Videos ........................................................ 365■Chapter 19: Finding Your Way With Maps ................................................... 391■Chapter 20: Social Media and Skype ........................................................... 409■Chapter 21: Working With Notes and Documents ........................................ 437■Chapter 22: Fun and Games ........................................................................ 469■Chapter 23: Utilities: Clock, Calculator, and Weather ................................. 479■Chapter 24: Troubleshooting ....................................................................... 493Part III: Sync Media to your DROID ................................................................. 505■Chapter 25: DROID Media Sync.................................................................... 507■Appendix: DRIOD App Guide ........................................................................ 525■Index ............................................................................................................ 557
vi
Contents
■Contents at a Glance ....................................................................................... iv■About the Authors ......................................................................................... xix■About the Technical Reviewer ........................................................................ xx■Acknowledgments ......................................................................................... xxi
Part I: Quick Start Guide ..................................................................................... 1■Getting Around Quickly .................................................................................... 3
Learning Your Way Around .....................................................................................................................................4Keys, Buttons, and Switches ............................................................................................................................. 4The Launcher Icon ............................................................................................................................................. 5The Four Buttons Along the Bottom ................................................................................................................... 6Short Tap and Long Press .................................................................................................................................. 7Adding, Removing, and Moving Widgets and Icons ........................................................................................... 8Switching Apps (aka Multitasking) .................................................................................................................. 10Starting and Exiting an App ............................................................................................................................. 11Menus, Submenus, and Checkboxes ............................................................................................................... 11Reading the Top Status Bar .............................................................................................................................12
Flying on an Airplane – Airplane Mode ................................................................................................................. 15Touch Screen Basics ............................................................................................................................................ 16
Touch Screen Gestures .................................................................................................................................... 16Tapping and Swiping or Flicking .......................................................................................................................... 17Swiping ................................................................................................................................................................. 17
Scrolling ........................................................................................................................................................... 18Double-Tapping ............................................................................................................................................... 19Pinching ........................................................................................................................................................... 20
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App Reference Tables ...........................................................................................................................................21Getting Started ................................................................................................................................................. 21Stay Connected and Organized ........................................................................................................................ 23Entertaining Yourself .......................................................................................................................................24Staying Informed .............................................................................................................................................. 26Networking Socially ......................................................................................................................................... 27Being Productive .............................................................................................................................................. 28
Part II: Introduction .......................................................................................... 29■Introduction ................................................................................................... 31
Congratulations on Your New DROID! ................................................................................................................... 31Referring to your DROID ................................................................................................................................... 33How This Book Is Organized ............................................................................................................................ 33Quickly Locating Tips, Cautions, and Notes ..................................................................................................... 34Free DROID Email Tips ..................................................................................................................................... 35
Part III: You and Your DROID. . . ........................................................................ 37■Chapter 1: Getting Started ............................................................................. 39
Getting to Know Your DROID ................................................................................................................................. 39What Is Included in the Box ............................................................................................................................. 40Power and Lock Button .................................................................................................................................... 40Volume Buttons ................................................................................................................................................ 41Slide to Unlock ................................................................................................................................................. 42Slide to Mute ....................................................................................................................................................42Using the Four Buttons Along the Bottom ........................................................................................................ 42Slide-out Keyboard (for DROID and DROID 2) ................................................................................................... 43Dedicated Camera Button ................................................................................................................................44Inserting a Memory Card and Removing the Battery ....................................................................................... 44Adjusting the Date, Time, Time Zone, and 24-Hour Format ............................................................................. 45Adjusting the DROID’s Brightness ....................................................................................................................47Charging Your DROID and Battery Life Tips ..................................................................................................... 48
Setting up Accounts on Your DROID ..................................................................................................................... 54Setting up Your Google Account ...................................................................................................................... 55Using Other Google Services ............................................................................................................................ 55Setting up More Types of Accounts ................................................................................................................. 56Finding Your Email ........................................................................................................................................... 56
Securing Your DROID ............................................................................................................................................ 57Setting a Screen Lock ...................................................................................................................................... 57Locking Your DROID ......................................................................................................................................... 60Unlocking Your DROID ...................................................................................................................................... 60
Maintaining Your DROID ........................................................................................................................................ 60Cleaning Your DROID Screen ........................................................................................................................... 60Cases and Protective Covers for Your DROID ................................................................................................... 61Where to Buy Your Covers ............................................................................................................................... 61What to Buy ...................................................................................................................................................... 61
Saving Money on Phone Plans .............................................................................................................................. 63Data Packages ................................................................................................................................................. 63Text, Picture, and Video Messaging Plans ....................................................................................................... 63Equipment Insurance Plans ............................................................................................................................. 64
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Mobile Wi-Fi Hot Spot ...................................................................................................................................... 64Enhanced Voicemail Plans ............................................................................................................................... 65International Plans ........................................................................................................................................... 65
■Chapter 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search .................................................. 67Typing on Your DROID ........................................................................................................................................... 67
Two Ways to Type: Multi-touch and Swype ..................................................................................................... 68The Device Keyboard (DROID 2 and Similar) .................................................................................................... 73Dictating Your Text ........................................................................................................................................... 74Quickly Delete a Word at a Time ...................................................................................................................... 75Typing on the Screen With Two Thumbs ......................................................................................................... 75Moving the Cursor Around the Screen ............................................................................................................. 76Saving Time With Suggested Words ................................................................................................................ 78
Using the Spell Checker ........................................................................................................................................ 80Adding Words to the Custom User Dictionary .................................................................................................. 80Editing or Deleting Words From the User Dictionary ........................................................................................ 81Clearing Out the User Dictionary ...................................................................................................................... 81
Accessibility Options ............................................................................................................................................. 81Accessibility – Voice Readouts (Reads the Screen) ......................................................................................... 82Using Zoom Mode to Magnify a Portion of the Screen ..................................................................................... 83Double Tap the Home Button Options .............................................................................................................. 84Pressing and Holding to Type Symbols (and More) ......................................................................................... 84
Toggling Caps Lock ............................................................................................................................................... 85Quickly Changing a Word ...................................................................................................................................... 85Quickly Change Text ............................................................................................................................................. 86Changing the Language and Keyboard Options .................................................................................................... 87Voice Command .................................................................................................................................................... 88
Texting by Voice ............................................................................................................................................... 89Using Copy-and-Paste .......................................................................................................................................... 89
Selecting Text .................................................................................................................................................. 90Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Text .................................................................................................................. 90Jumping Between Apps or Multitasking .......................................................................................................... 90
Finding Things with Google Search ...................................................................................................................... 91Modifying Your Search ..................................................................................................................................... 92Performing the Search ..................................................................................................................................... 93Performing a Voice Search .............................................................................................................................. 93Adding the Google Search Widget to Your Home Screen ................................................................................. 94
■Chapter 3: Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account ............................... 97Activating Your Phone ........................................................................................................................................... 97Activating Your Google Account ............................................................................................................................ 98The Wonders of the Cloud ................................................................................................................................... 100
More Reasons You Need a Google Account ................................................................................................... 100What to Do When your Calendar and Contacts are Not Already in Google .......................................................... 102
Getting Information from Your Old Phone ...................................................................................................... 102Fine Tuning Your DROID Sync ........................................................................................................................ 103
■Chapter 4: Other Sync Methods ................................................................... 105Backing up Your Outlook Data ............................................................................................................................ 107Google Calendar Sync for Outlook (Windows PC) ............................................................................................... 108
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Supported Software (What You Need) ........................................................................................................... 108Before You Install ........................................................................................................................................... 108Downloading and Installing ........................................................................................................................... 109Setting Up the Software ................................................................................................................................. 109Troubleshooting Google Calendar Sync ......................................................................................................... 111
Missing Sync for Android .................................................................................................................................... 112Reviews of the Missing Sync for Android ......................................................................................................112Supported Software (What You Need) ........................................................................................................... 113Before You Install ........................................................................................................................................... 113Downloading and Installing PC or Mac Software ........................................................................................... 113Installing and Setting Up the DROID Software ............................................................................................... 116Troubleshooting Missing Sync ....................................................................................................................... 116
CompanionLink for Android ................................................................................................................................ 117Reviews of CompanionLink and DejaOffice App ............................................................................................ 118Supported Software (What You Need) ........................................................................................................... 119Before You Install ........................................................................................................................................... 119Google Calendar First Time User ................................................................................................................... 119Downloading and Installing the PC Software ................................................................................................. 120Installing and Setting Up the DROID Software (Only Required for USB Sync or CL Hosted Server options) ..................................................................... 124Troubleshooting CompanionLink ................................................................................................................... 125
■Chapter 5: Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity .......................................................... 127Understanding Your Connection ......................................................................................................................... 127
3G and 4G ...................................................................................................................................................... 128Wi-Fi .............................................................................................................................................................. 129Wi-Fi Security ................................................................................................................................................ 130Bluetooth ........................................................................................................................................................ 131GPS ................................................................................................................................................................ 131
Creating a Wi-Fi Hotspot with Your DROID .......................................................................................................... 131Troubleshooting Connections ............................................................................................................................. 133
Roaming ......................................................................................................................................................... 133Managing Power ............................................................................................................................................ 134Managing Syncing ......................................................................................................................................... 134Airplane Mode ................................................................................................................................................ 135
VPN ..................................................................................................................................................................... 135VNC ................................................................................................................................................................ 136Android’s Web Browser ................................................................................................................................. 136
■Chapter 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets ....................... 137Home Screen, Sweet Home Screen .................................................................................................................... 137The App Tray ....................................................................................................................................................... 138
Adding App Icons to Your Home Screen ........................................................................................................ 138Adding Bookmarks to Your Home Screen ........................................................................................................... 139Adding Shortcuts ................................................................................................................................................141Adding Folders .................................................................................................................................................... 141Widgets ............................................................................................................................................................... 142
Android Widget Size ....................................................................................................................................... 143Motorola Widgets ................................................................................................................................................144
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Adding and Resizing Motorola Widgets .........................................................................................................147Removing Unwanted Items from the Home Screen ............................................................................................ 148Wallpaper ............................................................................................................................................................ 148
Live Wallpapers .............................................................................................................................................. 149Media Gallery ................................................................................................................................................. 150
■Chapter 7: Making Phone Calls ................................................................... 151Getting Started with the Phone (Dialer) .............................................................................................................. 151
Finding Your DROID Phone Number ............................................................................................................... 152Muting the Phone Ringer - Slide for Mute ..................................................................................................... 152Examining Different Phone Views .................................................................................................................. 153Using the Dialer Keypad ................................................................................................................................. 154Dialing Digits While on a Call ......................................................................................................................... 156Using the Speaker Phone ............................................................................................................................... 156Talking Hands-free with a Bluetooth Headset or Bluetooth Car Stereo ......................................................... 156Opening Other Apps While on a Call .............................................................................................................. 157Getting Back to the Phone From Any App ...................................................................................................... 157
Using Speed Dial on Your DROID (DROID 2 and DROID X only) ........................................................................... 158Adding Speed Dial Numbers .......................................................................................................................... 158Using Speed Dial ............................................................................................................................................ 159
Using the Recent View (Call Logs) ...................................................................................................................... 159Placing Calls From Contacts .......................................................................................................................... 164Using Favorites .............................................................................................................................................. 165
Voice Dialing ....................................................................................................................................................... 167Voice Command ............................................................................................................................................. 167
Conference Calling .............................................................................................................................................. 168Accessing Voicemail ........................................................................................................................................... 170
Setting up Basic Voicemail ............................................................................................................................ 170Visual Voicemail ............................................................................................................................................. 172
Using Google Voice ............................................................................................................................................. 176Installing the Google Voice App ..................................................................................................................... 176Setting Up Google Voice ................................................................................................................................. 177Placing Calls With Google Voice ..................................................................................................................... 179Retrieving Google Voice Voicemails ............................................................................................................... 179
Customizing Phone Options and Settings ........................................................................................................... 180Sounds, Ring Tones, and Vibration ..................................................................................................................... 182
Using Your Own Music As Your Ringtone ....................................................................................................... 182Using Custom Ringtones and Alerts ............................................................................................................... 182Copying Custom Ringtones and Alerts to Your DROID ................................................................................... 183Selecting a New Ringtone for Text Messaging .............................................................................................. 185Assigning Custom Ringtones to Contacts ...................................................................................................... 186
Purchasing a Ringtone from the Amazon MP3 ................................................................................................... 187Buy Ringtones from the Android Market ........................................................................................................ 187
■Chapter 8: Bluetooth on Your DROID ........................................................... 189Understanding Bluetooth .................................................................................................................................... 190
Turning On Bluetooth ..................................................................................................................................... 190Pairing with a Bluetooth Device .......................................................................................................................... 191
Pairing with a Headset or Any Bluetooth Device ............................................................................................ 191
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Using the Bluetooth Headset ......................................................................................................................... 193Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) ..................................................................................................................................... 194
Connecting to a Stereo Bluetooth Device ...................................................................................................... 194Disconnecting a Bluetooth Device ...................................................................................................................... 196
■Chapter 9: Email on Your DROID .................................................................. 197Getting to Know Gmail ........................................................................................................................................ 198Understanding Gmail Mobile ............................................................................................................................... 199
Inbox and Archive .......................................................................................................................................... 199Priority Inbox .................................................................................................................................................. 201Labels ............................................................................................................................................................ 201Automatic Filters ............................................................................................................................................ 203The Settings Menu ......................................................................................................................................... 203Web Version From Your Phone ...................................................................................................................... 206Sending and Replying to Email ...................................................................................................................... 207Search ............................................................................................................................................................ 208Custom Signatures ......................................................................................................................................... 209Notifications ................................................................................................................................................... 209Labels ............................................................................................................................................................ 211Confirm Delete ...............................................................................................................................................211
Talk and Other Missing Gmail Features .............................................................................................................. 211Google Task List ............................................................................................................................................. 212Buzz ...............................................................................................................................................................212
Multiple Gmail Accounts .....................................................................................................................................212Switching Between Accounts ........................................................................................................................ 213Deleting Accounts .......................................................................................................................................... 214
The Email App .....................................................................................................................................................214Exchange Accounts on Android ..................................................................................................................... 214Turning Off Ringtones in the Email App ......................................................................................................... 214
Outlook Web Access ........................................................................................................................................... 215Corporate Sync Accounts .................................................................................................................................... 215Universal Inbox ................................................................................................................................................... 215Reading Attachments ..........................................................................................................................................217Third-Party Apps ................................................................................................................................................. 219
■Chapter 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging ......................................... 221SMS Text Messaging on your DROID ..................................................................................................................222
Composing SMS Text Messages .................................................................................................................... 222Composing an SMS Message from the Messaging App ................................................................................ 222Options After Sending a Text ......................................................................................................................... 225Composing an SMS Message from Contacts ................................................................................................. 226Replying to a Text Message ........................................................................................................................... 227Viewing Stored Messages .............................................................................................................................. 228Messaging Notification Options ..................................................................................................................... 229
Multimedia Messaging ........................................................................................................................................ 230The Messaging App ....................................................................................................................................... 230Choosing a Picture from Your Gallery to Send via MMS ................................................................................ 233Sending Multiple Pictures .............................................................................................................................. 233
Instant Messaging on Your DROID ...................................................................................................................... 234
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Google Talk .................................................................................................................................................... 235AIM and Other Instant Messaging Apps ......................................................................................................... 236
■Chapter 11: Surfing the Web ....................................................................... 239Web Browsing on the DROID ............................................................................................................................... 239
An Internet Connection Is Required ............................................................................................................... 240Launching the Web Browser .......................................................................................................................... 240Layout of Web Browser Screen ......................................................................................................................241Typing a Web Address ................................................................................................................................... 242Moving Backward or Forward Through Open Web Pages ............................................................................. 243Using the Windows Menu Command .............................................................................................................244Zooming In and Out in Web Pages ................................................................................................................. 245Activating Links from Web Pages .................................................................................................................. 246
Working with Browser Bookmarks ..................................................................................................................... 246Adding a New Bookmark ............................................................................................................................... 246Using Bookmarks and History ........................................................................................................................ 247Managing Your Bookmarks ............................................................................................................................ 248
Browser Tips and Tricks ..................................................................................................................................... 249Finding Something on a Web Page ................................................................................................................ 249Emailing a Web Page ..................................................................................................................................... 250Printing a Web Page ....................................................................................................................................... 251Watching Videos in Browser .......................................................................................................................... 252Saving or Copying Text and Graphics ............................................................................................................ 252Remember Form Data and Passwords .......................................................................................................... 253Adding a Web Page Icon to Your Home Screen ............................................................................................. 254
Adjusting the Browser Settings .......................................................................................................................... 255Adjusting Security Settings ........................................................................................................................... 255Speeding Up Your Browser by Clearing History and Cookies ........................................................................ 256Remembering Form Data ............................................................................................................................... 256
■Chapter 12: Working with Contacts ............................................................. 257Loading Your Contacts onto the DROID ............................................................................................................... 257When Is Your Contact List Most Useful? ............................................................................................................. 257
Two Simple Rules to Improve Your Contact List ............................................................................................ 258Adding a New Contact Right on Your DROID ....................................................................................................... 258
Start the Contacts App ................................................................................................................................... 259Adding a New Phone Number ........................................................................................................................ 261Adding an Email Address and Web Site ......................................................................................................... 262Adding the Address ........................................................................................................................................ 263
Adding a Photo to Contacts ................................................................................................................................. 263Searching Your Contacts .................................................................................................................................... 265
Quickly Jump to a Letter by Scrolling and Sliding on the Contact Card ........................................................266Search by Flicking ......................................................................................................................................... 266
Adding Contacts from Email Messages .............................................................................................................. 267Sending a Picture to a Contact ........................................................................................................................... 269Sending an Email Message from Contacts ......................................................................................................... 270Showing Your Contacts Addresses on the Map .................................................................................................. 270Contact History and Social Networking Screens ................................................................................................ 271Contacts Troubleshooting ...................................................................................................................................272
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■Chapter 13: Managing Your Calendar.......................................................... 273Managing Your Busy Life on Your DROID ............................................................................................................ 273
Accessing Your Calendar ............................................................................................................................... 273Viewing Your Schedule and Getting Around ..................................................................................................274Switching Between the Four Calendar Views ................................................................................................ 275
Adding New Calendar Events .............................................................................................................................. 278Adding a New Appointment ........................................................................................................................... 278Setting Calendar Reminders .......................................................................................................................... 280Creating Additional Alerts .............................................................................................................................. 280Adding Recurring Events ................................................................................................................................ 281Choosing Which Calendar to Sync ................................................................................................................. 282
Editing Appointments .......................................................................................................................................... 282Editing a Repeating Event .............................................................................................................................. 283Switching an Event to a Different Calendar ................................................................................................... 284Deleting an Event ........................................................................................................................................... 284Accepting Meeting Invitations ....................................................................................................................... 284
Calendar Settings ................................................................................................................................................ 285
■Chapter 14: Enjoying Your Music ................................................................ 287Your DROID as a Music Player ............................................................................................................................ 287Buying Music from the Amazon MP3 App ........................................................................................................... 288The Music App .................................................................................................................................................... 292Changing the View in the Music App .................................................................................................................. 293
The Artists View ............................................................................................................................................. 293The Albums View ........................................................................................................................................... 294The Songs View ............................................................................................................................................. 295Creating Playlists on the DROID ..................................................................................................................... 295Searching for Music ....................................................................................................................................... 297
Viewing Songs in an Album ................................................................................................................................ 298Playing Your Music ............................................................................................................................................. 299
Pausing and Playing ....................................................................................................................................... 300Playing the Previous or Next Song ................................................................................................................. 300Adjusting the Volume ..................................................................................................................................... 300Repeating, Shuffling, and Moving Around in a Song ..................................................................................... 301Moving to Another Part of a Song .................................................................................................................. 301Repeating One Song or All Songs .................................................................................................................. 302Shuffling Your Playlist .................................................................................................................................... 302Now Playing ................................................................................................................................................... 303Viewing Other Songs on the Album ............................................................................................................... 303
Exploring Your Music Options ............................................................................................................................. 304Listening to Free Internet Radio (Pandora) ......................................................................................................... 304
Getting Started with Pandora ......................................................................................................................... 305Pandora’s Main Screen .................................................................................................................................. 306Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down in Pandora ....................................................................................................... 307Pandora’s Menu ............................................................................................................................................. 308Creating a New Station in Pandora ................................................................................................................ 308Adjusting Pandora’s Settings – Your Account, Upgrading, and More ............................................................ 309
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■Chapter 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More ..................................... 311Your DROID as a Video Player ............................................................................................................................. 311
Loading Videos onto Your DROID ................................................................................................................... 312Watching Videos on the DROID ...................................................................................................................... 312Video Categories ............................................................................................................................................ 313
Playing a Movie ................................................................................................................................................... 314To Pause or Access Controls ......................................................................................................................... 315Fast-Forward or Rewind the Video ................................................................................................................ 315Using the Time Slider Bar .............................................................................................................................. 316Other Video Players ........................................................................................................................................ 316
Deleting Videos ................................................................................................................................................... 317Using YouTube on your DROID ............................................................................................................................ 318
Searching for Videos ...................................................................................................................................... 319Using the Bottom Icons .................................................................................................................................. 319Playing Videos ................................................................................................................................................ 321Adjusting the DROID’s Video Controls ............................................................................................................ 321Clearing Your History ..................................................................................................................................... 323Using Netflix and Hulu on the DROID ............................................................................................................. 323
■Chapter 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books .......................................................... 325
Newspapers on the DROID .................................................................................................................................. 325Popular Choices: The New York Times and USA Today ................................................................................. 326The New York Times App ............................................................................................................................... 327USA Today App ............................................................................................................................................... 329Moving Through and Enjoying Content .......................................................................................................... 329
News Widgets ..................................................................................................................................................... 330Magazines on Android ........................................................................................................................................ 331Comic Books on Your DROID ............................................................................................................................... 332The DROID as a PDF Reader ................................................................................................................................ 332E-Books ............................................................................................................................................................... 333
Proprietary Readers ....................................................................................................................................... 334Open E-Readers ............................................................................................................................................. 337
Reading E-Books ................................................................................................................................................. 340
■Chapter 17: The Android Market ................................................................. 343Using QR Codes ................................................................................................................................................... 343Browsing the Android Market ............................................................................................................................. 344
Navigating by Category .................................................................................................................................. 345Paying for Apps ................................................................................................................................................... 347Downloading Apps .............................................................................................................................................. 349Installing Apps .................................................................................................................................................... 349Uninstalling Apps ................................................................................................................................................ 351Updating Apps ..................................................................................................................................................... 352
Rating and Commenting ................................................................................................................................ 353Installing Apps Outside the Android Market ....................................................................................................... 353Ten Apps to Install Right Now ............................................................................................................................. 355
ShopSavvy ..................................................................................................................................................... 355Lookout Mobile .............................................................................................................................................. 356
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Mint.com ........................................................................................................................................................ 357Cooking Capsules Taster ............................................................................................................................... 358Evernote ......................................................................................................................................................... 359Pandora .......................................................................................................................................................... 360New York Times ............................................................................................................................................. 361Google Voice .................................................................................................................................................. 362WikiMobile Encyclopedia (Bonfire) ................................................................................................................ 363Yelp ................................................................................................................................................................ 364
■Chapter 18: Taking Photos and Videos ........................................................ 365Understanding Your Camera ............................................................................................................................... 365
Megapixels and Image Size ........................................................................................................................... 366Focus ............................................................................................................................................................. 366Zoom .............................................................................................................................................................. 367
Taking a Picture .................................................................................................................................................. 367Flash Modes ................................................................................................................................................... 369Reviewing and Sharing .................................................................................................................................. 370Share ............................................................................................................................................................. 370Set As ............................................................................................................................................................. 372Quick Upload .................................................................................................................................................. 372
The Camera Roll .................................................................................................................................................. 373Scenes ................................................................................................................................................................ 374
Creating a Panorama ..................................................................................................................................... 376Camera Settings ................................................................................................................................................. 377Shooting Video .................................................................................................................................................... 381
Scenes and Effects ........................................................................................................................................ 382Flash and Video .............................................................................................................................................. 383
Video Modes ....................................................................................................................................................... 383Sharing Videos .................................................................................................................................................... 384The Gallery .......................................................................................................................................................... 384Using Picasa ....................................................................................................................................................... 385Using Photos As Wallpaper and Widgets ............................................................................................................ 386Using Photos for Contact Icons ........................................................................................................................... 386Copying Photos to Your Computer ...................................................................................................................... 387Editing Photos ..................................................................................................................................................... 387
Photoshop Mobile .......................................................................................................................................... 388PicSay ............................................................................................................................................................ 388Other Photo Apps ........................................................................................................................................... 389
Printing ............................................................................................................................................................... 389
■Chapter 19: Finding Your Way With Maps ................................................... 391Understanding Google Maps ............................................................................................................................... 392
Driving Directions .......................................................................................................................................... 393Map Layers ......................................................................................................................................................... 394
Traffic ............................................................................................................................................................. 395Satellite .......................................................................................................................................................... 395Buzz ............................................................................................................................................................... 395Google Labs Layers ........................................................................................................................................ 396
Location Sharing With Latitude ........................................................................................................................... 397
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Google Place Pages ............................................................................................................................................ 398Google Places ................................................................................................................................................ 399Starring Locations .......................................................................................................................................... 400Google Street View ......................................................................................................................................... 401
Using Your Phone for GPS Navigation ................................................................................................................. 402CarDock ......................................................................................................................................................... 403
Email and Text Directions ................................................................................................................................... 405Making Your Own Maps ...................................................................................................................................... 405Location-Based Social Media and Games ........................................................................................................... 406
Foursquare ..................................................................................................................................................... 407Gowalla .......................................................................................................................................................... 407
■Chapter 20: Social Media and Skype ........................................................... 409Motorola Widgets ................................................................................................................................................ 409Twitter and Microblogs ....................................................................................................................................... 411
The Mechanics and Culture of Twitter ........................................................................................................... 412Finding Twitter Apps ......................................................................................................................................414Yammer ......................................................................................................................................................... 417Other Microblogs ........................................................................................................................................... 417
Social Bookmarking ............................................................................................................................................ 419Facebook ............................................................................................................................................................ 419
Creating Fan Pages ........................................................................................................................................ 420Facebook Apps ..............................................................................................................................................421
LinkedIn ..............................................................................................................................................................421Blogging .............................................................................................................................................................. 422
Phone Posts ................................................................................................................................................... 423WordPress ...................................................................................................................................................... 423
Bump ................................................................................................................................................................... 424Buzz .................................................................................................................................................................... 424Cross-Posting ...................................................................................................................................................... 425Aggregating Content With Readers ..................................................................................................................... 427Making Phone Calls and More with Skype .......................................................................................................... 428
Creating Your Skype Account on Your DROID ................................................................................................ 429Log in to the Skype App ................................................................................................................................. 430Finding and Adding Skype Contacts .............................................................................................................. 430Making Calls With Skype on Your DROID ....................................................................................................... 432Receiving Calls with Skype on your DROID .................................................................................................... 434Chatting with Skype ....................................................................................................................................... 435Adding Skype to Your Computer .................................................................................................................... 436
■Chapter 21: Working With Notes and Documents ........................................ 437Finding and Installing These Apps ...................................................................................................................... 438Notes-Based Apps on Your DROID ...................................................................................................................... 438
AK Notepad App ............................................................................................................................................. 438Evernote App .................................................................................................................................................. 442
Sharing Files and Documents .............................................................................................................................447Sharing Files with USB Mass Storage Mode .................................................................................................. 448
Dropbox File and Document Sharing .................................................................................................................. 449Installing Dropbox on Your Computer (PC or Mac) ......................................................................................... 449
■ CONTENTS
xvii
Installing Dropbox on Your DROID .................................................................................................................. 451Working With Microsoft Office Documents ......................................................................................................... 454
Finding Product Reviews ............................................................................................................................... 455Moving Documents to and From Your DROID ................................................................................................ 456Quickoffice ..................................................................................................................................................... 457Documents to Go – the Full Version ............................................................................................................... 460
■Chapter 22: Fun and Games ........................................................................ 469Using the DROID as a Gaming Device ................................................................................................................. 469
Acquiring Games and Other Fun Apps ........................................................................................................... 472Reading Reviews Before You Buy ..................................................................................................................474Looking for Free Trials or Lite Versions ......................................................................................................... 474Being Careful When You Play ......................................................................................................................... 474Two-Player Games ......................................................................................................................................... 475Online and Wireless Games ........................................................................................................................... 475
Playing Music Games with Your DROID .............................................................................................................. 476Other Fun Stuff: Football on the DROID ...............................................................................................................477
■Chapter 23: Utilities: Clock, Calculator, and Weather ................................. 479The Clock App (for DROID) .................................................................................................................................. 480
The Alarm Clock (for DROID) .......................................................................................................................... 481Using the Alarm (for DROID 2/X) .................................................................................................................... 484Using the Timer (for DROID 2/X) ..................................................................................................................... 485
The Calculator App .............................................................................................................................................. 486Viewing the Basic Calculator (Portrait Mode) ................................................................................................ 487Viewing the Advanced Panel .......................................................................................................................... 487
The Weather App ................................................................................................................................................ 488Getting Started with the Weather App ........................................................................................................... 488Other Weather Apps ....................................................................................................................................... 491
■Chapter 24: Troubleshooting ....................................................................... 493Basic Troubleshooting ........................................................................................................................................ 493
What to Do If the DROID Stops Responding ................................................................................................... 493Managing Your Apps ...................................................................................................................................... 494Resolving Issues With Placing a Phone Call, Syncing With Google, or Browsing the Web ............................ 497Turning Off Airplane Mode ............................................................................................................................. 498Cycling Your Wi-Fi Connection ....................................................................................................................... 499Resolving Sound Issues in Music or Video ..................................................................................................... 499Resolving Problems When Making Purchases ............................................................................................... 500
Advanced Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................................. 500Performing a Factory Data Reset ................................................................................................................... 500Increasing Your Text Message Limit .............................................................................................................. 501
Additional Troubleshooting and Help Resources ................................................................................................ 502The Motorola DROID Support Pages .............................................................................................................. 502DROID-Related Blogs ..................................................................................................................................... 503
Part IV: Sync Media to your DROID ................................................................. 505■Chapter 25: DROID Media Sync.................................................................... 507
Where to Enjoy Your Media on Your DROID ......................................................................................................... 508Moving Files With Your USB Connection ............................................................................................................. 508
■ CONTENTS
xviii
Selecting a USB Connection Mode ................................................................................................................. 509Changing USB Connection Modes.................................................................................................................. 510Dragging-and-Dropping Files ........................................................................................................................ 510Disconnecting Your DROID Safely (Don’t Skip!) ............................................................................................. 512
Using doubleTwist .............................................................................................................................................. 512Downloading and Installing doubleTwist ....................................................................................................... 513Getting Started With doubleTwist .................................................................................................................. 514Importing Your Playlists ................................................................................................................................. 515Connecting Your DROID to doubleTwist ......................................................................................................... 516Syncing Music and Podcast Subscriptions Automatically ............................................................................. 516Fine Tuning the Sync ..................................................................................................................................... 517Dragging-and-Dropping Media Onto Your DROID .......................................................................................... 519My Music App Won’t Play My Music .............................................................................................................. 519Finding and Subscribing to Podcasts With doubleTwist ................................................................................ 520Finding Apps in the Android Market With doubleTwist .................................................................................. 521Buying Music from the Amazon MP3 Store in doubleTwist ........................................................................... 522
■Appendix: DRIOD App Guide ........................................................................ 525Document Tools .................................................................................................................................................. 525Printing ............................................................................................................................................................... 527File Management ................................................................................................................................................ 528Virus Protection, Backups, and Security ............................................................................................................. 529Presentation Software ........................................................................................................................................ 531Web Conferencing ............................................................................................................................................... 532Notetaking and Mind Mapping ............................................................................................................................ 533Email Management ............................................................................................................................................. 535To-Do Lists .......................................................................................................................................................... 536Expenses and Finance ........................................................................................................................................ 537Travel .................................................................................................................................................................. 539Health and Medicine ........................................................................................................................................... 540Law and Legal ..................................................................................................................................................... 542Real Estate .......................................................................................................................................................... 543Sales and CRM .................................................................................................................................................... 545Retail ................................................................................................................................................................... 546Finance ............................................................................................................................................................... 547Project Management ........................................................................................................................................... 549Education and Training ....................................................................................................................................... 550Social Media ....................................................................................................................................................... 551Information Technology ...................................................................................................................................... 553
Other Apps ..................................................................................................................................................... 554
■Index ............................................................................................................ 557
■ CONTENTS
xix
About the Authors
Martin Trautschold is the founder and CEO of Made Simple Learning, a leading provider of Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, Android, and Palm webOS books and video tutorials. He has been a successful entrepreneur in themobile device training and software business since 2001. With Made SimpleLearning, he helped to train thousands of BlackBerry Smartphone users with short, to-the-point video tutorials. Martin has now co-authored nineteen “MadeSimple” guide books. He also co-founded, ran for 3 years, and then sold a mobiledevice software company. Prior to this, Martin spent 15 years in technology andbusiness consulting in the US and Japan. He holds an engineering degree from Princeton University and an MBA from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. Martin and his wife, Julia, have three daughters. He enjoys rowing
with the Halifax Rowing Association in Daytona Beach, Florida and cycling with friends. Martin can bereached at [email protected].
Gary Mazo is Vice President of Made Simple Learning and is a writer, a collegeprofessor, a gadget nut, and an ordained rabbi. Gary joined Made SimpleLearning in 2007 and has co-authored the last seventeen books in the Made Simple series. Along with Martin, and Kevin Michaluk from CrackBerry.com,Gary co-wrote CrackBerry: True Tales of BlackBerry Use and Abuse—a book about eeBlackBerry addiction and how to get a grip on one’s BlackBerry use. The secondedition of this book was published by Apress this fall. Gary also teaches writing, philosophy, technical writing, and more at the University of Phoenix. He holds a BA in anthropology from Brandeis University. Gary earned his M.A.H.L (Masters in Hebrew Letters) as well as ordination as Rabbi from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has served congregations in Dayton, Ohio, Cherry Hill, New Jersey and Cape Cod,
Massachusetts. Gary is married to Gloria Schwartz Mazo; they have six children. Gary can be reachedat: [email protected].
Marziah Karch enjoys the challenge of explaining complex technology to beginning audiences. She is an education technologist for Johnson County Community College in the Kansas City metro area with over ten years of experience. She holds a masters in instructional design and has occasionally taught credit courses in interactive media.
Marziah also contributes to New York Times-owned About.com and hasbeen their Guide to Google since 2006. Her first book was Android for Work:Productivity for Professionals. When she's not feeding her geek side with new gadgets or writing about technology, Marziah enjoys life in Lawrence, Kansas withher husband Harold and two children.
■ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
xx
About the Technical Reviewer
Phil Nickinson spent 11 years at a daily newspaper as a sports clerk, pagedesigner, news copy editor and news editor before becoming a full-time online editor with Smartphone Experts in December 2009. He cut his teeth on Windows Mobile and currently is editor of AndroidCentral.com, host of its weekly podcastand has more Android devices than he knows what to do with. Phil lives in Floridawith his wife and two daughters.
■ CONTENTS
xxi
Acknowledgments
A book like this takes many people to successfully complete. We would like to thank Apress forbelieving in us and our unique style of writing.
We would like to thank our Editors, Steve, Jim and Laurin, and the entire editorial team at Apress.
We would like to thank our families for their patience and support in allowing us to pursue projects such as this one.
A special thank you to the good folks at Verizon Wireless for lending us DROIDS to complete this book.
Portions of this book contain pictures that are modifications based on work created and shared by Google, and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 AttributionLicense.
Part
Quick Start Guide In your hands is one of the most exciting devices to hit the market in quite some time: a
new DROID smartphone. This Quick Start Guide will help get you and your new DROID
up and running in a hurry. You’ll learn all about the buttons, switches, and ports, and
how to use the innovative and responsive touch screen and multitask. Our App
Reference Tables introduce you to both the built-in apps and some valuable additions
from the Android Market—and serve as a quick way to find out how to accomplish a
task.
I
3
3
Getting Around Quickly This Quick Start Guide is meant to be just that – a section that can help you jump right in
and find information in this book, as well as learn the basics of how to get around and
enjoy your DROID right away.
We’ll start with the nuts and bolts in our “Learning Your Way Around” section, which
covers what all the keys, buttons, switches, and symbols mean and do on your DROID.
In this section, you’ll see some handy features such as multitasking and adding and
removing widgets. You’ll also learn how to interact with the menus, submenus, and set
switches – tasks that are required in almost every application on your DROID. You’ll also
find out how to read your connectivity status and what to do when you travel on an
airplane.
TIP: Check out Chapter 2: “Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search” for great typing tips and other
helpful things.
In the “Touch Screen Basics” section, we will help you learn how to touch, swipe, flick,
zoom, and more.
Later, in the “App Reference Tables,” section, we’ve organized the app icons into general
categories, so you can quickly browse through the icons and jump to a section in the book
to learn more about the app a particular icon represents. This guide also includes several
handy tables designed to help you get up and running with your DROID quickly:
� Getting Started (Table 2)
� Stay Organized (Table 3)
� Be Entertained (Table 4)
� Stay Informed (Table 5)
� Network Socially (Table 6)
� Be Productive (Table 7)
So let’s get started!
QUICK START GUIDE 4
Learning Your Way Around To help you get comfortable with your DROID, we start with the basics – what the
buttons, keys, and switches do – and then move into how you start apps and navigate
the menus. Probably the most important status indicator on your DROID, besides the
battery, is the one that shows network status in the upper-right corner. Understanding
what these status icons mean is crucial to getting the most out of your DROID.
Keys, Buttons, and SwitchesFigures 1 and 2 show all the things you can do with the buttons, keys, switches, and
ports on your DROID, DROID 2, DROID 2 Global, and DROID X. Go ahead and try out a
few things to see what happens. Tap the Search button (the Magnifying Glass icon) on
the bottom of your phone, then tap the Microphone icon to try out Voice Actions. Next,
swipe left or right to check out more Home screens, and then double-click your Homebutton (the House icon) to bring up Voice Commands. Long press (press and hold) the
Home button to multitask. Have some fun getting acquainted with your device.
Top Edge
Figure 1. The buttons, ports, and keys on the DROID, DROID 2, and DROID 2 Global.
QUICK START GUIDE 5
Figure 2. The buttons, ports, and keys on the DROID X.
The Launcher Icon You may wonder where all your icons are kept. Swiping left or right won’t show you
them. To see them all, you need to tap the Launcher icon at the bottom of your main
Home screen. Tap the Launcher icon to see all your icons in the App Tray. There are
usually more icons than are visible on a single screen; you need to slide your finger up or
down to see all the icons (see Figure 3).
QUICK START GUIDE 6
Figure 3. Use the Launcher icon to see all your application icons in the r App Tray. yy
The Four Buttons Along the BottomIn addition to tapping or the touching the screen, you can use the Menu, Home, Backand Search buttons to help you navigate around your DROID.
Menu button
or
Press the Menu button to see a menu for the currently
open app or the Home screen. Press the button again to
hide the menu. Inside any app, long press the Menubutton to see the virtual keyboard.
TIP: Press the Menubutton, then press and
hold it to see shortcuts to the various menu
commands appear.
Home button
or
Press the Home button once to jump right to your main
(center) Home screen.
Double-press the Home button to start Voice Command.
This command allows you to speak commands to your
DROID. (You can learn more about Voice Command in
Chapter 2)
QUICK START GUIDE 7
Long press to multitask and see the eight most recent
apps you have opened.
Back button Press the Back button to back out of any screen to the
previous screen. Continue pressing to exit an app back to
the Home screen.
Search button Tap the Search button to bring up the Google Searchscreen.
Long press to bring up the Voice Actions screen, where
you can speak commands and perform voice Google
searches. (You can learn more about Voice Actions in
Chapter 2.)
Short Tap and Long PressAs you just saw, the buttons do different things when you press them quickly or press
and hold them. The same thing works on the touch screen.
Short Tap Icons: A short tap of any icon will start the app.
Items inside apps: Tapping items inside apps such as
calendar events, contacts, or picture thumbnails will
usually expand the selected item to view more details or a
larger version of the item.
Switches: A short tap of a switch will set it to Off or On.
Widgets: A short tap of a widget will do an action in the
widget such as advance a screen, open the widget, or
open an associated app. For example, touching a Tips and Tricks widget will open the tips so you can view
them in more detail.
QUICK START GUIDE 8
Long Press Icons or Widgets: Long press an icon or widget to move
it around the screen, between Home screens, or delete it
from the Home screen. (Don’t worry: you can get the icon
back on your Home screen after you press the Launchericon.)
Items inside apps: Pressing and holding items inside
apps such as calendar events, contacts, or pictures will
usually give you a context-sensitive menu. For example,
long pressing a contact will give the option to view, call,
send a text message to, share an email with, or delete the
contact.
Adding, Removing, and Moving Widgets and IconsYou will quickly find that your DROID is highly customizable, starting with your Homescreen. The DROID 2 and DROID X have seven Home screens, and the DROID has five.
TIP: We explain more details about how to use widgets and move icons in Chapter 6: “Organize
Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets.”
To add a widget, shortcut, folder, or
change the wallpaper, you long press
anywhere you see a blank spot on a Homescreen. This brings up a menu that lets you
add any number of items including
Motorola widgets, Android widgets,
shortcuts, folders or even change your
wallpaper (see the image to the right).
QUICK START GUIDE 9
To remove a widget or other item, you long
press until it gets highlighted and drag it
down to the Trashcan icon at the bottom
of the screen. Longpress& drag
To move a widget, icon, or other Homescreen item, long press and drag that item
around the screen. To move it to a
different Home screen, drag your finger to
the very edge of the screen.
QUICK START GUIDE 10
Switching Apps (aka Multitasking) If you are like most smartphone users these days, you definitely want to be doing more
than one thing at a time. For example, you might like listening to free Pandora Internet
radio while reading and replying to your email or text messages. The DROID is built to
multitask (see Figure 4).
Long press the Home button to bring up the recent apps in the middle of the screen,
and then tap the icon of any app you want to start. If you don’t see the icon you want,
then press the Home button again to see the entire Home screen. Repeat these steps
to jump back to the app you just left. The nice thing is that the app you just left is always
shown as the first app in the top-left position in the list of recent apps.
Figure 4. Multitasking or switching apps by long pressing the Home button. e
QUICK START GUIDE 11
Starting and Exiting an App
To start any app, you simply tap the app’s
icon with your finger.
To close the app and exit back to the
Home screen, press the Back button.
If you press the Home button, you can
leave the app running in the background
and start another app.
Menus, Submenus, and CheckboxesOnce you are in an app, you can select any menu item by simply touching it. Using the
Settings app as an example, tap Wireless & networks, and then tap Airplane mode to
set the checkbox (with a green check mark) and turn on Airplane mode (see Figure 5).
Submenus are any menus below the main menu.
NOTE: Switches set to On are green, while switches set to Off are gray. You can back up to theprevious screen or menu by pressing the Back button on the bottom of your DROID. For example, if you’re in the Wireless & networks menu, you can press the Back button to return to the main
the Settings menu.
QUICK START GUIDE 12
Figure 5. Selecting menu items, navigating submenus, and setting switches.
Reading the Top Status BarMost of the functions on your DROID work only when you are connected to the Internet
(e.g., email, your browser, the wireless sync to Google Contacts and Google Calendar,Android Market, and so on), so you need to know when you’re connected. The top
status bar also has many other status icons that are helpful to know. Understanding how
to read the status bar can save you time and frustration.
There are a wide variety of status icons on the top bar, and you can see various status
examples in Figure 6.
Figure 6. Reading your top status bar icons.
QUICK START GUIDE 13
Seeing More Detailed Status Messages
Touch the very top of the device (above
the screen), then swipe your finger down
onto the screen to see detailed status
messages. Press the Back button to hide
the detailed status messages.
Notice that there are two areas of status
messages: Ongoing and Notifications.
Ongoing Status Items
In the example to the right, the Ongoingstatus section shows that we are playing
Pandora internet radio, we have USB
debugging connected, and we have a USB
connection to our computer.
Notification Items
The Notification section in the image to
the right shows that have 152 new email
messages. We have a possible connection
for Media Share, and we’ve missed three
calls.
TIP: Tap any item to learn more about it.For example, tapping the three missedcalls will show you each caller, so youcan immediately call them back if you
wish.
QUICK START GUIDE 14
Understanding the Data Connectivity SymbolsYou can read the strength of your data connection and see when data is being
transferred by looking at the top status bar. The cellular data signal strength is
represented by an icon that shows from one to five bars. The Airplane icon indicates
that you are in Airplane mode.
You can tell whether you are connected to a network, as well as the general speed of
the connection, by looking at the right side of your DROID’s top status bar. Table 1
shows typical examples of what you might see on this status bar.
Table 1. How to Tell When You Are Connected.
In the upper-right corner, if you see
letters and symbols...
Cellular Network
(Phone, Web, Text,
Email, Sync, and
Skype)
Wi-Fi Network
(Web, Email, Sync, and
Skype)
QUICK START GUIDE 15
Chapter 5: “Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity” shows you how to connect your DROID to a Wi-
Fi or 3G Cellular Data Network.
Flying on an Airplane – Airplane ModeWhen you fly on an airplane, the flight crew will ask you to turn off all portable electronic
devices for takeoff and landing. Then, when you get to altitude, they will say “all
approved electronic devices” can be set back to On.
TIP: Check out the “International Travel” section of Chapter 5 for many money saving tips you
can take advantage of when you travel overseas with your DROID.
If you need to turn off your DROID, long press the Power button on the top-right edge,
and then tap Power off.
Follow these steps to enable Airplane Mode:
1. Long press the Power button on
the top edge of your DROID.
2. Tap Airplane mode from the pop-
up menu.
3. Notice that the Airplane modeicon in the top status bar replaces
the 3G and signal bars. Your
phone, web, wireless sync, and
any applications that require an
Internet connect will not work in
Airplane mode.
TIP: Some airlines do have in-flight Wi-
Fi networks. On those flights, you may want to turn your Wi-Fi back On at the
appropriate time.
You can turn your Wi-Fi connection Off or On by following these steps:
1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Wireless & networks.
QUICK START GUIDE 16
3. To enable the Wi-Fi connections,
set the switch next to Wi-Fi to On(Green = On, Gray = Off).f
4. To disable the Wi-Fi, set the same
switch to Off (gray).
5. Tap Wi-Fi settings to select the
Wi-Fi network and follow the steps
the flight attendant provides to
connect to the in-flight Wi-Fi.
NOTE: On the DROID 2, DROID 2 Global,and DROID X, you have an Airplane modewidget you can add to your Home screen.
Touch Screen Basics In this section, we will describe how to interact with the DROID’s touch screen.
Touch Screen Gestures The DROID has an amazingly sensitive and intuitive touch screen. If you own a DROID,
DROID 2, or DROID 2 Global, you also can slide out the physical keyboard to type. We
show you more typing tips in Chapter 2.
Typing on the touch-screen keyboard will take a little effort to master. With a little
practice, though, you’ll soon become comfortable interacting with your DROID.
You can do almost anything on your DROID by using a combination of the following:
� Touch screen “gestures”
� Touching icons, widgets, or soft keys on the screen
� Tapping the Menu, Home, Back, or Search buttons at the bottom of
your device (earlier in the chapter, we explained what each button
does)
The following sections describe the various gestures you can use on an DROID.
QUICK START GUIDE 17
Tapping and Swiping or Flicking To start an app, confirm a selection, select a menu item, or select an answer,
simply tap the screen. To move quickly through Home screens, contacts, lists,
and the music library in List mode, flick from side-to-side or up and down.
Figure 7 shows both of these gestures.
Figure 7. Swipe left or right to see all your Home screens. e
SwipingTo swipe, gently touch and move your finger as shown in Figure 8 to move between
pictures. Swiping up and down also works in lists, such as the Contacts list.
Figure 8. Touch and swipe to move between pictures and up and down lists.
QUICK START GUIDE 18
Scrolling Scrolling is as simple as touching the screen and sliding your finger in the direction you
want to scroll (see Figure 9). You can use this technique in messages (email), the
Browser app, menus, and more.
Figure 9. Touch and slide your finger to scroll around contacts, a web page, a zoomed picture, and more.
QUICK START GUIDE 19
Double-Tapping You can double-tap the screen to zoom in and then double-tap again to zoom back out.
This works in many places, such as web pages, mail messages, and pictures (see Figure
10).
Figure 10. Double-tapping to zoom in or out.
QUICK START GUIDE 20
PinchingYou can also pinch open or closed to zoom in or out. This works in many places,
including web pages, mail messages, and pictures (see Figure 11). Follow these steps to
zoom in using the pinching feature:
1. To zoom in, place two fingers that touch each other on the screen.
2. Gradually slide your fingers open. The screen zooms in.
Follow these steps to zoom out using the pinching feature.
1. To zoom out, place two fingers with space between them on the screen.
2. Gradually slide your fingers closed, so they touch. The screen zooms out.
QUICK START GUIDE 21
App Reference TablesThis section gives you a number of handy reference tables that group together the
various apps that are pre-installed on your DROID by their functionality. Also included in
the tables are other useful apps you can download from the Android Marketplace. Each
table gives you a brief description of the app and tells you where you can find more
information about it in this book.
Getting StartedTable 2 provides some quick links to help you connect your DROID to the Web (using
Wi-Fi or 3G); buy and enjoy songs or videos; lock your DROID or power it off; unlock
your DROID; and more.
QUICK START GUIDE 22
Table 2. Getting Started.
To Do This... Use This... Where to Learn More
Turn the DROID
on or off.
The Power/Lockbutton: Press and hold
this key located on the
DROID’s top edge.
Getting Started – Ch. 1
See all icons on
your DROID in the
App Tray.
Launcher Getting Started – Ch. 1
Adjust settings
and connect to
the Internet (via
Wi-Fi or 3G).
Settings > Wi-Fi or
Settings > General >Network
Wi-Fi and 3G – Ch. 5
Return to the
Home screen.The Home button Getting Started – Ch. 1
Unlock the
DROID.
Slide your finger
to unlock your DROID.Getting Started – Ch. 1
Completely
power down your
DROID.
Press and hold the
Power/Lock button.
Tap this button to
power the device off.
Getting Started – Ch. 1
Sync addresses,
calendar, email,
and notes with
your main
account.
Google Sync Google Sync – Ch. 3
Other Sync Methods – Ch. 4
Share and sync
Share and sync
music, videos,
and pictures.
Picasa, Facebook,
MySpace, Photobucket
DoubleTwist
Photos – Ch. 18
Media Sync – Ch. 25
QUICK START GUIDE 23
Stay Connected and Organized Table 3 provides links for everything from organizing and finding your contacts to
managing your calendar, working with email, sending messages, getting driving
directions, calling people, and more.
Table 3. Staying Connected and Organized.
To Do This… Use This… Where to Learn More
Manage your contact
names and numbers.Contacts Contacts – Ch. 12
Manage your calendar. Calendar Calendar – Ch. 13
Surf the Web Browser Browser – Ch. 11
Call your friends. Phone Phone – Ch. 7
Call and chat with
friends.Skype mobile
Social Networking and
Skype – Ch. 20
Control your iPod and
DROID with your voice.
(Press and hold the
Home button.)
VoiceCommand
Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search –
Ch. 2
Search Google and
control your phone by
simply speaking.
Voice Search Voice Action Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search –
Ch. 2
QUICK START GUIDE 24
To Do This… Use This… Where to Learn More
Send text, picture, and
video messages.
TextMessaging Messages
SMS and MMS – Ch. 10
View and send email.Gmail Email
Email – Ch. 9
Find just about anything,
get directions, avoid
traffic, and more.
Maps Maps – Ch. 19
Entertaining Yourself You can have lots of fun with your DROID; Table 4 shows you a few ways to get started.
For example, you can use your DROID to view movies and TV shows, as well as to
check out free Internet radio with Pandora. If you already use a Kindle, you can sync all
your Kindle books to your DROID and enjoy them right away. You can also choose from
thousands of free and paid apps from the Marketplace to make your DROID even more
amazing, fun, and useful. Finally, y ou can buy new music on your DROID from the
Amazon MP3 app.
Table 4. Being Entertained.
To Do This… Use This… Where to Learn More
Buy music. Amazon MP3 Music – Ch. 14
Rent a video.
Blockbuster
Netflix Mobile Queue
Videos, TV, and More – Ch. 15
Use your
computer to
sync, buy music
apps, and listen
to music and
other content.
DoubleTwist Media Sync – Ch. 25
QUICK START GUIDE 25
To Do This… Use This… Where to Learn More
Browse and
download apps
right to your
DROID.
Market DROID App Guide – Appendix A
See playlists,
artists,songs,
albums,
audiobooks, and
more.
Music Music – Ch. 14
Listen to free
Internet radio.Pandora Music – Ch. 14
Read your Kindle
books. Kindle New Media and E-Books – Ch. 16
Look at, zoom in
on, and organize
your pictures.
Gallery Photos and Videos – Ch. 18
Take and shere
pictures. Camera Photos and Videos – Ch. 18
Take and share
videos.Camcorder Photos and Videos – Ch. 18
Watch a video from
YouTube. YouTube Videos, TV, and More – Ch. 15
Play a game. Games
Need For SpeedFun and Games – Ch. 22
QUICK START GUIDE 26
Staying Informed You can also use your DROID to read your favorite magazine or newspaper with up-to-
the-minute vibrant pictures and videos (see Table 5). Or, you can use it to check out the
latest weather reports.
Table 5. Staying Informed.
To Do This… Use This… Where to Learn More
Check your favorite
radio news program.NPR News Market – Ch. 17
Read the
newspaper.New York Times Market – Ch. 17
Check the weather. The Weather Channel Market – Ch. 17
Check out the latest
headlines.AP Mobile Market – Ch. 17
QUICK START GUIDE 27
Networking Socially You can also use your DROID to connect to and stay up-to-date with friends,
colleagues, and professional networks using the social networking tools on your DROID
(see Table 6).
Table 6. Networking Socially.
To Do This… Use This… Where to Learn More
Skype. Skype Social Networking and
Skype – Ch. 20
Network on
LinkedIn.LinkedIn Social Networking – Ch. 20
Stay connected with
friends on Facebook.Facebook Social Networking – Ch. 20
Follow your
favorites on Twitter.Twitter Social Networking – Ch. 20
QUICK START GUIDE 28
Being ProductiveA DROID can also help you be more productive. You can use it to access and read just
about any PDF file or other document with the GoodReader app. You can also take
notes with the basic Notes app or step up to the advanced Evernote app, which has
amazing capabilities for integrating audio, pictures, and text notes, as well as the ability
to sync everything to a web site. You can also use your DROID to set an alarm, calculate
a tip, see what direction you are walking in, and record a voice memo (see Table 7).
Table 7. Being Productive.
To Do This… Use This… Where to Learn More
Take and organize
your notes in a
whole new way. Evernote Notes and Documents– Ch. 21
Move files between
your DROID and
your computer
Dropbox Notes and Documents – Ch. 21
Use folders to
organize your icons.Folders Icons and Widgets – Ch. 6
Set an alarm,
countdoun timer,
and more.
Alarm & Timer Utilities – Ch. 23
Calculate a tip or
find the cosine of 30
degrees.Calculator Utilities – Ch. 23
Open and edit
Microsoft Office
documents.Quickoffice Notes and Documents – Ch. 21
Part
Introduction Welcome to your new DROID—and to the book that tells you what you need to know to
get the most out of it. In this part we show you how the book is organized and where to
go to find what you need. We even show you how to get some great tips and tricks sent
right to your DROID via short email messages.
II
31
31
Introduction
Congratulations on Your New DROID! You hold in your hands perhaps the most powerful smartphones available today, a
phone that is also a media player, e-book reader, gaming machine, life organizer, and
just about everything else available today: the DROID.
INTRODUCTION 32
The DROID can do just about any other smartphone on the market. In a beautiful
package, the DROID will have you placing phone calls, listening to music, playing
games, surfing the web, checking email, and organizing your busy life in no time.
NOTE: Take a look at Chapter 17: “Exploring the Android Market,”and Appendix A: “Droid App Guide” where we show you how to get all the greatest apps to boost the performance and fun of
your new DROID!
With your DROID, you can view your photos and interact with them using intuitive touch-
screen gestures. You can pinch, zoom, rotate, and email your photos—all by using
simple gestures.
Interact with your content like never before. News sites and web sites look amazing due
to the incredibly clear and crisp large touch screen display. Flip through stories, videos,
and pictures, and interact with your news.
Manage your media library with ease. The Music app features an intuitive interface,
letting you choose music, watch videos, organize playlists, and more—all in an effortless
and fun way on the DROID’s high definition–quality screen.
Update your Facebook status and receive push alerts—all on your DROID.
Stay connected to the web and your email with the 3G wireless and built-in Wi-Fi
connection of the DROID. All the latest high-speed protocols are supported, so you
can always be in touch and get the latest content. You can even turn your DROID into
a Wi-Fi Hotspot to connect your laptop and up to four other devices to the internet just
about anywhere you get a signal. The DROID and DROID 2 also include a slide-out
keyboard to type out emails and notes when you use the device in Landscape mode.
Getting the Most out of Droids Made Simple Read this book cover-to-cover if you choose, but you can also peruse it in a modular
fashion, by chapter or topic. Maybe you just want to check out the Android Market app,
try the Kindle app, set up your email or contacts, or just load up your phone with music
using doubleTwist on your computer (see chapter 25: "DROID Media Sync"). You can
do all this and much more with our book.
Be sure to check out our DROID App Guide in Appendix A at the end of the book to
explore more than 80 apps that the authors have reviewed and tested to help you get
the most out of your DROID.
You will soon realize that your DROID is a very powerful device. There are, however,
many secrets “locked” inside, which we help you “unlock” throughout this book.
Take your time—this book can help you understand how to best use and have fun with
your new DROID. Think back to when you tried to use your first Windows or Mac
computer. It took a little while to get familiar with how to do things. It’s the same with the
DROID. This book will help you get up to speed and learn all the best tips and tricks
more quickly.
INTRODUCTION 33
Also remember that devices this powerful are not always easy to grasp—at first.
You will get the most out of your DROID if you can read a section and then try out what
you just read. We all know that reading and then doing an activity gives us a much
higher retention rate than simply reading alone.
So, in order to learn and remember what you learn, we recommend the following:
Read a little, try a little on your DROID, and repeat!
Referring to your DROIDIn this book, we generally use the word DROID to mean DROID, DROID 2, DROID 2
Global and DROID X. Occasionally, we will specifically call out DROID 2/X, when we say
that we mean this feature works on the DROID 2, DROID 2 Global and DROID X, but not
the original DROID. Similarly, if we say only on the DROID or original DROID, we mean
that the specified feature works on the original DROID, not the DROID 2/X.
How This Book Is OrganizedKnowing how this book is organized will help you quickly locate things that are
important to you. Here we show you the main organization of this book. Remember to
take advantage of the abridged table of contents, detailed table of contents, and
comprehensive index. All of these elements can help you quickly pinpoint items of
interest to you.
Day in the Life of a DROID User Located inside the front and back covers, the “Day in the Life of an DROID User”
reference is an excellent guide to your phone’s features, providing ideas on how to use
your DROID and lots of easy-to-access, cross-referenced chapter numbers. So, if you
see something you want to learn, simply thumb to that page and learn it—all in just a
few minutes.
Part I: Quick Start Guide Learning Your Way Around: Learn about the buttons and switches on the
DROID, how to read your status bar, how to start and exit the apps, multitask,
turn on Airplane mode and more.
Touch Screen Basics: This book’s many practical and informative screen shots
will help you quickly learn how to touch, swipe, flick, zoom, and more with your
DROID's touch screen.
App Reference Tables: Quickly skim the icons or apps grouped by category.
Get a thumbnail of what all the apps do on your DROID, including a pointer to
INTRODUCTION 34
the relevant chapter numbers so you can jump right to the details of how to get
the most out of each app in this book.
Part II: Introduction You are here now . . .
Part III: You and Your DROID This is the meat of the book, organized in 24 easy-to-understand chapters, all of
them packed with loads of pictures to guide you every step of the way.
Part IV: DROID Media Sync In Chapter 25, learn how to use doubleTwist to sync your music, playlists,
videos, podcasts and more to your DROID from your Windows or Mac
computer. Also, buy music using the Amazon MP3 store, check out cool apps
in the Android Market and locate and subscribe to podcasts all in doubleTwiston your computer. We also show you how to use Mass Storage mode to
transfer media and documents using the USB cable. The more of your media
you can load on your DROID, the more fun you will have with it.
Appendix A: DROID App GuideLearn about over 80 apps in the following categories Microsoft Office document
editing, printing, file management, virus protection, backup, security,
presentation software, web conferencing, note taking and mind-mapping, to-do
and task lists, expenses and finance, travel, health and medicine, law and legal,
real estate, sales force automation, retail, project management, education and
training, social media, information technology, and other apps.
Quickly Locating Tips, Cautions, and NotesIf you flip through this book, you can instantly see specially formatted TIPS, CAUTIONS,
and NOTES that highlight important facts about using the DROID. For example, if you
want to find all the special tips relevant to using the Calendar, you can flip to the
Calendar chapter and search for these highlighted nuggets of information.
TIPS, CAUTIONS, and NOTES are all formatted like this, with a gray background, to help you see
them more quickly.
INTRODUCTION 35
Free DROID Email TipsFinally, check out the author’s web site at www.madesimplelearning.com for a series of
very useful “bite-sized” chunks of DROID tips and tricks. We have taken a selection of
the great tips out of this book and even added a few new ones. Click the “Free Tips” link
and register for your tips in order to receive a tip right in your DROID inbox about once a
week. Learning in small chunks is a great way to master your DROID!
Part
You and Your DROID. . . This is the heart of Droids Made Simple. In this section, you’ll find clearly labeled
chapters—each explaining the key features of your DROID. You’ll see that most
chapters focus on an individual app or a specific type of application. Many of the
chapters discuss applications that come with your DROID, but we also include some fun
and useful apps you can download from the Android Market. Sure, the DROID can help
you get work done, but it’s for a whole lot more, too. We finish with some handy
troubleshooting tips that can help if your DROID isn’t working quite right.
III
39
39
Chapter
Getting Started In this chapter, we will tell you everything you need to know to get up and running on
your DROID. This chapter will go into a little more detail than you saw in the Quick Start
Guide. First, we will go around the outside of the DROID and describe what each of the
buttons and keys on your device does.
Second, we will go inside the device and show you how to remove the battery and
install a memory card. You will also learn how to charge your DROID and get the most
out of your battery life with our battery life tips.
Third, we will show you how to connect your DROID to your email, social networking,
and other accounts, so you can have your life in the palm of your hand and stay up-to-
date with anyone at anytime and anywhere!
Fourth, we will show you how to clean your DROID and protect it, and even how to give
it some “bling” with stylish cases.
Fifth, we will show you how to use a password to protect your personal and/or
confidential information on your DROID.
Finally, we will end this chapter with a discussion and some tips on saving money on
your DROID phone plans. There are various options you can add or remove from your
phone plan that can save you a good sum of money.
TIP: Be sure to check out the Quick Start Guide if you haven’t already done so. This guideexplains what all the buttons on your DROID do, how to navigate around the touch screen, and
where to find other important information in this book.
Getting to Know Your DROIDIn this section, we will show you how to use everything you get in the box with your
DROID. We will also give you some DROID battery and charging tips.
1
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 40
What Is Included in the BoxThe DROID box may seem small, but it contains everything you need to get started (your
DROID, a USB cable, and wall plug adapter) except for a good manual – which is why
we wrote this book!
The USB CableThis is the cable that connects your DROID to your computer. This cable also doubles
as your power cable when you plug it into the wall plug adapter.
The Wall Plug Adapter
You will also see your wall plug adapter in
the box. This adapter allows you to charge
your DROID directly from a wall outlet
without having your computer around. All
you do is plug the USB cable into this wall
adapter and the other end into your
DROID.
Now let’s explore some of DROID’s basic
features . . .
Power and Lock Button
To power on your DROID, press and hold
the Power/Lock button on the top-right
edge of the DROID for a few seconds (see
the figure to the right). Simply tapping this
button quickly won’t power on the DROID
if it is completely off – you really need to
hold it until you see the DROID power on.
Tap this button once to put your DROID in
Sleep mode when the screen goes off; this
saves your battery life.
Tap the screen again quickly to wake the
device and bring the screen back on.
NOTE: The Power/Lock button may be at a slightly different location, depending on your DROID
model.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 41
Volume Buttons
The Volume buttons located on the upper-
right side of your DROID perform multiple
functions, depending on the context in
which you press them.
When you press these buttons, you will
see the type of volume you are changing
with an on-screen pop-up window, as
shown below.
If you are not playing any media (e.g., a
song, video, or other content), then these
Volume buttons will change your phone’s
ringer volume.
When you are playing music, watching a
video, or listening to other media, then
pressing the Volume buttons will adjust
the playback (speaker) volume.
When you’re on a phone call, these
Volume buttons will change the volume of
the caller.
Finally, when you are in the Camera or Camcorder apps, the Volume buttons will zoom
in or out.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 42
Slide to Unlock
When you first power on your DROID or
wake it from Sleep mode, you will see two
sliders at the bottom of the screen.
Touch and drag the Lock icon slider from
left to right to unlock your phone. If you
have assigned a password to your DROID,
then you will need to enter your password
to unlock the device.
Slide to Mute The other slider that appears next to the Lock icon when the phone wakes up is the
Slide to Mute icon.
Touch and drag the Slide to Mute icon slider from right to left to Mute or Unmute your
phone ringer, as shown in Figure 1–1.
Figure 1–1. Slide to Mute or e Unmute your phone ringer.e
Using the Four Buttons Along the BottomAlong the bottom of your DROID, you will find four buttons: Menu, Home, Back, and
Search. Note that these buttons do not appear in the same order on all DROID models.
(Be sure to check out the Quick Start Guide earlier in this book to learn what each of the
buttons does.)
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 43
The DROID 2’s four buttons appear in
this order: Menu, Home, Back, and
Search.
The DROID X’s four buttons appear in
this order: Menu, Home, Back, and
Search.
The DROID’s four buttons appear in
this order: Back, Menu, Home, and
Search.
Slide-out Keyboard (for DROID and DROID 2)If you own the DROID, DROID 2, or DROID 2 Global, then you have a physical slide-out
keyboard. Slide it out from the left side of the phone and turn the phone to Landscapemode to type using the keyboard (see Figure 1–2). We recommend typing with two
thumbs on the keyboard – it will help you type a little faster (see Chapter 2: “Typing,
Voice, Copy, and Search” to learn more about these keyboards).
Figure 1–2. The DROID and DROID 2 slide-out keyboards.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 44
Dedicated Camera Button
On the lower-right side of your DROID, you
will see a small button. This is your
dedicated camera button. Press and hold
it for about a second to start the Cameraapp.
You can take a picture by pressing this
button once the Camera app has started.
You can learn more about taking pictures
in Chapter 18: “Taking Photos and Video.”
Camera button.Press to start the Camera app or take a picture.
Inserting a Memory Card and Removing the BatteryYou need to open the back of your phone to remove and replace the battery, as well as
to remove or insert a MicroSD memory card. You also need to open the back of your
DROID 2 Global to remove or insert a SIM card.
In order to get at the battery and memory card slots, you need to do the following.
1. Power off your phone.
2. Remove the back cover by sliding it down and lifting it up.
3. Remove the battery by inserting your fingernail or other thin object into the little
space by the white or silver tab on the battery that says BATTERY REMOVAL HERE. The DROID X has a plastic tab you can pull to remove the battery.
4. Figure 1–3 shows where the memory card slots are located on your phone. You
find these slots in different places on the DROID X and DROID 2 models.
5. Slide the media card (MicroSD format) into the slot with the notch oriented as
shown in Figure 1–3; the metal contacts of the media card must be facing down
as you slide it in.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 45
Figure 1–3. How to insert a memory card into your DROID.
Adjusting the Date, Time, Time Zone, and 24-Hour Format Usually, the date and time is set and adjusted automatically on your DROID using the
wireless network. However, there may be a few adjustments you might want to make,
such as your time and date formats. The following sections will show you how to adjust
everything related to your device’s date, time, and time zones.
When you travel with your DROID, your time zone will usually adjust automatically. Keep
an eye on the time and see if it has adjusted to local time when you land in a new time
zone. If not, then you can change the time zone by following these steps:
1. Touch the Settings icon.
2. Swipe up to see the items at the bottom of the list and touch Date & time.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 46
3. You can see that the Automatic box
at the top is checked (set to On) in
the figure to the right. If you want to
manually adjust the date, time zone,
and/or time, then you have to
uncheck the Automatic setting (i.e.,
set it to Off). f
4. To set the date, tap the Set dateoption and make adjustments by
tapping either the + and - icons or
the items themselves. If you tap an
item such as the number 29 (as
shown in the image to the right), you
can type numbers to set the day.
5. When done, tap the Set button.
6. Tap Select time zone to adjust the
time zone. Next, swipe up or down
on the next screen and tap the
correct time zone.
7. Tap Set time to adjust the time. The
Set time screen is very much like the
controls you use to set the date. Use
the + or - icons or tap inside the
numbers to make adjustments with
the keyboard. Tap Set when you are
done.
8. To use the 24-hour time format (e.g.,
16:00 instead of 4:00 PM), you tap
Use 24-hour time format.
9. To adjust the date format, tap Selectdate format.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 47
10. You will now see a pop-up window
showing various date options. Tap
your selection to choose it.
11. This brings you back to the main
Date & time settings screen. Press
the Home button to return to your
Home screen.
Adjusting the DROID’s Brightness The wonderful screen on your DROID is also one of the largest consumers of your
battery life. The default is automatic brightness, which uses the built-in light sensor to
adjust the brightness of the screen. When it is darker in your immediate environment, the
auto-brightness control will dim the screen. When it is bright or sunny, the screen will be
automatically brightened, so it is easier to read.
You may want to play with this setting and see how it affects your battery life. First, try
the Automatic brightness setting (the default) and see how it works.
If you find that the automatic brightness screen seems a little too bright, then you may
want to play with this setting and dim the screen. A dimmer screen will help you
conserve battery power.
If you want to adjust the brightness manually, follow these steps:
1. Touch the Launcher icon to see all
your apps.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Tap Display.
4. Tap Brightness.
5. Tap Automatic brightness to set
this option to Off (i.e., to make the
Checkmark icon go gray).
6. Move the slider control to adjust the
brightness.
7. Tap OK to save your settings.
TIP: You can also use the Android PowerControl widget to adjust brightness.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 48
TIP: Setting the brightness lower will help you save battery life. A little less than halfway across
seems to work fine.
Charging Your DROID and Battery Life Tips Your DROID may already have some battery life, but you might want to charge it
completely, so you can enjoy uninterrupted hours of use after you get it set up.
TIP: We recommend charging your DROID every night, especially if you use it a lot during the day
for phone calls or web browsing.
Charging From the Wall Outlet The fastest way to charge your DROID is to use the adapter and plug it directly into the
wall outlet.
TIP: Some newer cars have built-in power outlets (just like your home). These outlets let youplug in your DROID power cord. Note that these outlets are sometimes buried in the middle
console behind the front seat.
Charging from Your Computer You can also charge your DROID when you plug it into your computer.
TIP: Try powering your DROID with different USB ports on your computer. Some USB ports share
a bus and have less power, while others have their own bus and more power.
For best charging, you should have your computer plugged into the wall outlet. If your
computer is not connected to the wall power outlet, your DROID will charge, but at a
slower rate.
Keep in mind that if your laptop computer goes to sleep or you close the screen, your
DROID will stop charging.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 49
Stopping the Verizon VCAST Video Auto-play (Windows PC) If you plug your DROID into a Windows PC, you might see your web browser pop up
and start automatically playing a Verizon VCAST promotional video. If your computer
speaker volume is turned up relatively high, you might be really surprised by this video.
It can get quite loud!
Fortunately, there is a way to turn off the auto-play feature of this video:
1. Right-click the Motorola icon in your Windows tray, as shown in Figure 1–4.
2. Select When phone connects, launch.
3. Select Nothing.
Figure 1–4. Stopping the VCAST video from auto-playing.
What Drains the Battery the Fastest? The main drains on your DROID battery are the large touch-screen display and the
wireless radios (cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth). As long as you know this, you can
increase your battery life – we will show you some cool battery extending tips in the next
section. But the short version is this: you want to keep the screen dimmer and turn it off
(Sleep mode) as soon as you don’t need it. You also want to keep your radio usage
down or limit it to those times when you need it. For example, if you don’t need your
GPS location enabled, then turn it off. If you don’t need to use your device for 15
minutes, then you can have the data updates turned off automatically. We will show you
how to do this with the Battery Manager feature in the “Using the Battery Manager”
section.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 50
The Power Control Widget A very convenient tool to help prolong your battery life without having to dig through the
Settings app is the Power Control widget. Follow these steps to add this widget to
your Home screen:
1. Press the Menu button.
2. Tap Add.
3. Tap Android widgets.
4. Tap Power Control.
The Power Control widget will look like the
image to the right. From left to right, the
buttons will:
� Turn on/off the Wi-Fi
radio.
� Turn on/off the Bluetooth
radio.
� Turn on/off the GPS
receiver.
� Turn on/off the wireless
sync to Google.
� Adjust your screen
brightness. Tap once to
brighten, tap again to go
to auto brightness, and
tap yet again to dim the
screen.
Getting More Out of Each ChargeFollowing these tips will help you extend your DROID’s battery life:
1. Put the DROID into Sleep mode whenever possible: Tap the Power/Lockbutton on the upper-right edge of the device to put it into Sleep mode whenever
you are not using it. We use the term Sleep mode loosely; this feature really just
turns off the screen to save the battery.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 51
2. Turn off Wi-Fi when not needed: The Wi-Fi antenna uses power even if you are
not connected to a Wi-Fi network, so turn it off when you don’t need it. Turn off
Wi-Fi by going to Settings > Wireless & Networks > Set Wi-Fi to Off.
TIP: DROID 2 and X users can swipe left to the second of the seven Home screens, and then tap
the Wi-Fi switch that looks like this to turn Wi-Fi off or on. (This icon shows that Wi-Fiis set to Off.)
3. Lower your screen brightness: Use the Power Control widget to adjust your
brightness.
4. Set a Shorter Screen timeout: Shortening the time your DROID takes to turn off
the screen when it’s not being used can help you extend your effective battery
life. To do this, tap Settings, then Display, and Screen timeout. Set Screen timeout as short as possible – you can set it as short as 15 seconds, if you can
stand it. Sometimes it get annoying when the screen keeps turning off,so play
with this setting a bit to find the best interval for how you use the device.
5. Disable GPS when not needed: Use the Power Control widget to turn off GPS.
6. Turn off Bluetooth when not needed: Use the Power Control widget to turn off
Bluetooth.
7. Adjust your Battery Manager settings to a Saver mode: See the “Using the
Battery Manager” section later in this chapter to learn how to adjust these
settings.
Long-Term Battery Life The DROID uses a rechargeable battery that will lose its ability to maintain a charge over
time and has only a limited number of cycles during its useful life. You can extend the
life of your DROID battery by making sure you run it down completely at least once a
month. The rechargeable battery will last longer if you do this complete draining once a
month.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 52
Using the Battery Manager
To see the Battery Manager (DROID 2 and
DROID X) shown to the right, tap your Settingsicon, then swipe up and tap Battery Manager.The Checkmark in the large Battery icon shows
that the DROID is currently being charged.
The image to the right shows a full battery charge
with 100% battery power remaining.
NOTE: On the original DROID, go to Settings/About phone and you can view the battery status and
usage.
Tap the Battery icon to see how much of your
battery is being consumed by various processes.
In most cases, you will see that the display takes
the majority of your power.
The display and the data updates – which mean
your radios such as Wi-Fi and Cell – consume the
majority of your power.
Press the Back button to return to the Battery Manager screen.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 53
Tap Battery mode at the bottom of the screen to
see available modes, as shown to the right.
To save battery life, you need to reduce the
frequency of automatic data updates and make
the screen a little dimmer. The top two settings
will allow you to get more battery life.
The Performance mode setting gives you the
highest performance, but will consume the
battery the fastest.
With Custom battery saver, you can fine-tune
the settings to fit your needs. To learn more
details about each preset, tap the Information
icon.
To adjust the custom battery saver settings, tap
the Gear icon.
Now you can fine-tune your Off-peak hours,
Peak hours, how soon to turn off the data (your
radios), and the Display brightness.
When you’re done, tap the OK button at the
bottom.
Press the Home button to return to your Homescreen.
As you can see, selecting the correct Battery mode is a tradeoff between your
performance needs and the battery life.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 54
Finding More Places to Charge Your Droid No matter what you do, you will want to find more places and more ways to charge your
DROID if you use it a lot. Table 1–1 shows you some other options for charging your
DROID besides using your power cord or connecting it to your computer.
Table 1–1. Other Places and Ways to Charge Your DROID.
Option Description
Airport Charging Station Most airports have wall sockets available today where you
can top off your DROID’s battery while you are waiting for
your flight. Some airports have labeled charging stations,
and others simply have wall sockets that may even be
hidden behind chairs or other objects. You may have to do
a bit of hunting to beat out all those other power-hungry
travelers!
Car Charger Accessory If you are using your DROID heavily for phone calls during
the day, you may want to invest in a car charger or some
other way to give your DROID a little more juice in the
middle of a long day. These chargers plug directly into the
cigarette lighter socket in your car. These run about US
$15–25.
Car Power Inverter If you are taking a long car trip, you can buy a power
inverter to convert your 12V car power outlets into a power
outlet that lets you plug in your DROID charger. Do a web
search for “power inverter for cars” to find many options
for under US $50. This is a small price to pay for hours of
enjoyment on your DROID!
Setting up Accounts on Your DROID You need to link to at least one Google account on your DROID. You can also connect
to many other types of accounts (e.g., email, social networking, corporate, and photo).
In this section, we explain the basics of setting up various types of accounts.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 55
Setting up Your Google Account
When you power on your DROID for the
first time and slide to unlock it, certain
apps such as the Calendar, Contacts,
and Email require that you connect your
DROID to a Google account. This is
because your DROID is running the
Android operating system created by
Google. It was designed from the ground
up to be wirelessly connected to a Google
account.
If you don’t have a Google account already, you can create a free one with a Gmail
address by registering at http://mail.google.com/mail/signup.
To connect your DROID to Google, you need to enter your Gmail account login and
password and follow the steps outlined to log in. We show you the detailed steps of how
to do this in Chapter 3: “Sync Your DROID with Your Google Account.” Chapter 3 also
shows you how to transfer your contacts from your computer to your Google account,
so you can sync them to your phone.
TIP: If your workplace uses Google Apps for Enterprise, then you could use this ID as your Google account. However, unless your phone is part of an enterprise deployment, the wiser course of action is to use a personal Google account and add the Google Apps information as an
additional email account. That way, you don’t lose your phone data if you switch jobs.
Using Other Google Services We’ll cover how to use other Google services in greater detail in Chapter 3, but virtually
everything on Android phones is handled through your Google account. You should set
up and explore these tools on the Web for a better understanding of how they work on
your phone.
If you purchase apps in the Android Market, you’ll use your Google account and the
Google Checkout app to complete the transaction. The default email account is Gmail, and the default calendar is Google Calendar.
Here are a few of the default Google services you’ll get to know as you use your DROID:
Gmail (Google’s email program), Google Calendar, Google Maps, Google Checkout(a payment system like the one from PayPal), Picasa (a photo upload and sharing site
like Flickr), and YouTube (a video upload and sharing service).
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 56
Setting up More Types of Accounts Except for the first Google account, which the phone automatically guides you through
at the login screen, every other account requires that you access your Accounts page.
Follow these steps to do so:
1. Tap the Launcher icon in the middle of the
bottom of the Home screen.
2. Tap the My Accounts icon.
3. Tap the Add account button at the bottom.
4. Select your type of account from the screen,
as shown to the right. Use Corporate Syncicon for a Microsoft Exchange account.
You may see fewer or more account type
options depending on the number of apps
you have downloaded from the Android
Market.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to enter
your login information. You may need to
accept a license agreement if this is the first
time you are accessing an app you just
downloaded.
Finding Your Email After you get your accounts set up, you may be wondering where you can find your
email. There are two icons for email on your DROID: Email and Gmail. The one called
Email handles all email accounts except Gmail. And, as you might imagine, you use the
Gmail app for all your Gmail accounts.
This is the app you use for all
your non-Gmail email
accounts.
This is the app you use for
your Gmail account(s).
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 57
TIP: Sometimes the Corporate Setup option might not work for your Exchange or other type of server.
In this case, you can turn to third-party apps for a solution. TouchDown is a $20 app from
NitroDesk that allows Exchange ActiveSync with Push email. This company also offers a free trial, so do take advantage of it to make sure the app works with your Exchange service. For example, it is not supported with some Exchange Server 2003 configurations. The newest
version of TouchDown also supports other types of servers, such as Zimbra, Kerio, NovellGroupWise, Sun Java Communication Suite, Oracle’s Oracle Collaboration Suite (OCS) andBeehive Suite, and other servers. Check out NitroDesk’s website at www.nitrodesk.com for
more information.
If you use TouchDown, you’ll have a separate email, calendar, and task list. It will all look familiar to Microsoft Outlook users; however, it doesn’t sync this data with your GoogleCalendar. You can download TouchDown from the Android Market or by visiting
http://www.nitrodesk.com.
Securing Your DROIDYour DROID can hold a great deal of valuable information. This is especially true if you
save information such as the Social Security numbers and birthdates of your family
members in your Contacts list. It’s a good idea to make sure that anyone who picks up
your DROID can’t access all that information!
Setting a Screen Lock
To set a screen lock to protect your DROID,
tap your Settings icon, then Location & Security settings. Next, scroll down and
tap Set up screen lock to see the list of
lock options, as shown to the right:
� None: Disable security lock.
� Pattern: Draw a pattern of
dots.
� PIN: Set a numeric PIN code.
� Password: Enter a password.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 58
Tap Pattern to draw a pattern with your
finger across nine dots as shown to the
right.
You will need to draw the pattern twice to
confirm it.
The defaults are no visible pattern or
tactile feedback – you may want to
enable these. If someone is watching you
do this, however, then that person may be
able to see your pattern code.
By default the DROID will not lock for 20minutes, so we recommend tapping the
Security lock timer and setting it to a
smaller interval. The most secure setting is
When display is off, which means to lock
the device every time the display times out
or turns off with the Power/Lock button.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 59
If you tapped PIN for the security method,
then you would need to type a numeric
PIN of at least four digits. You can
definitely use more, if you like. In this
screen shot to the right, we used nine
digits.
Make sure that you use a PIN that you will
remember.
Tap password to use a complex
password that can include letters,
numbers, and symbols.
Again, your password must be at least four
characters long.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 60
Locking Your DROID Your DROID will lock when one of the following occurs:
� You press the Power/Lock button on the top edge, and the security
lock timer is set to When display is off.
� The security lock timer expires.
Unlocking Your DROIDTo unlock your DROID, you first slide the lock slider to see the lock code entry screen.
Next, enter your pattern, PIN, or password to unlock the phone.
You get five attempts to try your unlock code. After the fifth try, the DROID will lock up
for 30 seconds before you can try again.
If you enter 20 incorrect unlock codes, then your DROID will ask you to enter your
Google account information to unlock it.
CAUTION: We have heard that sometimes even entering the correct Google information will not allow you to unlock your DROID. If this occurs, then you will need to perform a Hard Reset. See
Chapter 24: “Troubleshooting” for detailed information on performing a Hard Reset.
Maintaining Your DROID Now that you have your DROID fully charged, you will want to know how to safely clean
the screen and keep it protected with various cases.
Cleaning Your DROID Screen After using your DROID a little while, you will see that your fingers (or other fingers
besides yours) have left smudges and oil on the formerly pristine screen. You will want
to know how to safely clean the screen. One way to keep the screen cleaner throughout
the day is to place a protective screen cover on the DROID, which may also have the
added benefit of cutting down on glare (as discussed in the next section).
We also recommend the following:
1. Turn off your DROID by pressing and holding the Sleep/Power key on the top
edge, and tap Power off from the Phone Options pop-up menu.
2. Remove any cables, such as the USB sync cable.
3. Rub the screen with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth (such as a cloth supplied to clean
eyeglasses or something similar).
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 61
4. If the dry cloth does not work, then try adding a very tiny bit of water to dampen
the cloth. If you use a damp cloth, try not to get any water in the openings.
CAUTION: Never use household cleaners, abrasive cleaners such as SoftScrub, or ammonia-
based cleaners such as Windex, alcohol, aerosol sprays, or solvents on your device.
Cases and Protective Covers for Your DROID Once you have your DROID in your hands, you will notice how beautifully it is
constructed. You will also notice that it can be fairly slippery. At some point, it could
even slip out of your hands, rock around a bit, or have the back get scratched when you
are typing on it.
We recommend buying a protective case for your DROID. Average cases run about US
$10 – 40, and fancy leather cases can cost US $100 or more. Spending a little to protect
your DROID, which costs $200 or more, makes good sense.
Where to Buy Your CoversYou can purchase your DROID protective cover at any of the following locations:
� Amazon.com (www.amazon.com)
� Android Central (www.androidcentral.com)
� Handheld Items (www.handhelditems.com)
You could also do a web search for “DROID cases” or“DROID protective covers.”
TIP: You may be able to use a case designed for another type of smartphone for your DROID. Ifyyou go this route to save some money, just make sure your DROID fits securely in the case or
cover.
What to BuyThe following sections provide information on the available types of cases to choose
from and their price ranges.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 62
Rubber / Silicone / Decorative Cases ($10–30)
What these do: Provide a cushioned grip,
absorb DROID bumps and bruises, and
isolate the edges of the phone (antennas)
from your fingers.
Pros: Deliver inexpensive, colorful, and
comfortable DROID protection.
Cons: Provide a less professional look
than a leather case.
Motorola A955 Droid 2 Full Diamond
Graphic Case – Purple Heart Image
courtesy of www.handhelditems.com.
Waterproof Cases ($10–40)What these do: Provide waterproof protection for your DROID and allow you to safely
use the DROID near water (in the rain, at the pool, at the beach, on a boat, and so on).
Pros: Provide good water protection.
Cons: May make the touch screen harder to use; these covers typically do not protect
your DROID from drops or bumps.
Hard Plastic / Metal Case ($20–40) What these do: Provide hard, solid protection against scratches and bumps and short
drops.
Pros: Provide good protection.
Cons: Add some bulk and weight. You may need to remove such covers when charging
because the DROID might overheat in that circumstance.
Leather or Special Cases ($50–100+) What these do: Provide more of a luxury feel and protect the DROID.
Pros: Provide the more upscale look-and-feel of leather; such cases also protect the
front and the back of the device.
Cons: Cost more than other cases; add bulk and weight.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 63
Front Screen Glass Protectors ($5–40)What these do: Protect the DROID’s screen from scratches.
Pros: Help prolong life of your DROID and protect against scratches; most covers like
this also decrease screen glare.
Cons: Some may increase glare or may affect the touch sensitivity of the screen.
Saving Money on Phone Plans You know you have to purchase a voice and data plan to use your DROID; however,
fully understanding the available optional bells and whistles can help you save some
money.
TIP: Check with your workplace to see if it offers special deals on Verizon DROID and rate plans.
You might be able to save some money through such a plan.
Data Packages At the time of publishing, Verizon offers two data plans that give you access to the
mobile web, email, and contacts or calendar sync capabilities of your device. Both plans
offered by Verizon feature unlimited calls. Option 1 is an unlimited corporate plan;
Option 2 is a regular or “personal” plan. The corporate plan is about $45 / month, and
the personal plan is about $30 / month. The only real difference between the plans is
that the corporate plan allows you to connect your DROID to a corporate email service,
such as Microsoft Exchange Active Sync, IBM Lotus Notes Traveler, or GoodMobile Messaging.
TIP: Your DROID comes with built-in wireless sync to your Google Contacts, Email, andCalendar programs. This means that, unless you need a special corporate email connection, you
should be able to go for the personal data plan and save some money.
Text, Picture, and Video Messaging PlansUsually, the texting add-on service plans can be added or removed from your plan at
any time. Texting rates are all for both inbound and outbound messages. At publishing
time, Verizon bills $0.20 for text messages and $0.25 for picture messaging. As soon as
you exceed 25 text messages in a month, you should opt for the basic 250 message
plan; it is cheaper. Text, picture, and video messaging plans range from 250 to 5000
messages.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 64
TIP: Save Money on Text, Video, and Picture Messaging
You need to watch your monthly bill closely. If you find out that you have gone over $20 in total messaging charges, you may be able to cut the bill down to $20 by calling Verizon and asking to
be switched over to an unlimited messaging plan. If you sweet talk them, they will usually
institute the plan retroactively, so it reduces your current phone bill.
Equipment Insurance PlansYou may be offered a total equipment protection plan that will allow you to get a new
phone if yours is damaged or lost. Please note that many of these plans have
deductibles of $90 or more and caps on how many phones per year (usually two) that
you can recover. New DROIDs with a service plan cost about $200; without a service
plan, the phones usually cost $500 – $600. Because this is what you might have to pay
to buy a phone to replace your lost or damaged DROID, it seems to make financial
sense to get the insurance. At about $8 / month, you are paying $96 per year. If you add
on the $90 deductible, you are still at just $186 in the first year and $276 for the second
year. This is well below the $500 - $600 price to buy a new DROID without a service
plan.
NOTE: You can typically add insurance only during the first 30 days after you sign up for the
original service plan.
Mobile Wi-Fi Hot Spot A very cool and useful feature on the DROID is the Mobile Wi-Fi Hot Spot feature (also
known as Wireless Internet Access). We describe this feature in more In Chapter 5:
“Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity.” This feature allows you to turn your DROID into a secure,
private, mobile Wi-Fi hot spot for up to five devices. A good example of this is when you
are traveling in a car or sitting in a location waiting for something, and you need an
Internet connection for your laptop. In this case, you can use the DROID to connect your
laptop, iPod touch, iPad, or any other device that needs a Wi-Fi Internet connection.
Usually, the Wi-Fi connection speeds are quite respectable!
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 65
TIP: Controlling Costs With Reminders
You can set a DROID Calendar Reminder to help you remember to turn off temporary service plan features.
For example, Verizon (like most phone companies) bills in advance for additional add-on services such as Mobile Hotspot or Visual Voicemail. Our recommendation is that you put the service on a recurring monthly reminder on your DROID calendar. This reminder should be set to a day or
two before your monthly billing cycle ends. When the reminder comes up, you should check whether there are any features that you want to turn off. For example, if you are going on a summer trip and need the Mobile Hotspot feature for just a month, the reminder would help you
save $20 or more by making sure you turn off the service when you are done with it.
Enhanced Voicemail Plans Verizon also sells Visual Voice Mail or Premium Voice Mail services on an ad-hoc
basis. This means you can turn the features on or off at will, with no penalties. The
Visual Voice Mail service gives you the ability to see a list of all your messages on your
DROID and tap to listen to them in any order. It’s a nice feature. The Premium Voice Mail service gives you twice the storage for your voice mail messages. At the time of
publishing, the Premium plan lets you store 40 messages instead of the standard 20. If
you are careful about cleaning out your inbox, then the standard 20 messages included
for free should be adequate.
TIP: If you use the free Google Voice service, you can get free Visual Voice Mail service. You
can learn more about Google Voice in Chapter 7: “Making Phone Calls.”
International Plans If you travel to Canada or Mexico, Verizon offers special plans that allow you to fully use
your DROID for voice and data while traveling. Again, these plans can be turned on or
off at will. So, if you are only going to be in Mexico a week or so, just remember to turn
off the plan when you return home. We cover international travel in more detail in
Chapter 5: “Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity.”
Also, if you call from the US to other countries, be sure to inquire about international
access plans that give you reduced calling rates to overseas phone numbers.
If you travel to other countries, check with Verizon and get the company to enable your
phone for international travel. You should also have someone explain all the various
plans, as well as any limitations to your coverage when you travel.
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 66
TIP: Plans for Cruise Ships!
There are even special plans and rates that will allow you to make calls and stay connected to your data plan when you take a cruise. Rates and plans vary by cruise line, so give Verizon a call
to see what is available.
Now that you know all about the various service plans, you are ready to start using your
new DROID!
67
67
Chapter
Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search In this chapter, we will show you the ins-and-outs of using the DROID keyboards. We
will cover both the virtual on-screen keyboard and the slide out keyboard (for DROID
and DROID 2).
The on-screen keyboard comes in two flavors: Portrait mode (vertical/smaller) and
Landscape mode (horizontal/larger). You will also learn how to use the innovative
Swype typing, where you drag your finger across the virtual keyboard to Swype words.
You can also fine-tune your keyboard to vibrate, click, or be silent when you press keys.
Your DROID also comes with accessibility features such as Voice ReadOuts (where the
DROID reads the screen out loud) and Zoom Mode (where you zoom in on a section of
the screen for easier reading).
You may also choose to skip typing altogether and use the DROID’s voice recognition
software to speak your text – it works amazingly well. Your DROID also comes with a
Voice Command app to help you control the DROID itself with your voice.
Finally, we will show you how to use the DROID’s copy-and-paste features, as well as
the highly flexible Google Search and Voice Search functions.
Typing on Your DROID When you first use your DROID, you will quickly find two on-screen keyboard
orientations on the device. The first (and smaller of the two) is visible when you hold your
DROID in a vertical orientation (Portrait mode); the second orientation is the larger
Landscape mode that you see when you hold the DROID in a horizontal orientation. The
nice thing is that you can use whichever orientation works best for you.
2
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 68
Two Ways to Type: Multi-touch and Swype Your DROID also gives you two ways to type text on your virtual keyboards: Multi-touch and
Swype. We recommend trying both methods and seeing which one works best for you.
Quickly Switch Between Multi-touch and Swype While you can change typing modes in the Settings app, one of the fastest ways to change
typing modes is to long-press on any word. This will bring up a pop-up window from which
you can select Input method at the bottom of the list to change your typing method.
Multi-touch TypingWith the standard Multi-touch typing method, you tap each key only once, just as you
do on a standard keyboard.
TIP: You know are using the Multi-touch keyboard if you see the ?123key or the ABC key (which is visible after you quickly tap the ?123key) in the lower-left corner of your virtual keyboard.
Various Multi-Touch Keyboards
You will see the entire keyboard show uppercase letters when you press the Shift key or
you are typing at the beginning of a sentence (DROID automatically capitalizes the first
letter). You can tap the ?123 key to access numbers and basics symbols, and then tap
the ALT key to access the advanced symbols keyboard. Tap the ABC key to return to
the letter keyboard (see Figure 2–1).
Figure 2–1. Accessing number and symbol keyboards in Multi-touch mode.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 69
Accessing Settings and Switching Typing Modes from Multi-touch
Assume you want to quickly access the
Settings program or switch typing modes
while using the Multi-touch keyboard.
From the Multi-touch keyboard, press and
hold the Settings / ?123 key in the
lower-left corner of the keyboard to bring
up the Multi-touch keyboard dialog box.
You can also get to this by pressing and
holding any input box.
Tap Multi-touch keyboard settings or
Input method to access either function.
NOTE: On the original DROID, you havethe option of Android keyboard settings
instead of Multi-touch keyboard settings.
From the Input method dialog, you can
switch between the Swype and Multi-touch keyboards.
Swype Typing (DROID 2 and DROID X only) When using the Swype typing method, you touch-and-drag your finger around the
screen to cross each of the letters in the word you are typing. With Swype, you only lift
your finger after completely touching all the letters.
TIP: You know you are in the Swype mode of typing if you see theSwype (stylized S) key or the OPT key (which is visible after pressing
the SYM key) in the lower-left corner on your virtual keyboard.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 70
Follow these steps to
type the word “hope”
with Swype:
1. Touch the
keyboard on first
letter (h).
2. Drag your finger
across the next
letters (o) and (p).
3. Lift your finger on
the last letter (e).
Using Swype to type the word “hope.”
Swype Help and the Built-in Swype Tutorial
If you want to learn more about Swype, the
on-board help is pretty good.
To access Swype Help, long-press the
Swype key in the lower-left corner.
To access Swype Tutorial, tap the
Tutorial button at the bottom of the Helpscreen. You will see an Options button;
this button provides quick access to the
settings screens. Follow these steps to
navigate through the available options:
� Tap the Next button to
move forward (the Nextbutton is the green,
right-facing arrow)
� Tap the Previous button
to move back a step (the
Previous button is the
green, left-facing arrow).
� Tap the Close button
(signified by a red “X”) or
the Back key to close
the tutorial.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 71
Word Choice Window
If Swype cannot figure out what you are
trying to type, it shows you a Word Choicewindow. Follow these tips to navigate the
Word Choice window:
� Tap any word to select it or press
the Space key to select the boldword (in this image, merck is bold.)
� Tap the arrow on the bottom of the
window to see more choices.
� Tap the X button on the left side to
close the window.
Various Swype Keyboard Layouts As with the Multi-touch keyboard, you can use Swype to access various number and
symbol keyboards using the buttons in the lower-left corner (see Figure 2–2).
Figure 2–2. Accessing numbers and symbol keyboards in Swype typing mode.
Getting to Keyboard Options from the Swype Keyboard To quickly access options to change keyboard settings or to change from Swype typing
back to Multi-touch typing, you press the SYM key, and then press and hold (long
press) the OPT key in the lower-left corner of the keyboard.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 72
Swype Tips and Tricks Here are some things to keep in mind while using Swype:
� Touch and hold the Swype key for tips and tricks about how to use Swype.
� No spaces are necessary. Skip pressing the Space key between
words because spaces are automatically inserted.
� You can enter double letters by “scribbling” on the letter or making a
little circle on the letter you want to double as you drag your finger. For
example, when typing “hello,” scribble a little on the letter “l” to get the
double letter.
� If you want to change the last word typed, tap the Swype key to see a
list of alternate words appear, and then tap the correct word.
� If you get tired of Swype typing, try using the Microphone key next to
the Space key to dictate your text (see the “Dictating Your Text”
section in later in this chapter for more information).
� Sometimes you may want to type in ALL CAPS. Start Swyping as you
do normally, then slide your finger until it is above the keyboard. Next,
make a circle, and then continue Swyping the rest of the word. It will
appear in ALL CAPS.
� If you just can’t type a word using the Swyping motion, you can go
back to tapping each letter; that still works as a back-up plan.
� Swype from the period to the space at the end of a sentence, rather
than tapping each separately – this will save you time and make the
next letter you type automatically uppercase.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 73
The Device Keyboard (DROID 2 and Similar)If you have a DROID 2 or DROID with a slide out keyboard – also known as the Device
keyboard – you can slide it out to type (see Figure 2–3).
Figure 2–3. The DROID and DROID 2 slide-out physical keyboard.
Device Keyboard Options
You can set a few options on your Device
keyboard.
From your Settings icon, tap Language & Keyboard settings, and then tap Device keyboard. This brings up a menu with
three options: Auto-replace, Auto-cap,
and Auto-punctuate.
Auto-replace automatically corrects
misspelled words.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 74
Auto-cap capitalizes the first letter in
sentences.
Auto-punctuate allows you to press the
Space key twice to insert a period at the
end of a sentence.
Dictating Your Text If you get tired of typing, tap the little Microphone key to the left or right of the Spacekey on the virtual keyboard. This allows you to dictate your text (see Figure 2–4). In
informal testing, the authors found that this dictation worked amazingly well! However,
one author’s 10-year-old daughter, Cece, did not get quite such accurate results. “My
name is Cece,” she said. But the DROID typed out, “I’m a meanie cc.” OK, so it wasn’t
quite right, but it gave us a good laugh.
Figure 2–4. Using the Microphone key to dictate text for emails,text messages, notes, and more. e
TIP: To enhance the translation of your dictated words, try these tips:
� Dictate in a quiet place.
� Try to speak slowly and enunciate your words clearly.
� Speak loudly.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 75
Quickly Delete a Word at a Time
To save your finger when you need to
delete an entire word or series of words,
simply press and hold the Backspace key
(see the image to the right) to delete a
word at a time.
This brings up a little window pop-up
saying Delete Word Back (again, see the
image to the right).
Typing on the Screen With Two Thumbs You will find when you first start out with your DROID that you can type most easily with
one finger – usually your index finger – while holding the DROID with the other hand.
After a little while, you should be able to experiment with thumb typing (as you see so
many people doing with other phones). Once you practice a little, typing with two thumbs
instead of a single finger will really boost your speed. Just be patient; it takes practice to
become proficient typing quickly with two thumbs.
TIP: If you have large hands and fingers, try flipping your DROID on its side to get the larger
landscape keyboard!
You will eventually notice that the on-screen keyboard touch sensitivity assumes you are
typing with two thumbs. This means that the letters on the left side of your keyboard are
meant to be pressed on their left side, and the keys on the right are meant to be touched
on their right side (see Figure 2–5).
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 76
Figure 2–5. Typing with two thumbs can be much faster than using a single finger.
Moving the Cursor Around the ScreenAs you type, you will want to precisely position the cursor in the text, so you can edit it
or switch between fields on a form, such as a calendar. The following sections explain
how to do this.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 77
Tapping to Move the CursorYou can tap anywhere inside a text entry area on the screen to move the cursor. You
might do this to correct a sentence you typed in an email message or to jump between
fields in a calendar event, as shown in Figure 2–6.
Figure 2–6. Tap the screen to move the cursor around.
NOTE: The full and half circles do not appear on the original DROID.
Sliding to Exactly Position the Cursor
If you need to position the cursor on the
screen more precisely, then you need to
touch and slide your finger around the
screen. You will see a little window appear
above your finger; this tells you where the
cursor is located, as shown in the figure to
the right.
TIP: You will see suggested replacement words based on the word closest to or
under the cursor. In the figure to the right,notice that the word “new” is touched.Consequently, the related suggestions are
“news,” “newsletter,” and “newspaper.”
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 78
Keyboard Vibration and Sounds When using the on-screen keyboard, you might find it useful to have some audible or
sensory feedback as you press the virtual keys. Follow these steps to toggle a click
sound or a short vibration on or off:
1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Language & keyboard.
3. Tap the type of keyboard you are
using (Multi-touch keyboard or
Swype).
4. For the Multi-touch keyboard, you
can turn Vibrate on or off on
keypress and Sound on or off on
keypress by tapping either option. If
you are using the Swype keyboard,
you can only turn Vibrate on or off
on keypress.
Saving Time With Suggested Words On the Multi-touch keyboard, you will see a line of suggested words appear in a gray
bar directly above the keyboard. These suggestions appear whether you have an on-
screen keyboard or physical keyboard, as long as you have the option enabled in your
settings.
TIP: If you never see the suggested words appear above the keyboard, then you will have to enable
suggestions by selecting your Settings app > Language & keyboard > Multi-touch keyboardor Swype keyboard, and then setting Show suggestions to on (a Green check mark button
next to the option means it is selected).
You can save yourself time when you see the correct word guessed (shown in bold font)
by just pressing the Space key at the bottom of the keyboard to select that word (see
Figure 2–7).
In this example, we wanted to type the word “Martin” but misspelled it as “marton.” The
suggested words box displayed the correct spelling of his name with the highlighted
word. Since the correct suggestion is highlighted, we can simply tap the Space key to
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 79
select it. If the correct word were not highlighted, then we would need to tap the correct
word to select it from the list.
Figure 2–7. Tap any suggested word to select it or press the Space key to select the highlighted word. e
TIP: The Auto-Replace feature also looks through your Contacts list to makesuggestions. For example, if Martin
Trautschold was in your Contacts list,you would see “Trautschold” come up as a suggested word after typing “Trau” –
the figure to the right shows an example
of this.
After you get used to tapping the suggested words and using the Space key to select
highlighted suggestions, you will come to appreciate just how much time this feature
saves you.
Sometimes when you hit the Space key, the wrong word is selected. In this case, you
simply need to press the Backspace key to see the originally typed word. At this
point, you can select one of the other suggestions or keep typing.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 80
TIP: With the Auto-Replace feature, you can savetime by not typing the apostrophe in many commoncontractions, such as “wont” and “cant.” The
suggested words will show you the contractionspelled correctly. If the correction is highlighted, press the Space key to select it. If not, then tap the
word.
Using the Spell Checker Working hand-in-hand with the suggested words feature is the DROID’s built-in spell
checker and its user dictionary. Most of the time, your misspelled words will be caught
and corrected automatically by the Auto-correction feature.
CAUTION: At the time of publishing, if you ignore the suggested correction or the misspelled word is not in the dictionary, then it will not be corrected before you send your email message.
The spell checker on the DROID does not check words after you finish typing them; it only checks
words as you type them.
Adding Words to the Custom User Dictionary You can add words to the built-in user dictionary, so they are not auto-corrected by the
DROID. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Language & keyboard.
3. Tap User dictionary.
4. Press the Menu key and select Add.
5. Type in your new word for the user
dictionary and click OK.
6. Repeat for as many words as you
want to add.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 81
Editing or Deleting Words From the User Dictionary
Navigate to the User dictionary screen, as
shown in the above image.
Next, long-press (press and hold) any
word and then select Edit or Delete.
Clearing Out the User Dictionary
It’s possible that you will end up adding
misspelled words to your user dictionary. If
at some point you find that your user
dictionary has too many misspelled words,
then you can give it a fresh start by
clearing out all the custom words. Follow
these steps to do so:
1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Language & keyboard.
3. Tap Multi-touch keyboard.
4. Tap Clear user dictionary.
5. Tap Yes to confirm that you want to
clear the user dictionary.
The preceding process will clear out all
custom words added to your DROID
dictionary.
Accessibility Options There are a number of useful features on the DROID to help with accessibility. For
example, the Voice Readouts feature will read text on the screen to you. It will tell you
what you tap on, what choices are selected, and even read email. If you like to see
things in a larger size, you can turn on the Zoom Mode feature; this chapter’s “Using
Zoom Mode to Magnify a Portion of the Screen” section explains how to do so.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 82
Accessibility – Voice Readouts (Reads the Screen) One cool feature of the DROID is that it has a Voice Readouts feature you can turn on
to make the DROID will speak anything you tap on the screen. You can even get it to
read to you from any email or other text-based document.
TIP: Use a set of headphones when listening to Voice Readouts to better hear what is being said
and to avoid disturbing others.
Follow these steps to enable Voice Readouts:
1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Accessibility near the bottom of the
page.
3. Tap Accessibility again to check it.
4. Tap Voice Readouts to check it.
TIP: The Voice Readouts gestures are a littledifferent from the normal gestures. A single tap
will result in the item being read to you. Once you enable this feature, you have to double-tap an
item to select it or set a switch.
NOTE: The original DROID has the options of TalkBack, SoundBack and KickBack.TalkBack recites menu options, app titles, contacts, etc when scrolling through and opening.SoundBack plays a tone when scrolling menus and a different one everytime a menu is selected.
KickBack is like SoundBack but with vibration.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 83
Using Zoom Mode to Magnify a Portion of the Screen You may want to turn on the Zoom Mode feature if you find that the text, icons, buttons,
or anything else on the screen is a little too hard to see. Zoom mode is not available on
the original DROID.
Follow these steps to enable Zoom Mode:
1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Accessibility near the bottom of the
page.
3. Make sure Accessibility at the top is
checked.
4. Tap Zoom Mode to check it.
5. You will see a warning that the ZoomMode will collect everything you type. Tap
OK to continue.
With the Zoom Mode turned on, you will see a box with gray bars on the top and
bottom. In the upper- and lower-left corners, you will also see + (plus) and – (minus)
symbols. Tap the + symbol to zoom in and the – symbol to zoom out. Drag either gray
bar to move the screen around and zoom in on something else (see Figure 2–8).
Figure 2–8. Using Zoom Mode to expand a portion of your DROID screen.e
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 84
Double Tap the Home Button Options The default setting for when you double-click the Home button is to start up VoiceCommand, but you can adjust this behavior in your settings. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Tap your Settings icon.
2. Tap Applications.
3. Tap Double tap home launch.
4. Select from any of the available
options.
Note that this list is longer than the
screen, so scroll up and down to see all
the options available.
You can choose from Browser, Camera, Contacts, Dialer, Gmail, Maps, Messaging, Music, News,
Social Networking, Text Messaging,
Voice Command, and Voice Search.
NOTE: Double tap home launch is not
available on the original DROID.
Pressing and Holding to Type Symbols (and More)
You might wonder how you type symbols that
aren’t shown on the standard keyboard.
TIP: You can type more symbols than are shown
on the screen.
To do so, simply press and hold a letter,
number, or symbol that is related to the
symbol you want. If you see three dots (...) in
the lower-left corner of a letter, that’s your tip
that pressing and holding that letter will show
you more character options (see the figure
showing the letter “E” to the right).
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 85
Several characters have special, additional
characters associated with them, including all
the vowels; the letters “C” and “N”; and the .(period) and $ (dollar) symbols.
For example, follow these steps if you want to
type the ¥ (yen) symbol: ¥
� Press and hold the $ key until
you see the other options.
� Slide up your finger to
highlight the ¥ symbol and¥then let go with your finger
over that symbol.
Toggling Caps Lock You double-tap the Shift key to turn on Caps Lock. You
know Caps Lock is turned on when the little dot in the
upper-left corner of the key turns green. An easy way to
see whether Caps Lock is on: all the letters on the
keyboard will be shown in UPPER CASE.
To turn off Caps Lock, simply press the Shift key again.
Quickly Changing a Word If you want to quickly change a single
word, tap it once to put the cursor in it, as
shown in the figure to the right. The cursor
in this image is in the middle of the word
“quickly.” This causes the suggested
words shown at the bottom of the image
to be related to the word “quickly.” If you
see the suggestion you want, tap it. If not,
tap the gray triangle in the lower-right
corner to see more suggestions.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 86
Quickly Change Text Sometimes you need to quickly change or delete some text you are typing. Follow these
steps to do so:
1. Begin by selecting the desired text
by double-tapping it. Notice that the
word you tapped is now selected.
2. Adjust the selection by dragging the
blue handles.
3. To erase the selected text, press the
Backspace key.
4. To replace the text, simply start typing. The text will be instantly replaced by the
letters you type.
Changing the Language and Keyboard Options The DROID includes a few keyboard options to make typing on your DROID easier. The
keyboard options are located in the Settings app. Follow these steps to change these
settings:
1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Language & keyboard.
3. To change your language, tap Select Locale and select another language.
4. To change your typing method, tap
Input Method and select between
Multi-touch keyboard and Swype.
5. To adjust the settings particular to the
various keyboards, tap each type of
keyboard: Swype; Multi-touchkeyboard; and if you happen to have a
device keyboard (DROID 2 models),
Device keyboard.
6. Tap User dictionary to make
adjustments to your user dictionary. For
example, you might add, edit, or delete
words to your custom dictionary.
If you changed your local language to
Español, then you would see all the labels and
menus on the DROID change to Spanish.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 87
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 88
Voice CommandThe DROID 2 and DROID X comes with a nice feature called Voice Command that
allows you to control many aspects of your phone using your voice.
Double-pressing the Home button will usually bring up
Voice Command. You can also tap the icon to start it.
If the default behavior of double-clicking the Homebutton has been changed (DROID 2 and DROID X only),
you can change it back to start Voice Command by
following the steps we showed you in this chapter’s
earlier section, “Double-Clicking the Home Button
Options.”
The Voice Command feature lets you do the following:
� Call a person by name or number.
� Send a text message.
� Send a picture.
� Send a video.
� Send an email.
� Lookup someone’s contact information.
� Go to a menu.
� Play a playlist.
When you say (or tap) Check, you can check any
number of status items, as shown in the image to the
right.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 89
Texting by Voice The Voice Command feature lets you do a lot of cool
things. For example, you can use this feature to dictate
and send an email to someone. Follow these steps to
do so:
� Say “Send text” and then the
person’s name.
� Select the desired phone number or
email address when prompted.
� You will see a screen with the
addressee. Tap the Enter message here window to write the message.
� You can continue dictating the
message by tapping the
Microphone icon next to the Spacekey on your keyboard. In the image
to the right, we just finished dictating
the exact message shown as
underlined. If the dictation was
incorrect, one tap of the Backspacekey would erase the entire underlined
text.
� Tap the Send button to send the
message.
NOTE: On the original DROID, just start the Messaging app and then touch the Microphone icon
to speak your text.
Using Copy-and-PasteThe ability to copy-and-paste is very useful for saving time and increasing your
accuracy. You can use this feature for taking text from your email (such as meeting
details) and pasting it into your Calendar. Or, you may want to simply copy an email
address from one place in a form to another to save yourself the time and trouble of
retyping it. There are lots of places to use copy-and-paste; the more comfortable you
are with it, the more you will use it.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 90
Selecting Text
If you are reading or typing text, you can
select text by double-tapping a word and
then dragging the handles as we showed
you in the “Quickly Change Text” section
earlier in this chapter. You can also select
text by long-pressing it and choosing
Select all or Select text.
TIP: In the Browser, you can save animage to your DROID by pressing and
holding it until you see a pop-up menu. Tap Save image to save the image or Set as wallpaper to set the image as your
DROID wallpaper.
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Text
Once you have the text that you wish to copy or
cut highlighted, long-press again and tap Copy or
Cut.
If you want to paste the text in the same screen,
reposition the cursor by tapping the screen, and
then long-press and select Paste.
If you want to paste the text into another app, use
the multitasking steps shown in the next section.
Jumping Between Apps or Multitasking After you copy text, you may want to paste it into another app. The easiest way to jump
between apps is to use the Recent list. Follow these steps to paste text you copy into
another app:
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 91
1. Copy or cut your text.
2. Long-press the Home button to
bring up the Recent list of the eight
most recent apps you have opened
on your DROID.
3. If you just left an app running in the
background, you will be able to find
it in the top left position of the
Recent list. Tap any of the eight
apps to jump to it.
TIP: If you don’t see the app you want to start in the Recent list of eight apps, then tap the Home button, and then the Launcher icon to see all your apps. From here, you can fire up the
app you need.
4. Paste the text by pressing and holding the screen and selecting Paste from the
pop-up.
5. Long-press the Home button again to see Recent list and tap the app you just
left to jump back to it.
Finding Things with Google Search As you might expect from the creator of the most popular search engine
on the planet, Google’s Android operating system has a very nice
search feature. You even have a dedicated Search button on the
bottom of your DROID, as shown to the left. Follow these steps to start
a search for something on your DROID:
1. Press the Search button on the bottom of the DROID and start typing your search
word or phrase.
2. Instantly, you will see matching items and search suggestions appear. Tap the
item or search suggestion you desire to view or use.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 92
Modifying Your Search
It’s also a simple matter to change the
parameters of your search. Tap the icon
(usually the Google “g” ) just to the
left of the search box to adjust what you’re
searching for. The default setting for
search is All, but you can also search only
the Web or Apps from the Android Market.
If you want to see more items that you can
search for, tap the Settings icon in the
upper-right corner of the pop-up window
with the search icons.
From this window, you can check or
uncheck various items to include in the
search. By default, only the Web and
Apps options are checked.
For example, you can check the Kindleapp to search titles and authors of your
Kindle books.
You can also check Contacts to search
your DROID contact list.
Or, you can check Music to quickly search
for artists, album names, and song names.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 93
Performing the Search
The figure to the right shows the results of
typing the letter “e” into the Searchwindow. Doing so displays a number of
apps and suggested search terms.
You have several options at this point. You
can tap a given app icon to jump into that
app or tap the search term to execute a
Google search with your search term.
You can also tap the Pencil icon to the
right of the search term to select the
chosen search term and continue typing
more in the Search box.
TIP: To hide the virtual keyboard, swipe
your finger down from the top of the
keyboard toward the bottom.
Performing a Voice Search
After you bring up the Search window, tap
the Microphone icon to the right of the
Search window to use your voice to
dictate the search.
Speak loudly and clearly when you see the
Speak now window as shown to the right.
Once you stop speaking, the DROID will
take a second and do its best to type what
you just spoke and search for it.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 94
In the image shown to the right, we
searched for “pizza 32174.” This search
quickly found all pizza restaurants in the
ZIP code 32174.
You could search for anything, including
the following:
� Golf courses
� Bars
� Plumbers
� Libraries
� Grocery stores
� Panera Bread stores
� Your favorite gas station
and more!
Adding the Google Search Widget to Your Home Screen
If you use the search feature often, you will
want to add a Google Search widget to
your Home screen. Follow these steps to
do so:
1. The Google Search widget requires
four empty spaces across to be
placed. Locate such an empty
space on your Home screen and
press and hold the screen.
2. Select Android widgets.
3. Select Google Search.
CHAPTER 2: Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search 95
Now you have instant access to Google Search right from your Home screen.
97
97
Chapter
Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account In order to use a DROID, you must have a Google Account. You can still check your
work email and use other accounts, but you must have at least one Google Account.
When you activate a new DROID, setting up a Google Account is the second thing you’ll
do, right after activating the phone number itself with Verizon Wireless.
Your Google Account serves as your default contact list, email, and calendar on your
DROID. You will be able to view, manage and update your Google Contacts and
Calendar using the Contacts and Calendar apps on your DROID. You can add other
services such as Twitter, Facebook, and Microsoft Exchange email (we’ll get to that in
Chapters 9 and 20); however, by default all new contacts you create directly on your
phone go into your Google Account.
Activating Your Phone If you already have a DROID in your hand, chances are you’ve already activated it. If
you’re still considering a purchase or an upgrade, here are the steps for activation:
1. Tap on the screen. You’ll see an Android with a hand.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen.
3. Your phone will dial a special number for activation.
4. You’ll see a message that your phone has been activated.
5. It may take up to 15 minutes for service. Meanwhile, you can press the Next key
to begin a tutorial on activating and using your DROID. This tutorial will also guide
you through setting up your Google Account.
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CHAPTER 3: Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account 98
Activating Your Google Account You have two basic choices: you can use a Google Account you’ve already created, or
you can create one. Once you’ve completed this step, you can also go back and add
multiple Google Accounts; thus, if you have one email for home and another for work,
it’s no problem.
Figure 3–1 shows the activation steps for creating a new Google Account, and Figure 3–
2 shows the steps for signing in with your existing account.
Figure 3–1. Setting up a new Google account.
Follow these steps to create a new Google Account:
1. If this is your first Google Account, press the Create button.
2. Enter your first and last name and your desired Gmail username in the
appropriate boxes.
3. Google will check to see if your username is available. If not, it will suggest
alternatives.
4. Once you've selected an available username, you need to create a password.
CHAPTER 3: Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account 99
5. Google will indicate if this is a “strong” password. Our experience is that Google
overrates the strength of passwords, so try to create a password that has at least
one number, punctuation character, and at least one capital letter.
6. Next you’ll need to add security questions in case you ever forget your password.
You can click the security question to select a different question.
CAUTION: Keep in mind that identity thiefs can use Google to find obvious answers about you, soavoid questions such as your city of birth or high school. You could also make up an answer to
these questions that you’ll remember but strangers can’t research.
7. Now you should enter a secondary email address. This is where your password
reset instructions will be emailed.
8. Agree to the Google Terms of Service by pressing I agree, Next.
9. Congratulations! You’re the proud owner of a new Google Account.
Tap
Figure 3–2. Adding an existing Google Account.
CHAPTER 3: Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account 100
Follow these steps to sign into an existing Google account:
1. If you already have a Google Account, tap the Sign in button.
2. Enter your username and password in the appropriate fields.
3. Google will verify your username and password.
4. Congratulations, your phone is set up to sync with your Google Account.
TIP: You don’t need to type your full Gmail address in the Username field. Just type the part thatgoes before the @ sign, and your DROID will autocomplete the rest.
Once you’re done adding the first account, the DROID will ask if you’d like to add more
Google Accounts. To add multiple accounts, just press the Google button and repeat
the same steps. When you add new Google Accounts, you’ll need to decide if you want
to sync your contacts, Gmail, or both (you’ll learn more about this in the “Fine Tuning
Your DROID Sync” section later in this chapter).
The Wonders of the Cloud One of the driving forces behind Google and Android is the concept of cloud computing. Rather than rely on a single computer with a single processor, Google relies on a bank
of servers on the Internet for nearly every product or service it produces—in other
words, these apps and services are “in the cloud.”
When you send Gmail messages, make Google Calendar entries, or add contacts to
your Google Contact list, that information is available on your DROID and on any
computer you connect to the Internet with when you log into your Google Account. You
do not need to connect your DROID to your computer to get the benefit of this syncing.
And if you should accidentally break your DROID, you’ll probably be very sad, but you
won’t be without your Google contacts or calendar.
Have you ever seen someone update their Facebook status or send out a frustrated
email where they beg everyone to send them their contact information again to replace
all the numbers they lost with their broken phone? As long as you stick with DROIDs and
other Android-powered phones, that will never be you.
More Reasons You Need a Google AccountIf you purchase apps in the Android Market, you’ll use your Google account and GoogleCheckout to complete the transaction. The default email account on your DROID is
Gmail, and the default calendar is Google Calendar.
Table 3–1 lists a few of the Google services you’ll get to know as you use your phone.
CHAPTER 3: Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account 101
Table 3–1. Drilling Down on Google Account Services.
Gmail: Gmail is a free web-based email service, but it’s good
enough to replace those email accounts your Internet
service provider gives you. We’ll talk about email in
greater detail later. Make sure you register for an
account. Some Android phones will not let you activate
them without one.
Google Voice:
Google Voice is a VoIP (Voice over IP) service that allows
you to use a single phone number to forward your calls,
create a visual voicemail message with text transcription,
and make low cost international long-distance calls.
Google Voice isn’t a pure VoIP service at this time. You
still need a phone in order to use it, although you can
initiate calls from your computer using Gmail.
GoogleCalendar:
Google Calendar works a bit differently from the
calendar in Microsoft Outlook. It includes standard
features like events and invitations, but Google Calendar is meant to be even more collaborative. You
manage Google Calendar by adding multiple calendars
and sharing them with others. For instance, you can have
a calendar you allow colleagues to see but not edit, a
calendar team members can all edit, and another
calendar of fully public events.
GoogleMaps:
You’re probably already familiar with this map
application. Google Maps is the engine behind most of
your phone’s geographically sensitive apps. Google Maps does more than provide you driving directions; it
can also give you walking and public transport
directions. This is invaluable when you’re on the road.
GoogleCheckout:
Google Checkout is a tool for buyers and merchants to
complete credit card transactions without revealing the
credit card info to the merchant. It’s a competitor to
PayPal. You’ll need to set up an account with this service
that contains your credit card information if you want to
purchase apps from the Android Market.
Picasa: The web-based albums in Picasa Web Albums are
Google’s answer to Flickr. If you want to upload pictures
from your phone to the Web, this is the default location
for sharing such pictures on the DROID. You may want
to set up your account with albums and public or private
sharing permissions if you need to share photos as part
of your job. It’s more efficient to upload photos to Picasa
CHAPTER 3: Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account 102
than it is to send them as email attachments, though you
can do both. Picasa also has a desktop program you
can use for syncing and editing photos.
YouTube: If you have any reason to take quick videos with your
DROID, set up a YouTube account with your preferred
username beforehand. You can upload videos directly
instead of offloading them to your desktop computer
first. You can also use a YouTube account to comment,
rate, and add videos to playlists.
TIP: Most DROIDs do not come with a SIM card. The exception is the DROID 2 Global. This is because they run on Verizon Wireless’ CDMA network and not on a GSM network. This meansyou won’t be able to transfer contacts by popping a SIM card between phones, but your Google
contacts will still sync with new Android phones.
What to Do When your Calendar and Contacts are Not Already in GoogleIf you already use Google for your Contacts and Calendar, by setting up your Google
Account on your DROID, these contacts and calendar events flow automatically and
wirelessly to your DROID. You're done.
But what happens if your contacts and calendar are stored in Microsoft Outlook, the
Apple Address Book, another desktop application or even just your old phone?
TIP: See Chapter 4: "Other Sync Methods" to learn about ways to sync or share informationbetween Microsoft Outlook, Apple Address Book, Microsoft Entourage, iCal, ACT!, GoldMine,
Lotus Notes and other applications and your DROID.
Getting Information from Your Old Phone In the case that you only have your contacts and calendar stored on your old phone and
not in any other application, you should try to transfer that information into Google
directly or into another desktop application or file.
How you get this accomplished varies widely based on the type of phone you have, so
we are not able to provide step-by-step instructions here. Instead, you have a couple of
options: Option one, ask your Verizon representative for assistance. Option two, do a
web search that specifically identifies your phone and says "transfer contacts from (my
phone name) to DROID or Google." If you can figure out how to get your contacts from
CHAPTER 3: Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account 103
your phone into a desktop application, or file of the format vCard or .csv (comma
separated variable) format, then you will be able to follow the steps below to import
them into Google.
NOTE: If you can get the data to Google Contacts at http://www.google.com/contacts, itwill appear on your phone after you setup your Google Account on your DROID. The backup plan,
if none of the sync or import options work is that you can add your contacts manually. See
Chapter 12: “Using your Contacts.”
One-time Import of Contact Information fromOutlook or the Apple Address Book Follow these steps to perform a one-time import of your contacts from Outlook or the
Apple Address Book to your DROID phone:
1. Export your contacts as a CSV or vCard file.
2. Use the import link on the upper-right corner of Google Contacts as shown in
Figure 3–3.
Figure 3–3. Importing contacts from Google Contacts.
Fine Tuning Your DROID SyncWhen you add Google Accounts, you choose how much information you want to sync.
You may not want to check your work email on your phone, or you may want to read
your email but ignore the contact list. It’s your choice. The three basic Google Account
items you can sync on a DROID are your Google Calendar, your Gmail, and your
Google Contacts.
CHAPTER 3: Sync Your DROID With Your Google Account 104
Figure 3–4 guides you through the steps for enabling and disabling Google syncing;
follow these steps to do so:
1. From the Home screen, press the Menu button.
2. Tap Settings, then tap Accounts.
3. Tap the Google account you wish to modify.
4. Green checks indicate syncing, and gray checks indicate syncing is disabled. Tap
on the checkbox to switch syncing on or off for a service.
5. Press the Back button until you return to the Home screen.
Figure 3–4. Syncing Google accounts.
105
105
Chapter
Other Sync Methods In Chapter 3: “Sync Your DROID with Your Google Account,” you learned how to
connect your DROID to your Google account to wirelessly sync your Google contacts,
calendar, and Gmail. That works well if you already use Google for your personal
information, but it will not work for you if you store your contacts, calendar, and other
items in your computer using software such as Microsoft Outlook, iCal, or Microsoft
Entourage.
In this chapter, we show you alternative sync methods to sync some or all of your
personal information to your DROID. Some of these options are free, others cost about
US$40. We hope that this chapter will give you a good overview of the options and help
you implement the one that best suits your needs. While we don’t intend to replace the
software manufacturer's level of documentation and troubleshooting materials, we do
hope to give you enough to get up and running.
NOTE: We cover how to sync media and other files such as documents using free softwareoptions in Chapter 25: "DROID Media Sync." We discuss ways to sync your email in Chapter 9:
"Email on Your DROID."
While there are other options out there to sync to your DROID, we decided to cover a
few of the more popular software products. You may find other options at different
prices or even other free options, but beware that we have heard of people losing all
their calendar entries by trying some free sync options not listed in this book.
CAUTION: For any sync solution, including the options listed in this book, we do recommend saving a backup file of the personal information on your computer just as a precaution in case
something goes wrong with the sync process. It's always safer to have that backup handy.
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CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 106
Table 4–1 provides a brief overview of the sync options covered in this chapter.
Table 4–1. Alternative Sync Methods for Your DROID.
Type of Information Google Calendar
Sync
Missing Sync
for
Android
Companion Link
Outlook Contacts
(Windows)
- Yes Yes
Outlook Calendar
(Windows)
Yes Yes Yes
Outlook Tasks (Windows) - Coming Yes (to DejaOfficeapp)
Outlook Notes (Windows) - Yes (to Fliq Notes app)
Yes (to DejaOfficeapp)
Outlook 2011 for Mac - - -
iCal (Mac) - Yes -
Entourage Calendar (Mac) - Yes (To FliqCalendar app)
-
Entourage Notes (Mac) - Yes (To FliqNotes app)
-
Address Book (Mac) - Yes -
Entourage Address Book
(Mac)
- Yes -
ACT! (Windows) - - Yes
Novell GroupWise
(Windows)
- - Yes
Lotus Notes (Windows) - - Yes
GoldMine (Windows) - - Yes
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 107
Backing up Your Outlook Data Before you start syncing your Outlook data, we recommend taking a backup copy of
your Outlook data. This may be a single file or several files, depending on how your
system is setup.
1. Determine the file name and
folder containing your Outlook
data. From the Outlook menu,
select File > Data FileManagement.
2. Look under the Filename
column for both the data file
name (usually Outlook.pst or
Archive.pst) and the folder
name which is listed right after
the file name.
3. Close Outlook to close all the
data files.
4. After Outlook is closed, use your Windows Explorer (shortcut Windows Key + E)
to locate all the data files and copy them to a backup location. We recommend
something not on your computer, e.g. an external hard disk, CD/DVD, cloud
storage, or a USB thumb drive.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 108
Google Calendar Sync for Outlook (Windows PC) Google provides a free application to sync your Microsoft Outlook Calendar to your
Google Calendar. From the Google Calendar, you use the standard DROID sync
software described in Chapter 3 to sync Google to your DROID. It is a two-step sync:
Outlook to Google Calendar to DROID Calendar. For this sync to stay updated, your
computer needs to be turned on, Microsoft Outlook needs to be running, along with the
Google Calendar sync, and you need an Internet connection. If any of these are not
working, the sync will stop. It should catch up next time everything is on and
connected.
Learn more on the Google Calendar Sync here:
www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer.py?answer=89955
Or you can perform a web search for "Google Outlook Calendar Sync."
Supported Software (What You Need)In order to use the Google Calendar Sync, you need the following:
� A Windows PC running XP, Vista, or Windows 7
� Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007, 2010 (32-bit).
� An active Internet connection
� No special software on your DROID—you just use the standard
Calendar app and sync it to the Google Calendar.
NOTE: No Mac support was available to Sync your Google calendar to Outlook 2011 or Entourageon the Mac. You can sync your Google calendar to iCal by setting up your Google calendar as a CalDAV account under iCal preferences. Also, Outlook 2010 (64–bit) for Windows was not yetsupported, however we understand Google is working on this issue and may have it resolved
soon.
Before You InstallWe highly recommend doing the following:
� Turning off any other sync applications that are syncing to your
Outlook Calendar.
� Making a backup copy of your Outlook Data File. See the “How to
Backup Your Outlook Data” section in this chapter.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 109
Downloading and InstallingDownload the software from Google. To find the software, go to
www.google.com/sync/index.html. You will most likely see a web page similar to the
one shown in Figure 4–1.
Click on PC to go to the Google Outlook Calendar Sync for Windows page. Follow the
instructions on the website to install the software.
Figure 4–1. Google Sync Services Website.
Setting Up the Software
1. Start up the software. After you
have installed Google Sync, start it
up by typing Google Calendar Sync
in your Windows search box. Click
on the software which appears at
the very top of the list under
Programs.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 110
2. The program may not appear on the
screen but will start up in a
Windows Tray icon. You need to
right-click the tray icon and select
Options to see the setup window.
Figure 4–2. Google Calendar Sync Setup Window.
3. Enter your Google Calendar username and password in the window shown in
Figure 4–2.
4. Then choose your Sync Options. You probably want the 2-way sync unless you
have a strong reason for 1-way sync. With the 2-way sync, any updates you
make on your DROID Calendar will by synced to Google and back to Outlook and
vice-versa. Everything is kept up-to-date.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 111
� 2-wayGives you full two-way synchronization between your Google Calendar
(and DROID Calendar) and your Microsoft Outlook Calendar.
� 1-way: Google to OutlookSyncs only from your Google Calendar (DROID Calendar) into your
Outlook Calendar.
� 1-way: Outlook to GoogleSyncs only from your Outlook Calendar to your Google Calendar
(DROID Calendar).
5. You can then adjust the sync frequency. The default is the shortest duration of 10
minutes; however, you can make it longer interval if you desire.
6. When you are done, click Save to start the calendar sync from Outlook to Google.
7. Remember to follow the steps shown in Chapter 3 to get your DROID Calendar to
sync wirelessly with your Google Calendar.
Now all appointments from your Google calendar should flow into both your Outlook
Calendar and your DROID Calendar app. Pretty soon, all three calendars should be
identical.
Troubleshooting Google Calendar Sync Common issues and potential resolutions with Google Calendar Sync are shown in
Table 4–2.
Table 4–2. Common Google Calendar Sync Issues and Resolutions
Common Issue Resolution
Error connecting to Outlook. Make sure Outlook is running on your
computer.
Error connecting to Google. Make sure you have an Internet connection
from your computer.
Calendar events are not updated on your
DROID.
Make sure your account is setup correctly on
your DROID.
Make sure your computer is powered on,
Outlook is running and it has an internet
connection.
Google also provides a wealth of troubleshooting resources. The fastest way to find
them is to do a web search for “Trouble Syncing Google Calendar with Outlook.” Then
look for a link in the upper right corner of the page that says "Google Calendar Sync
Troubleshooting."
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 112
Some of the help topics covered online include:
� Events not syncing at all.
� Events display the wrong time after syncing.
� Calendar alarms aren't syncing correctly.
� Trouble connecting to Outlook.
� Privacy settings don't match.
� Description or error codes 0, 1008, 1011, 2008, 2013, 2016, and more.
Hopefully, with the online resources and the description in this book, you should be
armed with enough information to get your Google Calendar Sync set up and running
smoothly to your DROID.
Missing Sync for Android The Missing Sync for Android from Mark/Space, Inc. provides you the ability to sync
from your Windows or Mac PC to your DROID. Items that you can sync are:
� Outlook or Entourage Calendar, Contacts, and Notes
� Music from iTunes or Windows Media Player
� Photos, Videos, Ringtones, Documents and Files, Podcasts, and Call
History.
Learn more about the Missing Sync for Android here:
www.markspace.com/products/android/missing-sync-android.html
NOTE: The software vendor does not provide a free trial of the software, so we encourage you to
read the online reviews and comments about the software before purchasing it.
Reviews of the Missing Sync for Android We found a review of the Missing Sync for Android at publishing time. You should do a
quick web search to see if there are any new or updated reviews at the time you are
reading this. Try searching for "Missing Sync Android Review."
PC Magazine review for the Missing Sync for Android v1.4 (August 2, 2010) at
www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367260,00.asp
The review gave the application 2 out of 5 stars and said it worked as advertized;
however, it was challenging to use and needed more features to justify the $40 price.
This review also included comments from people who have purchased the software.
Keep in mind that the PC Magazine review and comments are based on version 1.4 of
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 113
the software, so that if the vendor has released an update, some or all of the concerns of
the reviewers may have already been addressed.
Supported Software (What You Need)In order to use the Missing Sync for Android, you need the following:
� A Windows PC running XP, Vista (32-bit only), or Windows 7 (32-bit or
64–bit) and Microsoft Outlook 2003, 2007, 2010 (32-bit)
� A Mac OS 10.5.6 Leopard or later, or Snow Leopard running
Entourage 2004, 2008, or Apple iCal
� iTunes or Windows Media Player to sync media
� An active Internet connection
� Three free apps for your DROID to fully take advantage of the synced
data. All three are available in the Android Market app.
� The Missing Sync for Android
� Fliq Calendar (Required for a 2-way calendar sync)
� Fliq Notes (Required to sync notes)
NOTE: At the time of publishing, the Missing Sync for Android did not support Office 2011 for
Mac.
Before You InstallWe highly recommend doing the following:
� Turning off any other sync applications that are syncing to Outlook.
� Making a backup copy of your Outlook Data File. See the “How to
Backup Your Outlook Data” section in this chapter.
Downloading and Installing PC or Mac SoftwareThere is no free trial available of the Missing Sync, so you need to purchase it in order to
download it.
1. Buy and download the software from the www.markspace.com site.
2. Double-click the downloaded file to get the installation started.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 114
3. Once you have installed the software, locate and double-click on the application
icon on your PC or Mac. You should see a settings screen similar to the one
shown in Figure 4–3.
Figure 4–3. Missing Sync for Android Sync Setup Window.
4. Check or un-check items to turn the sync on or off.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 115
5. Double-click a particular item to
see more details about that item
and to be able to customize the
synchronization settings. For
example, clicking the Calendar row
at the top will show you the
Calendar Settings dialog box
shown to the right.
6. Repeat this procedure to set up the
sync for all the various data types:
Call Logs, Contacts, Folders(easily share documents and files),
Music, Notes (sync to Fliq Notes
from), Photos, Ringtones (create
and sync), SMS Log (keep track of
SMS messages received and sent),
Video (copy and re-format videos
to play on your DROID or copy
videos recorded on your DROID to
your computer).
7. When you are done configuring all
the data types, you are ready to
connect or pair your DROID with
the desktop Missing Sync software
using the Setup Assistant by
clicking the Setup Assistant icon.
At the end of this process, you will
receive a 5-digit passkey to enter
on the Missing Sync app on your
DROID to complete the pairing.
Follow the steps below to finish the
setup on your DROID.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 116
Installing and Setting Up the DROID Software
Go to the Android Market app and search for
"Missing Sync for Android," then tap that
application.
Scroll down a little and tap View more applications to see all the applications by
Mark/Space, the developer.
You should see three apps as shown in the
figure to the right.
Go ahead and install all three apps.
1. After you have already installed, set up,
and configured your Missing Sync for
Android PC or Mac app, you can tap the
Missing Sync for Android app to start it.
2. Tap the Synchronize button then answer
the question "Do you have the Missing
Sync for Android installed on your Mac or
Windows System?" as a Yes to get
started.
3. Setup either a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
connection from your computer to use
for the sync and tap Next.
4. Enter the 5-digit passkey that you
received from the Missing Sync for
Android Setup Assistant to get the sync
started.
Troubleshooting Missing Sync The Missing Sync website provides a knowledgebase of common issues and suggested
solutions. From your web browser, go to support.markspace.com and click on
Technical Support: Missing Sync for Android to see all the support topics.
Some of the help topics covered online include:
� Configuring Entourage 2008.
� Unable to locate Missing Sync in the Android Market.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 117
� Some or all contacts are missing after a sync.
� Error: the location of Outlook is unknown.
� Seeing an error message during the sync for either Windows or Mac.
Hopefully, with the online resources and the description in this book, you should be
armed with enough information to get the Missing Sync for Android set up and running
smoothly to your DROID.
CompanionLink for Android CompanionLink (CL) software provides various software products to sync to your
DROID. With CompanionLink, you have three sync options:
Option 1:
Direct USB Sync Android direct via USB
This will sync from your PC
through the USB cable
directly to your DROID. If
you choose this option, you
need to install the
DejaOffice app on your
DROID.
You need to install a new
app on your DROID called
DejaOffice to use this
option.
Option 2:
Sync to DROID via Google
This will sync your data
from your PC to your
Google Account. Then you
use the setup process in
Chapter 3 to setup the sync
from Google to your
DROID.
No additional software
needs to be installed on
your DROID; you use the
standard Contacts and
Calendar apps.
Option 3:
Sync to DROID via the CL Hosted Servers
This is like the Google sync
option, except that your
data goes to the
CompanionLink servers
instead of Google.
You need to install a new
app on your DROID called
DejaOffice to use this
option.
The CompanionLink for Outlook software provides two-way sync from Outlook to
Google (then you sync your DROID to Google) or Outlook direct via a USB cable to your
DROID.
In this book, we have chosen to focus on the CompanionLink for Outlook product with
the setup that it syncs to your Google Account. We do cover how to get the DejaOfficeapp installed on your DROID should you desire to use the USB or CL Hosted Server
sync options. The steps shown here should be able to help you get a feel for how all the
various CompanionLink sync options work.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 118
CompanionLink supports a number of PC software applications to sync to your DROID:
� Microsoft Outlook
� ACT! (Contact Management Software)
� Palm Desktop and Pimlical
� Lotus Notes
� GoldMine
� Novell GroupWise
NOTE: CompanionLink does not support any Mac software as of publishing.
Get all the latest information about CompanionLink's products by visiting their website:
www.companionlink.com/
Reviews of CompanionLink and DejaOffice AppWe found a couple of reviews of CompanionLink at publishing time. Please note that
these two reviews are already a bit dated (six months old) as of publishing time, so you
keep in mind that any negative comments could already have been resolved in newer
versions of CompanionLink.
Droid Forums.net Review of CompanionLink (March 7, 2010):
Disclaimer: CompanionLink is a sponsor of this particular forum.
www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-news/27927-video-review-companionlink-software.html
Andronica's Blog Review of CompanionLink USB (February 16, 2010):
androinica.com/2010/02/16/sync-outlook-and-android-with-companionlink-software-review/
DejaOffice (Android App) created by CompanionLink to store Outlook data on your
DROID. Read the customer reviews in the Android Market for this app.
Keep in mind that you only need to install the DejaOffice app if you want to use the
USB cable to sync directly from Outlook to your DROID and skip the sync to Google. If
you go with the USB sync option, you have the benefit of not having your data pass
through Google; however, you have the added challenge of installing and using a new
contacts, calendar, notes, and task app on your DROID.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 119
Supported Software (What You Need)In order to use the Missing Sync for Android, you need the following:
� A Windows PC running XP, Vista, or Windows 7 (32-bit or 64–bit) and
Microsoft Outlook 2000, 2003, 2007, 2010 (32-bit and 64–bit) or
Microsoft Outlook Business Contact Manager 2007 and 2010
� An active Internet connection
� A Google, Gmail, or Google Apps account
� DejaOffice app (free) on your DROID only if you choose the USB or
CL Hosted Server Sync options.
NOTE: At the time of publishing, the CompanionLink did not support any Mac software
applications includingOffice 2011 for Mac.
Before You InstallWe highly recommend doing the following:
� Turning off any other sync applications that are syncing to Outlook.
� Making a backup copy of your Outlook Data File. See the “How to
Backup Your Outlook Data” section in this chapter.
Google Calendar First Time User
If you are setting up a new Google
account and have not yet added any
events to your Google Calendar, you
need to go into Google and add a new
event in order for CompanionLink to
work.
The first time you go into the Google
Calendar, you will see a screen similar to
the one shown to the right. Click
Continue to set up your calendar.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 120
Downloading and Installing the PC Software
We highly recommend downloading the 14–day
free trial version of the CompanionLink
software by going to
www.companionlink.com/downloads/.
This will allow you to test out the software
before you buy it. At publishing time, pricing
for CompanionLink for Outlook was $39.95.
The Free Evaluation Software page asks for your email, the product, and which PC
software you want to sync with as well as what type of phone you use.
TIP: Video Tutorials on CompanionLink's Website
Visit www.companionlink.com/support for some good technical support information as well as
some great video tutorials explaining how to setup their software.
1. Double-click the downloaded file to get the installation started.
2. Once you have installed the
software, click your Windows logoin the lower left corner and select AllPrograms. Scroll down to
Companion Link and click on
Companion Link Setup as shown
to the right.
3. You should see a settings screen similar to the one shown in Figure 4–4. Click
the drop-down menu that says (Select your sync target) to choose one of the
Android options.
� Android (CL Secure Hosted Sync) — This will sync your data via the
Companion Link secure server then to your DROID.
� Android direct via USB — This will sync from your PC through the
USB cable directly to your DROID. If you choose this option, you need
to install the DejaOffice app on your DROID.
� Android via Google — This will sync your data from your PC to your
Google Account. Then you use the setup process in Chapter 3 to
setup the sync from Google to your DROID.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 121
Figure 4–4. CompanionLink for Outlook Sync Setup Window.
4. Next, click (Select yourContact Manager) to select
your software. In this case, we
selected Microsoft Outlook
2000 - 2010.
5. Click Google Settings from
the main settings screen to see
the Google Settings pop-up
window shown to the right.
Enter your Google Account
email and password. Then, if
you want to adjust which
Google Calendars to sync (if
you have more than one), click
the Google Calendars tab and
make adjustments. When you
are done, click the OK button
to save your settings.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 122
6. Next, click Outlook Settingsfrom the main setup screen to
see the screen to the right.
Make adjustments to Selected
Categories, if you choose.
7. Click the Applications tab to
adjust how to sync your data.
Each check shows you want to
sync Contacts, Calendar, or
Tasks. You can Sync Both Ways, (1-way) Outlook toGoogle or (1-way) Google to Outlook.
8. Click the Outlook Folders tab
to adjust which folders are
synced from Outlook. Check
the box to Include SubFoldersif you desire. Finally, click the
OK button to save your
settings.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 123
9. Next, click Advanced Settings from the main window to make further
adjustments. Most people will not need to use this area. But it might be good to
browse the screens and see if anything might need adjusting. The things you can
change are syncing personal category from Outlook, how to handle sync conflicts
(Outlook wins, Google wins, create duplicate record, keep latest change), date
range for the calendar sync, and name sorting order (First, Last or Last, First).
You can also adjust field mapping, phone number formats, and the sync settings
as shown in the Applications tab of the Outlook Settings window shown above in
step 7.
10. Finally, click the Auto-Sync button to setup how often
CompanionLink will sync
between Outlook and Google.
The default is set to
Synchronize Manually, but you
may want to sync every 15minutes or some other setting.
Also, you can set the Sync
Time to only operate between
certain times— usually the
work day is fine because who
needs to sync changes in the
middle of the night? Click OKto save your settings.
11. Now, to get started, click the
Synchronize button in the left
column of the main window.
12. Finally, if you have not already done so, you need to follow the steps in Chapter 3
to set up access from your DROID to the Google Account to which you just
synced all your Outlook Contact and Calendar information.
NOTE: Working with a Google Calendar Sync Error.
After you click the Synchronize button, if you see an error telling you that CompanionLink was unable to read your Google Calendar, then you need to complete setting it up. See the “Google
Calendar First-Time User” section above.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 124
Installing and Setting Up the DROID Software (OnlyRequired for USB Sync or CL Hosted Server options)
NOTE: This step is only required if you are using the USB direct sync option or the Companion
Link (CL) Hosted Server sync option from Outlook to Android.
If you are using the sync method just described above from Outlook to Google, you
don't need to install any additional software on your DROID. Instead, your calendar and
contacts flow from Google to your DROID native Contacts and Calendar apps after you
setup your Google Account as shown in Chapter 3.
To locate the DejaOffice app, go to the Android
Market app and search for "DejaOffice," then
tap that application.
You should see the app as shown in the figure
to the right.
Go ahead and install the DejaOffice - Outlookapp.
1. After installing DejaOffice, tap the iconto start it up. You will see the screen
shown to the right. You will probably
want to check both boxes for Sync with the Android Contacts App and Sync with Android Calendar App. This allows
Caller ID and e-mail to work well on your
DROID. Tap the Configure button to
adjust these sync settings. Tap OK when
done to start the sync with the Contactsand Calendar apps.
CHAPTER 4: Other Sync Methods 125
2. Then, you can tap any of the icons within
DejaOffice to access your DejaContacts(Outlook Contacts), DejaCalendar(Outlook Calendar), DejaTasks (Outlook
Tasks), DejaNotes (Outlook Notes),
DejaToday (Today view), Sync (force a
sync), Settings (all settings including
sync settings), Categories (Outlook
Categories), Read Android Data (sync
with your DROID Contacts and
Calendar), and Release Notes (notes
from the developer about this release of
the DejaOffice app).
3. Think of DejaOffice as your mobile version of Outlook on your DROID.
Troubleshooting CompanionLink The CompanionLink website provides a FAQ (frequently asked questions), video
tutorials, Set Up Guides, and the ability to contact tech support via e-mail or purchase
premium support for US$99 for 12 months (as of publishing time).
Check out all these support options by visiting www.companionlink.com/support/
You may also be able to find additional support and troubleshooting tips by doing a web
search for "CompanionLink Google (your issue description)."
Hopefully, with the online resources and the description in this book, you should be
armed with enough information to get the CompanionLink set up and running smoothly.
127
127
Chapter
Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity Let’s face it, you wouldn’t buy a DROID if you didn’t want to go online. Going online
doesn’t just mean using the built-in web browser in Android. Whether you’re using apps or
checking your contact list, talking on the phone is just about the only activity that doesn’t
involve using your data plan. That’s one of the reasons you can’t buy a DROID phone
without also purchasing a data plan. Trust us: you wouldn’t want to do so, anyway.
In this chapter, we’ll talk about getting online with your DROID. Android works best
when it works online. Google purchased and developed the Android platform around the
idea of storing data online or “in the cloud,” rather than just on the device. We’ll go over
the different ways your phone can access data and how to get the fastest connection
with the least amount of battery drain.
Understanding Your Connection The status or notification bar on the upper part of your DROID shows you what type of
connection you have available and the relative strength of the connection. Figure 5–1
shows various types of connection information you might see in your DROID’s status bar.
Back in the days when a car phone meant the phone was built into your car, cell towers
carried an analog signal that was much like a radio signal, but at a different frequency.
This was the first generation of wireless, and it’s no longer in use. The second
generation of technology, or 2G, is what Verizon Wireless calls 1X. Instead of using an
analog signal, 2G networks are digital. Many phone carriers use the GSM (Global
System for Mobile Communications) standard to deliver 2G data, but Verizon and your
DROID use CDMA (Coe-Division Multiple Access).
5
CHAPTER 5: Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity 128
Figure 5–1. Sample status bar notifications.
Using 1X is like using an old dial-up modem. It works, but it isn’t fast, and you’ll have to
spend a lot of time waiting for email to load, apps to sync, and pictures to upload.
However, 1X signals are available everywhere your phone can connect to the Verizon
network, and it doesn’t take much battery power to use 1X.
3G and 4GCDMA was upgraded to 3G with yet another acronym, EV-DO, for Evolution-Data
Optimized. 3G networks have huge speed advantages over 1X networks, but these are
still slower than the average coffee shop Wi-Fi hotspot.
The fourth generation of wireless technology in the US, 4G, has begun a rollout in select
US cities at the time of writing. Sprint has begun its 4G rollout, and Verizon expects to
offer full 4G coverage by 2013, including all those areas that only get a 1X signal now.
Verizon purchased some of the spectrum previously used by analog television
broadcasts in order to build its next-generation network.
Verizon is using LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology, which Verizon promises will
work much better in rural areas and will be more internationally compatible than the
current CDMA network. It will also give phones a large speed boost, so we can do
things such as reliably video conference from our mobile phones. LTE is a high-speed,
long distance Internet signal that can be used for home and phone networks, and it will
likely be used the same way Wi-Fi is used on smartphones today. You might think of it
as a form of Wi-Fi that can be broadcast for miles instead of several dozen feet.
The bad news is that you will not be able to connect to 4G networks on your DROID,tDROID X or DROID 2. Your phone must be specifically made to take advantage of 4G
networks. And although we expect an announcement of a 4G version of DROID soon, it
did not happen by the time this book went to press.
CHAPTER 5: Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity 129
The good news is that you don’t need 4G in order to have a fast connection. You can
still use Wi-Fi; and as Verizon rolls out 4G networks, it’ll undoubtedly sell portable
devices you can use to receive 4G signals and create your own portable Wi-Fi hotspot.
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi signals are generally the fastest way to connect your DROID to the Internet. This is
the same technology that connects laptops and other wireless devices to networks. It’s
fast but short-range, and it’s not the same signal that telecommunications companies
(telcos) send over cell towers. In order to connect to a Wi-Fi network, you have to be
within range of the signal, and you have to be authorized to use the network.
Some book stores, fast food chains, and restaurants offer free Wi-Fi access networks to
anyone within range of the signal. Connecting is easy; Figure 5–2 shows you how.
Figure 5–2. Connecting to a Wi-Fi network.
Follow these steps to connect to a Wi-Fi network:
1. Go to your Home screen.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Select Wireless & Networks. Then tap Wi-Fi settings.
CHAPTER 5: Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity 130
4. Check the boxes to turn on Wi-Fi and receive a notification when an open Wi-Fi
network is within range.
5. Tap an available network to log into it. If the network requires a password, you’ll
only have to type it here once. Your DROID will remember your settings next time
you use this service.
If you want to add a private network that doesn’t broadcast its SSID, tap Add Wi-Fi network. If you want to remove networks you no longer use, such as hotels you visited
only once, tap Manage Networks.
TIP: You can also use a Wi-Fi widget from your Home screen to toggle Wi-Fi on and off. See
Chapter 6, “Organize Your Home Screens” for specifics on adding widgets.
The clear advantage of Wi-Fi is speed. Wi-Fi is superior when it comes to uploading or
watching videos. Its chief disadvantage is distance. If you’re not within range of a Wi-Fi
network all day or even most of the day, you can extend your DROID’s battery life by
turning off your Wi-Fi signal.
Wi-Fi SecurityA big consideration with Wi-Fi is security. If you’re using an encrypted connection, this
isn’t as much of a problem. However, those convenient, open Wi-Fi access points at the
coffee shop may in theory expose your phone to unwanted eavesdropping through an
exploit called the man-in-the-middle attack where someone intercepts your
unencrypted information before it reaches the Wi-Fi access point. It’s also sometimes
called a bucket brigade attack, so think of the attacker as a stranger standing in the
middle of a bucket brigade with the chance to see the contents of each bucket that
passes by.
Wi-Fi security usually involves some sort of password protection to access the network.
An older, less secure method of connecting to Wi-Fi is WEP. A more secure method is
WPA or WPA2. Most personal networks, like your router at home, can be set to use
WPA-PSK (pre-shared key.) This is a fancy way of saying that you have to type in a
password or passphrase to get access to the network.
CAUTION: If you have a choice in the matter, avoid relying on WEP for your Wi-Fi security. It’s an
old standard and very easy to crack.
Businesses that want to sell or restrict access to their network use a form of WPA-
enterprise. This type of connection usually requires you to log in when you open your
first web page, and it compares your username with a list of authorized users. In some
cases, you don’t actually have to log in, but you do have to click something to agree to
the location’s terms of service. This is still part of WPA security.
CHAPTER 5: Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity 131
If you aren’t required to log into anything, you don’t need to click OK to agree to the
access rules, and you don’t need a password to get onto the network – then chances
are that you’re using an open Wi-Fi access point. A skilled hacker may be able to
intercept your signal.
CAUTION: Unless you’ve installed security software, avoid entering passwords or sending
sensitive information on open Wi-Fi networks.
Bluetooth Bluetooth is a super short-range technology meant as more of a wire replacement than a
way to get onto the Internet. Bluetooth can be used to communicate with a wireless
headset or your laptop, and some apps can use Bluetooth to transfer files between your
phone and your computer.
For more on Bluetooth, read Chapter 8: “Bluetooth on Your DROID.”
GPSGPS stands for global positioning system. It’s one of the few acronyms in this chapter
worth spelling out, because the long name explains what it does. GPS triangulates your
position through satellite signals. This isn’t the only way your phone can tell where you
are, but it’s the most commonly used method.
Devices that use maps or tag your photos by location typically rely on a GPS signal to
do this. Android can also supplement this with the location of nearby cell towers and the
location of any Wi-Fi networks you’re using. However, plenty of apps require a GPS
signal to tell you what movies are showing nearby or the location of the nearest Thai
restaurant.
GPS activity is represented on the top of your screen as a satellite. If you have the
GPS feature activated, you may notice it activating when you open your Web browser,
even if you aren’t doing anything directly map related. This is usually to sense your
location for local search results and ads. You can turn GPS off when you’re not using it
to save your phone’s battery.
Creating a Wi-Fi Hotspot with Your DROID If you pay for mobile hotspot access, which is an add-on service for DROID phones, you
can use Verizon’s 3G Mobile Hotspot app to turn your DROID into a wireless modem
for your laptop or other device, as shown in Figure 5–3. It’s still sharing a 3G connection
to a laptop, so it is not super fast; however, it will let you use your laptop’s larger screen
and keyboard while you’re out of Wi-Fi range. You can share your connection with up to
five devices, so you could also share a connection with a friend.
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Figure 5–3. Creating a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Follow these steps to connect to a mobile hotspot:
1. Launch the 3G Mobile Hotspot app.
2. Tap the checkbox to start Mobile Hotspot service.
3. The first time you launch the app, you’ll be prompted to set up your AP Settings.
AP stands for access point.
4. Give your mobile network a name (SSID) or leave the default setting.
5. Choose a security method; WPA2 is preferred.
6. Choose a password.
7. Save your settings.
8. Connect to your network from your laptop, iPad, or other Wi-Fi device just as if it
were another Wi-Fi access point.
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TIP: Creating a Wi-Fi hotspot uses a lot of energy and drains a battery quickly. Connect your
DROID to your laptop with a USB cable to keep the phone charged while surfing.
Users on Verizon’s support forum have also reported that June Fabric’s PDAnetprogram works on their DROID and allows them to tether their 3G connection through
their USB port. It’s a $30 app instead of a recurring fee. However, using PDAnet may
violate Verizon’s terms of service, so proceed at your own risk.
Troubleshooting Connections The top of your phone will indicate which types of signals you’re using and the relative
strengths of those signals, as shown in Figure 5–1. You’ll also see a pair of side-by-side
Up and Down arrows; these arrows indicate an active data transfer.
Wi-Fi is indicated by a dot with curved lines above it to indicate a point giving out signal.
GPS is depicted as a satellite, and it only shows up when it is actively being used.
Bluetooth uses the trademarked Bluetooth symbol.
If you’re having trouble with your signal, first check the top of your screen to make sure
that you have an adequate signal and that you are using the network you expected to
use. If you’re using Wi-Fi, make sure you are correctly signed into the network.
RoamingWhen you wander outside the range of cell towers that belong to your carrier (Verizon),
you start roaming. You may be billed for roaming fees if roaming is not covered by your
service plan. You may also need to add I-Dial or an international plan to your phone in
order to check email or use data on your DROID in Mexico or Canada. See
http://b2b.vzw.com/international/naroaming.htm for more information on this topic.
Follow these steps to turn off data roaming on your DROID and avoid roaming charges:
1. Go to your app tray and tap Settings.
2. Tap Data manager.
3. Tap Data Delivery.
4. Make sure the checkbox next to Data Roaming is grayed out. If you do select it,
you’ll see a warning box that roaming may cost you money.
NOTE: Data roaming is different from voice roaming. You disable voice roaming through the
Wireless and networks settings instead of the Data manager.
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Managing PowerAll of this connectivity comes at a cost. In order to save battery power, you should
disable services you aren’t using. This is especially true when you are traveling and can’t
charge your phone immediately. Keep your GPS off unless you’re using a map or other
app that hooks into your location. Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when you’re not actively
using them.
In order to make all this management easier, your phone has a Power Control widget
that lets you toggle your signal on and off with a touch.
The DROID even comes with two styles of widgets for toggling your connections. Simply
tap the connection on or off from your Home screen. For more information on adding
and rearranging widgets, look at Chapter 6: “Organize Your Home Screens.”
Managing Syncing In addition to turning connections on and off, you can control how often your
connections sync. Figure 5–4 shows how the Data manager settings can help you save
battery time, as well as how to disable data roaming. On the DROID 2 and DROID X, you
can also turn off data completely for those times you really need to preserve your
battery.
Figure 5–4. The DROID’s data management settings.
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Airplane Mode If you’re on an airplane, on a cruise ship, or in an area you know qualifies as roaming,
you may want to just put your phone in Airplane mode. Toggling this mode on means
you will not get any connection at all, whether it’s by data, cell, or GPS. The following
steps explain how to toggle Airplane mode on and off:
1. To turn on Airplane mode, hold down the Power key until you see an alert
window.
2. Tap Airplane mode.
3. Use the same steps to exit Airplane mode.
Your DROID also comes with a Motorola widget to toggle Airplane mode on and off.
TIP: In addition to using Airplane mode to avoid roaming charges, you can use it to avoid calls,
emails, and other distractions during important meetings.
VPNA VPN, or Virtual Private Network, allows you to log into your workplace intranet and
enjoy the security of your corporate firewall without having to be hardwired into the
network. Some places require this in order to access Exchange email or view sensitive
corporate files.
This technology is natively supported on your DROID, but the implementation on your
DROID won’t necessarily work with every VPN setup. We’re still waiting on an Android
version of AnyConnect, but Cisco assures us it will be done around the time this book
goes to press.
Follow these steps to log into a VPN from your DROID:
1. Go to the Home screen and then press the Menu button.
2. Tap Settings. Then tap Wireless & network settings.
3. Next, select VPN settings. If you’ve already configured a VPN, it will be available
here.
4. Otherwise, you’ll need to select add a VPN.
You’ll need to obtain the specific format and settings from your workplace. These
settings include PPTP, L2TP, L2TP/IPSec with pre-shared key (PSK), and L2TP/IPSec
CRT (certificate based). If your workplace doesn’t support one of these protocols, you’ll
need to work with your company’s IT department to see if there’s any other way to log in
securely.
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VNC VNC, or Virtual Network Computing, provides a way to share screens remotely and
control one device from another, even if that device runs on a different platform. If you
leave your office or home computer on at all times and your office allows it, then you can
use VNC to check documents, email, or execute work tasks from wherever you are. VNC
can be used with Macs, Windows, and Linux computers.
In order to use VNC securely, you should pair it with VPN. There are several VNC clients
available for Android, including Android VNC Viewer, Remote VNC, and PhoneMyPC.
Android’s Web Browser
Android has a full featured web browser
based on Webkit, as shown in the figure
on the right. It uses the same codebase
that is used in the Chrome and Safari web
browsers. Generally, this browser behaves
just like other web browsers. You can also
download alternative browsers like the
Dolphin browser or Opera.
One thing the Android Browser app is not is Internet Explorer. You may encounter
sites that absolutely will not work unless you use IE. You may also encounter websites
that won’t work without plug-ins and extensions that aren’t available on Android. If you
find this is the case, you might be able to get around this limitation by using VNC and
launching IE from your remote computer.
For more information, turn to Chapter 11: “Surfing the Web.”
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Chapter
Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets In this chapter, we’ll look at ways to customize your Home screen. This way you’re not
stuck with a boring collection of apps, and you’re not stuck using the screen arrangement
that your DROID came with. You can customize your phone to match your personality and
the way you use the device by adding and rearranging icons and widgets.
Home Screen, Sweet Home ScreenIcons on your Home screen are just shortcuts to the
actual apps, so don’t worry about deleting them or
moving them around. You’re not actually deleting the
apps. Think of your Home screen as one long screen that
can’t be displayed all at once. Alternatively, you can think
of it as a series of several pages of screens. The Homescreen, shown to the right, is where you can store your
favorite apps or display your favorite wallpaper. With your
phone in Portrait mode, swipe your finger sideways to
flip between the pages of your Home screen.
How you organize your Home screens is entirely up to
you. A method we’ve found useful is to create a theme for
every page. One page might be dedicated to social
networking apps, while another page might be dedicated
to email and office productivity. A third page might be
dedicated to games, restaurants, and entertainment tools.
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CHAPTER 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets 138
The App Tray
Adding App Icons to Your Home Screen Let’s review the long press, because you’ll need it here. If you press down on an item
and keep pressing for a few seconds, this is what Android calls a long click. However,
you don’t physically click the screen, so we’ll call it a long “press” for clarity. You’ll
generally feel some haptic feedback when you use the long press – the DROID will
vibrate slightly to let you know that you’ve done something different than a regular tap.
A long press can be programmed into apps. On the Home screen, a long press is used
to add and remove items. Figure 6–1 illustrates how to add an icon to your Homescreen.
The App tray, which is shown to the right, holds
all of your apps, including apps you’re already
using as icons on your Home screen.
Sometimes you’ll also see apps that don’t do
anything by themselves, but add features to an
existing app, such as pro feature upgrades.
You open the App tray by tapping your
Launcher icon at the bottom center of the
screen. You can also scroll through apps by
swiping your finger up and down on the screen.
See Figure 3 in the Quick Start Guide for
images of the Launcher icons on the DROID,
DROID 2, DROID 2 Global and DROID X. Once
the App tray is open, you can launch apps by
tapping them. Click the Back or Home button
to return to the Home screen.
CHAPTER 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets 139
Figure 6–1. Adding icons to the Home screen.e
Follow these steps to add an app to your Home screen:
1. Navigate to page of the Home screen you want to modify.
2. Open the App tray and find the icon for the app you want to launch.
3. Long press the app and keep pressing.
4. The App tray will vanish after a few seconds, and you’ll see the Home screen.
5. Continue to press down, and then drag your app to the desired position.
6. Release your finger.
Adding Bookmarks to Your Home Screen You’re not limited to just App icons. You can also long press a bookmark to add it to
your Home screen as a shortcut. It will be added to whichever Home screen page you
viewed immediately before launching the Browser app. You can read more about using
the Browser app in Chapter 11: “Surfing the Web.” However, if you’re already familiar
with using the Browser app and adding bookmarks, Figure 6–2 illustrates how to add a
Browser app bookmark to your Home screen.
CHAPTER 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets 140
Figure 6–2. Adding bookmarks to the Home screen. e
Follow these steps to add a bookmark from the Browser app to your Home screen:
1. Open the Browser app.
2. Press the Menu button.
3. Tap Bookmarks.
4. Long press on the desired bookmark.
5. Tap Add shortcut to home.
If you’re already at the Home screen, you can add a bookmark by adding a shortcut
after the initial long press.
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Adding Shortcuts When you long press on the Home screen, you’ll
see the menu shown to the right. One of your
menu choices is Shortcuts.
Shortcuts aren’t reserved for bookmarks. You can
add shortcuts for individual contacts, Gmail
labels, items in the Settings menu, and more.
Some apps may also have shortcut options. For
example, Foursquare, a social location app,
allows you to save locations as shortcuts for easy
check-ins. And Aldiko, an eBook reader, allows
you to save shortcuts to individual books in your
library.
All of your Home screen app icons are actually shortcuts, and they can be added
through the Shortcuts menu, too. We still prefer adding them with the method
illustrated in Figure 6–1 because it’s easy to accidentally click the wrong app when you
add them through the Shortcuts menu.
Adding Folders You can add as many contacts to your Home page
as will fit. But why stop there? Instead of adding a
single contact, you can add a folder, as shown to
the right. Follow these steps to create a folder on
your Home screen:
1. Long press on the Home screen.
2. Select Folders.
3. Tap your desired folder.
You can either add an empty New folder or choose
from the many “smart” folders that have already
been predefined and filled with content, such as
Statuses or All contacts.
Move items into blank folders by long clicking the
item and dragging it on top of the folder, just as you
would on a computer desktop.
CHAPTER 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets 142
CAUTION: Removing a folder from your Home screen also removes any shortcuts you’ve moved
into that folder.
Widgets Widgets are like miniature applications that run on your Home screen. They can be
interactive or passive, and they can be used for everything from instant access to the
time and weather, to access to your personal finances at a glance. Figure 6–3 shows
some example widgets.
Figure 6–3. Some Android widgets.
Your DROID comes with two basic styles of widgets: the standard Android widget and
the Motorola widget. Motorola widgets were created as part of the Motorola DROID
modifications, and they behave a bit differently than standard widgets by letting you
resize them. We’ll cover both Android and Motorola widgets.
NOTE: The Motorola widgets are not available on the original DROID.
You use the same basic process to add widgets to your Home screen that you use to
add icons and bookmarks. Figure 6–4 illustrates the process with the Android Homescreen Tips widget. This widget was designed to give you tips on how to use your
phone.
CHAPTER 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets 143
Figure 6–4. Adding widgets.
Follow these steps to add a widget to your Home screen:
1. Long press on the Home screen.
2. Tap Android widgets.
3. Tap your desired widget.
4. Your widget will be added. Now you can long click and drag the widget to a new
location on the screen, if desired. You can even drag it to another Home screen
page.
Android Widget SizeWhen you add widgets to the Home screen, most widgets are already a predetermined
size and shape. Either they fit in the space given – or they do not. If you long-click a
widget, you can move it within a screen. However, you cannot make it larger or smaller.
Many app developers make multiple versions of the same widget and label them with
size-specific information such as “3�2” or “4�1.”
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You might wonder what these measurements mean.
If you measure your phone’s screen, not by its
physical screen size, but by the number of icons you
can store on it, your DROID has a Home screen that
measures four app icons by four app icons. Each icon
is rectangular in shape to allow space for text labels.
The widget measurement generally goes horizontally
by vertically. Thus, a widget that measures 4�1, such
as the Power Control widget shown on the right,
takes up the space of four apps across and one
down. The widget has five buttons on it, but it is only
four icons wide on your screen.
Motorola Widgets Your DROID ships with a few Android widgets, and you can download a nearly endless
supply from the Android Market. Your DROID 2, DROID 2 Global, and DROID X also
ships with Motorola widgets that aren’t available for download. Table 6–1 has a rundown
of the different Motorola widgets and what they do.
Table 6–1. Motorola widgets.
Airplane mode toggle: This widget allows you to toggle
your phone in and out of Airplane mode. It’s useful for
flying or for times when you absolutely don’t want to be
interrupted.
Bluetooth toggle: Like the Airplane mode toggle, this is
a simple on and off switch for enabling and disabling
Bluetooth.
Calendar widget: This is a simple calendar that ties into
both the Google Calendar and the Corporate SyncCalendar.
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Contact quick tasks: This widget is useful for your
frequent contacts like friends and relatives. You can add
shortcuts to call, email, text, or even send them a Twitter
or Facebook message.
Date and Time: Unlike the Calendar widget, the Date and Time widget isn’t about your appointments. This is
strictly a clock for displaying the current date and time.
You can select the color and choose between a digital
and analog time display.
GPS toggle: Like the other toggles, this is a simple
on/off switch. This one controls your DROID GPS.
Messages: This widget displays email messages from
any account you have linked to your DROID. It also
displays SMS/MMS text messages and status updates
from social networking accounts.
News: The News widget displays news items or blog
entries. You can add feeds by URL or subscribe to
preset bundles of news feeds.
Photo slideshow: This is a gallery widget that displays
an interactive slideshow of photos you’ve taken from
your DROID. You can also use it as a quick shortcut to
your DROID’s gallery and camera apps. You can only
have one Photo slideshow widget at a time.
Photo Widget: This widget lets you display a single
photo as if it were an app icon or other shortcut. You can
add as many of these as you wish, but each one takes
space on your Home screen, and each widget can only
display a single photo.
CHAPTER 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets 146
Social Networking: This widget displays a feed of
updates from your linked social networking services
such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace.
Social Status: This widget is the other end of the social
networking widget. It allows you to update your linked
social networking services with status updates. You can
update individual services, such as just Facebook or just
Twitter; or you can update all of them at once with the
same message.
Sticky Note: This is the DROID version of a paper sticky
note. You can write new notes to yourself and display
them until you change the note. It’s not for long-term
storage, and it doesn’t pull the information from other
sites.
Weather: This widget displays weather information with
a nice graphic to suggest current conditions. The
information displayed in this widget comes from
AccuWeather.com.
WiFi toggle: This is a simple on/off toggle for using Wi-Fi
for your DROID. Toggle it off when you’re out of Wi-Fi
range to save battery time.
Motorola widgets have a lot in common with Android widgets, but they also give you an
extra bonus in flexibility. Motorola widgets are resizable, so they’ll take up as much or as
little space as you allow them. Figure 6–5 shows you how this works.
CHAPTER 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets 147
Figure 6–5. Working with Motorola widgets.
Adding and Resizing Motorola Widgets Follow these steps to add a Motorola widget to your Home screen; note that you use
the same long press procedure you would to add an Android widget:
1. Long press on the Home screen.
2. Tap Motorola widgets.
3. Slide your finger along the screen to scroll through the widget list.
4. Tap to select the desired widget.
Once you’ve added a widget, you can follow these steps to resize that widget to fit on
your screen:
1. Long press on a Motorola widget until your DROID vibrates and you see a green
halo around the widget.
2. A frame appears around the widget. Drag the corners of the frame to resize the
widget.
CHAPTER 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets 148
3. Tap anywhere else on the screen to complete the action.
In addition to allowing you to resize them, many Motorola widgets also allow you to
customize the info they display.
Removing Unwanted Items from the Home ScreenThe Android Home screen Tips widget is only useful when you first get started with your
DROID. After a while, you may want to remove it to make space for other app icons,
widgets, or shortcuts.
Removing widgets is as simple as dragging
them to the trash, as shown in the image on
the right.
In fact, this is the same process you use to
remove any unwanted item from the Homescreen, whether it’s an app icon, a shortcut,
or a widget. Follow these steps to remove a
widget from the Home screen:
1. Long press the item you want to
remove until you feel the haptic
feedback.
2. The item will get a green halo, and
you’ll see a trashcan on the bottom of
the screen. Drag the item to the trash.
Don’t worry. You haven’t permanently deleted the app or widget. If you change your
mind, you can add it back to your Home screen.
WallpaperSo far we’ve covered widgets, shortcuts, and folders. The last option you see when you
long press on the screen is wallpapers. Wallpapers provide an easy way to personalize
your phone, whether it’s by downloading artwork or using a photo you shot from your
DROID.
There are three basic types of wallpapers on your DROID: Live wallpapers, Media gallery, and Wallpapers. Figure 6–6 illustrates their basic differences.
CHAPTER 6: Organize Your Home Screen: Icons and Widgets 149
Figure 6–6. Wallpaper types.
Live Wallpapers
Android 2.1 introduced Live wallpapers. These are
background wallpapers that can be animated and made
to react to events on your phone. For example, they
might respond to you touching the phone, the time of
day, or the sounds playing on your phone.
Several Live wallpapers come with your DROID,
including the red, lit robotic eye that you see in the
DROID commercials. You can also download new
wallpapers both as free and paid apps.
The screen on the right shows the Shake Them All!wallpaper by Yougli; one of the Live wallpapersincluded in this app shows the Android logo falling in
slow-motion on your screen. It reacts when you shake
the screen or touch the androids as they fall.
The disadvantage of Live wallpapers is that they take
more power to display, especially if they have interactive
features.
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Live wallpapers are essentially small apps running in the background, which means
they can occasionally crash or cause issues with other running apps. If you find your
phone crashing frequently or losing battery power rapidly, try switching to a different
wallpaper.
Media GalleryYou might want to use a photo you took on your DROID as your wallpaper; this is easy
to do, and it falls into the Media Gallery wallpaper category. Keep in mind that you can
only use a portion of the photo, and the entire photo will not display at once. You might
also notice that the portion of the image you see is actually thinner than your Homescreens. As you scroll between screens, the Home screen wallpaper will appear to
move more slowly than the foreground images. Follow these steps to display a photo
you took with your DROID as the wallpaper on your Home screen:
1. Long press the Home screen.
2. Tap Wallpapers.
3. Tap Media gallery (DROID 2/X) or tap Gallery (DROID).
4. Choose a photo you want to use.
5. Select an area of the photo to use. By default, the photo starts with a small,
central crop. You can drag the red frame edges until you’ve selected the portion
of the photo you want to use.
6. Tap Save.
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Chapter
Making Phone Calls The DROID is capable of so many cool things that it’s easy to forget that it’s also a very
powerful phone. In this chapter, we will cover the many DROID features you would
expect from a high-end smartphone. You can dial by name, save time by using your
recent call logs, dial by voice, use speed dial numbers, and use Basic or Visual Voicemail features. You can also use your DROID to initiate a conference call among
several people.
You can also customize your phone, message, and other ringtones. You can even set a
custom ringtone for individual contacts in your address book – this is a great way to
know who is calling without looking at your phone. It is easy to use your own music as
ringtones on a DROID, but a little harder to use your own music as custom ringtones for
contacts or text messages. We will show you how to do all these things, and a few more
nice tricks, as well. We will also show you how to purchase ringtones from the Amazon
MP3 and Android Market online stores.
Getting Started with the Phone (Dialer) Start your phone by using the Phone icon
located at the bottom-left corner of every Homescreen. You can also start the phone by using
the Dialer icon or Phone icon on the original
DROID.
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Finding Your DROID Phone Number
Maybe you just received your new DROID
and don’t yet know the phone number.
Don’t worry; you can find your number in
the Settings app by following these steps:
1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. Scroll down and tap
About Phone.
3. Finally, tap Status. Your
number is listed under My phone number, as shown
in the image to the right.
TIP: You can also check your phone number using Voice Command on the
DROID 2 and DROID X. From the Phonedialer screen, tap the Voice Commandicon just to the right of the Green phoneicon and say, “Check my phone number.”
Muting the Phone Ringer - Slide for Mute Occasionally, you want to silence your phone ringer. Follow these simple steps silence
your DROID’s ringer:
1. Tap the Power/Lock key on the top of your phone to turn off the screen
(see Figure 7–1).
2. Tap the same Power/Lock key to bring up the Lock screen.
3. Slide the Speaker icon to the right to turn it to Vibrate mode. Notice
that the Speaker icon changes to show a Vibrating phone icon.
4. To turn off Vibrate mode, repeat the procedure. Notice that the icon
returns to the Speaker icon.
TIP: You can also press and hold the Volume Down button to mute your ringer.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 153
Figure 7–1. Slide to mute or unmute your phone.
Examining Different Phone ViewsYour phone keypad can be shown by tapping the Dialer soft key. There are three other
soft keys along the top that give you different ways to use your phone: Recent, which
shows recent calls placed, missed, or received; Contacts, which shows your contact
list; and Favorites, which shows your favorite phone numbers (see Figure 7–2).
Figure 7–2. These soft keys show you different views of your phone.
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Using the Dialer KeypadThe simplest way to make a call is to use the Dialer. The numbers on the screen are
large, so it’s easy to dial a number. Follow these steps to use the Dialer app or Phone
app on the original DROID to make a call:
1. Tap the Dialer icon (see Figure 7–3).
2. If you do not see the keypad to dial, tap the Dialer soft key at
the top-left portion of the screen.
3. Now you can simply start dialing by tapping number keys.
4. If you make a mistake, press the Backspace key next to the
window where the numbers appear.
5. If you need to type a Plus (+) sign for an international number, press and
hold the Zero (0 +) key.
6. When you are done dialing, press the green Phone key at the bottom
. If the person you are dialing has a picture attached to his
contact record, you will see the picture appear (see Figure 7–3).
7. When you are done with the call, press the End call key (the Red phone
icon) .
TIP: Sometimes you have to enter a pause in a phone number for a couple of seconds, then dialanother number such as an extension or a password. You can dial a pause by pressing the Menubutton and selecting Add Pause. You see a comma appear next to the phone number, which indicates a two-second pause. If you need a wait to be inserted, then press the Menu button and
select Add wait. A wait will pause in dialing and wait for you to tap a button to continue dialing.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 155
Figure 7–3. Dialing phone numbers with your DROID keypad.
TIP: You can redial the number you just called by tapping the Green phone key on the Dialerpad. You will see the most recent number you dialed appear; tap the Green phone key again to
place the call.
Muting Yourself on a Call
If you want some privacy during the call, tap the Mutebutton in the bottom-middle of the screen. You know the
call is muted when you see the green bar at the bottom of
the button lit up as shown in the figure to the right. Tap it
again to unmute yourself.
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Dialing Digits While on a Call
Sometimes you need to dial numbers while
already on a call. Common examples
include dialing an extension or dialing the
first few letters of someone’s last name to
look up her name in automated directory.
To start dialing digits, tap the Dialpadbutton shown to the right.
Tap the same button to hide the dialpad,
which has changed to say Hide.
Using the Speaker Phone
Tap the Speaker key to use the speakerphone on your
DROID. Like the Mute key, the speakerphone is on when
the green bar is lit on the bottom of the key.
Talking Hands-free with a Bluetooth Headset or Bluetooth Car StereoIf you are in one of the many states or provinces where you cannot legally hold your
DROID while driving a car, you will want to purchase a Bluetooth headset or use a
Bluetooth car stereo connection to talk hands-free (please see Chapter 8: “Bluetooth on
Your DROID” for more information on this topic).
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 157
Tap the Bluetooth key in the lower-left corner of the
screen to switch audio over to your Bluetooth device. As
with the Mute feature, you know Bluetooth is on when
the green bar is lit on the bottom of the key.
Check out the “Voice Dialing” section later in this chapter for more information.
Opening Other Apps While on a Call It’s easy to multitask on your DROID. This is especially useful when you are on a phone
call. For example, you can press the Home button to jump back to the Home screen
and start another app, or long-press the Home button to jump to a recently used app.
Some common examples of useful multitasking while on a call include the following:
� Checking and scheduling a new Calendar event.
� Looking up a name, address, or phone number in the Contacts app.
� Finding a message in your Email app to use during the call.
Getting Back to the Phone From Any AppReturning to your phone call from any app is easy. Follow these steps to get back to
your call in progress from the Home screen or any other app on your DROID (see Figure
7–4):
1. Start by swiping your finger down from the top status bar.
2. Tap the Phone call in progress to return to the current call or tap the
Red phone icon to hang up.
You can also return to a call by long-pressing the Home button to bring up your Recentwindow of apps, and then selecting the Dialer icon.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 158
Tap
Figure 7–4. Getting back to the call in progress from any app.
Using Speed Dial on Your DROID (DROID 2 and DROIDX only) The Speed Dial feature lets you use the number keys on the phone’s dialpad to quickly
dial phone numbers. You can press and hold a number to call the associated speed dial
number.
TIP: The only speed dial number that is pre-assigned is the number one (1), which dials your
voicemail by default. You speed dial your voicemail by pressing and holding the 1 key.
Adding Speed Dial NumbersYou have a few options for adding new numbers to speed dial, including the following:
� Press and hold any unassigned number on the dialpad to set it as a
new speed dial number. Next, select a contact to assign to that
number to.
� From any Phone screen, press the Menu key and select Speed dialsetup. Next, tap any number that has not yet been assigned to select
a contact to assign to it.
� From the Recent list, you can add speed dial numbers by following
the steps shown in the “Assigning a Recent Caller a Speed Dial
Number” section later in this chapter.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 159
� From the Contacts view in the phone, press and hold any contact
name and select Edit speed dial to assign this contact a speed dial
number.
Using Speed Dial It’s easy to use the DROID’s speed dial feature to make a call. Follow these steps to do
so:
1. Bring up the keypad on the phone by tapping the Phone icon and then
tapping the Dialer soft key.
2. Press and hold the correct speed dial number on the keypad to dial its
associated number.
Using the Recent View (Call Logs) The Recent view serves as your call log of outgoing, incoming,
and missed calls.
Touching the Recent soft key displays a list of all your recent
calls.
Tap the View bar just under the soft keys to filter your view by Allcalls, Missed calls, Received calls, or Outgoing calls (see
Figure 7–5).
NOTE: The original DROID uses a Call log soft key instead of one that says Recent.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 160
Figure 7–5. Working with your Recent screen. t
Placing a Call from the Recent View It’s a simple matter to place a call when looking at the Recent view. All you need to do
is tap the Green phone icon next to a recent caller to call that contact or number.
Viewing Contact Details from the Recent View It’s also easy to view the contact information for someone listed in the Recent view.
Simply tap the contact’s name to view their contact details.
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Adding a Number to Your Contacts List
Sometimes you will want to add the phone
number of a recent caller to your Contactslist. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Tap the phone number
listed in the Recent or Call
log list to see a pop-up
asking whether you want
to Add to contacts.
2. You will be asked whether you want
to add the number to an Existingcontact or to create a New contact
with this number. If you select
Existing, then you will need to
choose a contact from your list.
3. If you select New, then you need to
create a new contact with the
number listed in the Recent view.
Sending a Text Message to a Recent CallerAnother cool DROID ability: You can send a text message to a recent caller. To do so,
long-press the name or phone number in the Recent list and select Send text message.
Assigning a Recent Caller a Speed Dial Number (DROID 2 and DROIDX only)
It’s also a simple matter to assign a speed dial
number to a recent caller. Follow these steps
to do so:
1. Long-press the name or phone number
in the Recent list and select Add to speed dial.
2. The next screen (shown to the right)
displays a default number (4, in this
case) as the next available speed dial
number. Tap that number to change it to
another number, if you desire.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 162
3. When done, tap Add at the bottom to
assign this speed dial number to a
recent caller.
Tapping the Contact Icon to Access Other Features
When you tap the icon shown to the left of
the contact name in your Recent list, a
little Quick Access pop-up appears above
the icon. This pop-up allows you to view
the contact’s details; or to call, text, email,
or map the contact (see Figure 7–6). If the
contact has a picture – such as the one for
Gary Mazo shown to the right or just a
blank shoulder/head – then you know the
person is in your Contacts list. If you see
Question mark icon, then you know the
phone number is not connected to any
contact.
or
Figure 7–6. Using the Quick Access contact pop-up from thes Recent e screen.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 163
NOTE: On the original DROID, you only see the contact icons in the Contacts and Favorites
sections of the Phone app.
NOTE: Certain icons will not appear in the Quick Access window if you do not have the relatedinformation stored in your Contacts app. For example, if you do not have an address for a contact, then the Map icon will not appear. Similarly, if you do not have an email address, then
the Email icon will not show up. This Quick Access window also appears in your Contacts app
when you tap the icon to the left of the contact name.
Tapping the Question Mark Icon to Add, Call, or Text a Recent Caller
You have two clues that a given phone
number is not in your Contacts list. First,
you will see a Question mark icon (?)
instead of a face or blank head/shoulders
in the icon. Second, you will see a phone
number instead of a contact name.
To quickly add this number to an existing
or new contact, tap the Question markicon to see this screen.
From this screen, you can choose Add to existing contact if this is a phone number
for someone already in your address book.
Tap Create new contact to associate this
number with a new contact entry.
Clearing Out or Erasing Your Recent List Sometimes you may want to delete all the numbers in your recent list. Follow these
steps to do so:
1. Press the Menu button.
2. Select Clear list to erase all the entries in the Recent list.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 164
Placing Calls From Contacts One of the great things about having all your contact information in your phone is that it
becomes very easy to place calls from your Contacts list on the DROID. Follow these
steps to call someone in your Contacts list:
1. If you are not in your Dialer app, tap the
Dialer icon to start it up.
2. Touch the Contacts soft key at the top.
3. Locate a contact to call using one of the
following methods:
a. Swipe up or down through the list.
b. Press the Menu key and select
Search.
c. If you have a physical keyboard,
slide it out and start typing a
name.
4. When you find the contact entry you want, tap
the Green phone icon next to his name.
5. If the contact has more than one phone
number, you need to select one. If you want
the DROID to remember this is your default
choice, check the box next to Remember thischoice. See the “Calling Favorites” section of
this chapter for more information on how to
do this.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 165
Using Favorites
Your Favorites view shows both contacts
you have specifically assigned as
Favorites and frequently called contacts.
This is a nice view because it can save you
time by putting your contacts just a tap
away.
All your favorites are shown at the top, and
the Frequently called contacts are
displayed at the bottom.
TIP: You can clear out the Frequently called contacts by pressing the Menu key
and selecting Clear frequent list.
Adding New Favorites It is easy to add new favorites to your list from the Contacts view in the Dialer app.
Follow these steps to do so:
1. If you are not in the Dialer app, tap the Dialer icon to start it up.
2. Touch the Contacts soft key at the top to view your Contacts list.
3. To search for a contact, press the
Menu button and select Search.
4. Start typing a few letters of the
contact’s first, last, or company
name to find the contact quickly.
TIP: If you have a physical keyboard, then you can also slide out the keyboard and
start typing to find a particular contact.
5. You can simply swipe up or down to
find a contact.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 166
6. Long-press the contact you want to
add as a Favorite and select Add to favorites.
TIP: You can also make any contact a Favorite by just touching the star next to
his name in your Contacts app.
Calling a Favorite To call any Favorite, touch the Green phone icon next to the name of the contact in
your Favorites screen.
If the contact has several phone numbers,
then you will be asked to select the phone
number to call.
TIP: If you almost always use the same number for that contact, then you can press the Remember this choice option
in the dialog box that pops up, as shown
in the image to the right.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 167
Voice Dialing You can use your voice to dial names and phone numbers from a variety of places on
your DROID. Here are three options you have for dialing a call with your voice:
� Tap the Voice dialing icon in the lower-left corner of the Dialer app’s
Dialer screen.
� Press and hold the Search button on the bottom of your
DROID until you see the Speak now box appear in the middle of the
screen. If you have a slide-out keyboard, you can do the same thing
with the Search button on the keyboard. You can also double-press
the Home button on both the DROID X and DROID 2 to accomplish
this task.
� Press the button on the side of your Bluetooth headset or the call
button on your Bluetooth car stereo to start Voice Command.
Voice Command The Voice Command feature on your DROID enables you to place calls using your
voice.
Note that you can use Voice Command to dial a contact by name or number; send a
text message; dictate an email; check for missed calls; look up a contact entry; play a
playlist; check messages; check signal strength, network availability, or battery charge;
and much more.
We cover Voice Command fully in Chapter 2: “Typing, Voice, Copy, and Search.”
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 168
Quickly Checking Missed Calls
If you have a Bluetooth headset, you can
quickly check for all missed calls by
pressing the button on the headset and
saying, “Check missed calls.”
TIP: You don’t need a Bluetooth headsetfor this trick. You can also do this bytapping the Voice dialing icon in the
lower-right corner of the Dialer app’s
Dialpad screen.
Conference Calling You can get a conference call going fairly easily on your DROID. Follow these steps to
do so:
1. Call the first person and press the
Add call button.
2. Call the second person using any of
the methods described in this
chapter: Dialer, Recent, Contacts,
Favorites, or Speed Dial.
TIP: You know someone is on the phone because the top status bar is now green, as shown to the right. On the original
DROID, you won't see a green status bar
but you will see a Green Phone icon.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 169
3. Once the second person is
connected, you see a large Greenphone icon in the center of the
screen and the green d Merge callsbutton. Tap Merge calls to put the
callers together in a conference call.
4. Once you have connected the
callers, you have the following
options:
� Tap End last call to
hang up with the second
caller.
� Tap the Add call key to
add another person to
the conference call.
� Tap End call to hang up
on all the callers.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 170
Accessing VoicemailYour DROID comes with the basic Voicemail features and an optional
enhanced voicemail system called Visual Voicemail that costs an extra
$2.99 per month at publishing time. Visual Voicemail is a nice feature
because it allows you to quickly see all voicemails and play them in any
order. You don’t have to listen to each message to see who called;
instead, you can just tap the message you want to hear.
Setting up Basic VoicemailSetting up basic voicemail features on your DROID requires only a handful of steps:
1. Tap the Dialer icon or Phone icon on the original DROID.
2. Tap the Voicemail icon in the bottom row of soft keys next to
the Green phone key.
3. Tap Call Voicemail. If this is the first time you are using voicemail with
this phone number, then follow the prompts to set up your voicemail
and select a pass code. Otherwise, enter your passcode if requested
and follow the prompts to retrieve your voicemail messages.
TIP: Your default voicemail password might be the last four digits of your phone number. If you
are unsure, give that a try.
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Getting Your DROID to Enter Your Voicemail Password Normally, you have to type in your voicemail password or PIN every time you call
voicemail. This tip will allow you to have it automatically entered for you by your DROID:
1. Start your Contacts app.
2. If you see a contact called Voicemail, press
the Menu button and select Edit. Otherwise,
create a new contact and call it Voicemail.
3. In the phone number box, type *86,,,nnnn#,
where nnnn is your four-digit voicemail
password or PIN. You will need to tap the *#(key to see the Pause key. Each comma (,) isreally a two-second pause. Remember to put
the pound sign (#) at the end of your entry.
4. Now you can call the Voicemail contact and
have it automatically dial your password. You
can make this process even easier by
associating your Voicemail contact with your
speed dial for the number 1. This will enable
you to access your voicemail with a single
long-press of the 1 key on your phone’s
dialpad.
5. Start your Dialer app, press the
Menu key, and select Speed dialsetup.
6. Tap the Minus key to the right of the top
speed dial to remove it.
7. Now tap the top item (1) to set it as the
Voicemail contact that you just edited or
created. It should look similar to the screen
shown to the right when you are done.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 172
8. Next, press and hold the 1 key on the dialpad
of your Phone app to automatically call the
Voicemail contact and have your password
entered automatically. You will see a short
pause, after which your password will be sent
in a little pop-up window that says, “Sending
Tones.” The figure to the right shows this
process in action.
TIP: You can use this same trick to add pauses and waits to other numbers when dialing extensions, dialing phone and other passwords, or even when accessing numbers. You need to set up new contacts for each number you want to call, after which you can quickly dial these
numbers and their access codes or passwords without entering them manually – and without dialing them each time. We definitely recommend you secure your DROID with a password or other method if you choose to enter sensitive information such as bank access passwords in your
DROID contacts.
Visual Voicemail As we mentioned earlier in this chapter, the Visual Voicemail feature allows you to
instantly see who has left you voicemail messages. It also lets you listen to them or
delete them in any order. At publishing time, this was a paid add-on service from Verizon
that costs US $2.99 per month.
TIP: You can get free Visual Voicemail-like features from other places. For example, you canchoose one of the free apps from the Amazon Market such as YouMail Visual Voicemail orVisual VoiceMail. The other method is to use the free Google Voice app; you’ll learn more about
this app in the “Using Google Voice” section later in this chapter.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 173
Follow these steps to access the Visual Voicemailservice from your DROID:
1. Tap the Dialer icon.
2. Tap the Voicemail icon in the
bottom row of soft keys next to the Green phone key.
3. If this is the first time you are using Visual Voicemail, then you need to tap the
Subscribe to Visual Voicemail button at
the bottom of the screen and Accept the
license agreement.
4. Enter your voicemail password and click
Login.
5. At this point, you should see your Visual Voicemail mailbox, as shown in the image
to the right. The blue dot in the left
column indicates that you have new
messages you haven’t listened to yet.
6. Tap any entry to listen to it, delete it, or call
the person back. From this detail screen,
you can do the following:
� Rewind
� Play / Pause
� Fast forward
� Call back the person who left
the message
� Toggle the Speaker on or off
� Delete a message
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Unsubscribing from Visual Voicemail
If you decide you want to turn off and stop paying
for the Visual Voicemail service, you can do so, but
the wireless carrier wants to make absolutely
certain you want to stop using the service; you
need to confirm your choice four times!
Follow these steps to cancel the Visual Voicemailservice:
1. Bring up your Visual Voicemail inbox, as
just explained.
2. Press the Menu key and select More.
3. Tap Unsubscribe from the menu.
4. Tap Unsubscribe from the pop-up window.
5. You may see a warning similar to the one
shown to the right. If you’re sure you want
to cancel your subscription, tap Cancel Subscription.
6. You will also have another screen
that asks you again to ConfirmCancel Subscription.
7. You may also be presented with a
survey that you can choose to
ignore. From this point, it takes
about five minutes to cancel.
Deleting All Visual Voicemails at OnceThe Visual Voicemail service provides the option of deleting all your voicemails at once.
Follow these steps to do so:
1. Press the Menu button and tap More.
2. Select Delete All Voicemails.
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Archiving or Deleting Multiple Messages
Sometimes you may want to archive or
delete multiple voicemail messages at
once. Follow these steps to do so:
1. From your VisualVoicemail inbox, press
the Menu button and tap
Select Multiple.
2. Now each message you
tap will be selected with a
Green checkmark icon.
3. Tap Archive or Mark as
Heard to save all the
selected messages.
4. Tap Delete or Eraseto
delete all the selected
voicemails.
Changing Your Voicemail Ringtone and Vibration
You can also change your voicemail
ringtones and vibration settings from your
Visual Voicemail inbox. Follow these
steps to do so:
1. From your VisualVoicemail inbox, press
the Menu button and tap
Settings.
2. To change the ringtone
you hear when you receive
a new voicemail message,
tap Select ringtone and
change it.
3. Tap Vibrate to turn the
vibration feature on or off
when you receive new
messages.
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Using Google Voice If you already use the Google Voice app, you will want to install it on your DROID. If you
are new to Google Voice, then you should know that this is a great service that gives
you the following features for free:
� Ring all your phones simultaneously – This feature allows people toyreach you whether you are at home, at your office, or out and about
with your DROID by calling a new Google Voice number that in turn
rings all your phones, wherever you might be.
� Receive a free Visual Voicemail-type service – This feature lets you
see all your voicemails listed on your DROID screen. You can listen to
these voicemails in any order.
� Receive voicemails transcribed as email or SMS text messages – This
feature provides a very convenient way to read and respond to
voicemail messages.
� Display your Google Voice number as your caller ID – This feature
shows your Google Voice number when people call your DROID.
� Send free text messages – This feature lets you use Google Voice to
send free text messages from your DROID.
You can learn more about Google Voice by viewing these video tutorials produced by
Google at this URL: http://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html.
NOTE: At publishing time, you could not use Google Voice outside the United States.
Installing the Google Voice App
Obviously, you’ll need to install the Google Voiceapp before you can use it. Fortunately, you can
acquire this app for free from the Android Market.
We initially tried to find it by searching for “Google
Voice”; however, we found it hard to locate the
app with that search criteria. Instead, we
recommend starting your Browser app and going
to http://m.google.com/voice. Next, click the
Download from Market button. Once you’re in
the Market app, follow the steps described to
install the app.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 177
Setting Up Google Voice
To start Google Voice, tap the Voice icon. You may think you
should look for a Google Voice icon; however, the icon is simply
called Voice.
The first time you start the app, you need to log in. You need to use the Google account
you used to set up your Google Voice account. This account could be the same or
different from your default Google account on your DROID.
After logging in, you have a few things to
set up. Tap the Next button on the bottom
of the screen to continue, and then follow
the instructions to select and verify your
DROID phone number.
Next, you can choose whether you want to
use Google Voice to make all calls, no
calls, international calls, or be prompted
each time you make a call. Choose the
option that works best for you. The
example shown in this chapter uses allcalls, as shown in the figure to the right.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 178
Now select whether you want to use the
Google Voice app’s Voicemail service on
your DROID. We recommend doing this
because it gives you free visual voicemail
and transcription of all your voicemail
messages.
Make sure that you tap Google Voicewhen shown the screen to the right. You
can also get to this screen from the
Settings app > Call settings > Voicemailservice.
At this point, you will see a screen that
asks you to dial a number – the example
shown to the right asks us to “dial
*713864731790.” This number consists of
*71, plus our Google Voice number.
Tap the underlined number to dial it from
your DROID.
You will then see a pop-up window called
Call Settings. This window displays a
status message that shows your Readingsettings. When this process is complete,
your voicemail should be correctly set to
Google Voice.
You will know if you have successfully set
up Google Voice as your voicemail service
if you see it shown under Voicemail Service on the Call settings screen, as
shown in the image to the right.
The Google Voice service will now route
all your callers to the Google Voicevoicemail system when they call you.
TIP: You can adjust many of the Google Voice app’s initial settings by starting the Voice app,
pressing the Menu button, tapping More, and then tapping Settings.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 179
Placing Calls With Google VoiceThe nice thing about using Google Voice is that it is seamlessly integrated into your
DROID phone and voicemail systems.
To place a call, all you need to do is
launch the Phone app; and then call a
Recent, Favorite, or other contact as you
would normally. If you selected for all calls
to be placed with Google Voice as shown
above, then the call will automatically be
placed using Google Voice.
The caller ID displayed on the phone of the person you are calling will show your
Google Voice number, not the number of your DROID. That way, the person will call you
back on your Google Voice number. This also means that you can use the enhanced
voicemail services of Google Voice.
Retrieving Google Voice Voicemails
You might think you should be able to tap the
regular Voicemail icon next to the Green phoneicon in your dialpad to retrieve your voicemail
messages. However, this does not work. Instead,
you need to tap the Voice app to see all your
Google Voice voicemail messages.
NOTE: You can also retrieve Google Voicevoicemails from any desktop computer browser.
You can tap any message in the list to view the
entire transcript and play the voice message.
When viewing an individual message, you can
press the Menu button to accomplish the
following tasks:
� Call the person back.
� Text that person.
� View contact details (if that person is in
your address book).
� Add a Star or press More to Delete the
message.
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Customizing Phone Options and Settings You can customize your DROID phone by going into the Settings app. Follow these
steps to do so:
1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Call settings.
From this screen, you can configure the following
options:
� Voicemail service and settings –
Choose whether to use your carrier or
Google Voice to handle voicemail.
� Assisted dialing – This option helps you
place calls when you are roaming
overseas.
� Auto answer – Check this box to have
the DROID automatically answer calls
when the device is in Hands-free mode
(e.g., when the device is connected to
your Bluetooth car stereo or headset).
� Caller ID Readout – This option reads
out the contact name or phone number
via the DROID speaker. You can set this
option to ring only (the default value);
speak the Caller ID and then ring; or
Caller ID repeat. The last option keeps
repeating the name or number, which can
be a little annoying!
� Auto Retry – If a call fails, this option
prompts the DROID to automatically try
the same number again.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 181
� TTY Mode – This option specifies the
deaf accessibility settings for the DROID.
Possible values for this option are Off,Full, HCO, or VCO.
� DTMF Tones – This option sets the
length of the tones you hear when you
press a key on the dialpad between
Normal (default) and Long. This can be
useful if you are calling automated
systems with a bad connection; making
the tones longer can help the system
recognize the digits you input.
� HAC Mode Settings – These settings
govern hearing-aid compatibility.
� Voice Privacy – This option adds an
extra layer of encryption to your voice
calls; it is set to Checked (on) by default.
� Show Dialpad – This option enables you
to set the phone to automatically show
the dialpad after you are connected to a
phone number. The default shows the
dialpad only for Voicemail, toll-free, and
900 numbers; however, you can change
this setting to show the dialpad for
Custom phone numbers or even All calls.
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Sounds, Ring Tones, and VibrationThe DROID will alert you to incoming calls, voicemails received, and other features with
unique sounds or vibrations. These can easily be adjusted using your Music and
Settings apps. You can also assign unique ringtones to specific people from your
Contacts apps.
Using Your Own Music As Your Ringtone
One cool DROID feature: You’re able to
make your own music serve as your
ringtone. For this to work, you need to
sync the desired music to your DROID.
If you want to use a custom ringtone, you
need to follow the steps shown in this
chapter’s “Copying Custom Ringtones and
Alerts to your DROID” section.
Begin by starting the Music app and
playing the song you want to use as the
main ringtone on your DROID.
In the example shown to the right, we
have started an old favorite: 99 Red Balloons by Nena.
Press the Menu button and select Use as ringtone.
TIP: Check out Chapter 25: “DROID Media Sync” to learn how to get your music onto your
DROID.
Using Custom Ringtones and Alerts You can customize the way your DROID sounds by using the preloaded DROID
ringtones and notifications. Or you can use your own custom ringtones and notifications.
There are a few extra steps involved before you can use custom ringtones; however, the
extra effort can be worth it if you want to hear a particular sound or song when a friend
calls or sends you a new text message. The extra effort can also be worth it if you want
a particular sound or song to serve as an alarm.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 183
Selecting New Phone Ringtones and Notification Ringtones Your DROID comes with a number of fun ringtones and alerts already preloaded. In this
section, we show you how to select these preloaded items.
TIP: The steps described in this section will also work for custom ringtones and alarms – once you have them synced to your device. You will learn how to sync these to your DROID later in this
chapter.
Follow these steps to select from the
DROID’s preloaded (or previously synced)
ringtones and alerts:
1. Tap your Settings icon.
2. Tap Sound.
3. Tap Phone ringtone to listen to and
select a new ringtone. Tap OK when
done. All the standard ringtones and
any new ringtones you have added
to the media/audio/ringtones folder
on your media card will appear in
this list.
4. Tap Notification ringtone to set a
new ringtone for your notifications.
Tap OK when done. All the standard
notification ringtones and any new
ringtones you have added to the
media/audio/notifications folder
on your media card will appear in
this list.
Copying Custom Ringtones and Alerts to Your DROIDYou cannot select and use your own music or custom ringtones until you copy them into
the correct folder on your DROID. In this section, we will show you how to copy your
own music and ringtones to your DROID. Once you do this, you can enjoy custom
ringtones for your phone, contacts, alerts, notifications, and text messages. Note that
you need a MicroSD format media card to perform this step. Compatible file formats for
ringtones are files with these extensions: MP3, MID, AAC, and WMA. Follow these steps
to copy your own music or ringtones to your DROID:
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 184
1. Connect your DROID to your
computer with the USB cable.
2. Drag your finger down from the top
of the status bar to open your
Notifications screen, and then tap
the USB connection setting.
3. Tap the USB Mass Storage option (as shown
in the figure to the right),
and then tap OK.
4. You should now see your
DROID media card appear
as a new disk drive letter
on your computer.
5. If you don’t see the mediafolder, then you need to
create one. Next, you
need to create the folders
as shown in the image to
the right. Be sure to place
the audio folder inside
media, and then place
ringtones and
notifications folders
inside audio.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 185
6. Now copy (or drag-and-drop) the
ringtone or notification alert into the
correct folder, as described
previously:
� The Ringtones folder stores
ringtones for the phone and
contacts.
� The Notifications folder stores
ringtones for alerts and text
messages.
7. Next, disconnect your DROID by unplugging the USB cable from your
computer. This step is important; otherwise, your DROID will not be able
to see the new ringtones and notifications you have added.
Selecting a New Ringtone for Text MessagingYou will be able to use these same steps for both the preloaded ringtones and any
customized ringtones you have added. Follow these steps to select a new ringtone for a
text message:
1. Tap the Messaging icon.
2. Press the Menu button and select
Messaging settings.
3. Tap Select Ringtone in the Text messaging settings area.
4. Swipe up and down to see all the
ringtones.
5. Tap a ringtone to listen to it and
select it.
6. Tap OK when you are done.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 186
Assigning Custom Ringtones to Contacts Sometimes, it is both fun and useful to give a unique ringtone to a certain contacts in
your address book. This way, you know who is calling without looking at your phone.
You can use ringtones that are already on your DROID, or you can use one of the
following options to get new ringtones:
� Purchase ringtones using the Amazon MP3 or DROID Market apps
on your DROID.
� Create or download ringtones to your computer, and then copy them
to your DROID.
� Use your own songs synced to your DROID as ringtones.
For example, one of the authors (Gary) sets the ringtone for his son Daniel to the ring
tone of Elton John’s “Daniel.” You need to edit a person’s information in Contacts to
change his ringtone. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Tap the Contacts icon.
2. Tap the contact you wish to change (in this case, Gary Mazo).
3. Press the Menu button and select Edit.
4. Swipe to the very bottom and tap the
Additional info gray bar.
5. Swipe again to the very bottom
of the screen.
6. Tap the Call Handling Ringtone option. It
will say No ringtone specified when you
first change it.
7. Tap any ringtone to select it and tap OK to
save it. Now you will see the name of the
selected ringtone on the same screen.
8. Tap Save to save your changes.
The next time this contact calls you, you will hear the newly selected custom ringtone.
CHAPTER 7: Making Phone Calls 187
NOTE: On the original DROID, press the Menu button, then press Options and then select
Ringtone and choose a unique ringtone.
Purchasing a Ringtone from the Amazon MP3 The Amazon MP3 app connects you to a site where you can purchase files that can
serve as ringtones. Follow these steps to purchase ringtones from this site:
1. Tap the Amazon MP3 icon.
2. Type ringtone in the Amazonsearch window and tap the search
button (where the enter key is
usually located).
3. You will then see all items that
match. The image to the right shows
Albums or groups of ringtones. Tap
Songs at the top of the list to view
individual ringtones. Most individual
ringtones are US $0.89 or US $0.99.
4. Tap the price or FREE button to
purchase or download the ringtone
to your DROID.
After you purchase your ringtone, follow the steps described in the preceding sections
to assign your new ringtone to your phone or a contact.
Buy Ringtones from the Android Market You can also buy ringtones using the Android Market app. Start the Market app and
type ringtone into the Search window. You will find both ringtones and apps that help
you create ringtones. Once you find a ringtone or app that interests you, follow the
instructions provided to acquire the file(s) in question. At this point, you can follow the
steps described in the preceding sections to assign your new ringtone to your phone or
a contact.
189
189
Chapter
Bluetooth on Your DROID In this chapter, we will show you how to pair your DROID with any Bluetooth device,
whether it is another computer, stereo speakers, or a wireless headset.
Thanks to the technology known as A2DP, you can also stream your music to a capable
Bluetooth stereo.
NOTE: You must have a capable third-party Bluetooth adapter or Bluetooth stereo to stream yourmusic via Bluetooth technology. Also, there is AVRCP profile support, so many music controls on
a Bluetooth device (like Play, Pause, or Skip) can be operated from your DROID.
Think of Bluetooth as a short-range, wireless technology that allows your DROID to
connect to various peripheral devices without wires.
Bluetooth is believed to be named after a Danish Viking and king, Harald Blåtand, whose
name has been translated as Bluetooth. King Blåtand lived in the tenth century and is
famous for uniting Denmark and Norway. Similarly, Bluetooth technology unites
computers and telecom. His name, according to legend, is from his very dark hair, which
was unusual for Vikings. Blåtand means dark complexion. There’s also a popular story
that the king loved to eat blueberries, so much so that his teeth became stained with the
color blue.
Sources:
� http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5980-3032EN.pdf
� www.cs.utk.edu/~dasgupta/bluetooth/history.htm
� www.britannica.com/eb/topic-254809/Harald-I
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CHAPTER 8: Bluetooth on Your DROID 190
Understanding Bluetooth Bluetooth allows your DROID to communicate with things wirelessly.
Bluetooth is a small radio that transmits from each device. Before you can
use a peripheral with the DROID, you have to “pair” it with that device to
connect it to the peripheral. Many Bluetooth devices can be used up to 30
feet away from the DROID.
Among other things, the DROID works with Bluetooth headphones, Bluetooth stereo
systems and adapters, Bluetooth keyboards, Bluetooth car stereo systems, Bluetooth
headsets, and hands-free devices. The DROID supports A2DP, which is known as
Stereo Bluetooth.
Turning On Bluetooth
The first step to using Bluetooth is to turn
the Bluetooth radio On.
1. From your Home screen, tap your
Menu button.
2. Then, touch Settings.
3. Touch Wireless & Networks at the
top of the list.
4. You will see Bluetooth in the list.
5. By default, Bluetooth is initially Offon the DROID. Touch the box to
turn it to the On position. You will
see a green check mark appear in
the box.
CHAPTER 8: Bluetooth on Your DROID 191
TIP: Bluetooth is an added drain on your battery. If you don’t plan on usingBluetooth for a period of time, think
about turning the switch back to Off.
Pairing with a Bluetooth Device Your primary uses for Bluetooth might be with Bluetooth headphones, Bluetooth stereo
adapters, or a Bluetooth headset. Any Bluetooth headphones should work well with your
DROID. To start using any Bluetooth device, you need to first pair (connect) it with your
DROID.
Pairing with a Headset or Any Bluetooth DeviceAs soon as you turn Bluetooth On, the DROID will begin to search for any nearby
Bluetooth device—like a Bluetooth headset or stereo adapter (see Figure 8–1). For the
DROID to find your Bluetooth device, you need to put that device into “pairing mode.”
Read the instructions that came with your headset carefully—usually there are a
combination of buttons to push to achieve this.
TIP: Some headsets require you to press and hold a button for five seconds until you see a series
of flashing blue or red/blue lights. Some accessories automatically start up in pairing mode.
Once the DROID detects the Bluetooth device, it will attempt to automatically pair with
it. If pairing takes place automatically, there is nothing more for you to do.
CHAPTER 8: Bluetooth on Your DROID 192
Figure 8–1. Bluetooth device discovered and in process of pairing.
NOTE: In the case of a Bluetooth device, such as a computer, you may be asked to enter a seriesof numbers (passkey) on the keyboard itself or confirm that a passkey is being shown. See
Figure 8–2.
Figure 8–2. Select Pair to connect to another Bluetooth Device that requires a passkey.
CHAPTER 8: Bluetooth on Your DROID 193
Newer headsets like the Aliph Jawbone
ICON, used here, will automatically pair
with your DROID. Simply put the
headset into pairing mode and turn on
Bluetooth on the DROID—that’s all you
have to do!
Pairing will be automatic, and you
should never have to re-pair the
headset again.
Using the Bluetooth HeadsetIf your headset is properly paired and on, all incoming calls should be routed to your
headset. Usually you can just press the main button on the headset to answer the call or
answer it on the DROID.
Move the phone away from your face (while
the DROID is dialing), and you should see
the indicator showing you that the
Bluetooth headset is in use. In the image
you see that the Bluetooth icon is
activated.
You will also see the options to send the
call to the Speaker or Mute the call. You
can change this at any point while you are
on the call.
Just choose to send the call to any of the options shown, and you will see the small
Speaker icon move to the current source being used for the call (Figure 8–3).
CHAPTER 8: Bluetooth on Your DROID 194
Figure 8–3. Changing from Bluetooth headset back to the DROID while on a call.
Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) One of the great features of today’s advanced Bluetooth technology is the
ability to stream your music without wires via Bluetooth. The fancy name
for this technology is A2DP, but it is simply known as Stereo Bluetooth.
Connecting to a Stereo Bluetooth DeviceThe first step to using Stereo Bluetooth is to connect to a capable Stereo Bluetooth
device. This can be a car stereo with this technology built in, a pair of Bluetooth
headphones or speakers, or even newer headsets like the Jawbone ICON.
Put the Bluetooth device into pairing mode as per the manufacturer’s instructions, and
then go to the Bluetooth setting page from the Settings icon, as we showed you earlier
in the chapter.
Once connected, you will see
the new Stereo Bluetooth
device listed under your
Bluetooth devices. Sometimes it
will simply be listed as
“Headset.” Just touch the
device, and you will see the
name of the actual device next
to the Bluetooth tab in the next
screen, as shown here.
CHAPTER 8: Bluetooth on Your DROID 195
Next, tap your Music icon and start up any song,
playlist, podcast, or video music library. You will
now notice a small Bluetooth icon in the middle
of top status bar. Touch the Volume buttons on
the side of your DROID to adjust the volume of
the paired Bluetooth device streaming your music
(see Figure 8–4).
Figure 8–4. Adjusting the volume of a Bluetooth device.
CHAPTER 8: Bluetooth on Your DROID 196
Disconnecting a Bluetooth DeviceSometimes, you might want to disconnect a Bluetooth device from your DROID.
It is easy to get this done. Get into the Bluetooth settings as you did earlier in this
chapter. Touch and hold the device you want to disconnect in order to bring up the next
screen, then tap the Disconnect & Unpair button, and confirm your choice.
NOTE: Bluetooth has a range of only about 30 feet, so if you are not nearby or not using aBluetooth device, turn off Bluetooth. You can always turn it back on when you are actually going
to be using it.
This will delete the Bluetooth profile from the DROID. (See Figure 8–5.)
Figure 8–5. Disconnecting and unpairing a Bluetooth device.
197
197
Chapter
Email on Your DROID One of the big reasons to have a smartphone is to keep on top of your email. Your
DROID allows you to keep track of both personal and corporate email. It works with
Microsoft Exchange accounts, Yahoo! Email, and, of course, your Gmail account. You
can sync your phone with all your accounts, and you can create signatures to let your
recipients know you’re responding from your phone, if you choose.
DROIDs offers many options for email:
� The Gmail app
� The Email app (includingYahoo accounts)
� Outlook Web Access
� Corporate Sync Accounts
� The Web Browser
� Third-party apps
9
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 198
Your DROID also comes with a Motorola widget that
creates a universal messaging inbox on your Home
screen, as shown to the right. Messages sent to all
your accounts can be read without having to launch
any email apps.
You can read more about widgets in Chapter 6:
“Organize Your Home Screens: Icons and Widgets.”
Getting to Know Gmail Gmail is the default email app for Android phones, and your DROID ships with the Gmail
app icon displaying on the Home screen. Go to http://mail.google.com to get started
with a free Gmail account.
To understand the Gmail app, it’s helpful to first understand Gmail on the Web. You’ll
also need to visit Gmail on the Web in order to get the best use of Gmail by setting up
filters and experimenting with new features.
Gmail is arguably the best free email service available. There’s no automatic tagline on
the end of your messages advertising that you’re using a free email. You don’t have to
pay extra in order to use a desktop or mobile app to access your email. The spam
filtering is above average, and you get plenty of storage space. In fact, Gmail works so
well that many business users have come to rely on the service through the enterprise
Google Apps suite.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 199
TIP: Although it’s not a faux pas to use a Gmail address for professional correspondence, you can use Google Apps to send and receive Gmail through custom business domains. If you own a small- to medium-sized business, you can take advantage of their services from either the
limited free “standard” account or the $50 per-user per-year “premium” account. If you qualifyfor the free standard version, you can set up Google Apps as a free email service for a domain
name you already own. For more information, visit Google Apps at www.google.com/a.
Understanding Gmail Mobile There are two basic ways to access Gmail from your phone. You can use either the
Gmail app, or the phone’s web browser to access Gmail from the Web. When you
use your web browser, by default you’ll see a mobile version of Gmail that is trimmed
down and simpler to use on phones.
The Gmail app on Android uses push email. That means that you don’t need to keep
checking a web site. Your email is always on, always ready to receive new messages.
This is just like keeping your desktop email client on in the background when you use
your laptop. It’s the big advantage of the Android Gmail app over your phone’s web
browser, though the browser does have a few features missing in the Gmail app.
When new messages arrive, by default you’ll see a notice in the status bar. You can drag
down the status bar and click the notification to launch the Gmail app.
We will go over quite a few web-based features in this chapter, but there is an important
reason to get to know them first. Many of these features cannot be changed from the
Gmail app in Android or Gmail’s mobile browser version.
Inbox and Archive Gmail doesn’t have folders. Rather, Gmail uses labels. We’ll get to that next, so let’s just
say that for most purposes, there are only two places for email you want to keep: the
inbox and the archive.
There are two places for email you don’t want to keep: trash and spam. Generally you’ll
want to mark spammy messages appropriately before deleting them, because this helps
train the spam filters to recognize unwanted messages.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 200
If you don’t ever want a message again, by all means delete it. Email sent to the trash is
permanently deleted after thirty days. However, messages you might need later should be
archived. To archive a message from the Web, select the check box next to the message, and
then press the Archive button. It’s on the left side of the buttons above the inbox, as shown in
Figure 9–1.
Figure 9–1. Gmail Web.
When you archive a message, you move it out of the inbox. You can still find the
message by using the “all mail” label or by using the Gmail search box. For messages of
low importance, you may even want to set up a filter that archives the messages
immediately so they never clog your inbox. We’ll explain how to do that later in this
chapter.
NOTE: Gmail messages are grouped into conversations. Rather than showing each message inthe order they arrived, conversations are clusters of messages to and from a person or group. The messages are stacked together, so you can view the conversation in context, and they appear chronologically in your inbox according to the last message received. Any actions you
apply to one message in the conversation will apply to all of them. If you want to view or act onthe messages individually, just click the “Expand all” link to the right of the message. If you keep seeing a super long conversation that you’d rather ignore, use the “mute” option to
archive the current and future messages in that conversation. The messages will still be available
and marked as unread. They just won’t be in your inbox.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 201
Priority Inbox Google introduced a new feature called the Priority Inbox. What this is meant to do is
filter your important email from what some call bacn. Bacn (pronounced “bacon”)
messages are those newsletters, alerts, and coupons that you did at some point sign up
to receive and you probably do want to read, just not right now. They’re not really spam,
but they’re not really important. They’re bacn.
The Priority Inbox flags important, unread messages and displays them at the top of
your Gmail inbox on the Web. You can train Gmail to better recognize which messages
are important and which are not by flagging them, and you can
customize the Priority Inbox to also separate items with specific labels, as shown earlier
in Figure 9–1.
Behind the scenes, this is really just a new way to display a label or star.
Labels Many email accounts work by allowing you to place email messages in folders. Gmail
would prefer you use labels. What is the difference? A single piece of email can exist
only in a single folder. You’d have to copy an email message for it to be both in the
“work” and “tax related” folders, but it can have multiple labels.
Use labels to organize your messages by topic. You can click one of the labels on the
left side of the screen (as shown in Figure 9–1) in order to view only messages with that
particular label, including messages that have been archived.
Gmail automatically creates the following labels:
� Inbox
� Buzz
� Starred
� Chats
� Sent Mail
� Drafts
� All Mail
� Spam
� Trash
You can create other labels as needed. We sometimes set up temporary labels for
upcoming conferences or events and then remove or hide the labels after the
conference.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 202
You’ll notice that Starred is also a label. Click the empty star to the left of a
message in order to “star” it or give it the star label. That highlights the message with a
yellow star. Since you can apply more than one label to an item, adding both a star
and a different label could emphasize urgent messages or highlight items that needed a
response or required action.
Creating and Deleting LabelsYou can create labels many ways on the Web.
1. Click the Labels button at the top of
your inbox.
2. Click Manage labels from the drop-
down menu, as shown on the right.
3. You now are in the Label settingsarea. You can enter new labels by
typing into the box labeled Create a new label.
You can also get to this menu by clicking settings on the upper right-hand side of the
screen and then clicking Labels. Another method is to click More on the bottom of your
label list on the right side of the screen and then Manage labels.
TIP: You’re limited to 40 characters in a label, but it would be wise to keep it even shorter. Long
labels mean less space for your message previews.
You can edit a label by clicking the label name in the Label settings and then typing the
new name in. You can show or hide labels by clicking the link to the right of the labels,
and you can delete them as well. Deleting a label does not delete the messages.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 203
Automatic FiltersAutomatic filters are probably one of the most powerful tools in any email program.
When combined with labels, Gmail lets you do quite a lot with filters.
1. Click the check box next to one or more messages.
2. Click the More actions button.
3. Select Filter messages like these.
4. Gmail will try to guess the criteria you’re using, such as messages from a certain
sender or messages containing a particular subject line. If the guess is wrong, you
can change the criteria. Once you’ve got the correct criteria, click the Next Stepbutton.
5. Now you choose an action. Your choices include archive (the Skip the Inbox
option), star, mark as read, apply a label, forward it, delete it, or never flag it as
spam. If you’re using Priority Inbox, this is a choice as well. You can select more
than one action for an item, such as starring and never marking it as spam.
6. Next, create the filter. You can also select the check box to apply that filter to any
previous messages that matched your criteria.
We use filters to automatically prioritize messages from business contacts with stars
and subject labels. We de-clutter by archiving distracting mailing lists and other bacon
items we may want to read later or notifications from Facebook and Twitter. We also
make sure important senders never have their messages marked as spam.
NOTE: You can create an easy filter for a group or project by creating a custom email address. Your Gmail address supports adding words to your address by adding them on with a plus sign.For instance, you can have everyone involved with a project send messages [email protected]. Add a filter for messages sent to that specific
address, and then apply the desired label.
The Settings Menu We’ve already explored filters and labels. There are many other options on the settings
menu worth mentioning. To adjust settings, click the Settings link on the upper right of
the Gmail Web screen, just next to your email address.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 204
General SettingsThe first tab offers some general settings. Make sure your browser connection is set to
always use https://. That makes sure you use a more secure connection to check your
email when using a web browser. It’s also the default setting, so if you don’t have either
one selected, it’s still using the secure connection.
The other important thing to note is that you can create text signatures and set
automatic vacation replies through the appropriate boxes here. Be aware that any
signatures you create here will not translate to your phone. You have to set those up tseparately.
If you change anything, be sure to press the Save Changes button before moving on.
Accounts You can add additional email accounts through Gmail and check and respond to them
from the same inbox as your Gmail account. They have to be a standard POP3 account,
but that includes most web-based email and email accounts offered through Internet
service providers. That generally does not include Exchange accounts.
The settings are shown in Figure 9–2. To add an email account to your Web Gmail
account, do the following:
1. Log into Gmail on the Web.
2. Click Settings. It’s on the upper right of your browser window.
3. Click Accounts and Import.
4. Click Add POP3 email account.
5. Enter your email address, password, and any specific settings provided by your
ISP.
6. Decide how you handle messages on the old account. Do you delete them as
they’re imported or are they left on the server?
7. Decide if you’d like to add a custom label (by default your email address will be
the label) and if you’d like to automatically archive new messages.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 205
Figure 9–2. Adding email accounts to a single Gmail.
If you add accounts, you’ll want to decide if you should respond from the address that
received the email or always use your default email address. We find it less confusing to
respond with the same account that originated the email. Your default address is the
address you’ll use to compose new messages.
You can also add more accounts from your DROID without joining them in your Gmail
account. It’s just a matter of deciding how you’d rather manage your email accounts.
Forwarding and POP/IMAPYou can automatically forward a copy of each mail message to a different account and
either keep, archive, or delete the original message. This applies to all messages to thatlaccount, but you can forward selectively by creating a filter.
For accessing email on your Android phone, you’ll want to enable IMAP (Internet
Message Access Protocol). This is the mail protocol that allows your account to sync
with your phone. You can also enable POP (Post Office Protocol) if you wish, but this
isn’t necessary for Android access.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 206
Labs, Themes, OfflineThese are settings that apply only to the web-based version of Gmail. Gmail Labs
allows you to add experimental features that may or may not make it into the main
release. Themes allow you to customize the look and feel of your Gmail Web
experience, and offline access lets you read and compose Gmail messages while not
connected to the Internet. Messages sync once your Internet connection is resumed.
Feel free to experiment and explore, but be aware that these settings do not transfer totyour phone.
NOTE: One interesting Labs tool is called Green Robot. This add-on turns the icons of chatbuddies into robots if they’re currently using Android for their chat session. It works only for
Android, so you can’t tell if they’re chatting from an iPhone or Blackberry. As with other Gmail
Labs, this doesn’t change anything in your Gmail phone app.
Web Version From Your Phone
If you are in a pinch and need to set up a filter or
create a label, you can still do this from your phone. It
just involves a bit of wrangling.
1. Point your DROID browser to
http://mail.google.com.
2. When you are logged in, scroll to the very
bottom of the screen. You’ll see that you’re
viewing Gmail in: Mobile.
3. Click the link next to that that says Desktop.
What you see should be similar to the figure on the
right. It’s tiny, so you’ll need to magnify your view
and scroll around to navigate. You will still have fewer
options than you would on your laptop’s web
browser. However, you still have all the options you
need for effective phone use.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 207
Sending and Replying to Email
Let’s return to the Gmail app on your DROID. Sending email with Gmail is
illustrated in Figure 9–3.
Figure 9–3. Composing Gmail messages.
1. Navigate to the correct account, click the menu button, and select Compose. If
you’re using a DROID or DROID 2 with a keyboard, you can slide it out or just use
the virtual keyboards.
2. Start entering an address in the To: field, and Google will attempt to auto-
complete the email address from your contact list. If this is to a new contact,
you’ll just have to type the whole thing out. Use your finger to navigate to the next
fields.
3. If you want to add a picture attachment or more recipients, press the menu button
again. You’ll have the option to add BCC and CC recipients and attachments from
your phone’s camera gallery. You can also choose to take a new picture to
attach. Picture files are the only type of attachment supported on the default
Android Gmail app, but you can still forward messages that contain other types of
attachments.
4. When you’re done with your message, tap Send.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 208
To reply to a message, open that message, and tap
the Reply button. This menu remains sticky at the
top of the screen, even if you scroll through a long
message.
As with desktop email programs, you can choose
the Reply or Reply All option. You can also choose
to forward messages. Expand your options by
tapping the left-facing triangle, as shown in the
image on the right.
If you are replying to a message, Android will automatically copy and append the entire
message you’re replying to. If you’re used to paring down this message to highlight only
the relevant section or insert something in the middle, you’re out of luck. You can’t edit
the attached previous message, so just note the relevant parts in text.
Search It’s easy to get trapped into navigating through messages by the subject line and
preview, but sometimes there’s a faster way to find what you need. Google is known for
search, so it’s unsurprising to find a well-supported search tool within Gmail. Whenever
you’re in the Gmail app, press the physical Search button on your DROID, and you can
search through your messages. The search tool will auto-suggest as you type.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 209
Custom Signatures
If you set a signature on Gmail on the Web, that
signature doesn’t get included on email you send tfrom your phone. This gives you the chance to make
a custom signature from your phone—perhaps
something indicating that you’re using a phone, so
your recipient is more willing to forgive short
messages and the occasional typo.
To set your custom signature, do the following:
1. Go to your Gmail inbox.
2. Press the Menu button.
3. Next, select Settings. On the original DROID,
you need to touch More and then
Settings.You’ll see the Signature setting, and
you can use this to create a text-only signature.
4. When you’re done, hit Save. That signature will
apply only to messages sent from your phone
for that account.
Notifications While you’re editing settings, it’s a good time to think about notifications. Do you want a
ringtone every time you get a message? Do you want the phone to vibrate? Do you want
an update in your status bar? Or, you may want your DROID to do nothing, so you can
review new email when you choose? These are options listed under “Notification
settings.”
By default, your DROID will use the robotic “Droid” ringer, which may be startling the
first time you get a message.
We get a lot of messages, so we silence the ringers and keep the option Email
notifications checked, so we can glance at the Notifications bar to find new messages.
Figure 9–4 illustrates how to silence the email notifications.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 210
Figure 9–4. Ringtones.
1. Go to Gmail.
2. Press the Menu button.
3. Tap More.
4. Tap Settings.
5. Scroll down the menu to the Notifications settings and tap Select ringtone.
6. Choose Silent.
7. Tap the OK button.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 211
Labels
Another way you can cut down on your inbox
clutter is to sync only certain Gmail labels.
Choose Labels in from the Settings menu of the
account you want to change, and you’ll see the
Synchronization menu as shown on the right.
You can choose how far back you want to sync
messages in your inbox and choose which labels
to sync on a case-by-case basis. You could put
an automatic label on some of your bacn
newsletters, and then choose not to sync them to
your phone, or you could choose to sync work-
related emails only on weekdays.
Not syncing labels doesn’t mean you can’t still
find the information, just like archiving a message
doesn’t mean it is inaccessible. Searching your
inbox will still retrieve old messages. It just saves
some phone memory and syncing time for things
you don’t need instantly available every time you
launch the Gmail app.
Confirm DeleteIf you check this item, you’ll get an extra dialog every time you try to delete a message.
If you’re pretty sure with your fingers, leave it unchecked. If you’re nervous that you’ll
have a butter finger moment and accidentally delete an important email, leave it
checked.
Talk and Other Missing Gmail FeaturesGmail on the Web has a chat window with Google Talk integration. Rather than
accessing Chat through the Android Gmail app, you’ll use the separate Google Talk app
on your phone. We cover Google Talk in Chapter 10: "SMS, MMS, and Instant
Messaging.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 212
Google Task List Another feature you may notice missing from the Gmail app is a task list. It’s a very
handy to-do list tool. It’s not included in the Gmail app. However, you can still use the
task list. Simply navigate your web browser to http://mail.google.com/tasks.
You can also make a shortcut for your Home screen.
1. Create a bookmark of this address by pressing the star in your browser bar.
2. Go to your Home screen and long press.
3. Select Shortcut.
4. Select Bookmark, and then find the task list.
BuzzGoogle Buzz is a social networking component of Gmail. We’ll talk about social
networking tools in more detail in Chapter 20, “Social Media and Skype.” Buzz isn’t
supported in the Gmail app on Android, but you can download a widget from Google
that allows you to post updates, your location, and photos from your phone.
Multiple Gmail Accounts You can set up multiple Gmail accounts on
your DROID and manage them all from the
Gmail app.
The figure on the right shows multiple
Gmail accounts. Unread messages are
shown to the right of each account. If you
click an account, you’ll see only the inbox
of that account. You can always get back
to the view shown to the right by clicking
the menu button and selecting Accounts.
To add another Gmail account to your DROID, follow the same steps you’d use to add
any other type of email account, as shown in Figure 9–5.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 213
Figure 9–5. Adding accounts.
You can also add accounts from directly within the Gmail app by pressing the Menu button, going to Accounts, and then tapping the Add account button.
When you add another Google account, you’ll be prompted to specify which parts of
that account you want to sync. Your choices depend on what services you’ve used, but
for email accounts, you’ll have the choice to sync Gmail and Contacts.
Switching Between Accounts It’s important to keep track of which account you’re using when you read or send
messages. To switch between accounts:
1. Press the Menu button.
2. Tap Accounts.
3. Tap the email inbox you wish to switch to.
Or
1. When composing an email, tap the From: field.
2. A pop-up window will show your Gmail accounts.
3. Tap your choice.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 214
Deleting Accounts Deleting accounts is a reverse of the same process that created them.
1. Go to the Home screen and press the Menu button.
2. Select Settings then tap Accounts.
3. Tap the name of the account you want to delete.
4. Tap the Remove account button on the bottom of the screen.
You’ll get a warning message that you’re about to delete an account, the email, and the
synced contacts, and you’ll need to confirm to delete. Alternatively, you could just stop
syncing an account if you wanted to retain your contacts without checking the email.
The Email App Android includes the Gmail app for adding Gmail accounts, but there’s also an Email
app for checking mail with non-Gmail accounts. Depending on your Exchange
server’s settings, this account can sometimes be used to check Exchange accounts as
well as standard email accounts that use POP or IMAP protocols.
Just like the Gmail app, you can add more than one account to the Email app. The
Email app also syncs with your DROID Messaging widget and Universal Inbox.
In addition to the Email app, your DROID also has a Yahoo! email app for adding your
Yahoo! account.
Exchange Accounts on AndroidAndroid 2.2 supports Exchange email through the Email app. As we mentioned earlier,
Verizon charges for corporate email sync, so you may have limited success using
Exchange email through the standard Email app, you may have problems syncing your
calendar, and you may not see your Global Address List (GAL).
Turning Off Ringtones in the Email AppTurning off the “Droid” ringtone in the Email app is similar to the way you do it in Gmail.
1. Launch the Email app.
2. Press the Menu button.
3. Tap Email settings.
4. Tap Notifications.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 215
5. Tap Select ringtone.
6. Select Silent.
Of course, if you do want an audio notification of new emails, you can use this method
to change your ringtone to any ringtone sound you’d like.
Outlook Web AccessIf you can’t add an Exchange account through the Email app, you might be able to use
an Outlook Web Access or OWA account instead. You have to actively check for email
yourself instead of getting notification that you’ve got a new message. If you use OWA
to access mail, just set up a bookmark on your Home screen for quick access.
Corporate Sync AccountsIf you have no luck adding an Exchange email to the Email app, you may need to use a
Corporate Sync account. Corporate Sync accounts are designed to be compliant
with security standards mandated by corporate email systems. Corporate email
accounts can also be remote wiped, or erased remotely if you lose your phone.
The disadvantage to Corporate Sync accounts is that as of the time of this publication,
Verizon charges more for these accounts. That’s why it’s important to remove any
accounts you don’t need.
Universal Inbox Your DROID organizes all your non-Gmail email accounts, your text messages, and
social networking status updates into a Universal Inbox in the Messaging app, so you
can read all your messages from one central location. The Universal Inbox is shown in
Figure 9–6. Please see Chapter 10 for more on using Instant Messaging and this
Universal Inbox.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 216
Figure 9–6. The Universal Inbox.
You can navigate to your email messages in many ways:
� Launch the Email app in the App Tray.
� Use the Messaging app and the Universal Inbox.
� Drag down the Notification bar whenever you see a notification that
you’ve got a new message.
� Use the Messaging widget on the Home screen.
Your Universal Inbox is available through the Messaging app, but it’s also available
through the Messaging widget. By using the widget, you can read previews of your
email messages right from your Home screen, and even compose replies. Figure 9–7
shows quick ways to check email.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 217
Figure 9–7. Two ways to check email.
Reading Attachments Your ability to read attachments is going to depend on the type of attachment, the app
you’re using, and the software you have installed on your phone. If an email has
embedded pictures, just as with many desktop email programs, you’ll generally see
them. Gmail doesn’t automatically download pictures, but you can tap Show Picturesto download and see them.
Other attachments require you to click to download and view, as shown in Figure 9–8.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 218
Figure 9–8. Emailing attachments.
If your DROID has more than one app
capable of handling an attachment, you’ll
see a dialog box that lets you choose how
you want to handle the file. Click your
preferred app, and you can view your
attachment.
If your DROID doesn’t have any app
capable of viewing an attachment, you can
still download it in case you get an app
later.
CHAPTER 9: Email on Your DROID 219
Third-Party Apps If you want an alternative to Corporate Sync,
you may be able to use third-party apps. One
popular app is TouchDown by NitroDesk. You
can get more information here:
www.nitrodesk.com/dk_touchdownFeatures.aspx.
TouchDown comes in both a free and paid
version. The free version lets you check email
and get the day’s calendar, while the $19.99
paid version, shown to the right, allows you to
sync your Exchange email, accept and send
task and event requests, use the Global Address
List, etc. TouchDown also supports security
policy enforcement, so it should pass muster
with most IT departments. You can also use it
through OWA if you can’t get it to work with
ActiveSync. There’s a fully functional free trial,
so you can test to make sure everything works
before you purchase it.
TouchDown is a solid app. Not only does it provide most of the features of Outlook in
your pocket, it also includes several widget options to keep your Exchange info handy
whenever you use your phone. However, it doesn’t mesh your email, calendar, and task
information with your other Android calendar contact, or task lists. On one hand, it’s
handy to have business separate from personal life, and on the other hand, it would be
nice to have access to your Global Address List when using your main contact list.
221
221
Chapter
SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging
SMS stands for Short Messaging Service, and it is
commonly referred to as text messaging or simply
texting. Text messages are usually limited to 160
characters, and they are a great way to quickly
touch base with someone without interrupting them
with a voice call. Sometimes you can text someone
and receive a text reply when it would be impossible
or difficult to make a voice call.
A related technology is Multimedia MessagingService (MMS), which lets you send a message with
pictures, audio, or video.
In this chapter, we will cover how to send and
receive SMS text and MMS picture/video messages
on your DROID.
As shown to the right, your DROID has only one
Messaging icon, but on your DROID 2/X, you will see
two icons Messaging and Text Messaging. The
Text Messaging icon is the faster way to get into
messaging when you have a DROID 2/X.
You will also learn how to send a text message from
your Contacts app and how to send a picture as an
MMS message from your Gallery app.
Icon on DROID
DROID 2/2 Global/X
10
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 222
SMS Text Messaging on your DROID Text messaging has become one of the most popular services on cell phones today.
While it is still used more extensively in Europe and Asia, it is growing in popularity in
North America.
The concept is very simple; instead of placing a phone call, you send a short message to
someone’s handset. It is much less disruptive than a phone call; and you may have friends,
colleagues, or co-workers who do not own a DROID – so email may not be an option.
One of the this book’s authors uses text messaging with his children all the time – this is
how the generation his kids are part of communicates. “R u coming home 4 dinner?”
“Yup.” There you have it: meaningful dialog with an 18-year-old – short, instant and easy.
Composing SMS Text Messages Composing an SMS message is much like sending an email. The beauty of an SMS
message is that it arrives on virtually any handset and is quite simple to reply to.
Composing an SMS Message from the Messaging App
There are a couple of ways to send text messages on your DROID. The
easiest way is to touch the Messaging icon (DROID) and Text Messagingicon (DROID 2/X) on the Home screen.
When you first start the app, you most likely won’t have any messages, so the screen
will be blank. Once you get started with SMS messaging, you will have a list of
messages and current “open” discussions with your contacts.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 223
Follow these steps to send a new SMS message:
1. Tap the Messaging icon (DROID) or Text Messaging icon (DROID 2/X).
2. Touch New message or New text message at
the top of the screen.
3. The cursor will immediately go to the To: line.
Touch the To: field and start typing in the name
of your contact. Or, you can tap the person with
the plus icon as shown in the figure to the right to
select a contact from your Contacts list.
4. If you want to just type someone’s mobile phone
number, then press the ?123 button and dial the
number.
5. When you find the contact you wish to use, touch the name and it will appear in
the To: line (see Figure 10–1).
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 224
Figure 10–1. Choosing a recipient for an SMS message.
6. When you are ready to type the SMS message,
touch anywhere in the box in the middle of the
screen (next to the Send button).
7. The keyboard will be displayed. Just type in
your message and then touch Send when you
are done.
NOTE: There is no character counter in the Android OS, so if your messages go over 160 characters, they
will be divided into two messages.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 225
TIP: If you prefer, you can use the larger Landscape mode keyboard for sending text messages. It can be easier to type with the larger keys on the DROID X or the keyboard on the DROID and
DROID 2, especially when your fingers are a little larger, or it is hard to see the smaller keys.
Options After Sending a Text
Once the text has been sent, the window changes to a
threaded discussion window between you and the dcontact. The text that you sent displays with a white
background. When your contact replies, his message
will appear in a blue background. If you have a contact
picture for the recipient, that will show up in the
display, as well.
To leave the SMS screen, touch the Back key a
couple of times; or, you can just touch the Home key
to go back to your Home screen.
NOTE: If the message fails to send, it is usually because of a low wireless signal. When you get to a
stronger signal area, the message should send.
Messaging on DROID
DROID 2/2 Global/X
At this point, you can send another text message
following the steps just outlined. You can also call the
contact or view his contact info.
To initiate a call to the contact you are texting with,
touch the image of the contact in the threaded
message to bring up a pop-up window. In the
example on the right, you could call Martin by
touching the Call button. To look at his contact info,
you can touch the Contact Info button.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 226
Composing an SMS Message from ContactsYou also have the ability to send a text message right from your Contacts list on your
DROID. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Tap your Contacts icon.
2. Find the contact you wish to send a text to by
searching or scrolling through Contacts.
3. At the right-hand side of the phone numbers in
the contact info, there will be a Messaging icon
(see Figure 10–2). Touch that icon and you will
be taken to the messaging screen (as shown
previously).
4. Type in your message and follow the steps
listed previously.
NOTE: Remember that you can only send SMS messages to a mobile number.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 227
Figure 10–2. Sending an SMS message from your Contacts app.s
Replying to a Text Message
When a text message is received, your DROID will play
an indicator tone or vibrate – or both – depending on
your settings. A notification will appear on the screen in
the notification bar at the top.
Responding to a text is easy. Simply pull down the
indicator bar, touch the message response, and then
touch Type to compose to enter a response.
NOTE: If your screen is locked, you will not see the
message. Just slide the Lock tab and you will be able
to pull down the indicator bar to see the message.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 228
Viewing Stored Messages
Once you begin a few threaded messages, they will be
stored in the Messaging (DROID) or Text Messaging
(DROID 2/X) app. Touch the Messaging icon to scroll
through your message threads.
Sometimes you will want to continue an earlier
conversation with someone. Follow these steps to do
so:
1. Touch the thread you want to continue. The
conversation will open up, showing you a
threaded view of the previous messages.
2. Touch the text box and type your message.
3. Touch the Send button to continue the
conversation.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 229
Messaging Notification Options There are a couple of options available to you with respect to how your DROID reacts
when an SMS message arrives. Follow these steps to customize those options:
1. Start your Text Messaging app and press the
Menu button.
2. Touch Settings (DROID) or Messaging Settings(DROID 2/X).
3. Scroll down a bit further and you will see a drop
down that says Select Ring Tone. Touch this
and you can choose the tone for the SMS
message. You are limited to the choices offered
(usually 12 or more); you can also choose None.
4. Choose your preferred sound for incoming SMS
message notifications and then touch the OKbutton in the lower-left corner to finalize your
selection.
5. You can also set your DROID to vibrate for every
text message received by checking the box next
to Vibrate.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 230
Multimedia MessagingThe Messaging app provides the necessary tools to send and receive multimedia
messages in MMS format, including picture and video messages. MMS messages
appear right in the messaging window, just like your SMS text messages.
NOTE: You can send multimedia messages from your DROID that includeimages, videos, locations (from maps), audio (from Voice Memo), and vCard files (from Contacts) in MMS
format.
The Messaging App
Follow these steps to send a picture to
someone else in MMS format:
1. Touch the Messaging icon to start
messaging, just as you did to initiate an
SMS message.
2. Press the Menu button
and then select Attach(DROID) or Insert (DROID
2/X) or Add Subject. This
will put you into MMSmode; a notification on the
screen will let you know
you’ve entered this mode.
NOTE: The screen shown to theright is from a DROID. On yourDROID 2/X you will see aslightly different screen that is
titled with the word Insert but it
has almost all the same options.
DROID DROID 2/2 Global/X
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 231
3. To take a photo, follow the instructions in Chapter 18: “Take Photos and Videos.”
If you touch Pictures or Videos, just navigate through your pictures/videos and
find the item you would like to add to your message (see Figure 10–3).
Figure 10–3. Choosing an existing photo to send in MMS format.
4. Touch the picture you wish to send as an MMS
message and you will see the picture load into
the small window. You may see a warning that
the picture is too large to send, tap Resize to
shrink the image so it can be sent.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 232
5. Select a recipient and type in a short note if you
like.
6. Touch the Send button.
If you already have a threaded discussion with that
particular contact, then the picture will show up in that
threaded discussion.
NOTE: You can continue to exchange images and text
in the middle of a threaded discussion. You can always scroll through to see the entire discussion – pictures
and all!
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 233
Choosing a Picture from Your Gallery to Send via MMSA second way to send an MMS message is to go straight to your Gallery app and
choose a picture. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Start your Gallery app and
navigate through your
pictures (see Chapter 18:
“Take Photos and Videos”
for more information on how
to do this).
2. To send only one picture,
touch the picture you wish
to send.
3. Press the Menu button and
tap Share.You will now see
Messaging or Text
Messaging in the list of
options and other services
that are installed on your
DROID.
DROID DROID 2/2 Global/X
4. Choose Messaging and the photo will load into the message, just as it did
previously.
Sending Multiple PicturesYou can also send multiple pictures in an MMS message. Start your Gallery app as you
did in the previous section. On the DROID, touch and hold one picture until you see a
check mark. On the DROID 2/X, press the Menu button and choose Select items. Now
tap as many pictures as you want to add. This will highlight your pictures and display
them with a green check mark in the corner of the picture’s box (see Figure 10–4).
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 234
Figure 10–4. Selecting multiple photos to send in an MMS message.
Once you have chosen all the pictures you want to send, on the DROID, touch the Sharebutton and choose Messaging. On the DROID 2/X, press the Menu button and select
Share then tap Text Messaging and the pictures will appear in the message, along with
an arrow that allows the recipient to play a slideshow of the images.
Instant Messaging on Your DROID So far we have covered SMS and MMS messaging in this chapter. However, there are
many other ways to stay in touch with your friends and use your DROID as a messaging
device. One option for staying in touch with friends and family members is to use one of
the many instant messaging apps available.
The advantages of instant messaging, as opposed to SMS or MMS messaging, are as
follows:
� Instant messaging is usually free from additonal charges (assuming
you have a data plan).
� Instant messages reach your intended audience immediately.
� Instant messages let you have quick, ongoing chats in real time.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 235
Google Talk
Your DROID is made to operate in the
Google world, so it makes sense to start
with the instant messaging app designed
by Google: Google Talk.
Google Talk is an instant messaging client available to anyone with a Gmail or Google
account. You can also invite contacts to become Google Talk “chat buddies” by
sending them a Google Talk invite.
Follow these steps to invite someone to be part of your Google Talk contacts:
1. Start Talk from the Home screen.
2. Press the Menu button and select Add friend.
3. Type in the Send chat invitation window until you see a match with one of your
contacts (see Figure 10–5).
4. Tap Send Invitation to send the invitation.
Figure 10–5. Sending a Googe Chat invitation to a contact. t
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 236
Using Google Talk
Using Google Talk is just like using your
Messaging app. Start the Google Talkapp and choose the contact you wish to
chat with. Type your message in the Type to compose box and then touch Send.
You can keep your chat window open to
have a running chat; alternatively, you can
rely on the Notification icon to tell you
when you have a new chat message.
NOTE: Even if your contact is not online, you can still post your chat message. In this case, your
contact will see it as soon as he or she logs on.
AIM and Other Instant Messaging AppsThe Andoid Market is filled with instant messaging apps. AIM is particularly popular chat
program, and it can also be tied to your Facebook app for chat.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 237
Follow these steps to download AIM from
the Android Market.
1. Start up the Android Market (see
Chapter 17: “Exploring the Android
Market” for more information on
how to do this).
2. Search for AIM and download the
app.
Using AIMYou start the AIM app by touching the icon on your Home screen. Choose whether to
log in using you standard AIM account or by using your Facebook account, as shown in
Figure 10–6. Input your login information and then chat as you would using the Google Talk app or your Messaging app.
CHAPTER 10: SMS, MMS, and Instant Messaging 238
Figure 10–6. Logging in to your AIM account using AIM or Facebook.
239
239
Chapter
Surfing the WebNow, we’ll take you through one of the most fun things to do on your DROID: surfing the
Web. You may have heard web surfing on the DROID is a better experience than ever
before—we agree! We’ll show you how to touch, zoom around, and interact with the
Web like never before with the web browser on your DROID. You’ll learn how to set and
use bookmarks, quickly find things with the search engine, open and switch between
multiple browser windows, and even easily copy text and graphics from web pages.
Web Browsing on the DROID You can browse the web to your heart’s content via your
DROID’s Wi-Fi or 3G connection. Like other smartphones
using a Webkit browser, your DROID has one of the most
capable mobile browsing experiences available today. Web
pages look very much like web pages on your computer. With
the DROID’s ability to zoom in, you don’t have to worry about
the smaller screen size inhibiting your web browsing
experience. In short, web browsing is a much more satisfying
experience on the DROID.
Choose to browse in portrait or landscape mode, whichever you prefer. Quickly zoom
into a video by double-tapping it or pinching open on it, which is natural to you because
those are the motions you use to zoom in text and graphics.
11
CHAPTER 11: Surfing the Web 240
Why Do Some Videos and Sites Not Appear? (Flash Player Required)
Some web sites are designed with Adobe Flash Player. At the time of this writing, the DROID fullysupport Adobe Flash through the Flash “lite” app that is making its way onto select Androidphones.
Go to the Android Market, look for Flash Player, and install in. Learn how to download apps from the Android Market in Chapter 17: “Exploring the Android Market.”
If you tap a video and the video does not play, or you see something like “Flash Plugin Required,”“Download the Latest Flash Plugin to view this video,” or “Adobe Flash Required to view thissite,” you will need to update your operating system to view the video or web page.
An Internet Connection Is RequiredYou do need an Internet connection on your DROID via Wi-Fi or 3G to browse the web.
Check out the Chapter 5: “Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity” to learn more.
Launching the Web Browser
You should find the web browser icon on your initial Home screen.
Usually the Browser icon is in the bottom row of icons on your Home
screen.
Touch the Browser icon,
and you will be taken to
the browser’s home page.
Most likely, this will be the
Google start page.
Just turn your DROID on
its side to see the same
page in wider landscape
mode. As you find web
sites you like, you can set
bookmarks to easily jump
to these sites. We will
show you how to do that
later in this chapter.
CHAPTER 11: Surfing the Web 241
Layout of Web Browser ScreenFigure 11–1 shows how a web page looks in the browser and the different actions you
can take in the browser.
Figure 11–1. Web browser page layout.
NOTE: On your DROID 2/X the icons shown on the menu items may appear slightly different than
shown in figure 11-1, but the names and functions they perform will be the same.
As you look at your screen, notice the Address Bar in the upper left side of the screen.
This displays the current web address. You can also type search words right in the
address bar. If you type words and click Go or the Enter key, then the DROID assumes
you want to do a web search. By default, this is set to Google search, but you can
change that if you want.
At the bottom of the screen are five icons: Back, Forward, Add Bookmark,Bookmarks, and Pages View.
CHAPTER 11: Surfing the Web 242
Typing a Web Address The first thing you’ll want to learn is how to get to your favorite web pages. Just like on
your computer, you type in the web address (URL) into the browser.
1. To start, tap the Address Bar at the top of the browser as shown in
Figure 11–2. You’ll then see the keyboard appear and the window for
the address bar expand.
2. If there is already an address in the window and you want to erase it,
just touch and hold the address and it will become highlighted and the
keyboard will pop up.
3. Start typing your web address (you don’t need the www.).
4. When you start typing, you may see suggestions appear. Just tap any of
them to go to that page. The suggestions are very complete because
they are pulled from your browsing history, bookmarks, the web address
(URL), and web page titles.
5. When you are finished typing, tap the Go key to go to that page.
TIP: Don’t type the www. because it’s not necessary. Remember to use the colon, forward slash, underscore, dot, and .com keys at the bottom to save time.
CHAPTER 11: Surfing the Web 243
Figure 11–2. Typing a web address.
TIP: If you turn the DROID sideways, you get a landscape keyboard which might be easier for
those with “big thumbs” to use.
Moving Backward or Forward Through Open Web PagesNow that you know how to enter web addresses, you’ll probably be jumping to various
web sites. The Forward and Back buttons make it very easy to go to recently visited
pages in either direction, as Figure 11–3 shows. Touch the Back button (the soft key at
the bottom of the DROID) to go backwards to the last page visited.
To move forwards, touch the Menu button, then select the Forward soft key.
Let’s say you were looking at the news on The New York Times web site, and you
jumped to ESPN to check sports scores. To go back to The New York Times page, just
touch the Back button. To return to the ESPN site again, touch the Menu key and then
the Forward arrow.
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Figure 11–3. Returning to a previously viewed web page.
Using the Windows Menu Command When you press the Menu button and then select the New window button, the DROID
keeps track of all the open windows in the browser. Just press the Menu button again
and choose the Windows button to see all the open Browser windows.
The URL for each window is now listed. Just touch the desired URL to jump right to that
open browser window.
In the example shown in Figure 11–4, we touched a link that opened a new browser
window. The only way to get back to the old one was to press the Menu button and tap
the Windows button and select the desired page.
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Figure 11–4. Jumping between open web pages on the DROID.
Zooming In and Out in Web PagesZooming in and out of web pages is very easy on the DROID. There are two primary
ways of zooming—double tapping, and pinching.
Double-tapping If you tap twice on a web page, the page will zoom in on that particular column. This lets
you hone in on exactly the right place on the web page, which is very helpful for pages
that aren’t formatted for a mobile screen.
To zoom out, just double-tap once more. See how this looks graphically in the “Quick
Start Guide” earlier in this book.
PinchingThis technique lets you zoom in on a particular section of a page. It takes a little bit of
practice but will soon become second nature. Take a look in the “Quick Start Guide” to
see graphically how it looks.
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Place your thumb and forefinger close together at the section of the web page you wish
to zoom into. Slowly pinch out, separating your fingers. You will see the web page zoom
in. It takes a couple of seconds for the web page to focus, but it will zoom in and be very
clear in a short while.
To zoom out to where you were before, just start with your fingers apart and move them
slowly together; the page will zoom out to its original size.
Activating Links from Web Pages When you’re surfing the Web, often you’ll come across a link that will take you to
another web site. Simply touch the link and you will jump to a new page.
NOTE: Once you jump to a new page from a link, the old page can still be found using the
technique shown in Figure 11–4 above.
Working with Browser BookmarksAs soon as you start browsing a bit on your DROID, you will want to quickly access your
favorite web sites. One good way to do this is to add bookmarks for one-tap access to
web sites.
TIP: You can sync your Bookmarks from your computer’s web browser. Check out Chapter 3:
“Sync to your Google account” for more details.
Adding a New Bookmark Adding new bookmarks on your DROID is just a few taps away.
1. To add a new bookmark for the web page you are currently viewing, tap
the Bookmark icon to the right of the web address window.
2. The first box says Add, tap
that box.
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3. We recommend that you edit the
bookmark name to something
short and recognizable.
4. Make sure the location is correct.
5. When you’re finished, tap the OKbutton.
Using Bookmarks and HistoryOnce you have set a few bookmarks, it is easy to view and work with them. In the same
area, you can also see and use your web browsing history. A very useful tool on your
DROID is the ability to browse the web from your History, just as you would on a
computer.
1. Tap the Bookmarks icon at the
top of the page.
2. Swipe up or down to view all your
bookmarks.
3. Tap any bookmark to jump to that
web page.
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4. Tap the History button to
view your recent history of
visited web pages.
5. At the top of the list, you see Today,
which shows the sites you visited
today; at the bottom of the list, you
see Older, which shows you previous
days.
6. Tap any history item to go to that web
page.
TIP: To clear your history, tap the Menubutton and then select Clear history. You can also clear your history, cookies, and cache in the Settings app. Tap Menu from
an open Browser page and tap More then scroll down to Settings, scroll to the bottomand tap Clear Cache, Clear History, Clear all cookie data, Clear form data, Clear location access or Clear passwords.
Managing Your BookmarksIt is very easy to accumulate quite a collection of bookmarks, since setting them up is so
easy. You may find you no longer need a particular bookmark, or you may want to
organize them by adding new folders.
Like other lists on your DROID, you can reorder your bookmarks’ list and remove entries.
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1. View your Bookmarks list as you did
previously.
2. Touch and hold, then choose the Editbookmark button to edit the name or
location.
3. To delete a bookmark, follow the same
procedure as above and simply scroll to
Delete bookmark.
4. To copy the link URL, touch and hold the
bookmark and scroll to Copy link URL.
5. To set the bookmark as your Home Page,
follow the same procedure and scroll down
to Set as homepage.
6. To toggle between thumbnail and list view,
press the Menu button and choose the
appropriate view.
7. When you are finished, tap the Back button
and you will return to the previous web page.
Browser Tips and Tricks Now that you know the basics of how to get around, we will cover a few useful tips and
tricks to make web browsing more enjoyable and quicker on your DROID.
Finding Something on a Web PageSometimes, you need to find something specific on a particular web page. Fortunately, it
is easy to get a Find on page search box. Just touch the Menu button and then touch
More or touch and hold Menu + f, as shown in Figure 11–5. Then just type in the word
or phrase you are searching for. This only works on DROIDs with physical keyboards.
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Figure 11–5. Use the Find command on a page the browser.
Emailing a Web Page Sometimes while browsing, you find a page so compelling you just have to send it to a
friend or colleague. Touch the Menu key and then touch More select Share Page (see
Figure 11–6). You have the option to share the page via Bluetooth, Facebook, Gmail,
Messaging, SiteShot or Twitter.
NOTE: You can also hold the Menu button and the S key to bring up the share menu.
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Figure 11–6. Share a link to a web page.
Printing a Web Page The DROID (at the time of this writing) does not have a built-in Print command. You
have a couple of options, but neither is very simple.
� Option 1: Email yourself or a colleague the web page link and print it
from a computer. If you are traveling and staying at a hotel with a
business center, you may be able to send it to someone at the
business center or front desk to print the page.
� Option 2: Buy a network printing app from the Android Market that
allows you to print to a networked printer. Of course, this only works if
you have access to a networked printer. It’s usually best if you do this
from your home or office network and can get help setting up, as
doing so can be challenging.
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Watching Videos in Browser You will find videos in many web sites. You will be able to play most but not all videos.
If the Flash Player installs properly on your
DROID, you can play Flash videos right
inside the web browser window.
YouTube videos should also play right
inside your browser window.
Tap the screen to bring up the player
controls if they have disappeared.
Some videos you click on may actually
need to download onto the device. For
these videos, pull down the notification
window to monitor the download and
touch on the file once it is downloaded.
Your video player should launch and play
the clip.
TIP: Check out all the video player tipsand tricks in Chapter 15: “Viewing Videos,
TV Shows, and More.”
Saving or Copying Text and Graphics From time to time, you may see text or a graphic you want to copy from a web site. We
tell you briefly how to do this in this section, but to see how to get it done graphically,
including using the Cut and Paste functions, please see the “Copy and Paste” section
in Chapter 2: "Typing, Voice, Copy and Search." Here’s a quick look:
To copy text, touch the Menu button and then tap More. Choose Select text. Now,
drag your finger across the screen to highlight text to copy. As soon as you let go, you
will see the words Text copied to clipboard appear on the screen (see Figure 11-7).
CAUTION: As soon as you release your finger from the screen, you will see the Copy toclipboard icon. Make sure you have all the text you want highlighted before you release your
finger!
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Figure 11–7. Select and copy text from a web page to the clipboard.
To Save or Copy a graphic, touch and hold the picture or image until you see the pop-
up asking if you would like to Save or View the image or Set as wallpaper.
Remember Form Data and PasswordsRemembering form data and passwords is a great way to save time typing your personal
information including usernames and passwords on web sites. The Remember FormData tool can remember and fill in information required in web forms.
Once this is enabled, just go to any web page that has a field to fill out. if you have your
DROID set to remember your login information, you should see it displayed already in
the proper fields. Just touch the Login button to enter the site.
CAUTION: Having your name and password entered automatically means that anyone who picks
up your DROID will be able to access your personal sites and information.
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For Usernames and Passwords
The first time you go to a web site where
you have to enter a username and
password, you type them and press
Submit or Enter. At that time, AutoFill will
ask if you want to remember them.
Your options are Not now, Remember or
Never.
Tap Remember if you want them to be
remembered and next time automatically
entered.
The next time you visit this login page,
your username and password will be
automatically filled in.
Adding a Web Page Icon to Your Home Screen If you love a web site or page, it’s very easy to add it as an icon to your Home Screen.
That way, you can instantly access the web page without going through the Browser ➤
Bookmarks bookmark selection process. You’ll save lots of steps by putting the icon on
your Home Screen. This is especially good for quickly launching web apps, like Gmail
or Buzz from Google, or web app games.
Here’s how to add the icon:
1. Touch the Bookmark icon next to the web address.
2. Touch and hold any bookmark to see the menu list of options.
3. Choose Add shortcut to home.
4. Touch the Home button and the icon will be on the home screen.
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Adjusting the Browser SettingsThere are settings you can adjust in your
Browser app.
1. Press the Menu button from any
browser page and select More.
2. Select Settings at the bottom.
3. Choose to adjust Text size, Defaultzoom, Text encoding, Enableplugins, Set home page, and more
from choosing the Drop down arrow
button.
4. Choose to Open pages in overview,
Block pop-up windows, Loadimages, Auto-fit pages, Enablejava script, Open in backgroundand more by placing a green “check”
in the radio boxes
Adjusting Security Settings
Under the Security settings heading,
Remember passwords, Clear passwordsand Show security warnings can all be
adjusted. You can modify any of these by
either opening the drop down menu or
putting a check in the appropriate radio
box.
NOTE: Many popular sites like Facebook require JavaScript to be ON. Turn it on in
the Page content settings.
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Speeding Up Your Browser by Clearing History and Cookies
In the middle of the Browser settings
screen, you can see a heading marked
Privacy settings. The Clear History, Clear all Cookie data, and Clear Cache drop
down arrows are all next to the appropriate
item.
If you notice your web browsing getting
sluggish, it’s probably a good time to clear
out all three of these by tapping them and
confirming your choices.
TIP: Clearing the history, cookies, and cache is also a good privacy measure, as it prevents
others from seeing where you’ve been browsing.
Remembering Form DataAs we showed you earlier in this chapter, remembering form data is a convenient way to
have your browser automatically fill out web page forms that ask for your name,
address, phone number, and even username and password. It can save you a
tremendous amount of time typing and retyping your name and other information.
To enable Remember form data, follow these steps:
1. Go to the Browser settings as
shown previously.
2. Scroll down to Privacysettings.
3. Put a check mark in the
Remember form data box.
4. To remember all usernames
and passwords, scroll down to
Security settings.
5. Put a check mark in the
Remember passwords box.
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Chapter
Working with Contacts Your DROID gives you immediate access to all your important information. Just like your
computer, your DROID can store thousands of contacts for easy retrieval. In this chapter
we’ll show you how to add new contacts (including from an email message), customize
your contacts by adding notes and nicknames, organize your contacts with groups,
quickly search or scroll through contacts, and even show a contact’s location with the
DROID Maps app. We will also show you how to customize the Contacts view so it is
sorted and displayed just the way you like it. Finally, you will learn a few troubleshooting
tips that will save you some time when you run into difficulties.
The beauty of the DROID is how it integrates all of the apps so you can email and map
your contacts right from the contact entry.
Loading Your Contacts onto the DROID In Chapter 3: “Sync Your DROID to Your Google Account,” we show you how to load
your contacts onto the DROID using your Mac or Windows computer. You can also use
your Google account information to seamlessly and wirelessly sync at all times. Various
snyc methods are described in the Chapter 3: “Sync Your DRIOD to your Google
Account” and in Chapter 4: “Other Sync Methods.”
TIP: You can add new contact entries from email messages you receive. Learn how in the "Adding
Contacts from Email Messages" section later in this chapter.
When Is Your Contact List Most Useful? The Contacts app is most useful when three things are true:
1. You have many names and addresses in it.
2. You continually add new information as it becomes available.
3. You can easily find contacts.
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Two Simple Rules to Improve Your Contact List Here are a couple of basic rules to help make your contact list on your DROID more useful.
Rule 1: Add anything and everything to your contacts.
You never know when you might need that obscure restaurant name, or that
plumber’s number, etc.
Rule 2: As you add entries, make sure you think about how to find them in the future (First name, Last name, Company).
We have many tips and tricks in this chapter to help you enter names so that
they can be instantly located when you need them.
TIP: Here’s a good way to find restaurants. Whenever you enter a restaurant into your contactslist, put the entire restaurant name in the First name field and type the word “restaurant” into the
Last name field. Then when you type the letters “rest,” you should instantly find all your
restaurants!
Adding a New Contact Right on Your DROID You can always add your contacts right on your DROID. This is handy
when you’re away from your computer—but have your DROID—and
need to add someone to your contacts. It’s very easy to do. Here’s
how.
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Start the Contacts App
1. From your Home screen, touch the Contactsicon and then the Menu button. Tap the Newcontact button to add a new contact, as
shown in the figure to the right.
Figure 12–1. Entering a new contact name.
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2. Touch the First name and Last name buttons to enter the new contact’s first and
last names. You can also add a company name by touching the green + sign next
to Organization.
TIP: Keep in mind that the contacts search feature uses first, last, and company names. When you add or edit contacts, adding a special word to the company name can help you find a particular contact later. For example, adding the words “Cece friend” to the Company field can
help you find all of Cece’s friends quickly using the search feature.
3. Under the First Last button are more buttons, as shown in Figure 12–2. Each is
activated by touching either the drop-down arrow or green + to the right of the
category name. Touch the green + again to add another line—for example, a
second phone number or email.
Figure 12–2. Available contact fields.
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Adding a New Phone Number
Touch the Phone field and use the number
keyboard to input the phone number.
TIP: Don’t worry about parentheses, dashes, ordots—the DROID will put the number into thecorrect format. Just type the digits of the area code and number. If you know the country code, it’s a
good idea to put that in as well.
Next, choose which type of phone number it is.
There are nine fields you can choose from, including
an Other field if you find that none of the built-in
fields apply.
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TIP: Sometimes you need to add a pause to a phone number—for example, when the phonenumber is for someone at an organization that requires you to dial the main number and then anextension. This is easy to do on the DROID. You just add a Pause which shows up as a comma
between the main number and the extension like this: 386-555-7687, 19323. To add a pause, tap the * # ( key in the lower left corner of the keypad and tap Pause. When you dial this numberfrom your DROID, the phone would dial the main number, pause for two seconds, and then dial
the extension. If you need a longer pause, simply add more commas.
Adding an Email Address and Web Site
Touch the Email field and enter the email address
for your contact. You can also touch the tab to
the left of the email address and select whether
this is a home, work, or other email address.
Under the Organization field you’ll also find a
More button. Touch the More button and scroll
to the bottom. Touch the green + sign and a new
field will pop up for the address of your
contact’s web site.
NOTE: If you use Facebook on the DROID, it will automatically look for a Facebook homepage to
integrate into the contact info.
TIP: Suppose you met someone at the bus stop—someone you wanted to remember. Of course,you should enter your new friend’s first and last names (if you know it), but also enter the words“bus stop” in the Company name field. Then when you type the words “bus” or “stop,” you
should instantly find everyone you met at the bus stop, even if you can’t remember their names!
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Adding the Address
Below the Email field are the fields for adding the
Postal address. Input the Street, City, State and ZipCode. You can also specify the Country and whether
this is a home or work address.
When you are done, just touch the Done button right
below the Address field.
Adding a Photo to Contacts From the New Contact screen we’ve been working in,
just touch the Add Photo icon at the top of the
Contact editing window.
After you touch the Add Photo icon, you’ll see that you
can
� Take a Photo
� Select a Photo from Gallery
If there’s a photo already in place, you can
� Remove a Photo icon
� Change a Photo icon
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To choose an existing photo, select the photo album
where the picture is located and touch the
corresponding tab. When you see the picture you want
to use, just touch it.
You’ll notice that the top and bottom of the photo are now grayed out and that you can
manipulate the picture by moving it and then arranging it in the picture window.
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Once the picture is sitting where you want it, touch
the Save button in the lower left corner and that
picture will be set for the contact.
TIP: If you just moved into a new neighborhood, it can be quite daunting to remember everyone’s name. A good practice to follow is to add the word “neighbor” into the Company Name field for
every neighbor you meet. Then, to instantly call up all your neighbors, simply type the letters
“neigh” to find everyone you’ve met!
Searching Your Contacts Let’s say you need to find a specific phone number or email address. Just touch your
Contacts icon as you did previously and then touch the Search button on the DROID
and you’ll see a search box at the top of your Contacts list, as in Figure 12–3.
Figure 12–3. The contacts search box.
NOTE: On your DROID you may not see the Android contact icon to the left of your search
window, but it still works the same way!
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Enter the first few letters of any of these three
searchable fields:
� First Name
� Last Name
� Company Name
The DROID begins to filter immediately and
displays only those contacts that match the
letters typed.
TIP: To further narrow the search, hit the space
key and type a few more letters.
When you see the correct name, just touch it and that individual’s contact information
will appear.
Quickly Jump to a Letter by Scrolling and Sliding on the Contact Card
If you start scrolling through your contacts,
you will see a small Contact Card icon on
the right edge of the screen. Drag it up or
down, and you can quickly advance by
letter through the alphabet.
Search by Flicking If you don’t want to manually input letters, you can just move your finger and flick from
the bottom up, and you’ll see your contacts move quickly on the screen. Just continue
to flick or scroll until you see the name you want. Tap the name and the contact
information will appear.
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Adding Contacts from Email Messages Often you’ll receive an email message and realize that the contact is not in your address
book. Adding a new contact from an email message is easy.
Open the email message from the contact you’d like
to add to your contacts list. Then, in the email
message’s From field, just touch the Android icon
next to the name of the sender next to the From:tag.
If the sender is not in your address book, you’ll be
taken to a screen that lets you choose whether to
add that email address to an existing contact or to
create a new one.
If you select Add contact, you’ll be taken to the
same New Contact screen you saw earlier (Figure
12–1). Just make sure you select Create newcontact at the top.
Once you select Create new contact, you will see
the contact editing screen. Add any other pertinent
information for this contact (the email and name will
automatically be put in) and then select Done.
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Linking Contacts to Another App You might have contact information for the sender of the email message in another app
on the phone. With the DROID it is easy to link these contacts together.
In this example, Martin, the sender of the email message, is one of my Facebook
contacts, and I want to link his picture and birthday to my DROID contact information.
Here is how I can link his contact information in my DROID to the information I have in
Facebook.
1. I add him to my contacts, as shown previously.
2. I start up my Facebook app. See Chapter 20: "Social Networking and Skype" for
more information on the topic.
3. I find my contact information for Martin to verify that he is in my Facebook app.
4. I touch the Menu button.
5. I choose Settings in the lower left-hand corner.
6. I then scroll down to Sync Contacts (see Figure 12–4).
7. I choose one of the following options: Sync all, Sync with existing contacts. or
Remove Facebook data. In this case, I will choose Sync with existing contacts.
8. Martin’s picture and updated information are then brought into his contact
information on my DROID.
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Figure 12–4. Linking social networking contact to an existing contact profile.
TIP: Learning the names of parents of your school-age children’s friends can be fairlychallenging. In the First field, however, you can add not just your child’s friend’s name but theparents’ names as well (e.g., First: Samantha (Mom: Susan, Dad: Ron)). Then in the Companyfield, add in the name of your child and “school friend” (e.g., Cece school friend). Just typing your child’s name in your All Contacts list’s search box brings up every person you ever met at your child’s school. Now you can say, “Hello, Susan, great to see you again!” without missing a
beat. Try your best to covertly look up the name.
Sending a Picture to a Contact If you want to send a picture to a contact, you can do that from the Photos app. (See
Chapter 18: “Taking Photos and Videos.”)
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Sending an Email Message from ContactsSince many of the core apps (Contacts, EMail, Gmail and Messages) are fully
integrated, one app can easily trigger another. So, if you want to send an email message
to one of your contacts, open the contact and tap the email address. The Mail app will
launch, and you can compose and send an email message to this person.
Start your contacts by touching the Contacts icon. Either search or flick through your
contacts until you find the contact you need.
In the contact information, touch the email address of the contact you’d like to use.
You’ll see that the Email program launches
automatically with the contact’s name in the To: field of
the email message. Type and send the message.
Showing Your Contacts Addresses on the Map One of the great things about the DROID is its integration with Google Maps. This is very
evident in the Contacts app. Let’s say you want to map the home or work address of
any contact in your address book. In the old days (pre-DROID), you’d have to use
Google, MapQuest, or some other program and laboriously retype or copy and paste the
address information. This is very time-consuming—but you don’t have to do this on the
DROID.
Simply open the contact as you did earlier.
This time, touch the address at the bottom
of the contact information.
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Your Maps app (which is powered by Google
Maps) immediately loads and drops a marker at
the exact location of the contact. The contact
name will appear above the marker. (The satellite
imagery is ©2010 Google.)
NOTE: The old company name of Made SimpleLearning was BlackBerry Made Simple, that's
why it is showing up on Google Maps.
Touch the tab on the top of the marker to get to the
info screen.
Now you can select Share this place or Search nearby.
Touch the Directions icon and then touch the
Driving Navigation, Walking Navigation, or Getdirections.
What if you had just typed the address into your
Maps app instead of clicking from your contact
list? In that case, you might want to touch Add as aContact to add this address.
TIP: To return to your contact information, tap the Map button and then touch the Back button.
Contact History and Social Networking Screens On your DROID 2 and DROID X, you can see Contact History and Social Networking
feeds for your contacts by swiping left and right from the contact detail screen. (See
Figure 12-5.) You can also see history and social networking information for all your
contacts together if you swipe left or right from the Contact List view.
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Figure 12–5. Swipe left or right to see Contact History and Social Networking screens.
Contacts Troubleshooting Sometimes, your Contacts app might not work the way you expect. If you don’t see all
your contacts, review the steps in the Chapter 3: “Sync Your DRIOD to your Google
Account” or Chapter 4: “Other Sync Methods” on how to sync with your address book
application. Make sure you have selected All Groups in the settings in your contact
management app.
TIP: If you are syncing with another contact application, such as Contacts in Gmail, make sure
you select the option closest to All Contacts rather than a subset like a particular group.
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Chapter
Managing Your Calendar The DROID makes the old calendar that used to hang on the fridge obsolete. In this
chapter, we will show you how to utilize the Calendar app of the DROID to its full
potential. We will show you how to schedule appointments, how to manage multiple
calendars, how to change views on your calendar, and even how to deal with meeting
invitations.
NOTE: For most of this chapter, we will talk about syncing your DROID calendar with anothercalendar because it is nice to have your calendar accessible on your DROID and other places. If you choose, you can also use your DROID in a standalone mode, where you do not sync to any e
other calendar. In the latter case, all the steps we describe for events, viewing, and managing
events still apply equally to you.
Managing Your Busy Life on Your DROID The Calendar app is a powerful and easy-to-use application that helps you manage
your appointments, keep track of what you have to do, set reminder alarms, and even
create and respond to meeting invitations for Microsoft Exchange users.
Accessing Your Calendar
The Calendar icon is usually visible once you touch your Launcher icon.
Once all applications are visible on the Home screen, scroll to the
Calendar icon.
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CHAPTER 13: Managing Your Calendar 274
TIP: If you use your DROID’s Calendar app often, you can also create a Calendar widget (see Chapter 6: “Organize your Home Screens: Icons and Widgets”); this Calendar widget will show
today’s date and any upcoming appointments for the day.
If you maintain a calendar on your computer or on a website such as Google Calendar,you can synchronize or share that calendar with your DROID (see Chapter 3: “Sync Your
DROID with Your Google Account” and Chapter 4: “Other Sync Methods” for more
information on syncing).
After you set up the calendar sync, all of your PC, Mac or online calendar appointments
will be synced with your DROID calendar automatically, based on your sync settings
(see Figure 13–1).
Figure 13–1. Syncing a PC, Mac, or online calendar to a DROID.
Viewing Your Schedule and Getting Around The default view for the Calendar app shows your Day view. This view shows you at a
glance any upcoming appointments for your day. Appointments are shown in your
calendar (see Figure 13–2). If you happen to have multiple calendars set up on your
computer, such as Work and Home, then appointments from the different calendars will
display as different colors on your DROID calendar.
CHAPTER 13: Managing Your Calendar 275
Figure 13–2. The Calendar app’s r Day view layout. y
You can manipulate the calendar in various ways:
� Move a day at a time: If you swipe left or right, you move forward or
backward a day.
� Change views: Press the Menu key and then use the Agenda, Day,
Week, and Month buttons at the bottom to change the view.
� Jump to today: Press the Menu key and then touch the Todaybutton located in the bottom-center of the screen.
Switching Between the Four Calendar Views Your Calendar app comes with four views: Day, Week, List (Agenda(( ), and Month. You
can switch views by pressing the Menu button and selecting the view.
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� Day view: When you start the
DROID’s Calendar app, the
default view is usually the Dayview. This allows you to quickly
see everything you have
scheduled for the day. You can
bring up buttons to change the
view by pressing the Menubutton; your view options will
appear at the bottom of the
Calendar app.
� Week View: Touch the Weekbutton to see an overview of the
current week. Different colored
boxes denote appointments.
� Agenda view: Touch the
Agenda button at the bottom to
see a list of your appointments.
Depending on how much you
have scheduled, you could see
the next day’s or even the next
week’s worth of scheduled
events.
Swipe up or down to see more
events.
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� Month view: Touch the
Month button at the
bottom to see a layout of
the full month. Days with
appointments have a
small dot in them.
TIP: To return to the Today view, press the Menu button and touch the Today buttonat the bottom of the screen.
You can go to the next
month by swiping up; you
can go to the previous
month by swiping down to
return to the previous
month.
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Adding New Calendar Events You can easily add new events or appointments right on your DROID. These new events
and appointments will be synced (i.e., shared with) your computer the next time the sync
takes place.
Adding a New Appointment
As you might expect, you simply long-press or
double tap the screen at a particular time to set an
appointment.
To add a new calendar event from any Calendarview, follow these steps:
1. Touch the day or time block (while
in Day view) for which you want to
schedule an appointment and then
touch New event. The Eventdetails screen will be shown.
2. Next, touch the box marked What.
Type in a title for the event, then scroll down
to the Where box and type in a location. For
example, you might type “Meet with Martin”
as the title and input the location as “Office.”
Or, you might choose to type “Lunch with
Martin” and then choose a very expensive
restaurant in New York City.
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3. Touch the From or To tab to
adjust the timing of the event. To
change the date, touch the day
and date field to bring up the
month, date, and year
adjustments. Next, touch the + or -buttons above and below to adjust
the date and start time of the
appointment. Touch the Time field
and set the starting and ending
times. When done, touch the Setkey.
4. The Where box includes a Description box;
enter the event’s location in the latter box.
5. Alternatively, you can set an all-
day event by touching the box next
to All-day; this sets the switch to
ON.
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Setting Calendar Reminders
You can have your DROID give you an audible
reminder, or alert, about an upcoming
appointment. Alerts can help you keep from
forgetting an important event. Follow these
steps to create an alert:
1. Touch the Reminders tab and then
select the option for a reminder alarm.
You can have no alarm at all or set a
reminder anytime from one minute
before the event all the way to one
week before it, depending on what
works best for you.
2. Once you make your selection, you will
automatically return to the Event screen.
Creating Additional Alerts In most cases, you will see a tab that says Add reminder once you set your first reminder.
NOTE: You can set up to five reminders for any
appointment.
You can set an additional reminder to another time
before or after the first reminder. Some people find a
second alert very helpful for remembering critical
events or appointments.
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TIP: Here’s a practical example that illustrates when you might want to set up two calendar reminders.
If your child has a doctor or dentist appointment, then you might want to set the first reminder to
go off the night before. This will remind you to write a note to the school and give it to your child.
You can then set the second reminder for 45 minutes prior to the appointment time. This will
leave you enough time to pick up your child from school and get to the appointment.
Adding Recurring Events
Some of your appointments happen every
day, week, or month at the same time. Follow
these steps if you are scheduling a repeating
or recurring appointment:
1. Touch the Repetition tab and
then select the correct time
interval from the list.
2. Once you select the
repetition, you will return to
the main Event screen.
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Choosing Which Calendar to Sync
If you use more than one calendar in Outlook,
Google, iCal, or some other program, then you
will have various calendars available to you when
you sync your DROID with that program.
NOTE: If you create an event and choose anExchange or Google calendar, then you’ll see an
option to invite other users to the event.
To see all your calendars, touch the Menu button,
touch More, and then touch Calendars. Tap the
calendar you want to use to highlight the Syncand Visible icons; this ensures that events are
synced and visible in your DROID calendar.
NOTE: To schedule an appointment in a calendar other than the default, start a new event and touchthe Calendar dropdown. You should see your available calendars for scheduling the new
appointment.
Touch the specific calendar you want to place the
new appointment under.
Editing Appointments Sometimes, the details of an appointment may change and need to be adjusted (see
Figure 13–3). Fortunately, it’s easy to revise an appointment on your DROID:
1. Tap the appointment that you want to change.
2. Press the Menu key and then tap the Edit button to see the Edit screen
showing the appointment details.
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Figure 13–3. Editing an appointment.
3. Now just touch the tab in the field you need to adjust. For example, you can
change the time of this appointment by touching the From or To tab, and then
adjusting the time for the event’s starting or ending time. Any field can be
adjusted or changed.
4. When you are done, touch the Done button in the lower-left corner.
Editing a Repeating Event
You edit a recurring or repeating event in
exactly the same manner as any other
event. The only difference is that you will
be asked a question before you edit the
event.
Tap Change only this event if you want to
make changes to only this instance of the
repeating event.
Tap Change all events in the series if you
want to make changes to all instances of
this repeating event.
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Switching an Event to a Different CalendarIf you mistakenly set up an event on the wrong calendar, then tap the Calendar button
to change the calendar. Next, select one of the different calendars you have synced to
your DROID.
NOTE: Remember that only those calendars configured to sync with your computer will updatewhen selected. If you switch to a calendar that doesn’t sync with your computer, the change will
only be visible on the DROID, and the event will no longer display on your computer.
Deleting an Event
Notice that, at the bottom of the Editscreen, you also have the option to delete
this event. Simply touch the Delete button
at the bottom of the screen to do so.
You can also delete events from the Event
Details screen by pressing the Menu button and selecting Delete event.
Accepting Meeting Invitations For those who use Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Outlook, or Entourage regularly,
meeting invitations become a way of life. If you receive a meeting invitation in your email,
accepting the invitation automatically places the appointment in your calendar.
On your DROID, you will see the invitations you accept placed into your calendar
immediately.
NOTE: If you use an Exchange calendar or a Google calendar, you can invite people and reply to meeting invitations on your DROID (see Chapter 4: “Other Sync Methods” to learn more about
this subject).
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When a meeting invitation goes to your Gmail
or Exchange account, you will receive an email
with the invitation; however, the meeting will
automatically get placed into your calendar, as
shown to the right.
Just pull down the Attending drop-down
window and respond with either Yes, Maybe,
or No.
NOTE: Responding to a meeting invitation requires that you open your Calendar app, touch the
meeting invite, and then send your response from there.
Calendar Settings You are able to adjust a few settings in your Calendarapp; you can find these by touching the Menu key
from inside the Calendar app and then choosing More> Settings. Follow these steps to adjust these options:
1. Tap the Settings icon.
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2. To Hide declined events, just put a
check in the box.
3. Scroll down to Set alerts & notifications and touch the drop
down arrow to select either an Alertor a Status bar notification.
NOTE: On the DROID 2/X, you can customize Weekview to show either the Work week view (5 days) or
the Full week view (all 7 days).
4. Scroll down to Select ringtone and touch the drop-down arrow to
choose from one of the built-in ringtones for your alert.
5. Touch the drop-down box next to Vibrate and choose when you want
your DROID to vibrate for alerts: Always, Only when silent, or Never.
6. Touch the Default reminder tab and
select a default reminder time prior
to calendar events. You can choose
to have no reminder, or you can
select any time interval from one
minute to one week prior to the
appointment.
287
287
Chapter
Enjoying Your Music This chapter shows you how to turn your DROID into a terrific music player. We’ll show
you how to play and organize the music you buy from the Amazon MP3 store or sync
from your computer, how to view playlists in a variety of ways, and how to quickly find
songs.
TIP: Learn how to load your iTunes or Windows Media Player music and playlists intodoubleTwist in Chapter 25: “DROID Media Sync”; this will enable you to sync them with your
DROID.
And you’ll learn how to stream music using the Pandora applications. With these
applications, you can select from a number of Internet radio stations or create your own
station by typing in your favorite artist’s name – and it’s all free.
Your DROID as a Music PlayerYour DROID is probably one of the best music players on the market today. The touch
screen makes it easy to interact with and manage your music, playlists, cover art, and
the organization of your music library. You can even connect your DROID to your home
or car stereo via Bluetooth, so you can listen to beautiful stereo sound from your DROID!
TIP: Check out Chapter 8: “Bluetooth on your DROID” to learn how to hook up your DROID to
your Bluetooth stereo speakers or car stereo.
Whether you use the built-in DROID Music app or an Internet radio app like Pandora,
you’ll find you have unprecedented control over your music on the DROID.
14
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Buying Music from the Amazon MP3 App You can purchase music and ringtones right on your DROID from the Amazon MP3 app.
1. Tap the Amazon MP3 app to get
started.
2. Now you will see the main screen of
the app with the Search window at
the top, links for BestsellingAlbums, Bestselling Songs and
Browse by Genre as well as the
featured Free Song of the Day and
the Album Daily Deal.
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3. Tap Bestselling Albums to see a
list of albums for sale. You will see
similar screens when you tap
Bestselling Songs.
4. To purchase a song or album,
simply tap the price, enter your
amazon.com account information
and confirm your purchase.
5. If you prefer to browse for a song,
tap Browse by Genre and then
select any sub-genre until you get to
the list of songs or albums you
desire.
6. To view only songs, tap the Songstab at the top of the screen.
7. To view only full albums, tap the
Albums tab at the top.
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8. You can also search for a particular
song, album or artist by using the
search field in the first screen you
see when you enter the app.
Viewing and Playing Downloaded Songs and Albums
1. From the main screen in the
Amazon MP3 app, press the Menubutton and select Downloads to
see all content you have
downloaded.
2. Now you will see all the songs and
albums downloaded. You will know
the item has been successfully
downloaded when you see the
checkmark next to it and the word
Downloaded under it.
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3. Tap any item to start playing it in
your DROID Music player.
Enter an Amazon Gift Code, Log Out and Adjust Settings You can enter an Amazon Give Card code, log out or adjust settings from the Setting
screen.
1. From the main screen in the
Amazon MP3 app, press the Menubutton and select Settings.
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2. From the Settings screen you can:
� Tap Sign out to log out.
� Choose to turn on or off
the Auto-resume downloads setting.
� Clear cache — this can
sometimes speed up the
app as well as free up
memory on your DROID.
� Enter a claim code —
enter an Amazon.com
Gift card or code.
The Music AppMost music is handled through the Music app – you find the icon for this
app on the Home screen of the DROID.
Touch the Music icon and, as Figure 14–1 shows, you’ll see four soft keys across the
top:
� Artists: Lets you see an alphabetical list of artists that is searchable
like your address book.
� Albums: Lets you see your music organized by album title with cover
art (also searchable).
� Songs: Lets you see an alphabetical list of songs (also searchable).
� Playlists: Lets you see synced playlists from your computer plus
playlists created on the DROID.
Figure 14–1. The Music app’s soft keys.c
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Changing the View in the Music AppThe Music app is very flexible in how it lets you display and categorize your music.
Sometimes you want to look at your songs listed by the artist. Other times you might
prefer seeing your library organized by album name. The DROID lets you easily change
the view to help manage and play just the music you want at a given moment.
The Artists View
The Artists view lists all the artists on your DROID;
or, if you are in a playlist, it lists the artists in that
playlist.
Flick through the list to move to the first letter of the
artist’s name.
When you find the artist’s name, touch it and all the
songs and albums by that artist will be listed, with a
picture of the album art to the left.
TIP: You can use the same navigation and search features in the Music app that you do in the Contactsapp (the address book).
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The Albums View
The music on your DROID is also
organized by albums, which you’ll see
when you touch the Albums icon.
Again, you can scroll through the album
covers to find the album you are looking
for.
Once you start scrolling, you will see the
Search tab on the right that you can
“pull” down to quickly advance through
the alphabetical list of albums.
When you choose an album, all the songs
on that album will be listed.
To go back, just touch the Back button.
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The Songs View
Touching the Songs button displays a list of every
song on your DROID.
If you know the name of the song, flick through the
list or touch the first letter of the song in the
alphabetical list to the right.
Creating Playlists on the DROID The DROID lets you create a playlist from recently added music. You can change the
playlist whenever you want, removing old songs and adding new ones – it couldn’t be
easier!
To create a new playlist on the DROID, touch
the Recently added tab under Playlists.
Touch the Menu button and select Save asplaylist. Give your playlist a unique name
(we’ll call this one “New playlist 1”), and then
touch Save.
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Follow these steps to delete a song:
1. Touch and hold a song in the playlist
to bring up a menu list with six
options.
2. Tap the Delete button towards the
bottom of the list. The song will be
removed from your music library on
the DROID.
Follow these steps to move a song
up or down in a playlist:
1. Touch a playlist to display the
songs.
2. Touch and hold the three gray
bars to the left of the song.
3. Drag the song up or down
and then let go.
4. Touch the Back button to exit
the Playlist view.
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Searching for MusicEvery view from your Music app (e.g., Playlists, Artists, Songs) can have a search
window at the top of the screen, as shown in Figure 14–2. From any of the music views,
just touch the Search button on the DROID. Tap once in the Search window and type a
few letters of the name of an artist, album, playlist, video, or song to instantly see a list
of all matching items. This is the best way to quickly find something to listen to on your
DROID.
Figure 14–2. Finding music.
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Viewing Songs in an Album When you’re in Albums view, just touch an album cover or name and the screen will
slide, showing you the songs on that album (see Figure 14–3).
To see the songs on an album that is
playing, tap the List button. The album
cover will turn over, revealing all the songs
on that album. The song that is playing will
have a small blue arrow next to it.
Figure 14–3. Touch the List button to see the songs on a particular album. t
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Playing Your MusicNow that you know how to find your music, it’s time to play it! Find a song or browse to
a playlist using any of the methods mentioned above. Simply tap the song name and it
will begin to play.
This screen shows the name of the artist, album, and song underneath the picture of the
album cover.
Along the bottom of the screen, you’ll find the Timeline slider bar and the PreviousSong, Play/Pause, and Next Song buttons.
To see other songs on the album, just tap the List button.
You can also touch the Shuffle or Repeat buttons under the album artwork.
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Pausing and PlayingTap the Pause symbol (if a song is playing) or the play arrow (if the music is paused) to
stop or resume the song.
Playing the Previous or Next Song If you are in a playlist, touching the Next Song arrow (to the right of the Play/Pausebutton) advances you to the next song in the list. If you are searching through your
music by album, touching Next Song moves you to the next song on the album.
Touching the Previous Song button does the reverse.
NOTE: If you’re at the beginning of a song, Previous Song takes you to the preceding song. If the song is already playing, Previous Song goes to the beginning of the current song (and a
second tap would take you to the previous song).
Adjusting the Volume
You can adjust the volume on your DROID
by using the external Volume buttons on
the side of the phone.
The external Volume buttons are on the
upper-right side of the device. Press the
Volume Up key (the top button) or the
Volume Down key to raise or lower the
volume. You’ll see the Media volumecontrol move as you adjust the volume.
TIP: To quickly mute the sound, press and hold the Volume Down key and the volume
will eventually reduce to zero.
TIP: If you hold down the Previous Song control, the song will rewind; if you hold down the NextSong control, it will fast forward.
CHAPTER 14: Enjoying Your Music 301
Repeating, Shuffling, and Moving Around in a Song
In play mode, under the album art, you will see
the controls for Repeat and Shuffle.
At the bottom of the Now playing screen, you
will see a timeline below the Play/Pauseindicator that shows you where you are in the
song.
Moving to Another Part of a Song
Slide the scrubber bar to the right and you’ll
see the elapsed time of the song (displayed to
the far right) change accordingly. If you are
looking for a specific section of the song, drag
the slider, then let go and listen to see if you’re
in the right place.
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Repeating One Song or All Songs
To repeat all the songs you’re listening to, touch the Repeatsymbol at the left of the top controls twice until you see it
turn green and display Repeating all songs.
To repeat the current song in the playlist, song list, or
album, touch the Repeat icon again until it displays
Repeating current song.
To turn off the Repeat feature, press the icon until it turns
gray again.
Shuffling Your Playlist
If you are listening to a playlist or album or any other
category or list of music, you might decide you don’t want to
listen to the songs in order. You can touch the Shufflesymbol so the music will play in random order. You know
Shuffle is turned on when the icon is green; when it’s gray,
the Shuffle feature is off.
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Now Playing
Sometimes you’re having so much fun exploring your
options for playlists or albums that you get deeply
buried in a menu – and then find yourself just wanting
to get back to the song you’re listening to.
Fortunately, this is always easy to do – you can just
touch the Now Playing icon at the bottom of most of
the music screens.
Viewing Other Songs on the AlbumYou may decide you want to listen to another song from the same album rather than
going to the next song in the playlist or genre list.
In the upper-right corner of the Now Playing screen, you’ll
see a small button with three lines on it.
Tap that button and the view switches
to a list of all the songs on that album on
your DROID.
Touch another song on the list and that
song will begin to play.
NOTE: If you were in the middle of a playlist and you jump to another song from analbum, you won’t be taken back to that
playlist. To return to that playlist, you’ll need
to go back to your playlist library.
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Exploring Your Music OptionsThere are a few options available to you when
you are in the Now playing screen. From this
screen, touch the Menu key and you should
see five soft keys: Library, Party shuffle, Addto playlist, Use as ringtone, and Delete.
Library will take you back to your music
library.
Party shuffle will take you out of your playlist
and arrange a random shuffling of music.
Add to playlist allows you to add the current
song to any playlist on your DROID.
Use as Ringtone allows you to use the current
song as the general ringtone for the device.
Delete will delete the song from your DROID.
NOTE: On the DROID 2/X, you will see another menu item called Audio Effects. Use this to
adjust things like which speakers are connected and adjust the sound profile or use an equalizer.
Listening to Free Internet Radio (Pandora) While your DROID gives you unprecedented control over your personal music library,
there may be times when you want to listen to some other music.
TIP: A basic Pandora account is free. It can save you considerable money compared with buying
many new songs from Amazon MP3.
Pandora grew out of the Music Genome Project, a huge undertaking in which a large
team of musical analysts looked at just about every song ever recorded and then
developed a complex algorithm of attributes to associate with each song.
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NOTE: Pandora may have some competition by the time you read this book. Right now there’sone other competitor called Slacker Personal Radio, but there will probably be more. If youwant to find more options, try searching the Android Market for “Internet Radio.” Also, please
note that Pandora is a US-only application and Slacker is available only in the U.S. and Canada.
Spotfly is a similar app for Europe. More options should begin to pop up for international users.
Getting Started with Pandora Pandora lets you design your own unique radio stations built around artists you enjoy.
Best of all, it is completely free!
Start by downloading the Pandora app
from the Android Market. Just go to the
Market and search for “Pandora.”
Now just touch the Pandora icon to start.
NOTE: Some users have reported sound issues with Android 2.2 and Pandora, but
they are being addressed.
The first time you start Pandora, you’ll be
asked to either create an account or to
sign in if you already have an account.
Just fill in the appropriate information – an
email address and a password are
required – and you can start designing
your own music listening experience.
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Pandora is also available for your Windows
or Mac computer, as well as for most
smartphone platforms. If you already have
a Pandora account, all you have to do is
sign in.
Pandora’s Main Screen
Your stations are listed on the screen. Just
touch one and it will begin to play. Usually,
the first song will be from the actual artist
chosen, and the next songs will be from
similar artists.
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Once you select a station, the music
begins to play. You’ll see the current song
displayed, along with album art – very
much like when you play a song using the
Music app.
Touch the Information icon in the upper-
right corner, and you’ll see a bio of the
artist, which changes with each new song.
Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down in Pandora
If you like a particular song, touch the
Thumbs-up icon and you’ll hear more
from that artist.
Alternatively, if you don’t like an artist on
this station, touch the Thumbs-down icon
and you won’t hear that artist again.
If you like, you can pause a song and
come back to it later. Or, you can skip to
the next selection in your station.
NOTE: With a free Pandora account, you are limited to a certain amount of skips per hour. Also, you’ll occasionally hear advertising. To get rid of these
annoyances, you can upgrade to a paid
“Pandora One” account.
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Pandora’s Menu
From the Now playing screen, press the
Menu button on your DROID. Touch this
and you can Bookmark the artist or song,
go to Amazon MP3 to buy music from this
artist, or Share the station with someone
in your Contacts list.
You can also adjust your Pandora
Preferences.
Creating a New Station in Pandora
Creating a new station couldn’t be easier.
Start by pressing the Menu key when at
Station list screen of Pandora.
Just touch the Create Station button
along the bottom row. Type in the name of
an artist, song, or composer.
When you find what you are looking for,
touch the selection and Pandora will
immediately start to build a station around
your choice.
You can also touch Genre and build a
station around a particular genre of music.
You’ll then see the new station listed with
your other stations.
You can build up to 100 stations in
Pandora.
TIP: You can organize your stations bypressing the By Date or ABC buttons at
the top of the screen.
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Adjusting Pandora’s Settings – Your Account, Upgrading,and MoreYou can sign out of your Pandora account, adjust the audio quality, and even upgrade
to Pandora One (which removes advertising) by tapping the Preferences icon after
pressing the Menu key from the Now playing screen (see Figure 14–4.)
Figure 14–4. The Preferences options in Pandora.s
To sign out, tap your account name.
To adjust the sound quality, move the switch under Cell Network Audio Quality to
either High or Normal. When you are on a cellular network, setting this to Off is
probably better; otherwise, you may hear more skips and pauses in the playback.
When you are on a strong Wi-Fi connection, you can set this to High for better quality.
See Chapter 5: “Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity” to learn more about the various
connections.
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To save your battery life, you should set the Auto-Lock to On, which is the default. If
you want the force the screen to stay lit, then switch this to Off.
To remove all advertising, tap the Upgrade to Pandora One button. A web browser
window will open, and you’ll be taken to the Pandora web site to enter your credit card
information. At the time of publishing, the annual account cost is $36.00, but that may
be different by the time you read this book.
311
311
Chapter
Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More The DROID is an amazing “media consumption” device. Nowhere is this more apparent
than in the various video-viewing applications available for it.
This chapter shows you how to watch movies, TV shows, podcasts, and music videos
on your DROID. You can buy or download many videos for free from the Android Market
or through doubleTwist (see Chapter 25: “DROID Media Sync” for more information).
According to some sources, you will be able to link your DROID to your Netflix account
by early 2011 (other video rental services will likely follow soon), allowing you to watch
streaming TV shows and movies.
You can also use your DROID to watch YouTube videos, as well as to view videos from
the Web in your Browser app and in various other apps available from the AndroidrMarket. DROID X and DROID 2 phone ship with the Blockbuster app for renting and
watching movies from Blockbuster on your phone.
NOTE: These apps change quickly. We expect that services such as Hulu plus will also make their way to the DROID. We suggest that you go to the Android Market frequently and type in
“videos” to see the changing options.
Your DROID as a Video Player The DROID is not only a capable music player; it is a fantastic portable video player. The
wide screen, fast processor, good pixel density, and great operating system make
watching anything from music videos to TV shows and full-length motion pictures a real
joy. The size of the DROID is perfect for watching clips or shows while commuting or
traveling on an airplane. It is also great for the kids in the back seat of long car trips. The
decent battery life means you can even go on a short flight and not run out of power!
However, if you need more power, you can buy a power inverter or DROID charger for
15
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 312
your car to keep the DROID charged even longer (see Chapter 1: "Getting Started" for
battery tips).
Loading Videos onto Your DROID You can load videos onto your DROID just as you do with your music – through
doubleTwist (see Chapter 25). You can also use the USB Load feature on your DROID
or Media Share.
NOTE: Videos (e.g., DVDs) can be ripped (i.e., copied) to your computer and then synced to yourdDROID. Make sure you don’t violate any copyright laws in the process of doing so! Video
conversion software is widely available on the Web. The optimal output settings for ripping videos to play on the DROID are to use MP4 with the following video/audio codecs and settings:
VideoResolution: Up to WVGA (854x480)Codec: H.264, Baseline profileBitrate: 2.5 Mbps
Framerate: 24fps
Audio Codec: AAC stereo au
Watching Videos on the DROID
To watch videos, touch the Gallery icon, which is usually on Homescreen of the DROID.
NOTE: You can also watch videos from the YouTube icon, the Browsericon, and other video-related apps you download from the Android
Market.
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Video Categories
In the Gallery app, you will see separate folders
labeled Camera, Downloads, and Videos. Touch the
Videos folder to go to the Videos section; if you have
movies loaded on the DROID, they will be listed in
this folder.
You won’t see your videos broken down by any
particular category such as music videos, podcasts,
or movies. Instead, all your videos will simply be
shown in a single, continuous list.
On the DROID, to get more information on a specific
video, touch and hold that video to highlight it, and
then press the Menu key and select More. Next,
touch Get info to display the details of the video.
On the DROID 2/X, tap the video thumbnail to view it in
full screen, then tap the information (I with circle) to see
the details screen.
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Playing a Movie On the DROID touch the movie you wish to watch, and it will begin to play (see Figure
15–1). On the DROID 2/X, tap the video thumbnail, then tap the video again to start
playing it. Most videos take advantage of the relatively large screen real estate of the
DROID to play in widescreen or landscape mode; just turn your DROID sideways to
watch them.
Figure 15–1. Playing a video.
When the video first starts to play, there are no menus and no controls. Indeed, there is
nothing on the screen except for the video.
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 315
To Pause or Access ControlsYou can touch anywhere on the screen to make the control bars and options in the
Gallery media app visible (see Figure 15–2). Most controls and options are very similar
to those in the Music player. Tap the Pause button and the video will pause.
NOTE: On the DROID 2/X, you will not have Rewind or Fast Forward buttons, instead you can
drag the slider bar back or forth to rewind or fast forward.
Figure 15–2. The video controls in the Gallery media app. y
Fast-Forward or Rewind the VideoOn the DROID, on either side of the Play/Pause button, you can see the typical Fast-Forward and Rewind buttons. To advance 15 seconds in the video, touch the Fast-Forward button (to the right of Play/Pause). When you get to the desired spot, release
the button, and the video will begin playing normally.
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 316
To rewind in five-second intervals, tap the Rewind button. To rewind to a specific part
or location, move the slider bar to the desired part of the video. On the DROID 2/X, use
the slider bar at the bottom to move around the video.
NOTE: There is no way to adjust the volume using on-screen controls. The volume rocker switch
on the side of the DROID controls media volume.
Using the Time Slider BarAt the bottom of the video screen is a slider that shows you the elapsed time of the
video. If you know exactly (or approximately) which point in the video you wish to watch,
just hold and drag the slider to that location. Some people find this to be a little more
exact than holding down the Fast-Forward or Rewind Buttons.
Other Video Players The Gallery app is a very limited video player. It functions fine for basic viewing and it is
built in to the DROID, which is convenient.
However, there are many other media players in the Android Market that you can
download and use in place of the Gallery app.
Once you have more than one video player
installed, you will get a pop-up window
asking which video player you wish to use
to open the selected video.
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 317
One video player that consistently gets
great reviews is the Act One Video Player.You can download this app from the
Android Market (see Chapter 17:
“Exploring the Android Market” for more
information on using this marketplace) and
search for “video players” or “Act One.”
Download and install the app, and it will
now appear on your Home screen.
Deleting VideosSometimes you might want to delete a video (to save space on your DROID). To do so,
touch and hold a video from the video list. You will see three soft keys appear at the
bottom of the screen; the middle key is Delete. Touch the Delete key (see Figure 15–3)
and confirm that you want to delete the file.
NOTE: Deleting a video deletes the video only from your DROID – a copy will still remain in yourvideo library, assuming that you have synced your DROID with your computer after purchasing or
ripping the video. This means you can reload it onto your DROID at a later date.
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 318
Figure 15–3. Deleting a video.
NOTE: On your DROID 2/X, the Play, Delete, Share and Edit buttons will be in a drop down menu
in the middle of the screen instead of along the bottom as shown.
Using YouTube on your DROIDWatching YouTube videos is certainly one of the most popular things for
people to do on their computers these days. YouTube is as close to you
as your DROID.
Your DROID’s Home screen includes a YouTube icon; touch the YouTube icon and you
will be taken to the YouTube app.
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 319
Searching for Videos
When you first start the YouTube app, you usually
see the Featured videos on YouTube that day.
Just scroll through the video choices as you do in
other apps.
Using the Bottom Icons Touch the Menu key and the YouTube app will display five icons along the bottom:
Search, Upload, My account, Categories, and Settings. Each is fairly self-explanatory.
To see the videos that YouTube is featuring that day, scroll down to the Featured list.
To see the list of most-viewed videos, scroll down to the Most Viewed icon.
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 320
After you watch a particular video, you will
have the option to set it as a favorite on
YouTube for easy retrieval later on. If you
have set bookmarks, they will appear when
you touch the Favorite icon.
You can also Rate, Comment on, Share, or
Flag a video after you watch it.
You can also search the huge library of
YouTube videos from your DROID. Touch
the Search box as in previous apps, and the
keyboard will pop up. Type in a phrase,
topic, or even the name of a video.
The example to the right shows a search for
the newest Made Simple Learning video
tutorial, with the user entering “Made Simple
Learning” to see a list of such videos.
When the user finds a video she wants to
watch, she can touch it to see more
information. She can even rate the video by
touching it during playback and selecting a
rating.
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 321
Playing VideosOnce you make your choice, touch the video you want to watch. Your DROID will begin
playing the YouTube video in Landscape mode. There is no way to force the playback
into Portrait mode, so you will need to turn the DROID sideways to watch the video (see
Figure 15–4).
Figure 15–4. Playing a video in Landscape mode. e
Adjusting the DROID’s Video ControlsOnce the video begins to play, the on-screen controls disappear, so you see only the
video. To stop, pause, or activate any other options while the video is playing, just tap
the screen (see Figure 15–5).
Figure 15–5. Selecting playback and other video options in YouTube.
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 322
The on-screen options in the YouTube app are very similar to the options you see when
watching other videos. Along the bottom is a slider that shows your place in the video.
To move to another place in the video, just drag the slider.
To fast-forward through the video, tap the
Fast-Forward arrow. To move in reverse, tap
the Rewind arrow.
Press the Menu key and six more soft keys
appear: Captions, Details, Rate, Favorite,
Share, and More.
To set a favorite, touch the Favorite icon at
the far left.
To email the video, Follow these steps:
1. Touch the Share icon. Your email will start
with the link to the video in the body of
your email.
2. Type the recipient’s name (see Chapter 9:
“Email on your DROID” for more
information on how to send content via
email).
3. Write a short note to provide some context
for the link to the recipient, if you so
desire.
4. Press the Send button.
CHAPTER 15: Viewing Videos, TV Shows, and More 323
Clearing Your History For a variety of reasons, you may want to clear your browsing history on your DROID.
Follow these steps to clear the history log in your
Browser app:
1. Touch the Menu key and then touch
Settings.
2. Scroll down to Clear Search History and
touch it.
3. Click the OK button in the center to
complete the process of clearing your
history.
Using Netflix and Hulu on the DROID In recent years, Netflix has become a leading source of video rentals for consumers.
Relatively recently, Netflix has also added on-demand video streaming. This streaming
can even be delivered wirelessly to computers and set-top boxes for your TV.
At the time of writing, Netflix is developing a new app for streaming movies on the
DROID; it should be available by late 2010 or early 2011.
Hulu is a Flash-based video service for watching recent TV episodes. While you can get
to the Hulu website on your DROID, the Flash lite player available for the DROID will not
play the episodes available on Hulu. There is a Hulu plus subscription service available
for other smartphone platforms; this same service is due to make its appearance on
Android in the not-too-distant future.
325
325
Chapter
New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books Your DROID has the potential to replace your newspaper, favorite magazines, and even
your book library. We’re not saying it’s time to give up paper books completely. We like
them, too. However, you may find that your phone is a surprisingly good reading device.
In this chapter, we’ll explore ways to get your news and reading done without going to
the bookstore or newspaper stand.
Newspapers on the DROID Remember the days when newspapers were delivered to the house? Invariably, if there
was one puddle in the sidewalk, that was where the newspaper landed! You took it out
of that plastic bag, shook it off, and tried to make out what was in section two—the
section that got soaked.
Well, those days may be gone forever. You now have the opportunity to interact with the
news and even get your paper delivered every day—but to your DROID instead of your
driveway.
Many newspapers and news sites are developing apps for the DROID, with new apps
seeming to appear every day. Figure 16–1 shows two apps for reading popular
newspapers.
16
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 326
Figure 16–1. The front pages of two newspaper apps.
Popular Choices: The New York Times and USA TodayThe New York Times and USA Today both have large circulations, but each paper hasytaken a different approach to bringing you the news on the DROID.
NOTE: You can always go and visit the dedicated web site for any news source. Some are optimized for the DROID, while others offer you a full web experience. Some require registration
or a paid subscription to view the paper’s full content.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 327
You must first find, download, and install a news app
on your DROID to use these. Here are the steps:
1. Locate your desired news app in the Android
Market. You may find one or more news
apps in the Featured section, and there’s
also a direct link to News & Weather under
apps on the top of the Android Market home
page.
2. Browse or search for your desired news app,
just as you would for any other app.
3. Once you locate the desired news
app, download it as you would any
other app.
4. Once the app is downloaded, tap its
icon to launch it.
NOTE: Many news apps are free. Some are free to try, but require you to buy them to continuereceiving them. Others offer limited free content, but you need to subscribe to gain access to
their full content. See Chapter 17: “The Android Market” for more information.
The New York Times AppThe New York Times offers a slimmed-down version of the paper in its free Android app.
By default, you’ll see the latest headlines. Figure 16–2 shows basic navigation from one
section to the next. Simply pull down the section menu and tap.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 328
Figure 16–2. Navigating to another section.
Navigating The New York Times app is as simple as touching an article and scrolling
through. Drag your finger up and down to scroll through an article, and drag your finger
sideways to navigate to the next or previous article in the section.
To go back to the Home page, use the back button.You can also share an article with
friends using e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, text messaging or any other app designed to handle
Android share requests.
The New York Times app comes with a handy
widget. Rather than launching the full app and
navigating to your favorite section, you can add the
widget to your Home screen and display headlines
from your favorite section.
Tap on the small arrow on the side to navigate to the
next headline, and tap on a heading to view the full
article. To read more about widgets, see Chapter 6:
“Organize Your Home Screens: Icons and Widgets.”
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 329
USA Today App While not as big and colorful as the physical paper version, you can still get USA Today
on your phone. The app is available in the News & Weather category of the Android
Market. Note that as of press time, it doesn’t ship with a widget.
Download the app as you did the other news apps.
The app will detect your current location if you’ve
enabled the GPS on your phone. That means the
weather section can give you weather for your
location as well as other regions.
The sections of the paper are near the top of the
home screen. Just slide from right to left and then
touch the section of the paper you want to read.
In addition, you’ll find sections for Headlines, Scores, Weather, Pictures, and Snapshots along
the top of the screen.
Moving Through and Enjoying ContentAfter you play for a while with all these news sites, you’ll begin to realize that there is no
real standard for moving around. This means you’ll need to become familiar with each
app’s own way of navigating articles and returning to the main screen. Here’s a short
guide for generally navigating these types of apps; these features are common to The New York Times and USA Today apps:
� Showing or Hiding Control Buttons: Pressing the Menu button will
generally show all your options for that article, picture, or video.
� Getting to the Details of an Article: Usually, you just scroll through
the articles, just as you would on a web page.
� Viewing a Video: Tap a video to start playing it. Usually, this plays the video
in the same manner as any other video. See Chapter 15: “Viewing Videos, TV
Shows, and More” to learn how to navigate videos on your DROID.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 330
� Expanding a Video or Image Size: You can try pinching open in the video
or image and then double-tapping it. You can also try rotating to landscape
mode.
� Reducing a Video or Image Size: You can try pinching closed inside the
video or image. You can also try rotating back to portrait mode.
Adjusting Font Sizes and Sharing, E-mailing, or Saving an ArticleThe various apps for reading newspapers and other content usually include a button or
icon for changing the font size. That same button or another one near it may also allow
you to share, save, or e-mail an article to a friend. Some apps allow you to share the
article with a social networking site, such as Facebook or Twitter.
TIP: Almost all newspaper or magazine apps let you change font sizes and e-mail or otherwiseshare an article. Look for a button or icon that says Tools, Options, Settings, or something
similar. In some apps, the font-size adjustment option shows as small A and large A icons.
News Widgets One of the advantages of using your phone for news
is that you’re not restricted to a single source. There
are many news aggregators, such as Google or
Yahoo News, and there are lots of ways to view news
headlines on topics that interest you.
On your DROID X, DROID 2, and DROID Global, you
can use the Motorola News widget to view custom
bundles of news feeds on subject and categories that
interest you. On all DROIDs, you can also use the
Android News and Weather widget. To learn more
about using widgets, read Chapter 6.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 331
Magazines on Android It is no secret that both newspapers and magazines have suffered declines in readership
over the last few years. Android offers a totally new way of reading magazines that might
just give the media industry the boost it needs.
Pictures are incredibly clear and brilliant in magazines on your DROID. Navigation is
usually easy, and stories seem to come to life, much more so than in their print
counterparts. Add video and sound integration right into the magazine, and you can see
how the DROID truly enhances the magazine reading experience.
Some magazines, such as TIME Magazine, include links to live or frequently updated
content. These might be called Newsfeeds, Live Edition, or Updates. Check for them
in any magazine you purchase—they will give you the most up-to-date information.
TIP: Make sure to check the user ratings for a magazine or other app before you purchase it.
Doing so may save you some money and some grief!
The Android Market offers some individual magazines for purchase (however, these
magazines sometimes include limited content for free). You can also check out the
magazine readers that provide samples of many magazines that allow you to subscribe
to weekly or monthly delivery of a given magazine.
Unlike newspapers, only a few magazines are
available for free.
TIME Mobile is one of the few available freeEmagazines for Android. The navigation is similar to
The New York Times and other newspaper apps. On
the right, you can see how navigating to different
sections is accomplished by dragging down the
sections menu from the top of the screen.
Other magazines are beginning to be offered throgh
E-book stores, such as the Nook, Kindle, and Kobo
markets.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 332
Comic Books on Your DROIDOne genre of “new media” poised for a comeback with the advent of mobile is the
comic book. Reading a comic book on your DROID really makes the pages come alive.
Readers can also appreciate comics that would otherwise be harder to find, such as
lesser known works or imported Japanese manga.
As this goes to press, there’s still no official Marvel or DC Comic app for Android.
However, DC Comics announced at the 2010 Comicon that they were working on one.
There was no word from Marvel, but they do offer an iPhone/iPad app.
If you’d like to view free comics from
lesser-known artists, the Android
Comic Reader app allows you to
browse and download content
directly to your phone. Navigation is
similar to other magazine and e-book
readers. The example to the right is a
story by Cory Doctorow called
“iRobot.”
The DROID as a PDF ReaderAnother way to get e-books and other content to
phones is through PDF files. There are several apps
capable of viewing PDF content, including Adobe’s
Acrobat Reader.
You can find the Acrobat Reader in the Android
Market. See Chapter 17: "Exploring the Android
Market.
Files can be sent as e-mail attachments, downloaded
from websites, or transferred directly to your SD card.
Clicking on a PDF file should open them in an
appropriate reader.
We also like to use Dropbox, an Internet-based file
sharing and storage app to transfer files to our
DROIDs. You can find a quick link to download
Dropbox in Appendix A. See Chapter 21: "Working
with Notes and Documents" for a description of how
Dropbox works.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 333
E-BooksUnlike the iPhone, Android doesn’t come with a standard e-book reader. That doesn’t
leave you out of options, however. You can choose from a large selection of readers,
both for open and proprietary book formats. Keep in mind that there are several formats
for reading books, and some companies put Digital Rights Management (DRM) on their
e-books to prevent them from being illegally distributed or read in unauthorized readers.
Figure 16–3 shows just a sampling of available e-book readers for Android.
Figure 16–3. Android e-book readers.
If you have already begun creating a digital library, you’ll want to stick with an app that is
compatible with your content. If you’re just getting started, there are a few things to
keep in mind as you choose a reading app:
� Proprietary formats: Epub is one of the most widely accepted book
formats, but even it comes in DRM and non-DRM varieties. Check to
see if the book you purchase is protected by DRM or an open offering.
� Storage: Where are your books stored? Can you download a new
copy if your phone crashes? Can you pick up your book on one device
and finish on another?
� Availability: How many books are available from your online
bookstore? If you can only buy a few books, and those books can only
be read on a single reader, it’s quickly a case of diminishing returns.
� Price: What’s the average price for a book? Publishers are moving
from a model where e-book stores offer variable pricing, so look at
several titles.
� Stability: The digital world is a very rapidly changing place. There are
no guarantees that your favorite store will stay in business.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 334
NOTE: Many titles have a sample download. This is a great idea if you are not sure that you wantto purchase the book. Just download a sample, and you can always purchase the full book from
within the sample.
Proprietary ReadersProprietary e-book readers are extremely convenient, because they’re attached to a
bookstore for easy book purchasing. You don’t have to install anything extra or think
about where your book will be stored. Just register for an account, click to purchase,
and pay for the book when your credit card bill comes due.
The reading apps we’ll look at all also allow you to start reading on one device and
continue reading on another device. This is very handy if you’ve got a dedicated e-book
reader, iPad, or laptop you sometimes carry with you.
Kindle Reader
The Amazon Kindle app is available through the Android
Market. Amazon has made a Kindle app for several
different mobile devices, so you can use it on Android
phones, iPods, iPhones, laptops, and, of course,
Amazon’s dedicated Kindle e-book reading device.
If you’ve registered for an Amazon account, you can
purchase and download books for the Kindle app
directly from your DROID and read them from your
DROID or any other device that runs a Kindle app.
You can find free Kindle books as well as paid books,
although you must be registered in order to purchase
these free downloads.
Kindle books do not transfer to non-Kindle readers, and
they do not use standard ePub format.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 335
TIP: If you use a Kindle device, don’t worry about signing in from your DROID. You can haveseveral devices tied to your single account. You will be able to enjoy all the books you purchasedfor your Kindle right on the Kindle app on your DROID. In some books, the publisher might limit
this capability, but we have never run into this limit.
Just touch the Kindle app and either sign in to your
Kindle account or press the Menu button and select
create a new account with a user name and
password.
Once you sign in, you will see your Kindle books on
the home page. You can touch either a book coverto start reading or Get Books to start shopping in
the Kindle store.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 336
NOTE: Touching Get Books from the Kndle menu will start up your Browser. From there you can purchase Kindle books. Once you are done, you will need to exit Browser and start up the Kindlerapp once again. If you just purchased a title, then you may see a button that says something like
Go to Kindle for Android. Tap that button to jump right back to Kindle and start enjoying your
new book.
To read a Kindle book, touch the book cover. The book will open.
To see the options for reading, just press the Menu button, and they will be along the
bottom row of icons.
You can add a bookmark by touching the plus (+) button. Once the bookmark is set, the
plus (+) turns to a minus (-).
You can go to the cover, Table of Contents, or beginning of the book (or specify any
location in the book) by touching the Go To from the menu.
The font, as well as the color of the page, can be
adjusted. One very interesting feature is the ability to
change the page to Black, which is great when
reading at night.
To advance pages, either swipe from right to left, or
touch the right-hand side of the page. To go back a
page, just swipe from left to right or touch the left-
hand side of the page.
Tap the screen and a slider appears at the bottom,
which you can move to advance to any page in the
book.
To return to your list of books, just press the Backbutton or the Home option from the Kindle menu.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 337
Nook
The Nook is Barnes & Noble Bookstore’s dedicated
e-reader. The Nook reader is actually a modified
Android tablet, so it’s not surprising that Barnes &
Noble has released a Nook app for Android.
Register with an account either through the Nook app
on your DROID or on the Web.
One of the selling points for the Nook app is that it
allows you to lend books to other Nook users for up
to two weeks. (Shortly before this book went to
press, Amazon announced they were going to do the
same for Kindle books. )
Open E-ReadersIn addition to commercial e-book readers like the Kindle and Nook apps, you can use
open, alternative readers that support common formats. The disadvantage is that many
of these apps are not attached to a bookstore, so purchasing books is not as
convenient.
We’ll start with Kobo, which looks like a commercial e-reader with a brick-and-mortar
bookstore backing it, but it is also an open reader. That means it has the polish of a
proprietary reader with fewer content restrictions.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 338
Kobo
Kobo is an e-book reading device owned by Borders
and other investors. Just as with the Kindle and Nook
apps, you can register with an account and download
books directly to the Kobo app. It was formerly
known as Shortcovers.
Like the Kindle reader, the Kobo reader asks you first
to sign in to your existing Kobo Books account. All of
your existing Kobo Books will then be available for
reading.
Kobo uses a “bookshelf” approach similar to many
readers. Tap the book cover for whichever book you
wish to open.
Or, touch the List tab to see your books organized in
a list format.
You can also directly go to the Kobo store to
purchase books by touching the Discover or Browsebuttons at the bottom
However, Kobo also supports and sells standard
Epub and Adobe Digital Editions book formats in their
store. That means you may be able to read e-books
from public libraries and independent booksellers on
your Kobo, too. You can also take books you buy for
your Kobo and transfer them to another reader if you
prefer.
Touch the Settings button brings up other buttons
for seeing information about the book and adjusting
the page transition style and font. Touch any of the
buttons to make adjustments to your viewing.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 339
Aldiko
Aldiko is a free e-book reading app that reads DRM-
free Epub formatted books. You can download some
books through the Android Market for use with
Aldiko, or you can download any Epub book and
place it in the eBooks folder on your DROID’s SD
card.
O’Reilly Media sells DRM-free e-books through the
Android Market specifically for use with Aldiko.
Libris
Libris comes in both a free version, Libris Lite, and a
paid $2.99 app. The paid app offers support for more
book formats, including Mobipocket, Epub, Libris,
PalmDoc, and plain text, but it can’t read any format
with DRM.
You can use Libris to read books on your computer
desktop (if your computer has Java installed) or on
your Android, but the books are not stored online like
they are on some e-readers, so you’ll still need to
physically sync them between devices.
That said, if you’re reading free books or buying them
through the Libris-supported Fictionwise online
library, Libris has a nice user interface and supplies a
free tool for converting text to Libris format at
www.hillbillyinteractive.com.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 340
Reading E-Books Just as with newspaper apps, there are no standards, but there are a series of things
that are generally true of most e-reading apps for your DROID. When you first launch an
e-reading app, nearly all of them offer a tips menu for navigation.
� Horizontal and Vertical: You can switch between horizontal and
vertical views for easier reading. Tilt your screen, and the text will
reflow to follow. Some readers also let you lock the orientation, so
accidental screen movements don’t reflow your page.
� Bookshelves: Most apps are organized around a bookshelf
analogy. You’ll see a series of book covers showing your available
library of choices.
Touch any title in your library to open it for reading. The book will open to the very
first page, which is often the title page or other front matter in the book.
� Pages: It’s just text. You could just see a very long column of text that scrolls, but
nearly every reader has kept the analogy of pages of text to make it much easier to
navigate. Swipe your finger sideways to flip between pages. Some apps even
show page-curl animations as you do this.
� Chapters: You’re not stuck just navigating page by page. You can navigate from
chapter to chapter or between bookmarks, or in the case of the Kindle app, to a
navigational number point in the text. Press the Menu button, and you’ll usually
see a way to navigate directly to a chapter, section, or bookmark.
� ContextualMenus: In most
readers, you can
look up words,
make notes, or
create
bookmarks.
Sometimes pressing the Menubutton does that, and sometimes
it’s done by long-pressing on a
word in the book. Generally, you
look up word definitions by
launching a Web browser to either
an online dictionary or Wikipedia.
CHAPTER 16: New Media: Reading Newspapers, Magazines, and E-books 341
� Search: You can also search to find specific text within a book. Just
look for the magnifying glass button. You can usually either press the
Search button or the Menu button to find it.
� Customize Your Experience: There’s almost always a Settingsmenu, and you can usually find this by pressing the Menu button.
Some readers have more choices than others, but most allow you to
increase or decrease font size, and switch from day or night view
(which usually just switches from black text on a white screen to white
text on a black screen). In some cases, you can also make the
background a tan color for less eye strain.
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The Android Market The Android Market is the primary place for downloading apps for your DROID.
Right now, there are several versions of Android shipping on a wide variety of phones,
and the Android Market sells apps for all of them. So how do you know if your DROID
will run the latest Twitter app? The general rule is that, if you can see an app in the
Android Market on your phone, you can run it. Developers can exclude incompatible
devices from seeing their apps in the Android Market. However, you should always read
the app description just to be sure.
In this chapter, we’ll go into more detail about how you find and download apps, how
you can leave feedback, and how you can try before you buy. You’ll also learn about
must-have apps to download right now.
Using QR Codes Before we go further, let’s introduce the concept of QR (quick
response) codes. You may have seen these square barcodes on
objects or websites. The QR code was patented by the Japanese
company, Denso Wave. Rather than restrict the use of such codes
with licensing fees, Denso Wave chose to allow anyone to generate
or use QR codes without having to pay a fee, and their use has been
growing as smartphone use has grown.
The example to the right goes to http://zxing.appspot.com/generator, which is a free QR code generator.
QR codes can contain all sorts of information, including map locations, URLs, notes,
names, phone numbers, and product identification. You don’t have to worry about
scanning them right-side up; upside down and sideways will work, too. They’re easily
read by phone cameras, so they make an ideal way to offer information to phone users
without requiring a lot of typing. In fact, you may want to print a QR code on the back of
your next business card, so smartphone users can scan in your contact information
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CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 344
immediately. You can generate your own codes at http://zxing.appspot.com/generator.
Your DROID likely did not ship with a barcode reader, but it’s easy to get one. There are
countless apps in the Android Market that allow you to scan QR codes, including
Google Goggles and ZXing’s Barcode Scanner.
In this chapter, we’ll use QR codes whenever possible. If you’re reading this book with
your DROID and (and not reading this book on your DROID), just use the QR code to get
to a given app faster.
Browsing the Android Market You can visit the Android Market Showcase on the
Web at www.android.com/market; however, this site
will only show you a fraction of the available apps.
Google has plans to change this in the future, but for
now you’ll need to use your phone to see the apps
available for DROID. Launch the Android Market app
from your phone’s application tray or desktop. The
initial page will look similar to the figure on the right,
with buttons for Apps, Games, and Verizon; a splash
banner; and a list of featured apps.
NOTE: You can also browse available apps on the Web at www.androlib.com, www.appbrain.com, andwww.androidzoom.com. These are ad-sponsoredsites that pull data from the Android Market; however,
as third-party sites, they don’t always produce identical
search results.
Notice that each app lists a rating out of five stars, as well as the app’s price. You can
tap an app to read more details about it, including user reviews. Sometimes you may
want to browse through the featured apps to see what is new; sometimes you know
exactly what you want; and sometimes you want to browse, but only within a category,
such as productivity apps or shopping. Any of these approaches is valid.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 345
If you know exactly what you want or how
to frame what you want precisely, use the
Search button at the top of the screen.
You can search for a name or keywords.
For instance, searching for “Twitter” would
show you both the official Twitter app and
apps that use the Twitter service in their
description, such as HootSuite or Touiter.
Navigating by Category
Follow these steps to navigate the Android Market by
category:
1. Tap the Apps button.
2. Tap a category to select it.
3. You’ll see three new buttons at the top: Top
paid, Top free, and Just in. By default, the Top
paid category is selected, but you can switch
to free or recent apps by tapping the
appropriate button.
NOTE: Apps in the Android Market are weighted by popularity and not strictly listed by rating. This is
because it’s easy for an app to get a five-star rating if
only one person has rated the app.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 346
4. Tap the name of an app to see the details page associated with that app. You’ll
see something that resembles Figure 17–1; and as you scroll down, you’ll see the
app’s name, rating, two screen captures, the price, and a description of the app
submitted by the developer. You’ll also see any website and contact information
the developer or publisher has provided, such as an email address and phone
number.
You’ll also see links to any other apps that the developer or publisher may have
created. If the app is deceptive or malicious, the very bottom of the page gives
you the option to flag it.
Figure 17–1 App details.
5. Tap on the Comments button to see user ratings and comments.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 347
6. Comments aren’t located at the bottom of the
page; rather, they have their own section, as
shown to the right. There are Up and Downbuttons under each rating. This gives site
users a quick-and-easy way to give a thumbs-
up or thumbs-down to a given comment. You
can rate comments as helpful, unhelpful, or
spam. This is similar to the way users can rate
Amazon.com reviews.
Paying for Apps The Android Market has a huge selection of free apps, but there are times when it’s
worth it to pick up a paid app. You use Google Checkout to buy your app, so if you
have not already signed up for a Google Checkout account, you should do so.
Currently, T-Mobile is the only supported carrier for direct billing (it supports US-dollar
transactions only); however, Verizon is rumored to be planning a separate Verizon app
market that would support direct billing.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 348
Google Checkout is an online payment-processing
system. Register for a Google Checkout account by
going to https://checkout.google.com/buyerSignupand using the same Google account you use as the
main account for your phone. You can enter your
credit card information, and Google will store it. Be
sure to register in advance, so you can avoid the
hassle of entering credit card info on a phone
keyboard.
You can purchase apps in most foreign currencies
using Google Checkout and your credit card, as long
as your credit card allows foreign currency
transactions. Google will give you an estimate of
what the price is in US dollars, as shown in the
screen capture to the right. However, your credit
card may charge you a fee for currency conversion or
use a different exchange rate, and that won’t be
reflected in the estimate.
NOTE: You have 24 hours after purchasing an app to “return” it for a full refund. Your refund
price does not include any transaction fees for foreign currency.
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Downloading Apps Other than payment processing, the basic steps
to downloading an app are the same:
1. Go to the Android Market by tapping the
Android Market app icon.
2. Navigate to the details page.
3. Tap the Install button at the bottom of the
screen.
Android will confirm that you want to
download the app, and it will also show
you specific information about application
permissions. In most cases, the uses are
quite legitimate, but you should read them
carefully to make sure a word puzzle game
doesn’t have access to dial your phone, for
example.
4. If everything looks good, tap the OK button.
Your download will start. You’ll see a progress bar in the Android Market, as well
as a notice in your Notification bar that a download is in progress. The notice will
change once the download is complete. There’s no need to keep using the
Android Market app while you’re downloading. The download will continue in the
background.
Installing AppsIn most cases, downloading the app installs it automatically. If there are any widgets
included with the app, you’ll need to long-tap the Home screen to install them. If there
are additional steps, the developer should provide instructions about these. In the case
of some paid apps, you may have two downloads. The first is a trial version, and the
second is a separate key that doesn’t actually do anything other than unlock the full
features from the first download.
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NOTE: Android 2.2 (Froyo) allows developers to give you the option to install apps on your SD card instead of the phone’s hard disk. This can potentially save some space. However, it is up to
the developer to allow the option in his app (see Figure 17–2).
Figure 17–2. Installing an app to the SD card.
NOTE: to get to the screen above, go to Settings -> Applications -> Manage Applications and
then tap on the application for which you wish to see the Application info.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 351
Uninstalling Apps There are two basic ways to uninstall an app. The more complicated method is to go to
the Home screen, press the Menu button, and then tap Applications > “Manageapplications.” Tap the app you want to remove, and then tap Uninstall.
The second, much easier method is to find
your app in the Android Market, navigate
to the details page for that app, and tap
the Uninstall button. If you paid for the
app, you’ll see an Uninstall & refundbutton. You have 24 hours after a
purchase to return it for a refund.
However, you must do this through the
Android Market.
Follow these steps to get a refund on a
purchase:
1. Go to the Android Market by
pressing the store’s app icon within
24 hours of a purchase.
2. Press the Menu button.
3. Tap Downloads.
4. You’ll see the name of all apps you’ve recently downloaded. Tap the name of the
app you wish to uninstall.
5. Tap the Uninstall & refund button.
You’ll see a warning window telling you that you’re about to uninstall an app.
You’ll also be told whether you can install the app again at no charge. In the case
of paid apps, not only must you pay for it again (since you’re being refunded), but
you cannot return it a second time for a refund.
6. Android also collects data on why
you chose to uninstall an app.
Select a reason or “I’d rather not
say,” and then click OK.
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Updating Apps Occasionally developers will add
features or bug fixes. When there’s
an update available, you’ll see an
alert in your Notification bar at the
top of your Home screen.
You can tap the alert to go directly
to the Android Market, or you can
launch the Android Market app,
press the Menu button, and then
tap Downloads.
Tap an app to view the details, and
then tap the Update button at the
bottom of the screen.
The process for updating an app is
very similar to the process for
downloading it. You can update
everything at once by tapping
Update all.
For an app that you’ll unhesitatingly update, you can also specify that you’ll allow
automatic updates on that app’s About page in the Android Market, as seen in Figure
17–1.
Checking the Allow automaticupdating box means available
updates will automatically install
as soon as they’re available,
unless the app changes
permissions, in which case you’ll
need to update the app manually.
CAUTION: Read the comments before updating an app or allowing automatic updates.
Sometimes an update will break something or not work with particular phone models.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 353
Rating and CommentingIf you’ve installed an app, you may want to go back and tell other users how well it
works. Even a comment verifying that it works on your model of phone is helpful. The
first step is to rate the app.
The ratings area is at the top of the app’s
detail page under the My review section.
Tap the Stars icon, and you’ll see a rating
screen resembling the figure on the right.
Indicate the number of stars the app
deserves by dragging your finger from left
to right. Once you are finished, tap OK.
Once you’ve rated an app, you’ll see a link
to post a comment right under your rating.
You can only comment on apps you’ve
rated.
Installing Apps Outside the Android Market In most cases, the Android Market is all you need to find apps for your phone. However,
developers aren’t required to offer their apps through the market. App developers in
countries that don’t yet support paid apps through the Android Market may want to sell
paid versions of their apps outside the market, for example. This also allows developers
to create alternative app markets, like SlideME (http://slideme.org). You can download
apps from other locations, but you need to enable downloads from unknown sources to
authorize this ability.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 354
Follow these steps to enable apps from
unknown sources:
1. Go to the Home screen
2. Press the Menu button.
3. Tap Applications. On the original
DROID, touch Settings and then
applications.
4. Check the box next to Unknownsources.
Now you can download apps that aren’t in
the Android Market.
If you know the location of an app, you
can navigate there through your phone’s
Browser app and install it. You can also
install apps delivered by email.
Android apps have the .apk extension.
Download the APK file, and then tap the
message that the download is complete in
your Notification bar. You’ll see a screen
asking you if you’d like to install the app,
similar to the figure on the right.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 355
Keep in mind that this isn’t a move without risks. Apps could have been removed from
the Android Market for malicious activity, and those apps can be remotely removed from
your phone when you install them using the Android Market. You can still see the
permissions required by the app, so be mindful of these permissions before you install it.
Ten Apps to Install Right NowThere are a lot of quality apps available, so here are a few of our favorite general-use
apps. We’ve provided the QR code, so if you have a barcode-scanning app already
installed, such as Barcode Scanner (which might have made the list if we had more
room), you can scan in the code and navigate directly to the app on the Android Market.
We’ve also listed additional apps in Appendix A at the end of this book.
ShopSavvy
ShopSavvy is a longtime favorite free app.
It debuted on the Android and really
showed off the potential of the phone. It
uses your camera to scan in barcodes and
comparison shop with both local and
online items. Local shopping results are
sometimes limited because the app is only
as accurate as the data available online.
You can set price alerts, tweet about your
scans (although this gets obnoxious), view
your history, create a wish list, and more. If
you’re searching for an item that has
neither a barcode nor a store sticker over
the barcode, you can also enter your
search terms by hand.
Best of all, ShopSavvy supports QR
codes; so if you download this app first,
you can scan any of the QR codes you see
in this book.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 356
Lookout Mobile
Lookout Mobile is a free app that
provides three valuable services: phone
location, virus protection, and backup. You
can enable or disable the services as you
see fit. For remote location and backup,
you need to register with the company’s
website at www.mylookoutmobile.com. You
can also schedule backups for times when
you know your phone will be in its charger.
Virus protection may not seem like a huge
deal right now; however, it could become
a more significant problem as
smartphones and the Android platform in
particular gain in popularity. Lookout Mobile scans apps as you download
them, which means downloads do take
slightly longer to install.
If you ever lose your phone, the LookoutMobile app’s Remote locate & screamfeature might help you find it.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 357
Mint.com
Mint.com is Intuit’s free, online personal
finance software. The official Mint.comapp is also free, and it gives you access to
your personal finances. You can also
download a widget that gives you access
to this software on your DROID. You can
choose whether the phone remembers
your data or requires a password each
time you log in. This is as simple as
making the appropriate choices in the
app’s Settings menu, which you access
by pressing the Menu button.
CAUTION: If you choose to install the Mint.com widget portion, you’re exposing
your financial data to anyone within
eyesight.
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Cooking Capsules Taster
Cooking Capsules is an innovative
approach to selling recipes. The Tastermodule is free, but the Brunch app is a
premium app. However, at $0.99, even the
premium version isn’t going to break the
bank. The app offers you brief video
instructions on preparation; a shopping list
of ingredients you can check off as you
purchase them; and finally, a checklist of
cooking instructions based on the video
you’ve already seen.
Even if you’re not much of a chef, this app
will have you cooking like a pro. Try the
free Taster app before moving on to other
modules.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 359
Evernote
Evernote is a web service available at
www.evernote.com that allows you to
keep virtual scrapbooks of notes, pictures,
web clippings, and audio files. You can
add tags and search terms to your notes
and access them anywhere on the Web.
This means you can make a grocery list
and have it available on your phone. Or,
you might take a picture of something on
the road and examine it from your desktop
computer. You might even take a quick
audio note or picture in the parking
garage, so you can remember where you
parked. The app also includes a widget.
The Evernote app is free, as is the basic
Evernote service. There is also a premium
Evernote subscription service with higher
storage limits.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 360
Pandora
Pandora is an Internet radio service that
lets you create custom “radio stations”
based around a song or artist. The playlist
won’t consist entirely of songs from that
act, but it will share common style features
as analyzed by the Music Genome Project.
You can refine the choices by clicking a
Like or Dislike button. It’s a great way to
find new music you didn’t realize you liked;
it’s also a great way to listen to music on
your phone without having to download it.
Pandora offers free (ad-sponsored)
listening for 40 hours per month. You can
upgrade to a premium account for $36 a
year; the premium service features
unlimited listening and no ads. The
Android app is free either way, but it’s
subject to the same limits as your user
account.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 361
New York Times
The official New York Times app is a free
app that lets you see the newspaper’s
content in a format optimized for mobile
viewing. It’s also easier to carry around
than a full paper. There’s no registration
required, and at this point there appears to
be no advertising for anything other than
home delivery of The Times.
There is also a widget version of this app.
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Google Voice
Google Voice is Google’s free phone-call
forwarding and visual-voicemail service. It
allows you to use a single telephone
number as your point of contact, even if
you’re not always at the same phone. You
can also use it for free SMS text messages
and discount international calls.
The picture on the right is courtesy of
Google, and it shows how Google Voicecan also give you a text transcript of your
voicemail messages.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 363
WikiMobile Encyclopedia (Bonfire)
WikiMobile Encyclopedia may not be the
most accurate encyclopedia, but it’s
certainly a great first start. If you find
yourself looking things up in Wikipedia all
the time, it makes sense to have an app
that can do that for you. This encyclopedia
uses less bandwidth than your web
browser, so you get the results faster. The
app lets you swipe through pages one at a
time; it also includes a Back or Forwardoption for navigating densely linked pages.
CHAPTER 17: The Android Market 364
Yelp There are countless restaurant-finding apps for phones these days, but Yelp has a vibrant user community and ratings for just about every location. You can use this app to find a restaurant, bank, gas station, or drugstore near you, at home, or on the road. The app’sstraightforward interface and copious reviews make this a must-have for anyone who travelsor just likes to eat out.
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Chapter
Taking Photos and Videos Camera phones are not a new phenomenon, but only recently have those cameras
improved to the point that you can leave your point-and-shoot behind and still end up
with decent photos. Not every phone is created equal when it comes to cameras, and
the same is true for DROIDs. The DROID X sports a higher resolution camera than the
DROID 2 or the DROID, but all three are capable of replacing your point-and-shoot in a
pinch.
Whether you need to document work sites or scan bar codes, this chapter will get you
up and running with Android photography. We’ll discuss a few digital camera basics, like
megapixels and image size. We’ll also talk about how to adjust your camera for different
lighting conditions, and how to turn the flash on and off.
You’ll also learn how to enhance your photos and share them by email, Internet, and
MMS, (picture texting). Finally, you’ll learn about using your phone to take video footage,
and some of the apps that will make your photography and video session shine.
NOTE: If you’re using an original DROID, your camera screens and settings are going to look
somewhat different from what is pictured in this chapter.
Understanding Your Camera Before going into the nitty gritty of shooting photos, let’s discuss the camera on your
phone. Since there is no standard, one-size-fits-all Android phone, there’s no standard
Android camera. However, there are a few things most phone cameras have in common.
So far, no DROID will match the quality you’ll find in a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex)
camera. This is the type of professional camera with a separate lens and body that lets
you adjust just about everything and change lenses for specific purposes, such as long
distances or wide angles. DSLRs are expensive, large, and heavy, and we don’t have the
technology to fit them in a phone . . . yet. Likewise, you won’t find the video quality in a
phone that you will in a dedicated digital video camera, and phones just don’t have the
memory to store large, uncompressed video files.
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CHAPTER 18: Taking Photos and Videos 366
However, if your job does not require professional high-end photography or video, it is
entirely possible to use your phone for these purposes, and avoid having to carry around
of two or three separate devices.
Megapixels and Image SizeEach square on a monitor or phone display is a pixel. A megapixel is a million pixels, or
1000�1000 pixels. Webcams are generally either a low-quality .3 megapixels (close to
the size of old standard-definition television broadcasts) or 1.3 megapixels, the size of
an SXGA (1280�1024) monitor. Neither of those is large enough to yield satisfying print
results, because of yet another dimension, pixels per inch (ppi) (also called dots per
inch, or dpi).
When you display images on a monitor, 72 dpi looks fine. However, if you print that
same image, it will look horrible at that resolution. You’ll be able to see every pixel. If
you’re printing, you want an image somewhere around the 250 to 300 dpi range for
good print results; most professionals use 300 dpi as the standard. That means to get a
quality 8�10-inch photo, you need a camera with at least 5 megapixels for a 250 dpi
print and 7.2 megapixels for a 300 dpi print.
The Motorola DROID and DROID 2 cameras both have 5-megapixel cameras with flash.
The DROID X has an 8-megapixel camera, so both will handle 5x7 prints, and the DROID
X will do better for 8x10 prints. Some other smartphones have has an 8-megapixel
camera on the back and a 1.3-megapixel camera on the front for video conferencing,
and this may be something we’ll see from Verizon Wireless in future DROIDs.
Video resolution is lower than print resolution. High-definition (HD) video is at maximum
just slightly bigger than 2 megapixels. However, video struggles against the amount of
space it takes up, so most phones do not support HD video capture, and those that do
generally make some sacrifices. Full resolution HD video can be as large as 1080x1920
pixels at 60 frames per second. Needless to say, that’s not a resolution you’ll see on
phones at this point. Many entry-level video cameras don’t even support that rate.
The DROID X will shoot 720p at 24fps. That means it will shoot a video of 1280x720
pixels at 24 frames per second. It also uses three microphones to capture better audio.
The DROID 2 will capture standard-definition video at 720x480 resolution and 30
frames per second. The DROID will capture the same standard-definition video at
720x480 resolution at up to 24 frames per second.
Focus Point-and-shoot cameras come with either fixed focus or autofocus. Fixed-focus
cameras are optimized to take a photo with the same focus—usually from a couple of
feet to infinity. They use the same aperture opening and shutter speed for every single
picture. That means anything too close will be out of focus. This is the type of focus you
get with disposable cameras, because it’s cheap and doesn’t require any sort of
adjustment on the user’s end.
CHAPTER 18: Taking Photos and Videos 367
Autofocus cameras change the focus by using software and hardware adjustments. The
biggest difference you’ll notice as a user is that you can focus on things very near the
camera lens, such as bar codes. It also means you’ll have more out-of-focus pictures,
since the autofocus might not always work quite as well as you’d hoped, but the overall
picture quality will be better. Your DROID camera comes with autofocus, but some
settings can use fixed focus benefits. Some settings, such as portrait mode, can also
take advantage of tap-to-focus. Just tap the screen to focus on that portion of the image.
Zoom Zoom is another popular feature. There are two types of zoom: optical and digital.Optical zooms use the camera’s lens (the camera optics) to magnify part of the photo
frame. You can still get a high-resolution photo from an optical zoom. Digital zoom is
just a software solution in which the camera makes part of the picture look bigger. It’s
the illusion of zoom without adding any detail to the picture, and this is the type of zoom
you find on phones. When possible, it’s best to ignore digital zoom and just stand closer
to the subject of your photo or video. However, that’s not always practical or possible,
and that’s where digital zoom is handy.
Taking a Picture A lot of this chapter is going to depend on which phone you use. Not only are there
differences in physical hardware, but the interface is different between the DROID and
DROID 2/X camera and galleries.
To take a picture, press the physical Camera button
on your phone as shown here. You can also launch
the Camera app from the app tray or an icon on your
Home screen, but the button is the easiest shortcut.
Other software may also allow you to use your
phone’s camera, and we’ll cover some of it in this
chapter.
Camera button.Press to start the Camera app or take a picture.
When taking pictures, you can hold your phone horizontally or vertically, but the
interface tends to work best when the phone is held on its side for a horizontally framed
photo. Unlike with some apps, the position of the buttons on the screen will not change
as you rotate the phone orientation. (This isn’t true if you’re using an original DROID.)
Figure 18–1 shows a typical screen.
To take a photo, tap the shutter button on the screen or press the physical Camera button on the side of your phone again. Using the Camera button may prove to be less
shaky than trying to hold your phone steady as you poke at the screen, but either
method will shoot your picture.
CHAPTER 18: Taking Photos and Videos 368
Figure 18–1. The Camera screen (for DROID 2 and DROID X only).
You have more options than simple pictures. Your DROID will let you choose the mode
best for your images by using Scenes, and even apply some Effects before shooting
your picture. Figure 18–2 shows some of the options available by dragging the Settings
tray to the left.
You can also adjust focus by pressing on the desired focal point in some modes. Tap
the focal point of your image on the screen gently and wait. You’ll see brackets aroundythe new focal point.
CHAPTER 18: Taking Photos and Videos 369
Figure 18–2. Photo settings.
Flash Modes One of the most common things you may want to control when taking photos is whether
you use a flash. In most cases, the DROID camera will automatically detect the lighting
conditions and make the right choice, but there are cases like shots lit from behind
where you want the flash on, or museums and performances where you want the flash
off, no matter what the camera seems to think is appropriate.
Turn the flash on and off by sliding out the camera
options tray and then tapping the Flash button. Your
choices are Flash On, Flash Off, and Auto Flash, as
shown in the image here.
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Reviewing and Sharing Once you snap a photo, you’ll see your new photo on the screen with a message to tap
the screen for more options. If you tap the screen, you’ll see buttons for Share, Set as,
Quick Upload, and Delete. Delete is pretty self explanatory, so let’s talk about the other
three options.
Share
Sharing a photo lets you send it to someone by email, upload
it to Facebook, or even send your photos to a retail printer.
Android apps can take advantage of photo sharing, so your
sharing choices can include all sorts of apps, as shown here.
Your DROID ships with the ability to share with Bluetooth,
Email, Facebook, Picasa, Photobucket, Text Messaging,
and Print to Retail.
The Print to Retail option will search for a supported retail
outlet where you can pick up your photos, such as Costco
and CVS.
To share a photo by email:
1. Snap a photo.
2. Tap the screen.
3. Tap the Share icon.
4. Choose Email or Gmail, depending on the account you
wish to use.
5. Compose your email message and press Send.
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To share a photo on Facebook or Photobucket:
1. Snap a photo.
2. Tap the screen.
3. Tap the Share icon.
4. Choose Photo Sharing.
5. Choose the appropriate account. Your choices depend on which accounts are set
up to sync with your phone, but they may include Facebook, Photobucket, Picasa, and MySpace.
6. Choose a Caption. Some accounts also let you choose a photo title if desired.
7. Press Send.
To send your photo to a retail store for printing:
1. Snap a photo.
2. Tap the screen.
3. Tap the Share icon.
4. Tap Send to Retail.
5. If your GPS is enabled, your DROID will find a retail location near you.
Alternatively, you can tap the Search by City or Zip Code button instead. Use
this when you are on vacation or sending photos to another city for someone else
to pick up.
6. You’ll see a listing of stores, the price of prints, and their distance from your
location.
7. Tap a store name, and you’ll also see the store hours.
8. Tap Choose This Store.
9. Enter your contact information and specify the number of prints. You’ll be given
the total including tax, and you can drive to the store and pick up your photos,
usually within an hour.
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Set As You use the Set as button to use a picture to personalize part of your phone. You can
set a picture as a Contact, your profile picture, or your Home screen Wallpaper.
To create a Contact icon from a photo, do the following:
1. Snap a picture.
2. Tap the screen.
3. Tap Set as.
4. Tap Contacts.
5. Choose a contact from your contact list.
6. You’ll see your photo with a red outline marking the cropped area for your icon.
Drag the corners to expand or contract the selection, and drag from the middle of
the square to move the center of focus.
7. When you’ve completed your choice, tap Save.
Quick UploadSometimes you don’t care about adding descriptions or fancy settings. You just want to
post pictures at the touch of a button and sort out the rest later.
You can set your camera to quickly upload your photos to a favorite web album, such as
Facebook, Picasa, or Photobucket, through the Quick Upload feature.
When you tap the Quick Upload button for the first time, you’ll be prompted to specify
where you want to upload your photos. After that, tapping the Quick Upload button will
go directly to the web album you’ve chosen. Use the Share button instead of Quick
Upload if you want to add comments and titles to your pictures before you upload them.
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The Camera Roll When you take a photo, you see an image for review briefly on the screen. After that, the
review image goes to the bottom corner of the screen, as shown in Figure 18–2. If you
tap the previous image, you’ll see the Camera roll, as shown in Figure 18–3.
Figure 18–3. Camera roll.
Drag your finger left and right to progress through the photos. They’re organized
chronologically, and you’ll periodically see text indicating when the photos in your
camera roll were taken, such as Today, Last Week, or Last Month.
NOTE: You still have all the same options for sharing, editing, and deleting photos as you dowhen you tap the review image shortly after snapping a photo. All you need to do is press the
Menu button to see them.
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ScenesScenes are a quick way to adjust your camera for specific situations. You can adjust for
lighting conditions, such as indoor shots, or focus situations like portraits. To change the
Scene settings, slide the tray out, as shown in Figure 18–1 and 18–2, and then tap the
Scenes button. You can swipe side to side to navigate through the different
scenes. The camera will show you a preview of your scene as you go. Your scene
choices for still pictures are shown in Table 18–1.
NOTE: On the original DROID, touch the settings icon and then scroll down to Scene Mode. The icons pictured here are not available on the original DROID. The icons may look slightly different
on your DROID 2 depending on your software version.
Table 18-1. Scenes
Scene Icon Description
This is the default setting. Auto allows the camera to decide
how to handle images and is the best general choice.
Landscape mode sets your camera to fixed focus, so you can
capture a landscape without the camera attempting to focus
on objects in the foreground.
Night portraits will attempt to adjust for very low lighting
conditions.
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Scene Icon Description
Macros are close-ups and detail shots. Use this to focus on
something small and near the camera.
Use this for better sunset pictures. Rather than focusing on
the low lighting in the foreground, the camera will capture the
pretty colors in the background and silhouette anything in the
foreground.
Use this scene setting if you’re having problems with your
hands shaking when you try to take pictures.
Portraits are for taking pictures of people. Remember to
gently tap to select an area for focus. In this case, you’ll want
to focus on the face.
The Sport setting is for taking pictures of fast-moving objects,
like runners, horses, or people jumping in the air.
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Creating a Panorama You can create a panorama using your DROID by using the Panorama Assist feature. It’s
not completely intuitive, but once you figure it out, you can have some fantastic
panoramas. Rather than one continuous shot, a panorama is a long, skinny shot made
from stitching photos together. Figure 18–4 shows how this works.
NOTE: Panorama assist is only available on the DROID 2 and DROID X.
Figure 18–4. Creating a panorama.
1. Press the Menu button.
2. Tap Picture modes.
3. Tap Panorama assist.
4. Select a camera direction. You can go left to right, right to left, up to down, or
down to up.
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5. Start by taking your first photo. If you’re working left to right, start on the leftmost
side of your panorama and snap the photo.
6. Move your camera slowly in the direction you’ve selected. For instance, if you’re
working left to right, move the camera slowly to the right.
7. Pay attention to the preview window on the bottom left of the screen. You’ll see
an arrow and two squares that will show you where your phone is positioned in
relation to the last photo.
8. When you’ve lined up your next photo, the camera will beep and shoot the picture
by itself.
9. Proceed to the next photo. If you do not want to take the full six photos, you can
stop the series by tapping the square symbol on the upper right side of the
screen. Otherwise, continue.
10. When you’ve taken six photos or stopped the panorama, your DROID will stitch
the photos together to form your panoramic image.
Camera SettingsThe Camera Settings menu lets you change advanced features, such as the Quick
Upload album, the length of time you preview images, or even ISO settings on your
phone’s camera. To get to the Camera Settings menu, press the Menu button and then
tap Settings. On the original DROID, touch the Settings icon (farthest to the right) and
scroll down for settings to adjust.
Your choices are shown in Figure 18–5.
Figure 18–5. Camera Settings
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Let’s explore these settings.
Picture Resolution This option allows you to set the size of your photos. Larger pictures will print better, but
they take more storage space. If you’re using your DROID only to take photos for the
Web, you probably don’t need the highest setting, but if you’d like to print some of your
photos and have room on your phone’s memory card, increase this.
The highest resolution on a DROID or DROID 2 is 5 megapixels, and the highest on a
DROID X is 8 megapixels.
Video ResolutionThis is the size of video you shoot with your camera. Although your DROID X may be
capable of shooting HD video, you’ll probably get better overall balance of quality and
storage space by using the VGA (640 x 480) setting. That’s the resolution of analog TVs.
It can be uploaded to YouTube and edited in programs like Windows Movie Maker and
iMovie.
If you’re sending video text messages or sending videos by email, you’ll want to make
the video even smaller. Try QCIF (176x144) or QVGA (320 x 240). Those are tiny videos
to watch, but they take much up less storage space as an attachment to a message.
Quick Upload AlbumWe’ve already discussed setting up a Quick upload album. Here is where you’d change
the location. You may want to change locations prior to a trip in order to make it easier
to sort the photos once you get back.
Review Time Review Time is the amount of time a photo shows on your screen after you take it.
Increase the time for a longer review or decrease it to take the next picture faster.
Face DetectionCheck this box if you take lots of pictures of people and want the camera to focus on
their faces rather than focusing on the object nearest the center of the frame. Leave it
unchecked if you primarily take landscape photos or detail shots of items other than
people.
ISO Equivalent Sensitivity The ISO Equivalent sensitivity has to do with the light sensitivity of the camera. In film,
the ISO setting is used to determine shutter speed, and this setting is used to simulate
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that. Faster speeds mean grainier/poorer quality pictures. Slower speeds mean more
chance of shaky hands and motion blur. In most cases, your best bet is to leave this
setting as Auto and use Scenes to compensate for different lighting situations.
Exposure This is a simulation of film and exposure or how light-sensitive the sensors on the
camera are. Just as with ISO settings, your best bet is to leave the setting as is and
adjust for specific situations by using Scenes.
Shutter AnimationThe shutter animation setting just controls whether you see an animation when you snap
a picture. It’s entirely a matter of personal preference.
Effects
Not only can you optimize your camera for certain lighting conditions
and subjects, you can add effects to photos as you shoot them.
1. Launch the Camera app as shown here by pressing your
Camera button or tapping the Camera app icon.
2. Open the Photo Capture Settings tray tab by sliding your
finger on the right side of the screen.
3. Tap the Effects button.
4. Slide and drag your finger to the left or right to navigate through
the Effects options. You’ll see an on-screen preview of the
effect.
Your effect choices are Normal, Black and White, Negative, Sepia, Solarize, Red Tint, Green Tint, and Blue Tint.
Tags Tags are optional metadata that you store with your picture to let you know the location
where a photo was shot or add an additional label to classify a photo. Use this to keep
track of exactly where you took photos on vacations or during field work or add custom
tags for events. Keep in mind that others will also be able to see your metadata if you
upload these tagged photos to the Web.
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In order for location tags to work, your phone GPS must be enabled. You can also
disable location or geotags separately from custom tags. Figure 18–6 shows how this
works.
Figure 18–6. Adding tags.
1. From the Camera app, press the Menu button.
2. Tap Tags.
3. Check the box next Auto Location Tag if you want the camera to automatically
geotag your images. Your GPS must be enabled for this to work.
4. Check the box next to Custom Tags to create a custom tag.
5. If you’ve already created a tag, it will be listed under Active Custom Tags.
Otherwise, you should tap Select to add custom tags.
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NOTE: On the original DROID, touch the Store Location icon (second from right) to turn on
geotagging.
Shooting Video You can shoot video using the same Camera app and slightly adjusted
settings. Drag out the Photo Capture Settings tray, as shown to the
right, and tap the bottom button: Switch to. On the original DROID,
just move the slider from the Photo to the Video icon.
Notice that the button shows a video camera. This will switch your
camera to video mode. You can switch back the same way by
tapping the Switch to button, only the button will now show a still
camera icon.
You’ll notice a few other differences in video mode, as shown in
Figure 18–6. The icons along the top left still show tags, and rather
than showing your resolution in megapixels, it will show your video
resolution.
Rather than a shutter, you’ll see a red record button on the upper
right. Tap it once to start recording. Tap it again to stop or pause
your recording.
The button will change to show a square DVD-style stop symbol in
the middle to indicate that you’re recording, and you’ll see an overlay
of the time elapsed on the screen.
Figure 18–7. Video recording.
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Scenes and Effects Just as with still photos, you can slide out the Video Capture Settings tray, as shown
here. Just as with still photos, you can choose Scenes and Effects.
Just as with still photos, you just need to tap the Scenes button and slide through the
available choices. Table 18-2 shows the available Scene settings for your DROID.
Scenes for video adjusts audio quality as well as video.
Table 18-2. Video Scenes
Scene Setting Icon Description
The Everyday setting is a good overall choice. It records in
stereo and is suitable for most situations.
Use the Concert settings for recording concerts or other loud,
stereo sources.
Narrative is used when you’re voicing over the video as you film
it, such as film of the Grand Canyon while talking about your
impressions of the area. The sound picks up behind the camera.
The Outdoors setting tries to reduce the amount of wind noise.
Subject video is good for standard interviews and other
situations where you’re filming someone else in front of the
camera. The audio is recorded from the front to avoid
accidentally picking up random noises from your end.
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Effects for video offer exactly the same choices as effects for still pictures: Normal, Black and White, Negative, Sepia, Solarize, Red Tint, Green Tint, and Blue Tint.
Flash and Video
What if you want to light up a dark scene? You can use the
same light you’d use for the camera flash by using the Light
button on the Video Capture Settings tray.
Your choices are rather simple: on or off, as shown in the
image here. Although turning on the light will help in very
dark situations, it’s not a substitute for adequate lighting
and it won’t work miracles.
Video ModesJust as you can switch to different picture modes for
cool features like panoramas, you can switch video
modes on your DROID for sophisticated options.
1. Launch the Camera app.
2. Switch to Video mode.
3. Press the Menu button.
4. Tap Video Modes.
You’ll see choices like those on the right except for the original DROID. Normal video is
self-explanatory, and this is the setting you’ll use to return to your regular video settings.
Slow motion video captures extra frames, so when you play the video back, everything
appears to be slowed down. Fast motion does the opposite and skips frames. Video Message is used for sending MMS video messages.
When you select either Slow motion or Video Message, your video resolution will drop.
Your DROID X doesn’t support shooting slow-motion video at HD resolution, and the
DROID and DROID 2 don’t support shooting HD video at all.
NOTE: You can’t make a Video Message out of a video you’ve already created in a higher
resolution, so be sure to change your settings before you shoot your video.e
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Sharing Videos Once you create video, you can share that video using the Share button. Just as with
still pictures, you can tap the screen right after the video is shot, or you can go to the
Camera roll, tap the video, and then press the Menu button.
When you create videos, the primary way to upload and share them is through YouTube.
This works really well for personal videos, but it’s a bit trickier for corporate videos,
because each YouTube “channel” is limited to one user account and one password.
Eventually, there may be an easy way to upload to a collaborative channel. Google is
currently experimenting with methods to allow users to upload submissions to another
channel.
YouTube offers unlimited storage for videos and two basic privacy settings, private and
public. Private videos can be shared with small groups of other users. You can also
upload videos privately at first and make them public later. Public videos are searchable
and are automatically closed-captioned using speech-to-text technology.
Videos on YouTube are limited to 15 minutes unless you are part of YouTube’s Partner
Program for commercial content creators. More information on YouTube’s Partner
Program is available at www.youtube.com/t/partnerships_faq.
In order to upload videos to YouTube, you must have a YouTube account, and it must
be linked to a Google account. However, large files require a Wi-Fi connection.
NOTE: When you give public photos and videos tags and descriptions, keep search in mind. Use
terms that you think people searching for that video would use, and do not skip fields.
The Share button will also work for sending your video as an email attachment or text
message. However, you can’t make a video smaller from your phone, so if you’ve shot
the video in VGA or higher resolution, you’ll need to upload it to YouTube or transfer it to
your computer before trying to send it anywhere else.
Even though Photobucket supports video, you can’t upload videos directly to your
Photobucket account as of the time of publication.
The Gallery Photos taken from your camera are stored on your phone’s memory card, and you can
review these using your Camera app. However, you might also have photos you’ve
moved or downloaded from other sources. You can use the Gallery app to return to
your Camera roll and browse through your pictures.
Tap an album to view the pictures within it. You can enlarge photos using the pinch-to-
zoom motion. You can view pictures either as a Camera roll or as a grid of preview icons
depending on how you hold your phone. Tilt your phone horizontally to view Camera
rolls and vertically to view an image grid. Tap an individual picture to view it.
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TIP: You can upload or delete multiple photos at once through the gallery by viewing an albumand pressing the Menu button twice. Gray check marks will appear on each photo or video. Select multiple items by pressing each one. You can then mass-delete them with the Deletebutton, or upload them to Picasa or YouTube using the Share button.
Using Picasa Picasa is Google’s online and desktop photo software, and it is the default photo service
for unmodified Android phones. It is one of your choices when using the Share button,
and it provides an easy way to upload a photo for embedding into a web page.
Technically, Picasa and Picasa Web Albums are two separate products, but the
distinction is fuzzy, since you can sync online and desktop photos. Picasa Web Albums
is located on the Web at http://picasaweb.google.com.
Think of Picasa Web Albums as Google’s answer to Flickr. You can upload photos and
organize them into albums. Each album can have privacy settings, captions, tags, and
location information (geotags). When using the service in a standard web browser, it also
has facial recognition capabilities. So far this hasn’t been translated into the phone
version, but it’s only a matter of time.
Picasa doesn’t provide unlimited storage. At the time of publication, it provides 1GB of
free storage, and anything beyond that must be purchased from Google on an annual
basis.
There are three basic privacy levels for Picasa:
� Public: This is just as it sounds. Your album is visible to anyone and
can be found in search.
� Unlisted: Google will give you an obscure URL, which you can
distribute as you see fit. This is not actually private; it’s just hard to
guess. However, anyone with the URL can see your album and pass
that URL on to other people, so it is a poor security setting for
anything you really need to remain private.
� Sign-in Required: You specify who can see the album. You enter the
name of specific users’ Google accounts, and only those people can
see your album, and only when they are logged in. You can add and
remove anyone from your “shared with” list.
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To upload a photo to Picasa, click the Share button when viewing a picture in the
Gallery app or reviewing a picture in the Camera app.
1. Select Picasa.
2. Choose a Google account.
3. Enter a caption.
4. Select an album.
5. Tap Upload.
Using Photos As Wallpaper and Widgets You can use a photo as your Home screen wallpaper. When you’ve shot a photo, you
can set this immediately, but you can also use photos stored on your phone’s card. This
is explained in further detail in Chapter 6.
To make a wallpaper from a photo, you can use the Set As button, but you can also:
1. Long-press the Home screen.
2. Select Wallpapers.
3. Select Gallery.
4. Navigate to the photo you want to use. You’ll see an outline around part of the
photo indicating where it will be cropped to fit as your wallpaper.
5. Drag your finger to expand, shrink, or move the cropping area.
6. Click Save when you are done.
Using Photos for Contact Icons You can also add contact photos by browsing to the photo in the Gallery and clicking
Menu ➤➤ More ➤➤ Set as, and then clicking the Contact icon. You’ll be given the option
to crop the image, just as you are for wallpaper. Browse to the contact you want to
replace (this is easiest if you use your trackball to scroll through your contacts, so you
can avoid accidentally selecting the wrong one). Select the correct contact, and then
click Save.
This option is also available immediately after shooting a photo through the Set asbutton, so when you enter a new friend or business partner’s contact information into
your phone, take a quick picture of them and add their picture to the contact info.
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Copying Photos to Your Computer You can get photos from your phone to your computer in many different ways. The
method you use depends on the bandwidth you have available, your privacy concerns
with the photos, and your personal style. You can email photos to yourself or upload
them to Picasa and download them to your desktop from the Web. This may present
privacy issues if the photos are sensitive, and it may just take too long if you’ve taken a
lot of photos.
Syncing media is explained in more detail in Chapter 25: “DROID Media Sync.”
Editing Photos You can apply effects and choose Scenes, but what if
you want to do something more advanced? What if
you want to add an effect after you’ve already taken
the photo or edit out red eye? Fear not, there are tons
of apps that allow you to edit photos directly from
your phone, and your DROID even ships with
advanced photo editing tools, which were used on
the image shown here.
Nothing offers the same quality you’d get from a
desktop photo-editing program, but you’re using this
with a phone camera, not the latest SLR.
To edit a photo, do the following:
1. Go to the Gallery app and navigate to the photo you wish to edit.
2. Press the Menu button.
3. Tap Edit.
4. Tap Advanced editing.
5. If you don’t have any other advanced editing software installed, this will launch
the Photo Workshop app. Otherwise, you’ll have a choice.
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The advanced editing tools allow you to add frames and stamps, but you can also use it
to change the color settings, resize, and crop photos.
Photoshop MobileAdobe Photoshop is probably the most trusted name in photo-editing software, and
Adobe has expanded to also offer a mobile version of its product, as shown here. It’s
not nearly as full-featured as the desktop version, but it is considerably cheaper. The
current price is free.
Photoshop Mobile doesn’t let you take new
photos from within the program, but it lets
you work with the photos you already have.
Think of it as a Gallery app alternative. It
allows you to edit a variety of photos
features, including soft focus, saturation, tint,
cropping, and color effects. You can upload
photos to a free Photoshop.com account
(you’ll be prompted to create an account if
you don’t have one already).
Once your photos have been uploaded, you can share and edit them from your
Photoshop.com account.
PicSay
PicSay is probably the best known of several photo-
editing apps that allow you to make artistic and novel
changes to photos before uploading them, as shown
here. PicSay comes in a free trial version and a paid
app (about $4.00 as of publishing time). Google
Checkout will convert the currency if you buy the app
through the Android Market. The trial version of
PicSay has an older version of the interface than the
for-pay version, and limits the size of pictures. The
pro version also offers more editing options.
PicSay allows you to apply an impressive amount of
effects to photos. Not only does it allow you make
whimsical edits like applying fake mustaches or
novelty eyeballs, but it has an impressive list of very
practical effects. You can use it to edit out red-eye,
add captions, or add grain and other textures to
photos.
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Similar photo-editing apps include Pic Paint and Camera Illusion, along with Photo
Workshop, which ships with your DROID. See Chapter 17, "The Android Market" for
more information on purchasing and installing apps.
Other Photo Apps If you prefer not to use Picasa for your online photo albums, you can use Photobucket
or Facebook. You can also use any other service, so long as you have the proper app
installed. You can also share photos using Bump, an app that allows you to exchange
contact info by physically bumping the phone of another user. Bump was previously an
iPhone-only app, but it is now cross-platform compatible with Android users.
Android allows developers to have access to camera controls, so many apps allow you
to take photos or use the camera. Price comparison software like ShopSavvy and
Compare Everywhere use the camera to scan bar codes. Evernote allows you to take
and attach snapshots to notes. Camera Pro and Snap Photo Pro are paid apps that offer
higher-end camera features like a timer and grid marks for easier photo composition.
Camera Pro even offers to replace the Camera app as the default camera.
Google launched an experimental app for searching with pictures, called Goggles.
Goggles is best when used to scan man-made objects like DVD covers, text, and
famous buildings. Goggles analyzes any photo you take with it and attempts to identify
the object and find it in search. If it can’t identify the object, it looks for visually similar
images.
Goggles is currently not much more than a novelty, but in the future it may end up being
an easier way to search than typing search terms into your phone.
Printing If you want to print photos, documents, or other files without downloading them to your
PC or sending them to CVS, you can use the PrinterShare app from the Android Market.
Download the free Mac or PC desktop component from http://printershare.com, and
install the Android app on your phone. This lets you share that computer’s printer
access. You can use a trial version to make sure it’s compatible with your network and
do some limited printing. The $4.95 pro Android app allows you to print directly to Wi-Fi
printers and doesn’t have a page limit.
Remember that the resolution on your DROID or DROID 2 is still only enough for quality
5�7-inch prints or smaller.
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Chapter
Finding Your Way With Maps One of the big advantages of owning a smartphone is that, not only do you have a
mobile computer with you at all times, but you also have a compass, map, and
restaurant guide.
This chapter will discuss using Google Maps and other location-conscious apps on your
phone for both business and pleasure. You’ll learn how to use your phone for driving
directions, deciding where to eat, and letting your friends know where to find you.
There are a lot of apps that use maps, but in order to do so, those apps have to know
where your phone is. In general, phones know where they are by using the following:
� GPS (global positioning satellites)
� Cell phone towers
� WPS (Wireless Positioning System)
There are dozens global positioning satellites orbiting the Earth. Your DROID’s GPS unit
attempts to find the signal from at least three of them and triangulate your position.
However, this requires your phone to have a chip that detects GPS signals and be in an
area that can detect them. If you’re indoors underground or around lots of tall buildings,
your phone might not pick up a GPS signal.
Your location can also be estimated using relative positions to cell phone towers. This
isn’t as accurate as GPS because cell towers are positioned for better signal reception,
not triangulation, so there are generally not three overlapping points for positioning.
The third method of locating your phone comes from using a map of known public Wi-Fi
spots. It’s a method that works well in urban areas and indoors – precisely the places
where GPS does poorly. Because it only requires a Wi-Fi signal, it even works on
laptops, netbooks, and tablets.
If you combine all three methods, you end up with a phone that usually knows where it
is.
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You can enable and disable your phone’s ability to trace your location by using the GPS
Toggle widget, which is a Motorola widget for phones that support them. You
can also do the following:
1. Press the Menu button while on the
Home screen.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Location & Security.
4. Check the options under My Location.
You can choose to enable Wi-Fi tracking, GPS satellite
tracking, or assisted GPS, which uses a combination of
location methods. The more services you enable, the
better your phone will be at determining your location.
Understanding Google Maps Your DROID ships with Google Maps, and it comes with several related apps, all of
which will be covered in this chapter. Google Maps-related apps include Google Maps,
Places, Street View, and Navigator. You can either launch these apps individually or
launch them from within Google Maps.
Google Maps works with your phone’s GPS; and if you have location sensing enabled
on your DROID, Google Maps will determine your location when you launch the app.
You can also use it to search for distant locations.
You can move your view of the map with your fingers, and you can also use pinch-to-
zoom motions to enlarge and shrink the area you’re displaying. You can also use the +and – buttons to shrink and zoom the image. Tap anywhere on the map, and GoogleMaps will attempt to tell you the address of that location.
Press the Menu button to see more options.
Remember that if you’re ever lost, you can use the
My Location tool and Google Maps to try to
determine your location.
You’ll see yourself as a point on the map with a light-blue circle around it. Because there
are a lot of variables that affect accuracy, the larger circle shows where you could be.
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The smaller the circle, the more accurate the prediction. Your location may be indicated
as a blue arrow if the DROID can determine which direction your phone is facing or
moving. If you don't see any circle around your blue dot or arrow, then your location is
as accurate as possible - usually about 3 meters (about 10 feet).
Driving DirectionsIf you just feel like exploring an area, use the Search button. You can either use the
physical Menu button or the button that appears when you press the Menu button from
the Home screen. This is useful for answering questions such as “What’s near 131st
street?” or “Where is Uganda?” It’s not, however, for directions on how to get to places.
There’s also a handy Bookmark button next to the My Location and End pointfields. This lets you choose from your current location, a place you point to on the map,
the address of one of your contacts, or any location you’ve starred.
You’ll also see a series of buttons below these fields for choosing what mode of
transportation you need. You can choose car, public
transportation, bicycle, and walking directions. This is a lifesaver if you’re trying to get
anywhere in a big city without a car.
Follow these steps to get actual driving directions:
1. Press the Menu button.
2. Tap Directions.
You’ll see fields for My Location and End point, as
shown to the right. The My Location field assumes
that you want directions from your current location. If
you want to use a different address, you’ll need to
enter it here.
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Once you’ve settled on a start point, endpoint, and
means of transportation, tap Go. You’ll see a list of
text-based step-by-step directions.
Tap Show on map to see the route displayed on the
map instead. If you leave your phone’s GPS on, you
can even see your progress as you go. We’ve used
this to navigate in cities without annoying the locals
by pausing too long to figure out directions.
Press the phone’s Back button to get back to text
directions. From here you can also press the phone’s
Menu button to get updated directions, reverse the
directions for the trip back, or report a problem with
the directions.
Press the Navigate button to hear spoken directions
that guide you to your destination.
Map LayersGoogle Maps for Android works by displaying
information as a series of information-layer overlays.
If you’re familiar with Google Earth, it works the
same way. These layers can be turned on and off
individually. Follow these steps to use this app:
1. On the DROID 2/X press the Menubutton and then Layers to see some
of the available layers, as shown to
the right. This list may also scroll. On
the original DROID, Layers is
activated by the Layers icon at the
top right of the screen.
2. Tap the More Layers button to see
even more layers.
3. Tap each layer to toggle it on or off.
You can toggle more than one of
these layers at a time.
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TrafficMuch of the information you see in Google Maps comes from contracts with third
parties, and the traffic information is no exception. Traffic information is only available
for large cities, and it’s shown by color-coding the roads. Green indicates smooth traffic,
yellow indicates delays, and red indicates major snarls. Traffic information can change
rapidly, so don’t expect absolute accuracy. It’s also difficult (and dangerous) to check
while you’re actually on the road.
Satellite
Satellite info comes from a variety of third-party
imaging sources as well as Google, and those photos
are stitched together and superimposed on the map
information. An example is shown to the right.
The images are usually great, but sometimes the
stitching process distorts the image. Consequently,
there are times when an address appears to be in the
wrong location, and you’ll notice patches of ground
with different image quality.
Satellite images are also not necessarily up to date.
The photos for any given area could be several years
old. Google will often buy new images when
something major happens in an area, such as
Hurricane Katrina, the BP oil spill, or the earthquake
in Haiti, but don’t be surprised if the satellite image of
your house doesn’t include your recently built garage.
BuzzGoogle Buzz is a social networking service. You can make posts in Google Buzz that
include your location information, and that adds your post to the Buzz layer on GoogleMaps. Using this layer, you can see Buzz posts that were made nearby. The Google Buzz layer shows those posts as little quote bubbles over the map. Tap a quote to see
the post.
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Google Labs Layers
The Google Labs layer is shown to the right. It is a
collection of experimental features you can turn on
and off. They’re not always reliable, and they don’t
always last, but some Google Labs “graduates” have
turned into solid and popular features, such as the
public transportation directions in the Google Mapsapp.
Most main Google products have their own set of
Google Labs experiments, and quite often (as in
Gmail) those features just won’t work on your phone.
Google Maps is an exception to this general rule.
Follow these steps to toggle Google Labs layers on
or off:
1. To get to Google Labs, press the Menu button while in Google Maps.
2. Tap More.
3. Tap Labs.
4. Tap on individual layers to toggle them on or off. You can enable or
disable layers at will.
Google does use the relative popularity of Google Labs projects as one factor in
determining what stays and what goes from an application or service.
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Location Sharing With Latitude Google’s Latitude service is a way to let your social network know where you are. You
can use it to make sure people know you made your flight, or let your contacts know
you’ve got a trip in their city.
Currently, you can only share information with mutual
friends, which means you must invite your friends to
share Latitude information with you, and they must
accept the invitation. You can also use the Latitude
service from a laptop or desktop computer, so it
doesn’t depend on everyone owning a phone. You
have four global choices for sharing Latitude location
information:
� Detect automatically: You just let
your phone report where you are to
your friends.
� Set your location: You can
manually update your location (and
lie about where you are if you wish).
� Hide your location: Nobody sees
your location, but you can still see
your friends.
� Turn Latitude off: Your friends
can’t see you where you are, nor
can you can see where they are.
Keep in mind that your friends are the only ones who can see any of this, and settings
for individuals will override global choices. When Latitude was initially released, there
was concern that someone could be stalked by having this feature turned on without his
knowledge, so you may receive an email letting you know you’ve joined Latitude or that
you have turned on location tracking.
To add friends to your Latitude account from the Google Maps app, take the following
steps:
1. Press the Menu button.
2. Tap Join Latitude.
3. Press Menu.
4. Tap Add friends.
5. Choose to add a friend through your contact list or by the friend’s email
address.
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The friend will receive an email inviting her to join Latitude or accept your request. When
someone sends you an invitation, you’ll receive an email asking if you’d like to ignore the
request, share your location back, or accept their request and hide your location.
If all of this sounds a bit too personal, you can ratchet it down a notch for more casual
business contacts.
For example, you can manage friends on an individual level by tapping Latitude and
then tapping a contact’s name.
You can see where someone is on a map, contact them (through email, Google Talk,
and so on), get navigation directions to visit them, remove them as a friend, and set
specific privacy settings.
Tap Sharing options, and you can choose to do the following:
� Share the best available location (most likely your exact location)
� Share city information only
� Hide your information
You can change these settings later or tweak them by relationship level. For example, you
might let your spouse know your exact location and your business contacts know your
city only when you travel. You can also globally shut down location information by hiding
or manually entering just your city name when you don’t want to broadcast your location.
Google Place Pages Sometimes you want more information about a
particular location. In the web version of GoogleMaps, Google has moved toward a system where
each location has a place page. On Android, that
means each location has a well-organized detail
page with tabs. Double-tap a location or tap the
location bubble, and you’ll see the location details,
as shown on the right.
Not every location will have so many details, so what
you see will depend on the information available for
the location. Also note that this is a fairly new feature,
so sometimes the details themselves are off.
Some details you can find include reviews, a
location’s website, driving directions, a location’s
distance from you, and the ability to share info about
a location on social networks. Tap the Places icon to
start the Places app.
CHAPTER 19: Finding Your Way With Maps 399
If there’s an available phone number, you can call it by tapping the Phone button.
NOTE: If you need to give someone an address in a hurry, go to the location’s place page, tapShare this place, and send it as an SMS text message. If that person has a smartphone, they
can tap the link you sent her and use Google Maps to get directions.
Google Places
Rather than randomly finding spots on a map, you can search for nearby
attractions by using the Places app. Although it’s a separate app, it’s really
just a different interface for the same Google Maps database. You can use
Places to browse for apps by category or search individually. Once you’ve
landed on an item’s Page Place, you can get navigation directions, phone
the business, view the location in Street View, and more. Figure 19–1
illustrates the power of Places. Tap the Places icon to start the Placesapp.
Figure 19–1. Leveraging the Google Places app. s
CHAPTER 19: Finding Your Way With Maps 400
Starring Locations
You can also use the location details to add a star to a
location. Tap the Star icon in the upper-right corner of
the screen. It will glow yellow when the location is
starred. Simply tap it again to remove the star. Using
stars is like saving bookmarks for web pages. This
feature enables you to easily find locations you visit
frequently or need to find quickly.
Follow these steps to access your list of starred items in Google Maps:
1. Press Menu.
2. Tap More. On the original DROID, tap Starred Places.
3. Tap Starred items.
NOTE: When you travel for business, put a star on the convention center and your hotel before
you arrive; this will give you instant access to addresses, driving directions, relevant phone
numbers, and nearby restaurants.
CHAPTER 19: Finding Your Way With Maps 401
Google Street View
At first the idea of the Google Street View service
seemed a bit creepy: Google used cars with mounted
cameras and other equipment to take 360-degree
photos of roads everywhere. It’s still a bit creepy in
light of the company’s admission that it inadvertently
snooped on users in open Wi-Fi hotspots (this is
another reason to use caution when using
unencrypted hotspots).
That aside, Google Street View is an amazing tool for
figuring out where you need to be. We use it when
we have an appointment at a new location to see
what the building looks like before we arrive; we also
use it to check whether there’s any parking or tricky
intersections along the way.
Follow these steps to get to Street View:
1. Go to the location details page.
2. Tap the Street View button, which
looks like a person with a triangle on
his chest. Not every location has a
Street View; if this button is grayed
out, that option is unavailable.
3. Navigate by dragging around the
picture with your finger to pan
around the scene.
4. Go further up or down the road by
tapping the arrows. The yellow line
shows you the path the Street View
car took as it traveled.
5. Exit Street View with the Back button
on your phone.
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TIP: Street View uses large pictures and takes some bandwidth, so you should only attempt touse it if you’ve got a fairly strong signal or you are in a Wi-Fi hotspot. If you are not in a Wi-Fihotspot, be aware that Street View uses a lot of data, so we recommend only using it if you have
a large or unlimited wireless data plan.
Using Your Phone for GPS Navigation If you have a phone with maps, wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t also need
a car GPS? As it happens, you can indeed use your phone as a GPS.
Google Maps includes navigation instructions, but it also includes a
separate app called Navigation that you can use to get directions in a
hurry. Navigation is not just for driving directions; you can also use it for
walking, biking, and public transport directions.
Like Places, Navigation isn’t so much a separate app as it is an interface to get to the
same Google Maps data. When you get driving directions, choose the Navigate option.
You can select Navigate from within Google Maps or just launch the Navigation app.
Directions will be spoken from your DROID’s speaker or Bluetooth headset when
attached.
Just as with dedicated GPS navigation systems,
Navigation will attempt to compensate if you take a
wrong turn or choose to take an alternate road. It
also has text-to-speech, which means you’ll hear
“Turn left on West Highway 50” and not just “Turn left
in 1000 feet.” As with any GPS navigation system,
this works better for some roads than others.
Sometimes the Google Maps data will reflect a less
commonly used name for a road, and sometimes the
pronunciation will be off.
As shown on the right, Navigation displays map
information for driving, the length of time it will take
to reach your destination, and the direction of your
next turn.
As you near your destination, Navigation will show
you Street View, so you can glance (or better yet,
have a passenger glance) to see where you’re
headed.
Unlike some commercial navigation systems, you
cannot choose new voices or change the appearance
of your “car” on the map.
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You can purchase special accessories for your DROID such as car mounts for charging
your phone while using it to navigate. You can also use a cigarette lighter adapter to
power your phone while navigating. It’s a good idea to have some sort of dock or
charger because navigation eats up a lot of battery juice.
Google isn’t the only navigation app for DROIDs. There are a growing
number of commercial navigation apps available for download, and
DROIDs also come with VZ Navigator, which currently costs an extra $10
per month to use. Because Google’s navigation tools are free and very
useful, we feel they’re the best bet. However, you may find a must-have
feature, such as live rerouting to avoid traffic jams (available in VZNavigator), that make a commercial app worth the extra money. It’s still rcheaper than buying a standalone GPS unit.
CarDock
In addition to Google Maps, Google Navigation, and Google Places,
your DROID also has a Google app called CarDock, a tool specifically
made for using your phone in the car. CarDock assumes that you will
mainly be using your phone as a speaker phone to dial your contacts;
using voice commands to find driving directions; and playing music.
The buttons on CarDock are intentionally big, so you can press them with a glance
instead of a stare. Figure 19–2 illustrates the various CarDock options. When someone
calls you, you still have to drag to answer the call, which is unfortunate.
Tap the large Microphone button to launch Voice Search. You can use Voice Searchto find a location. Be sure to say, “Navigate to” and then your destination. This tells
Voice Search that you want driving directions, not just to search for a location on the
map.
CarDock will launch the Navigation app in order to find your destination. You may see
a prompt to choose whether you want to use VZ Navigator or Google Navigation to
complete your task. Choose Navigation unless you’re paying for the VZ Navigator
service.
CHAPTER 19: Finding Your Way With Maps 404
Figure 19–2. CarDock as seen in k Night mode. t
NOTE: On the original DROID, this is called Car Home and the icons are somewhat different.
Adding a Favorite App You may notice that CarDock has six buttons, and one of them is labeled Add App.
You can use this button to launch Pandora, the FM Radio app on your DROID,
Amazon’s MP3 Player, or any other app you frequently use while driving. Follow these
steps to add an app to CarDock:
1. Press down and hold your finger on the Add App button (the long-press
gesture)
2. You will see a prompt. Scroll through the list of available apps, and tap
the one you wish to add.
3. The Add App button will be replaced by the name of the app you’ve
chosen.
Alternatively, you can assign an app to this button with the following steps:
1. From the CarDock app, press the Menu button.
CHAPTER 19: Finding Your Way With Maps 405
2. Tap Preferences.
3. Select Custom.
4. Choose an app.
You must use the Preferences method if you’ve already chosen a custom app for
CarDock and want to change it to something else.
Email and Text Directions Many apps link to Google Maps, and Google provides plenty of alternative ways to find
directions and locations. If someone sends you a location in Gmail, Google will sense
that the information is an address and attempt to automatically create a Google Mapslink from it. Likewise, if you receive an SMS message with a Google Maps address link,
you can use the link to launch Google Maps.
Making Your Own Maps You may have noticed that one of your options in
Google Maps layers is My maps. You’re not limited
to Google’s layers in order to make a map. You can
actually create your own map as a layer to Google Maps.
To create your own maps, you can either use Google Maps on a desktop computer, or you can download
the My Maps Editor app from Google. This lets you
add photos, lines, shapes, markers, and new
addresses. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Tap a location.
2. Tap the + button.
3. Select the type of content you want
to add.
Photos can only be added if you shoot them
from your camera at that moment.
CHAPTER 19: Finding Your Way With Maps 406
4. Once you’re done adding an element, you can
add details to it. For instance, you could put a
shape around the area of a convention where
your company will locate its booth.
5. Once you’ve added the elements you need, tap the Edit button and choose
whether this is a personal, private, or public map.
6. Give your map a name, and tap the Save button.
All your maps will be available in the My maps layer, but only maps you’ve made public
will be visible to other people or available in search.
Location-Based Social Media and GamesWe’ve focused a lot in this chapter on Google Maps specifically. However, one recent
trend worth noting is location-sensitive social media. There are restaurant and service
guides like Yelp and Geodelic, as well as apps that tag photos or messages with your
location. Your DROID camera can also tag your photos with the location they were
taken. See Chapter 18: “Photos and Video” for more information.
The Latitude and Buzz services use some of these geo-tagging features, and Twitterhas likewise enabled the ability to give location information. However, two rising stars in
this field are Gowalla and Foursquare. Both were created around the same time and
offer very similar features. App developers are also free to take advantage of the Google
Maps library and Android’s location-sensing features.
Both Foursquare and Gowalla are working with businesses and cities to offer features
like coupons and specials for users who check in. This unique form of advertising may
become very popular because it gives you an obvious way to measure the effectiveness
of an advertising campaign.
In both the Gowalla and Foursquare services, the
object is to check into locations. You need to use a
phone or other location-sensing mobile device. You
can’t just manually type in a location. The whole
point is to actually be there. You can share these
check-ins with nobody, your friends, your Facebook
page, or the whole world via Twitter.
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FoursquareFoursquare was cofounded by ex-Googler Dennis Crowley, who worked on a similar
project, Dodgeball, which was purchased and abandoned by Google. However,
Foursquare takes the social network to a new and different level by adding a gaming
component. Dennis Crowley explained it as a method to combine exploring your city
with gaming and a little bit of Boy Scout pride in earning merit badges and trophies.
Certain combinations of check-ins in Foursquare earn badges. Some examples include
checking into the same location three times, finding five karaoke bars, finding three
places in Chicago with photo booths, or checking in after 3 a.m. on a school night.
Checking into the same location regularly could also
earn you a “mayorship.” The picture to the right
shows a check in that resulted in winning a new
mayorship. The mayor of a location is the person
who has checked in most frequently in the last two
months, so you need to keep checking in to maintain
the title.
However, rapid checking in is disabled to prevent too
many people from gaming the system.
Gowalla While Foursquare is a bit of a competitive game, Gowalla is more of a personal
exploration and virtual geocaching tool. You can earn pins, similar to the badges in
Foursquare, and you maintain a passport of places you’ve visited. You can also create
and travel on tours of different check-in locations.
Rapid check-ins are fine with Gowalla, since there’s no mayorship. It’s also much more
sensitive to proximity than Foursquare, so you need to be pretty close to a location to
Gowalla also gives users a few virtual items they can
leave or exchange at locations. Examples would be
blankets, avocados, and espresso machines. To the
right, you can see the luggage tags left at a location.
When you encounter a virtual item at a location, you
can see the history of who owned the item,
encouraging the frequent exchange of these virtual
geocaches.
CHAPTER 19: Finding Your Way With Maps 408
check in. This makes it ideal for walking tours and pub crawls, but not so great for
check-ins within a building or anyplace where the GPS will not work well.
In the next chapter, we'll explore social media in more detail.
409
409
Chapter
Social Media and Skype Social media can broadly be defined as Internet sites and apps designed around social
interaction. The Internet, has always centered on communication, and now that form of
communication entered the mainstream. As we write this, the Facebook site at kwww.facebook.com is the most popular website in the world.
These days, being social can also be good business, so much so that it’s become a
regular component of CRM (customer-relationship management). Social media keeps
your customers updated with your latest projects, keeps them excited about your
products and services, and lets them tell you where you should go next. Social media
also helps you personally network with your colleagues or find your next opportunity.
Social media done badly can also be bad business for you or your company, so think
twice about what you post and exercise some common sense. People have been fired
for casual posts they’ve made on their blog, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media
websites.
In this chapter, we’ll explore some of the social media tools available for Android, as well
as how you can make efficient use of your social time both on and off the clock.
Motorola Widgets Your DROID comes ready to sync with several social networking sites, including
Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. You can learn more about syncing with your accounts
in Chapter 3: “Sync to your Google Account.” In addition, there are two Motorola
widgets you can use with your social media. These are covered in more detail in Chapter
6: “Organize Your Home Screens.”
Let’s begin by reviewing the two social networking Motorola widgets: Social Networking and Social Status (see Figure 20–1).
NOTE: The original DROID has a separate Facebook and Twitter widgets as opposed to the Social
Networking widget.
20
CHAPTER 20: Social Media and Skype 410
Figure 20–1.– The social networking Motorola widgets.
Both of these widgets are interactive. Tap on a widget to expand it for more choices.
The Social Status widget expands to allow you to make status updates to your Twitter
and Facebook accounts. The Social Networking widget expands to let you read,
comment, Like, Retweet, and otherwise interact with your social networks (see Figure
20–2).
Figure 20–2.– The expanded Social Networking widget. g
CHAPTER 20: Social Media and Skype 411
It’s possible you’ll never need another social networking app for your DROID. It’s also
possible you’ll find features or social networks missing from your collection if you rely
only on the included Motorola widgets.
Twitter and Microblogs Twitter is part of a new generation of short, public
blogging tools known as microblogs. Twitter is a
rapidly evolving service that essentially started out as
a blog-like public collection of SMS messages from a
given user. Twitter posts, or tweets, are limited to 140
characters; this limitation reflects their start in SMS.
However, Twitter is also available from the Web, so
many users are not accessing it with their phone at
all. Twitter gained popularity in part because it
allowed a lot of open use from third-party tools. Some
(but not all) of those tools have made their way to
Android, and Twitter features are built into your
Social Networking and Social Status widgets, as
well as many other apps, including those shown on
the right.
You might wonder why you would use Twitter. The
short messages are great for pointing out items of
interest, letting your friends know what you’re feeling,
or critiquing a conference as it happens.
Twitter is good for business, too. If your business is transportation, you can let the riders
know about delays. If your business is weather dependent, you can let your customers
know if you need to make cancellations. You can also use it to advertise specials,
promote your latest accomplishments, or deepen your customer engagement by having
a conversation about their needs. Or you can use Twitter to listen to what your
customers or colleagues in your industry are saying. Chris Brogan has an excellent blog
post on the subject of Twitter and business at this URL: www.chrisbrogan.com/50-ideas-on-using-twitter-for-business.
CHAPTER 20: Social Media and Skype 412
The Mechanics and Culture of Twitter We tend to think of Twitter like a noisy party where everyone has to speak loudly. As you
walk through the party, you can hear snippets of conversations, but you can’t always be
sure who is being addressed. We’re not the only one to make that observation. In fact,
there’s an entire book that uses the party analogy: Social Media Is a Cocktail Party byyJim Tobin and Lisa Braziel (CreateSpace, 2008).
The basic mechanics of Twitter are this. Twitter is a free service available at
http://twitter.com. Every user can make 140 character posts in her own Twitter
“stream.” You can follow other users, and they can follow you. You have a stream of all
the posts from people you follow. You can choose to make your stream public or visible
only to those you preapprove as followers, but you can’t specify privacy on individual
posts. The number of followers a person has can be taken as a measure of authority,
though it’s not an absolute measure. Ashton Kutcher’s Twitter account is far more
popular than Eric Schmidt’s account, even though many would argue that the CEO of
Google has more authority in his tweets.
Many of Twitter’s conventions are ad hoc creations designed to work around some of
Twitter’s shortcomings. Twitter is an unthreaded conversation stream. You can make a
post in a stream as a reply to someone else, but your response remains in your Twitter
feed, not the other person’s. In order to indicate replies, people began using the
@username convention. For example, replies to Marziah would be @marziah. Eventually,
Twitter worked this into the system and began making automatic links to users based on
this, letting users know whenever they had a new @reply or @mention.
RetweetsIf someone says something you agree with, like, or want to repeat, you don’t repeat it,
you retweet it. A retweet is a repeat that gives credit to the original author. The tconvention for retweets is RT: @username, followed by the repeated message. Twitter
also picked up on this convention and now allows you to press a button and retweet
messages with the other user’s icon to indicate the source. However, some users still
opt for the old RT: @username style retweets because this approach allows them to add
commentary before the retweet.
Hashtags
Searching for relevant information on a given
topic is difficult, so users began putting unlikely
character combinations into their posts to tag
them or help them sort related posts in
searches.
CHAPTER 20: Social Media and Skype 413
The # (hash) symbol became the common marker for these tags, so the hashtag was
born. Sometimes conventions or advertising campaigns mention a particular hashtag,
and sometimes the hashtag is spontaneous and viral.
URL Shorteners You’ve only got 140 characters, so you don’t have room for long URLs. A new class of
service emerged that would simply forward links from a shorter URL to a longer one.
URL shorteners themselves became shorter to save space, so services like
TinyURL.com ended up competing with services like bit.ly andy ow.ly. Many of these
services also added value, such as metrics for the shortened URLs.
NOTE: You should avoid using shortened URLs when they’re not necessary. You are relying on athird party to forward your link when you use a shortened URL. That third party could go out of
business or have an outage at any time, making you look unprofessional for having a broken link.In fact, this is exactly what happened to the tr.im shortening service. In April of 2010, themcompany announced it was going out of the URL shortening business and that it was ceasing all
forwards at the end of 2010. Some URLs are also “nicer” than others when it comes to
forwarding your links in a way that search engines can easily crawl.
TwitPic TwitPic was created by Noah Everett to solve the problem of photo sharing on Twitter.
It’s a separate service, but interconnected. You must register for a TwitPic account at
http://twitpic.com, but your Twitter username is your TwitPic username, and each
photo has its own comment thread on TwitPic. Many phone Twitter apps tie into TwitPic
or use similar services, so uploading and linking a photo is a quick process that can be
accomplished entirely from your phone.
Your DROID doesn’t support directly uploading photos to Twitter from the Social Networking app at this time, so you’ll need to use a service like TwitPic or a Twitter
client that supports such a feature to attach pictures to your updates.
Direct Messages Direct messages – or DMs – are short, private messages you can send to a follower that
is also following you. They’re almost like email message, but you’re still constrained to
140 characters. You can send a direct message using a button for that specific purpose.
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Finding Twitter Apps
There are many Twitter apps available for Android,
including the official Twitter app from the Twitter
team, which is shown to the right. That doesn’t mean
the official app is the best or the only possibility you
should consider. You can also use the Social Networking app that comes with your DROID, and
many third-party apps provide enhanced features not
available in the official app.
It may be helpful to make a list of priority features
before deciding on an app. Most apps also come
with lite and premium options, so you can try before
you buy. Some factors in your decision may include
the following:
� Support for multiple accounts
� URL shortening
� Link metrics
� Speed
� The ability to upload and link
pictures or video
� The ability to create and track
custom keyword searches
� Support for both viewing and
adding lists
� Ability to follow, unfollow, and block
accounts
� Ability to easily send retweets and
direct messages
� Available widgets
� Background sync
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Hootsuite is our favorite Twitter app for a balance of
features and price. You can use it to manage multiple
accounts, and the interface makes it clear which
account is posting.
If you buy the premium app, you can also track
visitors through the URL-shortening service, ow.ly.
The image on the right shows our favorite extra
feature: scheduled tweets. You can use this feature to
precompose press releases or turn 3:00 a.m. deep
thoughts into mid-afternoon topics of conversation.
Using the feature is as simple as pressing the
Calendar icon when composing a message and
choosing when to send it.
Twidroyd and Touiteur (pronounced Twitter) are a pair of popular apps that featurerboth free and paid versions.
Twidroyd was formerly known as Twidroid, but its publisher, TweetUp, changed the name when it purchased the service to avoid any branding confusion with the LucasArts trademarked
term, droid. Verizon Wireless actually licensed the term dd droid for your DROID. d
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Touiteur offers nice features like trend search, but
you must upgrade to the �1.99 (about $2.60) version
to upload pictures or manage multiple accounts.
Tweetcaster (shown on the right) is a $4.99 app with
a pleasant user interface that supports saved
searches. This feature enables you to keep checking
certain hashtags and keywords. You can also search
for nearby tweets to see what’s trending in your local
community.
Seesmic is a full-featured free app that supports
multiple accounts and is also available for desktop
computers.
Twitter’s official app is easy to use and supports all
the official Twitter features, such as lists, trends, and
@mentions. Lists are shown to the right. The official
Twitter app also comes with a nice widget, a splash
screen with a bird that flaps its wings and lists
trending topics. However, the official Twitter app
doesn’t support multiple accounts at this time.
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As you consider choosing a favorite Twitter app, you need to keep a few things in mind.
Nearly all of the apps that support Twitter allow you to change how often they check for
new tweets. Unless you absolutely, positively must be notified of new tweets, you
should turn this down to a reasonable, battery-conserving setting of 30 minutes or
longer.
Many apps allow you to use either your own URL-shortening service or use one supplied
with the individual apps. You should pick a service that offers you tracking and metrics,
even if you don’t think you’ll use them just yet. It’s easier to have the data than it is to
wish you had the data. Bit.ly and Ow.ly both allow data tracking and are popular
choices.
YammerIf you want the instant communication of Twitter, but you want to restrict access to only
your company, you may want to try Yammer (r www.yammer.com). Yammer creates a
Twitter-like atmosphere that is only accessible to people with the same email domain.
Yammer also adds threaded conversations to the tweets and organizational charts, so it
has value beyond a simple Twitter imitation. Recently, it has added the ability to create
communities across multiple email domains, so it’s possible to have a partnership
community with vendors and customers or a group of close friends with different email
domains.
Yammer makes an official app. It’s not robust, but it does allow you to post and see
status updates. Fortunately, the intra-company nature of the Yammer service means
that you don’t need the same bells and whistles for communication that you would for
Twitter.
Other Microblogs Twitter stole most of the microblog spotlight, but you may prefer a different platform for
your message. There’s no shortage of microblogging services, so there’s no chance of
naming them all. Some, like Jaiku, seem to be short on dedicated apps. Others have a
large selection of dedicated apps, but none of these other microblogs are included in
the Social Networking widget on DROID.
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Tumblr is worthy of mention. It allows short microblog rposts, but it also supports multimedia better than
Twitter by directly embedding it in threads. It also
enables threaded responses to posts. Tumblr users
create rich Tumblogs with pictures, videos, links, and
text.
There are multiple Android apps that support Tumblr,
both free and premium. Just as with Twitter and
Facebook, there’s also an official Tumblr app. The
free ttTumblr app shown to the right offers a lot of
features in conjunction with a simple user interface.
Plurk is another microblogging alternative to Twitter
and Facebook. It organizes posts on a timeline and
assigns “karma” for participation. Like Tumblr, it
allows easier multimedia embedding, and it has built-
in privacy settings to make it useful for both small
and large groups. Posts are organized on a scrolling
horizontal timeline, which allows threaded responses.
The web timeline interface makes it challenging to
translate to a phone app; however, the PlurQ app
(shown on the right) does a good job of implementing
this feature on a phone.
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Social Bookmarking Social bookmarking is a method of sharing sites you like. In the purest form, Delicious,
one of the leading social bookmarking services (www.delicious.com), allows you to save
a bookmark with a quick note and tags to organize the bookmark by category. You can
also network with other users to see their bookmarks and measure the relative
popularity of bookmarks by seeing how many other users have marked a particular site.
Instead of using a dedicated, standalone Delicious-based app, you typically use the
service through add-ons to your browser. When an app such as Bookmarking for Delicious is installed, it adds an option from within your web browser to add bookmarks
to your Delicious account. To add bookmarks, make sure Bookmarking for Delicious is
installed and then follow these steps:
1. Tap Menu.
2. Tap More.
3. Tap Share page.
4. Choose Delicious.
For more information on the built-in Browser app, please refer to Chapter 11, “Surfing
the Web.”
Digg (http://digg.com) is another popular social bookmarking site. Unlike Delicious,
Digg also adds a threaded comment discussion. Digg emphasizes quantity and focuses
on showing the most popular links of the moment as a method of crowd-sourced news.
Users can digg or bury items to see what stories float to the top. Similar services includeyReddit and t Slashdot. Sites like these can attract huge crowds of visitors to a business’s
site, so it makes good business sense for blogs that can handle high levels of traffic to
leverage social bookmarking sites to entice people to visit.
Android apps are available for all three social bookmarking services. You just need to
decide how involved you need to be from your phone. For example, do you need to
comment and submit bookmarks, or do you just want to see what the currently trending
articles are? Do you want a full app or just a widget?
Facebook The Facebook social network started out as a simple virtual yearbook for college
students, but it has since morphed into one of the most popular websites in the world.
At the time of this book’s publication, it’s even more popular than Google search in
terms of the sheer volume of page views on the site.
Facebook intends for people to use their actual names instead of pseudonyms. Users
are also intended to share information with small to large circles of acquaintances.
However, Facebook has been facing increasing scrutiny over its privacy policies and
confusing security settings. When you use Facebook, the wisest course of action is to
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assume anything you say is completely visible to the world; indeed, you should make
this same assumption for any website you post information to. y
Facebook allows multiple types of posts, from quick status updates to photos, videos,
and longer notes. You can also link to articles, videos, and pictures hosted outside of
Facebook, as well as add apps that incorporate games, group reading lists, and more.
Facebook is also moving toward a universal Like button that allows you to interact with
pages and websites outside of Facebook.
You might wonder how you manage both personal and business contacts on Facebook.
You can do so in a couple of ways. One approach I don’t recommend is to createtmultiple accounts. If you create multiple accounts using your real name, it will only serve
to confuse you and your contacts when they try to add you as a friend.
The two approaches you can take are either to friend everyone and assign them to
friend groups through the privacy settings or to create a fan page. Fan pages (officially,
Facebook just calls them “pages”) got their name from the way people used to add
them to their feed. Users would “become a fan” of a given page. Facebook has changed
this mechanism to a simple Like button.
TIP: Currently, Facebook has a 5,000-friend limit on personal accounts. If you anticipate
reaching that limit between clients, fans, and good friends, then you need a fan page. Even if you don’t anticipate an overwhelming deluge of clients and business contacts friending you, it may
still be disturbing to manage personal and work acquaintances in the same social space.
Creating Fan Pages You set up fan pages through the Ads and Pages application. If you don’t have any
pages, search for “Ads and Pages” from within Facebook. We suggest using a desktop
browser to set this feature up.
The advantage of using a fan page is that you can make a fan page an official company
presence without needing to be friends with any of the fans of the page. The
disadvantage is that you do not see the activity fans generate anywhere outside of that
page. Whether or not you want your business contacts mingling with your classmates
and relatives is a personal decision. However, you should decide how you want to
handle the situation before you get your first friend request. It’s a lot easier to have
separate spaces established in advance than it is to move everyone over to new spaces
later.
CAUTION: Whether or not you are Facebook friends with colleagues, business partners, or customers, it’s just bad business to badmouth any of them. They may not be able to see what yyou’ve said, but it’s not hard to copy-and-paste. The last thing you need is for casual gossip to
get back to the person you badmouthed. People have been fired for less.
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Facebook Apps
Your DROID already supports Facebook through the
Social Networking app. Original DROID owners can
use Facebook’s official app, which is shown to the
right. Facebook’s official app is great for personal
networking. You can also use it to sync status
updates with your contacts, check into locations, and
you can upload photos directly to Facebook.
Personal Facebook management isn’t a problem, but managing fan pages and groups
from your phone requires going beyond the default Social Networking widget. The
easiest method to post directly to fan pages we’ve found is through the Ping.fm service.
Ping.fm (which is also the URL) allows you to cross-post to an impressive number of
social media sites at once. We’ll cover cross-posting in more detail at the end of this
chapter.
LinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking site for professionals. It’s designed primarily as a place
to hang your resume, cross-network with business partners, give and receive
recommendations, and offer status updates about your latest accomplishments.
Although it’s something you may think of as a tool for job seekers, it’s a good idea to
build and maintain your network even when you aren’t actively looking for work.
You can establish yourself as a trusted source in your community by joining groups and
recommending colleagues. Chances are you will need to look for work at some point,
and it’s better to have connections and trust already established than to try to build
them when your situation is desperate.
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LinkedIn has grown in popularity among business
users by adding features for use beyond a simple
chart of connections. LinkedIn claims to have more
than 65 million users in 200 countries. As it has
grown in popularity, LinkedIn has added features that
go far beyond job seeking. You can network with
colleagues in user groups, add your Twitter feed, and
add applications like reading lists and document
sharing.
Android doesn’t sport an official LinkedIn app at the
time of this book’s publication, and there are only a
couple of third-party choices. Linked, by JUPE, is
shown to the right. Linked is an ad-sponsored app
that offers basic status updates and reading, allows
you to see your contacts, and allows you to search
and send contact requests.
Blogging Blogs – short for weblogs – started out as a series of manually maintained updates with
no ability to comment. However, today blogs are a thriving, interactive format used
worldwide. Many businesses use blogs to keep customers informed about their
products, issue press releases, or just put a human face on their company. Freelancers
often keep blogs as a way to promote themselves. In some cases, the blog itself has
become the business, with advertising and market tie-ins generating enough revenue for
the blogger to quit his day job.
Blogs are generally intended to be public and visible, so it’s vital that you and your boss
be clear on your intentions when it comes to corporate blogging. If you maintain a
personal blog, it should go without saying that you need to be careful what you say
about your boss or customers, even when blogging under a pseudonym.
The standard format for most blogs is that the newest entry goes at the top, with older
entries following it. The blog page itself uses either the RSS or Atom format for blog
aggregation to make it easier for viewers to read the blog or find new updates without
having to visit the blog itself. Feeds can be full, partial, or headline only. While full feeds
are certainly the most convenient for readers, they also make it easier for content thieves
to steal blog entries and claim them as their own.
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Phone Posts Most blog platforms offer a method to email blog entries. Some also offer a way to post
blog entries via SMS text message. Some, like LiveJournal, even offer a way to call and
voice-record a message. In LiveJournal’s case, users can then manually transcribe the
voice recording, so you can call in with a quick update (e.g., “It’s a girl!” or “Accident on
the 435 bridge”) without having to enter text.
As Android and smartphones become more popular, blogging platforms have also
discovered the value of providing a native phone app for making and managing posts.
Blogaway and other third-party apps support Google’s own blogging service, called
Blogger; however – and inexplicably – Google hasn’t released an official app for its
blogging service at the time of writing.
WordPress
WordPress deserves special mention because it is
the most popular blogging platform in the world. It
can be used for content management that goes
beyond blogging; however, blogs remain the core
functionality that drives the popularity of WordPress.
WordPress is open source and free. It can be
templated and modified to run on corporate sites,
and it can power personal blogs as well. There are a
large variety of plug-ins and extensions from both
free and premium developers available for this
service.
WordPress is supported on Android through a native
WordPress app, which is shown to the right. This
app lets you post messages with formatting, tag
posts, and geotag posts; the app also lets you
manage comments. You can also add photos and
video to your posts.
You aren’t offered as many options for templating and administration as you’d see in a
desktop browser. However, you probably don’t want as many options when you’rettrying to type them in on a slide-out keyboard or touchscreen. If you need more access
on the road, you can log into your account from your DROID’s Browser app.
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Bump It’s possible you may prefer to socially network
the old-fashioned way. You still can. The Bumpapp, shown to the right, is available for both
iPhones and Android. This app allows you to
share your contact information by launching the
application and then literally touching another
Bump user’s phone.
You’re not limited to just DROID users. Android
and iPhone Bump users can share contact info
with each other this way. You do need a
reasonable network connection because the
Bump app transmits your information over cell or
Wi-Fi networks, not Bluetooth. Android users can
also use the Bump app to share free apps from
phone to phone.
BuzzGoogle has been trying to compete in the social
media arena, but so far it hasn’t made much
progress. One of its latest endeavors is its GoogleBuzz (Buzz) service. This service is part of Gmail,
but it behaves like a separate service. Google has
been heavily promoting Buzz, so it may end up
becoming more popular as a social and self-
promotional tool.
Buzz allows for long posts that can embed
photos and videos, as shown to the right. You
can create private or public posts and follow the
posts of your contacts. Posts in your Buzz streamare often bumped to the top of the list based on
who last replied. Thus, the more popular Buzz
users tend to dominate the conversation. You can
feed Twitter posts into Buzz to allow threaded
comments on them, but Buzz posts do not feed
back to Twitter.
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The Google Buzz app for Android is a widget that
enables quick posting of photos and location
information. It also enables you to adjust your
privacy settings. Reading Google Buzz is still
handled through the mobile web browser
interface; however, this is something that we
hope will change with time.
Cross-Posting Once you’re up and running with all these social media services, many of which use
similar posting formats, you might wonder how you manage your time posting to them.
Fortunately, you can take advantage of cross-posting tools that let you focus on the tool
or format that is easiest and/or most rewarding for you.
The Motorola widget, Social Status, does exactly
this. Follow these steps to use the Social Statuswidget:
1. Tap the Social Status widget to enter a new
status.
2. Tap the selection box to choose a service for
updates.
3. Your choices are Facebook, MySpace,
Twitter, and All services. Choose All servicesto cross-post your update.
4. Tap Post to finish posting the update.
Increasingly, apps are offering built-in cross-posting to and from Twitter and Facebook.
While you can use the Social Status widget to make cross-posts individually, you may
want to create other types of cross-posts.
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If you’re primarily a blogger, but
want to add tweets to announce
new blog entries, one way to do so
is through Twitterfeed at dhttp://twitterfeed.com. This is a
free service that takes just about
any blog feed and translates it into
a shortened Twitter or Facebook
post. You specify any prefix or
suffix and how you want the post to
be shortened, as shown to the right.
RSS Graffiti (i www.facebook.com/RSS.Graffiti) is a service for porting blog posts into
Facebook fan pages. There are many other cross-posting solutions as well, including
free and paid apps.
If you want to go beyond simply scooping a feed
from one place and putting it into another, you can
use a more powerful cross-posting service. Ping.fm,
as mentioned earlier, is a free service that can cross-
post to Facebook fan pages.
Ping.fm can also cross-post to an impressive variety
of social networks, blogs, and microblogs. From
within Ping.fm, you can also make groups of media to
post to; for instance, you could have a “press
release” group that goes to your business Twitter
account, Facebook fan page, WordPress blog, and
Delicious bookmark. Any post you make to that
group is automatically cross-posted.
NOTE: Ping.fm is the web service, not the DROID app that enables cross-posting. The DROID app for using
the Ping.fm service is called AnyPost.
AnyPost, which is shown to the right, is a fantastic
free Android client for Ping.fm. You can use it to post
to services one at a time or as a group.
A similar service for Android is Moby. However, this service is more blog-oriented and
does not let you post to as many services.
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NOTE: As far as cross-posting is concerned, there’s a fine line between posting the samemessage to multiple groups and simply spamming. The more places you cross-post, the more
places you’ll also have to monitor comments.
Aggregating Content With Readers If you want to read all your content in one place rather than posting it, you’ll want an
aggregator (akar feed reader). Feed readers take feeds from other sources and pile them rinto one place for easy reading. Tweets, blog posts, news items, and even Google
searches are delivered as feeds that you can add to a feed reader, and many blogs add
handy links for adding feeds. The universal symbol for an RSS feed is this: . When
using most Android browsers while logged into your Google account, you can simply
click the RSS icon in a blog to launch the Google Reader app. This app allows you to
add a site’s feed to your Google Reader account.
Google Reader is a robust feed reader that lets you
organize feeds by category, share likes, mark
favorites, and leave comments. It also keeps track of
the last item you read.
Unfortunately, official Google Reader support is
currently only handled through the mobile web
interface, which is shown to the right. The Google Reader app is capable, but it suffers from a few
shortcomings. The most important interface issue
when using the Google Reader app through the web
interface is that you can’t use the Back button on
your phone. It’s a hard habit to break when you’re
used to navigating apps, but the Back button will exit
your browser instead of going back to the previous
feed.
Some third-party apps support the Google Reader service, including free apps like
NetaShare and paid apps like eSobi. You can specify whether you want feeds to sync
in the background (do not choose this option if you’re concerned about battery life). You tcan also use it to specify how many feeds should be fetched at a time.
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Making Phone Calls and More with SkypeSocial networking is all about keeping in touch with our friends, colleagues, and family.
Passive communication through sites such as www.facebook.com and www.myspace.com is
nice, but sometimes there is just no substitute for hearing someone’s voice.
Amazingly, you can make phone calls using the
Skype app from your DROID. Calls to other Skype
users anywhere in the world are free. A nice thing
about Skype is that it works on computers and
many mobile devices, including iPhones, other
Android phones, BlackBerry smartphones, and
other mobile devices. You will be charged for calls
to mobile phones and landlines, but the rates are
reasonable.
Your DROID ships with Skype already installed.
You don’t need to download anything to use it.
NOTE: As of October 2010, Verizon Wireless customers can only use Skype on 3G networks;
however, Skype users in the US on other networks can only use Skype on Wi-Fi.
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Creating Your Skype Account on Your DROID If you need to set up your Skype account and have not already done so on your
computer (see the “Using Skype on Your Computer” section later in this chapter), then
follow these steps to set up Skype on your DROID:
1. Tap the Skype icon from your Home screen.
2. Tap the Create Account button.
3. Tap Accept if you accept the No Emergency Calls pop-up warning window.
4. Enter your Full Name and Email.
5. Enter your Skype Name and Password.
6. Choose whether to receive Skype news and
offers.
7. Tap the Create Account button to create your
account.
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Log in to the Skype AppAfter you create your account, you’re ready to log in to Skype on your DROID. To do so,
follow these steps:
1. If you are not already in Skype, tap the
Skype icon from your Home screen.
2. Type your Skype Name and Password.
3. Tap the Sign In button in the lower-left
corner.
4. Check the box labeled Sign in to Skypeautomatically. You should not have to
enter this log in information again; it is
saved in Skype. The next time you tap
Skype, it will automatically log you in.
Finding and Adding Skype Contacts Once you log into the Skype app, you will want to start communicating with people. To
do so, you will have to find them and add them to your Skype contacts list:
1. If you are not already in the Skype app, tap the Skype icon from your Homescreen and log in, if asked.
2. Press the Menu button.
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3. Tap Add a Contact.
4. Tap Search Skype Directoryand then type someone’s first
and last name or Skype Name.
5. Tap the Magnifying Glass button
to locate that person.
6. Once you see the person you
want to add, tap his name.
7. Tap Add Contact.
8. Adjust the invitation message
appropriately.
9. Tap the Send button to send this
person an invitation to become
one of your Skype contacts.
10. Repeat the procedure to add more contacts.
11. When you are done, tap the Contacts soft key at the bottom.
12. Tap All Contacts from the Groups screen to see all new contacts you have
added.
13. Once this person accepts you as a contact, you will see him listed as a contact in
your All Contacts screen.
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TIP: Sometimes you want to get rid of a Skypecontact. You can remove or block a contact bytapping her name from the contact list. Press the
Menu button and select either Remove or Block.
Making Calls With Skype on Your DROIDSo far you have created your account and added your contacts. Now you are ready to
finally make that first call with Skype on your DROID. Follow these steps to do so:
1. If you are not already in Skype, tap the Skype icon from your Home screen and
log in, if asked.
2. Tap the Contacts soft key at the top.
3. Tap the contact name you wish to call (see Figure 20–3).
4. Tap the Call button.
5. You may see a Skype option and a Mobile or other phone option. Tap Skype to
make the free call. Making any other call requires that you pay for it with SkypeCredits.
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Figure 20–3.– Placing calls from Skype on your DROID.
NOTE: You can call toll free numbers for free using Skype Out on your DROID. The following
notice comes from the Skype website at www.skype.com:
“The following countries and number ranges are supported and are free of charge to all users.We’re working on the rest of the world. France: +33 800, +33 805, +33 809 Poland: +48 800
UK: +44 500, +44 800, +44 808 USA: +1 800, +1 866, +1 877, +1 888 Taiwan: +886 80”
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Receiving Calls with Skype on your DROIDWith the new version of Skype, you can have Skype running in the background and still
be able to receive a Skype call when it comes in. In theory, you can even be on a voice
call and answer your Skype call!
TIP: If you want to call someone whom you know uses Skype on her DROID, just send her a quick email or give her a quick call to alert her to the fact you would like to talk to her using the
Skype app.
Buying Skype Credits or a Monthly Subscription Skype-to-Skype calls are free. However, if you want to call people on their landlines or
mobile phones from Skype, then you will need to purchase Skype Credits or purchase a
monthly subscription plan. If you try to purchase the credits or subscription from within
the Skype app, it will take you to the Skype website. For this reason, we recommend
using a web browser on your phone or computer to purchase these credits.
TIP: You may want to start with a limited amount of Skype Credits to try out the service before you sign up for a subscription plan. Subscription plans are the way to go if you plan on using
Skype a lot for non-Skype callers (e.g., regular landlines and mobile phones).
Follow these steps to use the Browser app to buy Skype Credits:
1. Tap the Browser icon.
2. Type www.skype.com in the top address bar and tap Go.
3. Tap the Sign In link at the top of the page.
4. Enter your Skype Name and Password, and then tap Sign me in.
5. If you are not already on your Account screen, tap the Account tab at the right
end of the top nav bar. At this point, you can choose to buy credits or a
subscription.
6. Tap the Buy pre-pay credit button to purchase a fixed amount of credits.
7. Tap the Get a subscription button to buy a monthly subscription account.
8. Finally, complete the payment instructions for either type of purchase.
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Chatting with SkypeIn addition to making phone calls, you can also chat via text with other Skype users
from your DROID. Starting a chat is very similar to starting a call; follow these steps to
do so:
1. If you are not already in Skype, tap the Skype icon from your Home screen and
log in, if asked.
2. Tap the Contacts soft key at the top.
3. Tap the name of the contact you wish to chat with (see Figure 20–4).
4. Tap Send IM.
5. Type your chat text and press the Send button. Your chat will appear at the top of
the screen.
Type your message.
Figure 20–4.–– Chatting with Skype on your DROID.
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Adding Skype to Your Computer You can use the Skype app on your computer, as well. We will show you how this works
next. You can also use Skype to make video calls on your computer if you also have a
web cam hooked up.
NOTE: When you call from your computer to a DROID, you will not be able to make a video call.
To create a Skype account and download the Skype app to your computer, follow these
steps:
1. Open a web browser on your computer.
2. Go to: www.skype.com.
3. Click the Join link at the top of the page.
4. Create your account by completing all required information and clicking the
Continue button. Notice that you only have to enter information in the required
fields, which are denoted with an asterisk. For example, you do not need to enter
your gender, birthdate, and mobile phone number.
5. You are now done with the account setup process. Next, you are presented with
the option of buying Skype Credits; however, this is not required for the free
Skype-to-Skype phone calls, video calls, or chats.
TIP: You only need to pay for Skype if you want to call someone who is not using Skype. Forexample, calls to phones on landlines or mobile phones (not using the Skype app) will cost you. At publishing time, pay-as-you-go rates were about US 2.1 cents; monthly subscriptions ranged
from about US $3 - $14 for various calling plans.
6. Next, click the Get Skype link in the top nav bar of the site to download Skype to
your computer.
7. Click the Get Skype for Windows button or the Get Skype for Mac button.
8. Follow the instructions to install the software. For more information on
downloading and installing software, see the “Getting iTunes Software” section in
Chapter 30: “iTunes User Guide.’
9. Once the software is installed, launch it and log in using your Skype account.
You are ready to initiate (or receive) phone calls, video calls, and chats with anyone else
using the Skype service, including all your friends with the Skype app installed on their
iPhones.
437
437
Chapter
Working With Notes and Documents In this chapter, we will give you an overview of two popular and free notepad apps
(AK Notepad(( and Evernote) that you can install on your DROID because nothing is
preloaded other than a simple sticky-note style Motorola widget. See Chapter 6,
"Organizing Your Home Screens" for more information. Dozens of notepad choices
exist, so it is not possible to cover everything available; therefore, we have chosen two
apps that have a lot of popular support and some great features.
Next, we will look at an easy way to transfer your documents between your computer
and your DROID using handy and free software called DropBox. This app allows you to
drag-and-drop files to a folder on your computer. Next, those files are copied or
synchronized to your web-based DropBox account. Finally, after installing the DropBoxapp, you can access those same files on your DROID.
Finally, so many people use Microsoft Office that we will also cover how to open and
edit Word files, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentation files on your DROID.
We will show you two apps in this arena: Quickoffice, which may be pre-installed on the
DROID 2 and DROID X models; and the full version of Documents to Go. Both of these
apps allow you to open, view, create, and edit Office documents.
21
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Finding and Installing These AppsYou can obtain all the apps we discuss in this chapter from the Android
Market (see Chapter 17: “Exploring the Android Market” for more
information). The easiest way to find apps is to tap the Search icon and
type the exact name of the app in the Search window. Because there
are dozens of alternatives in this case, you may be overwhelmed at the
number of apps if you type in only the general category. Once you find
the app you want, tap it and install it. If it is an app you want to use
frequently, move it to one of your DROID Home screens by long-
pressing it and dragging it.
Notes-Based Apps on Your DROID We will cover two of the many notes-based apps that you can use on your DROID. The
AK Notepad app is more of a standard, easy-to-use notepad app. Evernote is a more
of a full-featured note-taking app that includes the ability to attach multimedia items to
your notes, including pictures, files, and voice notes.
AK Notepad App
To use the AK Notepad app, begin by downloading and
installing the AK Notepad app from the Android Market.
If you are used to other notepad apps from other devices
such as an iPhone, iPad, or BlackBerry, this app will look
familiar. The default Note view displays yellow-lined notepad
paper.
Adding and Labeling (Tagging) New Notes
It’s easy to add and label new notes.
Simply tap the Add note line at the top of
the main window to start composing a new
note.
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Now just start typing your note. Be aware
that the first line or first few words become
the title of your note.
To add a label or tag to organize your
notes, simply precede the label with a
number sign (#) like this: #mytag.
When done typing, press the Back button
on your DROID to save your note and
return to the list of notes.
If you are not satisfied with the pre-
assigned title of a note, like the Grocerieslist example in the previous screen shot,
you can tap the note to open it. Press the
Menu button and select Edit title. Adjust
the title and tap OK.
Now you see the newly adjusted title in the
list of notes.
To view a list of only those notes that
contain certain labels or tags, press the
Menu button and select Labels. Next, tap
the label of the group of notes you want to
view.
At this point, you will see only the notes
with that selected label.
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Using AK Notepad As a To-Do Alarm Reminder
You can use AK Notepad to remind you of to-do
items. For example, you might want to set a
reminder at 5 PM for the Groceries list item.
Open the note, press the Menu button, and select
Remind me.
Select from one of the preset durations or select
Custom date/time if you need another reminder
time, and then select the time you want. In this
case, we would select 5:00 PM today.
When the reminder rings on your DROID, it will
give you a vibration and usually a ringtone. (You
can change the way AK Notepad alerts you in the
app by pressing Menu button > Settings >
Notification settings.)
The alert will pop up in the very top status bar.
Drag your finger down from the top of the DROID
screen to see all the reminders. Now you can tap
the Groceries list to view your list as you go
through the store.
TIP: Keeping Track of What You Buy
As you walk through the store, you can edit yourGroceries list and put a space before each item as
you drop it into your shopping cart. This way, you
can be sure not to miss anything on your list!
Pinning a Note to Your Home Screen
You can pin or place an icon for any of the
notes in AK Notepad as icons on your
Home screen for quick access. From the
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AK Notepad list view of your notes, long-
press the note and select Pin Note to Home Screen.
Next, press the Home button to jump to
your Home screen and swipe left or right a
few times until you see the new Note icon.
Repeat this process for all notes you want
to have quick access to on your Homescreen.
Sync Your AK Notepad Notes to Catch.comAK Notepad provides a free service that will sync all your notes to your own account on
the Catch.com website. This can provide you with the following: an instant backup of all
your notes, the ability to view your notes on your computer, and the ability to add new
notes by typing them on your full computer keyboard instead of the small keyboard on
the DROID.
Step 1 – Go to Catch.com and setup a new free account. You could also do this from
the AK Notepad settings screen, if you wish. You will probably receive a confirmation
email from Catch.com to verify it was you who signed up for the free account. You need
to click the link in the email to verify your status.
Step 2 – Open up AK Notepad on your
DROID, press the Menu button, and select
Settings. Scroll down to the Catch Syncsection and tap Sign in.
Enter the username and password you
used to set up your Catch.com account
and tap the Sign In button.
Now your list of notes on your DROID will instantly display any new notes you have
added from Catch.com, as well as the Welcome to Catch.com note.
The great part is that everything is now kept synchronized between your DROID and the
Catch.com website. This means you can now enter or edit notes both places, and the
changes will be reflected in both places (see Figure 21–1).
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Figure 21–1. Syncing notes between Catch.com and the DROID AK Notes app.
Evernote App
Like AK Notepad, Evernote provides the ability to write and sync notes
to a website. However, Evernote is designed to be a more
comprehensive note-taking system that includes the ability to add
multimedia notes. For example, you can add voice, pictures, videos, and
even geotags (elements that indicate the GPS location) to all your notes.
With Evernote, you can even find text inside images. For example, if you take a picture
of a receipt with the word “Starbucks” on it, Evernote can find that receipt later by the
recognizing the text of the word “Starbucks” in the image.
The other nice thing about Evernote is that there are apps for multiple mobile devices,
so you can view notes you synchronize from your DROID, PC, or Mac on an iPod touch,
iPad, iPhone, or BlackBerry.
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Getting Started with Evernote
To begin working with Evernote ,
download and install the app from the
Android Market.
Once Evernote is downloaded and
installed, you need to tap the Evernoteicon.
The first time you use Evernote, you will
be prompted either to sign in or create a
free account. Tap Create account to set
up your free account or enter your
Username and Password and tap Sign in.
Adding and Tagging Notes
After logging in, you see the main screen.
Evernote’s main screen gives you various
options for adding, tagging and viewing your
notes:
� New note (add a new note which can
include attachments of pictures,
audio, video or files)
� Snapshot (take a picture with your
DROID camera)
� All Notes (view all your notes)
� Tags (view your notes organized by
their tags)
� Notebooks (view your notebooks)
� Search (use the Evernote powerful
search feature)
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Viewing and Finding Notes
To view your notes, press All Notes, Tagsor Notebooks from the main screen.
Follow these steps to find a note:
1. Press the Search icon from the
main screen.
2. Type a word or few words to search
for notes containing this text.
Keep in mind that the search engine will
usually be able to locate images that
contain text that match your search, as
well.
Adding, Tagging and Organizing Notes
Follow these steps to add a new note:
1. Tap the New note icon from the main
screen.
2. Give your note a unique title and type
any text in the textbox below the title for
your note.
3. To assign this note to a specific
Notebook, tap the Notebook icon
and select a notebook.
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4. To assign one or more tags to this note,
tap the Tag icon .
5. From this screen you may type a new tag
and click the plus sign (+) in the upper
right corner to add It to the list. Tap the
X next to any tag to remove it.
6. Or you may press the Tag icon in
the upper left corner to select from tags
you have already created.
7. You may select as few or as many tags
as you would like to assign to this note,
tap the OK button at the bottom.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 446
Adding Snapshots (Taking a Picture to Add to the Note)
You may want to add a picture or snapshot to a
note. From either the main menu or the note
detail view, click the Snapshot icon to
bring up your camera; this will enable you to
grab a picture and save it as a note.
The picture is also geotagged with your current
GPS location in Evernote; this enables you to
track where you took it. You can even take a
picture of a document and have Evernote find
words in the image of the document.
Attach Pictures, Audio, Video or Files to Notes
Sometimes you will want
to upload a file with a
note. Tap the Attach(paperclip) icon from the
note detail view screen to
select a picture or other
file from your DROID to
upload and attach to a
note.
To locate pictures you
have taken on your
DROID, tap the dcim folder
and then tap the Camerafolder.
Select Pictures to browse
and attach a picture to the
note.
Select Audio to attach an
audio file (music track or
sound recorder file).
Select Video to attach a
video (you must be a paid or
Premium Evernote user to
use this feature).
Select File to browse to a file
on your DROID or SD Card to
attach to the note.
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Adding Text to, Emailing, Deleting, Creating a Shortcut, or Editing a Note When you are viewing a note, you have several options that you can get to by pressing
the Menu button. For example, you can Edit, Email (send the note as an attachment),
Delete, and Refresh the note. You can also view Note info, including details about the
note such as its Title, Notebook, Tags, Date created and Last updated, and
Location. If you are viewing a multimedia note such as a picture or audio file, you can
Append text (add text to the note), Email, view Note info, Delete, or View in full size(see the image in full size on the screen).
You can also create an icon or shortcut to this note on your DROID Home screen by
selecting Create shortcut from the menu.
Viewing or Updating Evernote on Your Computer As we mentioned earlier, all your notes get synced to the Evernote website wirelessly
and automatically. You can then log in to your Evernote.com account from your PC,
Mac, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, or BlackBerry to check out or update your notes (see
Figure 21-2). This is a great feature if you have multiple devices, and you would like to
stay up-to-date or add notes from any of them.
Figure 21–2. Your notes are synced between the Evernote.com website and your DROID Evernote app.
Sharing Files and Documents Your DROID comes with the built-in ability to share files between your DROID’s MicroSD
format media card (also known as the SD card) and your computer using the USB
cable. You can also use third-party apps to make the sharing process easier and more
seamless. We cover one such app called DropBox in this section.
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NOTE: You will need an SD card to transfer files to and from your DROID. This section assumes you have an SD card installed in your DROID (most DROID models come with an SD card pre-installed). Check out our “Quick Start Guide” at the beginning of this book for more information
about how to open up your DROID and install a card if you need.
Sharing Files with USB Mass Storage Mode When using the USB Mass Storage mode, the SD card in your DROID looks like
another disk drive letter on your computer. This means you can drag-and-drop files
between the SD card and your computer. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Connect your DROID to your computer
using the USB cable.
2. Drag your finger down from the top to
see your status messages.
3. Look in the Ongoing section for USBconnection and tap it.
4. Select USB Mass Storage and tap OK.
NOTE: If you are in USB Mass Storage mode,your computer can see and access the files on
your DROID SD card; however your DROIDcannot. In order to view or access any files (e.g.,pictures, music, and videos) on your DROID, you
need to switch back to Charge Only mode onthis screen. Or you can simply unplug your
DROID from your computer.
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5. Now you will see your DROID SD card
appear as a removable disk on your
computer. In the image to the right, the
DROID has shown up as Removable Disk (G:). Note that your pictures/videos
and music are stored in the following
locations on your DROID:
� Your camera pictures
and videos are stored in
dcim / Camera folder.
� Your music is stored in
the music folder.
6. You can now open up folders on your DROID SD card and drag-and-drop files to
and from your computer.
Dropbox File and Document Sharing If you want more seamless and easier-to-use file sharing, try the Dropbox app. You will
need to install the Dropbox software on both your computer (PC or Mac) and your
DROID.
At the time of publishing, Dropbox was a free application and service for up to 2 GB
(gigabytes) of storage. If you want more storage space, you will have to pay a monthly
fee. 50 GB of storage costs $9.99 per month, and 100 GB of storage costs $19.99 per
month.
TIP: You can also use Dropbox as a backup service for your important files. If your DROID or
computer crashes, you will still have a backup copy of your files in your Dropbox account on that
company’s servers.
Installing Dropbox on Your Computer (PC or Mac)You need to install the Dropbox app on your computer before you can use it to drag-
and-drop files into the Dropbox folder. Files dropped into this folder are synchronized
with the Dropbox app folders on your DROID for easy retrieval. Follow these steps to
acquire and set up the Dropbox app on your computer:
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7. Open a web browser on your
computer and go to
www.dropbox.com.
8. Click the Download Dropboxbutton to get the software for
your Windows PC, Mac, or Linux
computer.
9. Double-click the file you
downloaded to start the
Dropbox installation. You will be
prompted to create your
Drobpox account. Enter your
information and click Next.
10. Select your Dropbox folder size
on the next screen. The current
rates are as follows:
� 2G = Free
� 50 GB =
$9.99/month
� 100 GB =
$19.99/month.
11. Next, you will see some tour
screens explaining how Dropboxworks, where to set up your
Dropbox folder on your
computer, and how to quickly
access the folder using the
Dropbox tray icon shown to the
right.
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If you click the Dropbox tray
icon, you can see the following
commands:
� Open Dropbox Folder
� Launch Dropbox Website
� Recently Changed Files
� Your usage status (showing
0.1% of 2.0 GB used)
� Your status of syncs (All
files up to date)
� Help
� Get More Space
� Preferences
� Exit
12. Learn more about how to use the Dropbox application by viewing the online
video tutorials for the app at www.dropbox.com/tour.
Installing Dropbox on Your DROIDOnce you have set up Dropbox on your computer, you’re ready to repeat the process
on your DROID. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Install the Dropbox app from the
Android Market and tap the
Dropbox icon to start it.
2. You need an account to get going,
so choose one of these options:
� I’m already a Dropbox user –This allows you to
enter your
username and
password.
� I’m new to Dropbox – This
allows you to set
up a new account.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 452
Go ahead and enter your login
credentials or set up your account.
3. After you log in, the next time you
open the Dropbox app, you will
immediately be taken to your
Dropbox shared folders.
4. Tap any folder to open it or tap any
document to open and view it. First,
the file is downloaded to your
DROID; second, you are asked how
you want to open and view the file.
5. Depending on the type of file you
tap, you will either see the file open
immediately (like a picture) or be
asked which app you would like to
use to open the file. In the image to
the right, we tapped a .pdf file, so
we were asked which application to
use. If you always want to use the
same app, then tap the Checkboxicon at the bottom next to the text
that says, Use by default for this action.
Moving Files From Your Computer to Your DROID Once the software is set up on your computer and your DROID, you can drag-and-drop or
copy-and-paste files into your Dropbox folder on your PC or Mac. Within a few minutes of
doing this, that document will appear in the Dropbox app on your DROID. The same thingxworks in reverse: if you place a new file in the Dropbox folder on your DROID, it will appear
in minutes in the Dropbox folder on your computer (see Figure 21–3).
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 453
Figure 21–3. Copy files into your Dropbox folder on your computer, and they appear in the Dropbox folder on your DROID.
Moving Files from Your DROID
Follow these steps to move files from your
DROID to your computer and Dropbox
account:
1. Tap the Drobox icon to start it.
2. Press the Menu button and select
Upload.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 454
3. Specify the type of file you would
like to upload: Picture, Video,
Audio, or Any file.
If you select Picture or Video, then
you will see a screen similar to the
one shown to the right. You can
then choose Files (which allows you
to browse all your files) or Gallery(which shows you the Gallery app).
If you select Audio, then you will
see these options: Files, Select music track and Sound Recorder(record sound now).
4. Once you select your file, it will be
automatically uploaded and saved
on your Dropbox account on the
dropbox.com server. After a very
short time, you will also see that
same file in your Dropbox folder on
your computer.
Working With Microsoft Office Documents Microsoft Office documents are ubiquitous, and it’s helpful to be able to view them on
your DROID. Fortunately, you can open and view Microsoft Office documents on your
DROID with the free version of Documents to Go. If you want to create and edit
documents, then you have to use Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite, which may
already be loaded on your DROID, or the full version of Documents to Go Full Versionfor USD $14.99. If you need to purchase Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite, the regular
price Is USD $19.99. Both products have fairly strong customer reviews and are
available on the Android Market.
TIP: Check your list of applications; you may already have the full version of Quickoffice pre-installed on your DROID. Be sure to check whether you already have it before you buy any third-
party software for creating or editing Office documents.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 455
The ability to open and view documents on your DROID means you can stay productive
on the road. When you add the ability to edit these documents and forward them to
colleagues in email messages, then you can really boost your mobile productivity. Go
ahead and edit that document while waiting for lunch, waiting at the airport, riding the
train, or flying in an airplane.
NOTE: Imagine putting the core of Microsoft Office on your DROID and just how many manyfeatures and functions it includes. We could easily write 50 pages or more about either Quickoffice or Documents to Go; however, we will do our best to stick to just the basics to help
you get started and become productive.
Finding Product Reviews You will find product reviews both on the Web and in individual user reviews on the
Android Market site. Do a web search to find the latest reviews and comments; to
facilitate your research, we’ve gathered links to a few reviews at major sites:
� Review of Quickoffice with some comparison to Documents to Go(ZDnet - 6/9/2010):
www.zdnet.com/blog/cell-phones/quickoffice-brings-cloud-document-access-and-editing-to-google-android/3996
� Review of Documents to Go (ZDnet - 5/28/2009):
www.zdnet.com/blog/cell-phones/review-documents-to-go-rocks-google-android-with-unique-office-functions/1307?tag=rbxccnbzd1
� Review of Documents to Go 2.0 (Brighthand – 11/11/2009):
www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=15697
NOTE: Keep in mind that the reviews and comments are based on specific versions of the apps; if a vendor has released an update, some or all of the concerns of the reviewers may have
already been addressed.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 456
Moving Documents to and From Your DROIDAs we discussed in the “Dropbox” section of this chapter, you can use apps like
Dropbox to easily transfer files between your computer and your DROID. Everything is
shared and synchronized wirelessly.
Another popular way to move documents is to attach them to email messages. You can
receive and send attachments to yourself and others. Learn more about working with
email in Chapter 9: “Email on Your DROID.” Follow these steps to transfer documents
between your computer and DROID via email:
1. When you receive email
attachments, they will be listed at
the bottom of the message. Tap the
Preview button to open the
attachment.
2. You may be asked to select a
particular app to open this
attachment type.
3. Tap the app you wish to use to open
and view the document.
4. If you are composing a message,
you can attach a file or document by
pressing the Menu button and
selecting Attach.
5. Browse to the file location and
select one or more files to attach to
that email message.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 457
Quickoffice
You may already have Quickoffice pre-installed on your DROID. Take
a look through your app icons; if you don’t see it, then you can
purchase it for about $10 from the Android Market.
As we mentioned previously, you can start Quickoffice by selecting it as the app to
open an email attachment with. We’ll start by drilling down on the app itself:
1. Tap the Quickoffice app to start it.
2. You will see the main screen of
Quickoffice. From this screen, you
can select between the various
Quickoffice apps and QuickPDF,
as well as browse for files on your
DROID.
Tap Update to check for updates to
the software.
Tap Support to load the User Guide, bring up Frequently AskedQuestions, or Submit a Support Ticket to the software publisher
about an issue you are having.
Tap Explore to follow Quickoffice
on social networks, view the
Quickoffice blog, read news
releases, and provide feedback.
3. If you tap Quickword, Quicksheet, or Quickpoint, you will see a screen
similar to the one shown to the right
that asks whether you want to
Create New Document (this option
is not available in Quickpoint), browse the SD Card (browse the
SD memory card), or see a list of
Recent Documents.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 458
Formatting Text in Quickword Once you have a Quickword document open, you can change its text formatting by
following these steps:
1. Select text by double-tapping it, and
then tap the screen above or below
the selected text to expand the
selection.
2. Press the Menu button and select
Format.
TIP: To show the keyboard, select
Keyboard from the menu.
3. From this screen, you can set the
font style (bold, italic, underline, or
strikethrough), font face, font size,
font color, and highlight color. Tap
OK when done.
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Getting Around in QuickofficeOnce you understand that you get to most of the commands by pressing the Menubutton, you can access all the functionality in the Quickoffice apps. What follows is a
list of menu commands accessible from the various apps:
� Quickword menu commands – Open, Save, Format, Keyboard
(show/hide), Search (find text), More, Page View (shows entire page), New
(new file), Save As, Properties (document properties), Updates (check for
app updates), About, and Help.
� Quicksheet menu commands – Open, Save, Worksheet (jump to
different worksheet), Keyboard (show/hide), Number Format (set as
General, Number, Currency, Date, Time, and so on), More, New, Save As,
Search (for text), Font Format (same as Format in Quickword), Go To Cell
(type in a cell reference such as A10 to jump to it), Properties (document
properties), Updates (check for app updates), About, and Help.
� Quickpoint menu commands – Open, Save, Save As, Go To Slide (jump
to slide number), Start Slideshow, More, Properties (document
properties), Updates (check for app updates), About, and Help.
� Quickpdf menu commands – Open, Reading View (reflows the text on
the page so it is more easy to read and does not require scrolling left and
right), Go To Page, Bookmarks (view bookmarks in the file), Find (search
for text), More, Rotate (rotate the page left or right), Updates (check for
app updates), Properties (document properties), About, and Help.
Editing Text in Quickpoint
In order to edit text on slides in Quickpoint, you need
to long-press the text you wish to edit and select Edit Text from the pop-up window. Next, you will see the
text on a new screen. Tap anywhere to position the
cursor and use the keyboard to change the text. Tap
OK when done.
NOTE: Editing Text Inside Graphics – Quickpoint is the Clear Winner
At the time of publishing, Quickpoint lets you edit any text on a PowerPoint slide by long-
pressing it. This works whether the text is in the main text area or inside a graphic such as acallout. However, Slideshow To Go from Documents To Go only allows you to edit text placed
directly on the slide; it does not allow you to edit text inside boxes, callouts, or other graphics.
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Zooming in QuickofficeThe best way to zoom in or out is to pinch open or pinch closed with your fingers on the
screen. Double-tapping only works to zoom in or out in Quickpoint; otherwise, it will
move the cursor and start a selection.
Documents to Go – the Full VersionThe Documents To Go - Full Version (version 3.0) costs $14.99 at publishing time. The
key difference between the full and the free version is that the full version of Documentsto Go gives you the added ability to create, edit, and send Microsoft Office and AdobePDF files. You can buy the full version of the app from the Android Market. Documents To Go consists of three main programs: Word To Go (for Word documents), SlideShow To Go (for PowerPoint documents), and Sheet To Go (for Excel documents).
Tap the Documents to Go icon to start it. From
the main screen, you can tap any of the following
options:
� Recent Files – View recently
opened files.
� Starred Files – View files you
have starred as your favorites.
� Local Files – View files on your
SD memory card.
� Google Docs – Access files
stored on your Google account.
� Desktop Files – Access files you
have synchronized from your
computer.
� Upgrade Store – Buy additional
features.
� Plus sign – (lower-left corner)
Click to create a new Word,
Excel, or PowerPoint document.
� Settings Gear – (lower-right
corner) Click to access settings.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 461
Word To Go Tips
You’ll probably spend the most time using the WordTo Go app. In the upcoming sections, we’ll look at
several tips for getting the most out of this app.
Zooming in or out
Tap the screen once to bring up the (-) and (+)
Magnifying glass buttons at the bottom of the
screen. Tap these buttons to zoom out or in. Note
that pinching open/closed does not work.
Selecting Text Obviously, you’ll want to select text to copy-and-paste
or otherwise reformat it. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Long-press to bring up the Edit pop-up window.tTry to position your finger exactly where you
want to start selecting text because it does not
allow you to change the starting point of your
selection. It works best to zoom in as much as
possible first to make the words larger.
2. Tap Selection Mode.
3. Drag your finger across the screen to adjust
the selected text. If you see that your starting
point for the selection is incorrect, press the
Back button and start at Step 1 again.
4. Long-press again to choose from the menu.
Options include Cut, Copy, Font (change font
size, style, type), and Bullets & Numbering.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 462
Menu Commands
You may be amazed at the number of features and
functions available to you in Word To Go. Just press
the Menu button to see the following commands:
� File – New, Open, Close, Save,
Save As, and Send via Email
� Edit (this brings up the same
options as long-pressing the text) –Toggle Keyboard, Start/Cancel
Selection, Select All, Cut, Copy,
Paste, and Undo
� View – Zoom, Find, Go, Table of
Contents, Comments, Footnotes,
and Endnotes
� Format – Bold, Italic, Underline,
Font, Paragraph, Bullets &
Numbering, Hyperlink, Bookmark,
Increase Indent, and Decrease
Indent
� Insert – Page Break, Bookmark,
Hyperlink, Table, and Comment
Tapping More brings up the following menus and
options:
� Preferences – Format for new files
(Word 97-2004 or Word 07-2008),
Name, Initial, options for Track
Changes (such as how insertions
and deletions are shown and what
colors are used).
� File Properties – Name, Type,
Location, Size, and Last Modified
� Word Count
� Help – Check for Updates, About,
and Help
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Sending a File Via Email, Bluetooth, Dropbox, and More
The Send a File command works in all the
Documents To Go applications. Follow
these steps to send an email from
Documents To Go:
1. Press the Menu button, select File,
and then Send via Email.
2. You will see a screen similar to the
one shown to the right. You will only
see Dropbox as an option if you
have it installed. You may see other
applications you have installed as
options, as well.
Select the method you would like to
use to send your file.
Slideshow To Go Tips
The Slideshow To Go app
lets you edit PowerPointdocuments. The next
section looks at ways to get
the most out of this app.
For example, once you get
the hang of using the Menubutton, you can use the
long-press to bring up the
Slideshow To Go menu.
This menu lets you do
almost anything possible
from this app.
Remember that you can flip
your DROID on its side to
make a slide fit its screen
better.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 464
Editing Slide Text (Using Outline View)
Editing text on a slide is easy to do. Simply long-
press anywhere on the slide and select Edit SlideText. This switches you into Outline view.
This will give you a screen similar to the one
shown to the right. Tap your finger anywhere to
place the cursor for editing text.
Tap the screen to zoom in or out using the Zoombuttons on the bottom of the screen.
Use the keyboard to type your changes. You can
select, format, and copy / paste text by following
the steps described in the “Word To Go Tips”
section.
To insert a new bullet item, press the Menubutton and select Insert > New Bullet Item.
From this Insert menu, you can also Insert Slide(insert a new blank slide) or insert a Duplicate Slide.
NOTE: At the time of publishing, you could not use Slideshow To Go to edit text inside a slide’s objects. This holds true for callout boxes or any other kinds of graphics. It is good to know that
Quickoffice’s Quickpoint app does allow you to edit text inside graphics in a PowerPoint file.
Switching Views (Slide View, Outline View, and Notes View) Follow these steps to change your current view of a slide:
1. Press the Menu button and select View.
2. Select Slide View to view the slides, Outline to view the text on the slides, or
Notes to view notes on the slide.
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Moving Around
It’s easy to navigate between slides in Slide To Go. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Swipe left or right to move between slides.
2. Long-press the screen and select Go To Slide to jump to a particular slide.
Sheet To Go TipsThe Sheet to Go app is Document To Go’s Excel viewing and editing app. As when
using Word To Go and Slideshow To Go, you can use the Menu button, Zoombuttons, and drag your finger around the screen to do almost anything you need to in
the app.
Moving Around the Spreadsheet Tap your finger and drag it around the screen to move around the spreadsheet. Press
the Menu button and select View to move to other Worksheets or Go to jump to the
beginning (Home) or End of the current spreadsheet or to a specific cell.
Selecting and Editing a Cell
Here are a couple tips for selecting and editing a
cell. Tap the cell to select it, and then tap your
finger in the edit box at the top of the screen. Now
you can edit the cell text. Be sure to start all
formulas with an Equals sign character (=). You can
input this sign by pressing the ?123 key and then
the ALT key. Or, you can press the Menu button
and select Operators.
TIP: While editing a formula on your computer inExcel, you can just click cells to reference them.However, to add a cell reference in a formula on yourDROID, you need to either type out the cell reference
(e.g. “E8”); or press the Menu button, select CellReference, and then tap the cell.
CHAPTER 21: Working With Notes and Documents 466
Adding Functions
While you are editing a cell, press the
Menu button and select Function.
This displays a list of virtually every
function available in Excel.
To narrow the list, tap the All dropdown
list at the top of the window. Next, you can
filter for categories such as Financial,Date & Time, Math & Trig, Statistical, and so on.
Freeze Panes
You can freeze panes or hold all the cells above and to the left of the currently selected
cell unmovable by pressing the Menu button, selecting View, then choosing FreezePanes. Repeat this procedure to Unfreeze Panes.
Switching Worksheets
To move between worksheets in a spreadsheet workbook, press the Menu button,
select View, and then Worksheets.
Inserting Various Elements
You can insert a function, AutoSum, sheet, row, or column by pressing the Menu button
and selecting Insert. At this point, you can choose your preferred option.
Selecting an Entire Row or Column It’s also easy to select an entire row or column. Tap the row header (number) on the left
side of the screen to select the row. Similarly, you can tap the column header (letter) on
the top of the screen to select that column.
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Adjusting Row and Column Sizes (and Hiding or Unhiding Them)
Now let’s look at some tips for adjusting
the sizes of rows and columns. Press the
Menu button, tap More, and then tap Rowor Column to see a menu similar to the
one shown to the right.
From this menu, you can accomplish the
following tasks: select a row or column,
adjust a row width or column height,
autofit (for columns), or hide or unhide a
row or column.
Many of the Menu commands are similar to what we described in this chapter’s “Word
To Go Tips” section, including Send as Email, Save, and Save As.
469
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Chapter
Fun and Games Your DROID excels at many things. It is a multimedia workhorse, and it can keep track
of your busy life. Your DROID also serves as a nice gaming device. You can even find
versions of popular games for the device that you might expect to find only on
dedicated gaming consoles.
The DROID brings many advantages to portable gaming: the high-resolution screen
delivers realistic visuals; the high-quality audio provides great sound effects; and the
accelerometer allow you to interact with your games in a way that many PCs and
dedicated gaming consoles (outside of the Wii) don’t. For example, in racing games, the
last feature lets you steer your car by turning the DROID as you hold it.
The DROID is also great for lots of other fun stuff such as following your local football
team. You can even use the DROID as a musical instrument with great apps like xPiano(which we will show you later in the chapter.)
NOTE: There is enough fun stuff to do with the DROID that we routinely discover that the DROIDhas disappeared from its charger and we have to yell out: “Where is my DROID? I need to finish
this book!”
Using the DROID as a Gaming Device The DROID includes a built-in accelerometer, which is essentially a device that detects
movement (acceleration).
Combine the accelerometer with a fantastic screen, lots of memory, and a fast
processor, and you have the makings of a great gaming platform. With literally
thousands of gaming titles to choose from, you can play virtually any type of game you
wish on your DROID.
With most games, you can even take a phone call and come back to the exact place
you left off when the call ends. This means no more restarts!
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CHAPTER 22: Fun and Games 470
NOTE: Some games do require that you have an active network connection through Wi-Fi to
engage in multiplayer games.
With the DROID, you can play a
driving game and use the DROID
itself to steer. You do this simply by
turning the device. You can touch
the DROID to brake or tilt it forward
to accelerate.
The game on the right, RagingThunder, is so fun and fast that it
might make you car sick!
Or, you can try a fishing game, where
you feel like you are fishing from a
real boat! In the Fishing 2 Go app
shown here, you flick your DROID to
cast the line then rotate your finger
on the screen to reel in your fish.
CHAPTER 22: Fun and Games 471
If music/rhythm games are your thing, then
you will find many such programs in the
Android Market. Popular console games
such as Guitar Hero (and many others)
have been ported to the DROID.
On some games, such as the new GuitarHero, you really have to “strum” to keep
pace and score points.
The DROID also has a very fast processor and a sophisticated graphics chip. Bundling
these together with the accelerometer gives you a very capable gaming device.
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Acquiring Games and Other Fun AppsAs is the case for all DROID apps, games can be found in the Android Market (see
Figure 21-1). You can get them either through doubleTwist (See Chapter 25: “DROID
Media Sync”) on your computer or through the device’s built-in Android Market app.
Figure 22–1. The layout of the Android Market’s Games section.s
CHAPTER 22: Fun and Games 473
To get a game, fire up the AndroidMarket, as you did in Chapter 17. Next,
go to the Games tab. You will also find
many games in the Featured section of
the Android Market. Figure 22–2 shows
the App Purchase page for a game
available for the DROID.
Figure 22–2. The layout of the App Purchase page.e
CHAPTER 22: Fun and Games 474
Reading Reviews Before You Buy
Many of the games have user reviews that
are worth perusing. Sometimes, you can
get a good sense of the game before you
buy it. If you find a game that looks
interesting, don’t be afraid to do a simple
Google search to see whether any
mainstream media outlets have performed
a full review.
Just touch the Comments tab to see user
reviews of any game.
CAUTION: Be aware that some of the reviews may contain explicit or foul
language.
Looking for Free Trials or Lite Versions
Increasingly, game developers are giving users free
trials of their games to see if they like them before
they buy. You will find many games have both a liteversion and a full version in the Android Market. l
Some “free” games are supported by the inclusion of
ads within the game. Other games are free to start,
but require in-app purchases for continued play or
additional features.
Being Careful When You Play
You might use the DROID to cast your line in a fishing game, as you would in real life. You
can also move around a bit in driving and first person shooter games. So be mindful of your
surroundings as you play! For example, make sure you have a good grip on your device, so
it doesn’t slip out of your hand; we recommend a good silicone case to help with this.
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CAUTION: Games such as Angry Birds can be quite addictive!
Two-Player Games
The DROID really opens up the possibility
for two-player gaming. In this example, we
are playing checkers against one another,
using the DROID as a game board.
You can find similar two-person gaming
apps for other board games, such as
chess or checkers.
Online and Wireless Games
The DROID also allows online and
wireless, peer-to-peer gaming (if the
game supports it). Many new games are
incorporating this technology. In RagingThunder, for example, you can play
against multiple players on their own
devices.
The example to the right shows the
screen presented when a user chooses
the Multi Player option from the Raging Thunder menu. At this point, the user
now chooses Internet to go online and
join a race against opponents.
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NOTE: If you just want to play against a friend who is nearby, select Wi-Fi mode for multiplayer
games. If you just want to play against new people, try going online for a league race or game.
Playing Music Games with Your DROID The DROID’s relatively large screen
means that you can even install a piano
keyboard on your DROID and play
music. There are a number of music-
related games available; check out the
Arcade subcategory of the Gamescategory in the Android Market to see
what’s available.
One of the apps that was in the Top 5 of
the Free DROID apps category when we
were writing this book was xPiano,
which turns your DROID into an on-
screen piano.
Download the app and just have fun with
it!
If you have children, they might enjoy it,
as well.
NOTE: Some apps want to use your location and notify you of this when
downloading. You can always say “no.”
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Other Fun Stuff: Football on the DROIDThere are many great apps that can
provide you with endless hours of
entertainment on the DROID. Since
Verizon is the official provider of the NFL
now, they have an NFL Mobile app in
the Verizon section of the Android
Market.
Start up the Android Market and then
touch the Verizon tab.
NFL Mobile should be one of the first
apps you see. Touch the app and then
choose Install on the next screen.
In the NFL Mobile app, you press the
Menu key to see the main menu of
options. When you first register the app,
you pick your favorite team. The favorite
team on the DROID in this example is
set to the Patriots.
Touch the My Team tab to go to your
team’s page. So, if this team is playing,
then the view automatically goes to that
team’s game first. If this team is not
playing, then the app displays a recap of
the team’s previous game. Alternatively,
it might list the details of the team’s next
game.
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Touch the News and Videos tab and you
can see the days NFL headlines. You can
also watch video highlights by touching
the Videos tab.
Touch the Live tab from the menu to
watch TV broadcasts of live games. If no
game is currently on and an upcoming
game is going to be televised, that will be
indicated at the bottom of the Live screen.
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Chapter
Utilities: Clock, Calculator, and Weather The DROID is useful for a great number of tasks, and it comes preloaded with several
powerful and interesting utilities. One of the nice aspects about having a DROID is that
many of its simplest and easiest-to-use apps and abilities are things that you will find
yourself using quite frequently.
In this chapter, we will walk you through how to use several such apps and features,
including your clock, the built-in Calculator app, and the Weather app. Specifically, we
will show you how to set the clock’s alarms, including how to use the snooze feature
and dismiss alarms. We will also show you how to use both the Basic and Advancedmodes of the built-in calculator. Finally, we will show you, not only how to configure the
built-in Weather app, but also how to download other free weather apps you might want
to add to your DROID. We will also show you how to add a Weather and Clock widget
to your Home screen for easy viewing.
Your DROID can replace your wristwatch and even your
alarm clock. You can use it to set multiple alarms – even
a different alarm for every day of the week. Finally, you
can set up a widget for the clock right on your Homescreen. You can do all this in the Clock app on the kDROID and in the Alarm and Timer app on the DROID 2
and DROID X.
Another extremely useful application is your DROID’s
built-in Calculator app. You can use this app to
determine the tip for your meal or to perform other simple
calculations. For example, you might use it to determine
how much 120 licenses of the Made Simple Learning
video tutorials would cost a company.
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Your DROID’s Weather app is part of the News and Weather app, and you can use it to look up the weather
for the next few days in your own city (or any other city in
the world).
TIP: You can always find additional utilities in the Android Market. Check out Chapter 17:
“Exploring the Android Market” for more information on the DROID’s official marketplace.
The Clock App (for DROID)
Your DROID comes with a built-in
clock that also provides various alarm options.
Touch the Clock icon to start it.
On the DROID, touch the Clock icon to see the
screen shown to the right. You will immediately
see the current time and date.
Beneath this date and time information, you
will see a snapshot of the local weather.
On the DROID, you will also see four soft keys
at the bottom of the screen: Alarm Clock,
Photo Slideshow, Music, and Home.
To launch a slideshow of all your photos from
the Clock app, touch the Slideshow icon.
To jump to your Music app, touch the Musicicon.
To return to the Home screen, touch the
Home icon.
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The Alarm Clock (for DROID)The DROID’s alarm clock feature is flexible and powerful. You can use it to easily set
multiple alarms. For example, you might set one alarm to wake you up on weekdays and
a separate alarm on weekends. You can even set an additional alarm to wake you up
from your Tuesday and Sunday afternoon naps at 3 pm.
To get started, tap the Alarm icon in the lower
row of soft keys of the clock on the DROID.
This will display any alarms you have set. If
there are no alarms set, tap the Add alarm tab
at the top to add a new one.
You can adjust the time of the alarm by using
the + (plus) and – (minus) keys above and below
the numbers to set the time.
Touch the AM icon and it will change to PM.
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Touching Set takes you to the Alarm Optionsscreen.
From this screen, you can adjust the Repeat,Ringtone, Vibration, and Label of the alarm.
If this is a one-time alarm, then leave the
Repeat option set at Never. This setting will
cause the alarm to automatically be set to Offafter it rings.
If the alarm does repeat, then adjust the
repeating function of the alarm by touching the
Repeat tab. Touch the days of the week you
would like the new alarm to be active.
TIP: You may touch as many or as few days as
you want.
You can adjust the sound the alarm makes by
touching the Ringtone tab and then choosing
an alarm sound from the list.
For silent alarms, set the sound to Silent at the
top of the list to have an onscreen silent alarm –
no sound will be made.
Tap OK when you are done adjusting your
Ringtone settings.
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To adjust the Snooze feature, press
the Menu key from the Clock app
and then choose Settings. Snooze
will be in the default 10 minutesposition.
NOTE: The pre-set Snoozeduration is 10 minutes; however, you can adjust that value to
anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.
You can rename your alarm by
touching the Label tab. The
keyboard will launch, and you can
type in a new name for that
particular alarm.
Be sure to give your alarm a name
that is easy to recognize.
CHAPTER 23: Utilities: Clock, Calculator, and Weather 484
NOTE: If you want to use the alarm feature towake up in the morning at different times ondifferent days, you will need to set an alarm for
each day of the week by following the
aforementioned procedure.
NOTE: An alarm will not turn your DROID on if it is completely powered off. However, if your
DROID is in Sleep mode (see Chapter 1: “Getting Started”), then your alarms will ring just fine.
Using the Alarm (for DROID 2/X) On the DROID 2/X, you get to the Alarm using the Alarm & Timer icon.
Settings are very similar to the DROID Alarm, with some minor variations. Here is how
to add a new alarm on the DROID 2/X.
1. Tap Alarm & Timer.
2. Tap the Alarm tab at the top to make sure
you are on the Alarm screen as shown to
the right.
3. Press the Menu button and select Add alarm.
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4. Now, you will see the Set alarm screen as
shown to the right where you can adjust
many aspects of the alarm such as:
� Turn on alarm - place a checkmark
here to activate this alarm.
� Name - Set a easily recognizable
name such as "Pickup from school"
� Time - Adjust the time for the
alarm.
� Sound - Adjust the ringtone, you
can even select a video to play if
you choose!
� Vibrate - Check this box to make
the device to vibrate as well as ring
at alarm time.
� Repeat - Choose which days of the
week for this alarm to be active. In
this case we just wanted week
days.
� Volume - Check this box to have
the sound increase in volume for
the alarm unless you silence it.
Using the Timer (for DROID 2/X) On the DROID 2/X the Timer app provides a count-down timer that can prove handy in
a number of situations. For example, you might use it in lieu of a kitchen timer to remind
you to take something out of the oven in 30 minutes or to ensure that you cook your
pasta for exactly eight minutes.
Or, you might use it to remind yourself to turn off the sprinkler in one hour.
All of these situations are great reasons to use the Timer app.
Follow these steps to use the built-in Timer app:
CHAPTER 23: Utilities: Clock, Calculator, and Weather 486
1. Tap the Timer tab to enter Timermode. You can add or subtract
time in minute and hour
increments by pressing the + and
– buttons.
2. Tap Start to start the timer.
3. Tap Cancel if you need to stop the
timer before it goes off; otherwise,
it will go off with a ringing sound
and vibration when the countdown
expires.
NOTE: You can continue to use the phone
for other tasks without stopping the timer.
The Calculator App Another handy app included on your DROID is the
Calculator app. The DROID’sr Calculator app can handle
almost anything a typical family will throw its way,
performing both basic and scientific calculations.
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Viewing the Basic Calculator (Portrait Mode)
Click the Calculator icon to start the
Calculator app.
When first started, the Calculatorapplication is a “basic” calculator. All
functions are activated by simply touching
the corresponding key to perform the
desired action.
If you need more advanced functions,
simply press the Menu key and then touch
Advanced panel soft key.
Viewing the Advanced Panel
Once your Calculator app is in Advancedmode, turn the DROID sideways to enter
Landscape mode (horizontal). This gives
you a bit more room to work with your
calculations.
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The Weather App The DROID also comes with a very useful and
easy-to-use Weather app built in.
The location of the Weather app is initially in
the News and Weather app , the icon
for which is on the Home screen.
The DROID 2 and DROID X devices also
feature a separate News app, which is an
RSS reader. For more information on the
Motorola widgets that ship with your DROID,
see Chapter 6, "Organizing Your Home
Screens.
You can have the Weather app automatically
set up your location, or you can manually set
up another location to check the weather
forecast.
Getting Started with the Weather AppYou start the Weather app by tapping the News and Weather icon. By default, the
DROID will use your GPS location to find the closest city or town. If the DROID is not
able to do that, you will need to add your location manually.
NOTE: By default, GPS is not turned on at first boot on the DROID 2 and DROID X devices. Thus tthe News and Weather app may use your wireless connection or cell-tower triangulation, but itwon’t use GPS by default.
The original DROID, however, has GPS turned on by default.
Follow these steps to adjust the settings of the Weather app:
1. Touch the Menu button to reveal two soft keys at the bottom: Refresh and
Settings.
2. Touch Settings and then choose the Weather settings.
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3. The Use my location box should have a check in it. You can uncheck the box
and then touch the Set location tab to input a new ZIP code.
4. To see a detailed hourly forecast, touch the i button.
5. Drag your finger along the chart to see the temperature and humidity throughout
the day (see Figure 23-1).
Touch here see detailed daily weather information.
Figure 23–1. The current and hourly views of the weather from the built-in Weather app. r
Adding a Weather Widget One of the great things about the software on your DROID is that it is highly
customizable. One way to customize it is to add widgets to your Home screen. A widget
is essentially a live, updating shortcut to another app.
It’s easy to add a Weather, Clock, or other widget to an available Home screen on the
DROID. For more on widgets, see Chapter 6: “Organize your Home Screens: Icons and
Widgets.”
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Follow these steps to add a Weather widget:
1. Slide to a blank Home screen –
either to the left or right of the
current Home screen.
2. Touch and hold anywhere on the
screen until the Add to Home screen menu appears.
3. Choose Widgets or AndroidWidgets from the menu.
4. Choose News and Weather to
make a widget for the News andWeather app.
5. On the DROID 2/X, you will then be
asked to configure the widget to
show Weather, News, or News andWeather.
NOTE: You can also choose an analog-style clock; doing so will display such a clock as a
widget on your Home screen.
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Other Weather Apps The Weather app bundled with the DROID is certainly functional, but there are
alternatives available. Most of the weather apps are free in the Android Market, but
some also offer premium versions for a modest fee.
NOTE: Most of the free weather apps are supported by ads in the app. For the most part, these
ads are not intrusive.
The easiest way to find alternative weather apps is to go to the Android Market and
touch the Apps icon at the top of the screen. The store actually includes a distinct News and Weather category. In the Weather category, touch Top Free at the top and then
search for apps. You can learn more about downloading apps in Chapter 17: “Exploring
the Android Market.”
The Weather Channel
The Weather Channel is one of the preeminent weather
authorities today. The Weather Channel website can
be accessed right from the DROID’s Weather app.
Just touch the small Weather Channel icon on your
News and Weather home page to visit the site.
When you first go to the site, you will input your ZIP
code or address, so a custom home page with your
weather can be created. This home page shows the
current weather. You can scroll down the page to see
Hourly, 36 Hour, and 10 Day forecasts.
Scroll further down the page to see local video,
weekend forecasts, weather tools, and more.
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AccuWeather
Another weather authority, AccuWeather, has put
together a very comprehensive weather app for the
DROID.
You can download this app from the Android Market, as explained earlier.
When you fire up the AccuWeather app,
you will be prompted to use your location
for determining local weather – we
recommend allowing AccuWeather to do
this.
The home page of the app shows you the
current temperature and conditions, along
with a graphic of what the sky should look
like where you are. There are soft keys to
show different views.
The upper level of soft keys at the top of
the screen shows buttons for Current,Hourly, and 15 Day forecasts. There is
also a soft key for Map, Video Indices Alarms, Alerts, and Risk.
The bottom of the app’s screen includes
the following function keys: Location,
Refresh, and Preferences.
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Chapter
Troubleshooting The DROID is usually very reliable. Occasionally, as with your computer or any
complicated electronic device, you might have to reset the device or troubleshoot a
problem. In this chapter, we will give you some useful tools to help get your DROID back
up and running as quickly as possible. We will start with some basic, quick
troubleshooting and move into more in-depth problems and resolutions in the
“Advanced Troubleshooting” section.
We will also cover some other odds-and-ends related to your DROID and give you a list
of resources where you can find more help for your DROID.
Basic Troubleshooting We will begin by covering a few basic tips and tricks to get your DROID back up and
running.
What to Do If the DROID Stops Responding Sometimes, your DROID won’t respond to your touch because it freezes in the middle of
a program. If this happens, try these steps to try to revive your DROID:
1. Press the Home button once to see whether the
app you’re in can be closed; if things go well,
you will jump out to the Home screen.
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CHAPTER 24: Troubleshooting 494
2. Long-press the Home button to see
whether you can bring up the list of
Recent apps. Next, try touching one
of the other apps to switch to that app
and see whether you can get back to
the Home screen by pressing the
Home button again from the new app.
3. If your DROID continues to be
unresponsive, try pressing and
holding the Power/Lock button on
the top of the phone until you bring up
the Phone options. Next, tap Poweroff, and then turn your phone back on
by pressing and holding the
Power/Lock button.
4. Make sure your DROID isn’t running out of power. Tap the Settings icon, then
Battery Manager on the DROID 2 and DROID X. If you have 15% power or less,
you should recharge your DROID right away.
5. Try performing a battery-pull. Begin by removing the battery and replacing it.
Power off the phone as described previously, if possible, and then open the
battery cover door and remove the battery. Wait a few seconds and replace the
battery and door. Next, power on the phone and see whether everything is
working again.
If these steps don’t work, or if your DROID seems to be getting stuck with particular
apps, then read the “Managing Your Apps” section. If your DROID still won’t work after
trying all these steps, then you will need to perform a factory reset of your DROID or
look at more advanced troubleshooting techniques or additional resources that we’ll
touch on later in this chapter.
Managing Your Apps You can do a few things to manage and troubleshoot your applications on your DROID
in your Settings app. We’ll cover some of these in the upcoming sections.
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Forcing an App to StopOccasionally, you will want to force one or more applications to quit or stop. This is
called a Force stop on your DROID. Follow these steps to stop an app:
1. Tap your Settings app.
2. Tap Applications.
3. Tap Manage applications.
4. Tap the Running tab at the top of
the screen to see all the apps
currently running.
5. Locate the app that is causing you
trouble.
6. Tap the Force stop button in the
top-left portion of the screen to
force the app to stop running.
TIP: You might want to tap the Clearcache button to reset the memory for this
app, and then try restarting it.
Resolving Memory ProblemsWe all love to install cool new apps on our DROID. However, at some point, the love
must come to an end when we receive an “Out of Memory” error. At that point, we can
either remove unused apps or try to move some apps from our main internal memory to
our SD card.
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Deleting Apps Follow the steps described in the “Forcing an App to Stop” section and tap the
Uninstall button. If the app you want to uninstall is not running, then you need to tap the
Downloaded tab at the top of the screen instead of the Running tab to find it.
Moving Apps to Your SD Card
Some apps, but not all, will allow you to move them
from your main DROID internal memory to your SD
Card. This can save you space on your DROID and
allow you to install more apps.
Follow the same steps shown in the “Force an App
to Stop” section and tap the Move to SD cardbutton. If the button is not clickable or grayed out,
then the app cannot be moved to the SD card.
If you see an error message that says something like
“the application has failed to be moved because
there is not enough storage left,” then you may
simply need to put your SD card into Charge Onlymode or disconnect your DROID from your
computer (see Chapter 25; “DROID Media Sync" for
more information).
Once you have moved an app to your SD Card, you
can move it back to your phone by tapping the
Move to phone button; you find this button located
in the same space.
TIP: If you do need to free up some space on your SD card, try moving some of your media filesto your computer and deleting them from your SD card. This should free up SD card space, so
you can move apps (see Chapter 25: “DROID Media Sync” for more information).
Changing the Launch by Default SettingSometimes you set the default open or launch setting for an app and want to change it
later. For example, you might originally set the default to open Microsoft Worddocuments to the free version of Documents To Go. If you later purchase Quickoffice,
then you might want to change this default to Quickoffice, which provides more
complete editing tools. In this section, we will show you how to accomplish this.
CHAPTER 24: Troubleshooting 497
When you open certain files, you may see a dialog
box similar to the one shown at the right. If you
check the Use by default option for this actionbox at the bottom of this dialog, then you have
associated this type of file to the Launch bydefault for the selected app. In this image, Word To Go has been selected. You can change this
default selection by following the same steps you
used to set this option.
Follow the steps shown in the “Force an App to
Stop” section and tap the Clear defaults button in
the Launch by default section to deselect an app
as the default app for opening a given file type.
Resolving Issues With Placing a Phone Call, Syncing WithGoogle, or Browsing the Web
There are several reasons you might not be able to
place a call, sync with Google, or browse the web.
One simple reason is that your DROID might be in
Airplane mode. You can tell if you are in Airplanemode if you see the Airplane icon in the top status
bar, as shown to the right.
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Turning Off Airplane ModeThe interesting thing is that you may not have turned on Airplane mode; it could have
been turned on by the phone itself. If you are out of an area with good wireless coverage
for 15 minutes or more, your DROID will switch to Airplane mode to conserve battery
life. You just need to turn off Airplane mode to fix this problem.
If you try to place a call when in Airplane mode, you
will see the message shown to the right.
Tap Yes to turn off Airplane mode and make your
call.
When you are trying to browse the web, the
message is not quite as straightforward as the one
shown to the right.
To quickly turn off Airplane mode, follow these
steps:
1. Press and hold the Power/Lock button on the
top of your DROID.
2. Tap the Airplane mode button.
Turning Airplane mode off should allow you to browse the web and make phone calls,
assuming you are in a place with good wireless cellular coverage.
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Cycling Your Wi-Fi Connection Another trick that can help you establish or re-establish connectivity is to cycle your Wi-
Fi connection off and on. This might help with your Internet connection in locations
where you are using Wi-Fi to connect. Follow these steps to cycle your connection:
1. Tap your Settings icon.
2. Tap Wireless & networks.
3. Tap Wi-Fi to turn it off (it is off when the checkmark next to Wi-Fi is gray).
4. Once the Wi-Fi connection is off, tap Wi-Fi again to turn it back on (it is on when
the checkmark is green).
Resolving Sound Issues in Music or VideoFew things are more frustrating than hoping to listen to music or watch a video, only to
hear no sound coming from your DROID. Usually, there is an easy fix for this problem:
1. Check the volume by using the Volume Upkey in the upper-right edge of your DROID.
You might have accidentally lowered the
volume all the way or muted it.
2. If you are using wired headphones from the headphone jack, unplug
your headphones, and then put them back in. Sometimes, the headset
jack isn’t connected well.
3. If you are using wireless Bluetooth headphones or a Bluetooth (car)
stereo setup, then try these steps:
a. Check the volume setting (if available on the headphones or
stereo).
b. Check to make sure that the Bluetooth device is connected.
Follow these steps to do so:
i. Tap the Settings icon.
ii. Tap Wireless & network settings, and then make sure the
box is checked next to Bluetooth.
iii. Tap Bluetooth settings and make sure you see your device
listed under Bluetooth devices at the bottom of the screen.
Also, make sure that its status is Connected to phone audioor Connected to media audio.
iv. If it is not connected, then see Chapter 8: “Bluetooth on Your
DROID” to learn how to reconnect it.
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NOTE: Sometimes you may actually be connected to a Bluetooth device and not know it. If you are connected to a Bluetooth stereo device or connected to your car stereo’s Bluetooth (and the
car stereo volume is turned down), no sound will come out of the DROID itself.
4. Make sure the song or video you want to play is not in Pause mode. If you see
the Play button on the screen, then your song or video is currently paused.
If none of these steps helps, check out the “Additional Troubleshooting and Help
Resources” section later in this chapter. Finally, if that does not help, then contact the
store or business that sold you your DROID for assistance.
Resolving Problems When Making PurchasesSo you have this cool new device, and now you want to buy some fun apps or music
from the Android Market or the Amazon MP3 store. Sometimes, you may receive an
error message or a message that says you are not allowed to make a purchase. Follow
these steps to resolve these issues:
1. Both stores require an active Internet connection. Make sure you have
an active Wi-Fi or 3G connection. For assistance, check out Chapter 5:
“Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity.”
2. Verify that you have an active Google Checkout account. We show you
how to set up your Android Market account in Chapter 17: “Exploring
the Android Market”; similarly, we show you how to set up your Amazon
MP3 account in Chapter 14: “Enjoying Your Music.”
Advanced Troubleshooting If you’ve tried the tips and tricks in the preceding sections and you’re still having issues,
then you may need to resort to more advanced techniques. In the sections that follow,
we will walk you through some more advanced troubleshooting steps.
Performing a Factory Data ResetOne technique that can help when others fail is to perform a Factory Data Reset. This
procedure will work if you can still turn on your phone and get to the Settings app;
however, you should use it only as a last resort. If you cannot get into the Settings app,
then you need to do a battery-pull or hard reset, as described in this chapter’s “What to
do if the DROID Stops Responding” section.
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CAUTION: Performing a Factory Data Reset will erase all the data you have on your DROID. If you are syncing to Google or another application, all the data synced automatically will be saved. Don’t worry about pictures and videos stored on the memory card; those will not be lost when
you do this reset.
Follow these steps to reset your DROID:
1. Tap the Settings icon.
2. Tap Privacy.
3. Tap Factory Data Reset.
4. Tap Reset Phone to start the
Factory Data Reset process.
5. Once the process is complete, you
will need to set up your phone as
you did when you first got it out of
the box (see Chapter 1: “Getting
Started”).
Increasing Your Text Message Limit Sometimes, you may find you receive an error message while you are texting that says
you have reached your message limit. The default is usually 200 messages per
conversation. You can increase or decrease this limit inside the Text Messaging app by
following these steps:
1. Tap the Text Messaging icon.
2. Press the Menu button and select
Messaging settings.
3. Tap Message limit at the top.
4. You will see a screen similar to the
one shown to the right. Use the + or
- buttons or simply tap the number
itself to type a new number. You can
select between 10 and 999
messages for the limit.
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Additional Troubleshooting and Help Resources Sometimes you may encounter a particular issue or question that you cannot find an
answer to in this book. In the following sections, we provide some good resources that
you can access from the DROID and from your computer’s web browser. The Motorola
support site and knowledgebase are helpful if you are facing a troubleshooting problem
that is proving especially difficult to resolve. The DROID 2/DROID X-related web blogs
and forums are good places to locate answers and even ask questions about unique
issues you might be facing.
The Motorola DROID Support Pages To get to the Motorola DROID support pages, follow these steps.
1. On your DROID or computer’s web browser, go to www.motorola.com.
2. Click SUPPORT in the top-right corner of the main navigation bar.
3. Click Android support in the right column.
4. You should now see a screen similar to the one shown in Figure 24–1. From this
screen, you can click VIEW SUPPORT DETAILS under your DROID phone in the
right column.
Figure 24–1. The Motorola Android Support Page.
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DROID-Related Blogs One of the great things about owning a DROID is that you immediately become part of
the worldwide camaraderie of DROID owners.
Many DROID owners would be classified as “enthusiasts” and are part of any number of
DROID user groups. These user groups, along with various forums and websites, serve
as great resources for DROID users.
Many of these resources are available right from your DROID, and others are websites
that you might want to visit on your computer.
Sometimes you might want to connect with other DROID enthusiasts, ask a technical
question, or keep up with the latest and greatest rumors. The blogs are a great place to
do that.
Here are a few popular DROID (DROID, DROID 2, DROID X, etc.) blogs:
www.androidcentral.com
www.droid-life.com
www.theandroidblog.com
www.droidx.net
www.droidblog.net
www.technocrati.com
www.droid-forum.com
www.engadget.com/droid
TIP: Before you post a new question on any of these blogs, please do a search on the blog tomake sure your question has not already been asked and answered. Also, make sure you are posting your question on the right section (e.g., DROID) of the blog. Otherwise, you may incur the
wrath of the community for not doing your homework first!
Finally, you can do a web search for “DROID blogs” or “DROID news and reviews” to
locate more blogs.
Part
Sync Media to your DROID Your DROID is a great mobile device for enjoying all your media - pictures, videos,
ringtones, and music. You can take great pictures and videos right on your DROID.
You will want to know how to transfer all your pictures and videos on your computer for
safekeeping.
You may also want to know how to easily transfer your music library, playlists, videos
and pictures from your computer to your DROID. We cover two simple solutions
including doubleTwist and using Mass Storage mode to transfer media and documents
between your computer (PC or Mac) and your DROID. Soon, you will be able to fill your
DROID will all sorts of media.
With doubleTwist, you can also browse the Android Market, search for and subscribe to
podcasts, and purchase music from the Amazon MP3 market. Sometimes doing this on
your larger computer screen and keyboard is a bit easier than on the DROID itself.
IV
507
507
Chapter
DROID Media Sync In the final chapter of this book, we will cover a couple good options for helping you
sync or transfer media (e.g., music, pictures, and videos) between your computer and
your DROID. These software products will help you sync your iTunes or WindowsMedia Player music and playlists, as well as your pictures and videos from your
computer (PC and Mac). You can also use these tools to transfer the pictures and
videos you take on your DROID back to your computer for safekeeping.
The media transfer and sync options we cover are listed in Table 25–1; this table also
lists when you might want to choose each option.
Table 25–1. Media and Sync Options for Your DROID.
Solution When to Use Compatibility & Price
Drag-and-drop elements using your
USB cable connection.
To quickly transfer one or
more files between your
computer and your DROID.
PC and Mac
Free
Use doubleTwist – an “iTunes-like”
media player and sync tool for your
DROID.
To sync iTunes or WindowsMedia Player playlists and
related media.
PC and Mac
Free
Dropbox document and file sync
(See Chapter 21 for details.)
To transfer files and
documents wirelessly
between your computer and
DROID.
PC and Mac
Free (up to 2GB)
25
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NOTE: You can find several alternative media sync options not covered in the preceding table. For example, your DROID comes with the Media Sync app, however, it only syncs media to PCs,so we do not cover it here. Verizon supplies an app called VCAST Media Sync; however, it also
works only for PCs, so we do not cover it in this chapter, either. There are also many other solutions available on the market to sync media to your DROID. If none of the options described in our book serve your needs, please do a web search for “DROID media sync.” During our
research, we saw that Salling Software (www.salling.com) had both Mac and PC versions ofits Media Sync program. Finally, Winamp (PC-only, www.winamp.com) lets you play your media
on your computer (like iTunes) and also sync media to your DROID.
Where to Enjoy Your Media on Your DROID You can view, play, or listen to media on your DROID in a few different programs. As you
have seen, we have chapters devoted to each type of media supported on the DROID in
this book (see Table 25–2).
Table 25–2: Playing Media on Your DROID.
App Type of Media Chapter
Songs and Podcasts Chapter 14: “Enjoying Your Music”
Pictures and Videos Chapter 18: “Taking Photos and Videos”
Chapter 15: “View Videos, TV Shows, and More”
Moving Files With Your USB ConnectionYour DROID’s USB connection provides the most basic method for transferring files
between your DROID and your computer. It works not just for media files, but for all
types of files, including Microsoft Office documents, PDF files, or anything else. What
this method does not provide is the ability to sync your playlists from iTunes or
Windows Media Player or perform any sort of compression or optimization for the
music, pictures, or videos you transfer to your DROID.
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CAUTION: You may not be able to play video files that you have just dragged-and-dropped ontoyour DROID SD card using a USB connection. This is because most video files need to be
encoded in a specific format to play on your DROID.
Selecting a USB Connection ModeWhen you first connect your DROID to your computer with the USB cable, you may see
a screen asking what connection mode you would like to use. We recommend the Mass Storage mode in order to sync media. You can change your mode while you are
connected to your computer; see the “Changing USB Connection Modes” section in this
chapter for more details. The following connection modes are available:
� Mass Storage Mode – This is the recommended
mode for syncing media. It allows only your
computer to view and update the DROID media
card files (your DROID cannot access the SD
memory card in this mode). The SD card in your
DROID appears as a removable disk (see image to
the right). This mode is required to use
doubleTwist, and it allows you to copy files back-
and-forth between your computer and your DROID.
If you try to access any files from your DROID
stored on the media card while in this mode, you
will receive the following error: “The SD card cannot
be found.” You need to change to a Charge Onlymode to see files from your DROID.
� Windows Media Sync – This mode allows both
your Windows computer and the DROID to see and
access files on the media card. Your DROID
appears as a portable device (as shown in the
image to the right) inside Windows Explorer. You
would use this method to sync when using
Windows Media Player.
� PC Mode – This mode also allows both your computer and the DROID
to see and access the media card; like the Windows Media Syncmethod, your DROID appears as a portable device.
� Charge Only – This mode is really for charging only, and it does not
make the SD card in the DROID visible to the computer. You cannot
use this mode to transfer media. However, since the SD card is visible
to your DROID in this mode, you can play your media on your DROID
when connected in this mode.
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Changing USB Connection ModesAfter you have plugged your DROID into your computer, you can change your
connection mode from any of your Home screens. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Connect your DROID to your
computer using the USB cable.
2. Drag your finger down from the top
of any Home screen to see the
notifications and then tap the USB connection item in the Ongoingsection near the top.
3. Tap any mode you wish to select. To
sync media, tap the USB MassStorage mode and tap OK.
To access your SD media card and
charge your DROID from the USB
connection, select Charge Only.
Dragging-and-Dropping FilesOnce you have connected your DROID to your computer in Mass Storage mode, you
are ready to drag-and-drop files between your computer and your DROID SD card.
Follow these steps to do so:
Step 1: Open your DROID SD card window on your computerOn your Windows computer, open Windows Explorer and look for the removable disk
that is your DROID SD card.
On your Mac, use your Finder to locate the removable disk that represents the DROID
SD card.
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Step 2: Drag-and-drop files between your computer and the DROID SD cardOpen a window on your computer with the type of media you want to drag-and-drop.
This media could be your music files, pictures, or videos. Next, locate the correct folder
on your DROID SD card for the same type of media. Table 25–3 lists typical locations for
common media types on your DROID.
Table 25–3: Typical Folder Locations for Media on Your DROID SD Card.
Type of Media Folder Location on the DROID SD Card
Pictures or videos taken with the DROID
camera
Dcim / Camera
Ringtones for the phone Media / Audio / Ringtones
Notifications (e.g., alarms) Media / Audio / Notifications
Music Music
Files from Documents to Go Documents
Once you have the source and destination folders open, you can drag-and-drop files
between the folders to transfer the files. For example, to copy a Microsoft Officedocument from your computer to the SD card on the DROID, you would drag-and-drop
it into the documents folder, as shown in Figure 25–1.
Figure 25–1. Dragging-and-dropping files between your computer and the DROID SD card.
CHAPTER 25: DROID Media Sync 512
Disconnecting Your DROID Safely (Don’t Skip!)Because of the way your DROID handles files, you will want to be sure to Eject the
DROID from your computer prior to yanking out the USB cable.
On either a Windows or Mac computer,
you can right-click the disk drive that
represents your DROID SD card.
This image is from a Windows PC, but the
view from your Mac’s file explorer will be
similar. The DROID in this image is
Removable Disk (G:). Select Eject from
the menu and then unplug your DROID.
On a Mac, you can also drag the Disk icon
on your desktop to the Trash to safely
eject it.
Using doubleTwist doubleTwist is one of several software alternatives to iTunes and Windows MediaPlayer that work well for syncing music, pictures, and videos to your DROID. In addition
to the DROID, doubleTwist is available for many other smartphones and devices. Also,
doubleTwist, like iTunes, lets you purchase apps from the Android Market, subscribe to
podcasts, and buy music from the Amazon MP3 store (just as you can on your DROID).
According to its official website (www.doubletwist.com), doubleTwist was founded on
the following philosophy: To be a “unifying media platform that connects consumers
with all their media and all their devices, regardless of whether they are online or offline.”
doubleTwist has several compelling features. For example, it can import all your iTunesor Windows Media Player information – including playlists – and then allow you to sync
this information on your DROID. It can also help you share large media files like videos
and high-resolution photos with your friends and family. For example, you can use it to
send baby pictures to Grandma or lots of pictures you’ve taken on your DROID to your
friends.
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Downloading and Installing doubleTwist
The first step to getting your
media onto your DROID using
doubleTwist is to download
and install the application on
your PC or Mac. Follow these
steps to do so:
1. From your computer,
visit
www.doubletwist.comand click the Free Download button; the
website will sense which
version of the software is
right for your computer.
2. Download the install file
and follow the directions
for setup.
3. On a Mac, simply drag
the doubleTwist icon to
your applications folder.
On a PC, double-click
the installation file in your
Downloads directory if it
did not start
automatically.
4. You will be prompted to create a doubleTwist account unless you have one
already. Enter your username, email, and password for a one-time setup of your
doubleTwist account.
A few moments after setting up your account, you will receive a confirmation
email letting you know that your doubleTwist account is now active.
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Getting Started With doubleTwist Once you have the program installed on your computer, you are ready to set it up and
start syncing your playlists and media from iTunes or Windows Media Player to your
DROID.
Start the program by double-clicking the doubleTwisticon on your desktop or locating the program in your Startmenu.
You’ll want to get familiar with what doubleTwist offers. In the top of doubleTwist’s left
column, click the Android Market, Podcast Search, and Music Store options to see
what they look like. If you are familiar with the iTunes app, you will already know how to
use these features (see Figure 25–2).
Figure 25–2. Accessing the Android Market, Podcast Search, and the Music Store (Amazon MP3) from doubleTwist. tt
CHAPTER 25: DROID Media Sync 515
Importing Your Playlists
You’re now ready to import your playlists from
iTunes or the Windows Media Player:
1. Click Library from the main menu at the top.
2. Select either Import iTunes Playlists or
Import WMP Playlists (Windows Media ((
Player) to import your playlists.
3. You will then see a warning message that
any changes made in doubleTwist to the
same playlists will be lost and replaced with
the current playlists from iTunes or WMP.
Click Import to continue.
4. When the process is complete, you will see
all your playlists in the left column under
PLAYLISTS. Click any playlist to see its
contents in the main window.
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Connecting Your DROID to doubleTwistIn order to sync media or just drag-and-drop items onto your DROID in doubleTwist, you have to connect it to your computer with the USB cable. Follow these steps to do
so:
1. Follow the steps shown in the “Changing
USB Connections Mode” section in this
chapter to set your connection to USBMass Storage mode.
2. You should immediately see your device
listed at the very bottom of the left column.
It may show up as Motorola A955 (as
shown in the image to the right) or as
another Motorola model instead of DROID,
DROID 2, or DROID X.
TIP: Troubleshooting USB Connection Problems
If you do not see your DROID in doubleTwist, then try using another USB port on your computer.
Also, double-check that you are in Mass Storage mode and not some other USB connection
mode.
Syncing Music and Podcast Subscriptions AutomaticallyAfter you have successfully connected your DROID and it is visible in doubleTwist, click
your DROID in the left column under DEVICES to highlight it. (Remember: It may show
up as Motorola A955 or another Motorola model.) At this point, you should see the
General tab in the main window, as shown in Figure 25–3. Check the box next to Musicto sync your music, and then check the box next to Subscriptions to sync your podcast
subscriptions.
CHAPTER 25: DROID Media Sync 517
Figure 25–3. Setting up automatic syncing of your music and podcasts with doubleTwist.tt
Fine Tuning the SyncIf you have a large amount of music or podcasts, you will want to fine-tune the sync
process by clicking the appropriate tabs at the top of the window. Follow these steps to
use doubleTwist to fine-tune how your DROID syncs various types of media:
1. Begin by syncing your
music. Click the Music tab
to selectively sync only
certain playlists.
2. Click Only the selected.
3. Place checkmarks only
next to the playlists you
want to sync to your
DROID.
CHAPTER 25: DROID Media Sync 518
4. Next, import new pictures
and videos that you have
taken on your DROID to
your computer. Click the
Pictures tab and check
the box next to Importnew pictures from mydevice, as shown in the
image to the right.
5. Now it’s time to sync your
subscriptions. Click the
Subscriptions tab to
selectively sync only
certain podcasts.
6. Click Only the selected.
7. Check off only the
podcasts you want to sync
to your DROID.
8. You can also check Onlysync at the bottom and
select from only a few
recent shows or only
episodes you haven’t yet
played.
9. Once you are done with
your fine-tuning, click the
Sync button in the lower-
right corner to start the
doubleTwist media sync.
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Dragging-and-Dropping Media Onto Your DROID If you want a little more control over what is syncing, you can easily drag-and-drop
individual items (e.g., songs and podcasts) onto your DROID or entire playlists or
albums.
With your DROID connected and visible, grab a song, playlist, podcast, or other item in
doubleTwist and drop it onto your DROID (it’s listed under DEVICES in the bottom of
the left column). Each item you drop will be synced to your DROID (see Figure 25–4).
Figure 25–4. Dragging-and-dropping media (e.g., music, playlists, and podcasts) with doubleTwist.tt
My Music App Won’t Play My Music Occasionally, you will see the following error after you sync or drag-and-drop music files
onto your DROID: “Sorry the player does not support this type of audio file.” If you see
this, try powering your DROID off and then on again. If that does not correct the
problem, open the back of the device, remove the battery for a few seconds, and then
put the battery back in again. This usually fixes the problem.
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Finding and Subscribing to Podcasts With doubleTwist You can find just about any podcast you want using doubleTwist. Follow these steps to
do so:
1. Click PodcastSearch in the upper
portion of the left
column in
doubleTwist.
2. Type in a word or a
few words to help
you find your
podcast in the main
Search window and
click Search. In the
example to the right,
we searched for the
word “marketplace.”
You can play the
most recent episode
of a podcast by
clicking the Playlatest episodebutton. To subscribe
to a podcast, click
the podcast title.
CHAPTER 25: DROID Media Sync 521
3. Click the Subscribewith doubleTwistbutton to subscribe
to a podcast.
Finding Apps in the Android Market With doubleTwist Many users find it more convenient to quickly browse and find great apps using a
desktop computer and keyboard rather than their DROID devices. However, your DROID
gives you yet an easier option for finding and downloading great apps. Specifically, you
can combine a free Barcode scanner app, QR codes, and the doubleTwist app to
simplify the process of locating and acquiring apps from the Android Market. Follow
these steps to do so:
1. Click Android Market in the upper portion of doubleTwist’s left column (see
Figure 25–5).
2. Click any app or perform a search to locate the app you wish to purchase or
download.
3. Click the Barcode button, also known as the QR code, to enlarge it on the screen.
4. Use the Barcode scanner app on your DROID to scan the QR-code. (You can
download this app for free from the Android Market.)
5. Tap the Open browser button once the barcode is recognized.
6. This places you in this app’s detail page in the Android Market app. Click Installor Buy at the bottom of the screen to get the app on your DROID.
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Figure 25–5. Locating and downloading apps to your DROID with the Barcode Scanner app and r doubleTwist. tt
Buying Music from the Amazon MP3 Store in doubleTwistIt’s possible to purchase music from the Amazon MP3 store using your DROID’s built-in
Amazon MP3 app; however, you can also buy from this store directly from the
doubleTwist app. Follow these steps to do so:
1. Click the Music Store link in the top portion of doubleTwist’s left column to see
the Amazon MP3 music store.
2. Enter a search term or click any album you see.
3. Click the Buy button to purchase and download the desired song or album (see
Figure 25–6).
4. You will need to sign into your Amazon.com account to complete the purchase.
5. The song or album will be downloaded to your doubleTwist library.
6. Use the techniques described earlier in this chapter to sync the song or album to
your DROID.
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Figure 25–6. Finding and purchasing music in the Amazon MP3 store from doubleTwist.tt
525
525
Appendix
DRIOD App Guide This appendix includes information on apps you can download and install for your
DROID. We’ve included QR codes, so you can use a barcode scanner app on your
DROID to navigate directly to a given app. Read Chapter 17, “Exploring the Android
Market,” for more information on QR codes.
CAUTION: We want to make you aware that apps may change frequently. Some of the apps listed in this guide will have been updated, others may be gone altogether, and new andimproved ones added by the time you read this book. Please use the apps listed in this guide as
a starting point to become familiar with what is possible and help you find some useful apps.
Document ToolsIf you work in an office, you may need to deal with
documents. At the time of publication, there are no
solutions to reading Microsoft OneNote on Android. That
may come in the future, but for now we recommend using
Evernote instead.
Of the document-management software we tested,
DataViz’s Docs to Go and QuickOffice Mobile Suite from
QuickOffice were the most stable and offered the best
interfaces for both viewing and editing documents.
However, you may have different results with different
types of documents, so the best approach is to use free
trial versions of apps that interest you and compare how
well these apps display the types of documents you
typically use. Docs to Go allows some editing and
formatting, and it will even handle DOCX files. It’s not a
replacement for a full-sized word processor, but it is a
good complement to one.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 526
TIP: Check out Chapter 21: "Working with Notes and Documents" for descriptions of how to use
Docs to Go and QuickOffice.
ThinkFree Mobile is another popular choice, although in our testing it suffered from
more formatting errors when trying to display documents. Table A–1 shows these and
other document tools.
Table A–1. Document Tools.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Docs to Go,
by DataViz
Free
trial/$14.99
The free trial allows you to view documents,
and the paid version allows you to edit them.
It supports Word and Excel formats; the
paid version also supports PowerPoint.
QuickOffice Mobile Suitefrom
QuickOffice,
Inc.
US$9.99 This is a complete software solution offering
good capabilities for creating and editing
Microsoft Office documents on your DROID.
For some PowerPoint editing it has better
capabilities than Docs to Go.
OfficeSuiteViewer, by
Mobile
Systems
Free
trial/$1.99
The free trial is for 30 days. The app supports
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files.
This app had a high failure rate in our testing
when trying to open files.
ThinkFree Office Mobile,
by ThinkFree
Mobile
Free/$9.99 The free version is just a viewer. The paid version
can be purchased either item by item (e.g., word
processing, spreadsheets, and slideshow) or all
at once. It will download and open Google Docs, and it has a built-in file browser.
Overall, this app has a nice feature set; in my
testing, however, it did not display
documents well and often made them
difficult to read with black backgrounds.
Adobe Reader, by
Adobe
Free Allows you to view PDF attachments, but
does not let you create or edit them. This is
stable, free, and offered directly from Adobe.
It also supports pinch-to-zoom and viewing
from the Web.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 527
Printing If you’ve got a document ready for printing, why not
print it directly from your phone? PrinterShare lets
you do exactly that. However, as of publishing time,
it did not yet support printing Word or Excel files, so
this app is most useful for printing photos, not Officedocuments. You also need to install desktop
software in order to print to non-Wi-Fi printers. The
free trial lets you print a test page to verify that it will
work.
As Android gains popularity, you can expect to see
more printing solutions; however, at the time of
publication, it’s a lonely field. Table A–2 shows
PrinterShare, the only app in this category.
Table A–2. Printing Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
PrinterShare Droid Print, by
Mobile Dynamix
Free
trial/$4.95
Use the free trial’s test-print feature
before committing to a purchase. Be
aware that Office files are not supported,
but PDF files and photos are.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 528
File ManagementIt’s nice to be able to view or edit your document
attachments, but it’s also nice to know where those
files are stored on your SD card without having to
connect your phone to a computer in order to do basic
file-management tasks. Your DROID comes with the
Files app for file management.
File-management software lets you see and move your
files; it also enables you to break things if you don’t
know what you’re doing or you aren’t careful. Use
caution when moving files and renaming folders. Of the
apps we’ve evaluated, EStrongs File Explorer was
our favorite, but there are many strong, free choices.
We like to combine File Explorer with Dropbox, which
allows us to share and sync files through the Internet
and access them from any computer or mobile device.
Table A–3 lists the available file-management options.
TIP: To learn more about Dropbox, check out Chapter 21. To learn about which folders store all your pictures,
videos, and ringtones, check out Chapter 25: "DROID
Media Sync.
Table A–3. File-Management Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
EStrongs File Explorer, by
EStrongs
Free This app allows file copying, file moving,
multiple file selections, ZIP expansion, app
management, and FTP (File Transfer
Protocol) and Bluetooth file transfer.
AndExplorer, by
LYSESOFT
Free This app allows file copying, file moving,
GZIP, and other file-management functions.
It features a straightforward user interface.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 529
App Name Price Notes QR Code
File Manager, by
Apollo Software
Free This app has a cleaner interface than
EStrongs File Explorer, but it does not
include support for Bluetooth file transfer.
Linda File Manager, by
Nylinda.com
Free Linda File Manager is also a solid choice,
but it also lacks Bluetooth support.
Dropbox, by
Dropbox
Free This app allows Dropbox users to access
and share files between users and
computers as if they share a common
folder. Basic accounts are free, and
premium accounts offer more storage. Visit
the website at www.dropbox.com for more
info. See Chapter 21 for more details about
Dropbox.
Virus Protection, Backups, and Security Viruses may seem like a remote worry; however, as
mobile devices become more popular, the bad guys will
figure out better ways to distribute them. However,
losing your phone and/or having it stolen are big
potential problems right now, especially if you store
sensitive data on your phone. It may be a job
requirement that you be able to wipe business data from
your phone if it is stolen.
Your DROID already ships with the ability to remote wipe
and back up your phone data.
Lookout Mobile is our top pick in this category. It’s free
and provides three services within one app. If you feel
the virus protection is unnecessary, you can disable that
feature and use only the Data Backup and MissingDevice features (see the figure to the right). We also
appreciate that it sends you an email whenever you use
remote location to make sure your online account hasn’t
been breached.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 530
Table A–4 shows virus protection and other security apps.
Table A–4. Virus Protection, Backups, and Security Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Lookout MobileSecurity Free, by
Lookout
Free This app provides virus scans, remote
location, and file backup. The remote
location can either show you where your
phone is on a map (if GPS is enabled) or
emit a loud alarm.
KeePassDroid, by
Brian Pellin
Free This is a password manager based on
the open source KeePass project. You
can combine this with Dropbox to make
a cloud-based password safe.
WaveSecure, by
WaveSecure
$19 per
year WaveSecure offers theft protection with
remote location, remote lock, and
remote wiping of the data on the SD
card.
Norton Security Beta, by
NortonMobile
Free trial This is a beta release with an unknown
pricing model for the full release. Its
features include virus scanning, call
screening, remote wipe, and remote
lock.
Super PrivateConversation, by
Superdroid.net
Free This app blocks unwanted SMS and
phone calls and filters specified SMS
conversations for privacy.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 531
Presentation SoftwareMost of the document-management software listed earlier
can handle viewing PowerPoint files. Chances are slim
that you’ll need to actually present from your Android
phone; however, if you need to, you can use Docs to Goor the slideshow feature in your phone gallery in a pinch.
At this time, the DROID and DROID 2 do not support TV
out, so you can’t just plug the device into a TV or monitor
and see video images. This is a hardware – not software –
limitation, so most of us actually giving presentations
using Android phones are stuck projecting them from an
overhead projector. However, the DROID X does come
with TV-out capabilities, which means you can present
slideshows from your phone. This also means you can
pair them with portable projectors that take standard TV
connections, use the MightyMeeting app, and leave the
PC behind. Table A–5 shows some presentation options.
Table A–5. Presentation Software.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
MightyMeeting,
by MightyMeeting
Free This app enables you to give PowerPointand Keynote presentations from your
DROID. It can be used to either lead or
attend live conferences with invited
attendees. Files must first be uploaded to
your MightyMeeting account before they
become available as presentations. More
information is available at
www.mightymeeting.com.
Oration Sensation, by
EpiCache
Free Oration Sensation is a presentation timer
that offers vibrating timed alerts at preset
intervals. You can save a list of
presentation types, such as “short sales
pitch” or “conference presentation,” and
keep your phone in your pocket. The alerts
will let you know when it’s time to switch
slides or move to Q&A.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 532
App Name Price Notes QR Code
PPT Remote for PowerPoint, by
Johan Brodin
Free This lets you use your phone as a
Bluetooth remote for PowerPointpresentations. Test it beforehand
(obviously) because not all computer and
device combinations will be compatible.
Gmote 2.0, by
Marc Stogaltis and
Mimi Sun
Free/$2.99 Gmote is a general Wi-Fi remote control
for your PC that can be used for music
files as well as PowerPoint. It’s cross-
platform compatible, so you can use this
to control Mac media, as well. However, it
requires server software to be installed on
the computer you want to control, making
it a no-no for some work environments.
The $2.99 version is “donateware” for the
developers.
Web ConferencingAt this time, none of the DROID models covered in this book have a front-facing video
camera, so they can't be used for video conferencing. However, Web conferencing from
your phone is starting to emerge as a real possibility. WebEx and GoToMeeting don’t
have official apps at the time of publication, but that may change as their competitors
eliminate the need for a PC. As mentioned earlier, MightyMeeting offers the ability to
host and attend live conferences without requiring a laptop client. Table A–6 shows
some handy apps for managing web conferences.
Table A–6. Web Conferencing Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
MightyMeeting,
by MightyMeeting
Free This app uses www.mightymeeting.com. If
you own a phone with TV-out capability,
you can present directly from your phone
to the screen. You can also use this for live
meetings with live chat feeds from users
on a variety of phone platforms or using
the Web. (Currently, mobile attendees
must have US phone numbers.)
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 533
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Fuze Meeting, by
FuzeBox
See note Fuze Meeting is a subscription web-
conferencing service. The dedicated
Android app is free, but the presenter
must have a Fuze Meeting account. More
information is available at
www.fuzemeeting.com.
Vibrate DuringMeetings, by
Sidetop Software
$2.99 This doesn’t create web conferences;
rather, it makes you more polite during
conferences and other scheduled
meetings. When your calendar says you
have a meeting, your phone will
automatically switch to Vibrate mode.
Notetaking and Mind MappingYou may not want to take traditional
notes during a meeting from your
phone unless you’re a very fast
thumb typist. However, you may
want to access notes you’ve taken
earlier or leave yourself quick sticky
notes. Some apps are also tied into
to-do lists.
You may prefer mind mapping to
traditional notetaking. Android can
help with that, too. Thinking Space,
shown in the image to the right, is
one of several mind-mapping
applications that allow you to
diagram words and ideas visually,
rather than by creating bullet-point
lists.
Table A–7 shows Thinking Space and other notetaking options for Android.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 534
Table A–7. Notetaking Mind Mapping Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
ColorNote Notepad Notes,
by Notes
Free This is a virtual sticky-note app for
your phone. It lets you take quick,
color-coded notes or make simple to-
do lists.
Notebook, by
Darkgreener
Free/£.99
(about $1.55)
This notetaking app uses an old-
fashioned book font for a more formal
feel, but it also has some nice features.
The full version lets you import email
and provides password protection.
Mind Map Memo,
by Takahicorp
Free/¥180
(about $2.08)
This is a simple mind-mapping app.
The paid version provides a few
additional features like extra node
options.
Thinking Space,
by Charlie Chilton
Free Thinking Space is a full-featured
mind-mapping tool that offers a lot of
customization options.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 535
Email ManagementWe discussed email in Chapter 9: “Email on Your
DROID.” Android has very capable native options for
email; however, in the corporate world, you may
need more than what comes in the Android box, and
you may not want to pay Verizon for monthly access
to Corporate Sync email accounts.
Table A–8 shows some email-management apps.
Table A–8. Email-Management Software.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Exchange by TouchDown, by
NitroDesk
Free trial
/$19.95
TouchDown supports security
policies and ActiveSync. You can also
specify times to turn off push
notifications. TouchDown also comes
with a variety of widgets. It does not
merge your Gmail and Exchangecalendars or tasks. After the trial
expires, you can still use some, but
not all of its features.
RoadSync 2.0, by
DataViz
Free
trial/$9.95
This app offers features similar to
TouchDown. After the trial expires,
the product is disabled.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 536
App Name Price Notes QR Code
SpamDrain, by
_SpamDrain_
$30 per
year
SpamDrain is a web-based spam-
filtering service. All filtered messages
are still available via the website, and
messages not marked as spam are
delivered to your inbox. The app
comes with a 30-day trial.
To-Do Lists You can use a widget bookmark for Google Tasks,
but it’s easier and more efficient to use a dedicated
app. Google didn’t write it, but gTasks ToDo syncs
with Google and combines Android-level app power
with an intuitive user interface. If you use the PureCalendar widget, you can display gTasks To-Doitems as part of the widget.
Table A–9 shows gTasks ToDo and other to-do apps.
Table A–9. To-Do List Software.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
gTasks ToDo for Android, by SSI
Free Provides online and offline GoogleTasks syncing. This feels like the
missing app Google should have
created. There is a paid version of
the app that includes autosyncing,
but it is not sold through the Android
Market.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 537
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Astrid Task/kk Todo List, by Todoroo
Free Astrid is an open source task-
management tool that syncs with
Remember the Milk. It’s a solid
choice for anyone who doesn’t need
Google Tasks syncing.
Got To Do Lite, by
Slamjibe Software
Free/£2.00
(about
$3.10)
This app is based on the “Getting
Things Done” system (created by
David Allen).
Expenses and Finance Tracking expenses is a necessary evil. We were very
happy to learn about web-based services like
Expensify and Mint.com (see the figure to the right).
These services handle most of the data–entry
process for you, letting you just see the results.
For personal finances, Mint is our favorite. You must
have a Mint.com account to use the app. It makes it
easy to keep track of your accounts, portfolio, and
budget. It can also send you email or text alerts for
events you specify, such as when you are charged a
banking fee, when you make a large purchase, and
when your bills are due.
Table A–10 shows some of our favorite finance apps.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 538
Table A–10. Expenses and Finance Software.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Mint.com Personal Finance,
by Intuit
Free You must have a Mint.com account to
use the Mint.com Personal Financeapp, but both the service and the app
are free. Mint.com makes its money
through sponsored offers for credit
cards and other financial services.
ExpensifyExpense Reports,
by Expensify
Free
trial/$4.95
Expensify is a web-based service for
creating expense reports “that don’t
suck.” Most transactions come directly
from your credit card as you charge
them, but this app is used for entering
cash transactions and taking photos of
other receipts that are not automatically
entered. More information is available at
www.expensify.com.
PersonalAssistant, by
Pageonce
Free/$7.00 Personal Assistant combines bank
and credit-card management with travel
itineraries, frequent flyer mileage, phone
minutes, Netflix, and portfolio
management.
Finance, by
Free This is Google’s official app for Google Finance. It offers multiple-portfolio
support and stock quotes.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 539
TravelIf you have to travel for work, you’ll appreciate travel
apps that track your mileage, list your schedule, help
you find places to eat, and make sure you don’t say
anything embarrassing to the locals. Kayak is a great
app for comparing airfares across all airlines, hotel
prices and even learning information about your local
airport.
Google Maps includes public transportation directions
when available, but there are also third-party apps for
specific cities available, so don’t forget to search the
market before you travel. Google Maps for Androidalso includes the Places app, which allows you to
browse nearby locations by category.
Our favorite travel app, aside from the preinstalled
Google Maps, is TripIt. It allows you to see your
itinerary and share it with close contacts, while
providing general information to professional contacts
or the public in general. TripIt can also be tied in with
LinkedIn and Facebook.
Table A–11 shows TripIt and some other travel app
options.
Table A–11. Travel Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
TripIt Travel Organizer, by
TripIt
Free TripIt is a web-based service that tracks
your travel itinerary and mileage. The
phone app gives you your flight schedule
and appointment information on your
phone.
Kayak Flight & Hotel Search by
Kayak
Free Allows quick searches of airfares across
all airlines and web sites, hotels, cars,
check flight status, and even airport
information such as "Where is the gift
shop?
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 540
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Gaia GPS, by
Trailbehind
$4.99 This app provides offline road and
topographic maps for times when you’re
traveling out of cell tower range. It’s
aimed primarily at outdoor sports, but it’s
still very useful for traveling to rural areas.
Geodelic, by
Geodelic Systems
Free This is also known as Sherpa on some
phones. Geodelic finds nearby
restaurants, cafes, attractions, and so on.
You can browse by category of food or
distance.
Google Translate,
by Google
Free This is Google’s official app for its Google
Translate service. Not only does this app
translate text to and from more than 50
languages, but it also has an audio-
pronunciation guide.
Health and Medicine Health-care professionals were among the first to see
the immediate usefulness of mobile technology, and
app writers haven’t ignored this. Epocrates has a long
tradition of offering its reference materials on PDAs and
other mobile devices, and pharmaceutical companies
are making their own apps.
Medical Spanish Audio is our favorite app of this
group. It lists Spanish phrases by category, such as
trauma assessments.
If you check the box next to a question, you can
bookmark it for reference; and if you click a question,
the app will pronounce it aloud for you.
See Table A–12 for a list of health and medicine apps.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 541
Table A–12. Health and Medicine Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Epocrates Rx, by
Epocrates
Free Epocrates Rx is a free reference app for
drug information. At the time of
publication, the software is still in beta,
so Epocrates may choose to charge for
a premium service or full version in the
future.
Skyscape Medical Resources, by
Skyscape
Free This is a general medical reference that
includes prescription and over-the-
counter medicine.
Medical Spanish Audio Lite, by
Mavro
Free/$6.99 This is an app for non-Spanish-speaking
care providers, enabling them to
communicate with Spanish-speaking
patients. The paid version removes the
ads.
MedicalMnemonics, by
Regular Rate and
Rhythm Software
$1.99 So you’re not a medical professional...
yet? This app helps students study with
a library of mnemonics; it also lets them
create and submit their own.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 542
Law and Legal For those working in or around law offices, there are
reference materials and news sources available for
the DROID. DroidLaw is a good example of such
an app. You can use it to sort through legal
procedures, but you can also use it to track many
popular legal blogs and news feeds.
For legal students, there are lots of study guides
and flashcard games. There are also a few
specialized apps for calculating billing hours and
target dates. Legal students may also consider
apps like Locale that automatically turn the phone’s
ringer off at certain locations, such as the
courthouse. See Table A–13 for a list of law and
legal apps.
Table A–13. Law and Legal Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
DroidLaw, by
BigTwit Software
Free/varies DroidLaw is a legal reference app. The
base app is free, but you can expand it
through paid modules that contain the
material you need, such as Supreme
Court cases ($2.99) or the United States
Code ($3.99).
LangLearner Legal Dictionary,
by LangLearner
Free This app is a simple dictionary of legal
terms for lawyers, legal assistants, and
people studying law.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 543
Wathen Legal News, by Genwi
Free This app provides international legal
news stories and allows you to
comment.
Lawyer’sCalendar Calc, by
Hawkmoon
Software
Free/$1.99 This app calculates target dates and the
number of workdays between two dates
for legal billing purposes.
Real EstateReal estate agents can benefit from many generalized
apps, such as to-do lists, galleries, email apps, and
notetaking apps. There are also a number of apps using
the MLS database both for professionals and
consumers. Zillow, for example, is a Google Maps-
based app that makes estimates of house values and
shows current listings. If you click a property listing, it
will show a picture of the property and details. It
provides useful general information for both consumers
and agents.
See Table A–14 for more real estate apps.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 544
Table A–14. Real Estate Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Mortgage Calculator, by Siva
G
Free/$4.99 This is a fairly straightforward mortgage
and autopayment estimator with PMI
(private mortgage insurance). It relies on
data from Bankrate.com. The pro version
offers more options.
Mortgage Pro, by
Skynet Creations
Free This is a mortgage calculator that helps
buyers evaluate A– or 30-year
mortgages, points, balloon payments,
and other mortgage options.
RE/Max University, by
Mediafly
Free This app was written specifically for
RE/Max agents, and it includes
corporate communications and training
videos.
Real EstateVocabulary Quiz,
by Upward Mobility
$2.99 Studying for a real estate broker exam?
This app offers vocabulary quizzes. The
company also offers many state-specific
versions.
Zillow Real Estate, by Zillow
Free This app comes from the same makers
as the Zillow website. This app gives
estimates (“Zestimates”) of property
value and shows listings on a map.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 545
Sales and CRMCRM (customer relationship management) seems like
something that was meant to be done from your
phone. You can find tools that work with Microsoft CRM, and Salesforce.com is developing tools that
are not yet on the market. There are also plenty of
smaller CRM companies that are willing to work with
Android, such as Simply Sales, and several
developers have introduced standalone apps for the
freelancer.
If you’re interested in using CRM apps, try a few out
to see what works best for you. See Table A–15 for a
list of sales and CRM apps.
Table A–15. Sales and CRM Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Locale, by two
forty four a.m.
$9.99 Locale sets your phone’s ring
behavior based on the time, who is
calling, what is on your schedule,
and the phone’s location. Set it to
stop ringing during sales meetings
or prioritize some calls over others.
Many other apps also work with the
Locale app’s settings.
Mobile CRM for MSCRM, by
Softtrends
Software Private
Ltd
Free
trial/$99.00
This app is a third-party solution for
connecting to Microsoft CRM. The
full version is expensive, so take
advantage of the fully functional trial
to see whether it will serve your
needs.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 546
Simply Sales, by
MyOlive.net Small
Business Portal
Free Simply Sales is a simple CRM app
that integrates with Gmail and
Google Maps. The app was written
by MyOlive.net, which also offers a
small business CRM portal.
Retail Small business retailers will really appreciate being able
to accept and process credit cards from their phones.
For the most part, these apps are free; however, you
must have a merchant account, and the apps and
services in this space charge membership and/or
transaction fees for credit-card processing.
The FaceCash app promises an innovative way to let
retailers and merchants handle transactions. Rather than
carrying a credit card, a user relies on FaceCash to
show merchants an ID that prominently showcases a
picture of her face and transfers the funds from an
account with FaceCash rather than a credit card. A user
can choose to tie her bank account to the payment
service or rely on transfers from other customers (such
as her parents). You can think of this service as PayPal
with an easier ID system. However, FaceCash isn’t
useful if nobody accepts it, and nobody asks to use it;
therefore, most merchants will still need to process
credit cards.
See Table A–16 for a selection of money-processing retail apps.
Table A–16. Retail Sales Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Pocket Verifier, by
MerchantAnywhere
Free
app/$299
hardware
This app uses your phone’s built-in
Bluetooth to process credit cards from
a device sold separately. It only runs on
Android 2.1 and higher. More
information is available at
www.merchantanywhere.com.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 547
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Mobile Credit Card Processing, by
Merchant Swipe
Free It requires you to manually input the
credit card information into the phone,
rather than giving you a swipe reader.
More information is available at
www.merchantswipe.com.
Square, by Square Free Square is a relatively new company
that’s been making a splash with its
payment system. Square officially
opened for business in October 2010.
FaceCash, by Think
Computer
Corporation
Free FaceCash enables a purchaser to use
her phone for payments instead of
carrying a credit card. The purchaser
uses the app for payment. It shows the
merchant a picture of the true phone
owner’s face for security verification,
and no paper or plastic needs to
change hands. Both the purchaser and
retailer must have FaceCash accounts.
FinanceAndroid lends itself to personal-finance and
portfolio-management software. One example is
Google’s own Google Finance app.This app allows
you to track general stock direction, portfolios, and
financial news.
There are also many apps written specifically by
banks for their customers. You should always
double-check the author and read reviews before
downloading an app that claims to have been written
by your bank.
You’ll also find currency converters, MBA study
guides, and basic expense-management software.
See Table A–17 for a few apps that stand out either
by offering more features or superior look-and-feel.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 548
Table A–17. Finance Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Google Finance,
by Google
Free This is the official Google Finance app; it
includes stock quotes and financial news.
Personal Assistant, by
Pageonce
Free/
$7.00
Personal Assistant combines investment-
portfolio and personal-bill management
with flight itineraries, cell phone minutes,
and the ability to monitor your Netflix
queue.
pFinance, by
BiShiNews
Free This app is a personal-finance manager
that also tracks portfolios and financial
news. What makes this app so nice are the
simple calculators in the Finance column.
For example, the app includes things like a
tip calculator, an interest calculator, and a
currency converter.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 549
Project ManagementProject managers have to keep track of a lot of parts
and people in order to do their jobs. It seems ideal for
them to be able to do some of that tracking from a
mobile device, rather than having to lug around a
laptop or transfer handwritten notes.
Mobile Project Manager is a very capable mobile
app. It can import from MS Project format, create
Gantt charts, and send reports via email. You can add
both location and contact resources, as well as attach
files from your phone’s SD card.
Mobile Project Manager does have an overly
exuberant Help screen that tries to pop up every time
you enter a file; however, you can uncheck the box to
display the Help screen at all times, removing this
annoyance.
See Table A–18 for a list of project-management apps.
Table A–18. Project-Management Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Upvise Pro, by
Unyverse
Free trial This app handles simple CRM and
project management.
Mobile ProjectManager, by
Hawkmoon
Software
Free/$2.99 This is a simple project manager
that allows you to import, export,
and share Excel files.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 550
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Time Tracker, by
Sean E Russell
Free This is a simple time-tracking app
for figuring out the time spent on a
project or task. It also generates
reports on projects and tasks.
Education and Training Higher education institutions have begun offering apps
and services aimed at students. The apps and services
include maps, enrollment information, and access to the
campus learning-management system. The developers
for both the Blackboard and Moodle services have
recognized that students may want to access coursework
with a mobile phone. For example, the developers of
Moodle have worked on optimizing the mobile browser
experience for general usability on all mobile platform –
without a dedicated app. Meanwhile, Blackboard is
partnering with Sprint to offer a free native app for Sprint
customers. Schools that wish to support other phone
networks pay an additional licensing fee.
Currently, most Android apps aimed at students focus on
E-Books, flash cards, grammar, and study guides. There
are some true gems among these apps. Google Sky Mapshows a view of the stars that changes as you change the
angle you hold your phone at (as if your phone has
become a virtual telescope). Likewise, Google Earthprovides a virtual globe with layers of customizable
information about the planet. See Table A–19 for a list of
education and training apps.
Table A–19. Education and Training Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Grade Rubric, by
Android for
Academics
Free/$0.99 This is a simple grading app for teachers
that use rubrics. The paid version can
email final grades. It does not tie into a
learning-management system at this
time. The company is developing a
version that will sync with Google Docsand create a grading spreadsheet.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 551
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Google Sky Map,
by Google
Free This app shows a map of the stars, but
that is a simple explanation. It’s one of
the apps we regularly pull out when
people ask why they’d want a
smartphone.
BlackboardMobile, by
Blackboard
Free This app only works with institutions
that are running Blackboard’s learning
management software with the mobile
plug-in. It allows students to participate
in distance-learning courses from their
phone.
FormulasLite/FormulaDroid, by Abhishek
Kumar
Free/�// 1.50
(about
$1.95)
This is a scientific calculator and
formula reference guide for students; it
includes things like periodic tables and
a web reference. The paid version
removes ads.
Social Media Social media has become an important part of doing
business and interacting with the world. Table A–20 lists
a few of the more popular social media apps.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 552
Table A–20. Social Media Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
HootSuite, by
HootSuite
Free/$2.99 HootSuite is our top pick
for Twitter on Android.
Schedule tweets, manage
multiple accounts, and see
analytics. The paid version
offers more features.
Facebook, by
Free The official Facebook app
is different from the
Motorola Widget on the
DROID X and DROID 2
phones.
WordPress, by
Automattic
Free If you have a WordPress
blog, whether on
WordPress.com or on your
own server, this app will let
you post to it (provided that
your blog is WordPress 2.7
or higher and has the
correct server settings
enabled).
Google Buzz, by
Free The simple GoogleBuzzwidget allows you to make
quick posts with pictures
and/or location information
to the Google Buzz service.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 553
Information Technology Your IT staff may have already installed, modified, and
mastered the apps for Android covered in this section;
however, if you’re looking into using an Android phone,
it’s good to know you can manage your server or answer
help-desk tickets from your phone. Not only are there a
wide variety of IT tools for Android, but a large portion of
them are free and written for the convenience of IT
professionals, such as the difficult-to-read but very
useful ConnectBot, which enables SSH (Secure Shell)
connections from your phone.
Table A–21 lists a few apps that don’t require special
phone hacks to work.
Table A–21. IT Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Zendesk forAndroid, by
Zendesk
Free This app is for existing Zendesk customers.
It allows you to remotely track and manage
help-desk tickets.
android-vnc-viewer, by
androidVNC team
+ antlersoft
Free This is a simple, open source VNC (virtual
native client) viewer for Android. It connects
to TightVNC, RealVNC, and Apple Remote Desktop.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 554
ConnectBot, by
Kenny Root and
Jeffrey Sharkey
Free ConnectBot is a simple, open source SSH
client for Android. It’s difficult to see the tiny
text, but it makes up for this by giving you
the ability to copy-and-paste.
IPConfig, by
Mankind
Free This is a simple utility that provides
statistics about your current Wi-Fi
connection, including your IP address and
DHCP server.
AndFTP, by
__LYSESOFT
Free AndFTP is an FTP and SFTP (Secure FTP)
app for Android. It also provides open,
rename, cut, paste, delete, and other basic
functions. Although we doubt you’d want to
use this app to set up and configure
websites regularly, it works well for fixing
small problems quickly.
Other AppsFinally, we’ll review a small handful of apps that are
worth mentioning, even if they don’t quite fit into one of
the broader categories. It may logically belong in the
education app category, but the Kindle app likely won’t
replace textbooks until Amazon adds better audio
navigation for the user interface. However, for the mobile
professional, E-Books are starting to come of age.
Amazon chose an E-Book format incompatible with
industry-standard ePub books, but made up for it by
developing apps for most mobile platforms, including
Android.
The user interface for Kindle for Android is more
intuitive than the standalone Kindle eReader because
you can swipe your finger to turn pages rather than
pressing a button. You also don’t get a month-long
battery life on your phone; however, the books are still
easy to read, even on a small screen. For more
information on E-book readers, see Chapter 16, "New
Media.
APPENDIX: DRIOD App Guide 555
Firehouse Scheduler is another great app. It was created for emergency responders,
and it is designed to keep track of shift schedules.
Finally, if you or your business owns a car, aCar is a great app to use to make sure you
take care of it. Table A–22 lists all three of these apps.
Table A–22. Other Apps.
App Name Price Notes QR Code
Kindle for Android, by
Amazon
Free Purchase, download, and read Kindle books
from your phone. The app keeps track of
your downloads and reading progress
between devices, so you can start a book on
your kindle and finish reading on your
Android phone.
FirehouseScheduler, by
Leaky Nozzle
$5.99 This app is an emergency responder’s
scheduler. It’s designed to track shifts,
vacation time, paydays, sick time, and traded
shifts. Leaky Nozzle also has a variation
specific to the New York Fire Department.
aCar, by Armond
Avanes
Free This app tracks car expenses, maintenance,
and mileage. It has reminders for regular
maintenance items like oil changes. This app
is useful whether you’re maintaining a
business or personal car.
557
557
Index
■Special Characters and Numerics
$ key, 85
?123 key, 68–69, 465
1-way sync option, 110
2-way sync option, 110
3G, 128–129. See also network connections
4G, 128–129
123 button, 223
■AA2DP (Bluetooth Stereo), 194–195
ABC button, 308
ABC key, 68
About page, 352
About Phone option, 151
aCar app, 555
Accept option, No Emergency Calls pop-up
warning window, 429
access controls, 315
accessibility, 81–85
double-clicking Home button, 84
Voice Readouts feature, 82
Zoom Mode feature, 83
Accessibility option, 82–83
Account screen, 434
account set up, 54–57
Accounts page for, 56
email, 56–57
Google account, 55
Account tab, 434
accounts, Microsoft Exchange, 56
Accounts option, 104, 213
Accounts page, 56
AccuWeather app, 492
Act One Video Player app, 317
activating
Google Account, 98–100
phone, 97
add a VPN option, 135
Add account button, 56, 213
Add alarm button, 481
Add App button, 404, 406
Add as a Contact option, 271
Add Bookmark icon, 241
Add call button, 168–169
Add Contact button, 431
Add contact option, 267
Add friend option, 235, 397
Add note line, AK Notepad app, 438
Add Pause option, 154
Add Photo icon, 263
Add POP3 email account option, 204
Add reminder tab, 280
Add shortcut to home option, 140, 254
Add Subject option, 230
Add to contacts option, 161
Add to existing contact option, 163
Add to favorites option, 166
Add to Home screen menu, 490
Add to playlist soft key, 304
Add to speed dial option, 161
Add wait option, 154
Add Wi-Fi network option, 130
Additional info gray bar, 186
Address Bar, 241–242
Address field, 263
addresses, for contacts
overview, 263
showing on map, 270–271
adjusting brightness, 47
adjusting volume, 300
Adobe Reader app, 332
Ads and Pages application, 420
Advanced editing option, 387
Advanced mode, Calculator app, 479, 487
advanced panel, Calculator app, 487
Advanced panel soft key, 487
Index 558
Advanced Settings option, CompanionLink,
123
Agenda button, 275–276
Agenda (List) view, 275
Agenda view, 275–276
aggregating content, with feed readers, 427
AIM app, 236–237
Airplane icon, 14, 497
Airplane mode, 14–15, 135, 498
AK Notepad app, 438–441
adding and labeling new notes, 438–439
pinning notes to Home screen, 440–441
syncing to Catch.com, 441
using as to-do alarm reminder, 440
AK Notepad settings screen, 441
Alarm and Timer app, 28, 479
alarm clock, 481–484
Alarm Options screen, 482
alarm reminder, using AK Notepad app as,
440
Albums icon, 292, 294
Albums tab, Amazon MP3 App, 289
Albums view, 294, 298
albums, viewing other songs on, 303
Aldiko app, 339
Alerts icon, 492
All Contacts button, 431
All Contacts list, 269
All Contacts option, 272
All Contacts screen, 431
All-day box, 279
All dropdown list, Documents To Go app,
466
All Groups option, 272
All Menu button, 259
Allow automatic updating check box, 352
ALT key, 68, 465
always use https:// option, 204
Amazon Gift Code, 291
Amazon Kindle app, 25, 32, 92, 334, 336,
554
Amazon MP3 App
buying from, 288–290
Setting screen, 291–292
viewing and playing songs and albums,
290–291
Amazon MP3 icon, 187
Amazon MP3 store, search of in
doubleTwist, 522
Amazon search window, 187
AndExplorer app, 528
AndFTP app, 554
Android Comic Reader app, 332
Android icon, 267
Android Market, 343–364
apps in
downloading, 349
installing, 349
purchasing, 347–348
rating, 353
uninstalling, 351
updating, 352–353
browsing, 344–347
home page, 327
installing apps from outside, 353–355
purchasing ringtones from, 187
recommended apps from, 355–364
Cooking Capsules Taster app, 358
Evernote app, 359
Google Voice app, 362
Lookout Mobile app, 356
Mint.com app, 357
New York Times app, 361
Pandora app, 360
ShopSavvy app, 355
WikiMobile Encyclopedia app, 363
Yelp app, 364
search of in doubleTwist, 521
using QR codes with, 343–344
Android Market option, doubleTwist app,
514, 521
Android support link, 502
android-vnc-viewer app, 553
Android widgets option, 50, 94, 143
AnyPost app, 426
AP Mobile app, 26
AP Settings option, 132
app icons, adding to home screen, 138–139
App Purchase page, Android Market app,
473
App tray, for home screen, 138–139
Append text option, 447
Apple Address Book, importing contact
information from, 103–104
Applications button, 273, 354, 495
Applications option, 84
appointments
creating, 278–282
one-time, 278–279
recurring events, 280
reminders for, 280
editing, 282–285
Index 559
accepting meeting invitations,
284–285
deleting, 284
moving to different calendar, 284
recurring events, 283
apps, 21–28, 525–555
AK Notepad, 438–441
adding and labeling new notes,
438–439
pinning notes to Home screen,
440–441
syncing to Catch.com, 441
using as to-do alarm reminder, 440
in Android Market
downloading, 349
installing, 349
purchasing, 347–348
rating, 353
uninstalling, 351
updating, 352–353
Calculator, 486–487
Clock
alarm clock, 481–484
Timer app, 485–486
document tools, 525–526
Documents To Go, 460–467
sending files via email, Bluetooth, or
Dropbox, 463
Sheet To Go app, 465–467
Slideshow To Go app, 463–465
Word To Go app, 461–462
education, 550–551
email, 535–536
entertainment, 24–25
Evernote, 442–447
adding and tagging notes, 443
adding audio or voice notes, 446
adding pictures or snapshots, 446
adding text notes, 444
adding text to, emailing, deleting, or
editing notes, 447
getting started with, 443
upload and attach files to notes, 446
viewing and finding notes, 444
viewing or updating Evernote on
computers, 447
for Facebook, 421
file management, 528–529
finance, 537–538, 547–548
finding and installing, 438
games, 472–473
health, 540–541
information, 26
IT, 553–554
legal, 542–543
moving apps to SD cards, 496
notetaking, 533–534
presentation software, 531–532
printing, 527
productivity, 28
project management, 549–550
real estate, 543–544
retail, 546–547
sales, 545–546
security, 529–530
Sheet To Go, 465–467
adding Functions, 466
adjusting row and column sizes, 467
freezing panes, 466
inserting various elements, 466
selecting and editing cells, 465
selecting entire rows or columns, 466
spreadsheets, 465
switching worksheets, 466
Slideshow To Go, 463–465
editing slide text, 464
navigating, 465
switching views, 464
social media, 551–552
social networking, 27
starting and exiting, 11
stay connected and organized, 23–24
switching, 10
to-do lists, 536–537
travel, 539–540
troubleshooting, 494–497
changing launch by default setting,
496–497
forcing apps to stop, 495
resolving memory problems,
495–496
for Twitter, 414
Weather, 488–492
AccuWeather, 492
adding Weather widget, 489–490
Weather Channel, 491
web conferencing, 532–533
Word To Go, 461–462
Menu commands, 462
selecting text, 461
zooming in or out, 461
Apps button, 345
Index 560
Apps icon, 491
Apps option, 92
Apps suite, Google, 198
Arcade subcategory, Android Market app,
476
Archive option, 175
Archive.pst file, 107
archiving messages, and Gmail app,
199–200
Artists soft key, 292
Artists view, 293
Assisted dialing option, 180
Astrid Task/Todo List app, 537
Attach option, 230, 456
attachments, for email, 217–218
Attending drop-down window, 285
audio folder, 184
Audio note option, Evernote app, 443
audio notes, adding to Evernote app, 446
Audio option, Dropbox app, 454
Auto answer option, 180
Auto-cap option, 73
Auto-correction feature, 80
Auto-fit pages check box, 255
Auto Location Tag check box, 380
Auto-Lock field, 310
auto-play on Windows, stopping Verizon
VCAST video, 49
Auto-punctuate option, 73
Auto-Replace feature, 73, 79–80
Auto retrieve messages option, 229
Auto Retry option, 180
Auto-Sync button, CompanionLink, 123
Automatic brightness setting, 47
automatic filters, Gmail app, 203
Automatic setting, 46
automatically syncing, with doubleTwist,
516
Avanes, Armond, 555
■BBack button, 42–43, 243
Back icon, 241
Back key, 70, 225
Back option, WikiMobile Encyclopedia app,
363
backing up, Outlook data, 107
Backspace key, 75, 79, 86, 89, 154
Barcode button, doubleTwist app, 521
Barcode scanner app, 521–522
Basic mode, Calculator app, 479
Battery icon, 52
battery life
charging options, 54
extending, 50–51
fastest draining of, 49
and Power Control widget, 50
using Battery Manager, 52–54
Battery Manager, 52–54, 494
Battery mode, 53
BATTERY REMOVAL HERE tab, 44
Blackboard Mobile app, 551
Blåtand, Harald, 189
Block option, 432
Block pop-up windows check box, 255
Blockbuster app, 24
blogging, 422–423
blogs, DROID-related, 503
Bluetooth, 131, 189–196
Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP), 194–195
disconnecting or forgetting device, 196
pairing with device, 191–193
turning on, 190
using Bluetooth headset, 193
Bluetooth check box, 499
Bluetooth icon, 193, 195
Bluetooth key, 157
Bluetooth option, 190, 499
Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP), 194–195
Bluetooth tab, 194
Bluetooth toggle widget, 144
Book button, Kindle app, 336
Bookmark button, 393
Bookmark icon, 246, 254
Bookmark option, 308
Bookmarking for Delicious app, 419
bookmarks
adding to home screen, 139–140
in Browser app, 246–249
adding, 246–247
adding to home screen, 254
managing, 248–249
using, 247–248
Bookmarks icon, 241, 247
Bookmarks list, 249
Bookmarks option, 140
bottom icons, 319–320
Braziel, Lisa, 412
brightness, adjusting, 47
Brightness option, 47
Browse button, Kobo app, 338
Index 561
Browser app, 239–256
activating links in, 246
Back and Forward buttons for, 243
bookmarks in, 246–249
adding, 246–247
adding to home screen, 254
managing, 248–249
using, 247–248
copying text and graphics in, 252–253
emailing web page, 250
finding something on web page, 249
history in, 247–248
Internet connection is required, 240
launching, 240
printing web page, 251
remembering form data and passwords,
253–254
screen layout of, 241
settings for, 255–256
clearing history and cookies, 256
remembering form data, 256
security settings, 255
typing web address in, 242
using Windows button, 244
videos in, 251–252
and VPN, 136
zooming web pages, 245–246
double-tapping, 245
pinching, 245–246
using Zoom buttons, 245
Browser icon, 240, 312, 434
Browser option, 248, 255
browsing
Android Market, 344–347
web, 497
Brunch app, 358
bucket brigade attack, 130
Bump app, 424
buttons
along bottom, 6–7
overview, 4–5
Buy button, doubleTwist app, 522
Buy pre-pay credit button, 434
Buzz layer, Google Maps, 395
By Date button, 308
■CCalculator app, 486–487
Calculator icon, 487
Calendar app, 273–286
accessing, 273–274
creating appointments, 278–282
one-time, 278–279
recurring events, 280
reminders for, 280
editing appointments, 282–285
accepting meeting invitations,
284–285
deleting event, 284
editing recurring events, 283
moving to different calendar, 284
settings for, 285–286
syncing, 282
views in, 274–277
Calendar button, 284
Calendar dropdown menu, 282
Calendar event, 157
Calendar icon, 273, 415
Calendar view, 278
Calendar widget, 144, 274
Calendars option, 282
Call button, 225, 432
Call Handling Ringtone option, 186
Call Settings, 178
Call settings screen, 178
Call Voicemail option, 170
Caller ID Readout option, 180
calling
from contacts, 164
with Google Voice, 179
from Recent view in Phone, 160
with Skype app
making calls, 432–433
receiving calls, 434
Camcorder app, 25, 41
camera. See also Camera Settings menu;
photos
adjusting for specific situations, 374–377
flash modes, 369
focus, 366–367
megapixels and image size, 366
Scenes button, 374–377
zoom, 367
Camera app, 25, 41, 44, 367, 379–380, 383
Camera button, 44, 367, 379
Camera folder, 313
Camera icon, 379
Camera roll, 373
Camera Settings menu, 377–380
Effects setting, 379
Exposure setting, 379
Index 562
Face Detection setting, 378
ISO Equivalent Sensitivity setting,
378–379
Picture Resolution setting, 378
Quick Upload Album setting, 378
Review Time setting, 378
Shutter Animation setting, 379
Tags setting, 379–380
Video Resolution setting, 378
Cancel button, 486
Cancel Subscription option, 174
Caps Lock, 85
Captions soft key, 322
CarDock app, 403–405
Catch Sync section, 441
Catch.com, syncing AK Notepad app to,
441
Categories icon, 319
category, browsing Android Market by,
345–347
cautions, 34
Cell Network Audio Quality field, 309
Cell Reference option, Documents To Go
app, 465
cells, selecting and editing, 465
Change all events in the series option, 283
Change only this event option, 283
Charge Only mode, 448, 496, 509–510
charging. See also battery life
from computer, 48–49
options for, 54
from wall outlet, 48
chatting with Skype app, 435
Check option, 88
Checkbox icon, 452
checkboxes, 11
Checkmark icon, 47, 499
Checkout service, Google, 55, 101
Chilton, Charlie, 534
Choose This Store option, 371
CL (Companion Link), 124
cleaning screen, 60–61
Clear all cookie data option, 248, 256
Clear cache button, 495
Clear Cache option, 248, 256
Clear defaults button, 497
Clear form data option, 248
Clear History option, 248, 256
Clear list option, 163
Clear location access option, 248
Clear passwords option, 248, 255
Clear Search History option, 323
Clear user dictionary option, 81
Clock app
alarm clock, 481–484
Timer app, 485–486
Close button, 70
cloud computing, and Google Account,
100–102
colon key, 242
ColorNote Notepad Notes app, 533
Column option, Documents To Go app, 467
columns
adjusting sizes of, 467
selecting, 466
.com key, 242
comic books, 332
Comments button, 346
Comments tab, 474
Companion Link (CL), 124
Companion Link Setup option, 120
CompanionLink, 117–125
installing
on computer, 120–123
on DROID, 124–125
requirements for, 119
reviews for, 118
setting up Google Calendar for, 119
troubleshooting, 125
CompanionLink for Outlook software, 117
Company field, 260, 269
Company Name field, 262, 265
Compose option, 207
computers
installing CompanionLink on, 120–123
installing Dropbox on, 449–451
viewing or updating Evernote on, 447
Concert settings, 382
conference calling, 168–169
Configure button, 124
Confirm Cancel Subscription option, 174
Confirm Delete option, Gmail app, 211
ConnectBot app, 553–554
contact icons
in Recent view in Phone, 162
using photos as, 386
Contact Info button, 225
Contact quick tasks widget, 145
contacts, 257–272
adding new, 258–263
address for, 263
from Contacts app, 259–260
Index 563
email address for, 262
from email messages, 267–269
phone number for, 261–262
adding photo to, 263–265
composing SMS from, 226
linking contact to another app, 268–269
loading onto DROID, 257
making list useful, 257–258
order of, 271–272
and Recent view in Phone
adding number from, 161
viewing details from, 160
ringtones for, 186
searching, 265–266
sending email message from list, 270
sending picture to, 269
showing addresses on map, 270–271
in Skype app, 430–432
troubleshooting, 272
Contacts app, 227
Contacts icon, 186, 259, 270, 372
Contacts list, 17, 57, 79, 162–164, 265, 308
Contacts option, 92
Contacts service, Google, 103
Contacts soft key, 164–165, 431–432, 435
Contacts view, 159, 165
Continue button, 436
cookies, for Browser app, 256
Cooking Capsules Taster app, 358
copy-and-paste, 89–91
between apps, 90–91
selecting text, 90
using long-press, 90
Copy link URL option, 249
Copy option, 90
Copy text to clipboard button, 252
Copy to clipboard icon, 252
copying
in Browser app, text and graphics, 252–
253
photos to computer, 387
Corporate Setup option, 57
Corporate Sync accounts, 215
Corporate Sync icon, 56
Create a new label box, 202
Create Account button, 429
Create account option, Evernote app, 443
Create new contact option, 163, 267
Create New Document option, 457
Create Station button, Pandora, 308
CRM (customer relationship management),
409, 545
cross-posting, to social media sites,
425–426
Crowley, Dennis, 407
cursor, moving on screen, 76–78
Custom battery saver setting, 53
Custom date/time option, AK Notepad app,
440
Custom option, 405
Custom Tags check box, 380
customer relationship management (CRM),
409, 545
Cut function, 252
Cut option, 90
■DData Delivery option, 133
Data File Management option, Outlook, 107
Data manager option, 133
Data manager settings, 134
data packages, and phone plans, 63
Data Roaming check box, 133
Date & time option, 45
Date & time settings screen, 47
date, adjusting, 45–47
Date and Time widget, 145
Day button, 275
Day view, 274–276, 278
Dcim/Camera folder, 511
Default reminder tab, 286
Default zoom option, 255
DejaOffice app, 117–120, 124–125
Delete All Voicemails option, 174
Delete bookmark option, 249
Delete button, 296, 304, 370
Delete Event button, 284
Delete key, 317
Delete old messages option, 229
Delete option, 175
Delete Word Back pop-up window, 75
deleting
appointments, 284
one word at a time, 75
Delicious option, 419
Delivery reports option, 229
Description box, 278
Desktop Files option, Documents To Go
app, 460
Desktop link, 206
Index 564
Details soft key, 322
Detect automatically option, 397
Device keyboard option, 73, 87
Dialer app, 154–156
accessing on call, 156
muting call in, 155
Dialer icon, 151, 154, 157, 164–165, 170,
173
Dialer pad, 155
Dialer screen, Dialer app, 167
Dialer soft key, 153–154, 159
Dialpad button, 156
Dialpad screen, Dialer app, 168
dictating text, 74
dictionary, for spell checker
adding words to, 80
clearing out, 81
editing or deleting words from, 81
Digital Rights Management (DRM), 333
direct messages (DMs), for Twitter, 413
Direct USB Sync Android direct via USB
option, CompanionLink, 117
directions, Google Maps, 393–394
Directions icon, 271
Directions option, 393
Disconnect and Unpair button, 196
disconnecting DROID, safely, 512
Discover button, Kobo app, 338
Disk icon, 512
Dislike button, 360
Display option, 47, 271
DMs (direct messages), for Twitter, 413
Docs to Go app, 525–526, 531
Doctorow, Cory, 332
document tools, 525–526
documents, 437–467. See also Documents
To Go app
AK Notepad app, 438–441
adding and labeling new notes,
438–439
pinning notes to Home screen,
440–441
syncing to Catch.com, 441
using as to-do alarm reminder, 440
Dropbox file and document sharing,
449–454
installing Dropbox on computers,
449–451
installing Dropbox on DROID,
451–454
Evernote app, 442–447
adding and tagging notes, 443
adding audio or voice notes, 446
adding pictures or snapshots, 446
adding text notes, 444
adding text to, emailing, deleting, or
editing notes, 447
getting started with, 443
upload and attach files to notes, 446
viewing and finding notes, 444
viewing or updating Evernote on
computers, 447
finding and installing apps, 438
Office documents, 454–467
moving documents to and from
DROID, 456
product reviews, 455
Quickoffice, 457–460
sharing, 447–449
Documents folder, 511
Documents To Go app, 460–467
sending files via email, Bluetooth or
Dropbox, 463
Sheet To Go app, 465–467
adding Functions, 466
adjusting row and column sizes, 467
freezing panes, 466
inserting various elements, 466
selecting and editing cells, 465
selecting entire rows or columns, 466
spreadsheets, 465
switching worksheets, 466
Slideshow To Go app, 463–465
editing slide text, 464
navigating, 465
switching views, 464
Word To Go app, 461–462
Menu commands, 462
selecting text, 461
zooming in or out, 461
Done button, 263, 283
dot key, 242
Double tap home launch option, 84
double-tapping
overview, 19
to zoom, web pages in Browser app, 245
doubleTwist, 512–522
Amazon MP3 store search in, 522
Android Market search in, 521
automatically syncing with, 516
connecting DROID to, 516
dragging-and-dropping files in, 519
Index 565
importing playlists, 515
installing, 513
podcast search in, 520–521
sync options in, 517–518
troubleshooting music that will not play,
519
doubleTwist library, 522
Down button, 347
Download Dropbox button, 450
Download from Market button, 176
Downloaded tab, 496
downloading apps, in Android Market, 349
Downloads folder, 313
dragging-and-dropping files
in doubleTwist, 519
syncing media by, 510–511
draining of battery. See battery life
driving directions, Google Maps, 393–394
Driving Navigation option, 271
DRM (Digital Rights Management), 333
Drobox icon, 453
DROID
creating playlists on, 295–296
as music player, 287
stops responding, 493–494
using YouTube on, 318–323
adjusting DROID's video controls,
321–322
clearing history, 323
playing videos, 321
searching for videos, 319
using bottom icons, 319–320
using Netflix and Hulu on DROID,
323
as video player, 311–313
DroidLaw app, 542
Dropbox app, 28, 528–530
Dropbox file, 449–454
installing Dropbox on computers,
449–451
installing Dropbox on DROID, 451–454
Dropbox tray icon, 450–451
DTNF Tones option, 181
Duplicate Slide option, Documents To Go
app, 464
■Ee-books, 333–339
Aldiko app, 339
Kindle app, 334–336
Kobo app, 338
Libris app, 339
navigating apps for, 340–341
Nook app, 337
Earth app, Google, 550
Edit bookmark button, 249
Edit button, 282, 406
Edit option, 186, 387, 462
Edit pop-up window, Documents To Go
app, 461
Edit screen, 282, 284
Edit Slide Text option, Documents To Go
app, 464
Edit speed dial option, 159
Edit Text option, 459
Edit title option, AK Notepad app, 439
editing photos, 387–389
other photo apps, 389
using Photoshop Mobile, 388
using PicSay, 388–389
education apps, 550–551
Effects button, 379
Effects setting, Camera Settings menu, 379
Eject option, 512
elements, inserting, 466
email, 197–219. See also Email app
adding contact from message, 267–269
addresses, for contacts, 262
attachments for, 217–218
Corporate Sync accounts, 215
Gmail app, 199–211
and archiving messages, 199–200
automatic filters, 203
Confirm Delete option, 211
Labels in, 201–202, 211
multiple accounts in, 212–214
notifications for, 209–210
Priority Inbox, 201
replying to email, 207–208
searching in, 208
sending email, 207–208
signatures in, 209
Outlook Web Access, 215
receiving directions via, 405
sending web pages, 250
third-party apps for, 219
tips, 35
Universal Inbox for, 215–217
Email app, 214–215, 535–536
Exchange accounts on Android, 214
turning off ringtones in, 214–215
Index 566
Email field, 262–263, 429
Email icon, 56, 163
Email settings option, 214
Enable java script check box, 255
Enable plugins option, 255
Encyclopedia app, WikiMobile, 363
End call key, 154
End call option, 169
End last call option, 169
End point field, 393
enhanced voicemail, and phone plans, 65
Enter message here window, 89
entertainment apps, 24–25
Epocrates app, 540–541
equipment insurance, and phone plans, 64
EStrongs File Explorer app, 528
Event screen, 278, 280
events. See appointments
Evernote app, 359, 442–447
adding and tagging notes, 443
adding audio or voice notes, 446
adding pictures or snapshots, 446
adding text notes, 444
adding text to, 447
getting started with, 443
upload and attach files to notes, 446
viewing and finding notes, 444
viewing or updating Evernote on
computers, 447
Everyday setting, 382
Exchange accounts, Email app, 214
Exchange by TouchDown app, 535
Exchange service, 57
exiting apps, 11
Expand all link, 200
Expensify Expense Reports app, 538
Expensify service, 537
Explore option, 457
Exposure setting, Camera Settings menu,
379
■FFace Detection setting, Camera Settings
menu, 378
Facebook, 419–421
apps for, 421
fan pages for, 420
FaceCash app, 546–547
Factory Data Reset procedure, 500–501
fan pages, for Facebook, 420
Fast-Forward option, 315–316, 322
Favorite icon, 320, 322
Favorites, in Phone, 165–166
adding, 165
calling, 166
Favorites screen, 166
Favorites view, 165
Featured section, Android Market app, 473
feed readers, aggregating content with, 427
File Explorer app, 528
file management apps, 528–529
File Manager app, 529
File option, 462–463
File Properties option, 462
Filename column, Outlook, 107
Files app, 528
files, upload and attach to notes, 446
Filter messages like these option, 203
finance apps, 537–538, 547–548
Find on page search box, 249
finding something on web page, 249
Firehouse Scheduler app, 555
First field, 269
First Last button, 260
First name button, 260
Flash, 240
Flash lite player, 323
flash modes, camera, 369
flash, using when shooting video, 383
flicking, 17
focus, camera, 366–367
folders, adding to home screen, 141
Folders app, 28
Folders option, 141
football games, 477
Force stop button, 495
forgetting Bluetooth device, 196
form data, remembering in Browser app,
253–256
Format option, 458, 462
Formulas Lite/Formula Droid app, 551
Forward arrow, 243
Forward button, for Browser app, 243
Forward icon, 241
Forward option, WikiMobile Encyclopedia
app, 363
forward slash key, 242
Forward soft key, 243
forwarding settings, for Gmail, 205
FREE button, 185
Free Download button, 513
Index 567
Free DROID apps category, Android Market
app, 476
free trials, games, 474
Freeze Panes option, Documents To Go
app, 466
freezing panes, 466
From field, 213, 267
From tab, 279, 283
Full Name field, 429
Function option, Documents To Go app, 466
Functions, adding, 466
Fuze Meeting app, 533
■GGaia GPS app, 540
GAL (Global Address List), 214
Gallery app, 25, 233, 313, 315–316, 384,
387, 446, 454
Gallery icon, 312
Gallery option, 386
games, 469–478
acquiring apps, 472–473
football, 477
free trials or lite versions, 474
music, 476
online and wireless, 475–476
reading reviews, 474
safety, 474
two-player, 475
Games app, 25
Games tab, Android Market app, 472–473
Gear icon, 53
General tab, doubleTwist app, 516
Genre option, 308
Geodelic, 540
Get a subscription button, 434
Get directions option, 271
Get Skype for Mac button, 436
Get Skype for Windows button, 436
Gift Code, Amazon, 291
Global Address List (GAL), 214
global positioning satellites (GPS), 131, 391
Gmail, 198–211
and archiving messages, 199–200
automatic filters, 203
Confirm Delete option, 211
Labels in, 201–202, 211
multiple accounts in, 212–214
deleting, 214
switching between, 213
notifications for, 209–210
overview, 198
Priority Inbox, 201
replying to email, 207–208
searching in, 208
sending email, 207–208
settings for, 203–206
accounts, 204–205
forwarding and POP/IMAP, 205
general, 204
Labs, 206
offline, 206
Themes for, 206
signatures in, 209
web version from phone, 206
Gmail icon, 56
Gmail service, 55–56, 101
Gmote 2.0 app, 532
Go key, 242
Google Accounts
activating, 98–100
and cloud computing, 100–102
multiple in Gmail app, 212–214
deleting, 214
switching between, 213
setting up, 55
Google Apps suite, 198
Google button, 100
Google Buzz, 212, 424–425, 552
Google Calendar, setting up for
CompanionLink, 119
Google Calendar Sync, 108–112
installing, 109
requirements for, 108
setting up, 109–111
troubleshooting, 111–112
Google Calendars tab, CompanionLink, 121
Google Checkout service, 55, 101
Google Contacts service, 103
Google Docs option, Documents To Go app,
460
Google Earth app, 550
Google Finance app, 547–548
Google Maps, 391–408
driving directions, 393–394
email and text directions, 405
GPS navigation using, 402–405
Latitude service, 397–398
making own maps, 405–406
map layers, 394–396
Buzz layer, 395
Index 568
Google Labs layer, 396
Satellite layer, 395
Traffic layer, 395
overview, 392–394
place pages, 398–402
Google Street View service, 401–402
Places app, 399
starring locations, 400
sharing location, 397–398
Google Maps service, 55, 101
Google Outlook Calendar Sync for Windows
page, 109
Google Reader app, 427
Google Search, 91–95
Google Search widget, 94–95
modifying parameters of, 92
performing search, 93–94
Google Settings pop-up window,
CompanionLink, 121
Google Sky Map app, 550–551
Google, syncing with, 497
Google Talk, 211–212, 235–236
Google to Outlook option, CompanionLink,
122
Google Translate app, 540
Google Voice, 176–179, 362
installing app, 176
placing calls with, 179
retrieving voicemails in, 179
setting up, 177–178
Google Voice service, 65, 101
GoogleBuzz widget, 552
Got To Do Lite app, 537
GPS (global positioning satellites), 131, 391
GPS navigation using Google Maps,
402–405
GPS Toggle widget, 145, 392
Grade Rubric app, 550
Green check mark button, 78
Green check mark icon, 175
Green phone icon, 151, 160, 164, 166, 169,
179
Green phone key, 155, 170, 173
Green Robot tool, 206
Groups screen, 431
gTasks ToDo app, 536–537
Guitar Hero app, 471
■HHAC Mode Settings option, 181
hands-free calling, 156–157
Hands-free mode, 180
hard plastic cases, 62
hashtags, for Twitter, 413
headsets, Bluetooth, 193
health apps, 540–541
help, for Swype, 70
Help option, 462
Help screen, 70
Hide declined events check box, 286
Hide your location option, 397
history
for Browser app, 256
clearing, 323
History button, 248
Home button, 42–43, 84
Home key, 225
Home screen, 137–150
adding to
app icons, 138–139
bookmarks, 139–140, 254
folders, 141
shortcuts, 141
App tray, 138–139
Motorola widgets, 144–148
overview, 137
pinning notes to, 440–441
removing items from, 148
wallpaper for, 148–150
Live wallpapers, 149–150
and Media Gallery, 150
widgets for, 142–144
Hootsuite app, 415, 552
hotspot, creating, 131–133
House icon, 4
Hulu, 311, 323
■Ii button, 489
icons, adding and removing, 8–9
I'm already a Dropbox user option, Dropbox
app, 451
I'm new to Dropbox option, Dropbox app,
451
images. See also photos
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol),
settings for Gmail, 205
Import iTunes Playlists option, doubleTwist
app, 515
import link, Google Contacts service, 103
Index 569
Import new pictures from my device check
box, doubleTwist app, 518
Import WMP Playlists option, doubleTwist
app, 515
importing contact information, from Outlook
or Apple Address Book, 103–104
Include SubFolders check box,
CompanionLink, 122
information apps, 26
Information icon, 53, 307, 446
information technology (IT) apps, 553–554
Input method dialog box, 69
Input method setting, 68–69, 87
Insert menu, Documents To Go app, 464
Insert option, Documents To Go app, 462,
466
Insert Slide option, Documents To Go app,
464
inserting memory card, 44
installing
apps in Android Market, 349
apps outside Android Market, 353–355
CompanionLink
on computer, 120–123
on DROID, 124–125
doubleTwist, 513
Google Calendar Sync, 109
Google Voice, 176
Missing Sync
on computer, 113–115
on DROID, 116
instant messaging, 234–237
AIM, 236–237
Google Talk, 235–236
international phone plans, 65–66
Internet. See Browser app
Internet hotspot, creating, 131–133
Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP),
settings for Gmail, 205
Internet Radio, Pandora, 304–310
adjusting settings, 309–310
creating new stations in, 308
getting started, 305–306
main screen, 306–307
menu, 308
Thumbs up or Thumbs down, 307
Invitees tab, 280
IPConfig app, 554
ISO Equivalent Sensitivity setting, Camera
Settings menu, 378–379
IT (information technology) apps, 553–554
■JJoin Latitude option, 397
Join link, 436
Just in button, 345
■K KeePassDroid app, 530
keyboard. See also typing
layouts
for Multi-touch, 68
for Swype, 71
options for, 87
slide-out, 43
typing with, 73
vibration and sounds for, 78
Keyboard option, 458
keys, 4–5
Kindle app, 25, 32, 92, 334–336, 554
Kindle for Android app, 554–555
Kobo app, 338
■LLabel option, 482
Label settings area, 202
Label tab, 483
Labels button, 202, 211
Labels, in Gmail app, 201–202, 211
Labels option, 439
Labs layer, Google Maps, 396
Labs option, 396
Landscape mode, 32, 43, 67, 225, 321, 374
LangLearner Legal Dictionary app, 542
Language & keyboard option, 73, 78, 80–81,
87
Last name button, 260
Launch by default section, 496–497
Launcher app, 22
Launcher icon, 5–6, 8, 47, 56
Lawyer's Calendar Calc app, 543
layers, Google Maps, 394–396
Buzz layer, 395
Google Labs layer, 396
Satellite layer, 395
Traffic layer, 395
Layers option, 394
leather cases, 62
legal apps, 542–543
Library option, doubleTwist app, 515
Index 570
Library soft key, 304
Libris app, 339
Like button, 360, 420
Linda File Manager app, 529
Linked app, 422
LinkedIn, 421–422
LinkedIn app, 27
links, activating in Browser app, 246
List (Agenda) view, 275
List button, 298–299
List mode, 17
List tab, Kobo app, 338
List view, 276
lite versions, games, 474
Live tab, 478
Live wallpapers, 149–150
Load images check box, 255
Local Files option, Documents To Go app,
460
Locale app, 542
Location & Security settings option, 57, 392
location-based social media and games,
406–408
Foursquare, 407
Gowalla, 407–408
Location key, 492
Lock icon, 42
Lock tab, 227
locking screen, 60
logging in, to Skype app, 430
Login button, 253
long click, 138
long-press
for copy-and-paste, 90
overview, 7–8
Long Term Evolution (LTE), 128
Lookout Mobile app, 356, 529
Lookout Mobile Security Free app, 530
LTE (Long Term Evolution), 128
■Mmagazines, 331
Magnifying Glass button, 431, 461
Magnifying Glass icon, 4
Mail app, 270
Mail, Contacts, Calendars tab, 271
maintenance, 60–63
cleaning screen, 60–61
protective cases
hard plastic/metal, 62
leather, 62
rubber/silicone, 62
screen protectors, 63
waterproof, 62
where to buy, 61
making calls, with Skype app, 432–433
man-in-the-middle attack, 130
Manage applications option, 351, 495
Manage labels option, 202
Manage Networks option, 130
Map button, 271
Map icon, 162, 492
maps. See Google Maps; location-based
social media and games
Market app, 25, 32, 113, 116, 118, 124, 176,
187
Mass Storage mode, 509–510, 516
Media/Audio/Notifications folder, 511
Media/Audio/Ringtones folder, 511
media folder, 184
Media Gallery, and wallpaper, 150
Media gallery option, 150
Media Share service, 312
Media Sync app, 508
Media Sync mode, Windows, 509
Media volume control, 300
Medical Mnemonics app, 541
Medical Spanish Audio app, 540
Medical Spanish Audio Lite app, 541
meeting invitations, accepting, 284–285
megapixels, 366
memory card, inserting, 44
memory, troubleshooting, 495–496
Menu button, 42–43, 290
Menu commands, Word To Go app, 462
Menu icon, 233
menu, Pandora, 308
Menu+p command, 255
menus, 11
Merge calls button, 169
Message limit option, 501
Messages app, 24
Messages widget, 145
messaging, 221–237
instant, 234–237
AIM, 236–237
Google Talk, 235–236
MMS, 230–234
composing from Photos app, 233
composing in Messaging app,
230–232
Index 571
sending multiple pictures, 233–234
SMS, 222–229
composing from contacts, 226
composing in Messaging app, 222–
224
notification options for, 229
replying to, 227
threaded discussion window for, 225
viewing messages, 228
Messaging app, 215–216, 226, 228–230
Messaging icon, 185, 222, 226, 228, 230
Messaging option, 233–234
Messaging settings, 185, 501
Messaging widget, 214–216
metal cases, 62
microblogs. See Twitter
Microphone button, 403
Microphone icon, 4, 89, 93
Microphone key, 72, 74
Microsoft CRM app, 545
Microsoft Exchange account, 56
Microsoft Outlook, backing up data, 107
MightyMeeting app, 531–532
Mind Map Memo app, 534
Mint.com app, 357, 537–538
Minus key, 171
missed calls, checking with voice command,
168
Missing Sync, 112–117
installing on computer, 113–115
installing on DROID, 116
requirements for, 113
reviews for, 112–113
troubleshooting, 116–117
MMS mode, 230
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service),
230–234
composing
from Messaging app, 230–232
from Photos app, 233
sending multiple pictures, 233–234
Mobile Credit Card Processing app, 547
Mobile CRM for MSCRM app, 545
Mobile Hotspot service check box, 132
Mobile option, 432
Mobile Project Manager app, 549
Mobile Queue app, Netflix, 24
Mobile Wi-Fi Hot Spot, and phone plans,
64–65
Month button, 275, 277
Month view, 275, 277
monthly subscriptions, for Skype, 434
Moodle app, 550
More actions button, 203
More button, 262
More Layers button, 394
More option, 249–250, 252, 255, 462, 467
More soft key, 322
Mortgage Calculator app, 544
Mortgage Pro app, 544
Most Viewed icon, 319
Motorola Android Support page, 502
Motorola DROID support pages, 502
Motorola icon, 49
Motorola widgets, for social media, 409–411
Motorola widgets option, 147
Move to phone button, 496
Move to SD card button, 496
movies. See videos
MP3 App, Amazon, 24, 186–187, 288–292
MP3 store, Amazon, 522
Multi Player option, Raging Thunder app,
475
Multi-touch
switching between Swype and, 68
typing with, 68–72
accessing settings for, 69
keyboard layouts for, 68
Multimedia Messaging Service. See MMS
multiple accounts, in Gmail app, 212–214
deleting, 214
switching between, 213
multitasking
copying and pasting between apps,
90–91
overview, 10
music, 287–310
Amazon MP3 App
buying from, 288–290
Setting screen, 291–292
viewing and playing songs and
albums, 290–291
changing view in Music app, 293–297
Albums view, 294
Artists view, 293
creating playlists on DROID, 295–296
searching for music, 297
Songs view, 295
DROID as music player, 287
Internet Radio, Pandora, 304–310
adjusting settings, 309–310
creating new stations in, 308
Index 572
getting started, 305–306
main screen, 306–307
menu, 308
Thumbs up or Thumbs down, 307
Music app, 292
options, 304
playing, 299–303
adjusting volume, 300
moving to other parts of songs, 301
Now Playing icon, 303
pausing and playing, 300
Previous or Next songs, 300
repeating one or all songs, 302
repeating, shuffling, and moving
around in songs, 301
shuffling playlists, 302
viewing other songs on albums, 303
as ringtones, 182
troubleshooting sound, 499–500
viewing songs in albums, 298
Music app
changing view in, 293–297
Albums view, 294
Artists view, 293
creating playlists on DROID, 295–296
searching for music, 297
Songs view, 295
Music folder, 511
music games, 476
Music icon, 195, 292
Music option, 92
Music Store link, doubleTwist app, 514, 522
Music tab, doubleTwist app, 517
Mute button, 155–156
Mute option, 193, 200
muting
call, in Dialer, 155
phone, sliding to, 42
ringer, with slide to mute, 152–153
My Accounts icon, 56, 319
My Location field, 393
My Location option, 392
My Location tool, 392
My Maps Editor app, 405
My maps layer, 406
My review section, 353
My Team tab, 477
■NNavigate button, 394
navigating Slideshow To Go app, 465
Navigation app, 402–405
Need For Speed app, 25
Netflix Mobile Queue app, 24
Netflix, using on DROID, 323
network connections, 127–136
3G and 4G, 128–129
Bluetooth, 131
creating hotspot, 131–133
GPS, 131
status symbols for, 127–128
troubleshooting, 133–135
airplane mode, 135
managing power, 134
managing syncing, 134
roaming, 133
VPN, 135–136
Wi-Fi, 129–131
Never option, 254
New Bullet Item option, Documents To Go
app, 464
New contact button, 259
New event option, 278
New folder option, 141
new media, 325–341
comic books, 332
e-books, 333–339
Aldiko app, 339
Kindle app, 334–336
Kobo app, 338
Libris app, 339
navigating apps for, 340–341
Nook app, 337
magazines, 331
news widgets, 330
newspapers, 325–330
navigating apps for, 329–330
New York Times app, 327–328
USA Today app, 329
PDF files, 332
New message icon, 223
New Note screen, Evernote app, 443, 446
New window button, 244
New York Times app, 26, 327–328, 361
News & Weather category, Android Market,
329
News & Weather link, 327
News and Videos tab, 478
News and Weather app, 480, 488, 490
News and Weather category, 491
News and Weather icon, 488
Index 573
News and Weather option, 490
News and Weather widget, 330
News app, 488
News widgets, 145, 330
newspapers, 325–330
navigating apps for, 329–330
New York Times app, 327–328
USA Today app, 329
Next button, 70
Next Song button, 299–300
Next Step button, 203
NFL Mobile app, 477
Night mode, 406
No Emergency Calls pop-up warning
window, 429
Nook app, 337
Normal video mode, 383
Norton Security Beta app, 530
Not now option, 254
Note icon, 441
Note info option, 447
Note view, AK Notepad app, 438
Notebook app, 534
Notebook option, Evernote app, 444
notes, 34. See also documents
Notes option
Documents To Go app, 464
Evernote app, 444
notetaking apps, 533–534
Nothing option, 49
Notification bar, 349, 352, 354
Notification icon, 236
Notification section, 13
Notification settings option, AK Notepad
app, 440
notifications
for Gmail app, 209–210
for Messaging app, 229
notifications folder, 184
Notifications option, 214, 229
Notifications screen, 184
Now Playing icon, 303
Now Playing screen, 301, 303–304, 308–309
NPR News app, 26
■OOCS (Oracle Collaboration Suite), 57
Office documents, 454–467
moving documents to and from DROID,
456
product reviews, 455
Quickoffice, 457–460
editing text in, 459
formatting text in, 458
getting around in, 459
zooming in, 460
OfficeSuite Viewer app, 526
Ongoing section, 13, 448, 510
online games, 475–476
Only sync option, doubleTwist app, 518
Only the selected option, doubleTwist app,
517–518
Open browser button, doubleTwist app, 521
Open in background check box, 255
Open pages in overview check box, 255
Operators option, Documents To Go app,
465
OPT key, 69, 71
options
for keyboard, 73–87
music, 304
for Phone, 180–181
Options button, 70
Oracle Collaboration Suite (OCS), 57
Oration Sensation app, 531
Organization field, 262
Other field, 261
Outdoors setting, 382
Outline view, Documents To Go app, 464
Outlook Folders tab, CompanionLink, 122
Outlook, importing contact information from,
103–104. See also Microsoft
Outlook, backing up data
Outlook Settings option, CompanionLink,
122
Outlook to Google option, CompanionLink,
122
Outlook Web Access, 215
Outlook.pst file, 107
■PPages View icon, 241
pairing with Bluetooth device, 191–193
Pandora app, 25, 360
Pandora icon, 305
Pandora Internet Radio, 304–310
adjusting settings, 309–310
creating new stations in, 308
getting started, 305–306
main screen, 306–307
Index 574
menu, 308
Thumbs up or Thumbs down, 307
panes, freezing, 466
Panorama assist option, 376
panoramas, 376–377
Party shuffle soft key, 304
Password field, 429
passwords
remembering in Browser app, 253–254
for voicemail, entering automatically,
171–172
Paste function, 252
Paste option, 90–91
Pause button, 300, 315
pause controls, 315
Pause mode, 500
pausing music, 300
PC mode, 509
PDAnet program, June Fabric, 133
PDF files, 332
Pencil icon, 93
Performance mode, 53
Personal Assistant app, 538, 548
personalization, with photos, 372
pFinance app, 548
Phone, 151–187
conference calling, 168–169
Dialer in, 154–156
accessing on call, 156
muting call in, 155
Favorites in, 165–166
adding, 165
calling, 166
finding own phone number, 151
Google Voice, 176–179
installing app, 176
placing calls with, 179
retrieving voicemails in, 179
setting up, 177–178
hands-free calling, 156–157
muting ringer, with slide to mute,
152–153
opening apps while on call, 157
options for, 180–181
placing calls from contacts, 164
Recent view in, 159–163
adding number to contacts from, 161
assigning speed dial from, 161
clearing list, 163
contact icon in, 162
placing call from, 160
question mark icon in, 163
sending text message from, 161
viewing contact details from, 160
returning to call from app, 157
ringtones for, 181–186
assigning to contacts, 186
copying custom ringtones, 183–185
purchasing from Amazon MP3, 187
purchasing from Android Market, 187
selecting for calls, 183
selecting for text messages, 185
using own music as, 182
speaker phone, 156
Speed Dial in, 158–159
adding numbers for, 158
using, 159
views in, 153
voice dialing, 167–168
voicemail, 170–175
entering password for automatically,
171–172
setting up, 170–172
Visual Voicemail, 172–175
Phone button, 399
phone calls, 497
Phone dialer screen, 151
Phone field, 261
Phone icon, 151, 159
Phone key, 154
phone numbers, for contacts, 261–262
Phone options, 494
Phone Options pop-up menu, 60
phone plans, 63–66
data packages, 63
enhanced voicemail, 65
equipment insurance, 64
international, 65–66
Mobile Wi-Fi Hot Spot, 64–65
picture messaging, 63–64
text messaging, 63–64
video messaging, 63–64
phone posts, to blogs, 423
Phone ringtone option, 183
Phone screen, 158
Photo Capture Settings tray, 379, 381
Photo Sharing option, 371
Photo slideshow widget, 145
Photo Widget, 145
Photo Workshop app, 387
photos. See also camera
adding to contacts, 263–265
Index 575
adding to Evernote app, 446
copying to computer, 387
editing, 387–389
other photo apps, 389
using Photoshop Mobile, 388
using PicSay, 388–389
and Gallery app, 384
panoramas, 376–377
personalizing phone with, 372
and Picasa, 385–386
printing, 389–390
sending to contacts, 269
sharing, 370–371
size of, 366
sliding through, 373
uploading quickly, 372–378
using as wallpaper and widgets, 386
using for contact icons, 386
Photos app, composing MMS from, 233
Photoshop Mobile app, 388
Picasa, 55, 101, 385–386
PicSay app, 388–389
Picture modes option, 376
Picture Resolution setting, Camera Settings
menu, 378
pictures. See photos
Pictures option, 231
Pictures tab, doubleTwist app, 518
Pin Note to Home Screen option, AK
Notepad app, 440
pinching
overview, 20
to zoom, web pages in Browser app,
245–246
Ping.fm service, 426
place pages, Google Maps, 398–402
Google Street View service, 401–402
Places app, 399
starring locations, 400
Places app, 399, 401
Places icon, Google Maps app, 539
Play button, 500
Play latest episode button, doubleTwist app,
520
Play option, Evernote app, 446
Play/Pause button, 299–300, 315
playing music, 299–303
adjusting volume, 300
moving around in songs, 301
moving to other parts of songs, 301
Now Playing icon, 303
pausing and playing, 300
Previous or Next songs, 300
repeating songs, 301–302
shuffling playlists, 302
shuffling songs, 301
viewing other songs on albums, 303
Playlist view, 296
playlists
importing with doubleTwist, 515
shuffling, 302
Playlists soft key, 292
PlinkArt app, 551
PlurQ app, 418
Plus sign option, Documents To Go app,
460
Pocket Verifier app, 546
Podcast Search option, doubleTwist app,
514, 520–521
POP (Post Office Protocol), settings for
Gmail, 205
Portrait mode, 67, 137, 321, 367, 487
Post button, 425
Post Office Protocol (POP), settings for
Gmail, 205
Power button, 15
Power Control widget, 47, 50–51, 134, 144
Power key, 135
Power/Lock button, 22, 58, 60, 494, 498
Power/Lock key, 152
power, managing, 134
Power off option, 60, 494
Power/Sleep button, 40, 50
PPT Remote for PowerPoint app, 532
Preferences icon, 309
Preferences key, 492
Preferences method, 405
Preferences options, 309, 405, 462
presentation apps, 531–532
Preview button, 456
Previous button, 70
Previous Song button, 299–300
Previous songs, 300
Print command, 251
PrinterShare app, 527
printing
apps, 527
photos, 389–390
web page, 251
Priority Inbox, Gmail app, 201
Privacy option, 501
Privacy settings, 256
Index 576
productivity apps, 28
project management apps, 549–550
protective cases, 61–63
hard plastic/metal, 62
leather, 62
rubber/silicone, 62
screen protectors, 63
waterproof, 62
where to buy, 61
purchasing
apps in Android Market, 347–348
resolving problems when, 500
Pure Calendar widget, 536
■QQR codes, using with Android Market,
343–344
QR (quick response), 343
Question mark icon, in Recent view in
Phone, 163
Quick Access pop-up menu, 162
Quick Access window, 163
quick response (QR), 343
Quick Upload Album setting, Camera
Settings menu, 378
Quick Upload feature, 370, 372
Quickoffice, 457–460
editing text in, 459
formatting text in, 458
getting around in, 459
zooming in, 460
■RRaging Thunder app, 470, 475
Rate soft key, 322
rating, apps in Android Market, 353
RE/Max University app, 544
Re-Record option, Evernote app, 446
Read reports option, 229
Reader app, Google, 427
Reading settings, 178
real estate apps, 543–544
Real Estate Vocabulary Quiz app, 544
receiving calls, with Skype app, 434
Recent apps list, 494
Recent Files option, Documents To Go app,
460
Recent list, 90–91, 158, 161–163
Recent screen, 160
Recent soft key, 159
Recent view, in Phone, 159–163
adding number to contacts from, 161
assigning speed dial from, 161
clearing list, 163
contact icon in, 162
placing call from, 160
question mark icon in, 163
sending text message from, 161
viewing contact details from, 160
Recent window, 157
Recently added tab, 295
Record icon, Evernote app, 446
recurring events
creating, 280
editing, 283
Red phone icon, 154, 157
Refresh icon, 488
Refresh key, 492
Remember form data check box, 256
Remember Form Data tool, 253
Remember option, 254
Remember passwords check box, 255–256
Remember this choice check box, 164, 166
Remind me option, AK Notepad app, 440
reminders, for appointments, 280
Reminders tab, 280
Remote locate & scream feature, Lookout
Mobile app, 356
Remove account button, 214
Remove Facebook data option, 268
Remove option, 432
removing
battery, 44
items, from home screen, 148
Repeat button, 299, 302
Repeat option, 482
Repeat tab, 280, 482
repeating songs, 301–302
Repetition tab, 280
reply button, 208
replying to SMS, 227
requirements
for CompanionLink, 119
for Google Calendar Sync, 108
for Missing Sync, 113
Reset Phone option, 501
resources, 502–503
DROID-related blogs, 503
Motorola DROID support pages, 502
Index 577
retail apps, 546–547
retweets, for Twitter, 412
Review Time setting, Camera Settings
menu, 378
reviews
for CompanionLink, 118
games, 474
for Missing Sync, 112–113
Rewind button, 315–316, 322
Rewind option, 315–316
Ringtone tab, 482
ringtones, 181–186
assigning to contacts, 186
copying custom ringtones, 183–185
in Email app, turning off, 214–215
own music as, 182
purchasing, 187
selecting
for calls, 183
for text messages, 185
settings, 482
for Visual Voicemail, 175
ringtones folder, 184
Risk icon, 492
RoadSync 2.0 app, 535
roaming, 133
Root, Kenny, 554
Row option, Documents To Go app, 467
rows
adjusting sizes of, 467
selecting, 466
RSS icon, 427
rubber cases, 62
Running tab, 495–496
■Ssafety, when playing games, 474
sales apps, 545–546
Satellite layer, Google Maps, 395
Save as playlist option, 295
Scenes button, camera, 374–377, 382
Scenes setting, video, 382–383
screen
cleaning, 60–61
protectors, 63
screen layout, of Browser app, 241
screen lock
locking, 60
setting, 57–59
unlocking, 60
Screen timeout setting, 51
scrolling, 18
SD cards, moving apps to, 496
Search box, 93
Search button, 4, 6, 16, 42–43, 91, 165, 167,
341, 393
Search by City or Zip Code button, 371
Search icon, 319, 438
Search nearby option, 271
Search option, 444
Search screen, 7
Search Skype Directory button, 431
Search tab, 294
Search window
Amazon, 187
doubleTwist app, 520
Market app, 187
search window, Amazon MP3 App, 288
searching. See also Google Search
contacts, 265–266
by flicking, 266
jumping to letter by scrolling, 266
in Gmail app, 208
Secure FTP (SFTP), 554
Secure Shell (SSH), 553
security, 57–60
apps, 529–530
locking, 60
setting screen lock, 57–59
unlocking, 60
Security lock timer setting, 58
Security settings, for Browser app, 255
Security settings heading, 255
Seesmic app, 416
Select all option, 90
Select date format option, 46
Select Locale option, 87
Select Ring Tone drop-down menu, 229
Select Ringtone option, 175, 185, 210, 214,
286
Select tags option, Evernote app, 444
Select text option, 90, 252
Select time zone option, 46
Select to add custom tags option, 380
selecting text, 86–90
Selection Mode option, Documents To Go
app, 461
Send a File command, Documents To Go
app, 463
Send button, 89, 224, 228, 322, 370–371,
431, 435
Index 578
Send chat invitation window, 235
Send IM button, 435
Send MMS button, 232
Send option, 235–236
Send text message option, 161
Send to Retail option, 371
Send via Email option, Documents To Go
app, 463
Set alerts & notifications option, 286
Set as button, 370, 372, 386
Set as homepage option, 249
Set button, 46
Set date option, 46
Set home page option, 255
Set key, 279
Set location tab, 489
Set time option, 46
Set time screen, 46
Set up screen lock option, 57
Set your location option, 397
setting up
Google Voice, 177–178
voicemail, 170–172
settings
for Browser app, 255–256
clearing history and cookies, 256
remembering form data, 256
security settings, 255
for Calendar app, 285–286
for Gmail, 203–206
accounts, 204–205
forwarding and POP/IMAP, 205
general, 204
Labs, 206
offline, 206
Themes for, 206
for Google Account sync, 103
for Multi-touch, 69
for Swype, 71
Settings button, 338
Settings Gear option, Documents To Go
app, 460
Settings key, 68
Settings link, 203
Settings menu, 141, 211, 341, 357
Settings option, 129, 133, 175, 190, 209,
248, 377, 392, 441, 483
Setup Assistant icon, 115
SFTP (Secure FTP), 554
Share button, 234, 370–372, 384, 386
Share icon, 322
Share option, 233, 308
Share Page option, 250, 419
Share this place option, 271, 399
sharing
documents, 447–449
location, with Google Maps, 397–398
photos, 370–371
Sharkey, Jeffrey, 554
Sheet To Go app, 465–467
adding Functions, 466
adjusting row and column sizes, 467
freezing panes, 466
inserting various elements, 466
selecting and editing cells, 465
selecting entire rows or columns, 466
spreadsheets, 465
switching worksheets, 466
Shift key, 68, 85
ShopSavvy app, 355
Short Messaging Service. See SMS
short tap, 7–8
shortcuts, adding to home screen, 141
Shortcuts menu, 141
Show Dialpad option, 181
Show on map option, 394
Show Pictures option, 217
Show security warnings option, 255
Show suggestions option, 78
Shuffle button, 299, 302
shuffling playlists, 302
shuffling songs, 301
Shutter Animation setting, Camera Settings
menu, 379
Sign In button
AK Notepad app, 441
Evernote app, 443
Sign In link, 434
Sign in to Skype automatically check box,
430
Sign me in button, 434
Signature setting, 209
signatures, in Gmail app, 209
Silent option, 209, 215
silicone cases, 62
Simply Sales app, 546
Sky Map app, Google, 550–551
Skype app, 428–436
chatting using, 435
contacts in, 430–432
creating account, 429
credits, 434
Index 579
installing on computer, 436
logging in, 430
making calls with, 432–433
and monthly subscriptions, 434
receiving calls with, 434
and Skype credits, 434
Skype Name field, 429
Skype option, 432
Skyscape Medical Resources app, 541
Slacker app, 305
Sleep button, 40
Sleep mode, 40, 42, 49–50, 484
Sleep/Power key, 60
slide-out keyboard, 43
slide text, Slideshow To Go app, 464
Slide to Answer function, 193
slide to mute, muting ringer with, 152–153
Slide View option, Documents To Go app,
464
Slideshow To Go app, 463–465
editing slide text, 464
navigating, 465
switching views, 464
sliding
moving cursor on screen by, 77
to mute phone, 42
to unlock phone, 42
Slow motion mode, 383
SMS messages. See text messages
SMS (Short Messaging Service), 222–229
composing
from contacts, 226
in Messaging app, 222–224
increasing limit, 501
notification options for, 229
and phone plans, 63–64
receiving directions via, 405
replying to, 227
ringtones for, 185
sending from Recent view in Phone, 161
threaded discussion window for, 225
viewing messages, 228
Snapshot icon, Evernote app, 446
Snapshot option, Evernote app, 443
snapshots, adding to Evernote app, 446
Snooze feature, 483
social bookmarking, 419
social media
aggregating content with readers, 427
apps for (in general), 551–552
blogging, 422–423
Bump app, 424
cross-posting to, 425–426
Facebook, 419–421
apps for, 421
fan pages for, 420
Google Buzz, 424–425
LinkedIn, 421–422
Motorola widgets for, 409–411
social bookmarking, 419
Twitter, 411–418
apps for, 414
DMs for, 413
hashtags for, 413
retweets, 412
TwitPic for, 413
URL shorteners for, 413
vs. Yammer, 417
Social Networking app, 27, 413–414, 421
Social Networking widget, 146, 409–411,
417, 421
Social Status widget, 146, 409–411, 425
Songs option, 187
Songs soft key, 292
Songs tab, Amazon MP3 App, 289
Songs view, 295
Sort list by drop-down menu, 272
Sound option, 183
Sound setting, 78
sounds, for keyboard, 78
Space key, 71–74, 78–80, 89
SpamDrain app, 536
Speak now box, 167
Speak now window, 93
Speaker icon, 152, 193
Speaker key, 156
Speaker option, 193
speaker phone, 156
Speed Dial, 158–159
adding numbers for, 158
assigning from Recent view in Phone,
161
using, 159
Speed dial setup option, 158, 171
spell checker, custom dictionary for, 80–81
adding words to, 80
clearing out, 81
editing or deleting words from, 81
Sport setting, 375
Spotfly app, 305
spreadsheets, 465
Square app, 547
Index 580
SSH (Secure Shell), 553
Star icon, 400
Starred Files option, Documents To Go app,
460
Starred items option, 400
starring locations, in Google Maps, 400
Stars icon, 353
Start button, 486
Start menu, 514
Station list screen, Pandora, 308
stations, creating, 308
Status option, 151
status symbols, for network connections,
127–128
Sticky Note widget, 146
Stop option, Evernote app, 446
Street View button, 401
Street View service, Google Maps, 401–402
submenus, 11
Subscribe to Visual Voicemail button, 173
Subscribe with doubleTwist button,
doubleTwist app, 521
Subscriptions tab, doubleTwist app, 518
suggested words, while typing, 78–80
Super Private Conversation app, 530
SUPPORT link, 502
Support option, 457
support pages, 502
swiping, 17–20
double-tapping, 19
pinching, 20
scrolling, 18
Switch to button, 381
switches, 4–5
switching apps, 10
Swype
switching between Multi-touch and, 68
typing with, 69–72
accessing settings for, 71
help and tutorials, 70
keyboard layouts for, 71
tips for using, 72
Word Choice window for, 71
SYM key, 69, 71
symbols, typing, 84–85
Sync all option, 268
Sync Both Ways option, CompanionLink,
122
Sync button, doubleTwist app, 518
Sync Contacts option, 268
Sync icon, 282
sync options, in doubleTwist, 517–518
Sync to DROID via Google option,
CompanionLink, 117
Sync to DROID via the CL Hosted Servers
option, CompanionLink, 117
Sync with Android Calendar App check box,
124
Sync with existing contacts option, 268
Sync with the Android Contacts App check
box, 124
Synchronization menu, 211
Synchronize button, CompanionLink, 116,
123
syncing
Calendar app, 282
with CompanionLink, 117–125
installing on computer, 120–123
installing on DROID, 124–125
requirements for, 119
reviews for, 118
setting up Google Calendar for, 119
troubleshooting, 125
with Google, 497
with Google Account, 97–104
activating Google Account, 98–100
activating phone, 97
and cloud computing, 100–102
importing contact information,
103–104
sending information to Google
Account, 102–103
settings for, 103
with Google Calendar Sync, 108–112
installing, 109
requirements for, 108
setting up, 109–111
troubleshooting, 111–112
managing, 134
with Missing Sync, 112–117
installing on computer, 113–115
installing on DROID, 116
requirements for, 113
reviews for, 112–113
troubleshooting, 116–117
syncing media, 507–522
disconnecting DROID safely, 512
dragging-and-dropping files, 510–511
and USB connection modes
changing, 510
overview, 509
using doubleTwist, 512–522
Index 581
Amazon MP3 store search in, 522
Android Market search in, 521
automatically syncing with, 516
connecting DROID to, 516
dragging-and-dropping files in, 519
importing playlists, 515
installing, 513
podcast search in, 520–521
sync options in, 517–518
troubleshooting music that will not
play, 519
■TTags option, 380
Tags setting, Camera Settings menu,
379–380
tapping
double-tapping, 19
moving cursor on screen by, 77
overview, 17
Tasks app, 212
Technical Support:, Missing Sync for
Android link, 116
telcos (telecommunications companies), 129
text
Quickoffice
editing, 459
formatting, 458
selecting, 86–90
Word To Go app, 461
Text encoding option, 255
Text icon, Evernote app, 444
text messages. See SMS
Text Messaging app, 24, 501
Text Messaging icon, 501
Text messaging settings area, 185
Text option, Evernote app, 443
Text size option, 255
texting, with Voice Command, 89. See alsoSMS
ThinkFree Office Mobile app, 526
Thinking Space app, 533–534
third-party apps, for email, 219
threaded discussion window, for Messaging
app, 225
Thumbs-down icon, Pandora, 307
Thumbs down option, 307
thumbs, typing with, 75–76
Thumbs-up icon, Pandora, 307
Thumbs up option, 307
time, 45–47
Time field, 279
time slider bar, 316
Time Tracker app, 550
Timeline slider bar, 299
Timer app, 485–486
Timer mode, 486
Timer tab, 486
tips
overview, 34
for Swype, 72
Tips widget, 142, 148
to-do lists, 536–537
To tab, 207, 223, 270, 279, 283
Tobin, Jim, 412
Today button, 275, 277
Today view, 277
Top free button, 345
Top paid button, 345
top status bar, 12–15
data connectivity symbols, 14–15
more detailed status messages, 13
touch screen, basics of, 16
TouchDown app, 57, 219
Touiteur app, 415–416
Traffic layer, Google Maps, 395
Translate app, Google, 540
Trashcan icon, 9
travel apps, 539–540
TripIt app, 539
troubleshooting, 493–503
CompanionLink, 125
contacts, 272
cycling Wi-Fi connections, 499
DROID stops responding, 493–494
Google Calendar Sync, 111–112
increasing text message limit, 501
managing apps, 494–497
changing launch by default setting,
496–497
forcing apps to stop, 495
resolving memory problems,
495–496
Missing Sync, 116–117
music that will not play, 519
performing Factory Data Reset
procedure, 500–501
placing phone call, syncing with Google,
or browsing web, 497
purchasing problems, 500
resources, 502–503
Index 582
DROID-related blogs, 503
Motorola DROID support pages, 502
sound issues in music or video, 499–500
turning off Airplane mode, 498
ttTumblr app, 418
TTY Mode option, 181
Tumblr app, 418
Turn Latitude off option, 397
Tutorial button, 70
tutorials, for Swype, 70
Tweetcaster app, 416
Twidroyd app, 415
Twitter, 411–418
apps for, 414
DMs for, 413
hashtags for, 413
retweets, 412
TwitPic for, 413
URL shorteners for, 413
vs. Yammer, 417
two-player games, 475
Type to compose box, 236
Type to compose option, 227
typing, 67–80. See also keyboard
Caps Lock, 85
changing one word quickly, 85
deleting one word at a time, 75
dictating text, 74
with keyboard, 73
keyboard options, 87
and keyboard vibration and sounds, 78
moving cursor on screen, 76–78
with Multi-touch, 68–72
accessing settings for, 69
keyboard layouts for, 68
selecting text, 86
and suggested words, 78–80
switching between Multi-touch and
Swype, 68
with Swype, 69–72
accessing settings for, 71
help and tutorials, 70
keyboard layouts for, 71
tips for using, 72
Word Choice window for, 71
symbols, 84–85
with thumbs, 75–76
using spell checker, 80–81
adding words to dictionary, 80
clearing out dictionary, 81
editing or deleting words from
dictionary, 81
■Uunderscore key, 242
Unfreeze Panes option, Documents To Go
app, 466
Uninstall & refund button, 351
Uninstall button, 351, 496
uninstalling apps, in Android Market, 351
Universal Inbox, for email, 215–217
Unknown sources check box, 354
unlocking
phone, sliding to, 42
screen, 60
Unsubscribe option, 174
unsubscribing, from Visual Voicemail, 174
Up button, 347
Update all option, 352
Update button, 352
Update option, 457
updating apps, in Android Market, 352–353
Upgrade Store option, Documents To Go
app, 460
Upgrade to Pandora One button, Pandora,
310
Upload file option, Evernote app, 443, 446
Upload icon, 319
Upload option, 386, 453
uploading photos, 372–378
Upvise Pro app, 549
URL shorteners, for Twitter, 413
USA Today app, 329
USB Cable, included in box, 40
USB connection item, 448, 510
USB connection modes
changing, 510
overview, 509
USB connection setting, 184
USB Load feature, 312
USB Mass Storage mode, 184, 448–449,
510
Use 24-hour time format option, 46
Use as ringtone option, 182
Use as ringtone soft key, 304
Use by default for this action option,
Dropbox app, 452
Use by default option for this action check
box, 497
Use my location check box, 489
Index 583
User dictionary option, 80, 87
User dictionary screen, 81
Username field, 100
utilities, 479–492
Calculator app, 486–487
portrait mode, 487
viewing advanced panel, 487
Clock app
alarm clock, 481–484
Timer app, 485–486
Weather app, 488–492
AccuWeather, 492
adding Weather widget, 489–490
Weather Channel, 491
■VVCAST Media Sync app, 508
VCAST service, Verizon, 312
Verizon tab, Android Market app, 477
Verizon VCAST video, stopping auto-play on
Windows, 49
Vibrate drop-down menu, 286
Vibrate During Meetings app, 533
Vibrate mode, 152, 533
Vibrate setting, 78
Vibrating phone icon, 152
vibration, for keyboard, 78
Vibration option, 482
Video Capture Settings tray, 382
Video Indices Alarms icon, 492
Video Message mode, 383
Video Resolution setting, Camera Settings
menu, 378
videos
in Browser app, 251–252
deleting, 317
DROID as video player, 311–313
loading videos onto, 312
video categories, 313
watching videos on, 312
modes, 383
playing movies, 314–317
Fast-Forward or Rewind options,
315–316
other video players, 316–317
to pause or access controls, 315
time slider bar, 316
sharing, 384
shooting, 381–383
Effects setting, 382–383
Scenes setting, 382–383
using flash, 383
troubleshooting sound, 499–500
using YouTube on DROID, 318–323
adjusting video controls, 321–322
clearing history, 323
playing videos, 321
searching for videos, 319
using bottom icons, 319–320
using Netflix and Hulu, 323
Videos folder, 313
Videos option, 231
Videos section, 313
Videos tab, 478
View bar, 159
View more applications option, 116
View option, 462, 464–465
VIEW SUPPORT DETAILS link, 502
viewing songs in albums, 298
views
in Calendar app, 274–277
changing in Music app, 293–297
Albums view, 294
Artists view, 293
creating playlists on DROID, 295–296
searching for music, 297
Songs view, 295
in Phone, 153
Slideshow To Go app, 464
Virtual Network Computing (VNC), 136
Virtual Private Network (VPN), 135–136
Visible icon, 282
Visual Voicemail, 172–175
changing ringtone for, 175
deleting all messages, 174
selecting multiple messages, 175
unsubscribing from, 174
Visual Voicemail service, 174
VNC (Virtual Network Computing), 136
Voice Actions function, 23
Voice Actions screen, 7
Voice app, 178
Voice Command feature, 23, 67, 84, 88–89
Voice Command icon, 151
voice dialing, 167–168
Voice dialing icon, 167–168
Voice icon, 177
Voice Memo app, 230
voice notes, adding to Evernote app, 446
Voice Privacy option, 179
Voice Readouts feature, 81–82
Index 584
Voice Readouts option, 82
Voice Search function, 23, 67
voice searching, 93–94
Voice service, Google, 65, 101
voicemail, 170–175
entering password for automatically,
171–172
setting up, 170–172
Visual Voicemail, 172–175
changing ringtone for, 175
deleting all messages, 174
selecting multiple messages, 175
unsubscribing from, 174
Voicemail icon, 170, 173, 179
Voicemail service option, 180
Voicemail settings option, 180
Volume buttons, 41, 195, 300
Volume down button, 152
Volume Down key, 300
Volume Up key, 300, 499
VPN settings option, 135
VPN (Virtual Private Network), 135–136
■WWalking Navigation option, 271
wall plug adapter, included in box, 40
wallpaper, 148–150
Live wallpapers, 149–150
and Media Gallery, 150
using photos as, 386
Wallpapers option, 150, 386
waterproof cases, 62
Wathen Legal News app, 543
WaveSecure app, 530
Weather and Clock widget, 479
Weather app, 488–492
AccuWeather, 492
adding Weather widget, 489–490
Weather Channel, 491
Weather Channel app, 26, 491
Weather settings option, 488
Weather widget, 146
Web Access, Outlook, 215
web browsing. See Browser app
web conferencing apps, 532–533
Web option, 92
Week button, 275–276
Week view, 275–276
What box, 278
When display is off setting, 58, 60
When phone connects, launch option, 49
Where box, 278
Wi-Fi, 129–130. See also network
connections
cycling connections, 499
security for, 130–131
Wi-Fi mode, 476
Wi-Fi option, 15, 499
Wi-Fi settings option, 15
widgets, 142–144
adding, 8–9
Motorola widgets, 144–148
adding and resizing, 147–148
for social media, 409–411
moving, 8–9
news, 330
removing, 8–9
size of, 143–144
using photos as, 386
Widgets option, 490
WiFi toggle widget, 146
WikiMobile Encyclopedia app, 363
Winamp program, 508
Windows button, for Browser app, 244
Windows Media Sync mode, 509
Windows tray, 49
Wireless and Networks option, 15, 129, 190,
499
wireless games, 475–476
Wireless Positioning System (WPS), 391
Word Choice window, for Swype, 71
Word Count option, Documents To Go app,
462
Word To Go app, 461–462
Menu commands, 462
selecting text, 461
zooming in or out, 461
WordPress app, 423, 552
Worksheets option, Documents To Go app,
466
worksheets, switching, 466
WPS (Wireless Positioning System), 391
■XX button, 71
xPiano app, 469, 476
Index 585
■YYahoo! email app, 213
Yammer, 417
Yelp app, 364
YouTube, on DROID, 318–323
adjusting video controls, 321–322
clearing history, 323
playing videos, 321
searching for videos, 319
using bottom icons, 319–320
using Netflix and Hulu, 323
■ZZendesk for Android app, 553
Zillow app, 543
Zillow Real Estate app, 544
Zoom buttons
Documents To Go app, 464–465
web pages in Browser app, 245
Zoom Mode feature, 67, 81, 83
Zoom Mode option, 83
zoom, on camera, 367
zooming
in Quickoffice, 460
web pages in Browser app, 245–246
double-tapping, 245
pinching, 245–246
using Zoom buttons, 245
Word To Go app, 461
