Android: where to start

[Buzz]

Ha. Aaron beat me to it; I knew there was a reason why I shouldn’t have just done the dishes.

Looking to tap into the collective smarts of the group.

As the soon-to-be recipient of a new Galaxy S5, I’d appreciate any tips and pointers (first hand or web resources) folk can offer me as this will be my first Android device. Anticipated main uses are: Calls - Text - Email - Web - Reading - Bible - Writing but other app suggestions welcome.

Cheers

Buzz
www.hillsidebandb.co.nz
A rural retreat just 40 minutes from the city

[Aaron Gonzalez]

For your uses you listed:

1. Calls: handled natively

2. Text: Hangouts is Google's step towards what Apple has with Messages.  It covers chat (formerly known as Google Talk) and text. The two are not threaded together though. SMS chats and Hangouts chats will be listed separately.  If you look at this screenshot here:

http://cdn2.ubergizmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/hangouts-sms-support.png

you'll see that some of the chats there have a small "SMS" written in the bottom right of the user photo.  That's what I mean that they are separate. Hangouts doesn't choose the best way to send your message to a user. You have to choose between sms or chat.

3. Email: The Google Gmail app is great. If you have other accounts that aren't being forwarded/checked by your gmail account, sadly you can't just add those to the gmail app since it's literally JUST a gmail app. There's a normal "Email" app that comes with android for all other types.  Samsung has their own version of this app that you'll have. I've never used it, but needless to say, you have 2 options.  

If the idea of 2 different apps sounds awful to you, I'd suggest using the non-gmail app and just using the "Email" app to check all of your accounts.  You'll just lose all of the gmail-specific things you get to do when you use the gmail app with your gmail account.

4. Reading: Kindle, etc apps exist. You shouldn't have any issue there. 

5. Bible: I'd have to defer to other people on the list for this one

6. Writing: I write in plaintext or markdown, so I mainly use an app called Draft:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mvilla.draft

It supports Markdown and has built in Dropbox support.

One thing you should remember is that every OEM tailors their own version of Android. So if there are things you like or dislike, don't be so quick to think "I don't like Android." You might just not like Samsung's version of it. 

Also remember that almost every single thing in the OS can be replaced and set as default. Don't like using Chrome as your browser? Install Dolphin and set it to the your default. Ditto for photo apps, email apps, etc.

The home screen and launcher can also be changed too.

If you want to see how stock android handles the home screen with built in google now support, just go and install it: 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.launcher

etc.

Lots of options for you.

 

[Buzz]

Aaron

Thanks for all these; much appreciated.

Buzz
www.hillsidebandb.co.nz
A rural retreat just 40 minutes from the city

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[Bert Latamore]

Aaron covered a lot of it.

One specific thing: Some Android devices do not support Google hangouts. One way to check this is to send yourself an invitation to a hangout and put it in your Google calendar. then on the device open the invitation and look for the active line "join video call" , which is what Google now calls hangouts. If you don't see it on the device, then that device doesn't support hangouts. I learned this the hard way. Neither my Virgin Mobile Galaxy 2 nor my Android Nook tablet support hangouts which has been very inconvenient since one of my clients has a weekly editorial meeting by Hangout.

Apparently this comes from the carriers, some of whom want their subscribers to use their service rather than Google's. But then other companies pick up that version of Android.

On my Nook I used OfficeSuite Pro as an Office substitute. It worked well and will save documents to the Internet, for instance Google Docs and Microsoft Skydrive, both of which I used. However, copying and pasting documents into other applications is a major pain as it is not supported in Android.

Hope this helps, Bert

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Bert Latamore

(703) 340-8396
Section Editor, CIO Angle at http://www.siliconangle.com/ 

Covering the Intersection between IT and Business

I dream of a better world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.

[Buzz]

Bert

Thanks for these. More to ponder.

Cheers

Buzz
www.hillsidebandb.co.nz
A rural retreat just 40 minutes from the city

[Aaron Gonzalez]

FYI, Google just updated Hangouts. SMS and chats are now merged into the same conversation thread, just like how Apple does it in Messages.

Should help avoid any confusion with that.

So disregard my comments in the previous email about how Hangouts separates the two.

[Bert Latamore]

That's good. I personally think of them all as "IM" as SMS, IM, and messaging, although different technologies, basically do the same thing.

[Ben Chacko]

Youversion is a fantastic Bible app. It has an Android version.

- Ben

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by
filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable,
authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not
the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. (Phil 4:8)

[Buzz]

Ben

Thank you - I have Youversion on my HTC, so I’m glad to hear that!

Buzz
www.hillsidebandb.co.nz
A rural retreat just 40 minutes from the city