Chapter 2: Android Tablet On and Off
4. Tap the Finish button
The Finish button appears on the last screen of the setup procedure.
You’re done. From this point on, starting the tablet works as described in the next section.
After the initial setup, you’re taken to the Home screen. Chapter 3 offers more Home screen information, which you should probably read right away, before the temptation to play with your new tablet becomes unbearable.
✓You may find yourself asked various questions or prompted to try vari- ous tricks when you first start to use the tablet. Some of those prompts are helpful, but it’s okay to skip some. To do so, tap the OK I Got It button or select the Do Not Show Again check box.
✓Additional information on connecting your tablet to a Wi‐Fi network is found in Chapter 16.
✓Location settings relate to how the tablet knows its position on Planet Earth. I recommend keeping all these items activated to get the most from your Android tablet.
✓It’s important to have a Google account on an Android tablet. If you don’t have one, sign up during the setup process.
✓By setting up your Google account, you coordinate with your new Android tablet whatever information you have on the Internet. This information includes your email messages and contacts on Gmail, appointments on Google Calendar, and information and data from other Google Internet applications.
✓It isn’t necessary to use any specific software provided by the tablet’s manufacturer or the cellular provider. For example, if you don’t want a Samsung account, you don’t need to sign up for one; skip that step.
✓See the later sidebar “Who is this Android person?” for more information about the Android operating system.
22 Part I: Getting Started with Android Tablets
Turning on the tablet
To turn on your Android tablet, press and hold the Power/Lock button. After a few seconds, you see the tablet’s start‐up logo, enjoy some hypnotic anima- tion, and maybe even hear a tune. Release the Power/Lock key; the device is starting.
Eventually, you see the unlock screen. See the later section “Working the screen lock” for information on what to do next.
Unlocking the tablet
You’ll probably leave your Android tablet on all the time. That’s great!
Tablets are designed that way, and the battery supports keeping it on for lengthy periods. When your tablet is bored, or when you’ve ignored it for a while, it locks itself similarly to a computer entering Sleep mode. After the tablet is locked, the touchscreen turns off to save power.
To unlock the tablet, press the Power/Lock key. Unlike turning on the tablet, a quick press is all that’s needed.
After unlocking the tablet, you see the lock screen. Work the lock as described in the next section, and then you can start using the device.
✓On Samsung tablets, you can press the Home button to unlock the tablet. The Home button is centered below the touchscreen.
✓On the Samsung Galaxy Note, you can unlock the tablet by removing the S Pen.
✓If your tablet features a cover, opening the cover unlocks the device.
✓Android tablets don’t snore while sleeping, but they can dream. See Chapter 23.
Working the screen lock
The swipe lock isn’t a difficult lock to pick. In fact, it’s known as the No Security screen lock on some tablets. If you’ve added more security, you might see any one of several different screen locks on your tablet. Here are the common Android screen locks:
Swipe: It’s the standard screen lock. Swipe your finger on the screen to unlock the device, as illustrated in Figure 2-1. If a more secure lock is set, you’ll need to work it next.
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Chapter 2: Android Tablet On and Off
Pattern: Trace a preset pattern over the nine dots on the screen.
PIN: Type a number to unlock the device.
Password: Type a password, which can include letters, numbers, and symbols.
Some tablets provide additional, fancy screen locks. Among the variety are the following:
Face Unlock: Look at the tablet. In a few moments, your visage is recognized and the tablet unlocks.
Fingerprint: Rub your finger or thumb over the sensor, such as the Home Figure 2-1: The lock screen, featuring the swipe lock.
24 Part I: Getting Started with Android Tablets
Signature: The Samsung Galaxy Note line of tablets lets you sign your name on the screen by using the S Pen. If the signature matches, the tablet unlocks.
Finally, some tablets provide the None option for the screen lock. When this option is selected, the device lacks a screen lock and you can use the tablet immediately.
The PIN and password locks are considered the most secure. To use certain tablet features, you must choose either the PIN or password screen lock.
Other locks offer moderate security, and may require a PIN or password as a backup. The swipe and None locks are the least secure.
See Chapter 20 for information on setting your tablet’s screen lock.
Unlocking and running an app
Your tablet’s lock screen may feature app icons, such as the Camera icon, shown earlier, in Figure 2-1. You can unlock the tablet and run a given app:
Drag the app icon across the touchscreen. The tablet unlocks, and the chosen app starts automatically.
✓When a secure screen lock is set, the tablet isn’t actually unlocked when the app runs. To do anything else on the tablet, you must eventually work the screen lock.
✓Refer to Chapter 3 for details on performing the drag operation.
Who is this Android person?
Just like a computer, your Android tablet has an operating system. It’s the main program in charge of all the software (apps) inside the tablet. Unlike a computer, however, Android is a mobile device operating system, designed pri- marily for use in tablets and cell phones.
Android is based on the Linux operating system, which is also a computer operating system, though it’s much more stable and bug‐free than Windows, so it’s not as popular. Google owns, maintains, and develops Android, which is why
your online Google information is synced with your tablet.
The Android mascot, shown here, often appears on Android apps or hardware. He has no official name, though most folks call him Andy.
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More Accounts
Your Android tablet can serve as home to your various online incarnations.
That includes your email accounts, online services, subscriptions, and other digital personas. I recommended adding those accounts to your tablet to continue the setup‐and‐configuration process.
With your tablet on and unlocked, follow these steps: