Over the last few years, Android tablets have undergone great development, which has led them to have the same features as the industry leader and direct opponent: Apple's iPad. In many cases the functions provided by an Android tablet even exceed those present in the competitor created by Apple. Initial setup of an Android device can be a little scary, but once you log into your Google account, things will start to get a lot clearer. In fact, thanks to the huge library of apps available to an Android device, the things you won't be able to do with your tablet will be very few.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Unpack and Charge the Tablet
Step 1. Unpack the device
After purchasing a new tablet, you need to do some basic tasks before you can turn it on. The first step in configuring any device of this type is to take it out of the package and evaluate the included equipment (i.e. all the accessories supplied).
- When buying a new tablet, in addition of course to the device, a USB data cable, a charger, a user manual and the warranty are normally supplied.
- Be sure to carefully read all the instructions in the user manual to immediately familiarize yourself with the supplied accessories and basic functionality of the tablet.
Step 2. Charge the tablet battery
It is very likely that the device already has enough remaining charge to be turned on as soon as it is unpacked, but it is always best to perform a full charge before starting to use it for the first time.
- To recharge the battery of an Android tablet, connect the supplied USB cable to the charger or to a free USB port on your computer, then connect the other end to the micro-USB port on the bottom of the device. Normally, by connecting the tablet directly to the charger, it will be fully charged in less time.
- If you cannot clearly identify the cable to use to recharge the battery, consult the user manual carefully to dispel any doubts.
Step 3. Turn on the tablet
When the battery is fully charged, turn on the device by simply holding down the "Power" button for about 3 seconds. Do not release the power button until you see the manufacturer logo or a welcome message appear on the screen, indicating the start of the boot procedure.
Normally, an Android device has two physical buttons located on the top or right side: one is the volume rocker, thin and elongated, while the other, smaller, is the "Power / Sleep" button
Part 2 of 5: Performing the Initial Setup
Step 1. Choose your language
When you start a tablet for the first time, you need to follow a series of instructions aimed at configuring the basic settings of the device. The first part of the configuration process consists in choosing the desired language among those available. To do this, scroll through the proposed list using your fingers or tap the drop-down menu for the language to be able to choose the one you want.
- At the end of the selection press the "Next" button.
- Note: The exact procedure for setting up the language varies by tablet manufacturer and model.
Step 2. Select your home Wi-Fi network
After configuring the language, normally, a list of all the Wi-Fi networks detected in the surrounding area will be shown on the screen. You will then need to locate your Wi-Fi network in the list. If it does not appear, press the button to re-scan for available networks.
- Tap the name of the network you want to connect to. Since this is a protected Wi-Fi network, you will be asked to enter the relative access password: use the keyboard that appears at the bottom of the screen.
- After entering the password, press the "Continue" button to proceed with the connection.
- Select this link for more information on how to connect to a wireless network.
Step 3. Configure the system date and time
Normally this information is automatically detected, but if there are any errors you can always manually make the necessary changes. To continue press the "Next" button.
Step 4. Accept the terms of the licensed use agreement
You will be asked to carefully read the contract relating to the conditions and terms for using the tablet. You will be able to understand what you can and cannot do with your new device according to the rules dictated by the manufacturer. When finished, press the "Next" button to continue.
Step 5. Log into your Google account
Since the Android operating system is a project designed and created by Google, most of the core features of the device, such as the Play Store and integration with Gmail, require authentication via a Google account. Once you get to this point in the setup, you will be asked to log into a pre-existing Google account. If you don't have one, you will have the option to create it. The login process may take a few minutes, please be patient.
- Being only optional, you can decide to skip this step; in this case, however, you will lose access to most of the tablet's features. If you need to create a new account, you can do it directly from your device or by accessing the Google website.
- Some tablet models, such as the Samsung Galaxy, also require you to log in with a proprietary Samsung account. This step allows you to take advantage of the services offered by the manufacturer, for example the possibility of backing up the device. As with a Google profile, creating a Samsung account is also free.
- If you already have a Gmail, YouTube or Google+ account, you can use it for this stage of setup.
Step 6. Choose the backup settings
After logging into your Google account, you will be prompted to configure your device's backup and restore settings. If you already own an Android device, with this feature you will be able to import all your Google profile settings to the new device. You can also make sure that the tablet performs an automatic backup of the data by storing them directly on your Google account; in this way you will have the possibility to transfer or restore your information with ease, whenever you need it.
Step 7. Configure the location settings
Enabling the location functions via Wi-Fi network allows applications to use and share your approximate geographic location. If you need higher accuracy, you can also activate the GPS location service. This feature is very useful when you want to use Google Maps.
Step 8. Log in to additional services
Some tablets come with additional features that require a subscription to take advantage of. For example, many Samsung Galaxy devices allow you to use Dropbox storage space for free, thus requiring the creation of a special account. Each manufacturer may have entered into commercial agreements with different partners, but in no case will you be forced to use the services offered, even if they are free.
Step 9. Name your device
Normally the last step of the setup procedure is to give the tablet a name. This is the name that appears when your device is connected to a network or when you manage it directly online.
Part 3 of 5: Using the GUI
Step 1. Go to the "Home" screen
This is the main section of the graphical interface of your tablet; is the page where apps and widgets are displayed. The latter are programs that run in miniature directly on the screen (for example to show the time or weather conditions). The "Home" is made up of several pages that can be consulted simply by sliding your finger on the screen to the right or left.
Step 2. Add or remove applications from the "Home"
All Android devices come with a number of pre-installed apps that populate the "Home". You can move applications throughout the "Home" simply by holding down the relative icon and dragging it to the new position. If you want to add other applications to the "Home" screen, press the "Applications" button to access the section where all the apps installed on the device are present. At this point, press and hold all the application icons you want to appear on the "Home" screen one by one.
To delete an app from the "Home" screen, press and hold its icon, then drag it to the trash that appears at the top of the screen. This will delete only the shortcut on the "Home" screen, without uninstalling the application
Step 3. Enter the "Settings" menu
To do this, select the "Settings" icon located on the "Home" screen or in the "Applications" panel. All the configuration options relating to the device and the accounts created are available in the "Settings" menu.
Step 4. Do a Google search
In order to use this feature, you need to select the Google search bar. To type in the keywords to search for, you must use the keyboard that appears at the bottom of the screen. The Google search function will search for the items indicated, both within the device and on the web.
Step 5. Launch an application
To launch any of the installed apps, you simply need to select its icon. The Android OS is multitasking, so you can run multiple apps at the same time. To switch from one application to another, press the "Multitasking" button; the list of all running apps will be displayed on the screen, allowing you to quickly switch between them.
Step 6. Add a widget on the "Home" screen
Press and hold any empty spot on the screen, then press the "Widget" button in the menu that appears and scroll through the list to choose the one to use. After identifying the one to insert on the "Home", you will have to choose where to place it. Different widgets can have different sizes, a factor that will influence their positioning within the "Home" pages.
You can download new widgets directly from the Google Play Store. There are widgets for virtually any type of function, designed to give you direct access to the information you need without having to open the app they refer to
Part 4 of 5: Using the Basic Functions of the Tablet
Step 1. Check your email
Having logged into your Google account, it will automatically be added to the "Email" app. By starting this application you will have access to the mailbox linked to your Google account. If you have several email addresses, you can set them all up, so you can access all your emails from one place.
If your primary email address is related to Gmail, you can download its app for Android
Step 2. Search through Google
To display the Google search bar on the screen, swipe your finger upwards on the screen, starting from the "Home" button on your tablet. In the bar that appears at the top of the screen you can enter all the keywords to search for. In the part below the search bar, some information will be shown that Google will deem relevant to your search.
Step 3. Browse the web
Depending on the model and manufacturer of your tablet, the system default browser might be the "Internet", "Browser" or "Chrome" app. All of these programs allow you to access and browse the internet from your device. These applications work in a very similar way to the internet browser you normally use on your computer, so you simply have to enter the URL of the site you want to visit in the address bar at the top of the page.
If you want to access multiple websites at the same time, press the button in the upper right corner of the page to open multiple tabs. In the presence of several open tabs, pressing the button again in the upper right corner of the page will allow you to consult the complete list
Step 4. Listen to some music
If you have transferred your favorite music to your tablet, the "Play Music" app will be able to detect it automatically. You can access this application directly from the "Applications" panel, as with any other program. To start it, select the "Play Music" icon.
- You will notice that the graphical interface of the "Play Music" app is very similar to that of the Google Play Store. At the top you will have the same search functionality and the same button to access your account. At the bottom will appear the list of all your albums, displayed as small icons.
- To view the songs contained in each album, you need to select its icon. Alternatively you can access the main menu of the app by pressing the button characterized by three vertical gray dots that will allow you to have access to further features, such as adding your music to a playlist or playing it immediately.
- The "Play Music" application can play any music on your device, as well as all music purchased through the Google Play Store. If you wish, you can take out a monthly subscription to "Google Play", which will give you unlimited access to the entire Google music library, just like Spotify's Premium service.
- If you don't like the "Play Music" app, you can download a third party application for streaming music, such as "Spotify", "Pandora" or "Rhapsody".
Part 5 of 5: Install New Applications
Step 1. Go to the Google Play Store
The application icon should be available directly on your device's "Home" and looks like a "shopping bag". This way you can download apps, video games, music, books, movies and much more. By default, when you access the Play Store, you are first presented with the applications section.
Step 2. See the list of the most downloaded apps
The main page of the Play Store will present you with a roundup of apps and games. Check out this list to find out if any items tickle your fancy.
Step 3. Search by categories
You can consult the sections relating to the best-selling apps, those in evidence, the most profitable and much more. These lists will give you an idea of what other users' tastes are in terms of apps and programs.
Step 4. Search for a specific app
To do this, you can use the search bar located at the top of the Play Store. The results will be displayed as you type in the keywords to search for.
Step 5. Install an application.
After choosing the right app for you, you can consult the detailed information and read the various reviews left by users. If you decide that this is a valid and useful application for your needs, you can purchase it (if it is a paid app) and download it to your device. After downloading and installing the application in question (completely automatic procedures), its icon will be displayed in the "Applications" panel and on the "Home" of the device.
If you have chosen a paid application, you will need to match a valid payment method to your Google account. Alternatively, you can redeem the code for a Google Play gift card
Step 6. Install some useful applications
The list of available apps includes tens of thousands of elements, so initially, identifying what you need could be a bit distracting and difficult. However, there will be some categories of applications that are very useful to most users, using them as a starting point could therefore be an excellent choice. Here are some examples:
- File manager. The Android operating system is much more flexible and forgiving than Apple's iOS counterpart. Download a file system management app (called File Manager in jargon) that allows you to view, move, copy or delete files stored on your tablet quickly and easily. The "ES File Manager" app is one of the most popular and powerful file managers for Android systems.
- Streaming of video content. Tablets are great for enjoying multimedia content, such as videos, while on the go. To this end, however, some specific applications will have to be downloaded. Most of these programs require a paid subscription to a video streaming service. Chances are you already have such a subscription and are using it with other devices. Consider some services like Netflix and Hulu, which are the most popular, but don't overlook the other options available to you.
- Cloud services. With technological progress and the need to always have your personal data available, regardless of the device, having an app to access the various cloud services is becoming an increasingly widespread need among users. Using an Android device you will be oriented to install Google Drive (provided it is not already one of the apps pre-installed on the tablet). This application gives you access to 15GB of free storage space. You can also create and edit your "Google Docs", "Google Sheets" and "Google Slides". The Dropbox clouding service also comes with an app for Android systems that allows you to quickly and easily access your files stored online.
- Internet browser. If your tablet's default browser is "Internet" or "Browser", you may want to consider using a more powerful and efficient one. Google Chrome, in its version for Android, is certainly a complete internet browser that allows you to synchronize your favorites, saved passwords and your personal data on the desktop version. Firefox is also available for Android and, like Chrome, allows you to synchronize personal data with the desktop version.
- Instant messaging. Most likely, if you do not have access to a cellular network, your tablet will not be able to send the classic SMS. To work around this problem, you can install an instant messaging app that allows you to chat with anyone from anywhere in the world. Applications like Skype, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Google Hangouts are all viable options available for Android platforms.
