Android Tablet
A tablet is a basically a hand-held computer. They can be used for accessing the internet, taking photographs, checking your email & communicating with others.
There are many different types of tablets e.g.
- iPads – made by Apple
- Android Tablets – made by Samsung, Google etc.
- Windows Tablets – made by HP
The main difference between these different types of tablets would be the operating system that is developed by different companies.
You can use your fingers to control the touch screen of your phone or you can also use a pencil like device called a stylus which makes it easier to use. You will find a stylus for sale in most electronic shops.
A word you will see a lot of: Apps
App is short for the word Application. It is a shortcut that allows you to go directly to the programme or website you wish to access. It is represented by a symbol or by a picture. You will see a lot of apps on your tablet.
*Please note that different brands of tablets will have slightly different symbols and keys. Everything in this manual may not appear exactly as it does on your tablet
- Tap once: To open up an app.
- Tap twice or pinch: to zoom in or out on the page.
- Drag to scroll (Commonly referred to as Swiping): When you press your finger to the screen and drag to the right, left, up or down, you move around the screen.
- Flick: To scroll more quickly on a page, quickly flick your finger on the screen in the direction you want to move
- Tap the status bar: To quickly move to the top of a list, web page or an email tap the top part of the screen.
- Press & hold: If you’re in any application where selecting text would be an option such as Notes, Email or a Web page, pressing & holding the text will select a word and bring up an editing menu.
Using the Keyboard
The keyboard will not be visible on the screen until you tap where you would like to write & then it will appear
Wi-Fi or wireless internet allows you to access the internet. If you have broadband at home you can also connect your tablet
To connect a tablet to the Wi-Fi: tap on Settings icon
Check that the Wi-Fi option is turned ON then select the Wi-Fi network you want to connect to and enter the password. If the word connected appears under the network name then you are connected to the Wi-Fi.
For some Wi-Fi networks you will need a password.
At home your wireless network name or (SSID) is normally the name of your internet provider followed by some numbers for example UPC19337874. Once you click on the network name you may be asked to enter a password. To find the password simply check underneath your router (black internet box) and the password is usually titled WEP key WPA key or Wireless Key
For Wi-Fi public places like libraries, hotels & cafés some may require a password, some may not.
Apps (Applications) are shortcuts that allow you to connect straight to a website or a program that you are looking for. Lots of different companies & organisations have their own apps.
In other to download an app you will need to search for it in the Play Store. You will need to log in to the Play Store with your Gmail Address, if you do not have a Gmail address you will need to create one.
If you need to create a Gmail account simply click create a new account. In this window will ask your name, what you want your email name to be and your password for that email.
Once you can finally access into the Play Store we can finally download some apps
There are hundreds of different apps, some you will need to pay for but for the most part the majority of the most popular apps are for free. Here is a list of some apps that you might find useful
| Popular Apps | ||
| News | Social Media | |
| RTE News | ||
| Sky News | ||
| Irish Times | Pinterest (Art & design app) | |
| The Journal.ie | YouTube (Online Video app) | |
| TuneIn Radio (World Wide Radio) | ||
RTE Player: catch up on missed programmes
Viber: free calls and texts to other users
who have the
viber app
Other
Met Eireann
Journey planner
Dublin bus
SkyGo (if you have a sky subscription you can watch Sky on your tablet.)
Netflix (You can watch films & TV shows for a monthly fee)
Google Search (if you need to search something)
Instagram (Photo sharing website)
Skype (Free phone calls + video with skype account)
Solitaire & bridge apps
Google Earth (Check out detailed satellite maps of the world)
Deleting apps
When you no longer need an app that you have installed, you can delete it.
(You cannot delete pre-installed apps that come automatically with the tablet) You can delete apps from the main screen but you will need to uninstall applications to fully delete them.
- Go to the home screen that contains the app you would like to delete.
- Press and hold the app
- A small ‘X’ will appear close to the top centre of the screen.
- Simply drag the icon into the remove box and you will remove it from the display page.
To fully uninstall the apps we need to go the menu
- Hold the app you’d like to uninstall and a box will come up.
- Simply drag the application over to the bin that says Uninstall.
- You will be asked to confirm that decision and once you do click yes and the app will be removed from your tablet completely.
You can send & receive email directly to your tablet.
If you have a Hotmail, or another email service you can tap on the email app & follow the instructions on screen
This is the icon If you use Hotmail or another email Service you for the Email can tap this app and follow the on screen
App. instructions.
This is the icon for If you use a Gmail account you can use this
the Gmail App. app. It is Googles personal application that allows you to use other Gmail Services.
Gmail – Opening & replying to email
Tap on the Gmail App.
Once you open the app you are automatically at the inbox. To find other folders click the three lines in the top left corner of your screen.
When you’d like to compose an email click on the Compose button that looks like this
You can reply to the email by tapping reply or clicking the little arrow in the top of the email you’re reading.
Finally once you composed an email you can send it off by pressing the small button on the top of the email itself.
Skype
Set Brightness
If you use your tablet for reading you may find the screen very bright which could strain your eyes. To reduce the brightness, tap the Settings icon on your home screen.
In Settings under Devices, press Display and a new window will open up
You can adjust the brightness or you can click Adaptive Brightness which will automatically adjust the light for
you based on the lighting in your
room
This will automatically save once you exit out of it.
Screen Rotation
The tablet itself is set by default to change the rotation of the screen when you change the position of the tablet. For example if you are holding the tablet in portrait/ vertically and if you move the table to landscape/horizontally the
This can be changed by going into Settings and under Device select Display.
