Mobile devices are wireless wonders — except when it comes to charging the thing. That’s when you need to whip out a cord and plug the phone or tablet into the wall. Not every gizmo is so burdened.
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The current trend is to introduce a new operating system every year, whether such an update is called for or not. Apple does it. Microsoft just started to do it with Windows 10. Google does it with Android. And the next Android version looms nigh on the horizon.
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I’ve been stupid. For the longest time, I’ve waited for Google to update the Nexus 9, it’s 9-inch Android tablet. I kept waiting and waiting. Turns out that the update was introduced a while back: The Pixel C tablet. So I ordered one.
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I enjoy feedback from readers because it helps me improve future editions of my books. So I don’t mind answering email questions, or even sharing the questions and answers on this blog.
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Android phones are great for tracking mobile data. Hidden in the Settings app is a mobile data usage screen, with a lovely pie chart and a list of those apps that hog up most of the data. But what about talk-time minutes? If you don’t have an unlimited talk plan, how can you tell when your minutes are just about up?
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It’s annoying. You go to browse the web or use the Google app on your Android, and you see a host of suggested sites, places you may not particularly want to go. A lot of it could be advertising, especially if you do lots of online shopping or browsing. Want to get rid of those suggestions? You can, but you need to know where to look.
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Don’t worry about my Android For Dummies books being out-of-date on a few topics; Google changes things almost as soon as I write about them. Case in point: As I’m writing this post, the icons for the “Play” apps have changed.
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Google has renamed Chromecast to Google Cast. If you have any Chromecast dongles dangling from any of your HDTVs or computer monitors, then you probably noticed the update a few weeks back. We have these gizmos on various TVs throughout the house. The other day, my son Jeremiah and I discovered something rather devious you can do with a screencast.
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This is not an “April Fools” post. It should be. I’d love to strongly urge you to register your tablet or phone with Samsung and reap all the rewards. It would be a cruel joke because registering your produce with Samsung is a joke. So it’s not just a one-day-a-year thing.
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