Since 2009, the Android operating system has slowly taken over the world. Starting out as a niche OS found only on a couple of T-Mobile and Verizon phones, it’s expanded to be the most popular mobile operating system in the world. It’s found on phones, tablets, and even on computers.
One of the longstanding complaints against the operating system has always been its complexity. It’s been refined significantly over the last few years, but the fact remains that the sheer power and functionality of the OS means it can still require some guidance when you’re starting from scratch. Fortunately, there are a number of online tutorials to help you get going when you first begin with the platform.
The best source for Android tutorials might just be another Google product: YouTube. Google’s popular video sharing service is filled with demo videos walking viewers through everything from the absolute basics of Android to more complex tasks, such as hooking a device up to a television or wirelessly sharing content.
To find a tutorial, all you have to do is pick an area of the operating system that you aren’t already familiar with. Type in whatever that is to YouTube’s search field, and just add a couple of keywords such as “how to” or “demonstration video” to the end of your query. After that, sort through the results for any videos that look relevant. To save time, start by watching the videos that have the highest ratings or view counts. Most of them are extremely helpful, with narratives and visual walkthroughs for every aspect of Android that’s being taught. The only shortcoming of using YouTube for tutorials is that occasionally you’ll have a niche that’s too narrow to find a video for it, but for most basic and even advanced tasks in Android, there will be guides available.
If videos aren’t your preferred style of learning and you would rather read traditional text-and-picture guides, then the folks at the blog Droid-Life have just the solution for you. The guide can be accessed by visiting their main website and then choosing the link on the right that says Android Beginner’s Guide. The guides walk you through everything from security options for your Android device’s lock screen to setting up mobile hotspot or tethering for your device. The authors of the guides do a fantastic job of walking you through every step and every part of the process so that nothing gets lost in translation. Through the main link on their website, the guides are arranged a bit chaotically. Fortunately, there’s a search function on the site to narrow down what you’re looking at.
Sometimes, though, you’re not looking for a series of guides. Sometimes you just want a quick crash course on getting started with Android, and you simply hope to gain a glimpse of all of the functions that your new phone or tablet is capable of. If this is you, then Gizmodo has put together a wonderful guide on how to use Android. It walks you through the functions of the operatin system from tweaking settings to setting up a Google account to finding different apps. It’s an excellent overview, and they kep it brief enough that you’ll be able to read it in less than a half an hour and get started immediately.
The intimidation factor of Android has dwindled with Google’s continued refinements to the platform. There is still a learning curve. Fortunately, though, these guides help to speed up that process and ensure that you’ll be up and running with your device in no time.
This article was submitted by Lewis Jacobs, an avid blogger and tech enthusiast. He enjoys fixing computers and writing about internet trends. Currently he is creating a study about Clear internet and their future after Sprint purchase.
