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      “The Android robot is reproduced from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.” https://source.android.com/setup/start/brands#robot-android

       FIGURE 1-1

The initial versions of Android, except for A and B, had nicknames based on sweet treats. The nicknames gave a friendly, homey feeling to each update and personalized it to its users. Android 1.5 (Android C) was Cupcake, which was apparently when the naming system began. From there on, the charming version nicknames followed the alphabet, and even though Google publicly discontinued the cute code nicknames, Android 11 (Android R) is Red Velvet Cake, and (rumor has it), Android 12 (Android S) is Snow Cone.

Reasons That People Choose Android

       Not all smartphones are iPhones.

      The most excellent aspect of Android is that it’s customizable. If you don’t like one way of doing things, you can switch to another mode. Android is as simple or as complex as you want it to be.

Also, because Android is a free, open source platform, you can buy Android phones at many price points. You can even buy a brand-new phone inexpensively. Samsung has an A series (A for affordable, perhaps?) and other manufacturers make basic phones that won’t put a dent in your budget. The more bells and whistles a manufacturer adds, the more it ratchets up the price point. A flagship (top of the line) Android phone can be as expensive as any other. (Find more advice about picking out your phone in Chapter 2.)

      Here are several features I love about owning an Android smartphone:

      These are just a few features, but the truth is, Android is about choice. You’re not forced to use any specific brand, and your phone can link to many different devices in your home (such as the thermostat, electric outlets, or lights).

Why You Need a Google Account

      If you’ve ever purchased an Apple product (iPhone, iPod, or iPad), you know that you had to sign up for an Apple ID. Apple asked me to input my credit card information, even though I had no desire to purchase anything in the App Store. I couldn’t register the phone without it.

      To use the Google apps, you also need an ID, which is officially your account. But you don’t have to supply any credit card information until you reach the point where you actually want to purchase something.

Technically speaking, you don’t need a Google account, but I believe that it makes your Android experience better. A Google account is required in order to identify you over Android Mobile Services. You need the account to gain full value from the many native Android apps, such as Gmail, Calendar, Photos, Play Store, or Maps.

      Accessing apps and settings

      The native apps are free to use, but accessing everything from your account, all in one place, is handy. And all the apps are personalized just for you, based on how you use each app on the platform.

You can access your account on your devices (or laptop) by going to myaccount.google.com. From this screen (shown on the left in Figure 1-2), you can adjust the settings related to your interactions with Google. The ability to edit settings related to everything from your personal information to privacy, security, and more appears on the tabs on these screens.

       If your photo doesn’t appear in your Google Account, tap the letter that’s in the photo circle to upload one from your device or PC. That way, whenever you are in a Google app on a laptop or on your phone, your picture appears in the upper right. Tap it, and it opens up Manage Your Google Account.

      Bequeathing your account

      From your Google account, you can determine what should be done with the account should you not log in for a while. Google can notify someone you name, give that person access to your data, or delete the account altogether (refer to the right side of Figure 1-2). I definitely want my daughter to have access to my photo archive after I’m gone. Anyway, you can set it all up there.

       FIGURE 1-2

GOOGLE ONE

      After you’ve used your Google account for a while — and backed up your data — you may fill up a lot of storage space in your complimentary 15 GB or, gigabytes. (One GB is approximately 1,000 MB, or megabytes).

      Everything you save on Google counts toward this storage amount — Gmail messages, photos, documents in Drive. I’ve had my Gmail account for years and use it as a de facto filing cabinet. I’ve saved all my important emails there because they’re easy to search; it’s a perfect system. I uploaded my entire photo library to Google Photos, not only for archival purposes but also because Google Photos has fun and useful features. Going beyond a digital storehouse, Google Photos enables you to print photo books with selected pictures to give as special-occasion gifts.

      After almost a decade, I have exceeded my 15 free gigabytes and now need to pay for more storage. The price was quite reasonable. I signed up for 200GB of storage for $29.99 a year — a small price to pay for the security of having my data backed up.

      With the new storage on hand, I now have a Google One account, which provides the aforementioned 200GB of storage, access to Google experts for premium support for any problems, 3 percent back in credit at the online Google store (https://store.google.com), and more.

      To find out more about Google One services, download the Google One app from the Play Store or go to one.google.com in your browser on your phone or laptop.

So Many Choices!

      Many companies make Android phones, and each one works hard to put its own spin on the device. Or not.

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