The T-Mobile G1 Android is the most talked-about phone in town.
It may not be a better handset than the iPhone - but with a plethora of apps and updates on the way, the G1 is certainly a major force to be reckoned with.
With that in mind, here are 50 great tips to help you squeeze as much usability out of your T-Mobile G1 Android as humanly possible
1. Customise your home screen
You can select any icon from the pull-out menu and drag it onto the home page. To return it to the menu you'll need to press and hold it until the menu tab shows a trash can, then drag it onto the trash can icon.
2. Quick email set-up
You can set up most POP3 or IMAP email accounts with major providers in a couple of clicks. Go to Email, press Menu-Accounts, then Menu-add account, enter your email and password and you're ready to go.
3. Email default
Not surprisingly, the G1's optimised for GoogleMail and you'll be prompted to set an account up when you start it up for the first time. If you'd rather use another account though, remember to click 'Send email from this account' when you set it up or it will default to your Gmail account.
4. Push email
You can set your G1 to update your emails automatically from every five minutes to every hour, or only when you ask it to. In Email, press Menu, then Account settings, then Email check frequency.
5. Check your memory
You can check how much memory you have left on your microSD card. From the home page, pull open the Menu. Go to Settings, then scroll down to SD card & phone storage.
6. Save memory
With the list of apps available on Market growing steadily, it's only a matter of time before you run out of space on your G1's built-in memory. Delete apps that you don't use regularly - you can easily download them again if you need them.
7. Save your battery 1
Like many high-spec smart phones, battery life on the G1 is an issue. Get into the habit of pressing the end key when you finish using it to shut the screen down.
8. Save your battery 2
Reduce the brightness. In the settings menu go to Sound & display, then scroll down to Brightness. Even at the lowest setting it's perfectly viewable. You can also reduce the screen timeout while you're there.- minimum is 15 seconds.
9. Save your battery 3
Turn off Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth if you're not using them - they're all in Settings-Wireless controls. You can even turn off 3G and opt for 'Use only 2G networks' in Wireless controls-Mobile networks if you're being careful.
10. Save your battery 4
And if you really want to stretch out your power line, you can turn off the ringer and rely on vibrate to receive calls. Go to Settings-Sound & display and click Silent mode while leaving Phone vibrate activated.
11. Notifications screen
Drag your finger downwards from the top of the screen to reveal the Notifications page. This will tell you of any pending emails, missed calls, downloads and other info.
12. Street View
Google Maps now has a Street View option which gives you 360-degree views of street scenes. Press Menu-Map mode-Street View (you'll need to scroll down if you're in landscape mode).
13. Problem with Street View
It's a great little feature, but there are no Street Views for the UK yet. Paris is the nearest, but there are also Street Views in Spain, Italy, Belgium, and of course, loads in US and Japanese cities.
14. Android Apps
There are already dozens of third party apps available for the G1's Android operating system, many of them free, and with more being added all the time - unlike the iPhone's closed system, anyone can add them. Go to Market in the main menu for a full rundown.
15. Any Cut
Any Cut offers an easy way to make shortcuts to almost anything, including frequently dialled numbers, messages or even specific actions, just by pressing and holding the home screen.
16. ShopSavvy
Download this app from Market and you can use the G1's camera to scan barcodes. It will then go online to find the best price for the product you've just scanned, along with any reviews or comments.
17. TuneWiki
Essentially an interactive community-based karaoke project you can search for songs and videos with accompanying lyrics and add your own. It's a pretty good music player too.
18. Wikitude
This Market app uses Wikipedia and GPS to provide information on local points of interest wherever you happen to be. It'll highlight places on the map but it's best to use the trackball rather than your finger to access the info.
Your comments (1) Click to add a new comment
pasan
March 4th 2010
1. In item 10., exactly how do you justify switching to vibrate consumes less power than the ringer?
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