Exploring Galaxy Tab A: The Illustrated, Practical Guide to using Samsung Galaxy Tab A

By Kevin Wilson

Exploring Galaxy Tab is the perfect companion for your new Samsung Galaxy A Tablet. Written by best-selling technology author, lecturer, and computer trainer Kevin Wilson, Exploring Galaxy Tab is packed with step-by-step instructions, full color photos, illustrations, helpful tips and video demos.

Updated to cover Android 9, Exploring Galaxy Tab will help you :

Install or upgrade to Android 9

Setting up your tablet

Configuring your tablet 

Transferring data from your old tablet or phone

Setting up email and social media accounts

Bluetooth devices and printers

Connecting to Wifi and the internet

Tablet navigation with touch gestures

Using Gmail, Chrome browser, calendar, contacts

Video chat with Hangouts

Taking pictures and videos

Downloading music, films, and TV programs

and more...

In addition, you will learn how to make the most of the new features of Android 9 on the Galaxy Tab A with clear explanations and video demos to help you along the way.

You'll want to keep this edition handy as you make your way around your new tablet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elluminet Press
• Release date: Mar 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781913151119

Kevin Wilson

Kevin Wilson is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Nothing to See Here, which was a Read with Jenna book club selection; The Family Fang, which was adapted into an acclaimed film starring Nicole Kidman and Jason Bateman; and Perfect Little World; as well as the story collections Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, winner of the Shirley Jackson Award; and Baby, You’re Gonna Be Mine. His fiction has appeared in Ploughshares, Southern Review, One Story, A Public Space, and Best American Short Stories. He lives in Sewanee, Tennessee, with his wife and two sons.

Book preview

Exploring Galaxy Tab A: Android 9 Ed

Copyright © 2020 Elluminet Press

This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher’s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from the Publisher. Permissions for use may be obtained through Rights Link at the Copyright Clearance Centre. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law.

Trademarked names, logos, and images may appear in this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, logo, or image we use the names, logos, and images only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark.

The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights.

While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.

Publisher: Elluminet Press

Director: Kevin Wilson

Lead Editor: Steven Ashmore

Technical Reviewer: Mike Taylor, Robert Ashcroft

Copy Editors: Joanne Taylor, James Marsh

Proof Reader: Mike Taylor

Indexer: James Marsh

Cover Designer: Kevin Wilson

About the Author

With over 15 years’ experience in the computer industry, Kevin Wilson has made a career out of technology and showing others how to use it. After earning a master’s degree in computer science, software engineering, and multimedia systems, Kevin has held various positions in the IT industry including graphic & web design, building & managing corporate networks, training, and IT support.

He currently serves as Elluminet Press LTD’s senior writer and director, he periodically teaches computer science at college in South Africa and serves as an IT trainer in England. His books have become a valuable resource among the students in England, South Africa and our partners in the United States.

Kevin’s motto is clear: If you can’t explain something simply, then you haven’t understood it well enough. To that end, he has created the Exploring Technology Series, in which he breaks down complex technological subjects into smaller, easy-to-follow steps that students and ordinary computer users can put into practice.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to all the staff at Luminescent Media & Elluminet Press for their passion, dedication and hard work in the preparation and production of this book.

To all my friends and family for their continued support and encouragement in all my writing projects.

To all my colleagues, students and testers who took the time to test procedures and offer feedback on the book

Finally thanks to you the reader for choosing this book. I hope it helps you to use your Galaxy Tab with greater understanding.

Have fun!

Table of Contents

Galaxy Tablets 10

Available Models 10

Android 12

Setting up Your Galaxy Tab 14

Insert your SIM 14

Charging your Battery 17

Power Up 18

Shut Down 18

Force Shutdown 19

Upgrading Android 20

Initial Setup 21

Transfer Data from another Android 27

On your Old Device 28

Connecting your Devices 29

Transferring your Data 32

Transfer Data from an iPhone/iPad 33

On your iPhone/iPad 33

On your new device 34

Setting up Email Accounts 36

Add Social Media Accounts 39

Change your Wallpaper 41

Using an Image Taken with your Camera App 41

Using an Image from Google Photos 43

Pairing Bluetooth Devices 46

Adding Printers 48

Connecting to a PC 50

Connecting to the Internet 52

WiFi 52

Mobile & LTE 55

Getting Around Your Galaxy Tab 56

Tablet Anatomy 56

The Home Screen 59

Navigation Bar 60

Multi-task Button 60

Home Button 60

Back Button 60

Touch Gestures 61

Tap 61

Drag 62

Scroll 62

Pinch & Spread 63

Swipe 63

Notification Panel 64

Reveal All Apps 66

App Dock 67

Arranging Icons 68

Google Assistant 71

On Screen Keyboard 73

Voice Dictation 75

Internet, Email and Communication 76

Using Chrome 76

Searching the Web 79

Bookmarking Websites 79

Return to a Bookmarked Website 80

Add Website to Chrome Start Page 81

Translate a Page 82

Share a Page 83

Browsing History 84

Downloads 85

Desktop vs Mobile Site 86

Using Gmail 87

Reading your Email 89

Replying to an Email 90

Forward an Email 91

New Message 92

Add an Attachment 94

Contacts 96

View Contact Details 97

Edit Details 99

Add New Contact 100

Add Contact from Message 101

Calendar 103

Calendar View 104

Add Event 105

Google Hangouts 107

Calling New Contacts 109

Video Calls 111

Sending Messages 114

Messages 117

Sending Messages 118

Send a Voice Message 118

Send a Picture or Video 119

Phone 120

Using Multimedia 122

Camera App 122

Taking Pictures 125

Panoramic Photos 126

Zoom 128

Focus 129

Exposure 130

Stickers & Stamps 131

Recording Video 133

Samsung Gallery App 135

Crop & Straighten 138

Horizontal & Vertical Correction 139

Add a Filter 140

Stickers 141

Adding Text 142

Annotate Images 143

Adjusting Images 144

Google Photos App 145

Adjusting Images 148

Crop an Image 150

Creating Collages 152

Sharing Photos 154

Play Music 157

Streaming Music 158

Creating Playlists 161

Buying Tracks 163

Play Movies & TV 165

Using Apps 170

Play Store 170

Search for Apps 172

Browsing the Store 175

Google Drive 178

Creating Folders 180

Moving Files 181

New Documents 182

Scanning Documents 183

Sharing Documents 186

Printing Documents 188

Google Maps 190

Map Type 191

Exploring Maps & Getting Directions 192

Using Google Docs 196

Installing Google Docs 196

Starting Google Docs 197

Using Paragraph Styles 202

Headings 202

Bold, Italic, Underlined 203

Changing Fonts 204

Font Colour 205

Justify Text 206

Bullets and Numbered Lists 207

Cut, Copy & Paste 208

Adding Images 209

Resize Images 211

Adding Tables 212

Using Google Sheets 214

Installing Google Sheets 214

Starting Google Sheets 215

Entering Data 218

Simple Text Formatting 218

Insert a Row 219

Insert a Column 220

Cell Borders 221

Cell Shading 222

Using Functions 223

Video Resources 226

Galaxy Tablets

The Galaxy Tab A Series is