Android 101: An Introduction. Helping you get started with Android

It was during an interview at the Web 2.0 summit last year, that Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, famously declared “You don’t need to be a computer scientist to use a Windows Phone, but I think you do to use an Android phone.”

I’ve used an Android device ever since it was first released in 2008, with the Google G1. Right from the first start-up, I’ve found the OS to be intuitive and very easy to use and navigate. Since then, there has been a multitude of changes to the User Interface, with OEMs adding their own skins and platforms on top of Google’s stock creation. This did make things a little complicated, requiring you to learn a whole new interface, especially when switching manufacturers, but nothing a few extra minutes with the phone couldn’t fix.

After basking in my “computer scientist”-like intelligence for a while, I realized that, while not difficult, getting an Android device set up does take a few minutes, especially if you have to deal with all the syncing options and other phone and display settings.

So, here we present you a quick guide to help you get your Android device up and running. This video is especially helpful if you are getting started with an Android phone for the first time. After a quick introduction about the few hundred millions  computer scientists out there (I know, I just can’t seem to let that go), the video goes on to present a few important topics such as:

• Using the navigation keys
• Syncing email and social networking
• Creating and managing your contacts
• Using your camera
• Call logs and messaging
• Saving battery life
• Working through settings
• Ringtones and apps
• Security and updates

You can watch the video, courtesy of AndroidWorkBench, here:

The video is very informative and will make it very easy for any new Android user to figure their way around the OS. Of course, the video may feel a little dated, considering the shift from the (shown) four capacitive button strip to the three button strip you will see on any current and future ICS device.

On a personal note, I would have also preferred if the video featured a voice over providing a running commentary or, at the least, any kind of background music, as the 17-minute long video started to feel a little tedious by the end.  But, this is a good first step and will hopefully help people overcome any fears about Android OS.

What are your thoughts on the video? Did you, or anyone you know, ever find Android to be difficult in any way? Let us know in the comments section below.