My Motorola Atrix 4G

Craig James Johnston has been involved with technology since his high school days at Glenwood High in Durban, South Africa, when his school was given some Apple Europluses. From that moment technology captivated him, and he has owned, supported, evangelized, and written about it. Craig has been involved in designing and supporting large-scale enterprise networks with integrated email and directory services since 1989. Craig has held many different IT-related positions in his career ranging from sales support engineer to mobile architect for a 40,000-smartphone infrastructure at a large bank.   In addition to designing and supporting mobile computing environments, Craig writes about it for Smartphone Essentials and CrackBerry.com, a leading BlackBerry blog. Craig also co-hosts the CrackBerry.com podcast and multiple BYTE.com podcasts, including BYTE Wireless Radio. You can see Craig’s previously published work in his books Professional BlackBerry, My BlackBerry Curve, My Palm Pre, My Nexus One, My Droid, My BlackBerry PlayBook, and My BlackBerry Torch.   Craig also enjoys high-horsepower, high-speed vehicles and tries very hard to keep to the speed limits while driving them. Originally from Durban, South Africa, Craig has lived in the United Kingdom, the San Francisco Bay Area, and New Jersey where he now lives with his wife, Karen, and a couple of cats.   Craig would love to hear from you. Feel free to contact Craig about your experiences with My Motorola Atrix 4G at www.CraigsBooks.info. All comments, suggestions, and feedback are welcome, including positive.  

Prologue  Getting to Know Your Motorola Atrix 4G     3

Your Motorola Atrix 4G’s External Features     3

Fundamentals of Android     8

   The Unlock Screen     8

   The Home Screen     9

   Using Your Motorola Atrix 4G’s Touchscreen     11

   Using Your Motorola Atrix 4G’s Keyboard     12

   Starting and Switching Applications     18

   Menus     20

Installing Synchronization Software     21

First-Time Setup     24

 

Chapter 1  Contacts     29

Getting to Know the Contacts Application     30

   Adding Accounts     30

   Adding and Managing Contacts     40

   Communicating with Contacts     49

 

Chapter 2  Using the Phone and Google Voice     55

Getting to Know the Phone Application     56

Receiving a Call     57

Placing a Call     59

   Dialing Using Your Voice     61

Configuring the Phone Application     67

Google Voice     71

   Setting Up Google Voice     71

   Using Google Voice     77

 

Chapter 3  Audio and Video     83

The Music Application--Audio     83

Managing Playlists     89

Playing and Sharing Videos with the Gallery Application     93

Recording Videos with the Camera Application     100

YouTube     106

Using doubleTwist to Synchronize Audio and Video     110

 

Chapter 4  Connecting to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and VPNs     117

Connecting to Bluetooth Devices     117

   Pairing with a New Bluetooth Device     117

Wi-Fi     121

Cellular Networks     127

Virtual Private Networks (VPN)     129

   Adding a VPN     129

Sharing Your 4G Connection over Wi-Fi for Others to Use     132

Share Your Media Files with Televisions and Other Devices     134

 

Chapter 5  Emailing     141

Gmail     141

Setting Up the Email Application     152

Adding a New Corporate Account     153

All Emails in One Place     163

   Adding a New POP3 or IMAP Account     163

 

Chapter 6  Browsing the Web     171

Navigating with the Browser     171

Using Bookmarks, Most Viewed, and History     173

Using GPS Location     177

Managing Multiple Windows     178

Page Options     179

Customizing Browser Settings     180

Downloading Files     184

 

Chapter 7  Text and Multimedia Messaging     187

Text Messaging Application     187

 

Chapter 8  Working with Date, Time, and Calendar     197

Setting the Date and Time     198

The Alarm & Timer Application     199

   Managing Alarms     200

The HD Multimedia Docks     202

Using the Calendar Application     203

   Responding to a Meeting Request     208

 

Chapter 9  Taking, Storing, and Viewing Pictures     213

Using the Camera Application     213

Viewing and Managing Your Photos     218

Synchronizing Photos with Your Computer     224

   Working with Pictures Manually     224

   Working with doubleTwist     229

 

Chapter 10  Working with Android Applications     233

Google Checkout     233

Android Market     235

Deleting Applications     240

   Deleting an Application Using Settings     240

 

Chapter 11  Customizing Your Motorola Atrix 4G     247

Change Your Wallpaper     247

Change Your Keyboard     252

   The Swype Keyboard     252

Region and Language     256

Accessibility Settings     258

Display Settings     259

Using Your Fingerprint to Unlock Your Atrix     260

 

Chapter 12  Motorola Atrix 4G Lapdock     267

Getting to Know the Lapdock     268

Using the Lapdock     270

   Overview of the Interface     270

Lapdock Settings     272

File Manager     286

Adding an App Tray Shortcut     288

 

Chapter 13  Maintaining Motorola Atrix 4G and Solving Problems     291

Updating Android     291

Optimizing the Battery Life     293

   Looking After the Battery     293

Caring for Motorola Atrix’s Exterior     298

Getting Help with Your Motorola Atrix     298

 

Index     299