Google for dummies
 

Subscribe now and choose from over 30 free gifts worth up to £49 - Plus get £25 to spend in our shop

[Closed] Google for dummies

24 Posts
13 Users
0 Reactions
97 Views
Posts: 27603
Free Member
Topic starter
 

So, Android phone arrives tomorrow. Am I right in the Google is now basically iCloud, in that I can add gmail, google calendar, maps, photos etc all to my phone and when I access via the web I can see it all - basically an online central resource paired with my phone?

What else is useful / clever?


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 3:40 pm
Posts: 11354
Full Member
 

Yes

Standby for a multitude of suggestions and then a flood of people saying it isn't as good as X...


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 3:43 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Yes, you're right.
I hardly use a fraction of what it can do, but calendar tied up between phone and tablet is handy sometimes.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 3:47 pm
Posts: 27603
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Right, a good start then. now to work out how my Sky email account can be reflected in Gmail...


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 3:49 pm
Posts: 50252
Free Member
 

[b][i]BURN THE HERETIC![/i][/b]

😉


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 3:50 pm
Posts: 3607
Full Member
 

CaptainFlashheart - Member
BURN THE HERETIC!
Is there an app for that?


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:00 pm
Posts: 50252
Free Member
 

iPyre


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:04 pm
Posts: 2251
Full Member
 

now to work out how my Sky email account can be reflected in Gmail...

You have two options:

1) You should be able to configure the phone's email app to add your Sky email account to it as well as gmail or work or any other email accounts you have.

2) You should be able to setup email forwarding on your sky account. So when ever an email is received on your sky account it will auto forward it to anther account e.g. gmail account.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:12 pm
Posts: 45666
Free Member
 

Yes - all the Google apps 'talk' to each other really well, but really improved if you download the Google Now launcher on your phone instead of whatever app the manufacturer supplies. Give the Launcher and apps like calendar and maps permission to use location data etc - then it all works seamlessly.... 😀 usually 😉

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.launcher&hl=en_GB


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:18 pm
Posts: 45666
Free Member
 

now to work out how my Sky email account can be reflected in Gmail...

Open Gmail
*add account*
done.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:19 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

You have two options:

Option 3, get your Gmail account to retrieve emails from your sky account using pop3 or imap (and if you want to send via it using smtp)

That's what I do with my legacy yahoo email account


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:24 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

You don't need to use the official Google apps for everything. There are some alternatives, which may be nicer.
eg for email, I like K9-Mail. You can set it to use your Gmail account, or any other email accounts.
For a calendar, I prefer aCalendar+. It still uses the Google Calendar service, so it can sync with other devices, or view in your browser etc.
For maps, I like Maps.Me. It is based on OpenStreetMap, and lets you download offline maps for the whole country.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:25 pm
Posts: 50252
Free Member
 

Keep is a very good, simple note taking app.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:33 pm
Posts: 0
Full Member
 

iWishI'dboughtsomethingwhichjustdoesthejob


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:38 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Not happy with your iPhone bikebouy?


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:42 pm
Posts: 0
Full Member
 

Nope, ecstatic 😀

It just works.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 4:45 pm
Posts: 45666
Free Member
 

Keep is a very good

+1

I've had my first 'poor' Google app recently. I tried out Trip. Just didn't work automatically as promised from inbox.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 5:11 pm
Posts: 27603
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks Moab.

Google now looks promising if not a bit too proactive for me. I'm likely to use calendar, mail and photo storage mainly.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 5:33 pm
Posts: 10618
Full Member
 

I've had my first 'poor' Google app recently. I tried out Trip

Did it keep falling over?


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 5:58 pm
Posts: 0
Full Member
 

Where's Whoppit ??


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 6:00 pm
Posts: 45666
Free Member
 


Did it keep falling over?

[img] ?w=280&h=210&fit=crop[/img]


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 6:04 pm
Posts: 45666
Free Member
 

looks promising if not a bit too proactive for me

It's disconcerting when your phone beeps and tells you to leave early as the Train is delayed or traffic jam...


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 6:07 pm
 cp
Posts: 8943
Full Member
 

Am I right in the Google is now basically iCloud, in that I can add gmail, google calendar, maps, photos etc all to my phone and when I access via the web I can see it all - basically an online central resource paired with my phone?

Aye, has been for many many years.

It's disconcerting when your phone beeps and tells you to leave early as the Train is delayed or traffic jam...

Useful as this is, you can always switch off/not use as you want.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 6:14 pm
Posts: 624
Free Member
 

Embrace the Inbox app for your email. Snoozing stuff til later and alerts based on content are some of the most useful tricks.


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 6:32 pm
Posts: 27603
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Inbox app? Well I don't have the phone yet so I guess I have this all to discover...


 
Posted : 07/08/2017 8:17 pm