New to Android and bewildered

[pustyak]

I am completely new to Android and to tablets. Within the last two weeks, I bought a Viewsonic Gtab and through some sort of a miracle, managed to install a VegAN rom. I like the Gtab except that it is too large and too heavy to be of much everyday use to me. So yesterday, I bought a Nook Color which I intend to transform into a fully functioning Android tablet, and my main tablet. I will use the Gtab to experiment on and for power applications.

I decided to go with an Android tablet because I know nothing about Android and because the iPad seems just like a big iPod Touch to me. I have an iPod Touch, and I'm not so in love with it that I wanted to buy one on steriods. Also, the iPads have limited expandability and are really closed systems.

So, I'm learning the Android OS. Actually flashing the GTab was easier than learning the Android OS itself for me because I have flashed roms in the past.

I would appreciate it if anyone could answer a few questions about the Android OS:

- What is the purpose of the home screen except to look good with a nice clock on it?

- What is the connection between the home screen and the screen with all the apps listed?

- Can any apps be put on the home screen?

- What is a program launcher?

- Is it possible to go from an app to the screen with all the apps listed without first going through the home screen?

Thanks in advance. I look forward to learning a lot here, and maybe contributing as I learn more and more about Android.

 

[pbrauer]

- What is the purpose of the home screen except to look good with a nice clock on it?

- What is the connection between the home screen and the screen with all the apps listed?

- Can any apps be put on the home screen?

- What is a program launcher?

- Is it possible to go from an app to the screen with all the apps listed without first going through the home screen?

- Nope, no purpose really. Like the desktop on a Mac or PC. Nice place to put widgets or shortcuts to apps you use a lot.
- None. The apps screen's analog is the Start menu on a PC. It shows all apps and menu driven items.
- Yes. Either go to the Apps screen and long press until you get the Home Screen to popup, or long press on the home screen until it pops up asking what you want to do there. Items includes your apps
- Program Laucher is basically your home screen, which can be replaced with things like Launcher Pro, ADW, Zeam or others. I tend to like ADW or Zeam right now.
- Depends on how you set up your launcher. If you add a shortcut to the app menu on a bar (in the replacement home launchers), then yes. i like the way Zeam handles this

 

[FlrLdy]

ODG! No wonder I can't figure out my kyros tablet. I don't even know what the messages mean Patti-Ann

 

[pbrauer]

Patti-Ann - which messages do you mean?

 

[pustyak]

- Nope, no purpose really. Like the desktop on a Mac or PC. Nice place to put widgets or shortcuts to apps you use a lot.
- None. The apps screen's analog is the Start menu on a PC. It shows all apps and menu driven items.
- Yes. Either go to the Apps screen and long press until you get the Home Screen to popup, or long press on the home screen until it pops up asking what you want to do there. Items includes your apps
- Program Laucher is basically your home screen, which can be replaced with things like Launcher Pro, ADW, Zeam or others. I tend to like ADW or Zeam right now.
- Depends on how you set up your launcher. If you add a shortcut to the app menu on a bar (in the replacement home launchers), then yes. i like the way Zeam handles this

Thanks a million. This really helps. I didn't know that a program launcher is the home screen. Hmm. The analogies to Windows helps.

BTW: I don't know how to you the "Thank" function on this board.