This is a barebones guide to addressing some essential aspects of the Android OS, written for the newbieuser.  At the time of posting this, my experience is based on Android 2.1/2.2.  If you’re moving from Nokia, it is highly recommended that you read this, before you continue reading the rest of this post.

By now, every one and their aunt has heard of “Android” – Google’s answer to making mobile phones smarter.  The popularity of the Android OS is presently among the hottest phenomenon in the world of smartphones, and continues to grow at a scorching pace any way you look at it.

That said, if you plan to move to your first Android phone, you will need a little help in getting the basics right.

Step 1 : Contacts

Most Important – Do this before you switch on your new Android phone for the first time!

Android has very tight integration with Google services and seamlessly syncs your mail, contacts and what have you, with your designated Google account.  If, like me, you’d like to keep your email contacts separate from your mobile phone contacts, the first thing you will have to do is create a fresh, new Google account which you will use to sync with your phone, henceforth.

If you want your phonebook (from your earlier phone) contacts transferred to your new Android phone, use your favourite backup/sync tool to export it to a standard format, and import it to your newly-created Google account.  Now, the first time you switch your Android phone on, login with this new Google account, and all your phone’s contacts will automagically sync with your new device and keep syncing effortlessly!

If, like me, your new Android 2.x device is an HTC, you can also enjoy the benefits of automatic integration with your Facebook account to show you all your contacts and contact details on your phone.  Plus, HTC caller id shows you your “linked” contact’s last FB update and profile pic when they call!  (Samsung’s new phones also offer good integration with Facebook contacts.)

Step 2 : Mail

Don’t worry.  You can setup multiple email accounts (from multiple providers) on your new Android.  If there’s a primary mail account you use, first start by configuring that as the default email account on your new device.  Before you run the first sync, make sure you go to “Accounts & Sync” and switch off the “Sync contacts” option, if you’d like to keep your email account’s addressbook and your phone’s addressbook separate.

A common tip across most popular apps and services on Android is that there are multiple ways to do almost anything you need to do on your phone.  For example, on my HTC, I can choose from Gmail app, Android’s mail app, HTC’s mail app and any number of third-party apps to check my email accounts.  Each come with their own UI and feature sets.  I use the Gmail App because it does a great job of managing labels and threaded conversations.  Your needs may vary.

Step 3 : Social Media & Web

As mentioned, there are usually 3 or more ways to do almost anything on an Android phone.  The good news is, unlike that default Gmail account which is not easily changeable, you can try out any number of apps for any of your needs, and change at will.  Within a few days of using them, you will soon figure out what works for your and why.

Me? I use the following :

Opera Mini – Easily, the best mobile browser on the planet
Facebook for Android – Facebook’s Android app for mobile-friendly access to the site
TweetDeck – The best Twitter client out there for Android phones

This is just a small list of the most-often needed apps.  The Android Market will give you access to more than 70,000 others for all your needs!

Step 4 : Tools and Utilities

Last but not the least, here is a list of some very nifty tools I use to manage my Android phone and keep it running smoothly :

Advanced Task Killer – Smooth and easy task-kill for background apps
AndExplorer – Powerful and easy-to-use File Manager for your device
JuiceDefender – Absolutely essential to help extend your battery life
PowerControl – Built-in widget for easy access to WiFi/GPS/Bluetooth/etc.
BatteryIndicator – Status-bar accurate notification of your remaining battery life

Hope this makes your transition to Android a bit easier, and more fun…

Read Also: How to move from Nokia to Android | Android vs Everything else