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Chapter
Wi-Fi and 3G Connectivity
Let’s face it, you wouldn’t buy a DROID if you didn’t want to go online. Going online
doesn’t just mean using the built-in web browser in Android. Whether you’re using apps or
checking your contact list, talking on the phone is just about the only activity that doesn’t
involve using your data plan. That’s one of the reasons you can’t buy a DROID phone
without also purchasing a data plan. Trust us: you wouldn’t want to do so, anyway.
In this chapter, we’ll talk about getting online with your DROID. Android works best
when it works online. Google purchased and developed the Android platform around the
idea of storing data online or “in the cloud,” rather than just on the device. We’ll go over
the different ways your phone can access data and how to get the fastest connection
with the least amount of battery drain.
Understanding Your Connection
The status or notification bar on the upper part of your DROID shows you what type of
connection you have available and the relative strength of the connection. Figure 5–1
shows various types of connection information you might see in your DROID’s status bar.
Back in the days when a car phone meant the phone was built into your car, cell towers
carried an analog signal that was much like a radio signal, but at a different frequency.
This was the first generation of wireless, and it’s no longer in use. The second
generation of technology, or 2G, is what Verizon Wireless calls 1X. Instead of using an
analog signal, 2G networks are digital. Many phone carriers use the GSM (Global
System for Mobile Communications) standard to deliver 2G data, but Verizon and your
DROID use CDMA (Coe-Division Multiple Access).
5
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