Cellular Data Indicator
If you've turned Wi-Fi off, or there's no valid network in range, you'll see a cellular data connection indicator, assuming you've purchased a data plan from your carrier. If you're a T-Mobile or AT&T wireless customer, or in Europe or on anotherGSMnetwork, and you're in range of a data connection, you'll see different icons depending on your signal speed and strength. "G" indicates you've got only a very basicGPRSconnection, which is a kind of last resort in this day and age. "E" shows that you're connected to anEDGE
network—decent enough at browsing text-heavy web pages and managing email, but not so hot at multimedia. "3G" refers, as you might guess, to the heavily advertised3G, a kind of catch-all term for a connection package that delivers a decent web experience—slightly better than you'd get at home with a DSL connection, speed-wise, but with a bit more latency between requesting something and getting it back. Verizon, Sprint, and other CDMAnetworks provide a more simple scale: 1x for basic, slower data service, and "3G" to indicate a full-strength connection. Speeds will vary across locations, and technologies like "4G" and WiMax are developing, so expect to see different icons in newer areas. Your cellular connection icon has two arrows, up and down, that light up when your phone is passing information "up" to the network and making requests for web sites and services, and "down" when it's pulling data. These arrows can tell you a good bit about what's happening with your phone. When it's busy grabbing data and checking what's next, both arrows will be lit up. If you notice that only the "up" arrow is steadily lit up, and your web- connected apps don't seem to be responding, you might need to close that app or restart
The left-hand side of your Notification Bar is where you see updates, messages, sync announcements, reminders—anything any app on your phone wants to tell you about, and that you probably want to be kept aware of.
Notification Pop-Ups
With only the apps that come pre-installed on your phone, you'll start getting these little pings right away. The two pictured at left are the most common: A Gmail-like icon to indicate you've got, yes, a new Gmail message. The smiley-faced, speech-bubble-looking guy to the right of the Gmail is an indicator of a new text message. If you happen to be holding your phone and the screen is on when they arrive, you'll notice your phone vibrate, beep, or otherwise react, an LED or trackball on your phone might light up, and the Notification Bar itself will roll up, stock-ticker-style, to show either a basic message ("New Email") or a quick read on the message ("Jim Smith - Hey Steve just wondering where you are..."). If not, these updates will plant themselves in the Notification Bar, and you can act on them whenever you want.
When Notifications Pile Up
Depending on your screen, you'll have a certain maximum number of icons that can stack up on the left-hand side of the Notification Bar. When you reach that limit and more notifications are coming in, the Notification Bar will show a generic left-pointing arrow and the number of notifications beyond what sits to the right of it. If you find this happening too
Notifications Pull Down Menu
How do you act on notifications? By "pulling down" the bar from the top of your screen. Place your thumb or finger at the top of your screen, on the gray bar or slightly above it on the black buffer around your screen. Slide your finger at least halfway down the screen, and you'll see a gray "window shade" pull down with it. You can let go when you're halfway down, and the screen will fall all the way down. If you pull down fast and let go, you can also flick the screen down without having to follow it with your finger. Trust me—over time, your subconscious will start connecting the "New thing on my phone" sound or buzz with the "Flick down the screen" motion, and it will feel pretty natural. What's on the Notification Bar? That depends on what apps and processes you have running on your phone, but they work mostly the same. In the example above, I have my phone connected to my laptop via a USB cable, and I've enabled USB debugging in the settings in order to take screenshots of my phone. Those are "Ongoing" things that I
example at left, I've got three items that have arrived since I last looked. The little critter icon next to the "New Reply" notice indicates thatSeesmic, the Twitter client on my phone, has a new reply for me, and shows a small part of the message. Under that, there's a text message from my wife, and an email to myself at the bottom, with the subject line highlighted. If I tapped any of these rows with my thumb, the application they came from—Seesmic, Messaging, or Gmail—would launch and show that message. If you're not in the mood to see them, or plan to get to them later, hit the "Clear" button in the upper-right corner. Those messages won't be deleted or marked as read, but will be dismissed from the "Notifications" section.