Android is an operating system specially designed to run on mobile devices. It's derived from the Linux operating system -- the free, open-source operating system that runs a significant percentage of the servers that contain the World Wide Web. We're not going to go into a history lesson here. We just want to point out that Android is a small, elegant interpretation of a powerful operating system, designed for a device with limited memory and battery power. Your Android device is a full-blown computer, capable of incredible things. But it also deals with limitations that computers don't have to deal with -- what to do if the battery runs down, or how to stop your application if a phone call comes in. Android answers these questions with its powerful technology, but it also has an attractive interface, and it's very stable (avoiding freeze-ups and crashes). Your Android phone is a tool that can make your professional life more efficient and smoother. But Android can be fun -- offering games, movies, music and social networking. If you're new to Android, you probably want to start exploring right away. This guide is here to help you quickly understand all of the major aspects of operating your Android phone, as well as to show you some exciting areas to explore.