Viewing Data Usage, Sharing Media, and Sharing the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Screen
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The latest version of the Android operating system for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3, called Android 4.2.2 (or Jelly Bean), contains a number of new tools. You can monitor how apps and services on the Tab 3 use data as well as share media files and your Tab 3 screen with other devices.
Data Usage
If apps and services aren't running as quickly as you want on the Tab 3, you can check to see how your apps and services are using data and then change app settings as needed.
You can view data usage by tapping the Settings icon on the Home screen. Within the Settings screen that appears, tap Data Usage. You see the Data Usage information list in Figure 1.
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Figure 1 Data usage information appears on the right side of the screen
The list is ordered with the app or service that has used the most data at the top of the list and the app or service that has used the least data at the bottom of the list. You can view the entire list by swiping up and down within the list.
The data cycle for the most recent 30-day period up to the current date appears in the Data Usage Cycle box, and the cycle is also represented as a chart, as you saw in Figure 1.
A list of apps and processes that have used data in the past week appear below the chart; above the list, you see the total amount of data that has been used in the past week.
You can view more information about how a specific app or service has used data in the past week by tapping the app or service name in the list. For example, in the Google Services information screen, you can view the amount of foreground data, which is used by apps you see on the screen, and background data that's used behind the scenes in the pie chart shown in Figure 2.
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Figure 2 Below the Data Usage Cycle chart is a list of apps and services that use Google Services
The Google Services information screen shows the most recent data usage cycle dates and graph, but it also shows the name of the app or service.
If other apps and services use a service, such as Google Services, you see a list of those other apps and services as well. Below the name of the app or service list, you see the amount of data used in the foreground in orange text and the amount of background data in dark gray text. The text colors correspond to the colors you see in the pie chart.
If you open an app, you can view its settings by tapping the View App Settings button, as shown in Figure 3, so you can change Google Play Store app settings within the app's Settings screen. After you make changes to the app settings, you can return to the Google Play Store information screen by pressing the Back button.
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Figure 3 Tap the View App Settings button to view and change the app settings
Share Files Wirelessly
You can view more wireless and network settings by tapping More Settings within the settings list on the left side of the screen. The Wireless and Networks settings list appears as shown in Figure 4.
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Figure 4 The Wireless and Networks settings list appears on the right side of the screen
If you want to share files on your Tab 3 with other devices in your Wi-Fi network, you can do this by tapping Nearby Devices within the Media Share section in the list. You can enable wireless file sharing by tapping the check box to the right of the File Sharing option shown in Figure 5.
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Figure 5 Share with nearby devices by tapping the File Sharing check box
The Nearby Devices window appears on the screen; this window reminds you to use your Wi-Fi network with care because other devices can access your data. Close the window by tapping the OK button. You'll also see one or more windows appear on the screen, asking you to add devices to your Allowed Devices list; tap the OK button in each window to add each device.
After you add the devices to your Allowed Devices list, you see the Nearby Devices icon on the left side of the Status Bar (as you saw in Figure 5).
You can view and change the list of allowed devices by tapping Allowed Devices List (refer to Figure 5). If you want to delete a device from the list, tap the check box to the right of the device name, as shown in Figure 6. Delete the device by tapping the Delete button. If you don't want to delete any devices, tap the Cancel button.
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Figure 6 Delete a device by tapping a device in the list and then tapping the Delete button
You can return to the Wireless and Networks list by pressing the Back button.
Mirror Your Screen
If you want to show your Tab 3 screen on another screen, such as a TV that has built-in Wi-Fi capability, you can do so wirelessly from within the Wireless and Networks list by tapping Screen Mirroring in the list that you saw in Figure 4.
The Screen Mirroring screen appears, and the Tab 3 scans for available devices automatically. When the Tab 3 finds the device, connect to the device by tapping the device name.
After a few seconds, the Tab 3 connects to your device, and a message appears at the bottom of the screen, informing you that Screen Mirroring is active. It may take a few more seconds for your Tab 3 screen to appear on the other device.
If the scan finds no devices or doesn't find the device you want, scan for devices again by tapping Scan in the blue menu bar shown in Figure 7.
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Figure 7 Tap Scan to scan for available devices on which to mirror your screen
If Screen Mirroring is currently on, you can turn it off by sliding the Screen Mirroring button shown in Figure 7 from On to Off. You can also turn Screen Mirroring off and on within the Notification Panel within the Quick Settings and Notification screen.
Open the Quick Settings and Notification screen by pressing and holding down on the Status Bar and then swiping downward. Next, swipe to the right within the Notification Panel at the top of the screen; you see the Screen Mirroring button shown in Figure 8.
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Figure 8 The Screen Mirroring button appears in the Notification Area at the top of the screen
If Screen Mirroring is on, the text and icon in the button are green, as you see in Figure 8. Turn off Screen Mirroring by tapping the button; the text and icon in the button turn gray. You can turn on Screen Mirroring again by tapping the button. When you do, the Screen Mirroring window appears on the Home screen, and the Tab 3 scans for available devices automatically. Connect to the other device by tapping the device name in the list.
Now you not only know how to check data usage on your Tab 3 to keep your device running smoothly but you can also enjoy the convenience of sharing your Tab 3 files and screen with other devices wirelessly.