Choosing your headset

You can use wired or wireless (Bluetooth) headsets with your Samsung Galaxy S20 phone. Wired headsets are less expensive than Bluetooth headsets, and, of course, wired headsets don’t need charging, as do the Bluetooth headsets.

On the other hand, you lose freedom of mobility if you’re tangled up in wires. In addition, the battery in Bluetooth headsets lasts much longer than the battery in your phone. However, if your headset happens to be running low and it can be charged wirelessly, you can use the PowerShare feature of your S20 to extend the life of your headset until you can recharge everything.

Wired headsets

At the bottom of your Galaxy S20 phone, you won’t see a regular headset jack. What you do see is the USB-C port. There are two choices. The first choice is to get headsets that have a USB-C connector. Your phone may come with a wired headset that has a USB-C connector like those shown in Figure 12-1 on the left. In that case, just plug it in to use the device.

The other option is to go out and get a connector that allows you to plug in your existing headphone/headset. The image on the right in Figure 12-1 is an example of one of these connectors (also called a dongle). The retail cost is about $20, but you can find them online for about $10.

When you do plug in, you’ll hear the audio, but the person on the other end of the call may not hear you as well because the headphones don’t come with a microphone. In such a case, your phone tries to use the built-in mic as a speakerphone. Depending upon the ambient noise conditions, it may work fine or sound awful. Of course, you can always ask the person you’re talking to whether he or she can hear you.

Some people dislike ear buds. You can obtain other styles at a number of retail franchises that offer options, including:

• Around-the-ear headphones that place the speakers on the ear and are held in place with a clip.
• A behind-the-neck band that holds around-the-ear headphones in place.
• An over-the-head band that places the headphones on the ear.

The laws in some regions prohibit the use of headphones while driving. Correcting the officer and explaining that these are really “headsets” and not “headphones” won’t help your case if you’re pulled over. Even if not explicitly illegal in an area, it’s still a bad idea to play music in both ears at a volume that inhibits your ability to hear warnings while driving.

Ear buds can have a greater chance of causing ear damage if the volume is too loud than other options. The close proximity to your eardrum is the culprit. There are probably warnings on the ear bud instructions, but I wanted to amplify this information (<harhar>).

In any case, give yourself some time to get used to any new headset. There is often an adjustment period while you get used to having a foreign object in or around your ear.

Stereo Bluetooth headsets

The other option is to use a stereo Bluetooth headset. Figure 12-2 shows a few options.

You need to consider a few important options before you put down your money and buy one. First, you have a choice of the earpieces being “on” the ear, “over” the ear, or “in” the ear.

The over-the-ear option tends to eliminate outside noise a little better because your ears are surrounded by the cushions. This can also get hot if you wear your headset for an extended time. On the other hand, some over-the-ear headsets have noise cancelling, which is nice in noisy areas, like airplanes. The on-the-ear headphone is good for when you have your headphones on for a long time.

The third option for headsets includes those that insert into your ear canal. The ear buds in Figure 12-2 are Samsung Galaxy Buds+. Although they work with any Bluetooth device, they work particularly well with your S20. When you insert them into your ear canal, they just stay there (if they don’t, there are a few other silicone ear pieces that you can use to get them to fit). There are no wires or plugs. Having this kind of headset in your ear makes it less likely to shift or fall out than the other options. The in-the-ear headset shown in Figure 12-2 is well-suited for those who want to listen to music and have the ability to take calls as they exercise. How neat is that?

In each of these cases, a stereo Bluetooth headset is paired the same way as any other Bluetooth headset. (Read how to do this in Chapter 3.) When your Galaxy S20 phone and the headset connect, the phone recognizes that the headset operates in stereo when you’re listening to music or videos. When you open the case in which you store the ear pieces, not only will the Galaxy Buds pair, but they’ll bring up a screen called Galaxy Gear to let you fine-tune the sound quality. It’s very slick!

Choosing your Bluetooth speaker

In the last few years, developers released a flurry of products known as Bluetooth speakers. These speakers include a range of options, some of which are a very small and convenient. Others are designed to offer excellent audio quality. Some of these speakers look cool or are very small but have poor sound quality. Check them out before your buy.

Although these speakers (which come in a range of sizes) are not as portable as the Bluetooth headset — they’re a little difficult to use as you’re walking down the street — they’re usually pretty easy to take with you and set up when you’re at a desk or in someone’s living room. They also do not need a cable to make a connection and are always ready to go.

Audio Pro’s Addon T20 (see Figure 12-3) is an excellent example of a high-quality Bluetooth speaker. Its list price is about $1,150.

If you like high-quality sound, this is the quality of Bluetooth speaker that you’d want to get and your S20 is up to the task. As you may have noticed, it looks very sleek. On the other hand, if you’re just looking for background enjoyment, you can get a more modest Bluetooth speaker for a fraction of that price.

Connecting to your stereo

Although being able to listen to your music on the move is convenient, it’s also nice to be able to listen to your music collection on your home or car stereo. Your Galaxy S20 phone presents your stereo with a nearly perfect version of what went in. The sound quality that comes out is limited only by the quality of your stereo.

In addition, you can play the music files and playlists stored on your phone, which can be more convenient than playing CDs. If your stereo receiver is older, you have two choices:

• One setup involves plugging a 3.5mm-to-USB-C connector into the 3.5mm jack available on newer stereos. You can also acquire a cable with the male 3.5mm-to-a-male USB-C connector, but these are just becoming available as of this writing.

  When you play the music as you do through a headset, it will play through your stereo. Although each stereo system is unique, the correct setting for the selector knob is AUX.

• The other option is to acquire a Bluetooth receiver and connect that to your stereo (be sure it works at least with Bluetooth version 4.2 for the best sound). The Bluetooth receiver will connect with a 3.5mm jack or to an unused red and white plug pair, say, for the old cassette tape player you no longer have. This setup lets you walk around with your phone in your house. As long as you don’t stray more than 30 feet from your stereo, the connection works great!

Newer stereo receivers recognize that cellular phones are a great place to access music. These receivers support a Bluetooth connection to your phone. If you are in the market for a new receiver, make sure that you get one with Bluetooth capability. In either case, you will be entertained. Enjoy yourself.

Listening up on licensing

Here are the three primary licensing options available for music files and podcasts:

• By the track: Pay for each song individually. Buying a typical song costs about 79 cents to $1.29. Podcasts, which are frequently used for speeches or lectures, can vary dramatically in price.
• By the album: Buying an album isn’t a holdover from the days before digital music. Music artists and producers create albums with an organization of songs that offer a consistent feeling or mood. Although many music-playing apps allow you to assemble your own playlist, an album is created by professionals. In addition, buying a full album is often less expensive than on a per-song basis. You can get multiple songs for $8 to $12.

• With a monthly pass: The last option for buying audio files is the monthly pass. For about $15 per month, you can download as much music as you want from the library of the service provider.

  If you let your subscription to your monthly pass provider lapse, you won’t be able to listen to the music from this library. This music is streamed through the Internet and not stored on your phone.

  In addition to full access to the music library, some music library providers offer special services to introduce you to music that’s similar to what you’ve been playing. These services are a very convenient way to learn about new music. If you have even a small interest in expanding your music repertoire, these services are an easy way to do it.

Whether buying or renting is most economical depends on your listening/viewing habits. If you don’t plan to buy much, or you know specifically what you want, you may save some money by paying for all your files individually. If you’re not really sure what you want, or you like a huge variety of music, paying for monthly access might make better sense for you.

Licensing for videos

The two primary licensing options available for videos are:

• Rental: This option is similar to renting a video from a store. You can view the video as many times as you like within 24 hours from the start of the first play. In addition, the first play must begin within a defined period, such as a week, of your downloading it. Most movies are in the $3 to $5 range.
• Purchase: You have a license to view the file as frequently as you want, for as long as you want. The purchase cost can be as low as $12, but is more typically in the $15 range.

At the moment, there are no sources for mainstream Hollywood films that allow you to buy a monthly subscription and give you unlimited access to a film library. This can change at any time, so watch for announcements.

Grooving with the Play Music app

The Play Music app allows you to play music and audio files. The first step is to obtain music and audio files for your phone.

Some ways to acquire music and/or recordings for your phone are:

• Buy and download tracks from an online music store.
• Receive them as attachments via email or text message.
• Receive them from another device connected with a Bluetooth link.
• Record them on your phone.

Buying from an online music store

The most straightforward method of getting music on your phone is from an online music store. You can download a wide variety of music from dozens of mainstream online music stores when you’re a subscriber. The Play Store is an option. In addition to apps, it has music and video. Other well-known sites include Spotify and Amazon Music. In some cases, such as the Google Play Store or Amazon, you may already be a subscriber and not know it. When the music starts playing, you have your answer. Otherwise, you may need to provide an email address and credit card number to get the ball rolling.

In addition to the mainstream choices, many more specialty or “boutique” stores provide more differentiated offerings than you can get from the mass-market stores. For example, MAQAM offers Middle Eastern music (www.maqammp3.com).

The details for acquiring music among the online stores vary from store to store. Ultimately, there are more similarities than differences. As an example of when you know what you want, what you really, really want, here’s how to find the song “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls. I’m using Amazon Music. If you don’t have Amazon Music in your Applications list, you would start by loading that app on your phone, as I describe how to do in Chapter 8. After entering your Amazon sign-in information, you see the Amazon Music Home screen, shown on the right in Figure 12-5.

From here, you can search for music by album, song, or music genre. Now to search for the song you want:

1. Enter the relevant search information in the Amazon Music Find field.

   In this case, I’m searching for “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls. The result of the search for songs looks like Figure 12-6.

   The search results come up with all kinds of options, including: albums, individual tracks, similar songs, karaoke versions, and other songs from the same artist. Be ready for these options.

2. To play the track, tap once where it says, “Song.”

3. To play the song, and then hear similar songs, tap the circle that says, “Spice Girls.”

   The music store will start playing a list of music that is dominated by Spice Girls songs. They also throw in similar songs. This is called a “Station.” In this case, you get the screen shown in Figure 12-7.

   

4. To play the album that includes this song, tap the album cover that says, “Spice.”

   The music store will start playing the songs from the album that includes “Wannabe.” Here you get the screen shown in Figure 12-8.

   When you open the music player, it’s ready for you to play anytime you want to party like it’s 1996!

Receiving music as an attachment

As long as you comply with your license agreement, you can email or text a music file as an attachment. Simply send yourself an email from your PC with the desired music file. You then open the email or text on your phone and save the file in the library of your Music app.

Your phone can play music files that come in any of the following formats: FLAC, WAV, Vorbis, MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, MID, AC3, and XMF.

Playing downloaded music

To play your music, tap the Play Music app icon shown in Figure 12-4 to open the music playing application.

Okay. Figure 12-9 shows your Home screen after your get through the initial marketing welcome. Sometimes this app can be too enthusiastic in welcoming you.

The first screen that you see sorts your music files into a number of categories. You can select the category you want to use by tapping on the link that says playlist. This brings up a pop-up screen.

The categories include

• Playlists: Some digital music stores bundle songs into playlists, such as Top Hits from the ‘50s. You can also create your own playlists for groups of songs that are meaningful to you.
• Stations: These are kind of like radio stations that follow a particular format. You put in a group name, like Genesis or Van Halen, and Play Music will play songs within that genre that may or may not be currently stored on your phone. Figure 12-10 shows a more recent example when I searched on Bruno Mars. The section later in this chapter on Internet Radio describes this service in more detail.
• Artists: This category lists all songs from all the albums from a given artist.
• Albums: Tapping this category places all your songs into an album with which the song is associated. When you tap the album, you see all the songs you’ve purchased, whether one song or all the songs from that album.
• Songs: This lists all your song files in alphabetic order.
• Genres: This category separates music into music genres, such as country and western or heavy metal.

These categories are useful when you have a large number of files. To play a song, an album, or a genre, open that category and tap the song, playlist, album, artist, or genre, and the song will start playing.

Adding songs as ringtones and alarms

Here’s how to add a song as a ringtone or alarm. The first step is to open a contact. A generic contact in Edit mode is seen in Figure 12-11. (Refer to Chapter 6 if you have any questions about contacts.)

Follow these steps:

1. Tap the Default Ringtone link.

   This will bring up a list of ringtones (shown in Figure 12-12).

   A quick scan finds that Ode to Joy is not among the options that come with your phone. To use a music file as a ringtone, find the Add button at the top.

   

2. Tap Add.

   This brings up the option to bring up the Sound Picker App. This app shows all the music files on your phone, as shown in Figure 12-13.

3. Highlight the song you want and tap OK.

   From now on, when you hear this song, you know it will be your friend Ludwig. Figure 12-14 shows that this is now Ludwig’s ringtone.

Jamming to Internet Radio

If you have not tried Internet Radio, you should definitely consider it. The basic idea is that you enter information on your current music favorites, and these services play music that is similar. In some stations, a great deal of research with complex statistical analysis goes into picking similar songs based upon numeric analysis of musical patterns. Other stations wing it.

The good news is that you can explore your options. Figure 12-15 shows some of the 9,000 Internet Radio apps in the Play Store. Pandora, IHeartRadio,and Slacker Radio are three of the best-known services of this type; one or the other may have been preinstalled on your phone. (Actually, you may find four or more Internet Radio options preinstalled on your phone!)

These apps are a great way to learn about new songs and groups that may appeal to you. The service streams music to your phone for you to enjoy. You can buy the track if you choose.

Streaming audio files can use a large amount of data over time. This may be no problem if you have an unlimited (or even large) data-service plan. Otherwise, your “free” Internet Radio service can wind up costing you a lot. You’re best off using Wi-Fi.

The selection played by even the best Internet Radio can become repetitive after a while if you listen to it enough. If you find yourself bored, do not hesitate to switch Internet Radio providers and use the same band for the radio station. This will almost always bring up new songs.

Looking at your video options

The Play Music app allows you to play music files. Similarly, you use the Video Player app to play video options. The Video Player is in your Application list and might even be on your home page. In most ways, playing videos is the same as playing audio with some exceptions:

• Many people prefer to buy music, but renting is more typical for videos.
• Video files are usually, but not always, larger.

Otherwise, as with music files, you can acquire videos for your phone from an online video store — and you need to have an account and pay for the use. In addition, you can download video files to your phone, and the Video Player will play them like a DVD player.

There is a great selection of videos on the Google Play Store and Amazon Prime Video. Each of these has great video selections that you can rent or buy. Figure 12-16 shows the Home screens for the Google Play Store and Amazon Prime Video.

Using the three screens

If you have a subscription to Amazon Video, I hereby grant you permission to watch any and all of the Amazon Video options on your Galaxy S20 (once you sign in and comply with all the terms and conditions set forth by Amazon). Once you install the Amazon Prime Video app from the Play Store, sign in with the email and password associated with your account, and all the content is there for you to stream. It is that simple. If you don’t believe me, give it a try.

If you take a look at the Amazon Prime Video home page on the Internet, seen in Figure 12-17, it shows your options for access to the content to which you subscribe. The original term for this was called serving the three screens. Three screens referred to in the strategy included your television at home, your PC or laptop, and your smartphone.

The idea is that you get one subscription and have access to the same content and, importantly, can pick up where you left off. So if you’re watching a video on your television, you can pick up where you left off on your smartphone.

Amazon Prime Video is taking this one step further to ensure as many of its subscribers as possible have access. If you have a Smart TV that has an Internet connection, the chances are that Amazon Prime Video will run on the TV. If you have an old and/or a dumb TV, you can get Amazon through streaming media players, game consoles, set-top boxes, or Blu-ray players.

Amazon is not the only organization to do this. Many cable companies offer this kind of solution, as do many of the video subscription services.

The mainstream video services compete with having a broad range within their libraries that seek to appeal to as many customers as possible. Keep in mind that there are specialty video providers that offer curated videos for their subscribers.

For example, TeacherTube is a site dedicated to K-12 education, as seen in Figure 12-18. If you continue down this path further, there are a great number of options for online education. Many of these sites do not consider themselves to be video aggregators, but that’s exactly what happens when they take recorded lectures and provide them to students.

The best-known online education service is the University of Phoenix. There are dozens more online universities.

Education is just one curated video service. Others exist for videos of Bollywood movies, British sitcoms, Portuguese game shows, and many other art forms.