Changing payment methods on the fly in Google Play

Once you've set up your payments in Google Play, buying apps, games and music can be a breeze, but what happens when you want to use something else to pay for an app? Maybe you're saving your Google Play credit up for a movie. Maybe you don't want your partner to get upset when they see your bill covered with Google Play purchases. Maybe your debit card is almost overdrawn and you need to switch over to something else until payday. Whatever the case may be, you need to change what — or who — is billed for your latest in-app purchase spree. And the best part?

You don't even have to leave your app to do it.

Changing between your methods of payment — or even adding new ones — is a simple process that takes place right inside the purchase popup. When making a purchase, your normal method of payment will show up. If you have Google Play credit, it will default to that. Should that be insufficient, it will move on to either your Google Wallet balance or your on-file credit card. Should you wish to switch that to something else, simply tap the little arrow next to the amount due. From here, you'll be given a choice between payment options and redeeming a code.

From this page, you can either switch to an already established form of payment or tie in another one. Tapping any new method will bring up a new window atop the payment window ...

.. like this. Once you fill out the required information — such as your Paypal information or your new credit card number — the method is verified and your purchase continues. You also have the option again to either redeem a new Google Play gift card should you have one handy, to set up carrier billing if you're into that sort of thing, or to directly buy yourself more Google Play credit.

As a small note on buying Google Play credit, if you're doing this not for your own account but rather for your kids, your payment info will be saved on the kiddos account unless you quickly go delete your payment info. Something to remember the next time your little gremlins runs into the room and pesters you for more credit to keep building up his army.

Google 101: Setting up a new Google Account

Google Play, Chromebooks, Gmail ... all these wonderful services start with (and require) a Google Account. And whether you're setting up a professional account to help field headhunters and job offers, or finally offloading one of your tweens to their own account, setting up a Google account is simple and quick, but there are a few tricks to it.

Let's open the door to the wonderful world of Google.

Here is a quick link to the account creation page. As with an account in most places, Google needs some information in order to put a name to the account and so on. Giving the account name, desired Gmail address, password, and your current email — you need a current email of some sort from somebody in order to create a Google Account so there's a backup email to send information if you forget your new login — are all pretty standard. The age restrictions are where things can start to get a little tricky for some users

Google is required to ask you for your age because in certain countries and for certain products, minors of a certain age cannot use them. In the most countries, including the United States, you cannot have a Google account honestly unless you are at least 13 years of age. There are, however, a few countries with higher limits. Spain and South Korea both set the age requirement at 14, while kids in the Netherlands cannot legally obtain an account until they are 16 years old. If you give an age that indicates you're too young to hold an account, that account will be disabled.

There is also an age requirement of 18 for AdSense, AdWords, mature content on YouTube, and on Google Wallet — though your little tykes can still use Google Play gift cards in order to buy movies and games. There are whispers and rumors that there will be managed accounts for children are in the works at Google, but due to the constraints of laws like COPPA — the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which limits the kinds of information and tracking companies can collect for users under 13 — that make take a while and the results may still be unsatisfactory.

There's also another small bump that may occur for some users: you have to have a working phone number. Each Google Account is tied to a phone number, and only so many accounts can be tied to the same phone number so as to help cut down on abuse. A mobile number is preferable, but you need at least a landline in order to verify your Google Account.

You can select a voice call or an SMS message, then put in the code they send and you're on your way. Get used to doing this if you are going to protect your new Google Account and its data by enabling two-step authentication, which we strongly suggest you do.

And there you have it! Once you're in, you're encouraged to set up your Google+ profile right away — and we suggest you do that, even if you're not going to use Google+ itself. Google Accounts may seem simple, but setting them up for children — or setting them up without any previous digital presence — can get a little sticky.

How to adjust video auto-play settings in the Facebook app

Facebook changes a lot of things on us automatically, whether it's on the web or on your phone, and one of the more annoying "features" turned on automatically is auto-play videos. From Facebook's perspective auto-play videos seem great — videos are loaded in the background so they play instantly, and as you scroll through your timeline they catch your eye since they're playing without your interaction.

What's best for Facebook may not be best for how you use the service, though, so we're going to show you how to turn off auto-play videos in the Facebook app. Read along and find out how — it only takes a few taps.

Just like most Facebook features, the ability to manage your video auto-play settings is quite buried in the app but simple once you get there. Tap or swipe over to the app menu by hitting the menu button, which is in the top right corner of the Facebook app, then scroll down and tap App Settings. Once in the App Settings, you'll want to scroll down until you find Video Auto-play and tap it.

Chances are by default the app has set auto-play video to "on," which will let the app download videos in the background when it sees fit so they're ready to go whenever you open the app (note: sound does not automatically play with the video until tapped). This causes higher data usage from the Facebook app, and we wouldn't recommend leaving this setting on. You can go all the way to "off" so videos are never downloaded ahead of time nor do they play in your timeline as you scroll by — also a good option. The healthy middle ground is "Wifi only," which as it sounds will only download videos in the background while on Wifi, meaning there will be no hit to your mobile data. Once downloaded videos will still play automatically in the timeline, but at least you aren't wasting mobile data on videos you'll never watch.

There's just that one simple setting to toggle, but it can make a world of difference in terms of how the Facebook app acts on your phone. You can always toggle between the three options as you see fit, but knowing where they are and how to use it is the important part.

What is a Motorola ID?

It seems that every time you set up a phone, the manufacturer wants you to not only log into Google, but register for their own system. Acer ID, Samsung account, LG Account — and Motorola ID, which we're prompted for on our lovely Moto X or Moto G.

So, just was is this Motorola ID used for, and do you really need to use it?

Let's find out together.

Before you get the wires crossed, Motorola ID isn't just for the suite of Motorola apps, except for Motorola Connect — Motorola's method for letting you see/respond to texts and calls on the computer — and Moto Help, which is essentially a portal to the support section of the Motorola website. And the website is where your Motorola ID is key, but you may not even really remember making one. See, for most people, your Motorola ID is your Google account, which makes logging in a little easier.

Actually, a Google account is preferred, hence that little blurb under the Motorola ID login about how you can log in with a Motorola ID and then link it up to Google. Apart from the usefulness on your Moto device, it's also handy on support sites, such as the Motorola forums, where you can get help from fellow owners and Motorola staff — and where you can participate in the Motorola Feedback Network, which provides soak tests.

On your Moto X

On your Moto X, shortly after you initially set up the phone, you'll be asked in one of several staggered notifications about enabling features if you'd like to turn on the native anti-theft guards. These duplicate Android Device Manager in a lot of ways (most ways, actually), but unlike Android Device Manager, which won't prompt you for administrator access so it can wipe itself if you're ever mugged, Motorola asks for this up front so you're prepared.

Moto Help also uses your Motorola ID to help speed things along when you need to chat about what's wrong with your phone. As someone who's had to use this feature a fair bit, I can vouch for how nice it is to not have to answer 50 questions about who I am and where I am before I get down to what my problem actually is.

The last main app to use your Motorola ID is Moto Connect, which uses the Motorola ID in order to connect your phone and computer together and allow you access to your phone even when it's not right in front of you. Moto Connect will allow you to answer texts while working without switching screens every 30 seconds. It may not seem like much, but anything that helps cut down on eye strain is a blessing in my book.

On future devices

Motorola ID doesn't do too terribly much right now — though what it does is quite important — and considering most Motorola IDs are Google Accounts, we wish that there were a little more that they did. I, for instance, have been through three Moto X 2013s and am currently on a Moto X 2014, and with each device, I have to wait for it to re-learn my patterns in Moto Assist for Driving and the like. If Motorola ID were able to transfer this data, or at least part of it (the Bluetooth devices that are recognized as vehicles in Driving), I'd be a very happy camper.

So, when you get popped the question of logging in with your Motorola ID, don't panic. It's nothing invasive, and your login information is closer than you think. Is there anything else you wish it was used for? Or do you think Motorola ID has gone far enough?

So you just got a new Android smartphone ...

So, you just got a new Android smartphone — that's pretty exciting! But once the initial awe of this new gadget wears off, you realize you actually need to use that phone. For those of us who read (and write for) Android Central regularly a new phone isn't such a big deal, but if you've just received your firstAndroid phone it can be a bit daunting.

But that's what we're here for — with a little research you'll have your new Android up and running, and you'll be a pro in no time at all. Read along with us and see the first things you need to do with your new phone.

Where to get started

• First thing's first — you'll need a Google Account to get started with your Android phone. If you have Gmail you have a Google Account already, and if not you can make one either online or when you first set up your phone. This single account unleashes the power of Google Play for apps, but also Gmail, YouTube and sync in Chrome.
• Just as important, let's talk about security. Set up Android Device Manager so you can keep your data safe if your phone is lost or stolen.
• Coming from an iPhone? You'll probably want to know how to get your iTunes music over onto Android.
• Once the music is on the device, check out our favorite music player apps.
• Don't care for the look of your phone's software? Consider a third-party launcher to customizethings a bit.
• You'll probably spend some time in Google Play grabbing some new apps. Check out our app reviews for information, read our weekly list of app picks every Sunday to see what we're all using and browse the app gallery for all of the apps we recommend.
• For further learning, read all of the basic help and how-to posts we've written on our main How To page.