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A guide to Google Play

Google Play is your entertainment hub, a one-stop shop for all the entertainment you need. There are over 450,000 apps, games and widgets, millions of books and thousands of movies.

And it's not just confined to just your smartphone either; you can access it from the web, from your Android tablet or even your TV, and all your content is instantly available across all your devices.
 Android market

Accessing Google Play.

To access the Google Play Store just tap the Play Store icon with a multi-coloured triangle logo on your home screen. The first time you visit the app store you'll need to log into your Google account or create a new one, but once you're set up there's no need to keep entering your details.

Most Android apps and games are free but you can also purchase paid apps with a one off payment via Google checkout. If you decide not to keep a paid app you can just uninstall it within 24 hours of purchase for a full refund. Most movies are on a paid rental basis, but there are a huge number of free books that can be downloaded from Google Play.

Are my books and movies only on my phone?

No! This is one of the great features of Google Play. If you get a book on your Android phone, you can read it on the web at play.google.com. Pick up a new album on your Android tablet and you can listen to it on your desktop at work.

If you rent a movie online through your computer, you can watch it anywhere on your phone. Google Play uses something called a cloud. It means you can read, listen and watch all your favourite content anywhere you want. There is no software required and no wires or syncing needed, and the best part - the cloud is free to use.

Share comments and your favourite content.

On Google Play sharing your favourite entertainment is easy. You can share posts about your favourite books, music, movies, games or apps to your friends on Google+, email, or text message in a single click. Easy!

Play Store.

Race to the finish line. Score a goal. Buy stocks. Read the news. Buy movie tickets. Update your status. There's an app for everyone and everything. You can personalise your phone with live wallpapers, ringtones, and widgets. There are over 450,000 Android apps and games to turn your phone into a true mobile entertainment system, organiser and portable computer all wrapped in one.

You can also get your favourite app anywhere. Let's say you just found a new app on the web and can't wait to get it. Install it from Google Play on the web without ever touching your smartphone or tablet. Choose a device and the app will be delivered to it - instantly.

Play Books.

Google Play lets you shop for over 4 million books, including millions of free titles. You can even sample books for free to see if they're what you want.

All your books will be stored and synced on the Google Play cloud, automatically. This means you can start reading on your tablet, continue on the web at play.google.com, and finish that chapter on your phone. You'll pick up the story just where you left off, always on the right page. Of course, you can still read offline, but syncing can only take place online.

To read and manage your books on your phone, just download the free Google Play Books app. It also lets you easily switch between day or night mode, view in landscape or portrait, choose your font, text size, line height, and customise to your heart's content.

Play Movies.

Google Play also lets you search an incredible selection of thousands of movies including HD titles, new releases, award-winning films and your favourite classics.

You can rent movies and watch them instantly on the web or on your phone, or download your movie for offline viewing. In fact, you can watch Google Play movies anywhere, on or offline. You can watch on any web-connected PC at play.google.com/movies, or on your phone or tablet. It makes it easier to manage and watch your movies if you download the free Google Play Movies app, but you can watch movies straight from the Play Store too.

Play Music.

You may have heard about Google Play Music. Currently this is service is only available in the US.

Help using Google Play.

For any help with Google Play, like how to read books offline on your computer, just go to the Google Play help page.