10 Tips and Tricks for Android

#1 Secure your Android

Would you like to be sure that no one is going to mess with your phone? Secure it with a numeric PIN, a password, or even with a pattern. I like the pattern option the most because it is visual, fast and more fun.

In order to secure your phone with one of these options, go to Applications => Settings => Location and security =>Change screen lock.
Then simply choose the option you want.

This Android tip is really useful, as security is important. Make sure you try the Pattern option. Really fun.


#2 Multitasking

Android is a very powerful Operating System. One of its main features is the ability to multitask, or in other words, run multiple applications at the same time.

For example, if you have an application such as a web browser opened up, and you are writing an email and would like to quickly check your SMS messages without turnhng the browser off, all you have to do is click the home button. The browser will not be closed (to close an app in Android you have to hold the back button) but will simply be minimized and continue to run in the background. Now you can use any other programs. Once you want to go back to the application you have minimized or have recently used, just hold the home button for 2 seconds and a box will come up asking you which app you would like to open up. This is really useful.

Remember that you can run many applications at the same time.

#3 Quick search

Android's user interface is relatively easy and fast to navigate, however, there is a way to open apps and contacts faster then having to navigate up a huge hierarchy of levels until you find what you are looking for.

When you are at the home screen, just hold the menu key for a few seconds and a window with Google local search will come up. Whats good about this search app is that as you are typing, the app will do real time updating, hence in most cases you will only need to start typing a few letters and the app, contact or setting that you want will come up.

So, for example you want to open up the Photoshop Express app. You could hold the menu button (left button), and when the search app opens up, you could start typing "Photoshop" or "Express". After typing a few letters of any of these words, Photoshop Express would come up in the search results.

You can also use this search app to search for stuff online.

#4 Voice commands

One of the more interesting features of Android is voice commands. You can basically tell your phone to do all kinds of stuff ranging from initiating a phone call to playing a song or sending a text message using voice.

To start a voice command, you need to once again hold the menu key for two seconds, just like in Tip #3. This brings up the search app. Now, click on the little microphone icon near the search bar to activate voice commands and say a command. Here are some examples:

In order to call John B mobile number (remember that each Contact in Android can have multiple numbers assigned to different places, like home, work or mobile, so you got to specify that too) you would have to say "call John B mobile".
To send a text message "I am not coming tonight. I am busy reading a lens about Android tips and tricks." to George, you would have to say "send text to George I am not coming tonight. I am busy reading a lens about Android tips and tricks".
To open up a song "Under The Bridge", you would have to say "Listen to Under The Bridge".
To load a map of London, you would have to say "map London".
To open a website www.squidoo.com you would have to say "go to squidoo".

There are other commands too, but these are the most common ones. Also, remember that this will get your voice in a wrong way in many cases. After some practice, it will get easy.


#5 Take a screenshot 

This is a cool one. I have used this just a moment ago to take the image you saw at tip number 3.

To take a screenshot, all you have to do is hold the home button and then quickly press and release the screen lock button and later release the home button too. It is important to release the screen lock button first. Note that this does not work on some versions of android.
If you have a new Android device, it should work fine.

The image is saved to the memory.

#6 Locate your phone if lost or stolen 

This is a lifesaver. Just imagine how nice it would be if you could remotely locate and track your Android phone if it gets lost or stolen. There is an app to do it. As if that would not be enough, imagine if you could install that app AFTER your phone goes missing. Well, Plan B is the first mobile app that does just that, and yes, it is completely free. You can install it remotely using the Android Market remote installation feature.

If you have not yet lost your precious Android phone, instead of Plan B, you can use LocateMyDroid app which is actually free, or the more advanced but paid alternative, iHound (paid).

All three apps are great.

#7 Disable everything you don't need

This is a very important tip. Always disable WiFi, GPS, 3G and Bluetooth if you are not using it. Why? Because all these features use a lot of energy and hence will use up your battery fast. Smartphones already have a bad battery life and by leaving those on you will just make it worse.

So, how to disable or enable them? Well, you can either go to the settings or just add a Power Savings widget to the home screen.
The home screen widget option is better as it will save you time. To add the widget, imply tap and hold on any empty area in the home screen, and when a menu comes up choose Widgets. Then navigate to Power Savings widget and tap-and-drag it to the empty area on the home screen. This will add a widget which you can use to quickly manage the power options for different features.

For 3G network, you might need to go to Applications => Settings => Wireless and Network =>Mobile Networks. Here you will be able to turn on or off the 3G network data, by checking "Use Packet Data" on or off.

#8 Kill the apps you dont use to save energy

(This tip is similar to number 7, but #7 talks about disabling hardware features, and this talks about disabling software programs).

The more apps are running the harder the processor works, and hence the more battery power is used up. You should close the unnecessary applications in Android by using a task killer or a task manager.

You can also use this to close applications that are stuck or not functioning.

Some of the best free options are the Advanced Task Manager and the Task Killer. You can get both of these by searching for the titles in the Android Market app in your phone.

Once you install any of them, simply open it up and choose the apps you are not using. Just make sure that you don' accidentally kill something useful.

#9 Turn your Android phone into a WiFi hotspot

You can share your internet connectivity with other devices such as other phones or laptops through your Android phone. Technically, it is known as Tethering. (Note that this only works on phones with Android 2.2 or later.)

To enable tethering, first make sure that you are connected to internet on your phone.
Then, go to Applications => Settings => Wireless and Network => Tethering and Portable Hotspot. In some Android versions you will find this option directly in the Settings menu.

Now, click on "Portable WiFi Hotspot Settings" button, and then "Configure portable WiFi hotspot". Now you have an option to set the name for your hotspot, and set the security setting. I recommend using the WPA2 PSK option for Security, as it will ask you to set up a password without which no one will be able to access the internet through your phone. Once you have configured the settings, go back to the previous menu, and enable the Portable WiFi hotspot.

Now, people will be able to connect to your hotspot and use your internet, as long as they have the password that you have set up. Your phone will act just like an ordinary hotspot.

#10 Solve sudoku puzzles in 20 seconds

OK, this one is more of a trick than a tip. With a wonderful optical recognition app called Google Goggles, you can solve a Sudoku puzzle in just a few seconds.

Well, actually you just have to take a picture of the puzzle and the application will do the solving.
Google Goggles can do a lot of other tasks such as translate the text that it recognizes in a picture in to any other language, or recognize various logos and products.

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Best 5 Android Tablet PC

1. Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime

The first quad-core Tegra 3 tablet smashes its way to the top of our list

The original Asus Eee Pad Transformer is still one of the best Android tablets around, but the Prime is the best of them all.

It's one step better than its predecessor in every respect, and is the first tablet to launch with Nvidia's quad-core Tegra 3 CPU which adds super-powers and increased power efficiency.

Playing 1080p videos is no longer a problem, with high-res clips playing on the Prime's albeit sub-1080p display smoothly and without issue. It's also the thinnest tablet we've yet seen, and comes with a gorgeous keyboard dock which adds an additional 8-hours of battery life to tablet unit's 9-hours.

It's the best Android tablet yet launched, and it'll be unleashed on the UK in January in one single 32GB flavour with keyboard dock and a £499 price tag.

2. Asus Eee Pad Slider

Best Android tablet for: doing things a little differently

The Apple iPad 2 is the daddy. It doesn't matter what the arguments for Android are, the fact is that the iPad is still just about the best out-and-out tablet out there. And that's why the Slider is such a compelling option - it's not a straight iPad-competitor, it offers something different. The slide-out keyboard offers flexibility and functionality not on offer elsewhere.

It's a different prospect to the Transformer Prime above in that it cannot be disconnected from its keyboard, nor does it pack the Tegra 3 innards.

But what it does do is make it easier to work on the train, type emails and documents with the convenience of not needing a dock or peripheral. What's more, the screen is the best we've seen on a 10-inch Android tablet, and it's also the most responsive. It's not for everyone, but it's currently one of the very best tablet for showing off everything that Android can do.

3. Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9

Best Android tablet for: portability and power

In at number three is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 - and it's a funny little thing. It's essentially the same as its older brother, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, but with an 8.9-inch screen. It's slightly thinner and lighter, and consequently more convenient for anyone wanting to stuff it in a bag.

Apart from these physical attributes, the internal components are basically the sale. So you get the same slick performance and overall tablet experience. We've put this above the 10.1 because of the increased convenience owed to its slightly smaller size, but that shouldn't put you off going for the 10.1 if you're after a bigger screen.

4. Asus Eee Pad Transformer

Best Android tablet PC for: replacing your netbook

We love the Asus Eee Pad Transformer. It's been around for a while now, and in our opinion, it's still one of the most compelling Android tablets available. Not only is it powerful and well featured, it's designed to work with a keyboard dock which turns it into a fully-fledged Android-powered netbook.

The fact is that Android as an OS is still lagging behind iOS in terms of tablet usability, so products need a USP. And on that score, this is the tablet that changed the game.

So with the release of the Transformer Prime, you may well find this tablet at discounted prices. And thus could be had for a bargain if you search hard enough.

5. Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

Best Android tablet for: the out-and-out tablet experience

While the Transformer and Slider offer something a little different at an unbeatable price, our number 5 -the Galaxy Tab 10.1 - offers a direct alternative to Apple's iPad 2. Sporting the Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, it's both marginally thinner and lighter than the iPad 2. This was some achievement, especially when you consider the fuss Apple made about how thin and light the iPad 2 was on launch.

But it has since been beaten on this front by its little 8.9-inch sibling and of course the Transformer Prime.

If you want an iPad-like tablet that's not an iPad, this is the one. The prices are the same as the iPad 2, so it's a straight shoot-out on features...

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Best 5 Android Phone

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx

The good: Despite a beefed-up battery, the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx has a slim, attractive, and durable design with the same gorgeous display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and fast Verizon 4G/LTE data speeds as its predecessor. It retains powerful multimedia chops and tight security features.

The bad: For such an advanced smartphone, the vague promise of a future Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is disappointing. Also, while a stronger battery is great, it's still not user-removable. People with small hands will find it hard to wrap around the phone's wide frame, and the 8-megapixel camera is unimpressive.

The bottom line: The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx proves that a powerful Android superphone can remain thin yet still promise marathon-worthy battery life. If you can live without Ice Cream Sandwich and have big hands, the Maxx is extremely compelling.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The good: The Samsung Galaxy Nexus marries the power of the Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS with the speed of Verizon's LTE network. The phone's beautiful screen and internal performance are top-notch.

The bad: The Galaxy Nexus lacks a slot for expandable memory, and the 5-megapixel camera isn't Samsung's best. There's no support for Google Wallet, and several Ice Cream Sandwich features take some getting used to.

The bottom line: As the first U.S. phone with Ice Cream Sandwich, Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Nexus takes a coveted, solitary step forward. However, once other premium handsets receive the updated Android OS, the Galaxy Nexus will lose some of its competitive edge.

Samsung Galaxy S II

The good: The Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket has a beautiful 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display along with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, an NFC chip, and support for AT&T's LTE network. It ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and has an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.

The bad: AT&T's LTE network is only available in a few cities at the time of the Skyrocket's launch, it has a somewhat cheap, plastic feel, and you can't remove bloatware.

The bottom line: If you live in an area that gets AT&T's LTE network, we highly recommend the powerful and beautiful Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket.

LG Nitro HD

The good: The LG Nitro HD has a stunning 4.5-inch HD display, 1080p HD video, an 8-megapixel camera, and support for 4G LTE. There's a 1.3-megapixel camera for video chats.

The bad: There's a pronounced camera shutter lag on the Nitro HD, and the battery drained faster than it should have.

The bottom line: With its gorgeous display, high-def everything, and 4G speeds, the LG Nitro HD has what it takes to compete; however, a few flaws keep it from trampling the competition.

Motorola Droid 4

The good: Motorola's Droid 4 shows that a dual-core, 4G LTE Android slider phone with a QWERTY keyboard is possible. With fast data speeds and a great typing experience, the phone also serves up pleasing call quality over Verizon's network.

The bad: By bartering its powerful components and swift data radio for a chassis of considerable size and heft, the Droid 4 proves that life is all about making trade-offs. It lacks the latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, and its LCD screen lacks the oomph of AMOLED.

The bottom line: Melding an excellent keyboard, swift LTE data, and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor into one Android device, the Motorola Droid 4 is long overdue. Fans of the first Motorola Droid will find plenty to smile about here, but those who aren't married to a QWERTY keyboard may not enjoy carrying around such a massive phone.

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15 Best Free Android Apps

1. Seesmic

There are many Twitter apps on Android - and Twitter itself shook up the scene with the launch of its own-brand app recently - but we're sticking with Seesmic. Offering support for multiple accounts, a home page widget showing latest tweets and an incredibly slick and professional design, it's one of the finest examples of app development out there today.

2. Facebook for Android

Facebook for Android is lacking in features compared to Facebook itself, but a recent update added Inbox support to the Android app, finally allowing its users to communicate in almost real time. The app's fast and stable, with a simplicity that reminds you of the old days when using Facebook used to be bearable.

3. ASTRO File Manager

ASTRO is nothing more than a Windows-style file explorer, but if you're into tinkering and directly installing Android APK files yourself, it's essential to stick something like this on your phone. It makes your phone feel like a computer, and makes you feel like you're in charge of it.

4. UK Jobs

Hey, times are hard and you've got to pay for your oppressive monthly mobile phone contract somehow. Offering a fully searchable database of current UK job vacancies, UK Jobs, which pulls in its data from independent employment site 1job.co.uk is, a slightly cumbersome but useful and non-governmental tool.


5. Hotmail

Microsoft has teamed up with developer SEVEN to offer an official Hotmail app for Android, which gives users a simple, clean interface, push notification support and even lets you manage multiple Hotmail accounts from within the app. If your email needs haven't yet been assimilated by Google, it's a useful option.


6. Google Sky Map

A stunning app that renders Patrick Moore obsolete, by using your phone's orientation tools to give you an accurate representation of the stars and planets on your screen. Point your phone at the sky, then learn what constellations are visible and if that's a UFO or just Venus. Google Sky Map even works indoors, if you're not keen on getting cold.

7. Layar

The stunning augmented reality app Layar has recently gone commercial, adding an online shop that allows users to buy AR content such as travel guides, local house price apps and much more. But you're still able to use the numerous free Layers to pop data up over real-world locations, delivering a satisfying futuristic experience.


8. Foursquare

The social media darling Foursquare is represented in fine form on Android, with the Google app offering easy one-click check-ins, integrated Google Maps for a seamless Google-branded experience and home page shortcut options to all your favourite places.

9. WordPress for Android

WordPress for Android started out as independent creation wpToGo, before WordPress decided it liked it so much it bought it up - hiring the maker to develop it in-house. It's very feature-packed, with the latest version offering full integration with other apps, letting you spin content and send it directly to the app for easy updating. It could do with more image insertion tools, though.


10. Google Goggles

A bit of a novelty, in that Google Goggles lets you take photos and have Google analyse them and come back with a search results page for what it thinks you're looking at. However, the app's main use is as a QR code reader, which lets you scan barcodes for quick access to apps and whatever data people choose to embed in the odd little data squares.


11. Winamp

Yes, the same Winamp from a decade ago. It's had an Android app for some time, with recent updates adding support for iTunes, Mac syncing, plenty of music streaming options, new release lists and Shoutcast integration for radio support. It's a fine, free media player.


12. Samsung ChatOn

There are plenty of messaging tools on Android, but Samsung's beats many of them by offering multi-platform support - with clients even available for older Samsung non-smart feature phones. It could be the ideal way to keep in touch with an out of touch relative. More "with it" users will be able to use its drawing, image sharing and social networking features.

13. Skyfire 3.0

The USP of the Skyfire browser is that it supports Flash content, popping up a little window when it detects an embedded YouTube video or something similar. The actual Flash business is handled by Skyfire's server, which does all the computery stuff, then sends the file to your handset. A bit clunky on slower Android phones, but it works like a dream on models with faster processors.Despite the arrival of Flash with Android 2.2, this is still relevant for those on phones and Android versions not able to support Adobe's Flash Player.


14. BBC News

While the BBC's Android iPlayer app is a bit on the disappointing side, the corporation's BBC News app is much more refined. There's a stylish grid-based front page, plus you're able to swipe from left to right to switch between stories in your chosen specialist category. A recent update also added a couple of Home screen widgets, too, plus the ability to submit your own news tips, as if the BBC was a small blog clamouring for content.


15. RAC Traffic

An official production of the motoring organisation, RAC Traffic is dead simple - it guesstimates your location via the mobile signal, then pops up the current traffic alerts for your area. It's much better than having to listen to the radio for the odd update about arterial blockages.

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How to Update Android Operating System?

1.       First of all Press the “Home” button of your android smart phone.

2.       Then select “Settings.”

3.       Now select “About Phone” by scrolling down

4.       Now Tap on “System Updates”. As soon as you go for System updates your android phone will check any new software. If there’s no new software updated then you will see a message your phone is “Up to Date.”

5.       If there is any new software update for your android smart phone then press “Install Now”. The update will download and your phone will restart.

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Android Phone Buying Guide

Even if you have only a passing interest in the world of mobile phones, chances are you've heard of Android. In terms of raw statistics, it's the world's biggest smart phone operating system, with almost 50 per cent of the market. A staggering 100 million Android devices have been activated since it was launched in 2008.

 This meteoric rise has put Google's mobile OS at the forefront of the industry, and if you walk into your average high street phone shop, a high proportion of the mobiles available will be powered by Android software.

 Such dominance is welcome news for Google and its merry band of manufacturers, but it can be intimidatingly complex for a novide. If you want to know more about the software, watch our handy video guide. For more information on what these phones are capable of, and which you might want to buy, read on.

Choice is everything

 Unlike the iPhone -- which is produced by Apple and refreshed with a new model every year or so -- Android is available across a multitude of different handsets, produced by many different manufacturers. The list reads like a Who's Who of the mobile tech world, with Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, HTC, Huawei, Acer, ZTE and Alcatel all using the popular OS in their phones. This is the excellent HTC Sensation.

 

 What this means for you is a greater degree of choice. The very best Android phones -- such as the Samsung Galaxy S2 -- compete technologically with the iPhone and cost around £500.

At the lower end of the scale, Android-powered devices are increasingly popping up for pocket-money prices. The tiny-but-powerful HTC Wildfire S is yours for just £200, while the slow and basic Vodafone Smart is an unbelievably cheap £60. The end result is that whatever your budget happens to be, there's almost certain to be an Android phone for you.

Versions                                                                                                                                   

 As is the case with any piece of software, Android is constantly evolving and improving. Since its inception in 2008 there have been eight main releases, each adding more usability, functionality and power.

 The most up-to-date mobile edition of the OS is 2.3 -- also known as Gingerbread. That may sound like an odd codename, but Google is fond of naming Android versions after desserts and sweet snacks -- version 2.1 was known as Eclair, for example.

 Most handsets available on the market today are running 2.2 or 2.3. Although you'll actually notice very little difference between the two if you're a newcomer, a phone that's running Gingerbread is best. Not only does this mean you'll be able to enjoy the latest features, it also means your phone will be at the cutting edge for longer, and it also has a better chance of being updated when the next version (called Ice Cream Sandwich) is released.

The Google Cloud

 One of the great things about Android is the ability to sync your data 'in the cloud'. Once you've signed in with your free Google account (a requirement for all Android devices), all of your email, contacts and calendar appointments are automatically linked.

 This means you don't have the usual headache of transferring contacts from your previous phone, as Android keeps everything backed-up in the cloud.

 If you're a heavy email user, things are even more exciting. All of your Googlemail content is available at the touch of a button, so if you need to find an email you sent three months or three years ago, it's available via your phone. Googlemail also remembers all of the email addresses you've contacted, giving you a massive address book at your fingertips.

Apps

 Android offers access to over 200,000 different games and apps via its Android Market, which is accessible on every Android phone. You can download useful programs, amazing 3D games and time-saving 'widgets' -- many of which are available free of charge. Those which require payment can be purchased using your Google account, to which you can link a credit card.

 Widgets are a unique feature of Android. These are 'live' items that can be placed on your phone's home screen to allow instant access to certain functions or up to the minute data on stuff like the weather, your Twitter feed or the latest news and sport headlines. This means you can see what's happening at a glance, without opening a specific app.

Picking the right processor

 Picking an Android phone is rather like buying a car. If your demands are light you'll be happy with a small vehicle with a modest engine, but if you want something that has both lightning speed and killer looks, you'll have to opt for an expensive sporty number.

 Budget Android phones use slightly slower, older processors in order to keep the overall cost down. Your average affordable device (such as the Orange San Francisco) will probably have a 600MHz CPU, while a mid-range handset could have anything from an 800MHz to a 1GHz chip.

 Moving up the scale, you enter into the territory of the dual-core monsters. Dual-core processors are super-fast and incredibly powerful, so if you're after the very best in performance, you'll want to ensure you have at least a 1.2GHz dual-core setup.

Storage space

 Thanks to the wonder of technological convergence, mobile phones are much more than just for making calls and sending text messages. The average handset is now capable of replacing your digital camera, camcorder and MP3 player.

 Android devices are no exception, and if you're looking to use your shiny new handset for more than just keeping in touch with distant relatives, you'll want to make sure you've got plenty of storage space.

 Most Android phones come with a small amount of internal application storage, but use microSD memory cards for things like videos, photos and music. It's becoming increasingly common for manufacturers to bundle a microSD card with each new device -- usually one of about 2GB to 4GB in size.

 There are exceptions, however. The Google Nexus S (pictured below) comes with 16GB of internal storage, but offers no way of augmenting that figure. On the other hand, the mighty Samsung Galaxy S2 has the same amount of storage but allows you to bolster it with microSD cards.

 If you intend to buy a larger microSD card for your phone, it's worth checking that the device is able to accept higher capacity variants. Most phones will happily accept cards of up to 32GB in size, but there are some exceptions, so be wary.

Interface

 Although the touchscreen interface is now commonplace on mobiles, Android offers a wide range of alternative options.

 There are many Android phones that have full Qwerty keyboards, such as the HTC Desire Z, for those of you who like to tap away on proper, physical buttons. At the other end of the scale, there's the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (above), which boasts a slide-out gamepad for the ultimate portable gaming experience.

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