Top 10 Android Tips you should know about

[megasoft78]

1) Move apps to SD card

Most of our Android devices has SD Card support and it’s a good idea to move our apps to it and keep Internal Storage free.
You need to consider that some apps like widgets can’t be moved to SD Card for technical reasons.
You can move an app to SD Card by going to Settings => Applications then select the app and click on Move to SD Card button.

If the device doesn’t support this feature you can try this app available on Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.a0soft.gphone.app2sd

2) Clear default apps

How often do you set a new app as default for a particular action?
If we want to choose a new app to take the role of the old one, we need to follow a simple procedure.
You need to go do Settings => Applications then select the app and click on Clear defaults.

Eventually you can use this app to manage your defaults:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appiator.defaultappmanager

3) Reboot Android in safe mode (Jelly Bean only)

This is a new feature available in Android that will let you run the OS without all the 3rd party apps.
You can use this mode to uninstall apps that give you instability problems to your Android device.
You need to Long press Power button and when the menu will show you Long tap on Reboot or Power Off menu.
It will confirm to reboot into safe mode.

4) Customize Unlock screen

You can customize how you unlock your screen. There are different way to unlock your screen.
You can unlock using Slide, Pattern, Face Unlock (Jelly Bean only), PIN and Password.
To configure it you just need to go to Settings => Security => Screen lock and choose the method you like.

5) One tap direct dial

You can setup a shortcut on your home screen to call directly a contact with a single tap.

• Android 4.0 or later : Tap on app drawer and select Widgets tab. Search for Direct Dial widget and long tap on it. It will let you move that widget where you want on the Home screen. After you position it you’ll select the contact from the contact list.

• Previous Android versions : you need to long tapping on an empty space of your Home Screen, select Shortcuts then Direct Dial. It will prompt contact list and you’ll select the contact you like.

For the rest of my tips, take a look at my list here:
Top 10 Android Tips you should know about | Tech Cookies

I hope you like it!

 

[divinebovine]

That tip about Greenify sounds like something I could use. Unfortunately it's not compatible with Gingerbread 2.3.5. I tried sideloading it with adb install but got "Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_OLDER_SDK]", and a search indicates that it probably won't work even if I hack it to install. Do you know of anything else that does the same thing?

 

[megasoft78]

Hi,
Do you have root permissions?
I don't know any way to do that without root permissions.
You can try a similar app called AppQuarantine.

Search it on Google Play.

 

[chanchan05]

1 and 10 only applies to low end phones and outdated ones. First of all, apps are slower when on the external SD, and second, you usually don't have that option on ICS and higher because the internal memory isn't partitioned between system and storage anymore.

Second, its better to let Android handle it's own processes in general instead of using apps like greenify.

 

[divinebovine]

Hi,
Do you have root permissions?
I don't know any way to do that without root permissions.
You can try a similar app called AppQuarantine.

Search it on Google Play.

Yes, I'm rooted.

The description for Greenify made it sound like you run your apps the same way but when you're not using them they are effectively frozen. The description of AppQuarantine sounds like you just get to freeze/un-freeze apps using a widget...that's not as attractive.

 

[funkylogik]

Greenify is actually good if you get a lot of wakelocks from fb etc. It does use battery though so maybe only worth it if you greenify a few apps :thumbup:
As far as i know though its unique mate

 

[DragonSlayer95]

I actually didn't know about the safe mode. Neat, learn something new everyday.

 

[Thom]

I've had my Jelly Bean Bionic in Safe Mode now for 4 hours and it is still at 90%.

... Thom

 

[funkylogik]

Safe Mode has rescued me a good few times lol
P.s, safe mode from power off on the s3 is power then keep tapping Menu until it boots :thumbup:

 

[AndroidFan911]

Thxs for the 10 tips. These are really very helpful.

 

[phonebuddy]

Awesome!! I do!! I like it a lot!!!
Thank You!!!

Well I can't top that, but I feel like my enthusiasm is just as high, hahaha. Thanks a lot, I enjoyed those. Added to my favorites/bookmarks :adore:

 

[megasoft78]

Thank you guys!
I want to create some articles explaining all the basics about Android. I mean something for newbie to understand the power of Android : custom launchers, keyboards, widgets, etc.
What do you think about that?

 

[Slug]

I want to create some articles explaining all the basics about Android. [...]
What do you think about that?

Android Forums always welcomes contributions from members, so long as at least a summary is posted on the site. We're not keen on links simply pointing to other sites though, for obvious reasons.

 

[phonebuddy]

Thank you guys!
I want to create some articles explaining all the basics about Android. I mean something for newbie to understand the power of Android : custom launchers, keyboards, widgets, etc.
What do you think about that?

I think that would be really cool. As far as Android phones go, I only know hardware things. For people like me, knowing more about software would be really cool. Thinking about how the average person uses their phone, no one thinks about how to customize things like launchers and keyboards. The average user is trying to figure out how to change the keyboard's language from French to English when they accidentally change it (been there).

Go for it! More knowledge makes the world a better place :beer:

 

[jhawkkw]

The customize lockscreen options has an incorrect point. Face Unlock was introduced in ICS, not JB. So device that have a front camera with ICS should have it unless their OEM or carrier removed it.

 

[funkylogik]

Yeah it was launched with the gnex i think :thumbup:

 

[megasoft78]

I think that would be really cool. As far as Android phones go, I only know hardware things. For people like me, knowing more about software would be really cool. Thinking about how the average person uses their phone, no one thinks about how to customize things like launchers and keyboards. The average user is trying to figure out how to change the keyboard's language from French to English when they accidentally change it (been there).

Go for it! More knowledge makes the world a better place :beer:

Good I'll do it then.

 

[megasoft78]

The customize lockscreen options has an incorrect point. Face Unlock was introduced in ICS, not JB. So device that have a front camera with ICS should have it unless their OEM or carrier removed it.

Thank you! I'll change it today.

 

[teddyearp]

There's already a thousand android guide and tips blogs out there. May as well have another.

Edit: More like 524,000,000:

android tips - Google Search=

 

[megasoft78]

There's already a thousand android guide and tips blogs out there. May as well have another.

Edit: More like 524,000,000:

android tips - Google Search=

Yes that's true but why should it be a problem?

If we follow your point of view no one will ever do anything because already exists another website with similar content.

People will decide what they like to follow.

What do you think?

 

[funkylogik]

Oops i thanked the guy without realising he was being narky lol
Ive never understood people who take the time to comment on a thread they dont like...

 

[megasoft78]

Oops i thanked the guy without realising he was being narky lol
Ive never understood people who take the time to comment on a thread they dont like...

I'm not narky but I prefer people trying to be costruttive!

 

[teddyearp]

Didn't mean to be snarky, but I agree with Slug. If you have some good tips, go ahead and post them here and if people have more question, then link them to your blog maybe in your sig.

I don't mean to discrouage you, that's what I used to do when my server was up. I had a boatload of guides there, but usually replied with info here and then for more info referred to my guides.

My guides were borrowed from info all over the web including this site which I admitted to in them. These days, everyone is borrowing from everyone else, but to say you came up with it yourself is . . . . I am at a loss for the words.

 

[funkylogik]

Android, both the community and development should be how the best modern electronic music is.. noone owns anything, its a melting pot that gets used and evolves, people share the knowledge, no pointles ego. So someone passing on information that others have learned from shouldnt have to state their sources lol... imagine telling someone how to open a door then having to tell them how you knew that :screwy: