Sheeraz Hacks Production We Hack For You: Android Tricks
Showing posts with label Android Tricks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Android Tricks. Show all posts

Thursday 23 October 2014

2 Easiest Method to Root Android Without PC/Computer

Easiest Way to Root Any Android Device Without Computer

Most of us have heard about Android rooting smartphones or phones. Even if the answer is negative or positive, it won’t matter, because by the time you finish reading this article, you would get well versed with android rooting. Developers employ various tricks from their sleeve to root android phones without computer.
But before you get to know on how to root android without PC, you have to define what android rooting is and how much effective it can be.
root android without pc and computer

What is Android Rooting?

Android is an OS (i.e. open source OS) where you won’t be having full or complete root access to perform various functions on your smartphone. Rooting is a procedure where one can cross over the limitations and get full access to the OS. Now this rooting would help one to get access to the root of the OS and even provide the basic ability to create global changes.

Advantages of Android Rooting:

  • One of the biggest advantages of rooting android devices without pc is having free and abundant internal memory. Yes! Individuals often struggle with low internal memory, but by rooting their phone, they can transfer any apps from the internal memory to the SD card.
  • In addition, you would be able to use the latest and current Android operating system. Simply by rooting your device, it would provide you with the option to set up any future and current operating system by just installing the custom and tailor-made ROM.
  • The most powerful and attractive benefit to root android without pc is the ability to customize ROM. There are thousands of custom and qualitative ROM which can help in doing various things right from speeding up the processing ability of your smartphone to modifying the entire options, looks and feel of the phone. Isn’t that great?
  • Another interesting advantage of rooting your smartphone is that you can run various special apps. You could easily install variety of apps which are compatible along with the rooted smartphones. For example, you could easily uninstall various apps after you have root accessed by simply using the uninstall option.

Disadvantage of Android Rooting:

  • One of the biggest disadvantages of rooting android smartphones without PC is that you could end up voiding the warranty of the phone. That is why some people avoid it. To root means getting your phone bricked. This is the most common disadvantage of using the rooting procedure.
  • No matter how much expert or best you are in using the best tutorial in rooting, there is no doubt that it is simply just a daunting task. So, in case if you pass out any step or flash the corrupt zip file, then you could end up with a broken or bricked smartphone.

Methods to Root Android Without PC or Computer

METHOD 1: Employing Framaroot to root android without computer

A framaroot is a normal one click app which can root all kinds of android devices or phones and that too without the use of computers. This particular app was basically developed by Alephzain who was from the XDA forums. With just a single click of this particular app, one could install SU binary and Superuser easily on the smartphone.
Framaroot currently supports smartphones who have Android version from 2 to 4.2. This is the fastest and easiest method to root without computer. All you have to do is just simply download the Framaroot app and then copy the downloaded file into the smartphone or device through the SD.
STEP 1: First step would be to download the particular Framaroot app to your PC or smartphone:Download Framaroot Application (Updated**)
STEP 2: Now in case you have downloaded the file to your computer, then you need to copy the APK file into the smartphone memory. In case if you have downloaded into the phone, make sure to move it to a specific folder.
STEP 3: Once that is done, then you need to install the Framaroot from the given apk file.
STEP 4: Here you need to select the ‘Install Superuser’ option which is present in the Framaroot.
framaroot app to root android without pc
STEP 5: Then you can select any of the given exploits which would appear in the applications.
STEP 6: Now you may have to wait and in case you see this message “Success, SU binary and Superuser installed”, it means that your rooted app is successfully installed and you would have to reboot the system in order to use it.
framaroot success root android without pc
MORE VIEW: All Android Tricks
But if you get a failed message, then there is another exploit method to root android without computer.

METHOD 2: Using Universal Androot to Root Android Devices Without PC

There are various ways to root android without computer but the regular methods can be quite complicated. Androot is simple app that could easily help in rooting the Android phone with the simple downloading and installing without the use of the PC.
STEP 1: First go to the Settings option of your Android Device and selects the Application option. Here you need to click the check box for Unknown source and save it.
STEP 2: Now download and install the app called Universal Androot
STEP 3: Once it is success, then you need to launch the app into your cell phone and click on the Root option. You must make sure that you select the right version of the Android cell phone.
Universal Androot to root android without pc
STEP 4: Your Android phone is now successfully Rooted.

How to check whether your Android phone is rooted or not?


android root checker app
Qd Tricks is not at all responsible for mistakes happened in while rooting you device”

2 Easiest Method to Root Android Without PC/Computer

How to Recover Deleted Files on Android – 4 Methods

RECOVERING DELETED FILES ANDROID

You have accidentally deleted your important files on Android Smartphone? Now, not to worry any more, we have the solution to recover deleted files on Android. Now you can easily get back your important data, contact details, important messages, notes, audio files, videos, graphics, wallpapers etc. that are lost accidentally or due to some error. We have the best data recovery software & app for android which can help you to easily recover deleted files on android device. Now you don’t need to worry about losing your important data and information from your android smartphone as you can easily get back everything by installing this selected best data recovery app & software for android.

4 METHODS TO RECOVER DELETED FILES ON ANDROID

Below are the 4 best methods to recover your lost or deleted data from your Android device:

METHOD NO.1: RECOVERY-ANDROID – DATA RECOVERY MACHINE FOR ANDROID


Recovery-Android is one of the best company provides various data recovery, rooting, backup and video converting applications for Android devices. Android data recovery app called Data Recovery Machine for Android developed by Recovery-Android is one of the most trusted and reliable app for recovering deleted files from Android smartphone and tablets. Main recovering areas are videos, messages, images, contacts and other files.

Follow the steps to know how to recover deleted files on android by Recovery-Android:

STEP 1: First of all you are required to download android data recovery software provided by Recovery-Android on your PC. After downloading the software file, you can easily install it like any other PC Software.
STEP 2: Start USB debugging mode in your Android device. Go to setting – application and click on Development. Now make sure that USB debugging mode is enables.
- See the below snapshot to get more idea about this step:
how-to-recover-deleted-files-on-android
STEP 3: Connect your android device with your PC with USB cable. Now, open the software of data recovery which you have installed previously in your PC.
STEP 4: Do wait for software to recognize your android device in the app. After detecting, click on green start button to start scanning the device. Now look at your android device, if it shows any pop ups for permission, click on ALLOW.
- See the below snapshot to get more idea about this step:
recover-deleted-files-on-android
STEP 5: Scanning process will take a couple of minute to scan your whole device, it’s depends on the storage of your android device. Once the software has completed its scanning process, you will see several files on your screen with red marked. These are the files which were deleted from your Android device. Now select those files which you would like to restore from device by marking the checkbox next to it and then click on RECOVER button.
That’s it! Recovery process will take some times, it’s depends upon the size of files. Now check your mobile, you have successfully recovered deleted files from android device.

METHOD NO.2: POTATOSHARE – ANDROID DATA RECOVERY


Potatoshare is one of the most trusted and reliable company provides professional software for Windows, iOS and apps from Android smartphone. They have been providing android data recovery software and speed up utilities since 2006. Potatoshare’s data recovery software easily recovers deleted files on android device.

Steps to know how to recover deleted files on android by Potatoshare’s software:

STEP 1: First of all download android data recovery software by Potatoshare and install it in your PC.
STEP 2: Enable USB debugging mode in your android device from your Android setting app.
STEP 3: Connect your android device with your PC via cable.
STEP 4: Now you can see two options in software:
  1. Scan contacts, call history and messages
  2. Scan photos, videos or other files
Now, if you want to recover contact, call history and messages – click on first option. And if you want to recover photos, videos or other files – click on second option. If you wish to recover all deleted files from android then click on both the options. Now click on START button.
See below snapshot to get more clear idea about it:
recovering-deleted-files-android
STEP 5: After clicking on start button, the software’s scanning process will begin. When scanning process gets done, you will see the deleted files with previews under different types of tabs. Select the files which you would like to restore on your Android device. Now click on Recover button, it will take couple of minutes to recover deleted file on your android device. When the recovery process is done, you can now able to see deleted files on your Android device.
recover-deleted-files-android

METHOD NO.3: YODOT RECOVERY FROM ANDROID


Yodot is the most trusted company name developing data recovery software for PCs and Android devices. Recovery from Android app developed by Yodot has a user friendly interface and lets you recover deleted files android. This software also provides the preview function from which you can see the preview of deleted videos, music and images. Aside from this you can also save the recovery session which you can use to recover additional files without rescanning your device again.

Follow the below steps to recover deleted files from Android:

STEP 1: First of all download Yodot recovery from android software and install it on your PC.
STEP 2: Enable USB debugging mode in your android device and connect it to your PC via micro USB cable.
STEP 3: Now open Yodot recovery from android app and select recovery option. There are two options: Deleted file recovery OR Lost file recovery.
See below snapshot to get more idea about it:
how-tos-recover-deleted-files-on-android-2014
STEP 4: Your device will now detected via software. Now select your Android device storage and click Next button.
See below snapshot to get more clear idea about this step:
recover-deleted-files-android-2014
STEP 5: Software will now scan your whole android device for deleted or lost files. Once scanning process is done, you will see your deleted file or lost files with different folders.
See below snapshot to get more clear idea about this step:
recover-deleted-files-on-android-2014
STEP 6: Select the files which you would like to recover on your android device. Now click on Next button, the recovery process will start. It will take couple of minutes to recover the lost data.
After recovering process is getting done, you will recover deleted files on android device.

METHOD NO.4: DUMPSTER – RECYCLE BIN (ANDROID DATA RECOVERY APP)


There is an app called Dumpster – Recycle bin in Google Play Store. This is one of the best data recovery android app which can recover deleted files from android device. You can find many apps in Google Play Store to recover lost files on android but Dumpster – Recycle bin does a pretty good job in this. Currently this app only supports recovering deleted photos, videos and documents. Message and contact recovering function is currently not available. This is app is used by millions of Android users and it works fine on most Android devices.

Follow below steps to know how to recover deleted files on android:

STEP 1: First of all download and install Dumpster – Recycle bin app in your android device.
STEP 2: Open the app and click on the refresh button at top of the app. It will start scanning your device for deleted and lost files. After refreshing process gets done, you can see your deleted files in the app.
See the below snapshot to get more clear idea about this step:
how-to-recover-deleted-files-from-android-2014
STEP 3: Long press on the file which you want to recover. You will see the pop up, click on preview button to see the files inside and click on restore button to restore it successfully in your android device.
See the below snapshot to get more clear idea about this step:
recovering-deleted-files-android-2014
STEP 4: That’s it! The file is now successfully restored on your android device. This app is very handy and easy to recover deleted files on Android device.
These are the most successful methods on how to recover deleted files on Android. If you find any difficulties or stuck on any step, comment below. We will provide full guidelines to recover your lost data from android device.
You can also share these methods with your friends by simply clicking on below social media buttons!

How to Recover Deleted Files on Android – 4 Methods

7 Ways to Make Android Run Faster

Tips to Make Android Faster

It can be a daunting task in pooling resources to purchase the latest smartphone. But the real picture comes out when you see that the much hyped speed and smooth performance is something of the distant past. Plus, the budget at which such phones come never show that how much stuttering and lag it is.
There are various methods to make Android faster and enhance its performance.
make android faster

7 Best Tricks to Make Android Run Faster:

1. BE UP TO DATE:

be up to date to make android fasterNowadays, it is common for most of the latest software to contain bug fixation and various improvised improvements, giving the Android devices the advantage of being faster. The software update does come with the Over The Air (OTA), making you eager to automatically install them. However, there is no harm in checking whether the update is installed or not. All you have to do is go to the ‘Setting’ option and click on the ‘About Device’ and then go to the option ‘Software Update’, and see for the updates. This will really make your android run faster.

2. CLEARING THE HOME SCREEN (Important to make android faster):

If you have chosen a live wallpaper, try replacing it with an interactive and active image. Plus you ought to remove the unwanted icons and try to reduce the available widgets to basic numbers. The less clutter a home screen is the faster and better its performance will be.

3. DISABLE AND UNINSTALL UNUSED APPLICATION:

make android run faster by disabling unused appsA simplest methods to make Android run faster is avoiding unwanted and unused apps that hog a huge amount of space of the system. To clear the unwanted apps you have to go to the ‘Settings’ options and choose the app and swipe the ‘All Tab’ option. Once it is done, then checks the list and selects the apps which you don’t want.
If you still have doubts, then you can go to the Google and check. The procedure to remove is quite simple and all you have to do is tap on the given app which you don’t want and select the ‘Uninstall’ option.

4. CLEAR CACHED APPLICATION DATA (Necessary to make android run faster):

clear cache data to make android run fasterYou can clear the cached application data, making it easy for you to load the apps quicker that indirectly make your android run faster. At times while downloading or browsing any kind of data, the cached data will automatically get installed. This is one of the important steps to make Android faster as clearing the cache data which help in avoiding the mobile being flaky. It is important that the cached data has to load fast but as time progress and the constant usage of it can lead to occupying of more space. You may even find cached data in those apps which you have stopped using. At times clearing the cached data will even help to remove the irritating flaky behavior.
To clear individual apps, first you need to go to ‘Settings’, and click on the ‘Apps’ and slide over the particular app which you want to clear. Then tap on the particular App and choose the option called ‘Clear Cache’.

5. AUTO SYNC TURN OFF TO MAKE ANDROID FASTER:

Android auto sync turn off to make android fasterAnother important step to make Android run faster is reducing or turning off the auto sync. It is common forAndroid users to add various kinds of accounts to their smartphone. This will lead to the data getting automatically synchronized in the background, and pull out the new data and updates. This kind of synchronization will lead to having a deeper impact on the performance of the phone and not to forget even the battery life.
You can switch off this feature by simply going to the Settings option present in the phone. There you will find the Auto-Sync option under the Account and you just need to turn it off. However, it could be harsh for certain people whose mobile functions depend on the usage of Auto-Sync. If you don’t want to turn off the synchronization feature, you could reduce the frequency of the synchronization and dispose those accounts which you don’t want.

6. FACTORY RESET:

Besides the above methods, you could resort to factory reset on periodic basis. By doing so, you can ensure that the device will be running and performing in best condition. This can be a good shortcut for cleaning the android device and removing the excessive junks that gets accumulated. However, before doing so, try to ensure that you take backup of the necessary files.

7.  OVERCLOCKING DEVICE

overclocking apps to make android fasterAnother aspect that you do is overclocking the device which can boost the speed of your android device. It is possible to see the variations in the performance of Android devices especially in terms of processor as some of the OEMs would limit the speed. This is done so that the heat can be reduced and the battery life can be extended. Installing a customized ROM can be beneficial and simplyrooting the android device is not going to automatically offer the required performance and improvements that you wish for. The same is with the custom ROM.
Basically, for certain devices which are no longer getting updated, custom ROM are the best means of getting the latest version of Android. With a certain amount of modifications you can customize the ROM, thereby getting some interesting tweaks.

Are the tricks to make Android faster good?

There is no doubt that the tricks incorporated to make Android run faster and efficient is quite advantageous. One of the tricks which involves in reducing and turning off the animations would make the Android snappier and interactive. For this you have to use the Developer option. Just go to the ‘Setting’ options, and scroll on the ‘System section’ for the build number. Then you need to tap on it for seven times and you would see the message.

Necessity of Android Tricks:

Nowadays, to get the full and efficient benefit of Android smartphone, you need to ensure that it has enough space and backup for storing various software and applications. It is quite worth if you clean and format the app once in while. Following the above given android tricks would not only boost the battery life but the life of the smartphone itself.
If you like our post “7 Ways to Make Android Run Faster”, you can share it with your friends. Click on your favorite social media button and share this android trick with all.

7 Ways to Make Android Run Faster

Wednesday 22 October 2014

How to Create Android App for your Blog/Website?

As you all know that Android is one of the popular mobile OS at this moment.  Android Market is already loaded with 300,000+ Apps and Games for over 300 Android Devices. It gets millions of downloads per day. How about giving your reader an android app for your blog. This way, they can keep track of blog updates from their android powered smartphones and devices.
Android Market copy 550x297
On the other side, WordPress is the #1 Blogging platform used by millions of bloggers. Creating an Android App of your blog isn’t hard and it’s easy, too. Let’s see how you can create an Android app of your blog with a plugin.
  1. Go to Feed.nu Website and register an account there.
  2. Login there and enter your Feed settings.
  3. Go to Feed.nu WordPress plugin page and download it.
  4. Install the Plugin and then activate it from the WP dashboard.
  5. Now, In your WP dashboard, click on Android and then choose your Android App Language, Appearance and then hit the Generate APK.
That’s it. Your  Android App is ready to download. You can use this App on your device as well as submit it to the Android Marketplace. To submit it to the marketplace, head over to Android Marketplace Publish page and give the required details there.

How to Create Android App for your Blog/Website?

How To Create Android App for Your Blog without Any Coding

Android OS is one of the most used mobile OS out there and having an Android app for your Blog or Website will give your reader another quick way to access your Blog. But, when ever we talk about creating a mobile app, first thing which comes in our mind is Coding. How about I share an easy and most convenient way to create a Blog android app. This is simple DIY guide and you can also later submit this app to Google play store and let your readers download app directly from official download page.
We have already covered an alternate way to create Android app for Websites and here is another way, which you might like to prefer over the earlier tutorial. Meanwhile, if you are an Android lover, here are few posts for you:

How to use AppGeyser to Create Free Android app for Blog?

You can create a professional  android app for your blog using AppGeyser, all you need is to sign up on the website. Put up the information and get started.
Step 1: First head to the link http://www.appsgeyser.com/ and then click on CREATE APP button.
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Step 2: Fill the required columns with the information required.
  • Website URL: Type the address of your blog.
  • App Name: Type the heading of your blog, or the name you would like to give to your app.
  • Description: Write the description of your blog.
  • Icon: Upload the .png file, this would be the icon of your blog’s app.
  • Screen orientation: The orientation of the screen, depends on your blog.
  • Category: Select the category which suits your app.
Step 3: Now, fill the required details, or you can directly connect with Facebook to login.
Step 4: That’s it. Your Android app is ready to be tested. Just click on “Test Your App” which will download the apk file of your application. Now, transfer the downloaded apk file to your mobile phone and run the same to test it.
[OPTIONAL]: You can also submit your Android app to the Google Play Store. Your App has to comply with all Play Store Policies, plus you need to have a developer account which costs $5 only. Then you are allowed to submit unlimited applications.
You’ve successfully created an Android app for your blog. Do read out guide on How to promote Android app and let me know if you face any difficulties by commenting using the comment section below.


How To Create Android App for Your Blog without Any Coding

Monday 20 October 2014


Google Launches The Latest Android : Android Lollipop


google-unveils-android-lollipop

Google has finally unveiled the latest (Android Version 5.0) and the 13th major release to it’s popular smartphone operating system : Android L or Android Lollipop. This new update features a revamped visual design called the ‘material design’ which uses moving icons and size shifting fonts. One of the most stand-out thing this update will bring would be it’s ability to run efficiently on phones even with 512 MB of RAM. Older versions were clearly more memory exhaustive.
With Android Lollipop Google also launched three new devices – The Nexus 6 with Motorola, Nexus 9 Tablet with HTC and a new Set-Top Box with Taiwan based firm ASUS.
With these 3 new devices Google attempts to unify users Android devices. While revealing these new devices, Google’s Vice-President Sundar Pichai didn’t held-off a sarcastic comment to Apple’s new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+ , “We aren’t only trying to ship two products, We are trying to enable thousands of products at the same time.”
SOURCE

Google Launches The Latest Android : Android Lollipop

Sunday 12 October 2014

Android 4.4 KitKat tips, tricks and secrets

by Sheeraz Ali |
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What's hiding in Android 4.4?

Android L is on the horizon, but most phones are going to use good old Android 4.4 for a little while yet. That's no bad thing, though – it's an incredibly feature-rich piece of software. So much so that it takes a while to see anything approaching all it has to offer. 

Allow us to educate you on some of the most interesting and useful Android 4.4 tips, tricks and secrets hiding in the software. Grab yourself a hot beverage, find a comfortable seat and prepare for a taste of what your phone can really do.

Please note that your phone may look slightly different from the screenshots here as many phones use custom interfaces that change the look and layout of Android 4.4 a bit.


27) Try the Google Now launcherBlue line

Android 4.4 tipsUntil quite recently, you had to work a bit to try and get the default Android Nexus 5 Experience interface on a non-Nexus phone. However, it’s now a doddle.

Want the fresh Google look for your phone? Just download the Google Now Launcher from Google Play.

After installing, you’ll be prompted whether to keep it as the default UI when you next press the Home key.

Fancy switching back? The easiest way to do this is to download a home switcher app from Google Play, although you can also remove default app settings of the currently used launcher within the Apps section of Settings to reset the selection.

26) How to fix app issues

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Android 4.4 tips 3Apps are often at the root of a lot of issues with Android phones. They cause performance problems, battery problems and can eat away at your storage without you knowing.

To check no apps are causing battery drain go to Settings > Battery. Here you’ll see the apps and services that are using your battery most. Unless you use an app or game an awful lot, there shouldn’t be any in the top couple of spots.

To go about solving any errant app issues, go to Settings > Apps, then find the one that’s either causing a battery problem or appears to be misbehaving. In its entry you’ll see buttons to clear its cache and data. This will effectively reset the app. Try this, or uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

You can also find out which of your apps are using the most data by going to Settings > Storage and then selecting apps. They’re listed by their size.

25) Use your face to unlock the phoneBlue line

Android 4.4 tips 23Android 4.4 offers a number of ways to unlock your phone. The most eye-catching of the lot is face unlock. What this does is to scan the geometry of your face, and remember it, then using the front camera to tell whether you’re the one trying to unlock your phone.

Fancy having a go? You'll find the Face Unlock feature in Settings > Security > Screen lock. The phone will scan your face, but don’t try to do it in a dark-ish room or it won’t work properly. However, it is pretty quick.

Once setup you can also improve Face Unlock by scanning your face additional times in different conditions, and require an eye blink to ensure a picture of you isn’t being used. These options pop up in Settings > Security once you’ve initially setup Face Unlock. 


24) The do's and don’t of mobile securityBlue line

The one caveat to Face Unlock is that if you want real mobile security, don’t use it. It’s there as a fun extra and pretty much nothing else.

Not only could someone that looks just a bit like you unlock your phone, but a picture of you could do the trick too. Face Unlock isn’t really all that discerning either. In order to make Android 4.4’s face unlock work with quite low-res cameras and be quite quick to use, it’s hardly discerning at all.

If you want actual security, you’re much better off with a passcode or password. You’ll find both of these options in Settings > Security > Screen lock.

23) Encrypt your phone for hardcore securityBlue line

Android 4.4 tips 9Things like gesture unlocks and passwords are fine if you’re just trying to stop your friends from tweeting or facebooking using your account while you leave your phone for a moment. But you need more if you want to keep your data secure.

In Settings > Security you’ll find an option to encrypt your phone. This means the data on your phone will no longer be stored as-is, but will have to be decoded before it can be used.

When you first encrypt the phone, you’ll have to go through a lengthy wait as this happens. And it also means you’ll need to set in place a passcode or password to unlock the phone. You can’t encrypt and then just use Face Unlock - it kinda defeats the point.

You need to make double sure you won’t forget your password, though, otherwise your data is gone for good.

22) Use screen casting to send your mobile screen to your ChromecastBlue line

ChromecastWith Android 4.4.2, Google added a casting option to many Android devices. What this lets you do is send the video and audio from your phone to a Chomecast.

For the uninitiated, this is Google’s alternative to Apple TV. You plug it into your TV’s HDMI port and it lets you stream video from services like Netflix. And your phone. Oh, and it only costs £30.

If your phone has the casting option you’ll find it right down at the bottom of the Display menu within Settings. It’s great for video, although not quite so hot for games as there is a bit of lag/delay.


21) How to turn off the keyboard buzz vibrate and noiseBlue line

Android 4.4 tips 11One of the first things you might want to consider switching off on your phone is the vibration feedback when you press a key on your phone’s keyboard. It can get annoying, and uses up battery too.

You’ll find the option to turn vibrate feedback on and off in Settings > Language & Input > Google keyboard. That’s assuming your phone uses the Google keyboard – if it has a custom UI it probably won’t, but you should see a corresponding entry here in any case.

Turning off Sound on Keypress and Vibrate on Keypress here is a good idea.

We also think you might want to turn off the vibrate and key sounds elsewhere – the above tip only relates to key presses on the keyboard. For noises and buzzes elsewhere, go to Settings > Sound. Under the system sub-head you’ll see checkboxes for Touch Sounds and Vibrate on Touch. If you’re going to use the phone on the train, please turn off keypad sounds – no-one wants to hear them.

20) How to cloud print from your phoneBlue line

Android 4.4 tips 17Cloud Print has been available in Android for quite a while, but now it has been fully embraced by all the main printer manufacturers, it’s more useful than ever. What it lets you do is wirelessly send documents to print from your phone to a Wi-Fi enabled printer.

It has its own place in the Android Settings menu, in a spot calling Printing. As standard, actual support for printers isn’t inbuilt. You need to install the app of your printer’s manufacturer.

Tap Add Service down at the bottom of the Printing page. This will take you to Google Play, where you can download the app from Epson, HP or whoever.

To actually print a document, you’ll need to find an app that supports printing. The most obvious is Google Chrome. Just tap the three-pip settings button and you’ll see a print option.

19) Check out the KitKat easter eggBlue line

Android 4.4 tips 15Each version of Android has a special little hidden interactive animation to show off the version of Google’s software you're running. It’s one of the more lighthearted parts of the system.

To find this easter egg, you have to to a simple gesture – it’s the same in every version. Go to Settings and scroll down to About Device.

Now tap on the Android Version entry repeatedly. Just keep on going until the screen changes. Enjoy.



18) Fire up Google Now with just your voiceBlue line

It's possible to activate Google Now - Android's answer to Siri - simply by saying "OK Google". When you're on the home screen, simply utter those two words and you'll be prompted to speak your next command, which can be anything from asking for Google to search the web to setting an alarm for a particular time. Just be wary of any annoying friends shouting the same phrase when you're trying to do other things on your phone.


17) Switch on Developer ModeBlue line

Screenshots 5Developer mode used to be a part of Android's settings menu that was easily accessible, but recently Google has hidden it away to prevent users from tinkering too much.

However, it's still fairly easy to discover if you know what you're doing - go to Settings > About Phone and then tap the "Build Number" section seven times. This will unlock the developer menu, allowing you to access a whole number of nerdy features.


16) Limit background processes to improve battery life and performance

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If you’re finding that your phone’s performance starts getting a little glitchy at times, you can reclaim control over how your phone operated by accessing the developer options in settings.

Here you get to control how many background processes your phone is allowed to perform. Cut them down a bit and you should see an improvement in performance, and potentially battery life too.

You can choose the background processes limit right down at the bottom of the Developer Options menu in Settings.



15) Taste the next generation with ART runtimeBlue line

Android 4.4 tips 5Android uses Dalvik runtime by default, which is described as a "just in time" compiler. That means it does all of the application processing as and when it's required. Moving forward, Google is looking to use ART runtime, which is an "ahead of time" compiler. ART is actually featured in Android 4.4 already, but it's not enabled by default - you'll need to enter the Developer menu to switch it on.

Your handset will reboot and it will take a short time to recompile your apps - you may even notice some stability issues - but on the whole, ART should be quicker and friendly on your battery. As more apps are optimised to use ART, you'll find it more beneficial to use.

14) Use Wi-Fi to determine your location to save batteryBlue line

Screenshots 9Previously with Android, determining your location was based almost solely on GPS, which consumes a fair amount of battery life. Android 4.4 now comes with three modes for this functionality.

High accuracy uses GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile network signal to get a fix on where you are, while Device Only relies totally on GPS. In the middle there is Battery Saving mode, which abandons GPS and uses Wi-Fi and your mobile network - amazingly, this is still pretty precise, and doesn't drink as much juice. Go to Settings > Location > Mode to pick the one that suits you.


13) Keep track of your movements each dayBlue line

Another cool Android 4.4 feature is the power to track the steps you take each day, as well as differentiate between walking, running, cycling and climbing. This ability hasn't been leveraged as much as you might expect, and only a few apps make use of it right now.

One is the highly polished Moves app from ProtoGeo, which tracks your movements and gives you data on how many steps you've taken, as well as a visual "storyline" of your daily life.

12) Exit immersive modeBlue line

One of the new features of Android 4.4 is the "immersive" mode, which basically removes all of the on-screen interface to give you an unimpeded view on your current application. Apps that support immersive mode should automatically remove UI elements, but if you want to get them back, simply swipe down from the top of the display - the notifications bar will magically re-appear.


11) Install an alternative SMS clientBlue line

Android 4.4 tips 21Hangouts replaces the default SMS client in Android 4.4, and while it does the job perfectly well - integrating instant messaging and text chats - some people will no doubt long for the old way of doing things.

Thankfully, it's possible to specify a different app for SMS messages. Find one that you like on the Google Play market, install it and then go to the Settings menu within Hangouts. Tap SMS and then SMS Enabled, and you'll be able to select the app you want to use.

10) Record your phone's screenBlue line

Taking a screenshot in Android used to be like pulling teeth - you had to connect your phone to your PC in order to grab any kind of on-screen image. Since Android 4.0, we've had the trusty "Volume down and Power button" combo, but 4.4 goes to the next level - it features the ability to record video from your screen as well.

As it is primarily aimed at developers who want to add video to their app listings, taking advantage of this native feature is quite tricky - you'll need to follow these incredibly detailed instructions - but it's a smart bonus nonetheless.

9) Remotely wipe your phone if you lose itBlue line

Screenshots 3Losing your phone is a painful experience - especially if it provides your daily Flappy Bird fix - but the amount of data contained on our handsets means that having it fall into the wrong hands can have all kinds of negative ramifications.

Google has your back, however, and provides the means to remotely locate and wipe your phone should it go walkabout. You'll need to enable it from the device before you lose it, though - go to the Google Settings application in your app drawer and select Android Device Manager, then turn on "Remotely Locate This Device" and "Allow Remote Lock And Factory Reset".

The latter option also allows you to remotely change the lockscreen password, should you be too scared to wipe the entire device. In the event of your phone going missing, visit the Android Device Manager page online and you can choose to ring (even if the phone is set to silent), lock or wipe the phone.

8) Quick accessing Google NowBlue line

Screenshots 7If you’re fairly new to an up-to-date version of Android, you really need to check out Google Now. It’s a great sort of lifestyle assistant service that tracks where you are and what you like to make suggestions for things you might want to do with your phone at any time.

Yes, it sounds creepy, but it’s actually really handy at times.

To quickly skip over to Google Now, just hold down on the Home soft key key. If your phone has a physical key, it should head to Now directly, or if it’s a software one you’ll see a Google button pop up above – just drag your finger over it to shortcut to Now. 

Google Now provides ‘cards’ of information based on where you are and what you’re doing. If there’s nothing much there, just trying using it a bit more regularly as it learns from your patterns.


7) Switch launchers quicklyBlue line

Android One of Android's big advantages over its rivals is the ability to change your launcher, which essentially means you can drastically alter the way your homescreen looks and behaves.

Previously, switching between launchers was something of a pain, but Google has now added a quick and easy toggle in the settings menu - so now there's no excuse not to try the many amazing launcher alternatives available on the Google Play market.

When you have more than one launcher installed on your phone, the Settings menu will show a new "Home" option - tapping this will bring up all of the available launchers on your device, allowing you to toggle between them quickly and easily.


6) Enable lock screen widgetsBlue line

Lockscreen widgets are one of Android's more recent innovations, but in Android 4.4 they're not enabled by default. To turn them on, you'll need to drop into Settings > Security and tick the "Enable Widgets" box. To add widgets, simply swipe from left to right on your lockscreen and tap the "plus" icon. You can choose from Gmail, Calendar and Google Keep, amongst other things.


5) Gain an easy speed boost by disabling animationsBlue line

The animations that occur as you move between applications and screens might look pretty, but they can slow you down - especially as they essentially force you to wait a short period before moving to another page or loading an application.

Thankfully, it's possible to reduce the time they run for or disable them completely, both of which will make your handset feel faster. Go to Settings > Developer Options and scroll down to the Drawing section. Find the options which refer to animation scale (Window, Transition and Animator) and toggle them all to "Animation Off". Your UI might not be as pretty in motion, but it will be so fast you may even struggle to keep up.

4) Keep an eye on your data usageBlue line

Most carriers enforce data allowance limits these days, which means media-hungry mobile owners with their fingers in all kinds of cloud storage pies are at risk of running over and incurring prohibitive fees.

Thank goodness then for Android's built-in data usage monitor, which tells you exactly how much you've been gobbling up via your mobile network. You can set warnings for when you're close to your limit, or have a ceiling that disables data traffic the moment it is reached. You can even specify a day in each month where your allowance renews and reset the data counter to zero accordingly.

3) Link up your cloud storage accounts with Android's Storage Access FrameworkBlue line

Storage Access Framework is basically a grander way of saying all of your data can be accessed from one convenient menu. When you're prompted to locate files you'll notice that a side-menu has all of your connected cloud storage accounts - such as Drive, Dropbox and Box - listed, so you can easily pull content from these sources without having to open multiple applications. It's one of Android 4.4's most potent features, yet it has received very little attention.

2) Dismiss an alarm before it bothers youBlue line

ScreenshotsThere are few social situations more awkward that an alarm that you no longer need sounding during a meeting or when you're trying to blend in on public transport. Only appearing in public naked comes close, in our opinion. You may not think it's quite that extreme, but you'll still be thankful of Android 4.4's advance alarm notification system.

An hour before the alarm is due to fire, you'll get a pop-up notification on your screen which allows you to dismiss it before it has chance to sound and make everyone on the bus look at you.

1) Get under the hood with Process StatsBlue line

Screenshots 11Smartphones are very much like computers in your pocket, and sometimes it's nice to get super-detailed in order to get a better understanding of how things are ticking over.

In Android 4.4, Google has added a Process Stats section to the Developer Menu, which contains all kinds of information about which apps are running, what processing they're using and how long they've been running since you booted up the phone.

It's gloriously geeky, and ideal for those who want to fine-tune their handset's performance.

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