How To Get The Most From Your Android Device

By Author: Brooke M. Perry
Total Articles: 84
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The Android mobile devices platform from Google has received tremendous response from the users to lead a rapid increase in the market share. As an established fact many users have preferred to switch to this OS for its amazing integration with apps and excellent features that keeps you abreast with the latest technology. Major IT giants, engaged in manufacturing technologically advanced gadgets, are heading towards this mobile OS platform, which was primarily developed for touch-screen mobile devices. Owing to its advanced open standards, budget-friendly price, and more customizable features, the OS is now available on your preferred network. Android powered devices have brought more choice in terms of hardware, configuration, pricing, and other parameters on which a user stresses on while purchasing a new gadget.

According to the report published in 2013 by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, a company dealing in consumer knowledge and insights, the USA has experienced 8% increase in 2013 as the year end sales data of Android devices, while Apple was in loss with 9.9%. This sudden change in the market share has forced technology ...
... giants to focus on pricing and technology as the basic parameters while coming up with something new. One of the major advantages of possessing an Android device is that it is shipped with a number of pre-installed apps that are highly useful and rarely found in other operating systems.

In this article, you’ll get to know about the basic tips and tricks that will help you to make most out of your Android run device.

Your probably know that your Android device can be linked to the Google Play Store that already houses millions of fundamental apps that every new user should have. So, the very first thing to be done after purchasing the Android gadget is to install all of these necessary apps that make your entire experience better and faster. Those who have already used this OS should check out our absolutely essential app roundup and get a glimpse of the newbies list to pick up the next exciting app from it. Unlock some of the hidden UI elements, install the must-have apps and widgets and to finish off the struggle with your newly purchased gadget.

1. "What's This Song?" –A Sound Search Widget from Jelly Bean

Jelly Bean is shipped with Google's Sound Search widget that helps a user to identify songs after listening to its short clips/samples. Users who are aware of SoundHound or Shazam will already know about what this widget can do. It is a pre-installed app that comes with Jelly Bean and will hook up itself right into Google Play. So, the next time whenever you go crazy while trying to identify the name of a song, try What's This Song? The Widget will help you and you’ll be delighted with the results. All you need to do is hold your device closer to the audio source and the program will immediately find out the name of the song.

2. Hand’s Free Google Searching

Have you ever thought that how exciting it would be, if you can search a term just by speaking a few words? Are you feeling tired of the autocorrect options that come up whenever you type-in your search term in Google? If yes, then your latest Android device can help you with the same as its hand’s free Google searching feature can bring out the search results just by pronouncing the keywords. All you have to do is say ‘Google’ and the new function will open up the voice search options for you. No more typing or clicking on the mic icon as you can now do it with your voice command!

3. Personalized, modified voice recognition

Users generally face many troubles while getting their voice recognized by the device in the exact manner in which they want to. Often, the device and the voice recognition options aren’t able to understand what you’re saying. This might be because of the accent you’re using, which forces the function to struggle with words while interpreting your desired command. Usage of certain inflection on specific words that the OS or software doesn’t know is one of the other major issues that is addressed while using this feature. The user may feel annoyed and frustrated if they are unable to use this feature hence, use these steps to build your way to easier voice recognition on your Android device.

A) Switch on your device and open ‘Settings’
B) Tap on the ‘Language and Input’ option
C) Find the ‘Text-to-speech output’ option, under ‘Speech’ section
D) Check the ‘Personalized Recognition’ option and your device will now easily understand all your voice commands

Remember, this feature will only help in the long run as the OS will take time to learn your unique inflections and pronunciations.

4. Send a text message, when reject a phone call

Sometimes, you might feel inconvenient to receive an incoming call and you often disconnect it as you don’t want to respond. You never know how urgent that call was for the person sitting on the other side of the call, hence, this feature is especially for those who want to respond to rejected phone calls as soon as possible. Users can use the ‘Text response’ function on their Androids to send a text message to the caller, whose call was either missed or rejected.

In most of the Samsung’s touchscreen devices with calling facility, sliding the call button in the upper side allows a user to send a text message to the missed caller. Sliding the answer call will bring a box of text message with various pre-framed options notifying the caller that you’re busy. Create a custom text message instantly or choose from the pre-framed ones to send a text to the caller.

5. Download from Google Maps

Owning an Android device lets you enjoy its close integration with Google Maps and Navigation apps. Using it in the areas having a proper Internet connection is absolutely fine, but have you ever tried navigating through maps where there is no cell phone reception or spotty internet? Don’t panic as you can now download portions of maps from Google Maps and easily save them for later use. To do the same, ensure that you’re connected to the Internet, search for the location, click the three dots icon in the lower right corner, and tap on the ‘Make available offline’ option. You can now crop the desired area of the map that you wish to save, and store it for viewing it later in an offline mode.

6. Call your favorite contacts, with just one tap

Android device users can easily create icons of their favorite contact on the Home Screen of the device. These icons allow you to quickly and instantly get connected with your favorite contacts within a few seconds. To add someone on your device’s Home Screen, just press and hold an empty space and go to Shortcuts > Contact, when the menu pops up. It will take you to the contact list and you can scroll through, to choose the person who you want to add.

With so many features around, it’s really good to see adoption of both Jelly Bean and KitKat Android versions in the upcoming mobile devices. Users nowadays are getting smarter as they now don’t go for just brands rather they opt for value for money and advanced features as well. Google Now cards send you a reminder to complete a pre-defined or scheduled tasks on time, Rotation Lock helps to keep the screen in its current orientation, and Equalize your Music assist in adjusting bass and treble settings. Apart from these unmatched features, you can also use Fling to remove or rearrange your home screens, Talkback, and Blink to unlock calendar notifications, and Device encryption features to make most out of your Android.

About the Author: Brooke M. Perry is an ardent technician associated with Qresolve online tablet support, with wide experience of fixing issues with PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. With a strong track record of devising effective ways of tablet support and system security, she has so far helped thousands of users across the globe. Her writings on tech issues are the reflection of her in-depth interest and command she carries as a online pc repair technician. Her blogs and articles have been rated high for their lucid style and easy to understand language.