Showing posts with label Android. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Android. Show all posts

How to Speed up a Slow Android Phone

Here's a familiar experience: you buy the fastest Android smartphone you can find and, at first, it lives up to your expectations. In addition to looking and feeling stylish, it's blazing fast with any task you throw at it.

beautiful android phones

However, a few months or maybe a year down the road and things aren't as sparkly as they were. Besides the physical aging where your once squeaky clean gadget is now riddled with scratches, booting takes forever, transitions between screens isn't seamless anymore, and not even the basic apps run smoothly.

When this happens, don't stress yourself. It's normal for any computer, big or small, to grow slower over time. Although this might prompt you to start thinking of buying a new phone, you could save the money and your gadget by performing a few tricks.

Below, we look at some of the best measures you can take to push your slow handset further and perhaps even regain its lost glory.

1: Delete and disable unused apps


If you're an active smartphone user, you probably have your app drawer flooded with all sorts of applications. And while some are essential, it's likely that you haven't used a good number of them since the day you installed.

Having too many apps won't be a problem if your phone has ample storage, but if not, space conservation is critical. Additionally, some of these unnecessary apps might be running in the background, hogging limited resources.

Getting rid of dispensable programs is, therefore, the smart way to go. Go to Applications in the Settings menu, or simply long-press on the unwanted app and drag it to the "Uninstall" button at the top or bottom of the screen.

uninstall apps android


Some pre-installed programs and bloatware won't give you the option to uninstall them completely, but disabling them will render them inactive and free up some RAM.

2: Clean your storage


Besides useless apps, you might have too much music, videos, and other files filling up your phone's memory. A squeezed internal storage capacity can affect performance, so try and keep a healthy amount of free space by deleting old or nonessential files.

To free up some more space, go through your frequently used applications and clear cache data.
Don't know what cache data is? Well, this is the information an app saves on an active memory space so that it can quickly be retrieved when needed. In other words, cache speeds up your device by decreasing an app's loading times.

However, cache data often builds up and gets old over time, eventually choking up your storage.

clear cache android


3: Do away with live wallpapers, pointless widgets, and animations


Among the reasons users love Android, is the flexibility it offers when personalizing the interface. Live wallpapers and widgets are, therefore, some of the cool features that come with owning an Android device. That said, having them in prolonged use can negatively impact battery life and slow your device.

Live wallpapers and widgets


Live wallpapers and data-intensive widgets like Facebook always occupy part of your RAM, leaving less space for newly-launched applications. The same goes for animations, such as screen transitions and icon shadowing. But although you can easily remove a live wallpaper and a widget, disabling stock animations will require you to unlock Developer Options on your Settings App.

4: Update your software


Software updates aren't always about new features. In fact, manufacturers often use OTA upgrades to fix bugs, improve security and enhance performance. An update will often cure a slow and aging device.
android software update

It's imperative to ensure your smartphone is running the latest version of Android available at all times. In most cases, a new update will appear as a notification, but you can trigger a manual search in Settings, every once in awhile.


5: Backup and reset


As a measure of last resort, consider reverting your phone to factory conditions. The process will involve creating either an offline or a cloud backup of your vital data and triggering a complete reset of the OS. After resetting, the memory is left clean, and the software the way it was when you bought the phone.

android backup and reset


The idea of doing a reset is to give your gadget the fresh start it desperately needs. When your phone boots back up, everything will be fast and smooth again. You can then start employing good app and storage management practices to push the next reset date far into the future.

Conclusion

Mobile phones are practically mini-computers. And just like their larger counterparts, slouching will start showing sooner or later.

Sure, the more high-end smartphones on the market will give you more time, but after a while, even they won't be as quick as they first were. Nevertheless, the above tips will help prolong the life of your device by keeping it fast and reliable, despite its age.

Top 5 Android 7 Nougat Tips and Tricks You Should Know

The Android Nougat is one of the best updates for Google's Android smartphones. Android Nougat continues to be there for a couple of months now. But, more explicitly, that was a beta version. Now, Google is rolling out the stable version of Android Nougat for their Nexus along with other indigenous devices. In case you have already got Android Nougat or Android 7.0 on your mobile, you might have to be familiar with these tips and tricks to liven up your experience. These subsequent Android Nougat tips and tricks would help you in different ways. Having said that, all of them are free of cost, and they consist of the system itself.
Android 7 Nougat Tips and Tricks

Edit Quick Setting Tiles Even More Easily

Editing Quick Settings tiles is a renowned feature in custom ROMs, since a long time. But officially, it was not possible up till Marshmallow, where it was still only an experimental feature. With Android Nougat, you get the full liberty to edit the tiles directly from the panel itself. So you wouldn’t need to go through the settings to change all that.

Also, Nougat adds some new tiles to the queue, including Invert colours, Data Saver, Cast, Nearby, Show layout bounds, and Profile GPU rendering. To edit, drop down the Quick Settings panel and tap on “EDIT”. The panel will expand, you can drag new tiles, remove old ones, or rearrange them.

Longer battery life

You don’t have to do anything for the new version of Doze to give you better battery life apart from update your phone. Doze reduces the impact that apps not actively running in the foreground have on battery life by working out which ones need to receive updates and use the processor, and which don’t.

Using Marshmallow, that only happened when the phone was not moving around, but now it works even if the phone is in your pocket. It should give you anywhere between 10% and 25% longer battery life, depending on how long you leave the phone in standby.

Multi-window view

The fact that Android 7.0 with a multi-window function and thus introduces a feature, which various manufacturers have already for quite some time in their own adapted Android versions, should be known. This is how you use the function, which can be used on tablets as well as on smartphones: first open an app you want to work with, then tap the Task Switcher or Recents button at the bottom right and then select the second app. To start a new app, tap the Homebutton and simply select the appropriate application. The split screen is pushed aside like a curtain.

Use the small black bar in the middle of the split window to adjust the size of the two windows. A long press on the button terminates the multi-window mode. Optionally, you can also push one of the two app windows to the full display size.

Answer to any message without opening an application

Opening up applications is a bother, however, isn’t that so? Particularly in case you’re amidst a diversion and you get another content, WhatsApp or Facebook Message. Gratefully those irritating mates won’t intrude on your gaming sessions for long on Android 7.0 Nougat.

You can answer to any message coordinate from the warning. No opening the application. No, appear. Simply hit answer, tap your message, press send and after that return to whatever it was which was more essential than opening an application and devoting time to significant associations with genuine individuals.

System UI Tuner

Users can even do more customizations with System UI Tuner. It brings more comprehensive settings and lets you fine tune design elements and some experimental features. To enable this powerful and risky enhancement, swipe down from the screen to open the quick settings>simply tap and hold the settings icon until it starts spinning. You'll receive a confirmation that the feature been activated.

Bonus : More emojis

Everyone loves emoji... probably. There are now 1,500 emoji characters in Android for you to play around with, and 72 new variations added in Nougat (new emoji have to be added at the OS level, no matter what third-party apps or keyboards might try and tell you).

In case you don't know, tap the emoji icons (bottom left then right) on the Google Keyboard to find the colourful icons; press and hold on a picture to see alternatives. Like other Google apps, Google Keyboard is updated separately to the main Android OS.

Android Apps for Parental Controls on Smartphones

Planning on giving your kids an Android tablet or smartphones? Perhaps you want them to have a smartphone so they can get in touch with you? Either way, it’s a good idea to stay in control of how they use the device. Making calls is one thing — accessing inappropriate content, installing apps, and running up large bills for in-app purchases is quite another.

On a desktop computer, you would employ parental control software to oversee your child’s activity, and the same is true for mobiles. Here we take a look at five parental control apps for Android, that you can use to unobtrusively and responsibly monitor your offspring’s mobile endeavors, ensuring that they are using the device safely and dependably.

Android Apps for Parental Controls

Norton Family parental control

This app is developed by Norton Mobile. We all know that Norton is already an established brand in the Anti-Virus market. This is one of the better apps to track your kids’ online activities. You can track which web pages your kids visited or tried to visit. You can also block the inappropriate websites so that the kids cannot visit. A costumed e-mail service will notify you whenever your kid tries to visit a web page which he/ she should not visit. This app has a premier version which will provide better and additional features.

Kids Zone Parental Control

Describing itself as a “parental lock”, Kids Zone enables you to create a profile for your children and add suitable apps to it. Additionally, you can block calls and text messages, prevent Internet access and avoid clicks on adverts too.

With Kids Zone installed, children will be unable to install apps or make in-app purchases, and apps that have been installed that you don’t wish them to use — even ones aimed at children — can be blocked. Additionally, notifications, the home screen and system menus, and device settings can all be restricted from access by minors.

If you upgrade to the Pro version (in-app purchase), Kids Zone gives you the ability to create profiles for each child and a quick unlock feature for parents to use to answer incoming calls.

MM Guardian Parental Control

The MM Guardian Parental Control app allows you to block incoming calls and texts, monitor alarming texts and control which apps can be used and when on your child's smartphone.

In more extreme circumstances it also lets you locate and lock your child's phone using a text message, as well as set time restrictions to limit their use. You'll be able to get a daily report on your child's phone usage, so if their bill is high, you will be able to find out why and it will also allow you to set restrictions on the websites they can access.

Kid Mode

Kid Mode puts all your child’s favorite Android apps in one place also good for shared devices. With the app’s child lock feature, kids stay safely in Kid Mode – the app prevents accidental in-app purchases, deleted texts, or confusing ad clicks. Kid Mode comes with fun games and videos customized for every child’s age, an art studio where kids can paint, color and draw, illustrated storybooks that family members can read and record, a video mail feature that lets kids exchange short messages with family, weekly activity emails on what your kids have been playing and learning and more.

MamaBear App

MamaBear is your all-in-one family safety app providing parents information to worry less and encourage larger boundaries for kids to explore more. This app is especially good for kids that are first time smartphone users and new to social media. The app allows kids to keep parents updated with simple check in buttons with added emoticons, “Come Get Me” or “Emergency” notifications. MamaBear allows parents to know their child’s current and recent locations, setup arrival and departure alerts for places like school, home and practice or know when they exceed a preset driving speed. Our favorite feature is a time saver from trolling our kid’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. Parents can set up alerts to monitor only the important stuff like new friends/follows, words on your programmed restricted words list, uploaded photos and tags.

Problems and Solutions of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

In a smartphone beauty contest, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge would be extremely tough to beat. It’s not just a pretty phone, though. It’s also powerful and feature-packed, but it’s not perfect.

We’ve been digging around to see what Galaxy S7 Edge problems are cropping up most often online. We’ve identified a few issues here, and we’ve got ideas on how to fix them or work around them. The first thing you’ll want to do, to safeguard that slippery, fragile, fingerprint-prone glass, is to snag a new case.

If your new Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is giving you restless days and nights, we may have something just right for you in this piece. Here are some of the common problems that are faced by Galaxy S7 Edge owners and their most reliable solutions.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Palm detection isn’t working

Palm detection is supposed to stop the screen registering false taps, but in some cases it doesn’t appear to be working: the slightest bump or just holding the Edge in a certain way can register a tap. This appears to be a software glitch, and so far the best solution appears to be to put your Edge in a protective case. You could try a screen protector too, but many Edge users have found that the curved screen makes it hard for protectors to stick.
Read : Useful Secret Features of Android 6.0 Marshmallow

MicroSD card issues

To the delight of many fans, Samsung brought back expandable storage with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge. However, users have come across a few issues related to it. For starters, there is no adoptable expandable storage. Secondly, a couple of persistent popups related to the microSD card appear randomly, multiple times during the day. Finally, the microSD card also seems to make the device take a touch longer to wake.

As far as the adoptable storage issue is concerned, there is a useful guide on how to activate this setting, which you can find here. While the phones don’t have to be rooted for this solution, make sure that you follow the steps exactly as stated, and some form of technical know-how is recommended.

When it comes to the slow to wake issue, certain brands of microSD cards seem to cause the problem more than others, including Samsung cards as well. Samsung has released a software update this month that fixes this problem, so make sure that your device is updated to the latest software version.

Bluetooth Problems

Aside from the above mentioned Bluetooth causing WiFi problems, countless complaints are mentioning overall issues with Bluetooth as a whole. Connection problems with car audio or stereo systems, Android Auto not connecting right, and even some 3rd party accessories.

This happens on occasion with most devices, and is quickly fixed by software updates or simply repairing a bluetooth device to your Galaxy S7. For one, unpair and repair any device trying to use Bluetooth, as that could fix it. And if any “permissions” appear during this process make sure its set to allow. Owners can also head into permission controls in settings and make sure they didn’t deny access to certain apps.

However, another option that typically has shown to fix Bluetooth problems is by doing a little trick. Owners can pull down the notification bar and hit the gear-shaped settings button up top. Then in settings head to Applications > Application Manager > More and find an app called Bluetooth Share as shown above. Hitting “Force Stop” or clearing the cache then turning Bluetooth off and back on again typically solves any remaining problems.

Slow wireless charging

Samsung packed quick wireless charging into the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. If you own any of these two phones are realize that the quick wireless charging functionality is nowhere near quick, first ensure that you this setting is turned on via the Battery Setting. If this doesn’t work, try charging the phone when it’s without the case, just in case it has one. Another thing to check is the compatibility of the charging pad with quick wireless charging.

Briefing iѕ slowing еvеrуthing dоwn

Samsung’s Briefing app, whiсh creates a kind оf electronic newspaper fоr you, hаѕ thе ѕаmе effect оn уоur phone’s performance аѕ hаving a large mаn sat оn уоu affects уоur ability tо sprint. Long-press оn a blank bit оf thе screen, swipe tо Briefing аnd turn it оff fоr аn instant boost.
Also Read : Tricks to Charge Your Android Phone Faster

It’s оn fire

Nоt literally, but if уоur Samsung iѕ running hot thеn thеrе аrе a fеw things tо check. If thе problem occurs whеn уоur Edge iѕ charging, trу leaving it аlоnе inѕtеаd оf uѕing it аnd disable Fast Cable Charging in Settings > Battery. Thаt will increase charging times, but if it stops уоur Edge gеtting tоо hot that’s a sacrifice worth making.

It’s worth checking fоr rogue apps too. In Settings > Battery > Battery Usage > Mоrе > Optimize Battery Usage уоu саn select All Apps tо ensure thаt apps can’t drain thе battery bу running in thе background.

If thе heat iѕ аt thе cable еnd rаthеr thаn thе Edge itself, уоu mау hаvе a faulty cable: we’ve found еvеn rеаllу good quality charging саn gеt alarmingly hot оnсе they’ve bееn uѕеd аnd abused fоr a while. Resist thе temptation tо uѕе vеrу cheap no-name chargers аnd cables frоm eBay, too, аѕ they’re оftеn thе саuѕе оf catastrophic overheating аnd in ѕоmе cases, асtuаl fires.

If аll еlѕе fails, a full Factory Reset iѕ thе lаѕt resort bеfоrе calling in thе warranty.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge vs Apple iPhone 6S : Which one is the Best ?

Each year, Apple releases an iPhone and Samsung releases its Galaxy S-series flagship. Most will argue that they normally represent the best phones available, and this year, it’s no different.

Apple last year did come out with two models of their newer iPhones the 6s and the 6s plus, the latter suited for users choosing a bigger display as per comforts. The process was the same as in 2014 where there were two iPhone variants too. Meanwhile on the Android side, the Korean giants also followed a similar pattern by coming out with two of their flagships for 2015 with the galaxy S7 and S7 EDGE. Let's take a look at both of the devices the 6s and the S7 EDGE.

Design

Samsung certainly raised its game with the Galaxy S6 with an all-new design. The front had a familiar look and feel to it, but the metal frame with the shiny bezel, and glass back panel instead of cheap plastic that it has always been criticized for, made them the most visually stunning devices Samsung has ever made. So you can’t fault Samsung for not making any major changes in the design with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Instead Samsung added IP68 dust-proof and water resistant capabilities and an SD Card slot. The IP68 rating without the use of any port covers is quite a feat of engineering.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

iPhone 6s comes with a unibody aluminum chassis and glass front panel that is curved around the edges of the display. Apple has used 7000 series aluminium for iPhone 6s’ chassis, which makes it stronger and less slippery than its predecessor.

It is difficult to pick between the iPhone 6s and Galaxy S7 when it comes to design, they’re probably the most good looking smartphones that are available in the market. I would give the Galaxy S7 an edge as I don’t like the ugly antenna bands at the back of the iPhone 6s.

Features

The main selling point of the iPhone 6S is the 3D Touch screen, where poking it harder will open new features on the phone - this was something Samsung was rumored to be doing, but it never materialised on the S7.

Samsung's big push this year is the Always On Display, which is just a permanent clock or calendar on the standby that bops around the display when your phone is left quietly on the table. It consumes less than 1% per hour but will have an impact on battery life as a result - something to be wary of if Samsung hasn't managed to sort out its power management.

The other 'big' features from the Galaxy S7 is the Game Launcher, a sandboxed area where you can stick your games and get access to in game tools, letting you record your game play or disable notifications to stay immersed in the world.

Oh, and Samsung's gone back to adding in a microSD card slot, claiming that it's fixed the performance issues that forced its removal in the S6 as the company sought to offer a clean and new design - something that's sure to please a lot of expandable memory fans, and is another real point of differentiation over the iPhone, which only comes in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB internal storage choices.

The iPhone 6S doesn't really build on the extra functionality it baked into the phone on the iPhone 6, and as a result doesn't have a great deal to add in terms of headline features beyond the aforementioned providable screen.

Camera

iPhone 6s and Galaxy S7 both ship with terrific smartphone cameras. Galaxy S6’s camera got rave reviews, and according to some experts, it was better than the iPhone 6s especially in low-light conditions. Samsung has upped the ante even further with the Galaxy S7. It comes with a 12.7-megapixel camera, which is a downgrade in terms of resolution compared to Galaxy S6’s 16MP camera but with larger 1.4µ pixels. Galaxy S7 also features a large f/1.7 aperture and OIS, which when combined with the large 1.4u pixels should make the Galaxy S7’s camera even better for low-light shooting.

S7’s camera sensor comes with a bigger aperture so it has an edge over the iPhone 6s (f/2.2) when it comes to taking photos in low-light. It also has Optical Image Stabalization (OIS), which is available only on the iPhone 6s Plus.

Apple iPhone 6S

Samsung has also included a breakthrough ‘dual pixel’ technology, which allows the Galaxy S7 camera to focus almost instantly. No, we are not even talking about 0.25 seconds focus time here, we are talking about almost instantaneous focus, irrespective of the lighting condition. ‘Dual pixel’ sensor technology is usually seen in DSLRs, and this is the first time that this technology has been employed in a smartphone camera sensor.A dual pixel sensor uses 100 percent of the pixels for phase-detection

A dual pixel sensor uses 100 percent of the pixels for phase-detection autofocus, while a traditional camera sensor with PDAF uses less than 5 percent of the pixels for this. The light being absorbed by the sensor is sent to two pixels — instead of one — which then allows the ISP to process it better and focus quickly.

iPhone 6s comes with a 12-megapixel camera with 1.22µ pixels. Apple has been renowned for the quality of its smartphone camera for years. The camera alone was a reason to recommend the iPhone over Android smartphones. However, things have changed in the last couple of years as Android OEMs have managed to catch up, and in some scenarios even outshine the iPhone.

Apple had introduced a new feature with the iPhone 6s called Live Photos, a way to bring photos to life, which is quite cool. It may seem gimmicky to some people, but people with children will immediately realize the value of the feature. Not surprisingly, Samsung has introduced its own take on the feature called Motion Photos.

Performance and Battery

When it comes to overall performance, reliability and battery life, there’s very little to separate the S7 Edge from the 6s Plus. At least, when it comes to the Exynos-powered, carrier-unlocked version of Samsung’s latest phone. Your experience, sadly, might differ once a US carrier gets hold of it, especially if it’s a Snapdragon-equipped model.

Still, with the phone I’ve been using, loading apps and games is really fast. Loading times are quick and animations are as smooth as you could hope for from a device with a high-end octa-core chip and 4GB RAM. Likewise, the A9 processor in the 6s Plus deals with every day tasks without stuttering. Both are equally capable of loading intense graphics, so whether you love watching movies or gaming on your device, you’ll have a great time with either.

The same can be said of battery life.Spec wise, the S7 Edge has a capacious 3,600mAh cell whereas the 6s Plus has 2,750mAh. On most days, with my typically moderate use, I can pull either phone off charge at 7:30am and get it to midnight with between 40-50% charge left. If I happen to spend time gaming during the day, that might be as low as 20-30%.

Conclusion

The Galaxy S7 is an absolute beast of a smartphone that aces the smartphone holy trinity of design, performance, and camera. As such, it's a more than worthy rival to the iPhone 6S.

iPhone 6s Pros

  • 3D Touch
  • Tight software and hardware integration
  • App Ecosystem
  • Support

Samsung Galaxy S6 Pros

  • Low-light photos and OIS
  • Wireless Charging
  • Fast Charging
  • Waterproof


Some of the key advantages of the iPhone 6s over the Samsung Galaxy S7 are 3D Touch, ease of use due to the tight integration of hardware, software and services, the quality of apps, and support, which is probably one of the most underrated aspects that people consider while buying a device. On the flip side, Android is a lot more tweakable, which makes it a compelling option for power users.

In case of the Galaxy S7, it comes with a better camera when it comes to taking photos in low-light, and comes with innovative features that are not available on the iPhone like Wireless Charging and Fast Charging, which allows you to charge your device without needing a chord, and allows the Galaxy S7 to be charged from 0-50% in just over 30 minutes, and to 100% in just over 100 minutes (iPhone 6s takes 3 hours or 180 minutes to charge). The fact that it is dust and water resistance is another advantage. Samsung is also giving its Gear VR virtual reality headset to those who pre-order Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.  Taking everything into consideration, Samsung Galaxy S7 seems like the better smartphone, however, it remains to be seen if people will leave the ease of use of the iPhone 6s and the app ecosystem to switch to an Android smartphone.

Samsung Galaxy Note 6 Features, Specifications and Updates

The Samsung Galaxy Note series is one of the most popular Android phone series on the market. People are on the edge of their seats waiting for the Note 6 entry in the Galaxy family. Unfortunately, much of the information available about the phone is only rumor. Samsung has remained tight-lipped about the phone. Despite this, the tech community has gathered information on the device. From that information and Samsung’s upgrade tendencies, we can create a rough estimate of the Samsung Galaxy Note 6.

According to details emerging on April 11, the Galaxy Note 6 will feature water and dust proofing with IP68 certification. This is great new for Galaxy Note fans and a first for the phablet series. In some ways though, it's not entirely surprising, the Galaxy Note series often keeps step with changes made to the Galaxy S falgship series and uses a similar design language - essentially, it is likely to be a bigger, super-powered version of the Galaxy S7 with extra bells and whistles, and as we all know, the Galaxy S7 series restored waterproofing to the flagship line along with a metal and glass bodyshell. The word comes via SamMobile, a reputable source for Samsung rumours, and to be extra specific the IP68 certification means up to 1.5m of water for up to 30 minutes is covered.

Samsung Galaxy Note 6 Features
Read : How To Block Annoying Ads on Android Device

Samsung Galaxy Note 6 Specifications

  • 6-inch flexible display 
  • Android Marshmallow 
  • 4K Resolution 
  • 16-Core processor 
  • Snapdragon 823 SoC 
  • 6 GB RAM 
  • 64 GB / 128 GB Internal Storage 
  • Micro SD card support 
  • 20 MP Primary camera 
  • 4000 mAh Battery
Samsung tends to use a split strategy for its smartphone processors; different chips will feature in different markets.

It’s rumoured that the Galaxy Note 6 will run on a custom-built Exynos 8890 in the East Asia market. However, western markets are rumoured to get a Galaxy Note 6 that boasts Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 823 SoC.

There’s also talk that Samsung will opt for a huge 6GB RAM module in the Galaxy Note 6. That’s an impressive amount of memory for a smartphone, but it’s sure to appeal to the Note’s power-user niche.

In terms of storage, we’re expecting at least three options: 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB. However, we’ve heard that Samsung might also include its UFS 2.0 memory chips in the Galaxy Note 6. That would put 256GB of hyper-fast storage at the disposal of Note users. Not bad, eh?

Finally, there’s talk of a 20-megapixel rear-facing camera on the Galaxy Note 6. That doesn’t tell us much, since image resolution is only a small part of a camera’s functionality. However, previous Galaxy Note handsets have offered impressive photography performance, so we’d be surprised if the Galaxy Note 6 was any different. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen any rumours about the front-facing camera thus far, but stay tuned.
Also Read : How To Fix Common Google Play Store Errors

Conclusion

Whilst the rumours have started to circulate for the Samsung Galaxy Note 6, they are few and far between at the moment so there is currently a lot of guess work happening.

Based on what we have heard so far, we'd expect the Note 6 to arrive in August 2016 with a similar design to the Note 5 including S Pen functionality.

Hardware specs are likely to improve over the Note 5 including a faster processor, possibly more RAM and an improved camera experience. We will update this feature as more leaks appear so hang tight for now.

How to Build Google Cardboard to Experience VR on Android Smartphone

One of the biggest surprises at this year's Google I/O press event was the reveal of Cardboard, a simple virtual reality headset that uses your Android phone. Now you can make one at home.

Have you ever wished for an immersive addictive 3D experience while using an app? Now you can make it a reality with Google Cardboard, the best virtual reality app viewer. Get Google Cardboard attached with your mobile and experience a dream come true with your smartphone.

Google Cardboard functions just like a stereoscope does, albeit with a phone as opposed to two static images operating as the object to be viewed. Essentially, taking two identical (neglecting distortion and slight angular differences) images and projecting them into the human eye will create the illusion of a 3-dimensional image, since our binocular vision gives us the ability to perceive depth.

Cardboard is powered by an Android phone, which, with the proper app, will divide the phone’s screen in half and output two images; one to be projected into each eye. “Cardboard is great because it puts virtual, and augmented, reality into people’s hands for little cost. It’s just like the View-Master I had when I was a child except Google Cardboard takes it to the extreme,” said Nicholas Sischka, Vision Engineer at Edmund Optics.

Build Google Cardboard to Experience VR
Read : Download APK File from Google Play Store

Requirements


  • CARDBOARD - Corrugated cardboard sheet, preferably E Flute (corrugated cardboard comes in a variety of thicknesses called "flutes"), available at many art supply stores and online . For best results, you should look for strong, thin cardboard (sturdy shoe box rather than moving box). Minimum size: 8.75in (22cm) by 22in (56cm), and 0.06in (1.5mm) thickness.



  • LENSES - This is the trickiest component. Lenses that have a 45mm focal distance might work. Biconvex lenses work best because they prevent distortion around the edges. We used the Durovis OpenDive Lens Kit available on Amazon.com



  • MAGNETS - One neodymium ring magnet and one ceramic disk magnet - like this or this. Approximate size: 0.75in (19mm) diameter and 0.12in (3mm) thickness.



  • VELCRO - Two strips of regular strength adhesive-backed velcro. Approximate size: 0.75in (20mm) by 1.25in (30mm).



  •  RUBBER BAND - One rubber band, to prevent the phone from sliding out. Minimum length of 3.2in (8cm).



  • NFC TAG (OPTIONAL) - One sticker NFC tag. Program it with the URL cardboard://v1.0.0



  • You'll also need a ruler, glue, and scissors, an X-acto knife, or access to a laser cutter.

Now download the manufacturers kit from Google by following this link (.zip) and follow instructions.

Also Read : How To Fix Common Google Play Store Errors
Google Cardboard is fun, entertaining, and very inexpensive. Moreover, it can be used with any iOS or Android device. However, extremely simplistic experience will not match up to top notch virtual reality goggles. Without any doubt, the device surely acts as a brand ambassador promoting the use of virtual reality apps and devices on smartphone.

Fusion Informatics has been favoring such devices long since the inception and will continue to make apps for such devices promoting technological shifts with every passing year.

Top 5 Best Android Smartphones in 2016 with Great Features

Big, small, stock, or skinned, if you're in the market for a new smartphone, chances are there's an Android option to fit your fancy. And unlike Apple's rigid yearly release cycle, Google's hardware partners release a seemingly endless stream of new devices year-round. But therein lies the problem: With so many options out there, how do you settle on the right one? Lucky for you, we test and review nearly every smartphone available on all the major U.S. carriers. Read on for our top picks for Android phones.

If you’re a seasoned smartphone owner, picking out an upgrade is a simple process. But, for some folks, the idea of purchasing a new handset makes them nervous.

Which is the newest phone? What is the best phone? Which is the one that’s going to give me exactly what I need? There’s a lot to consider, sure. We’re here to help you dig through the clutter.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

Both of these phones are among the best that Android has to offer, and they share a number of core components and features.

While the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is the more eye-catching and long-lasting, however, we'd give the slightest of edges to the Samsung Galaxy S7.

Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge

It's simply a more usable phone on a day to day basis, thanks to its slightly more manageable display. We also found the Galaxy S7 Edge's curve display to be more of a gimmicky distraction than a killer feature.

If you are the heaviest of power users, or you tend to watch an inordinate amount of video content on your phone, then the Galaxy S7 Edge might be the best bet. For most people, though, the Galaxy S7 is the one to opt for.

The S7 and S7 edge are incredibly well-rounded (no pun intended) smartphones, and the best hardware Samsung’s shipped yet. If you’re worried about the big, bad TouchWiz monster so many people love to demonize, just don’t: it really isn’t anything to get caught up on. If you want strictly stock Android, that’s perfectly fine! But you aren’t in Samsung’s user demographic for these phones. The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge will serve the many millions of people that buy them quite well, at least based on my first week using them.

Galaxy Note 5

It's no surprise that Samsung launches new Note devices at the end of every summer, but I honestly wasn't really considering buying one this year.

While one of these other phones would satisfy me, regular readers know I tend to purchase the best smartphones and the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 is currently the best note smartphone.

Galaxy Note 5

Processor: Samsung Exynos 7420 octa-core 64-bit
Display: 5.7 inch Super AMOLED at 2560x1440 pixels resolution
Operating system: Android 5.1.1
RAM: 4GB (LPDDR4)
Wireless connectivity: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac WiFi, MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, ANT+, NFC, GPS, MST
Storage: 64GB UFS 2.0 internal
Cameras: Rear 16 megapixel with f/1.9 aperture and 5 megapixel front facing camera
Battery: 3000 mAh non-removable with fast charging and fast wireless charging technology
Dimensions: 153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6 mm and 171 grams

As you can see, there is nothing missing from the Galaxy Note 5. Actually, Samsung leads with the fastest available RAM, fastest internal storage, new fast wireless charging technology, and magnetic secure transmission (MST) wireless payment technology. Combined with the other leading specifications, there is nothing else out there that beats the Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge

Both phones are beautiful, but besides the curved display of the Edge there is very little difference between them. So should you go curved or not? From a design perspective the Edge is the more beautiful phone. The curved display just looks too good. But from a practicality standpoint, the curved display really doesn’t add any compelling features.

Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge

Samsung Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge have same features such as 5.1 inch same display size with Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen and both the smartphones build with glass and metal. The S6 series traits 16 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. Duo runs on same platform, i.e. v5.0.2 Lollipop OS and 1.5 GHz Quad-core processor. Both phones are equipped with equal internal memory options such as 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB with no expandable memory and 3 GB RAM. The other common features are fingerprint sensor and TouchWiz UI. The difference is that Samsung S6 is flat panel screen and S6 edge is curved panel. And the S6 Edge is a light weight phone compared the S6; the battery capacity is also dissimilar 2600 mAh and 2550 mAh, respectively. 

Sony Xperia Z5

The same boxy design with post-20MP camera has been seen countless times, and while it gets slightly refined with each iteration it's largely the same as the previous model. I'm not saying brands should have to upgrade every little thing just for the sake of it, but in the same time since Sony launched the Xperia Z every other brand has completely overhauled the look of their brand to keep things fresh.

Sony fans will really enjoy the Xperia Z5, without doubt. The camera seems genuinely innovative and if the brand can uphold its battery promise, combined with a premium design, it's got the right formula for a decent smartphone - it's just whether it can make enough of noise about it to get consumers interested.

Sony Xperia Z5

RAM : 3 GB
Display : 5.2 inch screen and 1080P Resolution
Processor : Snapdragon Qualcomm 810 octa-core processor
Primary Camera : 23 MP with Hybrid Autofocus
Front cameras : 8 MP with
Internal Storage Capacity : 64 GB
Battery : 3500 mAh battery with fast charging

You’ll probably need it, too, as the Xperia Z5 packs a whopping 23Mp maximum resolution on its primary camera that captures 5520 x 4120-pixel stills, or video at 2160p/30fps, 1080p/60fps, 720p/120fps. Other camera features include phase-detection autofocus with touch focus, LED flash, geo-tagging, HDR, and panorama stitch. The secondary camera is a notably lower 5.1Mp resolution option, but that’ll be fine for the odd “selfie,” and it also records video at a respectable 1080p.

Moto X Pure Edition

Motorola is taking a different approach with the sales of the Moto X this year. Instead of partnering with carriers, Motorola is selling the phone direct to consumers through Motorola’s website, Amazon, and Best Buy for a base price of $400 unlocked, which is an absolute bargain for a smartphone of this caliber. If you’re upgrading from a previous generation Moto X, the Pure Edition is a no-brainer.

moto x pure edition

The Moto X line is a smartphone that's always been dancing around greatness. The first one was a lovely, underpowered experiment in smartphone customization and thoughtfulness. The second added some much-needed Moto Maker style and some more powerful silicon. In other words, it's a serious contender for the "Best Smartphone Out There" crown, at least on paper. The thing is, the market for cheap unlocked smartphones has exploded in popularity this year, and it'll take something really special for it to capture the title. So, how does Motorola's new flagship fare? Spoiler alert: really damned well.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Specifications, Features with Fingerprint Sensor & 4050mAh Battery

The Most awaited smartphone of the year Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is finally launched in India and Guess what, the Smartphone is Amazon India exclusive. If you want to buy the Redmi Note 3, first you have to register for the Flash Sale. Please note that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Flash Sale on 16th March will be Amazon Exclusive which means you can buy it at Amazon India only, the smartphone will not be available at any other e-commerce websites and offline stores.

The phone is 8.7-mm thin , and tips the scale at 164 grams. The phone is powered by a 1.4 GHz Hexa core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 processor and it comes with 2 GB of RAM. What this means is the processor has Hexa cores in the CPU and 2 GB of RAM ensures the phone runs smoothly with multiple applications open simultaneously. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 also packs in a graphics processor, and 16 GB of internal storage and does not support expandable storage.
Read : Hardest Pattern Lock Tips for Android Phone
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 runs Android 5.1 OS and is powered by a 4050 mAh battery. Its a Dual SIM Smartphone, and connectivity options on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 include , GPS, HotSpot,Wifi,Bluetooth.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Specifications

The main camera on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is a 16 MP shooter with Auto Focus, Face Detection, HDR, Panorama Mode, Geo-tagging, Touch Focus, Video Recording. The smartphone also has a Front Facing Camera capable of shooting 5 MP selfies.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is an affordable smartphone and is a  bigger and better version of its predecessor Redmi Note 4G. This Dual SIM Dual Standby phone runs on MIUI 7 OS which is based on Android 5.1 Lollipop. Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has a full aluminum unibody design with curved edges and despite a hefty 4000 mAh battery, its thickness at the maximum is 8.65mm. It features a 5.5 inch Full HD fully laminated Sunlight Multi touch display with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution, 403 ppi pixel density and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection from scratches. This device comes with inbuilt PowerVR G6200 graphics and is powered by a 64-bit octa-core MediaTek Helio X10 processor where many cores facilitate that numerous tasks can run parallel to each other without any strain to the phone.

 Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 will be available in 2 variants:- one with 16GB internal storage and 2GB RAM and another with 32GB internal storage and 3GB RAM.An important highlight of this phone is that it comes with a fingerprint sensor which the company claims can unlock the phone in 0.3 seconds . To capture memorable moments of your life, this device is equipped with a 13 MP Rear camera and a 5MP Front Facing Camera for selfies and video calling. The main camera has features like  phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash, Geo-tagging, touch focus, face/smile detection, HDR and panorama.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 comes with a host of connectivity options like 4G, 3G, GPRS/EDGE, WiFi, WiFi hotspot, GPS, Bluetooth and Micro USB. The 4G connectivity gives the user more download speed and a faster internet experience. Apart from the fingerprint sensor, other inbuilt sensors are accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass and Light. The smartphone will come in 3 colour options: Gold, Silver, and Dark Grey.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Features
Also Read : Bypass Android Lock Screen Security Without Wiping Data

Special Features

Even with more features, its weight has only risen by 4 g. This is quite minimal, considering the increase in battery capacity and the new metal finish. Better ergonomics, the smooth metallic texture and an overall sense of ruggedness have given the Redmi range an overall feeling of quality.

Fingerprint Sensor

The fingerprint sensor may not be that special a feature in high-end devices, but it is for a device of this price. The Redmi Note 3's fingerprint sensor works great, but unfortunately its role is limited. It does not include the release function trackpad as seen in the Huawei Mate S, for example.

Infrared sensor

The device also has an infrared sensor at the top, but the international version does not come pre-installed with an application to control devices through this port, and the Chinese ROM only supports Chinese and English.

Verdict

The Redmi Note 3 is a budget smartphone that successfully manages to not just get the basics right but offers some high-end features at a very affordable price. The phone’s closest competition is the LeEco 1s (Rs.10,199) which offers full metal finish, a brilliant design, a great display, good camera, flawless performance and also the future-ready USB Type-C port.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge Special Tips and Tricks

Samsung’s first sexy smartphone was the Galaxy S6 Edge – one look, and you simply had to have it. Nobody cared that its glass back picked up too many fingerprints, or that it was slippery and desperately fragile. Even Samsung haters who’d scorned the brand in the past lusted after the phone.

The S7 Edge holds the same magnetic power over you from the moment you first lay eyes on it. It looked so damn good pirouetting in a glass case at the press event that I almost forgot why I hate glass-backed phones.

But then I touched it. Its silky glass back was soon marred by a mass of fingerprints, and the spell was broken. If you don’t like fingerprints, you’re going to need to pop a case on it, or carry around a tiny bottle of Windex everywhere. It’s also slippery, so we’d recommend the case, though it’s a crying shame to cover up this gorgeous phone.

S7 and S7 Edge Special Tips and Tricks

Turn off Always on Display

The first method is very simple. Just pull down on the drop down menu twice to access the extended toggle menu (or tap the downward arrow on the top right of the screen after pulling down the first drop menu) and find the Always On Display toggle. Deselect the option to turn it off.
Read : Reduce Data Usage on Android to Cut Down Bill
For the second method, access the Settings panels by selecting the cog in the drop down menu. Then access Display and Wallpaper under the Phone list, then select Always On Display. Deselect the On option to turn it off. Long pressing the Always On Display toggle in the drop down menu will also bring users to this place.

Those who like the Always On Display can also customize the feature from this settings panel. Users can decide what type of content they would like permanently displayed on their Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge screen; choose a style to display that content and a background image. Using only an image for Always On Display appears like a screen saver.

Customise Home Screen and Display

Arranging apps on the Home Screen is nothing new for Android phones but once again let us go over it. Go to the home screen settings by long pressing an empty part of that screen, tap screen grid, and select the 5 x 5 option. Confirm by hitting Apply, and there's more space available for apps and widgets. It is only the space in between that is reduced, not the size of the icons or text in widgets. You can also like always long press on apps to shift them where you want on the home screen and also from the grid menu.

Additionally, you can use Samsung's adaptive display mode which by default comes with vibrant colours, but if you think it is too straining for your eyes and you want a display of calm, natural looking colours then go to Settings>Display option. Then scroll down to find 'Screen Mode', where the AMOLED-photo or Basic settings will give you the best colour reproduction.

Customize Quick Settings 

The top nav bar and the drop down alternatives are not settled and can simply be redone. To do this draw down, the warning shade, tap on the triangle symbol to demonstrate every quick setting. At that point tap on Edit. You can now handicap (or empower) the Quick associate catch.

The top line is the settings and the second column is those that you can swipe to, on a level plane. So for those components which you need direct access to like the light, put your finger on its symbol and drag it to the top columns. Continue rehashing until your quick settings mirror your modified inclination.
Also Read : Best Android Widgets for Customizing HomeScreen

Disable Flipboard Briefing

This is only for the countries that have the feature as Samsung has done away with the Flipboard Briefing screen that clogged up TouchWiz on previous Galaxy phones. For those where the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge come equipped with a Flipboard Briefing screen it can be disabled. To do this, place your finger on an empty bit of home screen to enter its settings. Swipe to the Flipboard screen and hit the switch to the top right to disable the entire section.


Samsung has revealed its new flagship smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S7, at this year's Mobile World Congress. While on the outside it looks very similar to its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S6, the Galaxy S7 is packed full of cool new features - making this a very exciting new smartphone.

If you're eager to get hold of the Samsung Galaxy S7 then you don't have too long to wait, with the handset going on sale on March 11.

Reduce Data Usage on Android to Cut Down Bill

Mobile data plans are becoming increasingly expensive and a lot of people do not always have access to a Wi-Fi network so how can we combat our insatiable lust to get on the internet and stay within our data allocation? We have made this list of useful tips that can help you save money on mobile data and maximise your internet use on your android smartphone or tablet.

We are still living in a world where all of us are tied up with restricted data usage of 1 GB or to the max 2 GB per month. The data plan we apply will be vanished in no time.

Many of us won’t know how and where it goes and most of us want to restrict / reduce the data using on Android, but don’t know how to reduce it and it this post we will showcase how to reduce the mobile data usage to almost half in just few steps.

Reduce Data Usage on Android
Read : How to Download APK File from Google Play Store

Shrink Browsing Data Usage

If you are more into browsing than chit-chatting in apps with friends and if you are using Google Chrome for all your web browsing then this tips will help you to save your data up to 30%.

The Data Saver option compresses web pages before loading them in your Chrome browser, significantly reducing the download size. Using Data Saver will slow the things a little bit, but that little bit delay is worth it as you get a much longer data life.

Open your Chrome browser -> click on three dots icon -> then tap on “ Settings “ -> next tap on “ Data Saver “ option -> now “ On “ data saver. That’s it you done.

Opera Max

Google’s data compression feature is awesome and all, but it only works within Chrome. What about all the other apps? They sure are spending a lot of precious internet juice. Those who want system-wide compression can have it with Opera Max, a data management app which comes from a major Chrome competitor – Opera.

This application is pretty awesome, as it essentially does the same as Chrome’s data compression, but for every single app in your smartphone. As a result, the user can save about 50% data on everything they do with their devices.

It is also possible to micro manage consumption by blocking specific apps from accessing data through mobile access (or WiFi, though I don’t see the point in that). The Opera Max home page will then show you a detailed description of how much data you have been saving. Those megabytes sure add up quickly!

Turn off Mobile Data when not in Use

This one is pretty self explanatory. Once you’re not using the Internet actively such as when you’re on the road or sleeping, turn off your data connection. Unless you are expecting an urgent message or email, there’s no reason to keep your data connection on at all times if you’re looking to stay within your data allowance.

Restrict Background Data

The easiest way to save data is to tell your apps (or the Android system itself) to restrict background data. Background data is all that internet traffic that goes on when you're not actually using an app: email syncing, feeds updating, weather widgets and so on.

You can also tell the Android system to restrict background data in Settings > Data usage > Restrict Background Data or for individual apps in Settings > Apps (depending on which version of Android you have). You can also change your sync settings for Google services in Settings > Accounts > Google > select the account and then un-check the services you don't want to sync automatically.
Also Read : How To Sync Your Android Device with Windows 10

Use Greenify, if you don't have Android M

App Standby, a new feature only available on Android Marshmallow devices prevents seldom used apps from using your network data, sending you push notifications and draining your battery. This setting is enabled by default on Android M devices, those on an earlier version can install Greenify, which lets you send misbehaving apps on hibernation. 

Stop Videos Auto Play & Auto Download

We know all android users use these two free messaging apps Facebook and Whatsapp- If you have facebook & Whatsapp in your phone, you may be using more data then you realize. If someone on your facebook friends list uploads a video on facebook timeline, you may notice it sometime plays automatically when you scroll past it. So turn off this auto play function to reduce data usage by going to… Facebook Setting > Change Video Auto Play to Off. You can set it to Wi-Fi only. Read Full article

WhatsApp default set auto download media by going to WhatsApp > Setting > Chat Setting > Media Auto download. You will see three options (When using cellular data, when connected on WI-Fi and when roaming. Tick on when connected on WI-Fi to stop download Image, Audio and video auto download on using cellular data.

How to Play Chess with Your Friend on Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger has gained a ton of useful features in the past few years. It’s no longer just a simple chat program. You can send stickers, GIFs, voice messages, money and even play games. The latest game is Chess, which you can now play against a friend in a one-on-one chat with a simple command.

If you’re an occasional chess player but don’t own a chess set at home, chances are you’ve tried using mobile apps to play either against a computer or other players online. But did you know that for a month now, you can actually play chess against your Facebook friends through its Messenger app? There wasn’t any big announcement but some users have already spotted it the last month or so and yes, it really does work and hopefully, it will stay for good.

Play Chess on Facebook Messenger

Unfortunately though, Facebook’s chess game is not a touchscreen implementation that you are probably used to if you have used dedicated chess apps from the Play Store. Instead, players have to type in commands to move the pieces around and a picture is updated with the latest piece positions.

To start a game, log into messenger, either on your mobile device or on your laptop, find a friend who wants to take you on, and then type @fbchess play to start your game.
Read : Best 5 HD Games for Your Android

  • Start game with random colors: @fbchess play
  • Pick the colors: @fbchess play white/black
  • Pick the opponent: @fbchess play white John
  • Make a move: use Standard Algebraic Notation @fbchess e4 or @fbchess Pe4 moves pawn to e4, Nbd2 to move knight from b-file to d2,  B2xc5 to take on c5 with 2nd rank bishop,  e8=Q to promote pawn to queen,  0-0-0 or O-O to castle,
  • Claim draw (e.g. 3-fold repetition): @fbchess draw claim
  • Offer a draw in the current position: @fbchess draw offer
  • Offer an undo of the last move: @fbchess undo
  • Resign: @fbchess resign
  • Show current position: @fbchess show
  • Show stats between current players: @fbchess stats
  • Continue a game from another conversation: @fbchess continue
  • From 1:1 conversation, @fbchess continue with [friend]
  • From group chat, @fbchess continue from [thread name]

Top 5 Best Android Widgets for Customizing HomeScreen

The widgets plays a vital role in making your android device’s home screen attractive. The does not only makes our phone cool but they also make our work faster by gives us quick details of what we are searching for. For example you do not have to open a new site and then search for news and then read which wastes a lots time. So, if you place a widget on home screen then you will get latest news there easily which will saves your precious time. The widgets are of many type like weather forecast, news, clock and alarm etc. There are many widgets for android devices on play store but which one is best and why ?. Most of them are paid and some of them does not provides all features. The most important thing that RAM consumption by the widgets most of widgets consumes a lost of RAM and makes your android device slower. So widget should be fast and clean with attractive design. So, here we have complied a list of best android widgets according to their features, user interface and their speed.

5 Best Android Widgets

How Long Widget – Time Counter

How Long Widget is all about letting you set a time counter for your homescreen just in case you want to keep track of certain stuff, like how long you’ve been able to go without eating fast food or how long you’ve been champion of your local ping pong league. Just type up your title, set the date and pick a color and font and you’re done.

Transparent Clock & Weather

What we most liked about Transparent Clock & Weather is the fact that it brings a ton of widget designs and that too in a number of sizes, so you will never be out of options. You can fully customize the widget, as there are options to change widget skin, weather icons style, time font and lot more. You can also set-up time & date, weather & location and app notifications.

Along with tons of cool widgets, Transparent Clock & weather also brings a great weather app with features like moon forecast, precipitation, humidity, wind details and more. The app is free but it’s limited when it comes to options and it also includes ads. The premium version remove the ads and includes all the settings.

DashClock Widget

DashClock is having 1 million downloads in google play with average rating of 4.1. DashClock Widget for Android SmartPhone looks simple and cool. But works better for your home screen and lock screen with the best out of it. DashClock becomes one more Best Android Widgets 2016 for Android SmartPhones. Including Missed Calls, Incoming Text Messages Display and Your Calendar appointments are shown on lock screen. Download DashClock Widget for Android SmartPhone if you wish to continue with it’s cool features.

Press (RSS Reader)

Press is the best looking RSS reader on Android. While Press as an app is in maintenance mode, its widget is amazing. You can scroll through headlines and summaries of articles in your RSS feed and refresh all from the widget. Customise the opacity and size, and you have one home screen dedicated to reading through the important news.

HD Widgets

HD Widgets contains a set of widgets that gives a stunning look to your Smartphone’s home screen. This set of widgets includes normal toggles such as WIFI, Bluetooth etc., along with a set of other widgets as well. For the $2 you spend in purchasing this application, what you get is a set of professionally designed, awesome looking and functional set of widgets that will decorate the home screen of your Android Smartphone nicely.

Useful Secret Features of Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Google announced it on 28th May and has finally unveiled Android 6.0 marshmallow. 6.0 Marshmallow was first launched only for google devices like Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. As the parent company for nexus phones, Google reserves the right to launch all new advancements for its primary users first. However, it is finally in the process of being gradually rolled out

Android marshmallow features have been changed / upgraded in many ways from the previous android lollipop. For example – you can now uninstall unwanted apps directly from your home screen. You have to simply keep your fingers placed on the app, wait for the uninstall icon to appear and drag and drop your app into the trash. You can also activate developer mode in some phones with a few simple steps; Go to Settings > About Phone and tap at least seven times until you see a screen pop up that show you that now you are in Developer Mode.

Features of Android 6.0

Access Built-in File Manager

Stock Android has been panned for not featuring a file manager but Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes with one, although it’s hidden deep inside the settings. To access the file manager on Android 6.0, go to Settings->Storage & USB->Internal storage and scroll down and tap “Explore“.

The built-in file manager is pretty basic with the usual features like copy, move, delete etc. If you don’t want a third party file manager app, this should work just fine.

Play Android Marshmallow Easter Egg

Like last year’s Lollipop Easter Egg, the Marshmallow Easter egg is a Flappy Bird lookalike. This time, though, Google has added a multiplayer feature. To open it, go to Settings -> About Phone. Then tap the Android version repeatedly until you see the Marshmallow (M) icon appear in the center of the screen. Tap on the “M” logo to turn it into a Marshmallow with antenna. Then press and hold on the Marshmallow until the game screen loads.

Direct Sharing

You’re likely already familiar with Android’s sharing menu, one in which you can can share information from one app with a number of different apps. With Marshmallow, Google has implemented the ability to use this same sharing menu to share content with other people. This means if you want to send a picture to a friend, you merely tap Share while looking at the picture and select your friend’s Hangout conversation to do so. This is much easier than sharing it via the official Hangouts app. Sadly, there are no apps that currently support the feature, but we expect developers to jump on board quickly.

Android marshmallow features

Doze mode

Doze is Android Marshmallow’s new battery-saving feature and extends your smartphone’s battery life by ‘dozing’ you device when the system senses it has been idle or physically stationary for an extended time.

In a ‘dozed’ state, you won’t receive any notifications unless an app, like Gmail or Hangouts, is specifically configured by an app developer to ignore Doze mode.

However, if you have key apps you want to keep seeing notifications for, even when your phone is idle, you can manually exclude them.

Go to Settings > Battery > tap the three dot menu (top right) > tap Battery Optimization > tap Not Optimized > tap All Apps > select individual apps you want to exclude from Doze mode.

Smart Lock for Passwords

Few things are more annoying than searching out various alpha-numeric characters from your hard-to-guess password on a touch-screen keyboard. A new Marshmallow feature allows you to avoid much of that hassle via a new "Smart Lock for Passwords" feature.

You can access this feature via the aforementioned Google settings menu by going to Settings > Google > Smart Lock for Passwords. Here, you can turn the "Smart Lock" on, which allows "the passwords for your Android apps to be saved to your Google account." This will allow you to store your app passwords on the cloud in a secure central location, which you can access whenever you move to a new device.

On the same page, you'll have the ability to toggle on/off the "Auto sign-in" feature, which will "automatically sign in to apps and websites connected to your account." A little further down the screen, you'll notice a "Never save" area, where you can add exceptions to this rule (that's a good place for your banking apps, for example).

How To Block Annoying Ads on Android Device

Most of the free apps available on the Play Store are sponsored by advertisements. Although these allow developers get some money out of their apps, they are sometimes unfair and detrimental to the user. If you are searching for an app to block these ads, you won't find any of them on the Play Store, as Google chose to ban them. This article will walk you through several solutions to proceed with ad blocking on your Android device.

Sideloading is required as Google has removed ad-block apps from Google Play Store. You need to sideload any ad-blocker, i.e. install ad-blockers using its APK file and not from Google Play Store.

Block Annoying Ads on Android

Follow the given steps to set this configuration:

  • Go to Settings > Applications (or Security on 4.0 and above) on your Android device.
  • Navigate to the Unknown sources option.
  • If unchecked, tap the checkbox, and then tap OK on the confirmation popup.

Your Android device is ready to install ad-blockers.

Ad-Blocking Apps

If you browse the Android Market, you'll see a number of apps that promise to block all ads on your Android device, but the vast majority of these apps--such as the well-regarded AdAway, NetSpector Sniffer/Ad Blocker, or AdFree Android--are available only for rooted phones. The reason these apps work exclusively on rooted phones is because they often make changes to the hosts file, something that's allowed only on rooted devices. If you've rooted your Android phone, you can try any of these apps and see if they work for you.
Read : Top 5 Android Apps to Block Annoying Ads

Block Ads using ‘hosts’ file

This method uses ‘hosts’ file to block ads. This method blocks all ads in your device, including the ones shown in various apps and games. This method works only for rooted devices.

What is a ‘hosts’ file?

‘hosts’ file is a plain-text file in an operating system to map hostnames (like anything.com) to its IP address. Whenever you try to launch a website using its hostname, the operating system will usually search the ‘hosts’ file to find the corresponding IP address first.

If the search is successful, then its mapped IP address is used; otherwise a query is sent to DNS (Domain Name Service) to find the IP address of that hostname.

Setting Up ‘hosts’ file

  • On the computer, open MVPS (or pgl.yoyo.org or hostfile.mine.nu) on your browser. A plain-text page will open. Save this page as the name hosts in the computer.
  • Using Bluetooth or a USB connection, copy this hosts file from your computer to your Android device. Note the file path.
  • On your Android, open the file manager in your device and copy the hosts file to /etc or /system/etc. Accessing this location may require you to ‘allow super user permissions’ to the file manager.
  • Rename the original hosts file (if present) to a .txt or .bak extension. Paste the saved hosts file here. Reboot your Android and your Android is now ad-free.

Best Tower Defense Games for Android Devices

Tower defense games have a smaller but fiercely loyal following. Generally, they require a lot more thinking than actual action and that makes them perfect for those who want something akin to a time waster but with more substance. It also happens to be one of the most popular genres in all of Android gaming so here are the best Android tower defense games.


Best Tower Defence Games

Tower Raiders 2 GOLD

Here, you are put in charge of defending 20 power crystals from the raiders. The game has 24 different levels with increasing difficulty and even if you were to pass all levels in a single try, the game is a lengthy one taking nearly 20 hours. The basic aim is to build platforms to fire weapons at enemies who are trying to get across the screen with the intent of stealing the power crystals. You must use strategy to funnel your enemies down a long path so that you finish them off before they lay hands on power crystals.
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Castle Defense

Castle Defense is a fairly typical tower defence game. There are waves of bad guys that walk along a set path and you must set up troops and defences to destroy them. The graphics are okay and the game play is easy to pick up. It is free to play with in app purchases and in the tower defence arena, that means you’ll have to do a significant amount of grinding to avoid forking out real money. If you’re okay with the grind or with forking out a few bucks for in app purchases then this is a fun (and free) game to pick up!

Anomaly War-zone Earth HD

Take control of the attacking force, pitting your heavily armored squad against the destructive towers of an alien horde. Carefully lead your squad through the invaders’ defenses, shattering their towers and turrets with special weapons and power-ups in this ground breaking new experience in tower offense.

Defender

The enemies in this tower defense game are fast so do not think they will give up easily or that you would be able to destroy them like you used to do in the Flash games when you were a kid. If you have played Plant vs. Zombies, you’ll enjoy this game; you are a shooter and have arrows to shoot at monsters that are trying to invade your castle. You use the touch screen to shoot the arrows. With each passing level, the damage power of arrows increases – but so does the speed and strength of the enemies.
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Plants vs. Zombies 2

The sequel to the original game that was first developed for PC fits right in on a mobile device. The gameplay is similar to the first edition, but there are a lot more add-ons that make it worth playing through, even if you feel like you’ve already conquered the Plants vs. Zombies world.

For the uninitated, you must use an arsenal of fauna to fend off the undead. Unlike other games where you set up your defenses and sit back, Plants vs. Zombies 2 relies on furiously replenishing your garden army. The sequel also throws in some fun backgrounds, taking you to Ancient Egypt and the Dark Ages. The interlude sequences are rather annoying, and of course EA throws in plenty of in-app upgrade choices. But as someone who conquered the first game and never tried the new one, I can strongly recommend it and believe there’s a lot to bring you back.

Kingdom Rush and Kingdom Rush Frontiers

The Kingdom Rush series is one of the most prolific and highly rated games on the list. It’s a classic tower defense game with large maps, plenty of towers, achievements, and even heroes that you can drop to fight alongside your towers. The graphics are decent and things like a competent soundtrack and sound effects create a more well-rounded experience. Some people liked the first one better while others like the second better. Some play both. The button will take you to the developer page on Google Play so you can check them both out.