TRICKS & FIXES All your Android problems solved

TRICKS & FIXES All your Android problems solved

1. How do I stop myAndroid phone usingdata when abroad

One option is a third-party app called APNdroid, from the Android Market, which lets you turn off all data connections via a widget on the home screen. It makes changing these settings much quicker than using the standard Android settings screen and is more likely to act as a reminder for when you next travel abroad.

2. My Android phonehas frozen. How can I get it working?

A soft reset will usually do the trick, but there are different methods for different phones, often involving a combination of button presses. Alternatively, Fast Reboot is an app that will do the job for you by simulating the soft reset process and closing running processes with just one tap.

3. Why can’t I downloadevery app from theAndroid Market

Some apps are designed for specific screen resolutions and therefore are not available on all phones. The highend Android phones tend to support more apps, but landscape-screened phones sometimes have problems with particular games and apps. There are other reasons why some apps will not be available, such as compatibility only with a specific manufacturer’s devices, but the vast majority of apps should be available for all phones so you need not worry too much.

4. My smartphone’sWi-Fi does not stayconnected

Go to Wireless & Networks>Wi-Fi Settings and press the Menu button. Choose Advanced and change the sleep policy to Never. This solves the problem for most people.

5. Why does my phone keep runningout of memory

The cache can often get too full to allow the efficient running of apps. Apps like Cache Cleaner, from the Android Market let you clean the cache for specific apps to free up memory. You will also need to either uninstall or move apps to an expansion card to free up more physical memory.

6. I am using too much data. How can Imonitor it?

My Data Manager is an excellent solution for monitoring how much data you have been using. It offers alerts when you reach a specified level and will help to ensure that you never go over your monthly data allowance.

7. The keyboard is verydifficult to use…

The default Android keyboard is not easy to use, but there are countless alternatives available. SlideIt is just one example that lets you type without ever removing your finger from the screen; simply slide your finger between letters and watch the magic happen.

8. My SD card is nolonger recognised

Expansion cards can get corrupted and the most effective solution is to try to reformat them using a desktop or laptop PC. Using the standard file explorer, you should be able to right-click and choose the format option to bring it back to life. It tends to work more often than trying to format it on the phone itself.

9. How can I use Flash on my Android phone?

ndroid phones can use Flash and all it requires is the installation of an app from the Android Market.Be aware that some budget phones may struggle with the resources required to run Flash.

1: Double check
The first step is to check to see if your phone can already use Flash content. Go to www.bbc.co.uk, select the ‘desktop site’ option and try to watch an embedded video. If it works, you can stop here.

2: Get the app
If you find that the Flash content does not show up (you’ll probably also see a message saying that you need Flash Player), go to the Android Market and search for ‘Adobe Flash Player’. Download and install the app as normal.

3: Enjoy content
You should now see Flash content displayed correctly on websites that support it and the entire experience should feel seamless no matter what webpage you visit. Relax and enjoy the content.

10. My Screen is difficult to see in bright sunlight

The best option is to look for an ‘antiglare’ screen protector. They tend to be stronger than standard protectors and also reduce the amount of glare on the screen. Sadly, there is no complete solution for phones that include screens not easily viewable in bright sunlight.

11. Some games play very slowly on my phone

Some of the budget phones include slower processors and the graphics speed can be reduced because of this. Test a phone before you buy it, because some phones are better than others and it can be difficult to tell just from the specifications alone.

12. How do I remove apps?

Go to Settings>Applications>Manage Applications and then select the app you wish to uninstall. Now tap the Uninstall icon.

13. My screen has cracked! Should I buy a new phone?

Most of the phones have parts available from various online suppliers that you can install yourself. The process for replacing a screen isn’t easy though.

14. Entering my password takes forever!

By navigating to Settings>Security>‘Set up screen lock’, you can choose to enter a pattern rather than a password. This method is not only quicker, but much more secure. So it’s the best of both worlds.

15. My location is not always accurate in maps

Go to Settings>Location and make sure that the ‘Use GPS satellites’ option is ticked. This will ensure much greater accuracy when navigating.

16. The flashing LED is very annoying, can I change it?

It is easy to stop the LED notification on most Android phones. Simply go to Settings>Display>‘Notification flash’ and remove all of the ticks.

17. How do I wipe my Android smartphone completely?

The best way is to use the ‘Factory data reset’ option in Settings>‘SD & phone storage’. To be sure that everything has gone, go through the process twice.

18. Why can’t I useAndroid Market on my tablet?

Some tablets come with their own cut-down app market or even none at all. It may be that the Android version installed is too old or the hardware is simply too slow to cope with many apps. Always do your research before you buy.

19. Some of myKindle books look strange…

This can happen if you are using a custom ROM on your Android phone or tablet. The ROM provider may have a solution, but if not you will need to revert back to the standard ROM to read your books properly.

20. I dropped myphone in water…

This solution won’t help if it has already happened, but if it does in the future, take the battery out as quickly as possible and dry the phone. Leave it for 72 hours in a dry room and try it again. It may just work.

21. Can I make the text bigger on my smartphone?

Yes. In apps like the browser you can go to the settings and use the ‘Set text size’ option to increase the size of the displayed text. There are some excellent accessibility options available in the Android Market as well, which will help.

22. Can I update my apps automatically?

In the Market app, go to ‘My Apps’ via the menu and select an app. You’ll see an option allowing it to auto-update. Only use this for apps you trust.

23. Where did my paid apps go?

If you change your phone and apps don’t appear in your Market account, check to make sure they are compatible. If they are not showing after a system update, the Market may be seeing your phone as not tied to your account. You can then contact Market support.

24. How do I set the minimum age for apps?

Go to the Market app and press the Menu button. Choose Settings and then Content filtering. You can now choose which apps are allowed on your phone.

25. My screen isn’t accurate any more

Very few Android phones allow you to calibrate the screen, which means that if you are having problems hitting the right spot on your screen, you will need to try a soft reset, a hard reset and then a support call to fix it.

26. I want to hide my search history

Go to www.google. com/history in your Android browser and log in. You can now choose to remove your searches and not save future searches from this page.

27. How to…Safely Remove Your Memory Card?

Go to Settings>‘SD & phone storage’ and tap Unmount. You can then safely remove the card.

28. Switch to Airplane Mode?

Hold the power button and select the Airplane mode option when it pops up.

29. Save Email Pictures?

Tap the ‘Download’ button next to the image in the email or hold down your finger on the image to save it.

30. Make Your Phone Silent?

Hold the power button and select the Silent mode option when it appears.

31. Make a New Wallpaper?

View an image in the gallery and then press the Menu button. Now choose the Set as option.

32. Copy and Paste Text?

Hold down your ­ nger on some text and drag the markers to select the text. Then tap the left-hand ‘copy’ icon.

33. Create An Mp3 Ringtone?

Navigate to a song in the Music app and press the Menu button. Now choose ‘Set as ringtone’.

34. Hard Reset Your Phone?

Go to Settings>‘SD & phone storage’ and choose the ‘Factory data restore’ option.

35. See Recently Used Apps?

Hold down the Home button when in the main home screen.

36. Perform a Voice Search?

Hold down the hardware Search key and choose ‘Voice search’.

37. How do I take screenshots

Some Samsung and LG phones let you press the Back key and the Home button twice to take screenshots, but for most other Android phones you will need to download and install the Android develop kit.

38. How do I download music to my phone

Amazon MP3, from the Android Market, is a very good option and lets you purchase and install MP3 files directly to your phone without the need of a PC.

39. I can’t upgrade my phone to a new release!

Sadly not all manufacturers allow updates to the latest Android release on their phones, but custom ROMs often let users update to the newest features. A search on the internet will show what’s available, but you need to be confident when installing ROMs.

40. My network operator won’t let me tether my phone

This is true of many networks, but there are solutions that can help. If you do a simple search in the Android Market for ‘tether’, you will be offered a variety of apps that allow tethering – and many also mask the fact you are tethering, so your network should never know. We don’t advise masked tethering and cannot guarantee its success, but it may work for some.

41. Some apps won’t install to my SD card

You should still be able to move apps to an SD card using the Manage Application feature in Settings>Applications. We have seen apps fail to install on an expansion card despite the fact they can be moved afterwards, so a little manual intervention may be required to do this for future installations.

42. How can I change the language on my phone?

Go to Settings>‘Language & keyboard’ and choose the language you require. Some apps are only set to work properly if US English is selected, but they are fortunately few and far between.

43. Can I remove apps that were pre-installed on my phone?

You can, but the process requires rooting the device and then downloading an app called Root Uninstaller. The amount of memory you will save is probably not worth the effort, though, because you run the danger of making your phone very unstable.

44. Can I speed up my Android phone?

Apps like SetCPU will let you speed up your phone by overclocking the processor. It will also let you slow down the processor to save memory, but be careful. Most processors are designed to run at a set maximum speed for a reason and you do run the risk of frying it if you push it too hard.

45. What’s the best way to backup my phone?

You can back up an Android phone using different solutions, but Titanium Backup PRO is considered to be one of the best available. Besides offering the ability to back up every part of your phone, it also enables you to export the backups by email or sync them to your Dropbox account.

46. How can I prevent viruses attacking my phone?

Mobile security is becoming a bigger issue as smartphones become more popular and so installing an app to help keep you protected is a very good idea. Kaspersky Mobile Security is just one example that claims to offer real-time protection against a host of threats.

47. The volume on my phone is too quiet

Some Android phones suffer from a low volume level, but help is at hand from AudioBoost which is available from the Android Market. It can increase the volume on your phone by up to 30 per cent and is also activated by a handy home-screen widget.

48. Can I change the look of my phone without changing the ROM?

Apps like LauncherPro offer a different look to the standard Android interface and also include many features such as 3D effects and a scrollable shortcut dock. It is safer than changing the ROM completely.

49. The livewallpaper seemsto use too much battery life

In tests, the battery drain has been shown to be low with live wallpapers, but it is still a problem for power users who run out of battery power every day. The simple answer is to use a static wallpaper.

50. How To… See all of your Home Screens at once?

Press the Home key quickly while in the main home screen.

51. Lock your sim card?

Go to Settings>Security>‘Set up SIM card lock’.

52. Quickly change wireless settings?

Add the ‘Power Control’ widget to the home screen.

53. Geotag Photos?

In the camera app, press the Menu button, choose Settings and set ‘Geo-tag photos’ to On.

54. Get a better file manager?

Search for ‘Astro File Manager’ in the Android Market and install it.

55. Add webpage shortcuts to your home screen?

On your home screen, choose to add a shortcut and then select ‘Bookmark’.

56. Make Screen taps audible?

Go to Settings>Sound Settings>Screen lock sounds.

57. Get a refund on paid apps?

In Market, press the Menu button and choose ‘My apps’. Select ‘Uninstall and refund’ within 15 minutes of installing.

58. Close the keyboard?

Touch the keyboard and swipe downwards with your ­ nger.

59. Remove the annoying animations?

Go to Settings>Display and change the Animation setting.

60. My clock keeps losing time

This can happen if your clock is set to automatically update the time from your network. If the network clock is slow, so will your phone be. Go to Settings>‘Date & time’ and untick the Automatic box. Your clock should now run perfectly.

61. Can I block unwanted callers?

Most network providers do not offer this facility, but because Android can be tweaked in so many ways, there are still options open to you. Extreme Call Blocker Droid works on many Android phone models and blocks incoming calls in almost every way imaginable. It is not the cheapest Android app available, but works extremely well and can save you a lot of headaches in the future.

62. My phone is slow. Are there any tools to help?

The first step would be to remove any unnecessary apps and to ensure that your phone is not full of data you don’t need. An app like System Tuner Pro can also help by automatically tuning many parts of your phone to ensure the best possible performance.

63. Why can’t I use theSD card when my phone is attached to the PC?

By default this isn’t possible, but if you have rooted your phone you can use an app like Multi Mount SD-Card, which lets you access an expansion card from both a PC and phone at the same time. It works well and this is in spite of our concern about accessing a card from two places at once, which could lead to corrupted files.

64. My phone has been stolen. Can I track it?

If your phone has been stolen, you will struggle to get it back. This is, however, a case of prevention rather than cure and we would advise installing a thirdparty app to help track your phone. PhoneLocator Pro is a good example and includes the ability to remotely track a phone using GPS, as well as letting you wipe or lock the phone.

65. Why can’t I use iTunes with my Android device?

You won’t be able to use DRM-protected media on your Android device, but you can still use iTunes thanks to doubleTwist AirSync. It lets you synchronise your media between iTunes and an Android phone or tablet and you can do so without a physical connection.

66. How do I close an app that keeps freezing my phone?

The solution is unfortunately more complex than it should be. Go to Settings>Applications and choose ‘Manage applications’. Now choose the app that is misbehaving from the list and tap ‘Force stop’. If the app continues to misbehave, you should try uninstalling and reinstalling it.

67. Can I close running apps quickly?

The default task manager in Android is a good solution, but it could be much quicker. Advanced Task Manager is the most popular tool to deal with running apps and lets you manage all of your running apps with just a couple of taps. After a while the process become so natural that you will forget that you are even using it.

68. My phone won’t connect to myPC using USB

Most Android phones will connect without problem to a PC, but on occasion they will run into trouble. The first place to look is the manufacturer’s website to find the required drivers to connect it. They are not always available and so you may need to send in a support request to get them.

69. Why does auto-correct not know a lot of words

There is no way that an auto-correct system can know all of the words you need to use, but you can add new ones quickly and easily. Type a word and look for the ‘+’ sign below the text field. Tap it and the word will be added to your dictionary for future use. The more words you add, the more accurate your typing will become.

70. The slide unlock feature is really annoying!

You can avoid the slide unlock by tapping the Menu button twice. Not all phones support this because some manufacturers add their own skins, but the majority should allow this simple and quick workaround.

71. Switching between keyboard stakes forever!

If you have more than one keyboard installed, it can appear to be cumbersome to switch between them, but it need not be so. Simply press and hold the ‘123’ button on the keyboard and you will be offered a selection to switch to. It only takes a second.

72. Why does my screen turn off when charging?

It doesn’t have to and the solution is simple. Go to Settings>Applications>Development and tick the ‘Stay awake’ option to keep the screen on when charging.

73. Can I reinstall a paid app?

You can. If an app is misbehaving, the last resort is to uninstall it and then reinstall it, which often resolves the problem. Go to the Market and click on the ‘My Market Account’ link. You will see an orders tab which should include a list of the apps you have previously purchased. Choose an app and then tap Install to complete the process. The Market should not charge you for the reinstall

74. How do I know if I have the latest version of Android on my phone?

Go to Settings>‘About phone’ and choose ‘System software updates’. Here you will see a ‘Check now’ icon to see if there is a newer version of Android available for your phone.

75. How can I save battery life?

rve battery life using many tweaks on an Android phone and the trick is stopping specific functionality withouthindering your use of Android too much. You may be surprised at how much extra battery power you can gain.

1: Slow down
Go to Settings> Wireless & networks>Mobile network and tap the arrow next to ‘Network mode’. Choose ‘GSM only’ to save battery life, although you’ll get a slower network.

2: Dim the screen
Go to Settings>Display and chose the Brightness option. Untick the Automatic brightness box and then slide the arrow as far to the left as is comfortable for you to view.

3: Your location
You may not need to have the location feature enabled all of the time, so go to Settings>Location and untick the two boxes there. This simple process may save more battery life than you expect.

Source : Android Tips, Tricks, Apps and Hacks Magazine