The skinned versions of Android that come with Samsung, LG, and HTC phones usually have a feature that displays a small icon in your status bar when you connect a pair of headphones. It lets you know that your earbuds are plugged in or connected properly, and offers assurance that your music won't be blaring out of the loudspeaker—but mostly, it's just a nice little touch.
Considering how much smartphones cost in the first place, we're understandably reluctant to throw them out when we've bought a newer model. And this is probably the best practice, too, as there are many great uses for an old Android device.
Music is definitely more immersive when it's accompanied by a bit of visual stimuli, which is why CyanogenMod and other custom ROMs have started integrating music visualizers into elements of the Android system UI. It's a great effect, but it's not necessarily something that's worth replacing your stock firmware over.
HTC's newest flagship smartphone, the HTC 10, has been met with nearly universal acclaim despite a weak amount of sales over the last few months. Most reviewers point to the device's gorgeous hardware as its main attraction, but at the same time, it certainly has some nice software to match, as this year's Sense 8 may be one of the best manufacturer skins ever.
We spend over 30 percent of our lifetimes sleeping—yet it never seems like enough, does it? Distractions ranging from work issues to personal relationships keep our minds racing well after they should be shutting down for the night, and the onset of smartphones has only added to this problem with the instant information and easy entertainment that they offer.
Depending on your child's age, their first smartphone may be a little too open for them, or you, to handle. With essentially a world of information—both good and bad—available at their fingertips, it can seem like a huge hurdle to instill parental controls on their device.
With an Android device, you can replace almost any default app with a third-party offering. Don't like your home screen app? Replace it. Tired of the text messaging interface? Upgrade it. The same can be said for Android's lock screen. But while many third-party lock screen apps are available, so far, only one has been designed with the Samsung Galaxy S6 and its fingerprint scanner in mind.
With the release of various new and updated Samsung Galaxy S6 apps and features, like Smart Switch, Smart Remote, and wallpapers, something that's a home screen staple for most Android users was still missing.
With Nexus devices already enjoying Android 5.0 Lollipop, most other manufacturers are scrambling to get their flagships updated to Google's latest operating system. While HTC has promised Lollipop by the end of 2015, OEMs such as Motorola and Sony have already issued updates to their latest models. Then there's Samsung.
Every time my Galaxy Note 3 boots up, I'm greeted by the monotonous and slightly annoying AT&T sound. If you're as tired of the stock boot up sound as I am, then follow along with me below to see how to change it to whatever sound you want, no matter what carrier version you have.
Android's new Material Design language is truly a thing of beauty. Slated to make a full debut alongside the upcoming Android "L" release, the vision and simplicity of this UX design recently won Gold Prize at the annual User Experience Awards.
The options for customization are virtually endless when you're rooted and have an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery. However, there is always risk involved when flashing new mods or installing new ROMs. I always make backups in case something happens, but when I'm testing certain mods out, I sometimes get a damaged EFS partition.
Android L hasn't made its official release yet, but if you installed the early release using the Windows or fastboot method, you may have noticed some minor inconveniences, like the lack of a battery percentage icon and the absence of a Clear All option in your notification tray.
It is really quite easy to flash a custom recovery to your Nexus, and there are many excellent tutorials on how to do so (see the How-To below): The Easiest Way to Install a Custom Recovery on Your Nexus 7 Tablet « Nexus 7.
I love Android, and I think its apps are great—the polish that came with the Ice Cream Sandwich update truly put Android design on the map. That being said, one of the more frequent complaints from iOS fans continues to be that apps just "run smoother" and "look better" on iOS than they do Android.
The Chromecast may be slowly weaving its way into the smartphone ecosystem, but the amount of supported Android apps that are available for the streaming media player are still severely limited.
Update: The installation process for Xposed Installer is now dead simple—check out our updated guide!
Netflix is more popular now than ever, but it still has a ways to go before satisfying everyone. Whether it's a lack of availability, buggy or unattractive apps, or just not being able to find anything to watch, lots of people have their complaints.
While the legality of secretly recording phone calls varies in each country, sometimes it's useful to have audio documentation of conversations you have on your Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
There are very few things Android users would want to borrow from Apple's iOS, but let's move beyond the fanboy/girl biases and admit that Apple actually does a few things pretty well. One of those things is looks, and the new iOS 7 looks pretty amazing to me.
With the Google Play store on your Android device, it's a relatively easy process to check all of your application updates. All you have to do is launch the Market app, go to the My Apps section, and from there you'll be able to see all of the available updates for your applications, which should be positioned at the top of the list. The problem with this process is that many times, you'll go days or weeks and quite possibly even months without checking the Google Play application market, lea...
With all of the advancements in the smartphone world, we can virtually use them for anything. You can use your smartphone as a mobile hotspot, an Xbox controller, a car locator, and a security camera. Heck, you can even turn it into a Swiss Army knife. And now you can even use it as a wireless mouse for your computer!
A faulty or broken thermostat can be one of the most annoying things to ever happen to your house. It's always too hot or too cold, and you can end up wasting money on your electricity bill.
There are so many different devices today that have Wi-Fi capabilities--notebooks, handheld gaming devices, tablets, and more. Why not share some of the 3G and 4G internet that streams into your Motorola Droid 3 with the other electronics you carry with you? You can turn your Verizon Wireless Droid 3 smartphone into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot using the mobile hotspot menu on the android phone.
Need help reducing radical expressions without perfect square or cube roots? Take heart: this free math lesson will ensure that you know everything you need to know for that next big test. Examples include square roots, cube roots, and 4th roots. You'll also learn a technique to simplify n-root expressions as well as how to simplify variables in radical expressions.
First of all you have to check the root which has started circling. Then notice that there is a dark portion at the bottom of the trunk. You can prevent this problem by avoiding to plant too deeply and not to leave in the pot for too long. You have to plant it at the right depth. Now check the roots of the bigger tree that has died. You shall notice that the roots have started circling around a part and then they stop the circulation to the top of the tree and then the tree dies because it wa...
John White discusses how to propagate houseplants. You will need a potting mix called a “soilless” mix, which contains only vermiculite, perlite and peat moss. In addition you will need a sharp knife, a pruner and a weeding hormone to help induce root growth on the cuttings.
Giving yourself root access will let you have superuser status on your B&N Nook eReader. Make sure your reader is on airplane mode, then connect it to your computer and follow the steps outlined in this tutorial to gain root access to your reader.
Roses can easily be passed on to family members and friend by means of root cuttings. Watch this video to learn how to properly root a rose and prepare it to be gifted to someone whose garden your love.
Dark roots are an inevitable part of the hair dye experience. If you want to cover up those roots and don't have time to have your hair redyed, watch his video to learn how a little baby powder can save your look.
In this tutorial, learn how to root your HTC smartphone for super user access. With a rooted phone, you will be able to tether for free, install and create new ROMS, alter the CPU and much more. Follow along with this instructional video and get started with you new "jailbroken" EVO 4G.
Want to root your Spring HTC Hero smartphone from a Windows PC? It's easy! So easy, in fact, that a complete walkthrough of the process can be given in just under three minutes' time. For detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to gain root on your own Droid smart phone, watch this hacker's how-to.
Sick of spending your hard earned money at a beauty salon? It takes a lot to manage dark roots! But have no fear, AMICLUBWEAR is here to help! In this video, learn how to dye your roots in the comfort of your bathroom.
In this tutorial, we learn how to make Japanese lotus root salad. First, you will need to take the lotus root and peel it. Then, cut it into thin slices and place into ice water. After this, chop up green peppers, removing the middle and seeds. Now, add four cups of water to a large pot, along with 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Bring this to a boil, then combine 3 tbsp rice vinegar with 2 tbsp water in a small bowl. Put the peppers into the water and vinegar mix and let this soak. Strain the lotus roo...
It seemed like an impossible task. No one could figure it out. Only God himself knew the answer. But the impossible has become possibly after only a week of trying. The Droid X has been rooted.
Could you use a little help figuring out how to simplify numbers left in square root form? Watch this free video lesson. From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps (or just finish your homework or study for that next big test). With this free math tutorial, you'll learn how to simplify surds.
Security awareness seems to be a hot topic these days on the web, with developers making apps and devices that can hack networks and machines with just a few clicks. But these applications aren't only exploiting security flaws in systems and networks, they're being used by amateur and wannabe hackers who want to have a little fun, but don't want to learn how to actually "hack" anything.
Android-enabled mobile devices are taking the world by storm, giving Apple's iPhone a run for their money. And if you're holding an Android cell phone in your hand, getting accustomed to all the flashy features can be daunting, especially if you're new to multimedia smartphones.
If you've jumped on board HBO Max to watch more than just HBO's content, such as DC films, Looney Tunes, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, and movies from Warner Bros., there is a downside to HBO's improved service. Namely, you cannot use it on all of your devices yet. The most notable omission is Roku players and TVs. But there are workarounds you can use until an official app comes out.
As a root user, you have a lot of responsibilities to make sure your phone stays secure. Expectedly, some things may slip through the cracks. Remembering to check which apps have been granted root access is extremely important. All it takes is one bad app, so it's good to learn how to avoid that at all cost.
