Android Phones can cause problems which seem too complex to handle at
the time but their solutions are really simple. Here are the solutions
to the most common android phone problems that users have encountered:
1. My Android phone has frozen
You just need to restart your phone to kickstart a frozen android phone.
2. My smartphone Wi-Fi does not remain connected
This may solve the problem. Just go to Wi-Fi > Settings > Menu
> Advanced and choose to stay connected to Wi-Fi during sleep.
3. Why do I keep running out of memory?
Among other reasons, the most prominent problem can be a full cache
which affects the efficient running of apps. You can download apps like
Cache Cleaner or Clean Master from Google Play to clean the cache for
specific apps. This will free up some memory to resolve the issue. You
will also have to either uninstall or move apps to an external SD card
to free up more physical memory.
4. My SD card is no longer recognised
SD cards can get corrupted and the most effective solution is to
reformat them using a desktop or laptop PC. It works more often than
trying to format it on the phone itself.
5. My screen is difficult to see in bright sunlight
You can increase screen brightness to maximum or use ‘anti-glare’ screen protector to see the screen in bright sunlight.
6. 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 to
remove the app.
7. My screen has cracked! Should I buy a new phone?
Cracked screens can be replaced as most phones have parts available
from various suppliers both online and offline. Do your research before
buying a new phone.
8. Entering my password takes forever!
Go to Settings > Security > Set up screen lock > choose
enter a pattern rather than a password. Pattern is quicker and securer
than a password.
9. My location is not always accurate in maps
Go to Settings > Location > check ‘Use GPS satellites’ and this will ensure much greater accuracy when navigating.
10. How do I wipe my Android smartphone completely?
Go to Settings > SD & Phone storage > Factory Data Restore.
Go through the process twice to be completely sure that everything has
been removed.
11. I dropped my phone in water!
Take the battery out as quickly as possible and dry as many parts of
the phone as you can then leave it for 72 hours in a dry room. Try it
again, it may work.
12. Can I make the text on my Android smartphone bigger?
Go to message settings and use ‘Set text size’ option to increase the size of the displayed text.
13. Can I update my apps automatically?
Go to Google Play > Menu > ‘My Apps’ > select an app and
choose auto-update option for trusted apps only. This option can be seen
half-way down the screen.
14. I want to hide my search history.
Go to www.google.com/history in your Android browser and login. Here
you can choose to remove your previous searches and not to save future
searches.
15. How do I take screenshots?
Some smartphones will let you press the back key and the home button
twice to take screenshots but the method varies for different android
phone models.
16. How do I download music directly to my phone or tablet?
You can install Amazon MP3 from Google Play which lets you purchase
and install MP3 files directly to your phone without the need of a PC.
17. Some apps won’t install to my SD card
You may be able to move apps to an SD card using Settings > Manage
Applications after installating the app in the phone memory.
18. How can I change the language on my phone?
Go to Settings > Language & keyboard and choose the language you require.
19. Can I remove pre-installed apps on my phone?
You can, but the process will require rooting the device and then
downloading an app called Root Uninstaller. This can make your phone
unstable and the amount of memory saved will not be worth it.
20. Can I speed up my Android phone?
There are apps available such as SetCPU which will let you speed up
your phone through overclocking the processor. It will also let you slow
down the processor to save memory. However, you need to be careful
because you may end up frying your phone if you push it above the set
maximum speed.
21. What’s the best way to backup my phone?
There are multiple solutions available to backup an Android phone and
Titanium Backup PRO is considered to be one of the best solutions
available. This app has the ability to backup every part of your phone
and even export the backups through email or sync them to Dropbox.
22. How can I stop viruses from attacking my phone?
You can download anti-virus applications such as Kaspersky Mobile
Security or AVG which offer real-time protection against a host of
threats.
23. The volume on my phone is too quiet
If your Android phone suffer from low volume then you can download
AudioBoost from the Android market. It can increase the volume up to 30%
and is also activated from home screen widget.
24. The Live Wallpaper uses too much battery life
The simple solution is to use a static wall paper instead.
25. My clock keeps losing time.
This problem can occur if your phone’s clock updates time
automatically from your network. If the network clock is slow, so will
be your phone clock. Go to Settings > Date & time > untick the
‘Automatic’ box at the top.
26. Can I block unwanted callers?
If your network provider does not offer this facility then you can
download Extreme Call Blocker Droid. This app can block incoming calls
but it is not the cheapest Android app available. You can explore other
apps on the market too.
27. My phone is slow at times. Are there any tools to help?
You can make your phone fast if you remove all unnecessary apps and
data you do not need. An app like System Tuner Pro can tune many parts
of your phone automatically to ensure the best possible performance.
28. My phone has been stolen. Can I track it?
You can install a third party app to help track your phone if it gets
stolen. PhoneLocator Pro can remotely track a phone using GPS as well
as let you wipe or lock the phone.
29. Why can’t I use iTunes with my Android device?
You can use iTunes with doubleTwist AirSync which lets you
synchronise media between iTunes and an Android phone or tablet without a
physical connection. However, you won’t be able to access DRM protected
media.
30. How do I close an app that keeps freezing my phone?
Go to Settings > Applications > ‘Manage applications’. Now
choose the app that is misbehaving from the list and tap ‘Force stop’.
If the app continues to misbehave try to uninstall and then reinstall
it.
31. Can I close running apps quickly?
You can use the default task manager in Android to deal with running
apps. It also lets you manage all of your running apps with a couple of
taps.
32. Why does auto-correct not know all the words I need to use?
Auto-correct cannot possibly know all the words but you can add new
ones quickly and easily. When you type a word, 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.
33. Switching between keyboards takes forever!
Simply press and hold the ‘123’ button on the keyboard. You will be
given the list of all the keyboards installed from where you can choose
the desired one in just about a second.
34. Why does my screen turn off when charging?
Go to Settings > Applications > Development and check the ‘Stay awake’ option to keep the screen on during charging.
35. Can I reinstall a paid app?
You can reinstall a paid app from the Android Market. Go to ‘My
Market Account’ > orders tab which include a list of the purchased
apps. You can choose an app and then tap ‘Install’ to complete the
process. Google Play does not charge you for reinstalling an app.
36. How do I know if I have the latest version of Android on my phone?
Go to Settings > About phone > ‘System software updates’ >
click ‘Check now’. You will be notified if any new updates are available
or all the updates have already been installed on your phone.
SubwaySurfers is a platformer/action
game with a mechanic very similar to Temple Run, where you have to flee
the police in a dangerous and apparently abandoned train station, with
trains passing by at full speed. You had better be careful!
Unlike Temple Run, in SubwaySurfers
you do not control your character with the accelerometer. Instead, you
have to move your character between three 'lanes' by swiping your finger
across the screen. Of course, you can jump over obstacles and roll on
the ground to dodge some others. You can also use different gadgets like
jetpacks or skateboards to help you in your unending race.
Like you'd expect in this sort of game, you have to complete various
missions where you can get coins to buy upgrades. This is nothing new,
but it is still fun.
The graphics of SubwaySurfers are
impressive. So much that at times it will lag in terminals that are not
very powerful. It's true, the character models and textures are a real
treat.
SubwaySurfers is a very entertaining
game with a simple and addictive mechanic. It keeps you glued to the
screen for hours while trying to beat our friends records, which you can
check over the internet.
Can you guide Ida through a series of impossible architectural
wonders in this Escher-inspired puzzler? It’s a relaxing, gorgeous,
accessible game that never gets too challenging.
This is a mysterious journey into the dark as you attempt to unravel
the creepy truth by solving a series of elegant, multi-layered puzzles
in a highly-polished environment full of curiosities.
Like Tetris for grocery store workers, Bag It!
tasks players with efficiently stacking loads of groceries into a single
bag. Just remember light, fragile items on bottom, and heavy items on
top; or is it the other way around?
The aim is to swipe combining matching number tiles and building the
biggest number that you can manage. It may be aesthetically and
tactically simple, but it’s also instantly addictive.
If you fancy yourself a trivia buff or quiz master then this is the
game for you. Choose from more than 500 topics and take on millions of
other players around the world in a race to answer questions.
Match like-numbered discs and string together massive chain reactions in Zynga’s wildly addictive puzzle game, Drop7. You’ll have an incredibly hard time putting this gem down.
Help Odd, the purple robot, escape from the defective robot complex
by solving a series of puzzles that get progressively more difficult.
It’s a classic escape game with a nice geometric aesthetic.
Fiendishly addictive and fast-paced gameplay makes this candy-themed
world difficult to leave until you have conquered every level or run out
of lives, whereupon you can take a break or pay to play on.
This Frozen-themed match-3 game features all your favorite characters
from the Disney classic, it’s beautifully animated, and the gameplay is
terribly addictive. There’s limited free play with optional IAP.
Incredibly popular puzzle franchise Bejeweled offers some
jewel matching fun against the clock with a competitive element that
kicks things up a notch as you try to best your friend’s scores.
Try social gaming Scrabble-style, as you compete against friends or
strangers to create the best words from your available letters. This
cross platform game is easy to get into and works well accompanied by
chat.
Can you pick high-scoring words out of the grid before you run out of space or time? There’s a Tetris inspired twist to this word game that adds to the addictive tension.
Use the seven clues to pick the right seven words out of the 20
letter group tiles on offer and you’ve cracked that puzzle. Take as long
as you like and guess as often as you like.
A super chilled soundtrack accompanies this visually stunning
platform adventure as you guide a jellyfish through a series of levels
using basic boost, swing, and roll maneuvers.
Use your magic rod to form your followers into human bridges and
guide the rest of your clan to the promised land, or at least the next
level, in this delightfully imaginative puzzler.
Using balls of goo with different properties you have to construct
solutions that will guide your left over goo through the escape pipe to
beat each level. It’s beautifully made, clever, and unmissable.
As OEMs (original equipment
manufacturers) go HTC is one of the most influential names in story of
Android: not only producing the first ever handset to run Google’s
mobile OS, but also the first company to lend its talents to creating
the Nexus One, the first device to ever bare the Nexus name.
Its track record in the tablet space is far less proven however, with
only two notable devices in its back catalogue to speak of: one of
which (the Mozart) was an exclusive slate for AT&T in the US and the
other being the over-priced and under-powered HTC Flyer.
It’s interesting then, that Google and HTC teamed up, not to make the
new Nexus 6 smartphone (that task fell to Motorola), but Mountain
View’s long-awaited next tablet – the Google Nexus 9.
Design: Retro rectangle
One of the big differences between HTC’s take on the Nexus brand and
previous offerings is price. The value aspect was a big draw for
potential customers looking to pick up the Asus-made Nexus 7 or the
LG-made Nexus 5, but with the Nexus 9’s pricing molding to more
conventional trends it affords you something a little fancier.
The soft touch back plate, like the Nexus 5, feels nice in the hand
and as seen on HTC’s own devices, an abundance of metal goes a long ways
to giving a sense of superior build quality. We wouldn’t go so far as
to shove the mighty iPad Air 2 out of the way in this department, but
the brushed, tapered edging and the metallic camera surround both
suggest that this is a powerful, premium slate you’re holding.
Speaking of holding, despite a sizable 8.9-inch screen, the Nexus 9
is narrow enough and light enough to wield in one hand. It’s not the
thinnest thing around (7.95mm), nor is it the lightest (425 grams), but
in this instance both traits reinforce the notion of a high quality
threshold and some powerful hardware on the inside, rather than lazy or
dated design and engineering work.
The interplay of the glossy black front, dark brushed metal frame and
lightly coloured soft-touch plastic back feel reminiscent some sort of
premium home electronics from the 90’s, like a Sony VHS player or a JVC
amp. Whether you like that look is entirely down to personal preference.
Screen: Old school, new tech
Whilst the last Nexus tablet, the 7, adopted a 16:9 aspect ratio –
perfect for watching movies and videos, the larger Nexus 9 goes 4:3 that
instead suggests a focus on productivity.
Google describes the 8.9-inch IPS LCD as ‘perfectly sized’ and we’d
have to agree. The Nexus 9’s dimensions hit a sweet spot, with enough
bezel to offer solid amounts of grip without obscuring the screen, a
width that despite the broader screen still allows for comfortable
one-handed use, and a panel that’s big, bright and clear.
With its QXGA (2048x1536) display, the Nexus 9 boasts one of the
highest resolution screens HTC’s ever put into a device. You can’t
discern individual pixels at any normal viewing distance and colours
appear accurate too, not to mention it outpaces the iPad Air and Air 2
for pixel density.
Colours do distort a little at more extreme angles and the Gorilla
Glass 3 has a tendency to hold onto smeary fingerprints and grime, but
on the whole it’s a joy to use and you’ll take great pleasure swiping
through photos or watching movies with it.
Android 5.0 Lollipop is undoubtedly one of the biggest selling points
for the Nexus 9. In what is easily the most significant redesign of
Android since Ice Cream Sandwich, this latest build of Google’s mobile
OS features one obvious change – animations, and they're everywhere.
As part of the new Material Design language featured in Lollipop,
playful new animations have been introduced to give context to
practically everything you do. From opening the apps drawer to the
desaturated fade out when you tap the power button, it's all designed to
better explain to the user where they've been and what each action
does.
Next
A flat, colourful aesthetic informs every element of the native
Google applications too, ensuring the whole experience feels consistent.
The notifications and quick settings have been amalgamated into a
single swipe down pane, which reveals the notifications on the first
swipe and the settings on a second (a two finger swipe will bring both
panes down together immediately).
As well as a refreshed aesthetic, new and improved features go a long
way to enriching the user experience too. The Gmail app now supports
email addresses outside of Google’s own Gmail accounts, including
Microsoft Exchange, meaning you no longer need to double up on
applications when checking your mail.
The introduction of trusted devices lets you pair any smartwatch,
Bluetooth speaker or NFC tag to the tablet’s security, so when they’re
in range you won’t be asked to input a password or a lockscreen pattern
(taking them out of range establishes whatever lockscreen security you
have set up). You can also have guest or restricted access accounts so
that others can use your Nexus 9 without being able to get at your
unmentionables.
There’s a ton more stuff that Android 5.0 Lollipop brings to the
table and you can find out more, including few handy tips and tricks, here.
Performance: ‘K’ is for Kepler
Unless you’re one of a small group of hardcore mobile gamers out
there who has already picked up Nvidia’s Shield Tablet, chances are the
Nexus 9 will be the next best thing. Why? Because right now it’s the
only other Android device on the market with the company’s latest Tegra
K1 processor: a chip built with Nvidia’s own Kepler graphics technology –
something more commonly seen on desktop-class graphics cards.
In general use it ensures a fast, responsive swiping experience
around that fresh Android interface, in a gaming scenario it means
you’ve got an impressive level of visual fidelity to play with in AAA
games. We just wish more titles played nice with the 64-bit, 2.3GHz
Tegra K1 inside the Nexus 9. One of the only titles designed with the K1
in mind – Trine 2, is still locked down as a Shield Tablet exclusive
for the time being, whilst other quality titles like Asphalt 8 aren’t
optimised and therefore strip back a lot of the graphical goodness
enjoyed by less powerful tablets.
It should be noted that gaming or intensive actions for any extended
period do cause noticeable levels of heat build-up on the Nexus 9,
something we haven’t seen so readily on the latest rival processors
under the same levels of duress.
Elsewhere you’re graced with a sizeable 6700mAh battery that’ll offer
up a day’s worth of respectably heavy use and could be pushed to two
days if you plan on using your Nexus 9 conservatively, not the best
around, but it should suit most users.
Camera: Don’t take pictures with your tablet!
As is often the case, tablet cameras never get the same amount of
care and attention that smartphone cameras do. The Nexus 9 boasts a
1.6-megapixel front-facer and an 8-megapixel rear camera, complete with
LED flash.
Whilst we, as ever, would like to dissuade you from using a tablet as
a camera, the flash is a nice inclusion to help in low light scenarios,
although the image quality in most environments isn’t dramatically
exciting. Although there’s some notable shutter lag (like the Nexus 5
Google will likely improve this in future updates), the camera interface
is clean, clear and packs some nice specialised modes like Photosphere
and Panorama.
Next
Despite the powerful processor, there’s no 4K video recording, but
Full HD shooting is available on the rear camera and 720p HD recording
on the front-facer.
Verdict: A new age of Nexus
The Nexus 9 represents two big milestones in its own right; the
long-awaited return of a Nexus tablet and proof that HTC can make a
solid slate with the potential to make serious waves in the market.
The user experience is the star of the show and continues to
strengthen the idea that Android is best left untouched by
manufacturers. On the hardware front you’ve got a mixed bag of goodies,
with an average camera and solid battery performance being overshadowed
by an excellent display, processor and clean industrial design.
The Nexus 9 will likely grow into the world of Lollipop as other
manufacturers join the fray and Google, along with thousands of app
developers, issue updates to better leverage Android 5.0’s talents and
the Tegra K1’s computing grunt. For the price there are certainly other
options out there (like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S), but we have a
sneaking suspicion the Nexus 9 would make for one of the smartest tablet
purchases this side of Christmas, even over the mighty iPads.
Platformers are one of gaming’s
classic genres. It all began way back before the days of Super Mario,
but great new platformers come out every year. Here are some we love to
play.
Sidescrolling Games
Badland
This is a compelling fusion of gorgeous artwork, accessible gameplay,
and clever design. You have to guide your hedgehog-like creatures
through a deadly forest teeming with life and machines.
Smart, retro, sci-fi platformer with an old-school difficulty curve
and a charming sense of wit. The twist is, instead of jumping, you tap
to flip gravity, as you search for the missing members of your crew.
You’ll have to whip your undead army of weird zombie minions into
shape to beat this puzzle-platformer that gets steadily tougher as the
levels progress. There are more than 100 to beat.
Short and strangely sweet, this puzzle-platformer is elevated to a
higher plain by the narration of Danny Wallace and the awesome
soundtrack. Get ready to emote over blocks.
The 2D side-scrolling gameplay will remind you of Mario, but it’s
wrapped in a super cute and colorful 3D art style. Highly polished,
instantly fun, and suitable for the whole family.
The phenomenon known as Minecraft made an incredibly
successful jump to smartphones, giving fans of the franchise the ability
to mine, explore, and build their way to 8-bit glory anywhere.
Leo, an adorable fuzzball that’s one half mustache, is on a quest to
recover his fortune. It’s a well-executed platformer that has you
floating and hopping your way through the 24 levels game.
This one whips up plenty of anxiety in a matter of seconds. You play
as a boy who navigate through a haunting industrial world. This
puzzle-platformer is harder– oh yea– you’ll end up dying a lot.
You’re a cluster of bugs who embark on an adventure to save a tree
from an evil parasite. But that’s only half the draw of this richly
textured world from the creators of Machinarium.
Can you evade capture and certain death at the hands of a rabid
monkey? Duck, jump, slide, and spin to safety as you sprint through a
ruined temple environment clutching the stolen idol.
Watch out for oncoming trains and other obstacles as you run along
the tracks collecting coins. This endless runner offers some power-up
twists, like a hoverboard and jetpack, to refresh the gameplay.
Flying through a futuristic, geometric environment full of glass
obstacles you can smash by firing metallic spheres is strangely
stress-relieving. The synced music and gentle difficulty curve help draw you in.
Fans of twitchy gameplay are going to love this fresh endless runner
that places you in a capsule hurtling through space at near light speed
trying desperately to avoid colliding with anything.
Tap to jump is all you need to know to guide your man in a hurry
across the roof tops and through buildings. This is where the endless
runner genre began and it’s still one of the best.
Just like the movie, this game is fun for adults and kids. You have
to guide your minion safely through various colorful environments,
mini-games, and even boss battles.
Can you guide Ida through a series of impossible architectural
wonders in this Escher-inspired puzzler? It’s a relaxing, gorgeous,
accessible game that never gets too challenging.
This is a mysterious journey into the dark as you attempt to unravel
the creepy truth by solving a series of elegant, multi-layered puzzles
in a highly-polished environment full of curiosities.
Like Tetris for grocery store workers, Bag It!
tasks players with efficiently stacking loads of groceries into a single
bag. Just remember light, fragile items on bottom, and heavy items on
top; or is it the other way around?
The aim is to swipe combining matching number tiles and building the
biggest number that you can manage. It may be aesthetically and
tactically simple, but it’s also instantly addictive.
If you fancy yourself a trivia buff or quiz master then this is the
game for you. Choose from more than 500 topics and take on millions of
other players around the world in a race to answer questions.
Match like-numbered discs and string together massive chain reactions in Zynga’s wildly addictive puzzle game, Drop7. You’ll have an incredibly hard time putting this gem down.
Help Odd, the purple robot, escape from the defective robot complex
by solving a series of puzzles that get progressively more difficult.
It’s a classic escape game with a nice geometric aesthetic.
Fiendishly addictive and fast-paced gameplay makes this candy-themed
world difficult to leave until you have conquered every level or run out
of lives, whereupon you can take a break or pay to play on.
This Frozen-themed match-3 game features all your favorite characters
from the Disney classic, it’s beautifully animated, and the gameplay is
terribly addictive. There’s limited free play with optional IAP.
Incredibly popular puzzle franchise Bejeweled offers some
jewel matching fun against the clock with a competitive element that
kicks things up a notch as you try to best your friend’s scores.
Try social gaming Scrabble-style, as you compete against friends or
strangers to create the best words from your available letters. This
cross platform game is easy to get into and works well accompanied by
chat.
Can you pick high-scoring words out of the grid before you run out of space or time? There’s a Tetris inspired twist to this word game that adds to the addictive tension.
Use the seven clues to pick the right seven words out of the 20
letter group tiles on offer and you’ve cracked that puzzle. Take as long
as you like and guess as often as you like.
A super chilled soundtrack accompanies this visually stunning
platform adventure as you guide a jellyfish through a series of levels
using basic boost, swing, and roll maneuvers.
Use your magic rod to form your followers into human bridges and
guide the rest of your clan to the promised land, or at least the next
level, in this delightfully imaginative puzzler.
Using balls of goo with different properties you have to construct
solutions that will guide your left over goo through the escape pipe to
beat each level. It’s beautifully made, clever, and unmissable.
This is a compelling fusion of gorgeous artwork, accessible gameplay,
and clever design. You have to guide your hedgehog-like creatures
through a deadly forest teeming with life and machines.
Smart, retro, sci-fi platformer with an old-school difficulty curve
and a charming sense of wit. The twist is, instead of jumping, you tap
to flip gravity, as you search for the missing members of your crew.
You’ll have to whip your undead army of weird zombie minions into
shape to beat this puzzle-platformer that gets steadily tougher as the
levels progress. There are more than 100 to beat.
Short and strangely sweet, this puzzle-platformer is elevated to a
higher plain by the narration of Danny Wallace and the awesome
soundtrack. Get ready to emote over blocks.
The 2D side-scrolling gameplay will remind you of Mario, but it’s
wrapped in a super cute and colorful 3D art style. Highly polished,
instantly fun, and suitable for the whole family.
The phenomenon known as Minecraft made an incredibly
successful jump to smartphones, giving fans of the franchise the ability
to mine, explore, and build their way to 8-bit glory anywhere.
Leo, an adorable fuzzball that’s one half mustache, is on a quest to
recover his fortune. It’s a well-executed platformer that has you
floating and hopping your way through the 24 levels game.
You’re a cluster of bugs who embark on an adventure to save a tree
from an evil parasite. But that’s only half the draw of this richly
textured world from the creators of Machinarium.
Can you evade capture and certain death at the hands of a rabid
monkey? Duck, jump, slide, and spin to safety as you sprint through a
ruined temple environment clutching the stolen idol.
Watch out for oncoming trains and other obstacles as you run along
the tracks collecting coins. This endless runner offers some power-up
twists, like a hoverboard and jetpack, to refresh the gameplay.
Flying through a futuristic, geometric environment full of glass
obstacles you can smash by firing metallic spheres is strangely
stress-relieving. The synced music and gentle difficulty curve help draw you in.
Fans of twitchy gameplay are going to love this fresh endless runner
that places you in a capsule hurtling through space at near light speed
trying desperately to avoid colliding with anything.
Tap to jump is all you need to know to guide your man in a hurry
across the roof tops and through buildings. This is where the endless
runner genre began and it’s still one of the best.
Just like the movie, this game is fun for adults and kids. You have
to guide your minion safely through various colorful environments,
mini-games, and even boss battles.
