The power of smartphones, as well as their set of functions, is increasing: for example, you can access social networks, send electronic messages and even call! But seriously, in addition to these well-known features, there are others on the phone - hidden features that will unleash the full potential of Android to its fullest.
Read the TOP 10 tips on how to make your smartphone use all its features for your benefit.
1. Hidden features: voice search when the screen is off
Few people know that on some Android smartphones you can use voice search even with the screen turned off. Unfortunately, these hidden features are only available on smartphones with speech recognition capabilities.
To find out if the gadget has such a feature, you need:
- open google settings,
- go to "Search"
- then go to "Voice Search",
- then - in the section "Recognition OK, Google",
- check the box next to "Always On".
On phones without this feature, instead of the line "Always on", there will be an option "On any screen".
2. Remote shutdown and reset of the lost smartphone
Losing a phone is a very unpleasant thing, but the saddest thing is that anyone who finds it will be able to access all the user's data, including personal information. Fortunately, every cloud has a silver lining, because there is an Android Device Manager application from Google, with which you can control the device remotely.
3. Dark theme
Dark menu skins are currently not available in Android Marshmallow, but there is still one way to get there. Just go to "Settings", then - to "Specials. opportunities”, select the item “Color Inversion” and get the theme that we have been dreaming about for so long. This design is perfect for reading both in the dark and in bright light.
4. Access to tabs Google Chrome from other devices
Those who have Chrome set as default can view open tabs on another smartphone or tablet.
5. Contacts for communication in case of loss of a smartphone
A very useful thing for those who often lose their things (or forget the phone on a table in a restaurant or bar). If you've lost your phone and you think someone might have found it, you can leave a message with yours on the screen.
If the phone is already lost, you can use Device Manager. And if not yet, open "Settings", go to "Security", look for the item "Message to lock screen" and enter contact information or instructions for the finder. It would not be superfluous to add to the request to return the phone the promise of a small reward.
6. Scanning documents
Once upon a time, at the dawn of the digital age, to create electronic copy The paper version needed a large scanner and a wallet. Today, the role of a scanner can be played by a smartphone, and alone. Although the quality will be relatively worse, the process itself will be much more convenient.
These are not even some hidden features, but just a little trick! So, mobile phone as a scanner. There are two options for how to do this. You can simply take a picture of a document page and save it to your phone or upload it to Google Drive. Or use applications specially created for this case, for example, CamScanner or Evernote.
7. Point WiFi access
Teaser is a very useful feature that many people already know about. As a rule, a smartphone is used as a wireless Internet access point, and on Android Lollipop and Marshmallow this is even easier. In short, the gadget connects to which you can connect from other devices.
We go to "Settings", in the section " Wireless networks"Select the "More" tab, then "Tethering mode", now click on the line "Wi-Fi access point. Here you can also enter the network name and password to connect. At the same time, it should be taken into account that the traffic consumed will increase many times over.
8. Compass and barometer
As you know, several different sensors are built into the smartphone. To use it as a compass, you can use apps like Compass or AndroiTS Compass.
In addition, many phones have a barometer installed, which turns the gadget into a portable weather station. With apps like Barometer Altimeter DashClock and Barometer Monitor, it's easy to measure changes in barometric pressure.
9. Barcode scanning
Let's return to the smartphone's camera, it also has its hidden functions. After all, with the help of it you can still scan barcodes on goods using special application, for example, Barcode Scanner . In addition to barcodes, the application also scans QR codes and data matrices.
10. Fitness tracker
Smartphones have a lot of sensors. And this means that you can track indicators while walking or jogging without additional.
Which application to use? The first thing that comes to mind is Google Fit, but there are many other applications for this purpose that are compatible with both mobile and wrist devices. Those who are interested in more detailed indicators should pay attention to the Runtastic Heart Rate Monitor application (heart rate monitor), which measures the heart rate using a camera.
Maybe we missed something, and are there any other secrets of Android? Are you aware of the little-known depths of this system? Then feel free to share them in the comments to the article.
These hidden Android features will help you use gadgets with ease and make your daily life much easier. I bet you didn't know about many of them? This instruction is suitable for smartphones on Android 7. Menu items and settings may vary slightly depending on the model of your gadget and system version.
1 Use two applications at once
Since version 7.0 on Android, a multitasking feature has appeared that allows you to open two applications at the same time.
- Click on the menu button to display all recently opened programs.
- Hold one of the tabs and slide it up. The window will open half the screen.
- Then select the second app for the bottom half of the screen. So you can use both programs in parallel.
Turn off the sound by turning the gadget
2 Mute without clicking
To quickly turn off the sound when unwanted call, it is absolutely not necessary to look for the volume button - one movement is enough. Let's enable this feature:
- Open "Settings" and select the "Gestures" section.
- Activate the "Rotate to mute" item.
- Rotate your smartphone when someone calls you - this will put the device into silent mode. This is much more convenient than pressing the volume button several times or rejecting a call right away.
3 Activate panic mode for harmful apps
In update 7.1 android developers added a “panic mode” to the system, which many users do not yet know about. But it is designed to solve a very serious problem: it can be used to terminate harmful applications that do not want to close in the usual way.
You can activate this useful feature using the well-known "Back" button. If you quickly press it several times, the so-called "panic mode" will start. The system will take control, close it and return you to the desktop of the device.
This mode is designed to deal with spyware, which may try to hack into your smartphone system. At present, not all android users work with current version OS. If you want to keep your smartphone as secure as possible, update Android as soon as possible.
Disable Android Notifications
4 Turn off lock screen notifications
Starting with Android 5.0, you can view incoming notifications without turning on your smartphone. But on the lock screen, they are visible not only to you, but to all curious glances from the outside. Anyone who gets their hands on your device will be able to read these . To maintain privacy, we recommend hiding them.
- Open the "Settings" of your smartphone and click on the "Notifications" tab.
- Click on the gear icon or the "More" button - this will take you to the advanced settings section, where you can choose which notifications will be shown on the lock screen.
5 Turn on your smartphone on a schedule
This feature will help you limit the use of your phone. For example, if you want your child to be distracted from his gadget more often. So, to activate the switching on and off of the phone according to the schedule:
- Go to "Settings" - "Advanced".
- Click on Scheduled Turn On/Off. Activate the necessary sliders and specify the time when the device should work.
- After confirming all the settings, the phone will automatically turn off or turn on at the specified time.
Android weather widget
6 Activate widgets on your desktop
Widgets are mini-windows that help you see all the important notifications right on your home screen. With their help, you can quickly open programs without going to the menu, and always have access to the information you need. For example, you can turn on the clock or weather widget to set an alarm at any time or find out if it's going to rain. Activating widgets is very simple:
- Press and hold the start window until the corresponding list appears.
- Select an application and drag it to a suitable position on the screen. Sometimes a widget needs to be configured, for example, to set its refresh rate. But most often this is not required, and the "mini-application" will be immediately ready for use.
- Keep in mind that a large number of widgets can negatively affect the time.
Add a new guest
7 Turn on guest mode
If you sometimes give someone your smartphone, guest mode will definitely come in handy. The so-called "guest" will not be able to get full access to personal information, which is stored on your device.
- Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notifications panel on .
- Click on the user icon in the left upper corner and select Add Guest. After that, your phone will go into guest mode, from which you can exit in the same way.
- If necessary, allow the "guest" to call from your phone. To do this, go to the menu "Settings" - "Users".
8 Customize the sound of your Android gadget to your taste
Now almost every new smartphone does not have a built-in equalizer, with which you can adjust and optimize the sound of the device.
- Go to "Settings" and open the equalizer through the "Sound and vibration" item.
- Scroll down to find the "Audio Tuner" tab. To change this item, you need to connect headphones to your smartphone via cable or Bluetooth.
- Activate the corresponding slider and select the sound profile that suits your taste and musical preferences.
In four years, Android has evolved from a small but ambitious project into one of the most complex and feature-packed mobile operating systems of our time. Android has support for a huge number of technologies and features, many of which are hidden from the user or hidden where you would not even think to look. This article is a collection of tips and tricks that can be applied to any Android device without the need to be rooted.
01. DISABLE AUTOMATIC CREATION OF DESKTOP ICONS
I think I'm not the only one who annoys how the market behaves when installing the application. For some reason, he thinks that for any little bit of software or another game, I definitely need an icon on the desktop, and successfully creates it. And I have to remove it. And then another. And so every time.
Fortunately, this behavior is easy to disable - just open the settings Google Play(on the panel on the left) and uncheck the box "Add icons". In the same place, you can turn off the forced password request every 30 minutes when purchasing applications, as well as the hated auto-update of applications.
02. DISABLE GOOGLE SEARCH AND OTHER USELESS SOFTWARE
The standard firmware of Android smartphones includes a huge amount of useless software, ranging from a bunch Google Apps(do you know that Google requires manufacturers to include almost all the software developed by it in the firmware of their devices?) and ending with all sorts of junk from the smartphone manufacturer. All of these (or at least most) can be turned off.
Go to "Settings → Applications → All", tap on the desired software and click "Disable" (of course, you will be warned how "dangerous" this is). By the way, when you turn off Google search Google Now will also disappear, as well as the search bar from the desktop (after reboot), instead of which there will be an empty area.
03. REBOOT INTO SAFE MODE
Few people know, but in Android, as in many other operating systems, there is a so-called Safe mode. This is a mode in which the operating system is loaded with disabled third party applications. Not too skillfully written malware (one that is not prescribed in system partition) at the same time falls off, like any software that interferes with the normal operation of the system. Safe mode can be used to bypass screen locks, applications that cause the smartphone to freeze, or, alternatively, to identify who is actually eating the battery - the next firmware or software update.
The mode is turned on in a rather simple, but not at all obvious way: by holding down the power button and then holding your finger on the “Power off” item. After the reboot, the culprit of the problem can be removed through "Settings → Applications".
04. GET RID OF PURPOSE NOTIFICATIONS
"The construction of the castle is finished!" How did you get those notifications? Everyone who is not too lazy is trying to notify me of all possible and impossible events: “Vasya Dzhubga answered you on Twitter”, “You have 100,500 new messages”, “You won the operation to increase your right leg.” You swipe one notification, three new ones appear in its place.
How to get rid of all this slag: hold your finger on the notification for a long time and uncheck the box under the “Stop” button. This is a KitKat recipe. In Lollipop, everything is a little different, but the essence is the same: hold down, then the i button, in the window that opens, put a tick on “Block”. In the same place, you can force the notification to be a priority so that it is always at the very top.
05. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE SERVICE MENU
Another completely non-obvious function is the service menu. It can be opened by dialing *#*#4636#*#*. Basically there are different Technical information like IMEI number, signal strength, current location or network type. But there is also a very useful function for some situations to force the smartphone to switch to the desired network type (2G, 3G, LTE).
In conditions of poor 3G / LTE signal strength, the device tends to reset to 2G in order to conserve battery power and ensure subscriber availability. This behavior can be disabled. Open the service menu and select WCDMA only or LTE only in the "Set preferred network type" item. In the same way, you can switch your smartphone to 2G - GSM only. It will help if you need to save battery power and the Internet is rarely used. By the way, in the same place you can disable the radio module altogether (of course, until the next reboot). 
Smartphones based on Chinese MTK chips have their own and much more sophisticated service menu. His number is *#*#3646633#*#*. There is various system information and a huge number of tests, among which you can find several useful settings, such as adjusting the volume level during a call or, for example, changing GPS / AGPS settings. The menu itself is terribly illogical and contains so much diverse information that I don’t even dare to describe it, but simply send the reader to three letters - XDA.
06. USE A STANDARD BROWSER
I don't know why users don't like the built-in Android browser so much. In my opinion, he is wonderful. Lightweight, fast, on the Chromium engine, can synchronize with Google account(that is, it immediately includes all the bookmarks and passwords from Chrome), but most importantly, it has a very convenient and almost ingenious navigation method. This is the so-called radial menu, which can be activated in the settings (only in Android 4.0-4.4).
07. MANAGE COMPANY CONTACTS
Google has web services not only for remote software installation, blocking and searching for a smartphone, but also for managing contacts. All contacts of people ever saved and synchronized when connecting a new smartphone can always be found at google.com/contacts. They can be viewed, edited, added and deleted. And, oddly enough, in fact it is part of Gmail.
08. MONITOR YOUR PROCESSOR LOAD
Android has a built-in feature to show the current CPU load and the active this moment processes over the screen. In theory, it is intended for application and firmware developers and is hidden from ordinary users, but no one bothers us to activate it. But first, you will have to reach the “For Developers” settings section, which does not exist by default at all.
We go to the settings, then "About phone", we find the line "Build number" and tap on it seven times in a row. The message “You have become a developer!” should appear on the screen. This means that the “For Developers” item is now open, and we are moving into it. We rewind almost to the very bottom of the screen and in the "Monitoring" section we find the switch "Show CPU usage".
We turn it on and see a list in the upper right part of the screen. The first line is the so-called loadavg, showing the number of processes that had to work or wait for their turn to execute in the last minute, five and ten minutes. To put it very bluntly: if these values divided by the number of processor cores are higher than one, this means 100% processor load in the last minute, five or ten minutes, respectively. Below is a list of the most gluttonous processes (essentially similar to the Linux top command).
09. USE ADB TO BACKUP SOFTWARE TO COMP
We have already written more than once about a wonderful tool called ADB, which can greatly simplify device management from a computer for a person who is familiar with the console (here we are mainly talking about Linux, of course). In addition to the ability to install software, transfer files to a smartphone, view logs and other useful things, recently ADB allows you to backup all the settings and applications of a smartphone.
To use this functionality, install the universal ADB driver (goo.gl/AzZrjR), then download the ADB itself (goo.gl/3P7klM), install the driver, then expand the archive with ADB, connect the smartphone to the computer with a USB cable, run command line and execute the command
A message will appear on the smartphone screen asking you to specify the encryption password for the backup - you can safely press "Next". The process of backing up applications will begin, which will affect both the APK packages themselves (the -apk flag in the command) and their settings. The backup will also include all applications from the memory card. You can restore a backup using the following command:
$ adb restore backup . ab |
10. DISABLE BACKGROUND DATA IN APPS
Running in the background, apps can actively use the internet for a variety of purposes, from updating their content to leaking information about your location. In addition, such activity in any case leads to increased battery consumption. 
Android has the ability to selectively restrict apps from background data, but it's in a place that most users would never look at. To prevent any application from using the Internet in the background, you need to go to the settings, then - "Data transfer", scroll down the screen to the list of applications actively using the network (for some it will be a surprise that it is there at all) and tap on the desired software. At the bottom there will be an option "Restrict background mode". It should be borne in mind that the option will disable data transfer only via mobile network, so that data will continue to flow over Wi-Fi.
11. USE THE SEARCH BAR
Often smartphone owners Android based neglect search string at the top of the home screen. This is really logical, given the ability to perform a search by typing a query into address bar any mobile browser.
Meanwhile, the search bar on the desktop can do much more than just redirect the request to google.com. It allows you to search contacts, applications, calendar events, bookmarks and web browser history automatically. In normal smartphone use, it may not be as useful, but when connecting an external keyboard, it is an indispensable tool. Just click
12. USE SMART LOCK
Smart Lock is one of those features that you don't think about, but once you try it, you can't live without it. This is one of the most notable new Android Lollipop and one of the most useful features added to Android in Lately. The idea of Smart Lock is very simple - it disables the pin code or other lock screen protection in case there is a certain Bluetooth device or a place on the map nearby.
Smart Lock "sort of" is disabled by default. That is, it does not glow anywhere, but after pairing with a new Bluetooth device (of any type), it will definitely offer to add it to your white list. After that, you will forget about it again. But only until you turn on the lock screen protection in the "Security" section of the settings. Now it will work the way it should.
The Smart Lock settings themselves are in the same section, and in addition to adding new Bluetooth devices, you can specify "safe places" there, and right away with a list of options based on Google Now "observations". By the way, if you disable it, as described in the first tip, then this functionality will also be lost.
13. SAVE ENERGY RIGHT
Another notable innovation of Lollipop is the power saving mode. IN standard android it migrated from the firmware of smartphone manufacturers, who used to implement it on their own. The function is now in pure android- you use your smartphone to the fullest, and when you reach 15% of the battery charge, the system offers to turn on the power saving mode, which disables background data transfer, reduces brightness to a minimum, disables some sensors and reduces the screen rendering FPS to a couple of tens of frames per second. For clarity, the status bar and on-screen buttons at the bottom of the screen turn red - so as not to forget.
To save battery on your AMOLED smartphone, you can set black wallpapers and use apps with black backgrounds.
Power saving mode is configurable. Go to "Settings → Battery → menu → Power saving mode". Here you can specify the condition for automatically enabling the mode (although the choice is poor: 5%, 15% or never) and, most importantly, enable the mode right now. It is very convenient if you have a long trip without the possibility of recharging.
14. MONITOR THE TRAFFIC
Most likely, smartphone manufacturers, as usual, will shovel the standard Android 5.0 interface and change everything (hello Samsung - the biggest fan of breaking interfaces), but in the standard Lollipop curtain, or rather, in the "second curtain" with book 
opkami quick settings there is one highlight. The data transfer button in the center does not switch data transfer at all, but expands into an interface that allows you not only to view the current traffic consumption, but also turn off data transfer using the switch on top.
15. SHARE AN APP, NOT A PHONE
Especially for those who like to give their phone to other people, Lollipop has a Screen pinning feature that allows you to lock your smartphone on one application without the ability to close it or switch to another. Like many other usefulness, it is completely invisible and hidden quite deep in the settings. To activate, go to "Settings → Security", scroll almost to the very end and turn on the "App Lock" option.
Now if you click the view button running applications(“Browse”), a button will appear at the bottom of the thumbnail of the current application. After clicking on the icon, the screen will be locked on the selected application and you will need to hold the "Back" and "Browse" buttons at the same time to go back. In this case, you will have to enter a pin code if it is set for the lock screen.
XX. USE ACITIVITY LAUNCHER
Any graphic Android application includes one or more so-called "activities" (activity). Each of them is a window (screen) of the application, for example main screen or a settings screen, maybe even a file selection window. By default, you can open directly (from the desktop) only those activities that the application developer marks as main (main), the rest are available only through the application itself and only if the developer himself allows it.
However, with the right tool at hand, you can reach out to any other activity in any application and even create a desktop shortcut for it. The Activity Launcher does just that. Just install the application, select "All actions" in the menu above and find the software you need. All her activities will appear on the screen, and any of them can be opened with a simple tap or hung on the desktop with a long finger hold.
An example of useful “internal” activities is the Chrome bookmark window (Chrome → Bookmark), access to the hidden AppOps mechanism in Android< 4.4.2 (Настройки → AppOps), запуск поиска в TuneIn Radio (tunein.ui.activities.TuneInSearchActivity). Очень много активностей имеет в себе ES Проводник, включая редактор, музыкальный плеер, просмотрщик изображений и многое другое. Любую из них можно запустить напрямую с рабочего стола. Таким же образом можно открыть любой раздел настроек и получить доступ к некоторым функциям ОС, достучаться до которых проблематично. Это абсолютно легальная функцио нальность, и она не требует root.
Android has a large set of hotkeys for plug-in keyboards. Arrows, Tab and Enter can be used to navigate the desktop and various menus. In addition, the following keyboard shortcuts are available:
Esc - "Back" button;
Win + Esc - Home button;
Ctrl + Esc - "Menu" button;
Alt + Tab - switching between applications;
Ctrl + Space - switch layout;
Ctrl + P - open settings;
Ctrl + M - control installed applications;
Ctrl + W - change wallpaper;
Win + E - write a letter;
Win + P - music player;
Win + A - calculator;
Win + S - write SMS;
Win + L - calendar;
Win + C - contacts;
Win + B - browser;
Win+M- google maps;
Win + Space - search;To find out your MAC and IP address, go to "Settings → Wi-Fi → menu → Advanced-
functions”. MAC and IP will be at the very bottom.Lollipop has a built-in Flappy Bird style game. Go to "Settings → About phone",
several times tap on the item " Android version”, then hold your finger on the appeared “chupa-chups”. We play.Google Now supports a large number of Russian-language voice commands. All of them can be divided into two groups: voice search and the actual voice commands themselves. Voice search allows you to perform smart searches on Google, where the system displays a specific answer instead of a list of links, and voice commands allow you to perform certain actions, such as sending SMS or setting an alarm. The list of commands is shown in the "Google Now Voice Commands" image. Voice search includes more than a dozen various types questions:
Weather. What will the weather be like tomorrow morning?
Addresses. Where is the nearest pharmacy?
Flight information. When does Aeroflot flight number 2336 depart?
Time. What time is it in London?
Developments. When is the sunset today?
Calculations. What is equal to Square root from 2209?
Translation. What is the Spanish word for "cucumber"?
Sport. When is Spartak playing?
Finance. What is the S&P 500 index today?
Data. What is the height of the tallest building in the world?
Exchange Rates. Convert 2600 rupees to US dollars.
Images. Show pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Interestingly, in English, Google Now understands a large number of and much less obvious questions. As an example, you can give:
Should I wear a jacket today?
How much tip from 420 rubles?
Where is my parcel?
This, of course, is not all that could be told, but it will not work to stretch the article, and many of the other possibilities are already known. Do not forget about these tricks, and the smartphone will become
a little more comfortable. at January 26, 2017 .
The Android operating system, which runs most smartphones and tablets, has hidden functionality that many people don't know about. At the same time, a simple user can also access them. Today we will talk about what hidden features of Android devices you can use to simplify your “communication” with your smartphone or tablet. But first, we will focus on one of the models from the young British brand Wileyfox. A short review of the smartphone will surely help you decide what your new smartphone should be.
The model is distinguished by an exquisite thin metal case and powerful hardware stuffing. The body material is aluminum, with a grained structure that provides a pleasant tactile sensation. The model belongs to thin smartphones- case thickness is only 8.6 mm. A thin laser edging is applied around the entire perimeter, and the fingerprint scanner module and the main camera are framed by laser engraving. Belonging to the brand is emphasized by the corporate logo - a cute fox face. The small size of the device and low weight contributes to the fact that it is convenient to operate the smartphone with one hand. There are three colors on the market - gray-blue and shades of Champagne Gold and Tiffany Green. Depending on your style and preferences, you will surely find the most suitable solution for yourself.
The model is equipped with a Fingerprint scanner module. This technology provides reliable protection your smartphone and the data stored on it. It is almost impossible to pick up such a password, as well as to forget it. Now you do not need to memorize complex digital combinations or graphic key to unlock the gadget. One touch is enough - and all functions and applications are available to you. The smartphone also has an NFC module. Near Field Communication is a technology for high-speed connection between devices over short distances, which is used for data exchange, connection with accessories, and for some types of payments.
The hardware part of the model consists of a powerful 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 MSM8937 processor with 64-bit architecture and a clock frequency of 1.4 GHz. The smartphone has 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory, which can be increased up to 64 GB using a microSDXC card. Installed modules GLONASS, GPS and A-GPS will help you to determine your location at any time by satellite signals. The smartphone supports two SIM cards and high-speed mobile Internet of the 4th generation 4G LTE. This solution allows you to separate personal and business calls, make the choice of the optimal tariff plan for voice communication and use mobile internet. Remarkably, 4G LTE connection is supported by both the first and second SIM card slots. So, you don’t have to change their places - just select the appropriate option in the smartphone menu.
It is impossible to imagine a modern smartphone model without a good camera. Wileyfox Swift 2 is no exception. The device is equipped with a 13-megapixel camera that provides high quality pictures and videos. Dual flash and 5 physical lenses allow you to get great shots even in poor visibility conditions. Selfies and video calls lovers will appreciate the quality of the 8-megapixel front camera.
In conclusion of a short review, let's stop at the screen. The smartphone has a 5-inch HD display that transmits a picture from high quality images and a wide range color reproduction. The display is made according to new technology, has a 2.5D effect, thanks to which you are almost immersed in the images displayed on the screen. The display is made according to modern technology IPS and ONCELL Full Lamination, providing wide viewing angles (up to 178°) without image distortion on the screen. The peculiarity of the technology is that it allows you to remove the excess air gap between the technological layers of the display. This ensures colors that are as close to realistic as possible.
Ten hidden features of the Android operating system
1. Hidden settings for developers
Every smartphone running Android OS has hidden features for developers. But even the average user can find something useful in this tool. By accessing them, you can set up USB debugging, disable animations, improve performance GPU and much more. To enable hidden settings, go to the "Settings" menu, go to "About device" and click seven times on the line with information about the build number. After that, an additional item "Developer options" will appear in the menu.
Sometimes you may need not just a screenshot of the screen, but also record the dynamics of what is happening on it. For example, let's say you decide to create a tutorial video on how to use an app. This will help to visually demonstrate the whole process, making it easier for the trainees to understand. To record video from the screen, just use the simplest free application Rec.(Screen Recorder) .
3. Simplified unlock
Version Android Lollipop received the Smart Lock function, which helps to make unlocking the smartphone as simple and fast as possible. For this, it is possible to “inform” the device about trusted accessories in advance (this can be a smart watch, wireless headset etc.), a particular location (office or home), and even the voice or face of the owner. To use these features in the "Settings" menu, go to the "Security" tab and activate the functions of the "SmartLock" mode.
4. What applications are slowing down the system?
To find out the reasons for the slow operation of the gadget, you need to find out which running processes take away processor resources. Hidden to the user and available to the developer, Android functions allow you to get detailed statistics on running processes. Thanks to this feature, you can determine which application takes up the most RAM. To do this, go to the “Settings” menu, go to the “Developer options” section, where you click on the “Statistics by processes” tab. You will see all currently running processes and how much resources they take. If the work of a certain program is not required, then you can complete the process, freeing up the resources of your smartphone.
5. System magnifier
In the settings menu there is a section "Accessibility". Few people pay attention to the presence of a function that allows you to change the scale. To use it, you need to activate "Zoom Gestures" in the settings menu. After that, with a triple tap on the screen, the image on it will increase or decrease. The advantage of using this feature is that it allows you to magnify the screen image regardless of the currently running application.
It is unlikely that this feature can be attributed to the hidden functions of Android devices. About such function voice search, as “OK, Google” must have been heard by, if not all, then the vast majority of smartphone users. To set search query you don't even have to unlock the screen. Just say the passphrase and the request, the Android system will recognize it and convert it into a text search query. You can immediately use the search results.
To activate the voice search function, you need to go to the "Google Settings" section, find the "Voice Search" tab in it, in which the "Ok Google Recognition" function is located. In this menu, you will also need to enable the ability to call this function from all applications. It is important to remember that in order to use the voice search features when the screen is inactive, the smartphone must be connected to charger. If the device is not charging, voice search will only work when the active screen is unlocked.
Another feature rarely used by Android device owners is the playback of text fragments in voice mode. This function does not quite fall into the “hidden” category, rather little-known and unpopular. At the same time, it can be extremely useful when you want to combine several activities at once. For example, read an article and do the cleaning or cook dinner. Turning on the generate function text file in voice speech, you can simultaneously do your own business and listen.
To activate this feature, go to the "Accessibility" item in the settings menu. Make sure your Android device supports the desired sound pack.
To organize Internet access from a laptop or computer, it is not necessary to buy a separate USB modem. Your smartphone can also function as an access point. To allow other devices to use the Internet from your device, go to the "Wireless networks" section in the settings menu and turn on "Tethering mode".
9. Transferring data to a new machine
Surely you know the problem that overshadows the joy of acquiring a new smartphone - transferring all information from the old device to the new one. Modern models of smartphones running the Android OS are equipped with an NFC module that has such hidden features as fast connection and communication with other devices.
10. Way to save mobile internet
If you do not have unlimited mobile Internet, then the hidden features that are available in the mobile Google browser Chrome and can be used on Android devices with Lollipop OS firmware and higher. In the browser, enter the settings menu (three dots in the upper right corner) and turn on the "Saving traffic" function. This can reduce the speed of the mobile Internet, but at the same time it will significantly reduce its consumption.
Conclusion
As we have seen, a smartphone hides many useful functions and features, by activating which you can make it easier to work with the device and applications.
In Android, like in any other mobile operating system, many functions do not lie on the surface, but are hidden somewhere in the settings. Sometimes we do not use useful features just because we do not know about their existence. This article contains 10 simple features that few people use, but after getting acquainted with them, such a set of functions is no longer possible to refuse.
1. Turn on hidden settings
Activating developer options just sounds a bit scary. In fact, everything is as simple as shelling pears, but the set of functions after such a step appears to be huge: USB debugging, disabling animation, improving the performance of the GPU in games, and many other features.
Go to "Settings", then "About phone" and tap on the build number seven times. The corresponding item will appear in the menu.
2. Record video from the screen
In certain situations, it may be necessary not only to take a screenshot, but also to record what is happening on the screen. For example, for a training video and for a visual demonstration of the process. To do this, you just need to download the appropriate program from Google Play. Free App Rec.(Screen Recorder) , for example, will do its job just fine.
3. Simplify the unlocking process
Smart Lock is distinctive feature. Thanks to this feature, you can unlock your device quickly and easily using pre-configured "trusted devices" (Bluetooth headsets, smart watch etc.), location (home, office), face or voice.
To activate the mode, go to "Settings", then to "Security" and after "SmartLock".
4. Find applications that slow down the system
Detailed statistics on running processes is one of the available features for developers. Here you can see which program consumes the most random access memory and, if necessary, forcibly terminate its work.
5. System magnifier
In the settings, in the “Accessibility” item, there is a very interesting opportunity in the form of zooming. After activating the corresponding item ("Gestures to increase"), with a triple tap, the information on the display can be increased or decreased. Works no matter what application you are in.
6. Search without touching the screen
Perhaps, thanks to the active promotion of the chips, everyone knows about “OK, Google”. You can simply speak from any screen (even turned off), and the system will automatically convert your voice to text and display search results.
To activate "Ok Google", go to " Google Settings”, then “Search and suggestions”, then “Voice search”, and finally “Ok Google recognition”. Don't forget to set the "From all apps" slider. Note also that the voice search operation when the screen is off only works while the device is charging.
7. Text playback by voice
Text playback by voice is another useful feature that makes it easier to interact with the device without touching it. For example, if you are very busy and don't have time to sit and read an article, you can just install text-to-speech generation and go about your business.
To activate, go to "Settings" and find the "Accessibility" item. It is also worth making sure that the correct sound pack is installed on the device.
8. Modem mode
It is not at all necessary to buy a separate device (3G modem, for example, or a tablet with support for SIM cards) to access the Internet. Your smartphone may well play the role of an access point.
9. Transfer data to a new phone without problems
If your phone has an NFC module, then you are in luck. Thanks to the Tap & Go function, in the future it will not be a problem to transfer all the data from the old device to the new one. To do this, it will be enough just to place two NFC-enabled phones next to each other.
10. Save mobile traffic
The Google Chrome browser standard for Lollipop has a great feature in the form of traffic savings, which is very useful for users who do not have at their disposal unlimited package the Internet.
Open Google Chrome, click on the three dots on the top right and go to "Settings". There you will find the option "Traffic Saver". Sites may start to load a little slower, but the consumption of megabytes will decrease several times.
Which of these features do you usually use? Perhaps you have something to add?
According to AndroidPIT