Hot Android How-Tos
How To: Mirror Your Android's Display & Respond to Text Messages from Your Mac or PC
When it comes to getting your computer and smartphone to work well together, there's no service more robust and capable than AirDroid. For years, it's been the go-to tool for users looking to transfer files between their devices or access contact lists and call logs from their computer.
How To: Get a Windows-Inspired Start Menu on Your Android
Windows 8 may have introduced a new, intuitive touch-based interface, but plenty of Microsoft loyalists were unhappy with the absence of the classic start menu that they were so accustomed to.
How To: Add a Full "Reboot" Menu to Android 5.0 Lollipop
If you're someone who likes to customize their user experience, stock Android is a lot like a blank canvas. The firmware that comes preinstalled on Nexus devices is just Android—no manufacturer skins or carrier bloat involved. This simplicity opens up the door for many root mods and flashable ZIPs that can be installed in a custom recovery.
How To: Get Android Lollipop on Your HTC One Right Now
After a few unforeseen delays, the Android Lollipop update is finally here for Google Play Edition HTC Ones. This means that if you have an official GPE M7 or M8, or if you have simply converted your HTC One from a carrier-specific, Sense-based model to a Google Play Edition, you should be receiving an OTA notification shortly indicating an update.
How To: Get Back the Gallery App on Any Nexus Device Running Lollipop
There were over 1.2 million changes made to Android when the OS got updated from KitKat to Lollipop, but a minor front-facing modification has many users in an uproar.
How To: Automatically Refresh Your Google+ Feed on Android
Google+ doesn't have quite the user base of Facebook or Twitter, but for Android enthusiasts, it's definitely the place to be. All of the major developers—such as Chainfire and Koush—make their social media home on Google+, and the Android app sports one of the nicest interfaces of any comparable platform, chock-full of Google's Material Design.
How To: YouWish for Android Lets You Create & Share Your Christmas Wish List with Anyone
I love the holidays, but man am I sick of receiving oversized sweaters as Christmas presents. As well as people think they know us, their gifts often say otherwise. Instead of stocking up on useless items and articles of clothing you'll never wear, it's high time to create a wish list that's easily sharable amongst family and friends, and it's incredibly easy to do on Android.
How To: Use the Volume Buttons to Wake Your Nexus 6, Not Just the Power Button
The attention to detail and build quality that Motorola put into the new Nexus 6 is amazing. Its curved backplate fits the hand like a glove, and fingers slide effortlessly across the rounded edge of its glass front, making the swipe gesture for side navigation menus feel more natural than ever—even for its huge, nearly six inch display.
How To: Get Floating Bubble Notifications for Any Android App
Notifications are an integral part of our day-to-day smartphone usage. They allow us to easily see and act upon all of the latest information that comes our way. Well, most of the time, that is.
How To: Create Custom Video Boot Animations on Android KitKat
Android is all about customization: "Be together. Not the same," as Google's latest ads for the platform put it. Changing your device's boot animation, for instance, is one of the many great ways you can add a touch of personal flair.
How To: Enable the Hidden Notification LED on Your Nexus 6
The Nexus 6 uses an Ambient Display notification system that was heavily inspired by the Active Display feature on the Moto X. Essentially, the device shows a black-and-white version of the lock screen whenever you receive a new notification or pick the phone up. This is all made possible by the N6's AMOLED display that doesn't have to waste any battery to power black pixels on the screen.
How To: Enable Chrome's Hidden “Reader Mode” on Your Android
Reading articles on an Android phone using Chrome Browser can be a little bit of a battle; it often times requires adjusting the page to fit the screen in order to make it easier to read and scroll through. I sometimes lose this struggle and give up trying to read on my device, saving the article for a later time when I'm on my laptop.
How To: Install the Leaked Lollipop Firmware on Your Sprint Galaxy S5
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.
How To: Remove Bloatware Apps on Your Galaxy Note 3 (AT&T Variant Only)
AT&T Code Scanner, DriveMode, and Samsung Hub make up just a sliver of the sea of apps on my Galaxy Note 3 that I'll probably never use in my lifetime. Additionally, there aren't any built-in methods for uninstalling these pre-loaded Android apps (aka bloatware) from carriers and manufacturers.
How To: Boost the Stock Volume Levels on Your Nexus 7 for Louder Sounds All Around
The volume is maxed out, but that doesn't stop me from hitting the volume key on my Nexus 7 in hopes that it will magically get louder. This happens to me everyday as I watch videos or play music. The simple fact is that a Nexus 7 tablet just doesn't get very loud. At least, not loud enough for me.
How To: Enable the Hidden "Double Tap to Wake" Feature on Your Nexus 6
During initial reviews of the Nexus 6, the "double tap to wake" feature was something originally slated to be present on the device, since Motorola built it and it's been a key feature of the Moto X. However, the feature was scrapped for Ambient Display, which wakes up the screen when the device is picked up or a notification arrives. So while having both could be seen as overkill, it doesn't mean we shouldn't have the option.
How To: Root the Nexus 6 Using Windows, Mac, or Linux
Google's latest Nexus device is big, bold, and beautiful—and now it's got root. Thanks to some quick work by legendary Android developer Chainfire, the Nexus 6 already had a clear-cut root method before most stores even had it in stock.
How To: Disable Forced Encryption on the Nexus 6 for Faster Performance
One of the more talked-about features of Google's new flagship device is the fact that all of the data on the Nexus 6 is encrypted by default. At face value, this certainly seems like an added bonus for the 6-inch phablet, especially in this day and age with growing security concerns abound. It's definitely something that the FBI is none too pleased about.
How To: Slim Down Incoming Call Alerts on Android to a Tiny Lollipop-Style Popup
When playing a game or using an app, incoming call alerts can be extremely irritating on my Galaxy S4 because they insist on taking over the entire screen. The alert is a little different on other Android phones, depending on the manufacturer's skin, but all are fairly intrusive in one way or another.
How To: Exclusive Samsung Milk Video App Is Here for Galaxy Devices
As competition for Spotify and Pandora, Samsung released Milk Music earlier in 2014, a free music streaming service for their Android devices. While Milk was unique to Galaxy owners only, it was popular enough that we showed you ways to get it on non-Galaxy devices as well.
Quick Tip: Access App Info Pages from Lollipop's Recent Apps Menu
On earlier Android versions, you were able to hold down on an app's icon in the recent apps menu (aka app switcher) and jump straight to the app's info page. From there, you could easily uninstall the app, force-stop its activity, or clear its cache and data.
How To: Update Your OnePlus One to Lollipop Today
The vague 90-day release window for CyanogenMod 12 has done nothing to stop my craving for Lollipop on my OnePlus One. Luckily, there are other "unofficial" means of getting my hands on it. Since CyanogenMod still gives users a way of building their own variants of their ROM, we can install user-compiled versions of CM 12 pretty easily.
How To: Create & Share Your Own GIFs for Messages in Google Hangouts
While chatting in Hangouts on Android, inserting an emoji or animated sticker can instantly make the conversation more fun, but they'll eventually lose their charm, as most things do. Even if you add GIFs to your texting arsenal, things could get stale. That is, unless they're personalize GIFs you actually make yourself (the process is really simple).
Mario Live Wallpaper: Classic Side-Scrolling Action for Your Home or Lock Screen
Nothing else quite sums up my childhood like Super Mario, the Italian plumber who constantly had to defeat Bowser to save Princess Peach (aka Princess Toadstool) from danger. While it's easy to relive the classic gameplay on your Android with Nintendo emulators, not everyone has time for lengthy quests. Instead, you can get your Mario nostalgia fix with a live wallpaper for your home and/or lock screen.
How To: Add an Indicator for Download Progress to Your Android’s Status Bar
Not every mod you add to your Android will revolutionize the way you use it, but many of them can make things a little more simple and convenient for you on a regular basis, like sliding across the status bar to adjust brightness or swiping the screen to put your display to sleep.
How To: Connect a WiFi Network in Your Samsung Galaxy S5
This tutorial video will show you how to connect a wifi network in your Samsung Galaxy S5. This is very easy to employ. So please watch the video. Follow all the steps to do it yourself in your Samsung Galaxy S5 phone and enjoy a wifi environment.
How To: Create Your Own Custom, Polygon-Shaped Wallpapers for Android
While the new Lollipop wallpapers are great, they'll eventually get stale like all of the others. I've covered a bunch of cool Android wallpaper apps previously, including ones that give you psychedelic and shake-to-change options, but this time I was on the hunt for some geometrical-based ones.
How To: Set Up a Connection with Wi-Fi Network in Your Samsung Galaxy S5
This video will show you how to set up a connection with wifi network in your Samsung Galaxy S5. So please watch the video and follow all the steps carefully. Employ the technique in your Samsung Galaxy S5 phone and enjoy a wifi environment.
How To: Get Android 5.0 Lollipop on Your Nexus Today
Google has already started to roll out the over-the-air update of Android 5.0 Lollipop to older Nexus series phones and tablets, but chances are it will take a long time for the OTA to hit your device.
How To: Blend Your Android's Status & Nav Bars to Match Any App's Color Scheme
While we wait for our chance to get our hands on Android Lollipop, Google has already released Material Design updates to most of their apps. I love the new direction of the updated UI, but something just seemed to be lacking in tying everything together.
How To: Keep Track of Your Pet's Daily Activities on Android
Pets are one of the biggest sources of joy in life, but keeping track of their daily activities can easily become a chore. When you have a roommate or spouse that also likes to feed the cat or walk the dog, miscommunication can lead to double-feeding or an under-exercised pet.
How To: 5 Easy Ways to Boost Your OnePlus One's Performance
The Snapdragon 801 processor inside the OnePlus One puts the device on par with other phones like the HTC One M8 and LG G3 in terms of power and speed. While the OPO is just as fast and responsive as many of the flagships currently available, there's no reason why we can't try to squeeze every last bit of speed and performance out of it.
How To: Install Samsung's Exclusive Milk Music App on Any Android (No Root Needed)
Back in March, Samsung partnered with Slacker Radio to create a streaming service called Milk Music. For those of us who don't own a Galaxy device, this news was a non-starter, as it was exclusive to Samsung's flagship line of phones and tablets.
How To: The Easiest Way to Record Your Screen in Android Lollipop
Native screen recording was initially introduced on Android 4.4 KitKat and, although useful, was primarily utilized by developers to showcase their apps. It required either a rooted device and an app or a non-rooted device with some ADB commands, which, while totally doable, wasn't necessarily ideal.
How To: FloatNote Gives You Contact-Specific Popups That Remind You What to Talk About During Calls
Every so often, we come across an app that makes us wonder "Why didn't someone think of this before?" This is definitely the case with developer Dor Sakal's latest offering, FloatNote.
How To: Customize Your Android Lock Screen with New Unlock Effects & Customizations
Aside from being able to change the wallpaper and add shortcuts, the Galaxy S4's lock screen doesn't offer much in the department of personalization. The lock screen is efficient and practical, but it's also a little bland.
How To: The Trick to Unlocking Your Galaxy Note 4 More Easily with One Hand
With the gargantuan size of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, it's no surprise that some of you might have trouble taking advantage of all the features using only one hand. One such feature is the newly-added fingerprint scanner, which allows you to swipe your finger on the Home button to unlock the device, among other things.
How To: Spend Less on Steam Games Using Tracker Discounts for Android
Steam is by far the biggest and best service for getting games on your Linux, Mac, or Windows PC. With their catalog containing everything from the biggest blockbusters to indie games created by one-man development teams, it's no easy task to keep track of their best values—until now.
How To: Install the Galaxy S5 Settings Theme on Your Galaxy S4
We've previously shown you how to get your Samsung Galaxy S4 looking more like its successor by installing the revamped S Voice app and the new Quick Settings. Now, we're taking it a step further by giving you the Galaxy S5's stock Settings app. After this mod, it'll be pretty hard for others to distinguish your GS4 from a GS5.
How To: Make Your Android Look & Feel Like Lollipop Right Now
The new Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 models will be shipping with Android 5.0 Lollipop preinstalled, and the Nexus 4, 5, 7, and 10 will be getting the new OS update from Google very soon. But where does that leave the rest of us?