Category: How to

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How To Set Up The HTC 10 – Six Useful Tips

HTC-One-M10

HTC 10 was the last important manufacturer to launch its new flagship this spring, but after a first impression, it was totally worth the wait, as the handset has all the chances of becoming this year’s best Android.

If you’re one of those users who wanted to give the Taiwanese company a chance after last year’s fail, with the One M9, and already got your hands on the new HTC 10, you’re definitely curious about what your new phone can do. We’ve put together a list with the first things you should do, after the first boot, in order to get the best out of your phone.

Get yourself a microSD card

All the major manufacturers brought back the microSD card slot this year and HTC is no exception. The 10 is able to support cards up to 2 TB, but a 128 or 200 GB one should do the trick nicely. Oh, and after fitting one in, don’t forget to set your camera in such way that all the photos you take are saved on the microSD card, in order to as much internal storage as possible.

Set the fingerprint scanner

Yes, the HTC 10 has a fingerprint scanner too, placed under the physical home button. Personally, I think this is a way better option that placing it on the back, since you can use it even when the phone is resting on a table.
Head over to

Settings > Fingerprint scanner

and make sure to save both your thumb and index finger, from the hand you’re using your phone most with. By this, you will be able to easily unlock your phone while holding it in your hand and when it’s on a table.

Set up the motion gestures

One of the coolest features of the HTC 10 is the set of motion gestures it comes with, which can be really helpful in various situations. By default, the phone gives you the possibility to wake it up by double tapping on the display or through a short touch on the home button, launch the camera with a double swipe down or go directly to the home screen through a swipe up.
If you want to customize all these, just go to

Settings > Display > Gestures > Buttons > Motion launch gestures

and set them in the way you want and fits your needs best.

Reorder your apps

Unlike the LG G5, the HTC 10 does have an app drawer by default, but the apps are a total mess, being arranged randomly. For some users, this can be a bit frustrating, but fortunately, there’s a way to solve this issue.
Open the app drawer and in the top left corner you can notice a Settings icon. Tap it and select the Alphabetically option. That’s it, your apps are now arranged like they should’ve been from the beginning.

Set the Power Saver

HTC thought about those moments when your battery is almost over and you desperately need your phone as well. When you’re at just 5%, it will automatically activate Extreme Power mode, which will limit the phone’s functions to the basics, like making calls and sending texts. Also, when you’re at 15%, it activates the Power Saving mode, which limits your phone’s overall performance, in order to get you as much juice as possible.
Like mentioned above, 5% and 15% are the default values, but you can easily change them by going to

Settings > Power > Power saver

Pick a custom theme

Finally, one last thing you should do, in order to properly set up your new HTC 10, is to change the default theme with one that fits your style and personality. We’re not fans of bloatware apps, but this year, HTC tried to offer a user interface as close as possible to stock. There are some pre-installed apps, of course, and some of them are pretty cool.

One of these apps is HTC Themes which allows you to totally change the look of your phone’s menu. There are a lot of themes you can choose from, changing your colors, fonts, wallpapers and so on. In the end, it’s up to you to pick the one that looks the best.

And there you have it, guys. Some of the most important things, in our opinion, that you should do after unboxing your brand new HTC 10. If you have other suggestions that could expand this list, tell us about them, using the comments section below.

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How To Set Up Your LG G5 – Tips & Tricks

lg-g5-customize

After a long wait, you finally got your hands on it. The new LG G5 is definitely one of the most interesting Android phones of the moment, as the South Korean manufacturer tried to take things to a whole new level and be one step ahead of the competition. If they succeeded it’s too early to tell, but one thing is clear: this phone can do a lot of things.

If you’ve just unboxed your LG G5 and want to get the max out of it, here’s everything you need to do in order to set it up properly

1.Set up the fingerprint scanner

This feature is a must for nowadays’ smartphones and the G5 is no exception. Placed on the back, under the camera housing, the sensor is blazing fast and it can read your fingerprint in a capacitive like way. Besides unlocking the phone, it’s also great for various purchases, through Android Pay, so you must try it!

Head over to:

Settings > Fingerprints & security > Fingerprints > Add Fingerprint.

Following the instructions, scan your finger and you’re good to go.

2.Set the always-on display

We don’t know who copied who, but the always-on display, also seen on the Galaxy S7, is a damn fine addition. It can be used for checking the date, time and notifications, while the screen is turned off and it’s a must for anybody who checks their phone often.

In order to set it up, go to:

Settings > Display > Always-on display and choose ON

Using the Set menu, you can customize the way it looks and what it shows.

3.Get yourself a proper app drawer

One of the things we don’t like about the LG G5 is the lack of the traditional Android app drawer in their new user interface. This might be at least weird for die hard Android fans, but, fortunately, there’s an option to get it back.

Go to Settings > Home screen > Select Home and choose EasyHome

Still, this will also increase the size of the font, since it’s designed for people who aren’t familiar with Android.

Another option would be installing a third party launched, like Google Now, if you prefer a closer-to-stock look, or Nova Launcher.

4.Add your favorite shortcuts on the lockscreen

Out of the box, the LG G5 has comes with three shortcuts on the lockscreen: phone, voice search and camera. Still, it also offers the possibility to add whatever icons you want instead (up to 5). Still, they will only show on the lockscreen if you the Smart Lock feature is active or if you use Swipe as an unlock method

Go to Settings > Lock screen > Shortcuts and choose the apps you want to see

When you’re done, press Save.

5.Customize the Quick Toggles

What we do like about LG G5’s user interface is the multitude of toggles you have in the notification shade. Oh, and you can even scroll from left to right in order to see more of them. Still, these too can be customized!

Swipe down in order to access the menu , select the icon at the left of the Settings icon and start dragging and dropping the desired icons in the notification panel.

6.Set up the Smart Settings

One of the coolest features of the LG G5 is Smart Settings, through which your phone can automatically adjust settings based on your current location or the devices you connect to it. For example, when you insert your headphones, it can automatically launch Google Play Music, or, when you’re leaving home, it can turn off WiFi.

Go to Settings > Smart Settings and adjust your options that suit your needs best

These are a few of the settings every LG G5 owner should consider using, just after getting their hands on the phone. Are you a G5 user who knows even more settings like these? Tell us about them, using the comments section below!

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How to extend Samsung Galaxy S7 Battery Life

The new Samsung Galaxy S7 is definitely one of the most impressive smartphones we’ve seen so far this year, the South Korean manufacturer managing to take an almost perfect device, the Galaxy S6, and improve it as much as possible.

One of the most notable improvements of the Galaxy S7, compared with the previous generation is the battery. Samsung surprised everybody by including a much bigger power pack, with a capacity of 3000 mAh, which, combined with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chipset, should provide enough juice to help you get through a full day of moderate use. But hey, there’s no such thing as a decent battery life…

Even though the average user will be happy with the Galaxy S7’s performance, you should know that you can get even more from it, especially when it comes to battery. Considering this, we’ve put together a list with a few tips on how to improve your new smartphone’s battery life. Let’s begin, shall we?

 

Use the Power Saving modes

This is basically a no-brainer, but man, it can be efficient. Just like previous generations, the Samsung Galaxy S7 has a couple of software additions perfect for those times when you need to squeeze as much energy as possible from your phone.

To be more specific, we’re talking about the regular Power Saving mode and Ultra Power Saving mode. While the first limits CPU performance, reduces screen brightness, alongside frame rate and other things, like vibration feedback, allowing your phone to function normally, the latter transforms your smartphone into a basic phone. You will be able to use just the call and SMS functions, while the screen will turn black and white, with a simple, basic menu. But, in extreme conditions, it’s perfect!

Reduce backlight time and screen brightness

There’s no secret that the display is one of the biggest battery drainers, but there’s a very easy way to fix this. Simply reduce the brightness to the lowest possible level which still allows you to see what’s on the screen.

Also, don’t forget that you can reduce the amount of time your screen is on while you’re not using the phone. Just go to the

Setting menu > Display > Screen Timeout

and select the desired time. The lower, the better for your battery.

Turn off unused features

We know that you like to be connected permanently, but turning off the Wi-Fi or your mobile date when you don’t really need them will significantly improve your Samsung’s battery life. Same goes for Bluetooth, if you don’t have any devices connected to the phone or not making transfers, turn it off.

Restrict background data

Finally, this last trick should be performed with care, as you need to examine all your apps. Not all of them should be connecting to the Internet if you’re not using them, so in order to extend your Samsung Galaxy S7’s battery life you could consider turning off background data for them.

Again, don’t do this for social media apps, as you won’t be receiving notifications anymore, but other apps, like game or camera tools, for example, are eligible. Just go to Settings > Data Usage > Background Data and select the apps you don’t want to keep using data.

And this sums it up. Applying all this tips will surely improve your Galaxy S7’s endurance, with at least a few hours. Already tried them? Let us know about the results, using the comments section below!