Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Apple Adds Tips and Tricks Guide for iPhone 4s 5c and 5s to iPhone Website
Apple has added new Tips and Tricks sections to its iPhone marketing websites, giving new and old iPhone users a handy guide to the new features of iOS 7 and the new iPhone models.
The three pages, one each for the iPhone 4s, 5c and 5s, include sections about photography, swipe gestures, FaceTime, Maps, Siri, Calendar, Music, Mail, Safari, AirPlay and Wireless, Settings, Compass, and Find My iPhone.
The pages, which are linked at the bottom of every iPhone marketing webpage on Apple.com, appear to be something of a quick start guide, complimenting the more in-depth iPhone User Guide.
Data source: via MacRumors (By Jordan Golson)
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
iOS 7 1 Tips Make White Less Brighter on your iPhone and Easy on the Eye
How to reduce white Point in iOS 7.1
- From iPhone Home Screen launch Settings app and tap on General. Next, scroll down to Accessibility, and tap on it.
- Under Accessibility menu tap on Increase Contrast.
- Turn the Reduce White Point option to On.
Read also:
- How to avoid big international iPhone data charges
- Use a Laser Pointer to Turn Your iPhone Into a Microscope
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S3 tips and tricks
The Samsung Galaxy S3 is one of the most feature-packed gadgets of the year. It can do so much that it’s impossible to get your head around everything its capable of in a few days. We’ve spent an age with the phone, and are here to share what weve found.
If you want to get to know your Samsung Galaxy S3 a bit better, check out our round-up of the 50 juiciest tips and tricks for the Android giant. Think weve missed something? Drop us a line in the comments.
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1. Smart stay
Here’s a neat little gimmicky Samsung Galaxy S3 feature that could come in very handy if you like to read books or web articles on your phone. Smart stay uses the user-facing camera to scan for your eyes looking at the screen. If it finds them, it’ll keep the screen backlight active, rather than let it sleep. You can activate the feature from within the Display submenu of the full Settings menu.
2. Font changer
If you don’t like the standard, fairly serious look of the Samsung Galaxy S3, you can change the font used in the menu systems for a more light-hearted style. There are three other fonts available from the off, and you can download more from Google Play. The font changer option is in the Display submenu.
3. Check out OAP mode
Android can be confusing for people who aren’t massive tech fans. We’re not quite sure why such people would have bought as fancy a phone as the Samsung Galaxy S3, but we’re not here to judge. For this eventuality, Samsung has provided an “easy” UI mode, which simplifies the look of home screens, using large, blocky preset widgets. You can try out this mode in the Home Screen Mode submenu within Settings.
4. Motion controller
The Samsung Galaxy S3 takes the “kitchen sink” approach to features, shoving in everything it can manage. Motion controller options are evidence of quite how far this extends. You can flick between home screens by flicking the phone left and right, and thats just the beginning. There are bundles of options here, from zooming in and out of web pages by tilting the phone up and down to being able to take a screengrab by wiping the side of your hand across the screen. Check out the full list in the Motion submenu in Settings.
5. Don’t forget folders
To make effective use of your home screens, you need to think about using folders, which store app shortcuts. To make one, just hold a finger down on an app shortcut and drag it onto another app shortcut.
6. Quick search bar access
The quickest way to perform a quick web search on the Samsung Galaxy S3 when on a home screen is by using a dedicated gestural shortcut. Hold down the Menu soft key for around two seconds and you’ll be taken directly to a Google search bar.
7. Customise your lock screens
The custom lock screen of the Samsung Galaxy S3 features a row of icons that can be used to take you directly to any app. By default, the lock screen houses the phone caller, SMS hub, S Voice app and the camera. There’s a dedicated Lock Screen submenu in Settings that lets you define your own shortcuts.
8. Face unlock – it ain’t magic
Here’s a pro tip – if you want to keep your phone secure, Face Unlock isn’t the way to do it. Face Unlock recognises the geometry of your face to unlock the Samsung Galaxy S3 without any fingers needed. It’s more of a fun feature rather than a hardcore security measure, and someone that looks a bit like you may well be able to unlock your phone. Heck, even a picture of you will do it.
9. You can gesture type, like Swype
The Samsung Galaxy S3 features its own Samsung virtual keyboard. One of the neat extras it offers is gesture typing, which lets you drag a path over the letters in words rather than tapping them one-by-one. Many people find it much faster than standard typing, and with a good corrections algorithm it’s arguably more accurate too. Swipe-y typing is enabled in the keyboard menu, under the heading continuous input.
10. You can have up to seven home screens
Samsung gives you control over how many home screens there are in your Galaxy S3. To add or delete home screens, head to a home screen and use the pinch gesture to zoom out and see the whole roster of screens. From there you’ll be able to add additional ones, or drag existing ones into the virtual dustbin.
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11. Contacts book touchscreen gestures
From within the Contacts book, you can call and text people directly using touchscreen gestures. A right-to-left swipe across a contact entry will message them, and a left-to-right swipe will call them. It’s a lot quicker than tapping on their entry and then tapping again on their phone number.
12. Install Facebook and Twitter for quickie contact-gathering
The Samsung Galaxy S3 is a fantastic social networking tool, but you can make your social apps work for you too. Install the Facebook and Twitter apps and you can use your friends and followers lists to pull contacts into your phone’s Contacts book.
13. Avoid people with block mode
If you’re just a little too good at making friends and influencing people, you may want to check out the block mode. This lets you control the sorts of notifications, calls and alerts you get at certain times of the day. The most obvious use is to stop people from ringing you while you’re asleep. The Samsung Galaxy S3 also lets you keep up a list of “approved” contacts that can get through at all times. You’ll find the blocking option in the Settings menu.
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14. Make use of notification bar settings options
The quickest way to increase battery life is to manage the connections that the Samsung Galaxy S3 uses. 3G is one of the biggest drains on a smartphone’s battery, cutting stamina from several days to a day and a half. The pull-down notifications bar lets you turn off connections within a screen tap or two. Connections we recommend managing include Bluetooth, 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS.
15. Investigate power saving mode
When your battery level gets a bit low, the Samsung Galaxy S3 comes with its own emergency power saving mode that cuts down the power-draining features used by the phone. These include haptic feedback, screen brightness, CPU speed and the background screen colour in the internet browser.
16. Boost battery with a dark background
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has an AMOLED-type screen. As it does not use a universal backlight, this display uses more power when more of the screen is bright white. Use a dark or black background and you should find that the battery lasts that little bit longer.
17. You can change brightness from the drop-down notification bar
Along with connectivity settings, the notifications bar also has a brightness slider. It’s the quickest way to change brightness. There’s also an “Auto” tickbox, which lets the Samsung Galaxy S3 use the ambient light sensor on the front of the phone to judge how bright the screen needs to be, altering the backlight automatically depending on the surroundings.
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18. You can record radio using the FM tuner
FM radio isn’t really cool anymore, we’ll admit, but it uses a whole lot less battery than streaming internet radio over 3G – and it doesn’t demand you’re connected to the internet either. The FM radio uses your earphone cable as an antenna, and the Samsung Galaxy S3 even lets you record radio to the internal memory. You can then easily pull recorded files off the phone to archive on a computer, if you like.
19. Check out the custom EQ setting in the music player
Don’t like the sound that your earphones produce? The Samsung Galaxy S3 lets you tweak audio output with a custom equaliser. There are loads of presets included, or you can choose your own settings, with a 7-band EQ, 3D effect, Bass boost, reverb, and Clarity treble optimiser. You’ll find the shortcut to the EQ on the playback button bar of the music player.
20. Use Music Square for auto playlists
Gimmick or genius? Music Square tip-toes along the divide. It analyses your music and decides whether it’s relaxed or exciting, joyful or passionate. You can then pick exactly what mood you’re after using the Music Square interface – which looks a bit like a Korg Kaosspad. It works remarkably well, and is a boon if you like playlists but can’t be bothered to make them.
21. You can edit videos in the video player
The integrated video player of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is excellent for several reasons, primarily because it can play loads of different video types. It does more besides, too. You can trim videos from within the app, which is handy for those who love making their own little videos using the phone’s camera.
22. Check out AllShare
AllShare is Samsung’s take on DLNA. Sound like tech jargon? DLNA is a wireless standard that lets you stream video and music over a Wi-Fi network. AllShare uses DLNA and packages the tech into an easy-to-use package, especially if you’re piping content between Samsung brand devices. Plenty of Samsung gadgets support AllShare include tablets, Blu-ray players and TVs.
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23. HDMI adapter
The Samsung Galaxy S3 does not have a dedicated video output, but there is a way to output video from the phone without using Wi-FI – the Samsung MHL adapter. This uses the microUSB port on the rear of the phone to send up to HD video and surround sound to TVs and other devices. The £20-odd adapter plugs in to the socket and ends in an HDMI socket, letting you jam in a standard HDMI cable.
24. Consider a battery booster
There are plenty of batteries available Samsung Galaxy S3 - standard-size ones, extra large ones and dodgy knock-off ones that might set your house aflame. Some will double your battery life, such as the top-quality Mophie juice pack that’s made specifically for the Galaxy S3. The phone slots into the battery pack, increasing the body size without ruining ergonomics.
25. Forget the 64GB edition
Our buyer’s tip is to forget the 64GB edition of the Samsung Galaxy S3. It’s not widely available in the UK – the 16GB and 32GB editions are far more common – and it’s not really worth the extra cash. The Galaxy S3 has a microSD memory card slot, and expanding the memory using one of these cards is much cheaper than spending the extra on a phone with greater internal memory.
26. Get a capacitive stylus – nearly a Note
The main thing that has got so many people buying the recent Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is its neat stylus. It uses clever Wacom tech that enables full pressure sensitivity. There’s no easy way to get this sensitivity on the Galaxy S3, but you can get a similar pen input feel with a capacitive stylus. These pens have tips that the touchscreen of phones like the Galaxy S3 can sense.
27. Search the web with your voice
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has a dedicated Voice Search app that lets you search the web by speaking into your phone’s microphone. It uses Google’s voice recognition tech. Alternatively, you can use S Voice, which is Samsung’s own take on the voice recognition feature.
28. Save sites for offline reading
The integrated web browser of the Samsung Galaxy S3 lets you save websites on the internal memory of the phone for reading while you’re out of range of Wi-Fi and 3G. To save a page, tap the menu soft key while on a site and tap the Save for offline reading option. Right by this, you’ll see the Request desktop site checkbox, which is another useful nugget.
29. How to use NFC
The Samsung Galaxy S3 features NFC, or Near Field Communication. There are several uses for this short-range connectivity type, and the most interesting is mobile payments. These let you use your phone as a contactless payments tool. Support is limited at the moment, but if you’re on Orange, you can use the QuickTap system, which will let you buy small items from food outlets like Subway, EAT and others. For more on NFC, check out our full guide.
What is NFC, and why is it in your phone?
30. How to use S Beam
S Beam is Samsung’s own utilisation of NFC. It lets you transmit files between compatible phones. At the moment, that’s limited to the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2 – hardly a vast array. However, it is one way to open up NFC to those who aren’t keen on using their mobile as a debit card of sorts. You can turn S Beam on from within the More Settings submenu in the main settings area. Don’t miss it if you have Galaxy S3-owning friends.
31. Kies is optional
Kies is Samsung’s desktop software, which can be used to sync content to Samsung phones, and can be used to update firmware. In the past it has been mandatory to use it for some uses in some phones, but it’s largely options with the Samsung Galaxy S3. You can easily drag ‘n’ drop files onto the phone, and firmware updates can be made directly from the phone. Why use it when you don’t need to? That said, Kies does support Wi-Fi synchronisation, which is neat.
32. Use data usage monitor if you’re on a data limit
Most Samsung Galaxy S3 owners will probably have to live with a data limit, whether it’s 1GB, 500MB or 10GB. Unless your mobile data usage is completely unlimited, it’s best to keep an eye on your consumptions to avoid unnecessary bill stings at the end of the month. Right near the top of the Settings menu is a Data usage section that will do just that. It lets you see how much data you’ve used, and within which apps. If you need to cut down, switch off mobile data and stick to Wi-Fi.
33. Don’t forget Wi-Fi Direct
Wi-Fi Direct is great. Once we were restricted to Bluetooth for wireless file transfers. It was slow, unreliable and, well, a bit rubbish. Wi-Fi Direct is here to change all that. It lets you fling files from one Wi-Fi Direct compatible device to another, without needing a Wi-Fi internet spot to act as the middle man. It’s one of the best ways to get a file from A to B, and can be used throughout the phone – look for it in the Share options of any given app.
34. Essential Android apps
Android apps you need to download or check out right now include Evernote, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify (if you have an account), Netflix (again, if you have an account), BBC iPlayer, Instagram, Flipboard, Movies, IMDb, SoundHound, WhatsApp Messenger, TuneIn Radio. Also, do take a look at the Google apps pre-installed on the Samsung Galaxy S3. They’re all fab.
35. Essential Android games
Android games you need to download in 3… 2… 1… now include World of Goo, Fieldrunners, Angry Birds Space, Bad Piggies, Infinity Blade, Dead Trigger, Shadowgun, Temple Run and the original Angry Birds. That should keep you busy for a little while.
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36. Solving app problems
Android is a lot more stable than it used to be, but you’re going to have to expect the odd crash/computer implosion. If you find that a particular app is giving you a lot of trouble, it’s a good idea to try wiping its cached data. To do this, go to the Applications manager in the Settings menu. Then pick the errant app from the list that appears and tap the Clear data and Clear cache buttons. If that fails, you can try reinstalling the app. You’ll see an Uninstall button on this screen that’ll wipe its current install.
37. App side-loading
Google Play is the place to be if you’re out for Android apps and games for your Samsung Galaxy S3, but Android does not limit you to the official app store. You can side-load apps from just about anywhere, you just need to remove the security barrier blocking apps from unknown sources. This is in the Security submenu of Settings. Once done, you can download APK Android installation files directly from within the browser, or transfer them to the internal memory manually from a computer. Then locate them using the My Files app, tap the app you want and follow the on-screen prompts. Be careful though and only download from trusted sources as apps downloaded from unofficial sites have a much higher chance of containing all sorts of viral nasties.
38. Adding app shortcuts to the homescreen
One of the key uses for a Samsung Galaxy S3 home screen is to give you quick access to your favourite apps. To add one to a home screen, go to the main apps menu, hold a finger down on an app icon and a home screen preview will pop up, letting you place the shortcut
39. Backup to SD = a good idea
If you value your data, it’s a good idea to backup your data every now and then. There are two main ways to do this. The first is to use Kies, Samsung’s desktop software, which lets you keep an image of your phone’s goodies on your computer. There are also plenty of apps that will backup your precious data to an SD card. Just search for backup on Google Play for a selection.
40. Video overlays
A great gimmick of the Samsung Galaxy S3’s video player is that it lets you properly multi-task. On the bottom right of the transport bar is a little button with an arrow on it. Tap this and any playing video will appear as an overlay on your home screen. It’ll hang around until you tap the cross icon (which appears when the video is tapped), letting you watch videos while browsing the web, reading emails and so on. You can also resize the video with the pinch gesture.
41. Galaxy S3 codec support is great
Samsung has been a bit of a mobile video star for years. Its top-end phones always tend to offer better video support than just about any other maker’s models. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is no different. It can handle most file formats, including – in our testing – the popular MKV type. Most people shouldn’t need to transcode many of their videos to get them playing on the phone.
42. Check out HDR mode
HDR mode is a useful mode for getting good photographic results in conditions of problematic lighting. It involved merging the information of multiple exposures, letting the Samsung Galaxy S3’s camera reap the most detail information from dark and light areas in a scene. The phone saves both an HDR version and a non-HDR version, so there’s no downside other than that the processing time needed between each shot will slow down your photo snapping.
43. Combat closed eyes photos with Best Face
If you’re trying to take a snap of a difficult subject, Best Face is a great way to avoid papping them with their eyes closed, or while pulling a face. It takes five shots of the same scene in rapid succession, then lets you pick the one with the best result. As the Samsung Galaxy S3 camera is so fast, the whole five exposures only take a bit over a second.
44. Panorama
The classic add-on feature of any phone camera that wants to impress is Panorama. It lets you take a wide shot of your surroundings, capturing the shot as you slowly turn the phone around. It’s not quite as good as the iPhone 5’s panorama, but it’s not bad.
45. Fill in the Photosphere gap with an app
One of the features that the Samsung Galaxy S3 currently misses out on is Photosphere. It’s because the phone uses Android 4.1 Jelly Bean rather than version 4.2, which brought the world the new photo feature. It lets you take a full 360-degree panorama shot of the world around you. Don’t fret, though, because there are apps that do just that form Google Play. Apps to try include 360 Panorama and Photo360. The Galaxy S3 may get the official Photo Sphere feature once the update to Android 4.2 arrives.
46. Share photos directly with Share Shot
Share Shot uses Wi-Fi Direct to let you fling shots over directly to other people nearby. It requires that the recipient device has Wi-Fi Direct engaged too, though.
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47. Root it – if you dare
There’s a massive Android modding community, and if you want to get involved you’ll need to root your Samsung Galaxy S3. This strips off a layer of protection, giving you direct access to the phone’s virtual organs and bones. It will also let you install custom ROMs – customised installs of the Android operating system. Doing this, you could strip away TouchWiz if you like. You can brick your phone in this process, though, so proceed with caution.
48. Remote wipe your phone with Remote Control
A great security feature of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is remote wiping of data. You’ll need to sign up for a Samsung account, after which you can remotely manage your phone from samsungdive.com. You can wipe data, lock the phone so it can’t be used and even locate the device using the Find my Phone feature. If there’s even a small chance you’re phone’s going to be nicked (let’s face it, there is), we recommend signing up for this. It doesn’t cost you anything either.
49. For frequent fliers – dual clock lock screen
Here’s a clever bit of software jiggery-pokery. The lock screen clock can change automatically when you’re roaming to show two times, one for the country you’re in and another for the time back home. You’ll find this in the Lock screen menu of the Settings menu, called Dual clock.
50. Jelly Bean easter egg
You’ve never seen an Android easter egg? You haven’t lived. To experience the wonder of the Jelly Bean easter egg on your Samsung Galaxy S3, go to the About device section in Settings, repeatedly clock on the Android version entry and you’ll see the beaming face of a cartoon Jelly Bean. Hold a finger down on the little guy and the screen will fill with whizzing beans. Who needs an iPhone 5, eh?
Read more tips and tricks for smartphones and tablets, or find the latest news from the mobile world.
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If you want to get to know your Samsung Galaxy S3 a bit better, check out our round-up of the 50 juiciest tips and tricks for the Android giant. Think weve missed something? Drop us a line in the comments.
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Interface
1. Smart stay
Here’s a neat little gimmicky Samsung Galaxy S3 feature that could come in very handy if you like to read books or web articles on your phone. Smart stay uses the user-facing camera to scan for your eyes looking at the screen. If it finds them, it’ll keep the screen backlight active, rather than let it sleep. You can activate the feature from within the Display submenu of the full Settings menu.
2. Font changer
If you don’t like the standard, fairly serious look of the Samsung Galaxy S3, you can change the font used in the menu systems for a more light-hearted style. There are three other fonts available from the off, and you can download more from Google Play. The font changer option is in the Display submenu.
3. Check out OAP mode
Android can be confusing for people who aren’t massive tech fans. We’re not quite sure why such people would have bought as fancy a phone as the Samsung Galaxy S3, but we’re not here to judge. For this eventuality, Samsung has provided an “easy” UI mode, which simplifies the look of home screens, using large, blocky preset widgets. You can try out this mode in the Home Screen Mode submenu within Settings.
4. Motion controller
The Samsung Galaxy S3 takes the “kitchen sink” approach to features, shoving in everything it can manage. Motion controller options are evidence of quite how far this extends. You can flick between home screens by flicking the phone left and right, and thats just the beginning. There are bundles of options here, from zooming in and out of web pages by tilting the phone up and down to being able to take a screengrab by wiping the side of your hand across the screen. Check out the full list in the Motion submenu in Settings.
5. Don’t forget folders
To make effective use of your home screens, you need to think about using folders, which store app shortcuts. To make one, just hold a finger down on an app shortcut and drag it onto another app shortcut.
6. Quick search bar access
The quickest way to perform a quick web search on the Samsung Galaxy S3 when on a home screen is by using a dedicated gestural shortcut. Hold down the Menu soft key for around two seconds and you’ll be taken directly to a Google search bar.
7. Customise your lock screens
The custom lock screen of the Samsung Galaxy S3 features a row of icons that can be used to take you directly to any app. By default, the lock screen houses the phone caller, SMS hub, S Voice app and the camera. There’s a dedicated Lock Screen submenu in Settings that lets you define your own shortcuts.
8. Face unlock – it ain’t magic
Here’s a pro tip – if you want to keep your phone secure, Face Unlock isn’t the way to do it. Face Unlock recognises the geometry of your face to unlock the Samsung Galaxy S3 without any fingers needed. It’s more of a fun feature rather than a hardcore security measure, and someone that looks a bit like you may well be able to unlock your phone. Heck, even a picture of you will do it.
9. You can gesture type, like Swype
The Samsung Galaxy S3 features its own Samsung virtual keyboard. One of the neat extras it offers is gesture typing, which lets you drag a path over the letters in words rather than tapping them one-by-one. Many people find it much faster than standard typing, and with a good corrections algorithm it’s arguably more accurate too. Swipe-y typing is enabled in the keyboard menu, under the heading continuous input.
10. You can have up to seven home screens
Samsung gives you control over how many home screens there are in your Galaxy S3. To add or delete home screens, head to a home screen and use the pinch gesture to zoom out and see the whole roster of screens. From there you’ll be able to add additional ones, or drag existing ones into the virtual dustbin.
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Calling
11. Contacts book touchscreen gestures
From within the Contacts book, you can call and text people directly using touchscreen gestures. A right-to-left swipe across a contact entry will message them, and a left-to-right swipe will call them. It’s a lot quicker than tapping on their entry and then tapping again on their phone number.
12. Install Facebook and Twitter for quickie contact-gathering
The Samsung Galaxy S3 is a fantastic social networking tool, but you can make your social apps work for you too. Install the Facebook and Twitter apps and you can use your friends and followers lists to pull contacts into your phone’s Contacts book.
13. Avoid people with block mode
If you’re just a little too good at making friends and influencing people, you may want to check out the block mode. This lets you control the sorts of notifications, calls and alerts you get at certain times of the day. The most obvious use is to stop people from ringing you while you’re asleep. The Samsung Galaxy S3 also lets you keep up a list of “approved” contacts that can get through at all times. You’ll find the blocking option in the Settings menu.
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Battery life
14. Make use of notification bar settings options
The quickest way to increase battery life is to manage the connections that the Samsung Galaxy S3 uses. 3G is one of the biggest drains on a smartphone’s battery, cutting stamina from several days to a day and a half. The pull-down notifications bar lets you turn off connections within a screen tap or two. Connections we recommend managing include Bluetooth, 3G, Wi-Fi and GPS.
15. Investigate power saving mode
When your battery level gets a bit low, the Samsung Galaxy S3 comes with its own emergency power saving mode that cuts down the power-draining features used by the phone. These include haptic feedback, screen brightness, CPU speed and the background screen colour in the internet browser.
16. Boost battery with a dark background
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has an AMOLED-type screen. As it does not use a universal backlight, this display uses more power when more of the screen is bright white. Use a dark or black background and you should find that the battery lasts that little bit longer.
17. You can change brightness from the drop-down notification bar
Along with connectivity settings, the notifications bar also has a brightness slider. It’s the quickest way to change brightness. There’s also an “Auto” tickbox, which lets the Samsung Galaxy S3 use the ambient light sensor on the front of the phone to judge how bright the screen needs to be, altering the backlight automatically depending on the surroundings.
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Music
18. You can record radio using the FM tuner
FM radio isn’t really cool anymore, we’ll admit, but it uses a whole lot less battery than streaming internet radio over 3G – and it doesn’t demand you’re connected to the internet either. The FM radio uses your earphone cable as an antenna, and the Samsung Galaxy S3 even lets you record radio to the internal memory. You can then easily pull recorded files off the phone to archive on a computer, if you like.
19. Check out the custom EQ setting in the music player
Don’t like the sound that your earphones produce? The Samsung Galaxy S3 lets you tweak audio output with a custom equaliser. There are loads of presets included, or you can choose your own settings, with a 7-band EQ, 3D effect, Bass boost, reverb, and Clarity treble optimiser. You’ll find the shortcut to the EQ on the playback button bar of the music player.
20. Use Music Square for auto playlists
Gimmick or genius? Music Square tip-toes along the divide. It analyses your music and decides whether it’s relaxed or exciting, joyful or passionate. You can then pick exactly what mood you’re after using the Music Square interface – which looks a bit like a Korg Kaosspad. It works remarkably well, and is a boon if you like playlists but can’t be bothered to make them.
21. You can edit videos in the video player
The integrated video player of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is excellent for several reasons, primarily because it can play loads of different video types. It does more besides, too. You can trim videos from within the app, which is handy for those who love making their own little videos using the phone’s camera.
22. Check out AllShare
AllShare is Samsung’s take on DLNA. Sound like tech jargon? DLNA is a wireless standard that lets you stream video and music over a Wi-Fi network. AllShare uses DLNA and packages the tech into an easy-to-use package, especially if you’re piping content between Samsung brand devices. Plenty of Samsung gadgets support AllShare include tablets, Blu-ray players and TVs.
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Accessories
23. HDMI adapter
The Samsung Galaxy S3 does not have a dedicated video output, but there is a way to output video from the phone without using Wi-FI – the Samsung MHL adapter. This uses the microUSB port on the rear of the phone to send up to HD video and surround sound to TVs and other devices. The £20-odd adapter plugs in to the socket and ends in an HDMI socket, letting you jam in a standard HDMI cable.
24. Consider a battery booster
There are plenty of batteries available Samsung Galaxy S3 - standard-size ones, extra large ones and dodgy knock-off ones that might set your house aflame. Some will double your battery life, such as the top-quality Mophie juice pack that’s made specifically for the Galaxy S3. The phone slots into the battery pack, increasing the body size without ruining ergonomics.
25. Forget the 64GB edition
Our buyer’s tip is to forget the 64GB edition of the Samsung Galaxy S3. It’s not widely available in the UK – the 16GB and 32GB editions are far more common – and it’s not really worth the extra cash. The Galaxy S3 has a microSD memory card slot, and expanding the memory using one of these cards is much cheaper than spending the extra on a phone with greater internal memory.
26. Get a capacitive stylus – nearly a Note
The main thing that has got so many people buying the recent Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is its neat stylus. It uses clever Wacom tech that enables full pressure sensitivity. There’s no easy way to get this sensitivity on the Galaxy S3, but you can get a similar pen input feel with a capacitive stylus. These pens have tips that the touchscreen of phones like the Galaxy S3 can sense.
Browsing
27. Search the web with your voice
The Samsung Galaxy S3 has a dedicated Voice Search app that lets you search the web by speaking into your phone’s microphone. It uses Google’s voice recognition tech. Alternatively, you can use S Voice, which is Samsung’s own take on the voice recognition feature.
28. Save sites for offline reading
The integrated web browser of the Samsung Galaxy S3 lets you save websites on the internal memory of the phone for reading while you’re out of range of Wi-Fi and 3G. To save a page, tap the menu soft key while on a site and tap the Save for offline reading option. Right by this, you’ll see the Request desktop site checkbox, which is another useful nugget.
Connectivity
29. How to use NFC
The Samsung Galaxy S3 features NFC, or Near Field Communication. There are several uses for this short-range connectivity type, and the most interesting is mobile payments. These let you use your phone as a contactless payments tool. Support is limited at the moment, but if you’re on Orange, you can use the QuickTap system, which will let you buy small items from food outlets like Subway, EAT and others. For more on NFC, check out our full guide.
What is NFC, and why is it in your phone?
30. How to use S Beam
S Beam is Samsung’s own utilisation of NFC. It lets you transmit files between compatible phones. At the moment, that’s limited to the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2 – hardly a vast array. However, it is one way to open up NFC to those who aren’t keen on using their mobile as a debit card of sorts. You can turn S Beam on from within the More Settings submenu in the main settings area. Don’t miss it if you have Galaxy S3-owning friends.
31. Kies is optional
Kies is Samsung’s desktop software, which can be used to sync content to Samsung phones, and can be used to update firmware. In the past it has been mandatory to use it for some uses in some phones, but it’s largely options with the Samsung Galaxy S3. You can easily drag ‘n’ drop files onto the phone, and firmware updates can be made directly from the phone. Why use it when you don’t need to? That said, Kies does support Wi-Fi synchronisation, which is neat.
32. Use data usage monitor if you’re on a data limit
Most Samsung Galaxy S3 owners will probably have to live with a data limit, whether it’s 1GB, 500MB or 10GB. Unless your mobile data usage is completely unlimited, it’s best to keep an eye on your consumptions to avoid unnecessary bill stings at the end of the month. Right near the top of the Settings menu is a Data usage section that will do just that. It lets you see how much data you’ve used, and within which apps. If you need to cut down, switch off mobile data and stick to Wi-Fi.
33. Don’t forget Wi-Fi Direct
Wi-Fi Direct is great. Once we were restricted to Bluetooth for wireless file transfers. It was slow, unreliable and, well, a bit rubbish. Wi-Fi Direct is here to change all that. It lets you fling files from one Wi-Fi Direct compatible device to another, without needing a Wi-Fi internet spot to act as the middle man. It’s one of the best ways to get a file from A to B, and can be used throughout the phone – look for it in the Share options of any given app.
Downloads
34. Essential Android apps
Android apps you need to download or check out right now include Evernote, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify (if you have an account), Netflix (again, if you have an account), BBC iPlayer, Instagram, Flipboard, Movies, IMDb, SoundHound, WhatsApp Messenger, TuneIn Radio. Also, do take a look at the Google apps pre-installed on the Samsung Galaxy S3. They’re all fab.
35. Essential Android games
Android games you need to download in 3… 2… 1… now include World of Goo, Fieldrunners, Angry Birds Space, Bad Piggies, Infinity Blade, Dead Trigger, Shadowgun, Temple Run and the original Angry Birds. That should keep you busy for a little while.
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36. Solving app problems
Android is a lot more stable than it used to be, but you’re going to have to expect the odd crash/computer implosion. If you find that a particular app is giving you a lot of trouble, it’s a good idea to try wiping its cached data. To do this, go to the Applications manager in the Settings menu. Then pick the errant app from the list that appears and tap the Clear data and Clear cache buttons. If that fails, you can try reinstalling the app. You’ll see an Uninstall button on this screen that’ll wipe its current install.
37. App side-loading
Google Play is the place to be if you’re out for Android apps and games for your Samsung Galaxy S3, but Android does not limit you to the official app store. You can side-load apps from just about anywhere, you just need to remove the security barrier blocking apps from unknown sources. This is in the Security submenu of Settings. Once done, you can download APK Android installation files directly from within the browser, or transfer them to the internal memory manually from a computer. Then locate them using the My Files app, tap the app you want and follow the on-screen prompts. Be careful though and only download from trusted sources as apps downloaded from unofficial sites have a much higher chance of containing all sorts of viral nasties.
38. Adding app shortcuts to the homescreen
One of the key uses for a Samsung Galaxy S3 home screen is to give you quick access to your favourite apps. To add one to a home screen, go to the main apps menu, hold a finger down on an app icon and a home screen preview will pop up, letting you place the shortcut
39. Backup to SD = a good idea
If you value your data, it’s a good idea to backup your data every now and then. There are two main ways to do this. The first is to use Kies, Samsung’s desktop software, which lets you keep an image of your phone’s goodies on your computer. There are also plenty of apps that will backup your precious data to an SD card. Just search for backup on Google Play for a selection.
Video
40. Video overlays
A great gimmick of the Samsung Galaxy S3’s video player is that it lets you properly multi-task. On the bottom right of the transport bar is a little button with an arrow on it. Tap this and any playing video will appear as an overlay on your home screen. It’ll hang around until you tap the cross icon (which appears when the video is tapped), letting you watch videos while browsing the web, reading emails and so on. You can also resize the video with the pinch gesture.
41. Galaxy S3 codec support is great
Samsung has been a bit of a mobile video star for years. Its top-end phones always tend to offer better video support than just about any other maker’s models. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is no different. It can handle most file formats, including – in our testing – the popular MKV type. Most people shouldn’t need to transcode many of their videos to get them playing on the phone.
Camera
42. Check out HDR mode
HDR mode is a useful mode for getting good photographic results in conditions of problematic lighting. It involved merging the information of multiple exposures, letting the Samsung Galaxy S3’s camera reap the most detail information from dark and light areas in a scene. The phone saves both an HDR version and a non-HDR version, so there’s no downside other than that the processing time needed between each shot will slow down your photo snapping.
43. Combat closed eyes photos with Best Face
If you’re trying to take a snap of a difficult subject, Best Face is a great way to avoid papping them with their eyes closed, or while pulling a face. It takes five shots of the same scene in rapid succession, then lets you pick the one with the best result. As the Samsung Galaxy S3 camera is so fast, the whole five exposures only take a bit over a second.
44. Panorama
The classic add-on feature of any phone camera that wants to impress is Panorama. It lets you take a wide shot of your surroundings, capturing the shot as you slowly turn the phone around. It’s not quite as good as the iPhone 5’s panorama, but it’s not bad.
45. Fill in the Photosphere gap with an app
One of the features that the Samsung Galaxy S3 currently misses out on is Photosphere. It’s because the phone uses Android 4.1 Jelly Bean rather than version 4.2, which brought the world the new photo feature. It lets you take a full 360-degree panorama shot of the world around you. Don’t fret, though, because there are apps that do just that form Google Play. Apps to try include 360 Panorama and Photo360. The Galaxy S3 may get the official Photo Sphere feature once the update to Android 4.2 arrives.
46. Share photos directly with Share Shot
Share Shot uses Wi-Fi Direct to let you fling shots over directly to other people nearby. It requires that the recipient device has Wi-Fi Direct engaged too, though.
Tips on taking better photos with your smartphone
Advanced
47. Root it – if you dare
There’s a massive Android modding community, and if you want to get involved you’ll need to root your Samsung Galaxy S3. This strips off a layer of protection, giving you direct access to the phone’s virtual organs and bones. It will also let you install custom ROMs – customised installs of the Android operating system. Doing this, you could strip away TouchWiz if you like. You can brick your phone in this process, though, so proceed with caution.
48. Remote wipe your phone with Remote Control
A great security feature of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is remote wiping of data. You’ll need to sign up for a Samsung account, after which you can remotely manage your phone from samsungdive.com. You can wipe data, lock the phone so it can’t be used and even locate the device using the Find my Phone feature. If there’s even a small chance you’re phone’s going to be nicked (let’s face it, there is), we recommend signing up for this. It doesn’t cost you anything either.
49. For frequent fliers – dual clock lock screen
Here’s a clever bit of software jiggery-pokery. The lock screen clock can change automatically when you’re roaming to show two times, one for the country you’re in and another for the time back home. You’ll find this in the Lock screen menu of the Settings menu, called Dual clock.
And finally…
50. Jelly Bean easter egg
You’ve never seen an Android easter egg? You haven’t lived. To experience the wonder of the Jelly Bean easter egg on your Samsung Galaxy S3, go to the About device section in Settings, repeatedly clock on the Android version entry and you’ll see the beaming face of a cartoon Jelly Bean. Hold a finger down on the little guy and the screen will fill with whizzing beans. Who needs an iPhone 5, eh?
Read more tips and tricks for smartphones and tablets, or find the latest news from the mobile world.
Friday, March 27, 2015
LG G3 Tips Tricks and Hidden Features
The LG G3 is a smartphone of many abilities. Under the guise of its simple, approachable interface lie many customization options and functionalities that can make it possible for many of you to enjoy LGs flagship the way it comes out of the box – no rooting and custom roms necessary!
Here, weve rounded up some tips, tricks and hidden features to help you get to know LGs most powerful smartphone ever like the back of your hand.
The LG G3 offers an easy mode that makes the G3 easier to use if it is your first smartphone. This puts a dialer front and center and links to common apps and activities as the home screen so you don’t ever need to look for the basic LG G3 features.
This also makes the LG G3 text bigger all through the LG apps and system, so that it is easier to read the device. LG aims this option at older users that may want a simpler layout and easier to read fonts.
Go to Settings-> Home Screen -> Select Home -> EasyHome. From here you can go the home screen and swipe to the side to add other shortcuts.
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One of our favorite LG G3 tips is to use the knock code to keep your phone secure and to access the phone when you need to unlock it. instead of swiping or entering a passcode you tap or knock on the screen in a specific pattern to unlock the LG G3. This even works if the screen is off. Just pick up the LG G3 or take it out of your pocket and use your knock code to unlock right to the home screen without touching the power button.
Go to Settings -> Lock screen -> Select screen lock -> Knock Code. Enter the Knock Code twice and then enter a backup PIN as well. After this is complete you can easily unlock the phone without turning the screen on first.
If you have trouble using the LG G3 Knock Code when the screen is off knock firmly and make sure you are in the right areas of the screen.
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Dont fancy the LG Smart Bulletin occupying a full home-screen with its health and tips? Head to Settings-> Display -> Home screen, and tap the Smart Bulletin switch On or Off. Simple, just like LG wanted it.
By default the LG G3 camera only takes 10MP photos, but you can quickly change it to take full resolution photos that deliver more detail. This is a great idea if you plan to print your photos or want to show them off on a big screen after you edit and crop them.
Open the camera app -> tap on the three dots in the corner then on the Settings cog -> Tap on the W10M and choose 13M instead.
You’ll notice the photo no longer covers the full screen, but you are getting a better quality photo overall.
This lets you use the full power of the LG G3 camera. You can also switch to UHD video quality if you want a higher resolution video to share online or watch on a new UHD TV.
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The LG G3 features a large 5.5-inch display, that may be too big for some users to control with one hand. Although there is not a full screen shift option like on the Galaxy S5, LG does offer a LG G3 one-handed mode that lets users easily use the phone, lock screen and keyboard with one hand.
Go to Settings -> One-handed operation -> Check the boxes for the one-hand modes you want to use.
You can switch between right or left-hand use as you go. This option is not for everyone, but if you find the LG G3 to big it’s very handy.
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If you need to get better LG G3 battery life you can turn on Battery Saver. This built-in option limits syncing and other features to help the LG G3 battery last longer.
Go to Settings -> Battery -> Batter Saver to turn it on. Tap on the Battery Saver on the left and you can access the various settings it controls. You can also turn it on and set it to automatically turn on at 50% to 10% battery left, or immediately if you need it now.
If this is not enough you can also try the Snapdragon BatteryGuru app to get better LG G3 battery life. This free app optimizes usage based on how you use the G3 to help limit apps that you don’t need and make your battery last longer.
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If you want to open Google Now on the LG G3 you can swipe up from the home button and launch into the app immediately. If you are on the main LG G3 Home screen you can also say OK Google to start a Google search without first opening Google Now.
There is no setup for this, just tap and swipe up on the LG G3 home button to get there.
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You can change the LG G3 buttons that appear at the bottom of the screen to add new options and to change the background color to fit your mood and theme.
Go to Settings -> Display -> Home Touch Buttons -> and add new options. You can add Notifications, QuickMemo, Qslide and Dual Window.
You can also rearrange the icons, adding up to a total of five buttons instead of the normal three on other Android phones.
This trick lets you zoom into every part of the LG G3s screen by making a quick triple-tap in it. You can activate it by going into Settings, General, Accessibility and turning on Touch Zoom. In certain cases, the triple-tap gesture might overlap with regular usage if you start tapping too quickly in a single area.
The LG G3 uses a sensor to track your steps so that you don’t need to buy a fitness band or separate app to monitor your activity. You turn this on by swiping to the screen left of the main home screen.
After you open the app you can start tracking your steps and exercise that the G3 automatically records as you carry it in your pocket.
If the LG G3 vibrates too much or too little for phone calls, text messages or even using the home buttons you can change this for each of these settings individually.
Go to Settings -> Sound -> Vibrate Strength -> Adjust the slider to change the vibration intensity for calls, notifications or touch.
If you want to take a screenshot on the LG G3 you can use the power and volume down button on the back of the G3, but there’s an easier way that also lets you annotate your screenshot.
Tap on the home button and slide up and to the right to the QuickMemo+ option. This takes a screenshot and opens it up in an app that lets you type a note, draw on the screen and then save or share the result.
You can install Google Wallet on the LG G3 and use the phone to make payments where NFC purchases are possible. this includes many gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and even vending machines. You cannot use this at every store, but even in Ohio it is accepted in many places.
Download Google Wallet, open the app and sign in. Follow the directions to add your debit or credit cards to the account and set Google Wallet as your default Tap & Pay Solution. If it is not already on you need to turn NFC on by going to Settings -> Share & connect -> NFC -> On. You can also go to Tap & pay settings and choose Google Wallet.
If you need to open the LG G3 camera fast so you don’t miss a perfect photo you can use a LG G3 camera shortcut key. Press and hold the volume down button to open the camera when the screen is off or when the lock screen is showing.
You’ll feel a small vibration and then the camera app will open to the last mode you left it in and you can start taking photos.
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If you use the included LG G3 app QuickMemo+ you can open it fast by tapping and holding on the volume up button. After a second the QuickMemo+ app will open so you can start taking a note. This works when the LG G3 is locked and works with the screen off or on the lock screen.
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There is an IR blaster on the top of the LG G3 and a remote control app that lets you control your HDTV, cable box and other home theater equipment.
Go to Apps -> Quick Remote -> Pick a room -> Tap on + -> Add a remote control. Repeat as needed for other remotes and rooms. The app cycles through codes based on the TV brand.
This is an awesome way to make sure you are always in control of the TV.
The LG G3 personal assistant Voice Mate is LG’s Siri or Google Now tool that lets users control the phone with their Voice. Tap and hold on the home button and then swipe up to the left to access Voice Mate.
You can ask Voice Mate to make calls, check your calendar, look up contacts, search nearby, search the web or answer facts and much more. Tap on the I on the screen to see what all Voice mate can do.
It’s not as easy to access as Siri on the iPhone, but it is a handy personal assistant.
After you use the LG G3 for a few months you’ll end up with downloaded files you don’t need and apps you haven’t use for a month. The LG G3 includes a Smart Cleaning feature to clear these out and recover your space.
Go to Settings -> Smart Cleaning -> Wait for the scan to complete -> tap on an item and then clean it out if you don’t want it. This is much nicer than looking for temporary downloads an unused apps when you run out of space.
If you prefer to answer a phone call by touch, you can use the physical buttons on the back of the LG G3.
Just reach behind and press the volume buttons at the same time to answer a call. To turn this on you need to turn the LG G3 off -> turn it on by holding the volume up, volume down and power buttons at the same time for six seconds. Then choose Mode ON.
If you don’t want to talk to someone you can press the power button to reject the call. This will end the call and send the caller to voicemail. You need to go to Settings -> Phone -> Power Key end Call -> On to make this work.
If you need more storage on the LG G3 you can add a MicroSD card inside the LG G3 to add a lot more room for photos and movies.
You need to buy a MicroSD card. You can typically buy a 32GB card for under $20, doubling the LG G3 storage.
When it arrives, remove the back of the phone, stick it in the open area above the battery opening and turn the phone back on to start using it.
If you want to play games on the LG G3 and really use that beautiful display you can connect an Xbox 360 controller to it to play games.
You’ll need a wired Xbox 360 controller, a USB OTG cable and some of the many Android games that support controllers. Juts plug the USB OTG cable into the Micro USB port, plug the Xbox controller into the other end and you can start gaming without any other apps or hacks needed.
If you need more storage and want to quickly grab something from a computer you can use the same $2 USB OTG cable to connect a USB thumb drive to your LG G3.
Plug the cable in, connect any thumb drive and then go to the File Manager or download ES File Explorer, and you can now view files on the drive or copy and past to or from the USB drive.
If you want to connect a full size SD card to the LG G3 to show off your DLSR photos on a beautiful display or instantly share them on Facebook, you can use the same USB OTG cable and a USB to SD card adapter to make this work.
Connect the USB OTG cable to the LG G3, the SD card adapter to that and then plug-in your SD card and check out your photos and videos on the amazing LG G3 display.
If you don’t like the notification LED distracting you during the day or lighting up your bedroom at night you can turn it off in the settings.
Go to Settings -> Disply -> Notification light -> Off.
If you just want to limit why it is on you can tap on the left part of this option to see more settings and turn it off for certain events like calls, battery charging and more.
The “universal touch” gesture control places a floating button on your screen. Press it and it provides a black bubble full of large-sized shortcuts, which can be accessed from anywhere. Even cooler is the ability to actually DRAW inside the bubble and call up phone functions! Draw a C for Calls, M for Message, W for Web, S for Settings, and L for the lock-screen.
You can change the LG G3 app icons to match a theme you are using or even your own photos. You can also make the icons bigger on the screen.
Tap and hold on an icon until it is ready to move, then tap on the small paintbrush that shows up. You can then pick a new icon from the default ones or tap on the + new option to pick the size you want and then one of your photos to use as an icon.
This is a cool way to customize the LG G3 home screen.
When you are on the LG G3 home screen you can use gestures to see your entire home screen without apps, to see your pages and quickly navigate between them.
To see the home screen without apps in the way, swipe out. The only thing this really does is let you look at your background photo without any clutter. This is handy if you keep a family photo as your wallpaper or something similar.
If you swipe together you go back to the apps showing and again to see all of your pages to jump to another page of apps quickly. This is handier if you have a lot of home screens.
You can access many of the most important LG G3 settings in the notification window under the quick settings area. This is a single row of icons that users can scroll right to left on for access to more quick settings.
You can scroll all the way to the right to customize this list. Uncheck the items you don’t use and re-order the LG G3 quick settings so the ones you need most are available as soon as you pull Notification Window down.
If you need to connect your laptop, tablet or portable game system to the internet you can turn the LG G3 into a hotspot and connect other devices. You can use the mobile hotspot quick-setting or go to Settings -> More -> Mobile Hotspot -> Set Up. From here you can set the name and password for your hotspot.
make sure you use a password or someone will likely use all your data.
You can then turn it on from the previous screen, allowing other devices to see it. When you find the device connect from your tablet or laptop to0 get internet access just like you would any other WiFi spot. You’ll need a hotspot plan, so you may need to contact your carrier to add one.
If you want to type with your voice instead of using the LG G3 keyboard tips above, you can tap on the small microphone icon on the keyboard to use Google’s speech to text option.
After you tap, just start talking and your speech will turn into text. You can say period or comma to add punctuation. You will likely need to go back and fix some issues on longer items, but this is more then good enough for texts and short emails.
If you want to send emoji on the LG G3 you can use the built-in keyboard to use these colorful icons that do more than just a regular smilies.
When the keyboard is up, tap the :)1# icon in the bottom left. Then tap the smile icon to access the LG G3 emoji keyboard. You can now pick the category you want to use and send them to friends.
If you want to keep the LG G3 quiet while you are in a meeting or sleeping you can use LG’s version of Do Not Disturb. LG calls this Quiet mode.
Go to Settings -> Sound -> Quiet mode -> On. You can also tap on the left side of this for options that let you customize what you are blocking, what time it is on, what sounds to allow and other options to block including the notification light.
When you are looking at the LG G3 there is a Smart screen option to let you keep the display on as long as it can tell you are looking at it. This is handy for passing the phone to someone who wants to read something you found or who spends a long time looking at one photo.
Go to Settings -> Display -> Smart screen -> on. When you are looking at the display directly it will now stay on.
Staying true to its phablet colors, the LG G3 lets you use two apps in the same time with its Dual-Window functionality. Harness it by tapping and holding the Back on-screen navigation key, or through the button in the task switching menu. Tap on the upper or lower side of the screen to choose which side the window goes to, then tap the app icons, or drag them up or down.
The LG G3 can automatically activate the Dual-Window view when you tap a link in full screen or tap an e-mail attachment. To toggle this option, go to Settings, General, tap Dual window and check Split view.
If you don’t want to use two apps at the same time, sharing the screen you can float another app on top of any app you are using for fast access to information. This is called Qslide. The easiest way to use it is to pull down the notification drawer and tap on Qslide.
This opens a menu that allows users to open the Video, Phone, Messaging, Calendar and Email apps and show them on top of another item. This is handy if you want to check your calendar while also looking at an event list or other items where you just need a quick comparison or access to something like the phone.
If you tend to leave your LG G3 behind after grabbing coffee, lose it in the couch too often or are just worried that someone might steal your LG G3 you need to make sure Android Device Manager is up and running.
When I logged in to the Verizon LG G3 this feature was already on by default so I didn’t need to actually turn it on, but you should go online to make sure you can locate your LG G3 before you lose it. Go to Android Device Manager and log in with your Gmail account. Make sure you can see the LG G3 and try ringing it. If it rings you are good to go.
You can now ring at full volume to find a lost LG G3 even if it is on silent, lock the device, erase it and locate it on a map.
Many old flip phones could read the caller name and information out to you when it rang, and that is something the LG G3 can do as well. You can even set it up to read out text message recipients and the full text message if you don’t care who hears.
To do this, go to Settings -> Sound ->Message/call voice notification -> turn it on. You can then tap on the left part of the option to choose what is read out.
When you get a call the ringtone will play and then it will announce the caller name from your contacts.
If you don’t like the old-fashioned TV turning off animation that the LG G3 plays when you turn the screen off you can change it to two other options.
Go to Settings -> Display -> Screen-off effect -> Pick a new one. You can hit preview to see the Black hole and Fade out animations before picking one.
If you need the LG G3 text to be bigger or you want a different font throughout the phone you can pick from five additional fonts and five other text sizes.
Go to Settings -> Display -> Font type or Font Size -> Pick different options.
Many of the Font styles are odd-looking on a phone, but if you want to add some character to your LG G3 here’s one way to do it. You can also push the text size way up if you have a tough time reading on a small screen.
Customize the LG G3 home screen to suite your preferences and make the LG G3 easier for you to use. In addition to changing the wallpaper in the Settings -> Home Screen menu you can do much more.
The LG G3 lock screen can show widgets with your calendar, messages and more if you want faster access to that information. These are like the widgets on your home screen, but there are not as many.
Go to Settings -> Lock screen -> Widgets on lock screen -> On. Next go to your lock screen and swipe to see the left screen. You need to do this at the top of the display area, above the knock code area. Then tap on Add Widgets to start adding them to your LG G3 lock screen.
The LG G3 supports gestures to control a variety of activities. Here is how to run on Gesture Control on the LG G3 and a short list of what you can control. Go to Settings -> Gestures -> Check boxes of the motions you want to use.
When you need to hand the LG G3 off to a colleague or to a kid you can turn Guest Mode on to limit access to certain apps and services. Go to Setting s-> Guest Mode -> On. You can also choose four apps they can use, a wallpaper and an alternate lock screen for the guest.
Calls and alarms will still sound when in guest Mode, but some apps may not function correctly so keep that in mind before relying on it.
You can download the free LG G3 PC Suite to backup and restore a LG G3 and much more. You’ll need to visit LG to download the LG G3 PC Suite. Once downloaded you can connect with a USB cable to perform the following activities.
If you want access to all of the LG G3 including the LG G3 hidden menus for developers you’ll need to enable developer mode. You don’t need to root the device to do this, but if you do plan to root or install other items you’ll want this on.
Go to Settings -> About Phone -> Software information -> Tap on Build-number seven times to enable developer mode on the LG G3.
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Here, weve rounded up some tips, tricks and hidden features to help you get to know LGs most powerful smartphone ever like the back of your hand.
LG G3 Easy Mode
The LG G3 offers an easy mode that makes the G3 easier to use if it is your first smartphone. This puts a dialer front and center and links to common apps and activities as the home screen so you don’t ever need to look for the basic LG G3 features.
This also makes the LG G3 text bigger all through the LG apps and system, so that it is easier to read the device. LG aims this option at older users that may want a simpler layout and easier to read fonts.
Go to Settings-> Home Screen -> Select Home -> EasyHome. From here you can go the home screen and swipe to the side to add other shortcuts.
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Unlock with a Knock Code
One of our favorite LG G3 tips is to use the knock code to keep your phone secure and to access the phone when you need to unlock it. instead of swiping or entering a passcode you tap or knock on the screen in a specific pattern to unlock the LG G3. This even works if the screen is off. Just pick up the LG G3 or take it out of your pocket and use your knock code to unlock right to the home screen without touching the power button.
Go to Settings -> Lock screen -> Select screen lock -> Knock Code. Enter the Knock Code twice and then enter a backup PIN as well. After this is complete you can easily unlock the phone without turning the screen on first.
If you have trouble using the LG G3 Knock Code when the screen is off knock firmly and make sure you are in the right areas of the screen.
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Turn Smart Bulletin On or Off
Dont fancy the LG Smart Bulletin occupying a full home-screen with its health and tips? Head to Settings-> Display -> Home screen, and tap the Smart Bulletin switch On or Off. Simple, just like LG wanted it.
Take Full Resolution Photos
By default the LG G3 camera only takes 10MP photos, but you can quickly change it to take full resolution photos that deliver more detail. This is a great idea if you plan to print your photos or want to show them off on a big screen after you edit and crop them.
Open the camera app -> tap on the three dots in the corner then on the Settings cog -> Tap on the W10M and choose 13M instead.
You’ll notice the photo no longer covers the full screen, but you are getting a better quality photo overall.
This lets you use the full power of the LG G3 camera. You can also switch to UHD video quality if you want a higher resolution video to share online or watch on a new UHD TV.
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Use the LG G3 One-Handed
The LG G3 features a large 5.5-inch display, that may be too big for some users to control with one hand. Although there is not a full screen shift option like on the Galaxy S5, LG does offer a LG G3 one-handed mode that lets users easily use the phone, lock screen and keyboard with one hand.
Go to Settings -> One-handed operation -> Check the boxes for the one-hand modes you want to use.
You can switch between right or left-hand use as you go. This option is not for everyone, but if you find the LG G3 to big it’s very handy.
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Better LG G3 Battery Life
If you need to get better LG G3 battery life you can turn on Battery Saver. This built-in option limits syncing and other features to help the LG G3 battery last longer.
Go to Settings -> Battery -> Batter Saver to turn it on. Tap on the Battery Saver on the left and you can access the various settings it controls. You can also turn it on and set it to automatically turn on at 50% to 10% battery left, or immediately if you need it now.
If this is not enough you can also try the Snapdragon BatteryGuru app to get better LG G3 battery life. This free app optimizes usage based on how you use the G3 to help limit apps that you don’t need and make your battery last longer.
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Fast Access to Google Now
If you want to open Google Now on the LG G3 you can swipe up from the home button and launch into the app immediately. If you are on the main LG G3 Home screen you can also say OK Google to start a Google search without first opening Google Now.
There is no setup for this, just tap and swipe up on the LG G3 home button to get there.
Google Now tips and tricks
Change the LG G3 Buttons
You can change the LG G3 buttons that appear at the bottom of the screen to add new options and to change the background color to fit your mood and theme.
Go to Settings -> Display -> Home Touch Buttons -> and add new options. You can add Notifications, QuickMemo, Qslide and Dual Window.
You can also rearrange the icons, adding up to a total of five buttons instead of the normal three on other Android phones.
Enable triple-tap zoom
This trick lets you zoom into every part of the LG G3s screen by making a quick triple-tap in it. You can activate it by going into Settings, General, Accessibility and turning on Touch Zoom. In certain cases, the triple-tap gesture might overlap with regular usage if you start tapping too quickly in a single area.
Track Steps with the LG G3
The LG G3 uses a sensor to track your steps so that you don’t need to buy a fitness band or separate app to monitor your activity. You turn this on by swiping to the screen left of the main home screen.
After you open the app you can start tracking your steps and exercise that the G3 automatically records as you carry it in your pocket.
Change LG G3 Vibration
If the LG G3 vibrates too much or too little for phone calls, text messages or even using the home buttons you can change this for each of these settings individually.
Go to Settings -> Sound -> Vibrate Strength -> Adjust the slider to change the vibration intensity for calls, notifications or touch.
Take a LG G3 Screenshot
If you want to take a screenshot on the LG G3 you can use the power and volume down button on the back of the G3, but there’s an easier way that also lets you annotate your screenshot.
Tap on the home button and slide up and to the right to the QuickMemo+ option. This takes a screenshot and opens it up in an app that lets you type a note, draw on the screen and then save or share the result.
Use the LG G3 as a Credit Card or Wallet
You can install Google Wallet on the LG G3 and use the phone to make payments where NFC purchases are possible. this includes many gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and even vending machines. You cannot use this at every store, but even in Ohio it is accepted in many places.
Download Google Wallet, open the app and sign in. Follow the directions to add your debit or credit cards to the account and set Google Wallet as your default Tap & Pay Solution. If it is not already on you need to turn NFC on by going to Settings -> Share & connect -> NFC -> On. You can also go to Tap & pay settings and choose Google Wallet.
LG G3 Camera Shortcut
If you need to open the LG G3 camera fast so you don’t miss a perfect photo you can use a LG G3 camera shortcut key. Press and hold the volume down button to open the camera when the screen is off or when the lock screen is showing.
You’ll feel a small vibration and then the camera app will open to the last mode you left it in and you can start taking photos.
Tips and tricks on taking good selfies
Open QuickMemo Fast
If you use the included LG G3 app QuickMemo+ you can open it fast by tapping and holding on the volume up button. After a second the QuickMemo+ app will open so you can start taking a note. This works when the LG G3 is locked and works with the screen off or on the lock screen.
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Use the LG G3 as a Remote Control
There is an IR blaster on the top of the LG G3 and a remote control app that lets you control your HDTV, cable box and other home theater equipment.
Go to Apps -> Quick Remote -> Pick a room -> Tap on + -> Add a remote control. Repeat as needed for other remotes and rooms. The app cycles through codes based on the TV brand.
This is an awesome way to make sure you are always in control of the TV.
Use LG G3 Voice Assistant
The LG G3 personal assistant Voice Mate is LG’s Siri or Google Now tool that lets users control the phone with their Voice. Tap and hold on the home button and then swipe up to the left to access Voice Mate.
You can ask Voice Mate to make calls, check your calendar, look up contacts, search nearby, search the web or answer facts and much more. Tap on the I on the screen to see what all Voice mate can do.
It’s not as easy to access as Siri on the iPhone, but it is a handy personal assistant.
Clean Up Apps & Storage
After you use the LG G3 for a few months you’ll end up with downloaded files you don’t need and apps you haven’t use for a month. The LG G3 includes a Smart Cleaning feature to clear these out and recover your space.
Go to Settings -> Smart Cleaning -> Wait for the scan to complete -> tap on an item and then clean it out if you don’t want it. This is much nicer than looking for temporary downloads an unused apps when you run out of space.
Answer a Call with Volume Buttons
If you prefer to answer a phone call by touch, you can use the physical buttons on the back of the LG G3.
Just reach behind and press the volume buttons at the same time to answer a call. To turn this on you need to turn the LG G3 off -> turn it on by holding the volume up, volume down and power buttons at the same time for six seconds. Then choose Mode ON.
Reject a Call with the Power Button
If you don’t want to talk to someone you can press the power button to reject the call. This will end the call and send the caller to voicemail. You need to go to Settings -> Phone -> Power Key end Call -> On to make this work.
Add Storage to the LG G3
If you need more storage on the LG G3 you can add a MicroSD card inside the LG G3 to add a lot more room for photos and movies.
You need to buy a MicroSD card. You can typically buy a 32GB card for under $20, doubling the LG G3 storage.
When it arrives, remove the back of the phone, stick it in the open area above the battery opening and turn the phone back on to start using it.
Use a Xbox Controller with the LG G3
If you want to play games on the LG G3 and really use that beautiful display you can connect an Xbox 360 controller to it to play games.
You’ll need a wired Xbox 360 controller, a USB OTG cable and some of the many Android games that support controllers. Juts plug the USB OTG cable into the Micro USB port, plug the Xbox controller into the other end and you can start gaming without any other apps or hacks needed.
Connect a USB Drive to the LG G3
If you need more storage and want to quickly grab something from a computer you can use the same $2 USB OTG cable to connect a USB thumb drive to your LG G3.
Plug the cable in, connect any thumb drive and then go to the File Manager or download ES File Explorer, and you can now view files on the drive or copy and past to or from the USB drive.
Connect a SD Card to the LG G3 from Your Camera
If you want to connect a full size SD card to the LG G3 to show off your DLSR photos on a beautiful display or instantly share them on Facebook, you can use the same USB OTG cable and a USB to SD card adapter to make this work.
Connect the USB OTG cable to the LG G3, the SD card adapter to that and then plug-in your SD card and check out your photos and videos on the amazing LG G3 display.
Turn off the LG G3 LED
If you don’t like the notification LED distracting you during the day or lighting up your bedroom at night you can turn it off in the settings.
Go to Settings -> Disply -> Notification light -> Off.
If you just want to limit why it is on you can tap on the left part of this option to see more settings and turn it off for certain events like calls, battery charging and more.
Enable “universal touch” gesture control
The “universal touch” gesture control places a floating button on your screen. Press it and it provides a black bubble full of large-sized shortcuts, which can be accessed from anywhere. Even cooler is the ability to actually DRAW inside the bubble and call up phone functions! Draw a C for Calls, M for Message, W for Web, S for Settings, and L for the lock-screen.
Customize LG G3 App Icons and Size
You can change the LG G3 app icons to match a theme you are using or even your own photos. You can also make the icons bigger on the screen.
Tap and hold on an icon until it is ready to move, then tap on the small paintbrush that shows up. You can then pick a new icon from the default ones or tap on the + new option to pick the size you want and then one of your photos to use as an icon.
This is a cool way to customize the LG G3 home screen.
LG G3 Home Screen Gestures
When you are on the LG G3 home screen you can use gestures to see your entire home screen without apps, to see your pages and quickly navigate between them.
To see the home screen without apps in the way, swipe out. The only thing this really does is let you look at your background photo without any clutter. This is handy if you keep a family photo as your wallpaper or something similar.
If you swipe together you go back to the apps showing and again to see all of your pages to jump to another page of apps quickly. This is handier if you have a lot of home screens.
Use & Customize LG G3 Quick Settings
You can access many of the most important LG G3 settings in the notification window under the quick settings area. This is a single row of icons that users can scroll right to left on for access to more quick settings.
You can scroll all the way to the right to customize this list. Uncheck the items you don’t use and re-order the LG G3 quick settings so the ones you need most are available as soon as you pull Notification Window down.
Use the LG G3 as a Personal Hotspot
If you need to connect your laptop, tablet or portable game system to the internet you can turn the LG G3 into a hotspot and connect other devices. You can use the mobile hotspot quick-setting or go to Settings -> More -> Mobile Hotspot -> Set Up. From here you can set the name and password for your hotspot.
make sure you use a password or someone will likely use all your data.
You can then turn it on from the previous screen, allowing other devices to see it. When you find the device connect from your tablet or laptop to0 get internet access just like you would any other WiFi spot. You’ll need a hotspot plan, so you may need to contact your carrier to add one.
Type With Your Voice on the LG G3
If you want to type with your voice instead of using the LG G3 keyboard tips above, you can tap on the small microphone icon on the keyboard to use Google’s speech to text option.
After you tap, just start talking and your speech will turn into text. You can say period or comma to add punctuation. You will likely need to go back and fix some issues on longer items, but this is more then good enough for texts and short emails.
Use LG G3 Emoji Keyboard
If you want to send emoji on the LG G3 you can use the built-in keyboard to use these colorful icons that do more than just a regular smilies.
When the keyboard is up, tap the :)1# icon in the bottom left. Then tap the smile icon to access the LG G3 emoji keyboard. You can now pick the category you want to use and send them to friends.
Do Not Disturb on LG G3
If you want to keep the LG G3 quiet while you are in a meeting or sleeping you can use LG’s version of Do Not Disturb. LG calls this Quiet mode.
Go to Settings -> Sound -> Quiet mode -> On. You can also tap on the left side of this for options that let you customize what you are blocking, what time it is on, what sounds to allow and other options to block including the notification light.
Keep Screen Awake When You’re Looking
When you are looking at the LG G3 there is a Smart screen option to let you keep the display on as long as it can tell you are looking at it. This is handy for passing the phone to someone who wants to read something you found or who spends a long time looking at one photo.
Go to Settings -> Display -> Smart screen -> on. When you are looking at the display directly it will now stay on.
Multitask with Dual-Window
Staying true to its phablet colors, the LG G3 lets you use two apps in the same time with its Dual-Window functionality. Harness it by tapping and holding the Back on-screen navigation key, or through the button in the task switching menu. Tap on the upper or lower side of the screen to choose which side the window goes to, then tap the app icons, or drag them up or down.
Enable automatic Dual-Window
The LG G3 can automatically activate the Dual-Window view when you tap a link in full screen or tap an e-mail attachment. To toggle this option, go to Settings, General, tap Dual window and check Split view.
Qslide to Multitask on the LG G3
If you don’t want to use two apps at the same time, sharing the screen you can float another app on top of any app you are using for fast access to information. This is called Qslide. The easiest way to use it is to pull down the notification drawer and tap on Qslide.
This opens a menu that allows users to open the Video, Phone, Messaging, Calendar and Email apps and show them on top of another item. This is handy if you want to check your calendar while also looking at an event list or other items where you just need a quick comparison or access to something like the phone.
Find a Lost LG G3
If you tend to leave your LG G3 behind after grabbing coffee, lose it in the couch too often or are just worried that someone might steal your LG G3 you need to make sure Android Device Manager is up and running.
When I logged in to the Verizon LG G3 this feature was already on by default so I didn’t need to actually turn it on, but you should go online to make sure you can locate your LG G3 before you lose it. Go to Android Device Manager and log in with your Gmail account. Make sure you can see the LG G3 and try ringing it. If it rings you are good to go.
You can now ring at full volume to find a lost LG G3 even if it is on silent, lock the device, erase it and locate it on a map.
Announce Callers and texts By Name
Many old flip phones could read the caller name and information out to you when it rang, and that is something the LG G3 can do as well. You can even set it up to read out text message recipients and the full text message if you don’t care who hears.
To do this, go to Settings -> Sound ->Message/call voice notification -> turn it on. You can then tap on the left part of the option to choose what is read out.
When you get a call the ringtone will play and then it will announce the caller name from your contacts.
Change the Screen Off Animation
If you don’t like the old-fashioned TV turning off animation that the LG G3 plays when you turn the screen off you can change it to two other options.
Go to Settings -> Display -> Screen-off effect -> Pick a new one. You can hit preview to see the Black hole and Fade out animations before picking one.
Change the Font and Size of Text
If you need the LG G3 text to be bigger or you want a different font throughout the phone you can pick from five additional fonts and five other text sizes.
Go to Settings -> Display -> Font type or Font Size -> Pick different options.
Many of the Font styles are odd-looking on a phone, but if you want to add some character to your LG G3 here’s one way to do it. You can also push the text size way up if you have a tough time reading on a small screen.
Customize the LG G3 Home Screen
Customize the LG G3 home screen to suite your preferences and make the LG G3 easier for you to use. In addition to changing the wallpaper in the Settings -> Home Screen menu you can do much more.
- Screen Swipe Effect – change the animation when you switch screens.
- Allow Home screen looping – you can keep swiping to loop around to the other end of your home screens.
- Allow apps list looping – Loop through the apps list when you hit the end.
Show Widgets on the LG G3 Lock Screen
The LG G3 lock screen can show widgets with your calendar, messages and more if you want faster access to that information. These are like the widgets on your home screen, but there are not as many.
Go to Settings -> Lock screen -> Widgets on lock screen -> On. Next go to your lock screen and swipe to see the left screen. You need to do this at the top of the display area, above the knock code area. Then tap on Add Widgets to start adding them to your LG G3 lock screen.
Use Gestures on the LG G3
The LG G3 supports gestures to control a variety of activities. Here is how to run on Gesture Control on the LG G3 and a short list of what you can control. Go to Settings -> Gestures -> Check boxes of the motions you want to use.
- Answer a call
- Fade a ringtone
- Silence a call
- Snooze or stop alarm
- Pause Video
LG G3 Guest Mode
When you need to hand the LG G3 off to a colleague or to a kid you can turn Guest Mode on to limit access to certain apps and services. Go to Setting s-> Guest Mode -> On. You can also choose four apps they can use, a wallpaper and an alternate lock screen for the guest.
Calls and alarms will still sound when in guest Mode, but some apps may not function correctly so keep that in mind before relying on it.
LG G3 PC Suite
You can download the free LG G3 PC Suite to backup and restore a LG G3 and much more. You’ll need to visit LG to download the LG G3 PC Suite. Once downloaded you can connect with a USB cable to perform the following activities.
- Manage and play your media contents (music, movie, pictures) on your PC.
- Send multimedia contents to your device.
- Synchronizes data (schedules, contacts, bookmarks) in your device and PC.
- Backup the applications in your device.
- Update the software in your device.
- Backup and restore the device.
- Play multimedia contents of your PC from other device
Turn on LG G3 Developer Mode
If you want access to all of the LG G3 including the LG G3 hidden menus for developers you’ll need to enable developer mode. You don’t need to root the device to do this, but if you do plan to root or install other items you’ll want this on.
Go to Settings -> About Phone -> Software information -> Tap on Build-number seven times to enable developer mode on the LG G3.
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