Google has refined its android user
interface a lot in the past couple of years making it a more capable
operating system for phones and tablets. Many new features are added
with each update and users have appreciated a lot. Now android jellybean
is spreading across the android platform with each day, more and more
devices are being launched with android jellybean 4.1 or more, there are
a few tricks that are very useful and enhance the over all user
experience and usability in android devices.
Here are 16 tips and tricks for android devices running jellybean.
1. Access Google Now quickly
Quick way to access Google Now is by
long pressing home button. Google now offers Siri like features in
android and users can quickly access the whole web and selected
applications along with some cards like birthday or flights.
2. Boot in Safe Mode
If you want to disable 3rd
party apps after boot then you can boot android in safe mode just by
pressing power button, and then long pressing the power off option from
the dialog.
3. Offline Text to Speech and Voice Recognition
You can download offline speech data by
going to settings-> language and keyboard-> Google voice
typing->download offline speech recognition. This will allow you to
use Google Now and dictate long messages just with the voice even
without data connection.
4. Expand Notifications and Swipe
You can now expand notifications by just
sliding down notification by two finger to peek that notification or
reply to message, call or share. Swiping the notification will close
that notification.
5. Quick Access to Rotation Lock and Settings from Notifications
Now, notification or the status bar has
settings and rotation lock in stock android jellybean which can be used
to access settings and set screen rotation lock
6. Re-Sizing the Widgets
Jellybean allows users to re-size widgets just by long pressing the widget and then using the rectangle to set the widget size.
7. Flying the Home Screen Apps
Now, the app can be removed from home screen using finger to flying it up.
8. No lock Screen
Some users would prefer to unlock the
device quickly just by pressing the power button without going through
any lock screen. This can be done by selecting none in lock screen
option under security in settings.
9. Disable/Enable Notification for Specific App
User can disable the notifications by a
particular app by going to apps in settings and Un-checking the show
notification in app information.
10. Quickly Adjust Volume and Settings for that
User can adjust volume quickly by just sliding seek-bar shown on screen when volume up and down are pressed in stock android.
11. Blink to Unlock
Now, face unlock has become intelligent
to identify between photo and real person by just enabling the blink
feature under settings.
12. Multiple Faces for Face Unlock
You can improve face unlock just by using improved feature under lock screens in security tab. It will improve face matching.
13. Developer Options for More Customization
You can customize the window animation
delays from the developer options to make your android look more fluid.
You can force GPU to deliver more by enabling force GPU option. You can
put limit on background processes using developer options.
14. Browser Tweaks
- Long pressing the image in browser and selecting set wallpaper allows you to set it as wallpaper.
- You can enable invert rendering option if you like using device for surfing in dark to save power and protect eye strain by going to options and then accessibility, enable invert rendering.
- You can enable quick thumb controls by enabling it from the options ->labs.
15. Access Notification bar from Lock Screen
This works in stock android, press power button and pull notification bar to access notifications.
16. Take Screenshots
In stock and other android devices press
the volume down key and power button simultaneously to take screenshot
even able to take snap of the lock screen.
Also screenshot can be taken in some
devices like HTC by just pressing power and home key together but
that doesn’t work for lock screen.