There’s that old saying, when you fail to use a basic human contraption appropriately, that says “you just have to be smarter than it is.” Well, that’s getting harder and harder as time goes on, especially when it comes to the world of smart phones. These genius-level handsets can do almost anything we can, and it seems that Android phones having deep thoughts and feelings is only around the corner. Luckily, our friends over at Engadget have some tips that will help you match wits with your mobile device.
Engadget has been releasing a lineup of holiday-oriented tips and tricks titled “You just got a *blank*. Now what?” Their most recent is focused on Android, and features all kinds of tips and tricks on how to make the most out of Google’s broad array of smartphones. Here are some highlights.
Engadget mentions a few of their favorite apps, including:
* LauncherPro, a free app that lets you manipulate the number of home page screens available to you, redefine the parameters of the app drawer, create permanent icons, and more.
* TweetDeck, the free and popular platform that lets you manage all your Twitter and other social networking connections.
* Pandora radio, the free application (with the possible upgrade with an annual subscription) that streams live music according to your tastes, and lets you create new “radio stations” based on songs, artists, or themes.
They also mention some nifty tricks you can do with your Android. These include:
* You can install third party applications by going to “settings,” “applications,” and enabling “unknown sources.”
* If you’re on a screen where you want to type in keyboard commands, you can often pull up your QWERTY by pushing and holding the phone’s menu button.
* The search button on your phone can be pushed and held to pull up voice commands on your phone.
And, of course, you can read the full report via the link provided above.
