Lenovo S5 Tips and Tricks

When browsing on your phone you may notice images are quite blurry. This is because your telecom provider is compressing the images before they are downloaded on to your phone.

There is no way to prevent this, but if you have a WiFi connection nearby, then you can turn that on. This will mean that all browser downloads come through the WiFi connection, rather than the carrier, and your images will appear normally.?

This also depends on your service provider and data package.

To copy files between your phone and PC, go to the Android Play Market and download an app called Air Droid.

This is an extremely useful App that connects your phone to your PC wirelessly, allowing you to move files and many, many other things.

Alternatively if you just want to copy using USB then simply plug a micro USB cable into your phone and it should appear as another drive on your PC.

Some phones do not allow data transfer to PC, to enable this feature go to Settings – Developer Options – Networking, and then tap on USB configuration and change it from ‘Charging’ to ‘MTP’.

Note: Developer Options is not always enabled by default. To enable, go to Settings – System – About Device. Then tap on Build number 7 times to enable this secret option.

If you like to use vibration mode but you don’t want to disrupt a whole room due to the Lenovo S5 vibration intensity, you can adjust or reduce that accordingly. Just follow the steps below on your phone:

1. From your home screen, swipe down to open the notifications menu.
2. Tap on the Settings icon (usually a gear-shaped one at the top-right portion).
3. Scroll to Device then tap “Sound” or “Sounds and notifications” or “Sound & Vibration.”
4. Under Sound, tap “Vibrations” or “Vibration Intensity.”
5. A bar will appear where you can slide left or right to adjust the intensity of your phone’s vibration. On some phones, users can select from either Light, Medium, or Strong.
6. Tap “OK.” This will automatically save your preference.

This generally works for the Lenovo S5 and most Android phones.

For Huawei users, you may need to follow a slightly different method. If you use a Huawei unit, follow the instructions below instead:

1. From the home screen, tap up to locate Settings.
2. Then tap Settings → Strength
3. Swipe up or down to adjust the vibration intensity. That’s from Strong, Soft, or None.
4. Tap “OK.”
5. You will be automatically reverted to the home screen. Don’t worry, your preferred vibration intensity is saved at this point.

If you don’t like the default A-Z way of viewing your contacts you can change this.

First, go to your Contacts App and press the Menu key or More at the top of the screen. Then select Settings.

Then choose Sort by.

First open your Contacts App and select a contact. Then press Edit at the top of the screen.

Then should then see some options to either take a photo or select a photo from your Gallery.

To enable this feature, make sure the contact is saved in the Phone memory.

To adjust your screen brightness, there are two options:

1) Simply drag your finger from the top of the phone down to pull down your quick settings screen. Then at the top there will be a brightness bar. Drag this left or right or press Auto.

2) Drag your notifications screen down and select Settings. Then under Device, select Display – Brightness. Then choose the desired brightness setting.

You can also select Automatic brightness to let the phone decide for you.

To use your phone as a WiFi hotspot, tether it via USB or via Bluetooth, then go to Settings – Wireless and Network – Mobile hotspot and tethering.

You can then choose from three options:

1) USB – connect your phone via a USB cable. The phone should automatically configure the correct settings.

2) Mobile/WiFi Hotspot – To turn your phone into a WiFi hotspot, press Configure WiFi hotspot. You will then be asked to enter a Network SSID (this is your own name for the WiFi hotspot). Then choose Security and lastly, choose a password (this is password for your WiFi hotspot which you will enter on your computer).

3) Bluetooth – With this option, you will need to pair a Bluetooth device with your phone. On the other device, ensure you search for Bluetooth devices and your phone should show up.

Looking for a great pair of headphones for your Lenovo S5? We provide the best deals, brands and information to guide you through the process.

How to decide

When choosing headphones, the main factors to consider are: price, quality and headphone type. Taking a moment to consider these factors will not only ensure you get the best value headphones, but also the best sound quality to listen to your music or movies. Remember that the Lenovo S5 comes with a standard 3.5mm stereo plug meaning all headphones will work on your device.

Price vs quality

As with most things, you get what you pay for and headphones are a very good example of this. A cheap pair of headphones may save you money in the short term, but may cost you when the cable snaps or your music sounds muffled or tinny. It is possible to get some great discounts, but we do recommend that you read the reviews and invest in a quality set of headphones. Beware of brands that you haven’t heard of, but be equally aware of big flashy brands that offer more style than substance.

Headphone types – Below we have listed the types of headphones to choose from:

Ear bud / earphones – These are the smallest type of headphones and are commonly included in the box when you buy phones and tablets. Our advice is to throw these away though, as they’re normally made very cheaply to increase the profit of the phone manufacturer. Invest in a quality pair from a reputable brand and you’ll be amazed at the difference in sound. Portability is the key advantage of ear bud style headphone as they can be stored almost anywhere; although it often means a few seconds of de-tangling before use. Ear buds are ideal for running, commuting or using in the office when you want to avoid distractions. Many people also buy two pairs in case one is temporarily missing down the side of the couch!

On ear headphones
– On ear headphones normally sit on top the ear, but don’t enclose the ear completely like the over ear or closed variety. These are handy if you want to store them in a jacket pocket or bag, but the sound can get a little lost out of the sides of the speaker so if you’re in a noisy environment, you may need turn them up in order to hear properly. If you’re moving around a lot they can also dislodge meaning you may need to frequently reposition them. Some people don’t like the bulk of the over ear style, so on ear headphones provide a good compromise between size and quality.

Over ear / closed headphones
– These are designed to completely cover the ear and are often used by DJs, for listening at home or for people who are a little more serious about their listening experience. Some models can fold up, but they are generally less portable than on ear headphones. Prices range from very cheap, up to the most expensive headphones on the market. Because all sound is directed into the ear, they provide the best quality sound and choosing a really top-end pair can be a truly pleasurable listening experience.

Noise cancelling headphones
– All of the above headphones also come in noise cancelling varieties. This works by filtering out background noises such as airplane engines or train noises. They are perfect for commuting and long distance train or plane travel, however they are often bulkier due to the need for some kind of battery pack. Some cheaper varieties might advertise passive noise cancelling which can simply means the plastic or foam casing naturally blocks out noises, so be careful of that. We recommend you choose active noise cancelling which employ a special technology to generate their own sound waves, which then cancels out the unwanted waves. Again, we recommend reading product reviews to choose the best value options.

Choose the best headphones below:

To help you choose, we’ve listed the best-selling headphones for the Lenovo S5. Simply click on the categories below to find out more:

Shop for: Ear bud / earphones

Shop for: On ear headphones

Shop for: Over ear / closed headphones

Shop for: Noise cancelling headphones

 

Looking for a replacement battery for your Lenovo S5? We explain the available options and list the best battery choices for your device.

IMPORTANT – We take no responsibility for batteries purchased which you cannot use in your phone. Please ensure the following:
1) Check that your phone does actually have a removable battery
2) Check product descriptions before you buy to ensure compatibility with your phone

Short of time? Jump straight to batteries

Battery types
When choosing a battery there are three main types:

1) Replacement Batteries (Genuine / OEM) – OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer and is the battery that the manufacturer has specifically produced for your device. This is normally the best option in terms of quality, time between charges and overall battery lifetime, but these batteries can be a little more expensive, so it depends on your priorities.

2) Replacement Batteries (Non-OEM / Generic) – Another cheaper option is generic or non-OEM batteries which are often mass produced in order to reduce their price. They can also provide longer battery life by having a higher mAh (see information below), so these can be a good alternative to OEM batteries if you want to save money. The quality can vary however, so we recommend that you read the reviews before buying. Another problem with generics is that they may make your device run hot and they can also void your warranty if your phone develops a fault. In general we would always recommend you buy a Genuine/OEM battery if you can afford to do so.

3) External Batteries– These are ideal if you’re going to be away from mains power for a period of time, such as camping, festivals and so on. The idea is that you charge the external battery pack (from the mains) and then charge the phone off that. Often external batteries will only last for one or two full charges, however very large packs (with a high mAh rating) are available if you’re going to be away for a longer time.

Understanding mAh
Before you buy, you should also check the mAh rating. This stands for milliamps delivered per hour rating and essentially tells you how long the battery will last before it needs recharging. A high end phone with a large screen may have a battery above 2500 mAh, whereas a mid-range model (with a smaller screen and less bulk), may only use a 1800 mAh battery. As mentioned above, sometimes generic batteries can have a higher rating than the genuine battery. For example, if your phone comes with a 2200 mAh battery, you can buy a 2400 mAh generic battery which should mean it will last longer between charges. As above, be careful with generics however.

Click to choose your battery
 

A useful feature of Android Lollipop is what’s called Screen Pinning. This allows you to lock your phone to one App. Perfect if you have a young child that you don’t want messing with your phone. Or if you want to lend your phone to someone to make a call, but make the call only.

To enable this go to Settings – Security – Screen pinning. Then go to the App you want to Pin and press the Multitask key. Then look at the most recent app and press the blue thumb tack icon in the bottom right corner.

To un-pin an App just press the Multitask key and the back key together.