Android 2.2 Tips and Tricks

Go to Menu – Settings – Language & Keyboard – Touch Input – Text Input. Then choose either Calibration Tool or Reset calibration

To enable / disable vibrate (haptic feedback) when you type, then try these two methods, depending on which version of Android you are running:

Menu – Settings – Language & keyboard – Touch Input – Text input. Then change the Vibrate when typing option

Menu – Settings – Sound – Haptic feedback

You can also change turn on haptic feedback when you unlock your phone by going to Menu – Settings – Location & security – Use tactile feedback.

To quickly hide the on-screen keyboard, press the Back button

If your phone is ringing and you want to quickly silence the ringer, simply flip the phone face down.

You can also try pressing the Volume down button.

If you don’t want to receive from calls from a certain person, you can automatically redirect their calls to voicemail. Firstly, go to your Contacts. Find the Contact you would like to screen. Press to open the Contact. Scroll towards the bottom and you will see Send to voicemail. Press this and press OK when asked if you are sure

To soft reset your phone press and hold the Power/Lock button for a 2-3 seconds and the phone will restart. Wait about 10 seconds and then press and hold the Power/Lock button again to restart.

If that doesn’t work, then remove the battery. Wait 30 seconds and put the battery back in. Then press the Power/Lock button to turn the phone on.

If you want to use your phone as a torch, then there are a couple of great Apps that use either your phone’s camera flash or the phone’s screen to illuminate your life.

The first is called Tiny Flashlight and it’s a briliant App. The App comes with many different Torch types and can use both the screen or your camera flash. It is also super simply to use.

The second is called Brightest Flashlight. This App turns on every available piece of phone hardware that can be illuminate and puts them on maximum illumination.

Both of these Apps are available from the Android Market.

Here are the top 5 ways to make your phone run faster:
1) Use only essential widgets on your homescreen – each widget consumes memory and processing power which slows down your phone.

2) Uninstall apps that you don’t use – after awhile your phone will be cluttered and some Apps are designed to always run in the background. If you rarely use an App, then uninstall it

3) Install Apps to your phone memory – if you have an SDCard, always install Apps to the phone memory which can be accessed faster. If you have Apps on the SDCard, then move them back to the phone memory with an App called Move2SD available from the Android Market.

4) Use Static rather than Live wallpaper – Live wallpapers consume processing power and memory. Unless you really must have them, uninstall them

5) Kill tasks occasionally – Some Apps will run in the background indefinitely unless you kill them. Most of them won’t cause a problem, but it pays to check your running tasks from time to time. Hold down your Home key and check the Task Manager.

One last thing: Don’t use Task Killers. Android manages tasks very well. Task Killers just make your phone unstable and can slow it down further.

If you have purchased a smartphone one of the first things you will want to do is accessorise it. Phone Tips and Tricks produces some great Guides which show you the best accessories and the best places to buy them from.

Simply scroll to the top of this page and select Phone Guides – Best Cell Phone Accessories (or Best Mobile Accessories for UK users) from the menu.

We hope you find them useful.

WARNING: The following may damage your hearing

Most phones have their volumes limited by local laws to protect our hearing. There is a way to boost your volume however. Go to the Android Market and download an App called Volume+ (Sound Boost). There is also a free version called Volume+ Free.

You will need to root your phone for this App to work.