Things you need to consider while buying an Android phone:

Before you buy an ANDROID, read it !!

1.      Internal user memory

On an Android phone (Unless its rooted and a custom ROM is installed) the apps get installed on the internal memory and only on Android 2.2 and above support moving the app to the SD external memory card. 
     Moreover only those apps can be moved which support being moved i.e. it was made such that it would support being moved to the SD card.
     Another issue is that even if you are able to move the app 
     to SD card, it would use a bit of system memory on internal memory. 
     So your internal memory is always compromised.

If the app supports a widget and you move the app to SD card, the widget stops working on an Android. So when you buy an Android ensure:

1.1.     Space available for user should be at least 512mb

1.2.     Ensure that the Android is 2.2 or above

Go to setting > Storage and SD and check Internal Memory

2.      Touch screen
Almost all Android phones are Touch. So you should ensure that the touch of the phone is nice.

2.1.     Ensure that the glass is scratch resistant or Gorilla Glass.

MultiTouch Visualizer 

2.2.     Touch has to be capacitive.

2.3.     Should read more than 3 fingers at a time.

To test number of finger it reads, install “MultiTouch Visualizer” from the market and test it. Scan the QR code to download MultiTouch Visualizer
Any device which reads less than three should be avoided.

2.4.     Shouldn’t be so large- such that while the phone is in your right hand and if u use your right thumb to touch the left top point of your screen, your thumb’s bottom shouldn’t touch the screen right bottom. Multitouch properties start functioning if it happens and produces unexpected results on the screen. 

2.5.     Phone’s edges should be higher than phone’s screen. This would protect the screen from cracking in case of a flat fall.

3.      Battery
Android phones tend to consume a lot of battery. So better the battery, better would be the phone.

So ensure that the battery is of 1350mAh or more

4.     Processor

Any Android phone you buy, try to get a processor above 600 MHz. A processor with speed of 1 Ghz would make your work smooth. Now we even have dual core processors for Android devices.

Yes there are overclocking methods in Androids, but a basic user should avoid doing so. 

5.     SD card

Rarely would you find a retailer that sells External memory cards(SD cards) not only categorized under capacity but also its speed. The speed of a memory card is classified under various classes as – class2, class 4, class 6, class 8 and class 10. Higher the class, better would be the speed.
Check which one you get with the phone or do consider while upgrading.

6.      GPS accuracy
      GPS is an essential feature of any Android device. GPS is quite a handy tool and of much use. few usage of GPS include: Navigation, Geo tagging, Geo Marking, Track movement, location sharing etc etc. So better the accuracy, better would you be able to use the GPS aided functions. 
     I have tested HTC Desire, Hero, Legend, and Desire s. All have shown a maximum accuracy of 2 meters. So when you buy, make sure you get a phone with a nice GPS accuracy. 

How to scan QR codes on webpage on mobile

Visited a site on your mobile  and you found qr code which you wanted to scan but since you were on mobile, you couldn't scan it ?????
Here's a solution.
1. Install QR DROID 4 from android market.
2. Open the site where you saw the QR code.
3. Long touch the QR image .
4. In the pop up menu, select 'share image' .
5. Next  click on ' decode this QR code'
Done. You scanned a QR code on a webpage on your mobile.
You may try it on my blog.

I wrote this blog on my blog using the Blogger app when I realised that my blog users would have issues scanning QR codes on my blog.

10 MUST have apps(free) for a new Android Device user

Few MUST have apps(free) for a new Android Device User

Here’s a list of apps that every Android user must have in his phone for basic functioning / use of his phone. I clarify that the apps listed here are not apps that “an Android user should use”, but apps which an Android user should have in his phone for basic functions. I’ll post another article where I’ll list apps which enhance Android’s usability and another which increases functionality.

Till then here’s something for people who are new to Android and wish to squeeze maximum out of their phone.

1.     QR Droid

QR Droid is an app that scans QR codes. In simple words, QR code is graphic which keeps data in it in coded form and can be decoded by any QR Code decoder.

What do people do with QR codes: You can keep your Business Card(your own contact details) in form of QR picture and anyone who wants it, can scan it and it gets directly saved on his phone.

You can scan QR from sites/blogs and directly install any app or go to any website by directly scanning the QR .
You can encode message and Passover. There are many more uses of QR, but for Basic Android user, install this, this is a handy tool whose use you may realize later.

Click Here to find QR droid in android market(web).

2.     Advanced Task Killer

Android phones tend to consumer a lot of battery. Its because android apps start on its own in the background without your knowledge and consumer battery. The solution to is to install a Task Killer. Task Killers kill Apps in the background. Install Task Killer by scanning the QR code. Go to settings. Set Frequency to “every half hour” and set Kill Level to “crazy”. You may add internet or any other app to its ignore list if you do not want the ATK to kill an app. Do add ATK itself to its ignore list.

Advanced Task Killer

 

3.     GPS Status

Since most android phones come with Default GPS app as Google Maps, you cannot extract maximum out of your GPS. Normal GPS devices do not show Latitude, Longitude, altitude, magnetic Field, Pitch/roll, brightness(lux).

GPS status also shows the satellites you are getting signal from and their direction. It also shows satellites which are not being used to fix(only identified, not used in fix).
To Install GPS status, scan the QR code.

Scan the image . 

 4.     Calltrack

Call track

Call track is an app which exports your call log to your calendar and then synchronizes it to google calander. So every call you make, receive or miss is logged to your google calendar. So even if your call log gets deleted on phone, you don’t lose it. BTW: You can also share your Google Calendar to anyone. Share it with your girlfriend so that she comes to know who you’re talking to. Or install it on her phone to spy !!

5.     Network Monitor

With fixed data plans and high speeds of 3G, its very likely that you may exhaust your limit much before time or end up paying heavily for data usage.

To keep a check on your data usage, you can install Network Monitor.

Features:

§         Shows Wi-fi and network data separate

§         Shows Day, Week and Month usage separate.

§         Shows current Upload and download speed in Graphics. 


Scan the code below to Install

Network Monitor

6.     Where’s my Droid

Where's my droid

Has it ever happened that you kept your mobile somewhere and then couldn’t find it. You tried calling up, but the phone was in silent mode so it didn’t even ring aloud. ???

Here’s the solution. Install this app. If you ever miss your phone again, just text the key word to it and it will start ringing even if it were in silent mode. A useful app for all absent minded people. Do change the key word after installation.

To install, click the QR code.

7.     Mobile Number Tracker (India only)

Mobile Number Tracker

Ever wondered where the call is from when you 

receive a call ??

Well, this app  tells you the service provider and state of origin of the number calling you. Well, the service provider after MNP may be wrong, but the state won’t be  wrong. You can even manually enter a number to check service provider and state to which the number belongs.

8.     APP2SD

This is applicable only to android 2.2 and above.

App2SD

This application moves your apps to SD card thereby freeing up space of your internal memory. Very valuable app for old android mobiles.

Please note that all applications cannot be moved. 
Only apps which allow to be moved can be moved. 
This app just lists the apps which can be moved.

If you want to move all your apps to SD, you’ll need to root your device and install a third party ROM. That’s advanced user functions. If you are new to Android, try that later.

Do not move apps which have widgets else widgets will stop working.

9.     2G-3G widget & Gmail widget

This app is necessary for people who use 3G network and move around a lot. Often Phones loses 3G network and the
 phone goes out of range. To switch to 2G network, you need 
to go through settings> wireless> ….

This app takes you directly to setting.

Wondering why some people do not keep setting to “Both WCDMA and GSM” ? Its because phone tend to EDGE or GPRS from 3G every now and then, and sometimes connecting to 3G becomes  a headache when the mode is kept to “both”

How to use this: On your home screen keep 1x1 space free. Keep the screen touched at the spot. From the pop-up, select widget. Then select this 2G-3G widget.

To download, scan the QR code. 

2G to 3G widget

Gmail app widget in android does not show number of unread mails. So here's the solution. Install this widget.

Gmail unread count Widget

10. ADAO file manager.

This is a file explorer. It is required to browse files of your phone as well as SD card. On an android, to send a file/song over Bluetooth, you need to have a file explorer. You can also password protect your files.

ADAO File Manager

5 Reasons to not to buy an Android phone

Its been more than a year since I’ve been using Android and based on my experience, I bring to all my readers, the reasons to avoid an ANDROID phone.

1.      Android phones are battery hungry 
     Android applications when installed, requests for certain permissions. You cannot edit those permission or deny any one of them. So these apps gain permission to start on its own. Like news will start on its own, so will maps or any other app.
These apps since they are running in the background, they consume battery and thus lead to your battery getting drained out.

Solution: Install softwares like ATK or Juice Defender
Scan the image  using a QR Scanner to install Advanced Task Killer

2.      You never know what ur phone is doing in the background !! 
     Since android phones’ apps start on its own and they have various permissions to do various things, they can virtually do anything in the background. 

3.      Android phones are all Touch-Screen 
     Android phones are touch based and many people have problem using touch based phones. Another issue with touch phones is that all new phones come with capacitive touch screen which doesn’t respond to non-living touch. So during winters, you’ll not be able to answer a call with your gloves on ;-)  .

And Girls with nails cannot use..
Ya, I know it’s a quite lame reason for not buying an android
P.S. - Samsung got a phone in India that is touch as well as has a physical keyboard

4.      Android Phones applications are not device specific. 
     Since android phones does not have a single manufacturer like iPhone or Blackberry, different devices have different hardware (screen size/optical pad/  RAM/ presence of buttons etc), an app you download from the android market may crash on your mobile because of one or the other reason. All Apps are not made device specific. The developers test them on generic devices and may come up with a minimum requirement but still some apps run nice on some devices but crashes on others.

5.      Android upto 2.2 cannot connect to Ad-hoc wi-fi

Any Android device that has android below the 2.2, cannot connect to ad-hoc wi-fi networks. So any home network you create using your laptop’s wi-fi shall not be accessible by an Android 2.2 and below device. I am talking about ad-hoc networks only, not wi-fi through your home modem/router