• Shortcut to Call, WhatsApp, Hangout, SMS....

Are you tired of opening your Phone-book frequently to call your besties?
Do you feel wasting of your time in phone-book or in inbox to find your friend?
Don't worry. Solution is here!!
You can make shortcut icons in your Android phone, just like you make in your desktop.
You can make icons of any of your friends from your phone-book on your Android Home Screen. By them, you will be able to Call or Message directly to your friend.

Just follow these steps and save your time from searching contacts in your phone-book.
There are two different ways to do this.


Let's see the 1st one....
► Open your phone-book/contact list in your Android.
► Go to your favorite contact. 
► Press & Hold that contact, it'll open menu-list. Select "Add to Home-screen" from that list.
Or if you open that contact details, press Menu & select "Add to Home-screen".
► It will open a small window with three different options.
► 1. "Contact" will create an icon on your home-screen. That will be for to see contact details directly with Call Numbers, WhatsApp, Hangout, Google map direction, SMS etc.
     2. "Direct Dial" option will create an icon, which will enable to call instantly to that number. If there are multiple numbers, it will ask you to choose any one number.
     3. "Direct Message" option will let you to send message for that contact number.
► Go to your home-screen and start your talk/chat instantly.

Now let's see 2nd way to create shortcut icon....
► On your Home Screen, press Option & press on Add.
► After that, go to "Shortcuts" option.
► Then select any option from "Contact", "Direct Dial" or "Direct Message" and select your contact after that.
► Your shortcut icon will be created on your Android Home-screen. Enjoy!!

Other related post for Icon & Calling features....
► Access contact details by its Icon
► Set your Custom Ringtone for incoming call
► Different use of Volume Keys

• Gallery Cache - Big Threat of Storage

          Hey friends, here I come to know about a great enemy of storage in Android. There are many factors which are responsible to occupy more unnecessary space in SD card or in Internal storage. But here I will talk about Gallery Caches & Thumbnails. These are the cache and thumbnails files of our images & videos, stored in Android Gallery. Gallery uses these files for preview of images & videos but after deleting such media files from gallery, their cache & thumbnails are still there in our storage. So, it is necessary to delete such caches otherwise, after long period of time, there will be 100s of MB or GB of storage will be unnecessarily occupied. So, feel free to cleanup these files without losing of any kind of data.

I am using Gingerbread in my Android device. And I found these gallery caches & thumbnails under this location "../mnt/sdcard/Android/data/com.cooliris.media/cache/" in my file manager. I hope, this path will be same as I have mentioned above,  in all other Android versions. Here, com.cooliris.media is a folder, created by Default Android Gallery. Here, some folders like "com.cooliris.media", "cache" will be hidden. So, change settings in your file manager or in system to display hidden files & folders. Generally, these caches will cause storage problem after long time as during long time-period, useless files will be increased.

So, follow these steps to remove caches and to free up memory:
 ► Go to your File Manager and open "cache" folder as given in above path.
 ► In this folder, there are many others folders like "hires-image-cache", "local-image-thumbs", "local-video-thumbs" etc.
 ► All these folders contains different caches & thumbnails as per their folder name. So, check the size of these folders and delete all files in them and get large amount of free space. You will not loose any images or videos in your Gallery.
 ► Enjoy lots of free space!! 

Other posts related to Gallery & free up memory from cache files of User Installed Applications.
► Free up memory from Application Caches
► Reset Application & Free up memory
► Make Android more Faster and Smoother
► Gallery Image Sliding Fun

• Long Battery Life

Draining out phone battery is one of the biggest problem of smartphones. Using internet, internet surfing, chatting, wifi etc are greatest causes to the battery problem. But don't worry, in this post, there are all possible ways or tips are mentioned by which you can save your smartphone's battery life at some level. So, just go through these following tips.

► Do not charge battery frequently. Charge the battery only when it shows low battery warning. Let the battery to be charged fully if possible. 
► Use Task Killer application. It'll stop unnecessary processes & apps and let the processor free. [! Some task killer apps also consume more battery power. So choose appropriate app from the market. ]   
► Wireless related processes need more battery power. So, disable Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi and other related wireless processes after their use. Don't let them active unnecessarily. 
► Properly close/exit the application after their use. Otherwise minimized applications will keep consuming battery from background processes.    
► Screen Display Consumes more battery power. More Brighter screen will consume more battery. So, keep Lower Brightness if possible. Or download an app that will allow you to create screen brightness plans according to your routine and need. 
► There are generally 2G & 3G networks available in every smart phones. Around 50% of battery power is consumed by Network Signals. (you can see this in battery info graph.) And if Network mode is GSM/WCDMA AUTO or 2G/3G Auto, it will use more power. So kindly choose Only 2G/GSM Mode or Only 3G/WCDMA Mode.  
► More Applications - More Power consume. Applications keep their few processes active all the time. It will not only use more battery power, but also slower the device performance especially in average processor of device. So, Uninstall unnecessary applications.  
► Internet/Data Packet Service/ Wifi services keep internet related processes and applications always active. So Deactivate Data Access/Wifi when they are not in use.   
► Heat is biggest enemy for battery consumption. Hot/Warmer Temperature will increase the flow of chemical reaction in Battery as per general science knowledge. So, it may be harmful to the battery after longtime. So, don't put cellphone in a pocket or on hot surface for long time.

After this tips, if you want to make your Android device more smoother & faster than Click here.

• Reset App & Free up Memory

Here, I am going to post about resetting an installed application. By resetting your installed app, it will become like a newly installed app! Along with this, it will also create free space in your storage by removing unnecessary stored data & caches. In case, if you want to reinstall any application, want to free up storage from that app or want to start application from beginning with default settings & data, this post will be useful to you.

When you open details for any installed app in your phone, there are two options named "Clear Data" & "Clear Cache". Here, Clear Data will be used to reset Android application. Just follow these steps and start using application from beginning by resetting it :  ► Go to "Settings" in your Android.  ► In settings, open "Applications" menu.  ► Open "Storage use" under applications menu.  ► There will be list of your installed applications. So, click on any app to view details & settings of that application to reset.  ► Press "Clear Data" in that opened page.  ► done !!

For example, in Google Maps, if you want to use Google Map with all default settings with no user data as when it was newly installed  or  to remove all the saved maps, want default settings etc. as a fresh installed app, just follow above steps like these :  ► Go to Settings in your Android phone. ► Open Applications.  ► Than open Storage use.  ► Under that page, Find & Press on "Google Maps".  ► After that press on "Clear Data".  ► done!!  All the unnecessary storage of this app will be removed and you can start over this app again from beginning.  ► See the following photos for better understanding.

[! Clear Data option will reset all settings of that application to default and delete all user's stored data. ]
[! Clear Cache option will not reset all settings & data, but remove caches, logged in data, extra memory used by app etc. ]

Other posts related to free up memory from cache files from Gallery & User Installed Applications.
► Free up memory from Application Caches
► Cleanup Large Amount of Caches from Gallery
► Make Android more Faster and Smoother
► Gallery Image Sliding Fun

• Widget Problem

Widget is an icon on device's home screen. It let us access some of functionality of applications directly from home screen. We need not to open that application from menu list. Generally widget can be added to the home and sliding screen by two ways.

1. ► Home screen Menu ► Add Widget ► Category
2. ► Press and hold on home screen ► Select widget

But, sometimes there are problems with widgets that they don't appear in the "Add Widget" list. This problem mostly occurs because of installation of particular app in the memory card. Some apps do not support their installation in memory card for widget. So to solve this problem, move app to the device/phone storage. After this, if the app is containing any widget, it'll appear in the "Add widget" list. Some applications also support their installation in memory card for widget. So, such apps do not need to move them into device/phone memory.

• Gallery Fun / Trick

This is a small kind of fun or you can say a trick to see photos without opening a folder in the gallery. This can be done in default Android Gallery. I have Gingerbread 2.3.4 and I don't know that if this will work in other newer versions or not.

But anyway, let's try this fun here : ► Open pre-installed Gallery in your Android phone. ► Put two fingers on a folder and than quickly drag both fingers far from each other. ► Hold this kind of finger position and images of that folder will start sliding automatically. ► Or you can keep holding folder by one finger and can move other finger in the screen.

► If images stop sliding because of end of images than just slightly move other finger to the first one and images will start sliding again in opposite way. ► See the Video - Android Gallery Slide of this steps to get an idea for easiness. Click here to see the video. Or see directly below.

• Create your WiFi Hot-Spot

WiFi hotspot can broadcast internet data as a WiFi, and another WiFi supported devices can access that WiFi data. This is a same data broadcasting facility as a Router device, which enables internet access through air. You can create your own WiFi Hot-Spot in your Android device. So, you or your friends can use your Internet Data in their WiFi supported devices like Mobile, Tablet, Laptop etc. Before this, you must have to activate GPRS/Data Service Pack. You have to start data plan from your service provider in an  Android phone in which you are creating a WiFI hotspot. So, follow the following steps and enjoy with your friends.


Here are the steps that will show you that how to create WiFi hotspot & how to use it in other devices :  ► Go to "Settings" in your phone and then go to "Wireless and Networks". ► Then after, click on "Mobile Network Settings". ► If Data access over Mobile Network is disabled, do Enable data access over mobile network. ► Go back and click on "Tethering & Portable Hotspot". ► After that Enable "Portable WiFi Hotspot" option. ► Then click on "Portable Wifi hotspot Settings" for more advance options. ► In a newly open window screen, click on "Configure WiFi hotspot". ► It will open a new window to add custom settings. Enter any name in "Network SSID".
► Now there will be two options for Security.
     i. WPA2 PSK
     ii. Open

►  If you want your WiFi Hotspot password protected, select WPA2 PSK and set Password in next "password" box. So, anonymous access will be controlled by password.  ► If you select Open option, there will not be any password and anyone can use your WiFi hotspot. ► Now your WiFI Hotspot created and is ready to use.

►  You can select your custom time to disable WiFi hotspot automatically. This option will stop broadcasting WiFi when it is not connected with any device for your selected time-gap. ► For that, select time from given time options in "Timeout".

To get connected with other device, follow these steps:
►  Turn On WiFi option in the other device in which you want to use internet from WiFi hotspot. ► In that device, scan all available WiFi & Select WiFi hotspot to use internet. ► Then enter password if it is password protected. ► Enjoy !!! :)

[! Setting steps here are described according to the Gingerbread version. In other versions, settings path might be same or different. ]
[! Using WPA2 PSK WiFI Hotspot is advisable as it'll stop unauthorized access of your GPRS data. ] 
[! Don't turn ON your "WiFi" option in your mobile while you are broadcasting your WiFi to others. Otherwise WiFI hotspot will be deactivated. ]
 

• Hide / Protect files : No Application required

By this trick, you can hide files without use of any application. You can hide media files like Songs/Recordings(Mp3, wav...), Videos(mp4, 3gp, avi...), Images(jpeg, jpg, gif, png...) etc. in your Android Device. This will also helpful to you to protect your private & secret files.

For this trick, you will need a file. ".nomedia" is a file, which is used to hide such media in Android phone. You can get this file by clicking here - Create .nomedia file.

A ".nomedia" file is a blank file, placed inside a folder. When the Android media scanner detects the .nomedia file in any folder, Android media scanner does not scan media files(sound, video & image) from that folder. So the images, songs or videos in that folder don't appear in the Gallery or Video/Music player.

Follow these steps to hide & protect media files:
➧ Firstly, get or create ".nomedia" file.

➧ Open file manager in your Android. Create a new folder or go to your created folder.

➧ Paste your Private Images, Videos, Songs, Call recordings, Recordings etc. in that folder. Means, paste those files in the folder, to which you don't want to display in your gallery.

➧ Paste .nomedia file in that folder. (Click here to create .nomedia file.)

➧ Done!! Those media files will not appear in Gallery, Music Library or Video Player.

Here, such media files are not encrypted or converted in other formats. They are just skipped from scanning by Android. If you use any other kind of "Media Hiding Apps", those apps will encrypt/convert media files & we can't open them directly.

But files, hidden by this trick, will always appears and can be opened in your file manager and other systems. To overcome this problem, place the folder in some other folders with different name.  This will be also one kind of hiding & protecting trick.


[! If you remove .nomedia file from the folder, those files will be appeared in Gallery or Music/Video player. ]
[! Such hidden files will still appear in File Manager and in PC. Those files will be hidden only in Android Gallery & Music Players. ]
[! You cannot hide files like Text file, Documents, Pdf, .apk, etc. by this trick. ]

Other Related posts:
➧ Call block : No application required
➧ Make Android Faster
➧ Create portable WiFi Hot-spot
➧ Create .nomedia file

• Create ".noMedia" File

Default applications in Android like Photo Gallery, Android MP3 Player, Android Video Player will display all the photos, songs & videos from all of the folders in your device. But if you add ".nomedia" file in any folder, the media content of that folder will be disappear from the Gallery/Player.

".nomedia" is a simple blank file to hide pictures, songs & videos in Android based phone/tablet. ".nomedia" file will let you to Hide media files without installing any other application.
So start hiding your personal, private or confidential media files in your Android phone by just creating a ".nomedia" file.

Here are two simple methods to create a .nomedia file.

>>>  Method-1  <<<
(Direct Copy this file from another pre-installed Application in your phone.) 
► Open File Manager in your Android phone that you have installed.
► Simply go to ../sdcard/Andriod/data/.   
► In this folder, there will be a ".nomedia" file. Copy this ".nomedia" file.   
► Then create a new folder or open your any media folder & paste ".nomedia" file in that folder in which you want to hide your private/important media files.

>>>  Method-2  <<<
(Create file by Notepad in your PC.) 
► In your Windows OS, go to Start Menu » All Files » Accessories » Notepad to open notepad.
► After opening notepad file, don't write anything in that file. Just leave it totally blank, not even any space or symbol.  
► Then in notepad Menu-bar, go to "Save As" option.  
► In Save as Dialog Box at bottom, select "All files (*.*)".  
► To give a name for this file, type .nomedia and click on Save.
► Your ".nomedia" file is ready and copy this file into your phone.

► Click here how to use ".nomedia" file to hide media files without use of any application. 
[! Created .nomedia must be blank in thumbnail view as shown in above image. ]

Click Here for use of ".nomedia" file and more information about that.

You can download ".nomedia" from a link here given at below... !!
ツ Direct Download link (.nomedia file)

Other useful Blog-posts.....
►  Long Battery Life
►  Share your Internet by creating WiFi Hot-Spot
► Android Version Image/Animation
► Add your favorite Ringtones for Incoming Calls