As Android smartphones have become more advanced, they've taken on the ability to do some great things. You're most certa...
As Android smartphones have become more advanced, they've taken on the ability to do some great things.
You're most certainly aware of most of its uses – checking social media, sending emails, even making phone calls and sending texts – but you might possibly not have discovered all you can do with your Android smartphone. Here are 8 great things your phone has that you can take advantage of.
1. Voice search with your screen off
Some Android smartphones let you voice search with the “OK Google” feature even when your screen is off. Most phones can search from any screen when the screen is on, but just a few phones with a dedicated listening core can search when the screen is off.
To know whether your phone can do this, go to Google settings > Search and Now > Voice > OK Google Detection > Always on and flip the switch. You'll have to train Google to recognize your voice first. Unsupported phones will say From any screen rather than Always on.
2. Get an inverted dark theme
To do this, Simply head to Settings > Accessibility > Color inversion (or on devices with Invert colors in the Quick Settings, just tap that) to reverse the colors on screen.
Screenshots will come out normal and you'll have some pretty wild looking app icons, but if you have a generally light theme, flipping this switch will instantly get you some much-needed darkness. It may not be a setting you want to use all the time, but it can be very handy for reading at night or in bright light.
3. If found, return to:
This is another great tip for anyone with a tendency to misplace their things or for those with the bad habit of leaving your phone on the restaurant table while they dash off to the bathroom. If your phone gets lost and you suspect it has been picked up by someone, you can put a message on the lock screen telling the finder of your phone how to get in contact with you.
You can achieve the same thing with Android Device Manager if you've already lost your phone, but the option can be done in advance as a safety measure. Go to Settings > Security > Lock screen message to add your phone number, email or return instructions. Offering a reward for your phone's safe return isn't a bad idea either.
4. Document scanner
In the early days of digitizing documents and photographs, you had to invest in a large flatbed scanner to make the physical digital. Nowadays you can use your smartphone camera as a makeshift scanner. Although the quality isn't quite as good, the process is a lot more convenient.
If you want to use your phone in this way there are a number of options. You can just snap a document and save it as an image, while Google Drive can convert scans into PDF files and read the text within them, as can the excellent CamScanner and Evernote.
5. Compass and barometer
Do you know about all of the different sensors packed inside your phone? Not only does your mobile know which way is up or down, it also knows which way is north or south. You can download an app such as Smart Compass or AndroiTS Compass Free to use your phone to navigate your way around.
Many phones have a barometer too, so you can turn your mobile into a portable weather station and get your own forecast for the exact spot you're standing in. Apps such as Barometer Altimeter DashClock and Barometer Monitor can help you see which way the weather's turning.
6. Scan barcodes
Back to the camera on your smartphone: You can turn it into a usable barcode scanner with ease and an app such as the aptly named Barcode Scanner. The app works with QR codes as well as barcodes and there are plenty of third-party apps on the Google Play Store that do the same job.
Why would you want to scan a barcode? It largely depends on the app you're using, but shopping is the main reason: If you see something in a store you can check the online price, for example, or you can use it to order something you're about to run out of.
7. Fitness tracker
Many of the sensors and bits of circuitry inside a smart wristband can also be found on your phone. This means you can track your walking, running and other activities without the need for an extra fitness tracker that you wear around your wrist or clipped to your clothes.
Google Fit in action. / © Google
Google Fit is the obvious place to start, but many of the well-known fitness tracking apps can work with phones as well as wearables. If you need extra data then that's possible too – apps such asRuntastic Heart Rate Monitor can measure your heart rate through your phone's camera.
Additional things you can do with your Android smartphone
- Play media stored in your phone / computer / YouTube on your Smart TV using DLNA apps.
- Mirror your mobile screen to your Smart TV using MiraCast (wireless) or MHL adapter (wired).
- Connect your mouse, keyboard, gaming controller to your mobile using OTG adapter.
- Connect Large Hard Disks (ex 2 TB HDD) using a powered USB hub connected to your mobile using an OTG cable.
- Turn your phone into a Metal Detector (app Metal Detector),
- Monitor Heart Rate by just using Camera ( Instant Heart Rate Monitor),
- Decibel Meter(Sound meter),
- measure distance (smart measure),
- Measure Lumen output of bulbs (Lux Meter),
- measure Speed (gps speedometer),
- Measure altitude
- Surveillance device with movement detection (IP Webcam).
- Use as a wifi-repeater / extender (FGRouter)
- Place it in a VR Headset and watch 360 degree videos on YouTube (gyro sensor should be present in phone) or watch SBS 3D movies.
- Use it like an Activity and sleep tracker using Google fitness app.
Did we miss any ? Let us know with your comments below.
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