Android devices are smart mobile devices. They’re actually mini computers more portable than netbooks or laptops. But, their power requirements aren’t as mini as we’d hoped them to be. Many Android users frequently bewail the battery life of many Android devices.

Yet, used in moderation — and, with energy-saving habits practiced by the user — an Android tablet’s or phone’s battery life can last longer than originally intended. How do you make your battery last longer so you can use your device longer?

In this article, read about tips and tricks to increase Android battery life for your phone or tablet.  (You may also view our video guide incorporating these tips and tricks.)

Unused device features

Connectivity features

Whatever isn’t in use or needed, turn it off. You’d do the same for your electric fan, TV, or the lights at home — I presume. Turn off phone or tablet features that you don’t use, especially the following:

• GPS
• Wi-Fi
• 4G/LTE and mobile network connection
• Bluetooth
• NFC

These connectivity features eat up some of your battery power even if they’re idle, and they eat a significant amount of power when they’re not.

Haptic feedback

A frequently vibrating device also tends to lose power faster.  Haptic feedback refers to the shaking that happens on your device as a result of some interaction or activity on the device. Such feature uses a small vibration motor, which, in turn, eats up power. Do you really need your device to vibrate every time you touch the screen or every time a notification arrives even if the device is on your desk? It’s wise to turn on haptic feedback only for important UI interactions (e.g., typing on the keyboard) or when your device needs to be in your pocket.

Power Control widget and task apps

You can use Android’s built-in Power Control widget to quickly toggle most of the energy-draining features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, Autosync, and Auto Brightness. Just place the widget on your homescreen and tap on the toggle buttons as needed.

But, using even a handy widget such as Power Control can become tedious if you need to do it several times a day. The good news is that there are several apps on the Google Play Store that you can use to automate, or semi-automate, the turning off of energy-draining features. Here are some that you can try (in no particular order):

AutomateIt-Automate Your Droid

• This free and ads-free app lets your device perform actions according to triggers that you associate them with. For instance, you can set it to disable certain features (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, etc.) at certain hours of the day. Get the paid version for more flexibility with the triggers, actions, and rules.

Tasker

• This app, although having no free or trial version, is extremely flexible. It works in a similar way to AutomateIt. You can set your device to perform tasks/actions (e.g., disable network services) according to “contexts” that you specify (e.g., time of day, day of week, etc.).

Juice Defender

• This app is specifically written to help users lower battery consumption and squeeze more power out of their devices’ batteries. The default profile targets the most battery-sapping components (e.g., mobile data [3G/4G], Wi-Fi, and the like), but you can customize the settings further according to your needs.

Mobile network, Wi-Fi, and network signal

If you must connect to the Internet, and you have a choice between connecting via Wi-Fi or mobile network, choose the former. Mobile data connections sap your battery power faster than Wi-Fi. The reason has something to do with the relationship between strong network signal and distance from the transmitter. Since Wi-Fi presumably is closer to you, you tend to get a stronger and more stable signal, therefore reducing the needed energy to power your phone’s antenna.

So, when connecting to Wi-Fi, stay in a place with the strongest signal. This way, your phone’s antenna won’t need to work so hard to get a stable network signal, saving you some battery power.    The same is true for your carrier’s network signal. The better the reception signal is, the better it will be for your battery life.

Also, it’s a wise idea to disable your phone’s Wi-Fi hotspot feature if it’s not being used. This feature also eats up a lot of power.

Autosync, refresh frequency, notifications

Instead of letting your apps sync their data automatically, choose to do it manually. Or, at the very least, enable autosync only for those apps that really need it. The logic behind this is that when an app is scheduled to sync, it will look for an active Internet connection — and the process uses power. When it finds a connection, it will connect and start syncing even if there is nothing to sync — this part uses power, too. Either set apps to sync manually or set them to sync less frequently.

And, you’d want to sync over a Wi-Fi connection instead of 4G/LTE or mobile data network.

App/widget refresh frequency

Certain apps such as Facebook, Twitter, RSS readers, Instagram, and the like can be set to fetch fresh content or updates in intervals. The longer the refresh interval you specify, the better it will be for your battery life. To be more economical, set the app to never refresh automatically; instead, do the refreshing by hand.

The same principle applies to homescreen widgets, especially those that need an Internet connection to work. If possible, don’t place such widgets on your homescreens. If not possible, be very selective. Weather widgets, for example, look nice and fancy, but they need to update weather data from their servers, consuming power along the way. You can lessen the frequency of such updates, or remove the widget entirely.

Ad-free apps

The same principle also applies to ad fetching in ad-supported apps. These apps use power to download ads and upload user data for location-specific advertising. Where possible, opt for ad-free apps, whether paid or free.

Notifications

Disable or minimize notifications and alerts for apps that you don’t need those for. If all of your apps alert you every time a notification or update comes in, your battery can drain faster than usual. To send you notifications, apps run in the background to pull information from their servers, and consume power in the process.

If you have a device running Android 4.1 or 4.2 Jelly Bean, you can go to Settings > Apps, switch to the All tab, view each app’s info page, and uncheck the “Show Notifications” option.

Screen and display

Generally speaking, more light means more power used. Applied to phones and tablets — the brighter your screen, the more power is used.

When you are indoors, set your screen’s brightness level to the lowest setting that is most comfortable to your eyes. You don’t usually need the extra brightness indoors, and your battery life will be happier for it.

Other people suggest using the auto-brightness feature, which can be handy. But, for the auto-brightness feature to work, the light sensors need to work and consume some minimal power to detect the ambient light levels. So, it’s actually counterproductive.

To save some more juice, shorten your screen’s timeout. If you normally have your screen sleep after five or ten minutes, lower it down to 30 or 15 seconds. Keeping your screen on for a few more minutes without using it will waste battery power needlessly.

Wallpapers and themes

Live wallpapers

Live wallpapers are all nice and pretty. They’re actually a big reason why some people ditch other mobile OSes and stick with Android. But, live wallpapers can also take a toll on your device’s battery life.

As far as I know, there’s no consensus about how much drain live wallpapers inflict on the battery, but one thing is certain: they consume power because they use CPU and GPU resources to animate. And, then, there are the poorly coded live wallpaper apps, which can potentially eat more battery power than you bargained for.

If you can live without the stunning eye candy, you can probably save a bit on battery life.

Dark themes

This tip may not have much effect on LCD-screened devices, but for devices using OLED screens (including AMOLED screens, such as those on many Samsung mobile devices), darkness can be a saving grace for your battery.

Unlike on LCD displays, the pixels on OLED screens produce their own light. The brighter the pixel is (as in the case of white), the more power is used. Black is practically an unlit pixel, so it uses no energy. Thus, the darker your screen or its background, the less power the OLED pixels use.

Based on that explanation, you might want to use a black wallpaper and a dark theme on your OLED-screened Android device. It can save you some juice.

Location services, background data

You could also squeeze a little bit more juice by turning off Location Services (usually found in Settings > Location Services). You might want to prevent apps from using your location info. You will also most likely want to disable the “Location and Google Search” option (or “Wi-Fi and Mobile Network Location” option on some phones) to prevent your device from using Wi-Fi and/or mobile networks for triangulating your precise location and sending the data to Google servers. The process, needless to say, requires power.

Keep an eye on apps that use data in the background. Some apps, such as the Play Store and Gmail apps, continuously collect and send data in the background. You can restrict such background usage of data — per app — and your battery will be the happier for it.

But, you can also perform a blanket restriction in Settings > Data Usage; tap the Menu button tick the “Restrict Background Data” option to enable it. You can also enable per-app restriction by opening each app’s info page.

(Note: The “Restrict Background Data” option may not be available in certain phone models. Also, Google itself considers per-app background data restriction as a “drastic measure that may also affect the app’s performance or cause it to malfunction,” so you might want to use this option with caution.)

“Bad” apps

Some apps are resource-intensive — either by nature (as in the case of games) or by developer incompetence or negligence (as in the case of poorly written apps).

You need to be vigilant about how your various apps consume battery power. A quick trip to Settings > Battery (or, on some devices, Settings > Power > Battery Use) will usually reveal which app or service is sucking most of the juice.

Identify apps that constantly drain CPU and battery life. Poorly coded apps that connect to the Internet even when they’re not supposed to should be uninstalled, as should apps that needlessly use up a huge amount of CPU resources. Replace these apps with better developed ones rather than endure running on lesser and lesser battery each day because of “mischievous” apps.

To help you pinpoint apps that are misbehaving, you can use apps such as Watchdog Task Manager Lite. Instead of telling you to free up your memory, this app alerts you when an app starts hogging up your CPU power when it’s not supposed to.

Also, keep your installed apps up-to-date. App developers send out updates to provide bug fixes, add new features, and even lessen battery consumption. So, make sure to update your apps regularly; doing so can help in extending your device’s battery life.

As for apps that you don’t use, or that you rarely use — what are they still doing on your device? Get rid of them. Your storage will be all the more spacious without them, plus you’ll be getting rid of apps that potentially run battery-eating background services.

Power saving mode

If you use your device constantly throughout the day, you may want to consider using your device’s power saving mode. In fact, many of the tips suggested in this post are implemented in most devices’ power saving mode. For instance, power saving mode usually limits CPU use, reduces screen brightness, deactivates haptic feedback, disables data network when the screen is asleep, and lowers the brightness level of the browser’s background color.

The generally recommended advice is to disable power saving mode when you intend to use your phone’s smartphone features; otherwise, turning power saving off can help you stretch your battery life further. So, for instance, you might want to disable power saving mode if you plan to play games on your phone, or else you could experience lag or jitter.

To root or not

Rooting may have drawbacks but the benefits far outweigh them. One attractive advantage of rooting is that of possibly improving your device’s battery life.

Debloating

Rooting itself won’t lengthen your battery life. Rooting merely opens the gates to your device’s restricted partitions and directories. With such restriction gone, you can remove useless apps (e.g., bloatware from carriers or OEMs), especially those that run as background services, wasting away precious battery power.

CPU underclocking

With root access on your device, you can also install apps that can improve your system’s performance. A CPU controller app, for instance. Three names instantly spring to mind: SetCPU for Root Users, No-frills CPU Control, and CPU Tuner.

Apps like these essentially allow you to tweak the CPU settings on your device. You can set the CPU frequency to stay at the lowest (and, as a result, use up the least power but sacrifice device performance) or to stretch the CPU to its maximum limits (resulting in better and faster performance, but at the price of heat, quick battery drain, and potential system instability).

Be careful when using such apps. There are risks involved; for example, your device could behave erratically when its CPU clock is set higher than usual.

Custom kernels and ROMS

And, since in all likelihood your phone has also acquired an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery in the process of rooting it, then you’ll also be able to enjoy the blessings — the power-saving blessings, in this case — of many custom kernels and custom ROMs. Feel free to look around Android Authority for guides on how to flash custom kernels or custom ROMs to your particular device.

Extended batteries and battery care

If you’re one of the very rare few who use their Android devices heavily throughout the day, you might consider buying a spare original OEM battery — that is, if your phone or tablet has a removable pack. We strongly recommend OEM batteries because they tend to outperform and outlive third-party battery packs — even those with higher capacities.

You can also consider third-party high-capacity extended batteries (for devices with removable batteries) and portable “juice packs” (for devices with non-removable batteries). High-capacity extended batteries, however, tend to be bulkier and thicker. Be careful when buying third-party battery packs. Only buy from reputable manufacturers who have already established a good reputation in the market.

Also, since Li-ion is still the most popular battery technology among Android devices, you might want to invest some time in learning how to take care of a Li-ion battery to avoid cutting its lifespan short. For instance:

• Keep Li-ion batteries away from hot or warm places, especially while charging or when in use.
• Generally, don’t completely drain a Li-ion battery before recharging. Bringing the battery level down to zero before recharging is detrimental to the battery — if done frequently. Li-ion batteries work better when charged even while they still have some power left.
• Every once in a while, allow the battery to discharge fully before recharging. Experts recommend doing this after every 30 charge cycles. This reportedly prevents “digital memory” and encourages the battery level monitor to recalibrate.
• Unplug the device when it is fully charged. Don’t leave the device plugged in for a long time after it is fully charged. Doing so can harm the battery.
• Do not subject your device and its battery to prolonged heavy use (e.g., non-stop intensive gaming for hours). Doing so will encourage the battery to deteriorate faster.

Video Guide

Learn more tips and tricks in this video guide:

Conclusion

Battery life is one of the big things that we look out for when examining prospect devices to buy.  Yet, we should never fall into the delusional trap of a limitless supply of Android battery power.  Even batteries have their limits, you know.  If we consider those limits, and adjust our usage habits accordingly, we just might be able to squeeze more power out of our battery packs.

How’s the battery life on your Android device?  How long does your device last before it needs charging?  How do you conserve power on your Android device?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

(with contributions from Elmer Montejo)

References

• Battery University. (2013). How to prolong lithium-based batteries. Retrieved from http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries
• Burke, Steve. (2012, August 21). Busting battery myths: Taking care of Li-ion batteries. Retrieved from http://www.gamersnexus.net/guides/899-battery-myths-li-ion-battery-management
• Cutlack, Gary. (2012, November 19). 12 Android battery life tips and tricks. Retrieved from http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/12-android-battery-life-tips-and-tricks-697772
• Ecs180. (2013, February 20). Not so known battery saving tips [Msg 1]. Message posted to http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-note-2/254337-not-so-known-battery-saving-tips.html
• Fisher, John. (2011, February 1). How does power usage for data over Wifi compare to data over 3G? (Ignore LTE for now). Message posted to http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/5512/how-does-power-usage-for-data-over-wifi-compare-to-data-over-3g-ignore-lte-for
• Gabel, Marty. (2012, June 22). Five not so obvious ways to extend the battery life on your smartphone. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/five-not-so-obvious-ways-to-extend-the-battery-life-on-your-smartphone.html
• Gilbert, Sarah. (2011, December 25). Tips for improving your Android device’s battery life. Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/products/story/2011-12-26/tecca-android-battery-life-tips/52226890/1
• Google. (2013). Optimize data usage – Android OS help. Retrieved from http://support.google.com/android/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1638168
• Gordon, Whitson. (2011, April 26). How to get better battery life from your Android phone. Retrieved from http://lifehacker.com/5795796/how-to-get-better-battery-life-from-your-android-phone
• haimg. (2012, June 26). Does disabling 3G while having Wifi save battery?. Message posted to http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/24852/does-disabling-3g-while-having-wifi-save-battery
• Hoffman, Chris. (2012, December 27). Does plain black wallpaper save battery on mobile devices?. Retrieved from http://www.howtogeek.com/131823/htg-explains-does-black-wallpaper-save-battery-on-your-mobile-devices/
• Hoffman, Chris. (2012, October 25). Why you shouldn’t use a task killer on Android. Retrieved from http://www.howtogeek.com/127388/htg-explains-why-you-shouldnt-use-a-task-killer-on-android/
• Howley, Daniel. (2012, February 3). Top 10 battery saving tips for Android. Retrieved from http://blog.laptopmag.com/top-10-battery-saving-tips-for-android
• Kassner, Michael. (2010, September 10). Five tips for extending Lithium-ion battery life. Retrieved from http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/five-apps/five-tips-for-extending-lithium-ion-battery-life/289
• Kincaid, Jason. (2011, April 22). Google responds to smartphone location tracking uproar, says Android is opt-in. Retrieved from http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/22/google-responds-to-smartphone-location-tracking-uproar-says-android-is-opt-in/
• Lendino, Jamie. (2012, April 27). 10 tips to boost your Android phone’s battery life. Retrieved from http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403770,00.asp
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• waisybabu. (2011). Busted: 5 myths about increasing and decreasing Android’s battery life. Retrieved from http://wccftech.com/article/busted-5-myths-increasing-decreasing-androids-battery-life/

The term “loved ones” refers to different things to different people. To some, it includes family and close friends. To others, it includes lovers, boyfriends, and girlfriends. And, to many others, it can even include favorite gadgets, such as their Android phones. Regardless of the term’s scope, no one ever wants to lose a loved one.

But, accidents happen. We lose some, we win some. The loss of a beloved Android phone — either through negligence or through theft — can not only be a sad moment but also a dangerous moment, especially if you keep a lot of sensitive, personal information on your phone. So many questions can run through your head: Where is it? Did someone find it? Is it going to be returned? Has the finder accessed my files yet? What will the finder do with the data on my phone?

In this guide, learn tips on how to recover your Android phone. But, more than that, learn how to safeguard your phone, set it up for easy recovery when it gets lost, and prevent your data from falling into the wrong hands.

(For a visual guide, you can watch the accompanying video guide near the end of this post.)

Basic phone security

Far be it from you to ever lose your phone. But, when accidents happen, you’d want to be prepared. If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then securing your phone using its inbuilt security features will be a good first line of defense against data theft. This way, you can sleep peacefully at night knowing that even if you couldn’t recover your Android phone, the person who found it won’t be able to recover your data either.

Basic security on Android phones include using a security PIN for your SIM card, a lock screen code for your phone, displaying phone owner info, and phone/data encryption. These serve as first-level security against prying eyes and people who may have intentions of snooping into your phone. These also help ensure that nobody will be able to use your phone and your contacts without your permission.

SIM lock protection

Activating your SIM’s protective PIN will protect messages and contacts stored in the SIM. When your SIM is protected with a PIN, your phone will ask you to enter the SIM PIN after you power on your phone.

To protect your SIM card with a PIN, go to Settings > Security > SIM Card Lock > Set Up SIM Card Lock. Tick the checkbox for the “Lock SIM Card” option. You’ll be asked for the default SIM PIN, which should have been provided to you by your network operator. Do not input the wrong PIN more than thrice, or else you could lock yourself out of your SIM and will need to input the PUK code. Once you’ve successfully activated the SIM card lock feature, you can also change the default SIM PIN.

For extra protection, certain Samsung phones provide a mechanism for alerting you whenever the SIM card is removed or changed on your phone. Most Samsung handsets include this feature, which requires a Samsung account. This feature is included in Samsung’s Find My Mobile. When the feature is enabled, the phone will send a message to the number that you set, notifying that the SIM card on your phone has been removed or changed.

For users of non-Samsung phones phones that don’t have this feature, you can resort to apps such as SIM Card Change Notifier or SIM Tracker. These apps can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.

Phone screen lock

Enabling stricter lock screen security helps ensure that no one can unlock your phone without authorization. Android provides several levels of lock screen security, the least secure of which is “Pattern Lock”, and the most secure of which is “Password Lock”.

To set up screen lock, go to Settings > Security > Screen Lock. The path/location may be different on other custom OEM skins such as TouchWiz. Among the options for screen lock methods, you can choose from one of the following:

• None
• Slide
• Face Unlock
• Pattern
• PIN
• Password

Displaying owner info on lockscreen

On most phones running Android 4.0 or higher, you can also display owner info on the lock screen. Some people opt out of this feature, citing privacy reasons, but I find it a very useful feature. For example, if I’ve protected my phone with a password, the good-natured person who finds my lost phone will not be able to unlock my phone and will have a hard time knowing whom to return the phone to — unless I opt to display my contact info on the lockscreen.

To set owner info to be shown on the lockscreen, you’ll usually find the option in Settings > Security > Owner Info. Whatever text you enter into the text box will be displayed on the lockscreen. Just make sure you set it to show on the lockscreen.

Remember to provide essential contact info: owner’s name, address, contact number(s), email address, etc. This way, if ever a Good Samaritan picks up your lost phone and decides to return it, she or he will know whom to return it to and how to contact you.

I suggest that you also consider attaching an owner information sticker to the underside of your phone’s backplate or on the battery or in the battery compartment. This way, the phone’s finder will still find contact information in case your lost device runs out of power.

Encrypting phone data

Apart from setting up basic security settings (e.g., SIM lock, lock screen, owner info), you can fortify phone security further by using encryption. Through this feature, you can encrypt your phone’s internal storage and/or external storage (depending on phone and custom OEM software).

If you opt to encrypt your phone, you will have to set a decryption password and enter it each time you power on your device. The encryption process is irreversible. To remove encryption, you will need to factory reset your phone — which means saying goodbye to all your phone data.

Android device manufacturers have different ways of implementing the encryption feature. On most Android phones (including the Nexuses), you’ll find it in Settings > Security > Encrypt Phone.

On Samsung phones, you’ll find it in Settings > Security > Encrypt Device and in Settings > Security > Encrypt External SD Card.

On most new HTC phones, you’ll find it in Settings > Storage > Storage Encryption and in Settings > Storage > Storage Card Encryption.

If you specified a password or PIN unlock code for your lockscreen, the same password or PIN will be used to decrypt your phone. If you use other screen lock methods besides PIN or password, you will need to nominate a password or PIN for decryption purposes.

Backing up data

Another big portion of the “ounce of prevention” part is that of backing up your phone data. No one knows the day or hour when one will lose her or his phone, so backup your phone data right now. By backing up your data, you will always have reserve copies of your data if you ever lose your phone.

There actually are numerous ways to backup your phone data. You can go with local backups (i.e., phone to computer) or cloud-based services (i.e., phone to remote servers). For more info, see our articles on how to backup your Android phone to the cloud and how to make local backups of your Android phone data for more help.

Samsung’s Find My Mobile

If you’re a Samsung phone owner, a built-in feature called Find My Mobile can be of great use in trying to recover your Android phone. This one’s a Samsung-exclusive add-on feature that lets you lock your lost phone and/or wipe your lost phone’s data remotely. You can also view your phone’s location and track its movement and whereabouts within the last 12 hours.

Through the Find My Mobile website, you can also remotely ring your phone, lock or unlock your phone’s screen, retrieve call logs, and forward messages and calls to a number that you specify.

You can find the Find My Mobile feature by going to Settings > Security > Find My Mobile. For this feature to work, you’ll need to sign in to your Samsung account. Mobile data also needs to be activated on your phone. The feature can be a great time-saver when trying to recover your Android phone.

Mobile security and tracking apps

If you don’t have the Find My Mobile feature on your non-Samsung phone, it’s not yet the end of the world for you. You still have several alternative apps on the Google Play Store for tracking and recovering your lost phone, or even of remotely wiping your phone data.

The important thing to remember about these apps is that you need to install them RIGHT NOW, while your phone is still with you. Choose one that suits your needs best and install it today, BEFORE YOU LOSE YOUR PHONE.

Antivirus Security – FREE

When looking for an Android app to help you recover your lost phone, one of the first apps that you can look into is AVG’s Antivirus Security – FREE app. Aside from protection against viruses and malware, you’ll benefit from AVG’s Anti-Theft feature, which can help you locate your missing phone.

To use the Anti-Theft service, you need to create an AVG account; you can use your Google account to sign up. The Anti-Theft feature is used in conjunction with its web console at www.avgmobilation.com, through which you can remotely manage your phone and send commands to be executed on your phone, including the following:

• “shout” or setting off a loud alarm,
• showing the device’s approximate location on Google Maps,
• locking down the device and showing a custom lock screen message to help the finder return the device to you,
• unlocking the screen,
• wiping all data stored on the phone and reformatting the microSD card, and
• scanning the phone for possible security threats.

For the above commands to be successfully received and executed by your phone, your phone’s mobile data connection must be active. Otherwise, the web console cannot communicate with your phone.

AVG SMS commands

If you forgot to turn on mobile data before your phone went MIA, what to do? AVG’s Anti-Theft service can still help through SMS-based commands. The SMS commands, though, work only if the phone’s SIM hasn’t been removed or replaced, and provided that the phone is powered on.

You will also need to know your phone’s AVG ID number beforehand. You can find your phone’s AVG ID number by logging in to the web console or by visiting the How to Use Anti-Theft page in the AVG app. Also take note of the commands, which are case-sensitive.

Using any phone, just send any of the following case-sensitive commands as an SMS message to your missing phone:

• ScreamMyPhone <missing phone's AVG ID number>
  • Sets off a loud alarm even if the phone is on Silent Profile
• LocateMyPhone <missing phone's AVG ID number>
  • To locate your phone; you will receive info about your phone’s approximate location
• LockMyPhone <missing phone's AVG ID number>
  • Locks your phone
• UnLockMyPhone <missing phone's AVG ID number>
  • Unlocks your phone

There is no SMS command for remotely wiping your data, so you will really have to use AVG’s web console to do so.

avast! Mobile Security

Another app that can help you recover your Android phone is the avast! Mobile Security app, primarily an anti-malware app that also includes an anti-theft feature. The anti-theft feature exists as an add-on module that you need to install from within the app.

In case of phone loss, you can execute commands remotely from a PC to your phone. Just go to your avast! account page, open the dropdown list of remote commands, and click Send. With avast!, you can mark your devices as lost, lock it, sound the siren, locate the device, erase data, and many more. Make sure to log-in to your avast! account on your device for remote commands to work.

avast! SMS commands

If the Web-based interface isn’t an option for you, you can still send remote commands via SMS through another phone. The message is comprised of the avast! PIN that you specified at setup time and the command in all uppercase. Here are some of the commands that you can remotely run on your phone via SMS:

• LOST
• FOUND
• LOCK
• UNLOCK
• MESSAGE
• SIREN [ON|OFF]
• LOCATE
• WIPE
• REBOOT

Compared to most other mobile security and phone finder apps with SMS remote command support, avast! Mobile Security has the longest list of SMS commands that I have ever seen. There are actually more commands (see the full list in Anti-Theft > Help, System State, About > SMS Commands) such as those for setting the LOCATE interval, forwarding calls and SMS, receiving call notification alerts, getting SMS and contacts, setting owner info, setting a new avast! PIN, and several other advanced commands.

If the SIM card on your lost phone is removed or changed — which almost always happens in the case of theft — avast! Mobile Security will send a notification to the phone number saved in the app. Once the original SIM card is removed and changed with another one, the app will automatically enable Wi-Fi, GPS, and Mobile Data so that the app can carry out its tracking duties and, hopefully, pinpoint exactly where the phone is. The Settings menu of the phone can’t be accessed as well, preventing changes to be done on the phone.

Where’s My Droid

The Where’s My Droid app is a free, ad-supported device locator. It can help you find your missing phone through the use of SMS commands. Unlike other mobile tracker and locator apps, this one doesn’t need you to register for an account to be able to remotely manage your lost phone.

Alienman Tech, the developer of the app, has also provided a website where you can send remote commands to your lost phone. Just enter your phone’s mobile number and choose its mobile operator from a drop down menu on the website, www.wheresmydroid.com.

Commands are called “attention words”. Here are some examples of SMS commands that you can send to your missing phone through another phone:

• WMD Ring
  • Available in free version. Forces the phone to ring even if it’s on Silent or Vibrate Mode.
• WMD GPS
  • Available in free version. Allows you to find the phone’s location using another phone or by using the website. Phone’s GPS should already be turned on so the app can report the phone’s location through SMS.
• WMD Camera Back
  • Available in paid version. Takes a photo using the the phone’s back camera and uploads it to a server. The app will text back a URL to the photo.
• WMD Camera Front
  • Available in paid version. Does the same thing as previous command, but uses the front camera.
• WMD Lock nnnn
  • Available in paid version. Locks the phone from unauthorized use with a four-digit PIN.
• WMD Unlock
  • Available in paid version. Unlocks the phone, bypassing the specified PIN.
• WMD Wipe
  • Available in paid version. Wipes your device and/or SD card data, depending on your settings.

The attention words are also customizable. So, change the command “WMD Ring” into anything that you fancy, such as “Scream” or maybe “Shout” and the latter new commands become the new attention words for that particular function. Just don’t forget the custom attention words that you set.

Upgrading to the app’s pro version brings in more features like taking photos using either the back or front camera, remotely locking your device, remotely wiping your phone and SD card data, and more. It also removes ads.

Lookout Security & Antivirus

The last — definitely not the least — mobile finder app that I recommend is the Lookout Security & Antivirus app. On top of being an effective shield against viruses and malware, it also safeguards your phone data and aids you in locating your lost or stolen phone.

For Android phones running on Android 2.2 to Android 2.3.7, you can use Lookout’s Plan B. This is the only phone tracking app that can be installed AFTER you’ve lost your phone. It doesn’t need to be installed beforehand. Sadly, Plan B only works on phones running the said Android versions. For phones running Android 4.0 or higher, you’ll have to make do with Lookout Security & Antivirus.

Just like the rest of the apps mentioned in this article, Lookout Security & Antivirus also has an online counterpart, www.lookout.com. With an account, you can remotely let your device “scream” even if its on silent, back up phone data, locate the phone, and more.

Lock Cam and Signal Flare

Two great things about Lookout Security & Antivirus is Lock Cam and Signal Flare. Signal Flare automatically saves your phone’s last known location to the Lookout server before the phone runs out of battery. Meanwhile, Lock Cam automatically and silently activates the front camera and takes a photo immediately after three failed attempts of unlocking the screen. The photo and the phone’s location are then sent to the phone owner’s email address.

If you want to be able to remotely lock your phone or completely wipe your phone data (e.g., messages, contacts, logins), you can do so in the premium version of the app. The paid version also lets you backup your photos and call logs; in the free version, you’ll be able to backup contacts only.

Video Guide

Know more about securing your Android phone and recovering your lost Android phone:

Conclusion

Never overlook preparedness. Definitely never overlook mobile security. Otherwise, you will be counted among the foolish who regret their oversight later when they could no longer retrieve their data or recover their Android phone anymore.

Ever experienced losing your phone? What was the experience like? How did you recover your Android phone? Share your experiences in the comments.

(with contributions from Alvin Ybañez and Elmer Montejo)

One of the most popular camera and photo sharing apps for Android is Instagram — downloaded more than a million times in less than a day when it was launched in April last year. Already a big hit on iOS, Instagram for Android has created a huge ripple among Android users.

Although the app sports simple controls and settings, many users still scratch their heads in wonder as to how the app works and what wonders it can provide.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to use Instagram on Android. It is very easy to set up and it won’t take you long to realize how much of a joy it is to use.

Feel free to skip the post for now, if you like, and jump to our video tutorial at the end of this post.

Setting up an Instagram account

If you haven’t installed the app yet, download Instagram from the Google Play Store for free.

If you already have an Instagram account, just sign in to your account and start using the app. If you need to create a new account, here are the steps:

1. Run Instagram.
2. On the starting page, choose whether to register or sign in.  Skip the next steps if you already have an account.
3. Select Register to create a new account.
4. Designate a username and password that will become your login details the next time you access Instagram. You may also specify a display image.
5. Provide your name and email address to complete your profile. Or, tap Use Your Facebook Info to use your Facebook info to fill out the remaining fields.

1. Tap the Register button to create your account.
2. On the next page, choose whether to search for Instagram accounts of your contacts or Facebook friends. You can skip this step and manually search for your friends’ accounts later.
3. Instagram suggests users that you can follow. Tap on the Follow button to follow users that catch your fancy — or you can skip this for later. You will be seeing posts from the users you follow.

1. Tap on Done to finish setting up your account.

You now have an Instagram account!  You will be taken to the Home tab where a stream of images from you and from your followed users will appear.

Main screen buttons

Aside from the stream of pictures on the Home tab, you’ll see five buttons at the screen’s bottom. What are they and what are they for?

Home button

The first button is the Home button and takes you home whenever you get lost anywhere in the Instagram app or whenever you just want to start over from the beginning. The Home tab displays photos from the people you follow, as well as your own published photos.

Explore button

Tap the second button to see the Explore tab where a bunch of awesome photos recently shared by random users are displayed. From there, you can follow other users, especially when photos shared are interesting to you. You can also search for users here by tapping the Search button (magnifying glass icon) and typing in the username or name on the search bar. You can also search for photos with specific tags.

Camera button

The third button is the heart of Instagram. It opens the Instagram Camera so you can take a photo or select a photo from your gallery, and, thereafter apply filters/effects before sharing the photo to the rest of the world.

News button

Although not shaped like a newspaper, the fourth button opens the News tab, which shows news from the users you follow and of course, notifications from your own account. Interactions made by the people you follow will appear under the Following tab. Friend requests and other interactions related to you are all found under the You tab.

Profile button

You won’t miss this button at the rightmost part, shaped like a calling card. Tapping this button opens your Profile page, which shows your profile, stats, and your photos.  This page is also where you can edit your profile, including changing your profile picture, changing your password, and even changing your username and display name.

Posting on Instagram

To start enjoying the wonders of Instagram, you need to take a photo first or select an existing one from your albums. It doesn’t even end there. You may want to apply filters that complement your awesome photo and then, share it simultaneously to other social platforms.  Here’s how all of that happens:

1. Tap on the Camera button to start taking photos. If you want to switch between front and back cameras, just tap the small camera icon at the upper-right.
2. Use the tap-to-focus feature to focus on your subject. Only some phones support this feature. Just tap on the screen until the marker turns green.
3. To capture a photo, tap the camera shutter. Or, If you want to use a photo from your gallery, press the Gallery button right beside the camera shutter button. Choose a photo from the gallery and tap on it.

1. If you choose a photo from the gallery, you will need to crop the image to fit the standard Instagram size. You’ll see a resizeable crop box that you can move around on your image. Tap the Ok button to crop the image. You don’t need to crop photos taken using the built-in Instagram Camera.
2. After taking a photo or selecting a photo from the gallery, you will be taken to the editing screen. Here, you can use the following buttons at the top:
   • Border – adds or removes a border on your photo
   • Blur – shaped like a droplet and adds either a circular or linear tilt-shift
   • Lux – adds brightness and vibrance to your photo
   • Rotate – rotates your photo clockwise
   • Next Icon – press this if you are done editing your photo
3. If you want, apply a photo filter by selecting one from the bottom. The selected filter will instantly be applied on the photo preview. If you don’t want to apply any filter, choose Normal.  Instagram currently has 20 built-in photo filters.  Here are some samples:

1. After applying a filter, tap the Next button (double arrows pointing to the right).
2. Add a caption to your photo. You can use hashtags on your caption. Photos that bear the same hashtags will be grouped together, making the search for a particular photo easier.

1. Instagram also allows you to add your photos to a photo map before publishing and sharing them. Adding a photo to Photo Map will require you to provide the location where the photo is taken using Foursquare’s registered locations. You can also add your location if it is not on the list. Photos added on the Photo Map will be presented in map view, corresponding to the places where your photos were taken.
2. Tap the name of the social networking sites that you want to share the photo to.
3. You will be asked to login to that particular site. Providing your login details once will link your account to Instagram. You won’t need to re-enter your login details the next time you want to share your photo.
4. If you’re done logging in, press the green check mark at the top. This will publish your photo not only to Instagram but also to the sites you’ve specified.

Editing your Photo Map

Use prudence and caution when adding photos to your Photo Map; this feature divulges your whereabouts. If there are photos taken in locations that should remain private and you accidentally added them to your Photo Map, worry not. You can edit the photos that show up on your Photo Map.  Here’s how to do it:

1. Navigate to your Profile page.
2. Tap the Photo Map button.
3. In Photo Map, press the Menu button (represented by a three-dot icon).
4. Tap Edit.

1. Tap on the stack of photos and a popup list of options appear. Tap on Edit.
2. Tap on the photos you want to omit from Photo Map. Once you tap on a photo, the photo will be grayed out, signaling that it won’t appear in Photo Map.
3. Tap Done once you’re done editing your Photo Map photos.

Sharing photos

You can also share your Instagram photo to other apps installed on your device. You can do this by pressing the three-dot icon found below your published photo on the Home screen or on your Profile page. Press Share and the photo will be shared to the app you specified. Some apps will only allow you to share the URL of the photo but some, like Google+, will share the whole photo itself.

Following users

Following fellow Instagrammers can be done in several ways. Following users make their photos appear on your Home tab and you’ll also be notified about interactions they may have on Instagram.

Searching for users to follow

1. Go to the Profile page.
2. Tap the magnifying glass. This is the Search button.
3. Type in your friend’s Instagram username to search for that user’s profile.  If you don’t know the username, you can try searching for your contact’s name instead.
4. Once your friend’s profile link appears on the list, tap on it to open the user’s Profile page.
5. Tap the Follow button to start following your friend’s account.

Finding users via the Explore tab

1. From the Home tab, tap the Explore button to open the Explore page.
2. The Search button will also be available. You can use it to search for a particular name or username.
3. There will also be thumbnails of photos from random users. If you find an interesting photo and want to follow the user who uploaded it, tap on the photo to open the publisher’s profile.  You will then be taken to the photo’s page.
4. Open the photo owner’s Profile page by tapping on the username or the user’s display image.
5. From the user’s Profile page, tap on the Follow button to start following the user.

Finding more friends

1. Go to your Profile page.
2. Tap the Options button represented by three square dots.
3. Tap on Find Friends from the menu.
4. The next menu will provide options for you to find friends from your contact list, Facebook, and suggested users.  A link to the Search page is also available here.

Interacting with Instagram photos

See an awesome photo on your Home tab and want tell the author how great it is?  How do you do it? There are actually two ways to do so — by liking the photo and/or by leaving a comment.

Showing some photo lovin’

Liking Instagram photos can be done in two ways. The ordinary way is through pressing the heart button below the photo. Tap on the heart button until it turns red.

The not-so-ordinary way of liking an Instagram photo is through double-tapping on the photo. A heart icon will quickly appear on the photo, signaling that you’ve successfully liked the photo. If you accidentally liked a photo, you can unlike it by pressing heart button again.

Leaving a comment

There are times when liking a photo is just not enough. Why not throw in a comment instead? Leaving a comment for an Instagram photo is simple.  Just tap on the speech bubble icon found beside the heart icon and type away.

Deleting a Comment

Be extra careful when leaving comments because you cannot edit them. The only thing you can do is to delete the comment completely.  You can delete comments that you own.  But, you can’t delete comments left by other users for a photo that isn’t yours.  However, if you are the owner of the post or photo, you can delete any comment for it.

You can delete your comment by pressing the speech bubble icon then tapping on the Edit button at the upper-right corner. Tap on the “X” mark beside your comment, then tap the red Delete button that appears.

Dealing with the nasty on Instagram

Instagram encourages its users to be responsible service users. If you see inappropriate content or a certain user has been spamming you, you have the option to report these to Instagram and authorized agents will immediately take action.

Reporting inappropriate photos

If you find a photo appalling or deem it inappropriate for circulation on Instagram, you can report the photo as inappropriate. Under the photo is the three-dot button.  Tap on it to bring out the Report as Inappropriate button.  Tap on the button and select a reason why you are reporting the photo as inappropriate.  You will receive confirmation upon successfully reporting the photo.

Reporting abuse or spam

If you are getting annoying spam and/or abusive comments, you can report them to Instagram.  Here’s how to go about it:

1. Tap the Comments button (represented by a speech bubble icon) under a photo to open the comments page for that photo.
2. Tap on the red exclamation mark beside the comment that you want to report as spam or abusive.
3. Select Report Abuse from the popup dialog.
4. Select the reason why you are reporting the comment (i.e., spam/scam or abusive content).
5. You will get a floating notification that your report has been submitted.

Blocking users

If you don’t want a particular user to follow you on Instagram, you can block the user entirely so that she or he can’t find you in search results and follow you.

Head to the user’s Profile page and tap on the Options button on the upper right corner.  From the popup window, select either to block the user or to report the user for spam.

To unblock a user that you blocked previously, repeat the same steps, but tap “Unblock user” from the popup.

Profile management and privacy

If, for some reason, you want to change your profile photo, name, username, password, and other information, Instagram allows you to freely do so. You can also set your account’s privacy by preventing others from following you without authorization; you can also set your photos to private.

Changing profile photo

1. From the Home tab, tap on the Profile button to open your profile.
2. Tap on your display image or avatar.  Or, tap the Options button (at the upper-right) and select Change Profile Picture from the menu.
3. Choose one of the following options from the popup dialog:
   • Remove Current Photo — does what it says
   • Take Photo — opens the Camera app so you can take a photo and set it as your display image
   • Choose from Library — opens the Gallery app so you can choose a photo to set as display image
   • Import from Facebook/Twitter — fetches your Facebook/Twitter profile photo and sets it as your Instagram profile photo

Changing user data, password, etc.

1. From the Home tab, tap on the Profile button to open your profile.
2. Tap on the Edit your profile link.
3. On the Edit Profile page, you can edit the various text fields for the following:
   • Display name — The name shown on your profile page
   • Login name — The username that you use for logging in
   • Website — Your website; this is optional.
   • Bio / description — Short self-description
   • Email — Email address associated with your Instagram account.
   • Phone number — Your telephone number; this is optional.
   • Sex — Your biological sex; this is optional.
4. If you need to change your password, you can also do so on the Edit Profile page.  Just tap the Change Password option, type in your current password, enter a new password, retype your new password to confirm, and then tap Save.

Hiding photos from non-friends

If you don’t want strangers to snoop around your photos, you can set your photos to private.  When Photo Privacy is enabled, new followers will need to be authorized by you before they can follow you and view your photos.  Here’s how to set your photos to private:

1. Go to the Profile tab.
2. Tap the Options button (three square dots) to open the Options page.
3. Tap Photo Privacy.
4. Toggle the check mark for “Photos are private.”

Your photos will now be visible only to people whom you authorize to follow you. The next time someone wants to follow you, you will be prompted to grant her or him approval.

Clearing search history

Earlier versions of Instagram for Android didn’t have a dedicated option for clearing
search history.  But, this important function arrived a few updates ago.   In the past, you’d have to log out and then back in just to clear your search history.  But, in recent versions, you’d only need to go to your Profile page, tap the
Options button, and select Clear Search History from the menu. Next time you use the search function, you won’t
see a list of your previously searched usernames or tags.

Logging Out of Instagram

Instagram newbies realize that the log out button is not very accessible but not hard to access either.  You won’t find it on the Home tab.  It’s neatly tucked away in the Options menu on the Profile tab.

To log out of Instagram, open the Profile tab.  Tap the Options button (three dots).  Tap Log Out from the menu.  Confirm that you want to log out.

Video Tutorial

Watch our video tutorial about how to use Instagram for Android:

Conclusion

Instagram is easy to use and easy to love because of its simplicity and function. After setting up an Instagram account and sharing your very first photo, you may find yourself using the app more often than not, especially when you have a lot of friends who also use the app. The charm of Instagram lies in its simplicity and its ability to make photo sharing more interesting and fun than it already is.

What’s your say? Does Instagram tickle your fancy and nudge the inner photographer in you? What filter is your favorite? Let us know your experiences with this most talked about and most preferred photo sharing and social networking app in Android by leaving a comment below.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct are two of today’s most popular means to share files and data between two mobile devices. The downside to these methods, however, is that they require some setting up before you can use them.

But, with the help of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, you can skip the setting up part and, in its place, will only need tapping devices against each other. (For more info about NFC, see “How to use NFC on Android” and “How it works: NFC (Near Field Communication)“.)

NFC and Android Beam work hand in hand to share data to other NFC-capable devices over a Bluetooth connection. These could be contact information, map directions, web page URLs, Google Play Store pages for app downloads, and more. Unfortunately, Bluetooth transfers at lower speeds and works better with small files. This means that larger files, such as images and videos, may take a long time to beam.

Samsung adopted NFC’s hassle-free system in its S Beam feature, available on certain high-end Samsung Android devices like the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2. The feature uses NFC in tandem with Wi-Fi Direct rather than Bluetooth, allowing users to beam large files to other S Beam-capable devices within seconds.

In this guide, learn how to use S Beam on your Samsung device.  (You can also watch the video guide towards the end of this post.)

Enabling S Beam

Before you can beam files through S Beam, you must first activate S Beam on your Samsung device:

1. Go to the Settings page.
2. Under Wireless & Networks, tap on More Settings.
3. Tap on S Beam to turn it on. NFC will also be automatically enabled. If NFC is not active, S Beam won’t work.

S Beaming content

To successfully share files and content through S Beam, take note of the following:

• Both the sender and receiver devices must have the S Beam feature and it must be active. NFC must also be active on both devices.
• Neither of the devices should be asleep or locked. The receiver device must preferably be on the Home screen.
• The phones will make a sound and vibrate slightly when they detect each other.
• Only separate your devices when you are prompted to. Separating them before beaming may prevent the transfer from starting.
• S Beam only sends locally saved files. Files saved in your Picasa account, for example, cannot be beamed.

General way to beam content

S Beam works just like Android Beam. The general steps for sending content from a device to the other is as follows:

1. Open the file/content to be shared on the sender device.
2. Place the backs of both devices against each other. The devices will beep and vibrate slightly (if supported) to confirm that they are within beaming range.
3. On the sender device, you’ll see “Touch to beam” on the screen.
4. Tap on the sender device’s screen to start sending the content.
5. When prompted to do so, separate the devices to begin beaming.
6. Upon completion, the content will be opened by the appropriate handler app on the receiver device.

Beaming photos or images

To beam images, just follow the standard way for S Beaming content. Open a photo or image from the Gallery and beam away. The receiver device’s Gallery app will show the image after transfer is completed.

Beaming music

Beaming music tracks follows the same standard procedure for S Beam. Just play the music track in the sender device’s Music Player app and beam away. When beaming completes, the receiver device automatically plays the received track.

Beaming videos

To beam local videos, just play the video on the sender device’s Video Player app and beam away. The receiver device automatically opens and plays the received video after beaming completes.

Beaming contacts

You don’t need to manually copy contact information from one device to another anymore. With S Beam, you can easily share contacts. Just open the contact’s info page on the sender device, then beam away in the usual way. When beaming completes, the receiver device will ask where to save the beamed contact to.

Beaming apps

Just like with Android Beam, you can also share Android apps via S Beam. This procedure doesn’t send the app’s files to the other device, though. Instead, it will send the app’s Google Play Store URL to the other device. To share an app, just launch the app to be beamed, then beam it in the usual way. The receiver device opens the app’s page on the Google Play Store. An Internet connection is needed to access the Google Play Store.

Beaming webpages

When you S Beam a webpage, the sender device doesn’t beam the page itself. Instead, only the URL is sent and the receiver device opens it in its native browser app. To beam a webpage, just open the page in the sender device’s browser app, and beam away as usual. An Internet connection is needed to open webpages, of course.

Beaming YouTube videos

Want to share the YouTube video that you’re watching? Go ahead. Just open the YouTube video page on the sender device, beam in the usual way, and the receiver device automatically opens it in the YouTube app upon beam completion. Both devices need to be connected to the Internet, of course; otherwise, YouTube won’t open.

Beaming other content

You can also beam many other types of mobile content, such as Google Maps data and Google Search results, between supported Samsung devices.

Video

For a quick visual guide on how to use S Beam, watch our YouTube video guide:

Conclusion

While the NFC and Android Beam combo makes data sharing over Bluetooth easier and less cumbersome, the NFC and Wi-Fi Direct tandem in the form of Samsung’s S Beam makes data transfers of larger files quicker. It is a heaven-sent feature among Samsung fans who frequently swap files and content using their Android devices.

Since its introduction, Near Field Communication (NFC) is better known for wireless payments. Its commercial application has since expanded to the transportation and retail industries in several places around the world. Some companies use the technology for secure keycards, business cards, and even for employee use in buying pantry food.

NFC technology use in the mobile industry is also fast growing. All major manufacturers of Android smartphones and tablets have at least one NFC-bearing product. Most recent high-end releases from mobile device makers usually include NFC functionality.

If you’ve ever wanted to know how to use NFC on Android, you’ll find some of your questions answered in this post. Read on to find out more about using Near Field Communication on your phone or tablet.  (Or, jump to our video guide on YouTube.)

What is NFC?

The name for the technology is a giveaway to how it actually works. You have two NFC-capable devices, and they are able to communicate with each other if they are close to each other (i.e., “near” each other’s “fields”). Communication occurs via radio frequencies. Check out our other expanded overview of NFC and how it works for more details.

Neither very old nor very new, NFC technology has become a buzzword in the Android phone and tablet industries lately. Most recent phone and tablet releases include NFC chips. There are currently about a hundred Android devices that support NFC.

In the mobile scene, NFC is being marketed as a file-sharing or data-sharing tool. This specific use came to the fore when Google released Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which also debuted the Android Beam functionality. Through NFC and Android Beam, devices can swap files very quickly to each other. More than that, the presence of NFC on an Android device also allows the same device to read and/or write to programmable NFC tags.

Do you have NFC?

Not all phones and tablets have NFC. Does yours have NFC? How do you check for its presence? One way is to check underneath the backplate and check for small print or other clues. On certain Samsung phones such as the Galaxy S3, for instance, you’ll see “Near Field Communication” printed on the battery pack.

On some other models such as the Galaxy Note 2, you’ll see no such print, but you’ll see an NFC antenna embedded on the backplate itself.

On some devices — especially Sony Xperia handsets — you’ll see the N-Mark — the official symbol indicating that the device is NFC-enabled.

Or, you can skip all of the hardware fiddling and just check your phone’s Settings menu:

1. On your Android device, tap on Settings.
2. Under Wireless & Networks, tap More.
3. Scroll down and you should see the NFC and Android Beam options.

Activating NFC

If your device has NFC, the chip and Android Beam need to be activated so that you can use NFC:

1. Go to Settings > Wireless & Networks > More.
2. Tap on the NFC switch to activate it. The Android Beam function will also automatically turn on.
3. If Android Beam does not automatically turn on, just tap it and select Yes to turn it on.

Smartphones’ NFC capabilities operate in tandem with Android Beam. If Android Beam is disabled, it may limit NFC’s sharing capacity.

Data Sharing via NFC

With NFC activated, you already use it for beaming data. For successful data sharing, take note of the following:

• Both sending and receiving devices must have NFC and Android Beam activated.
• Neither of the devices should be asleep or locked.
• You’ll get both audio and haptic feedback when the two devices detect each other.
• Do not separate your devices until the beaming has started.
• You’ll hear audio feedback when the file or content has been successfully beamed.

At this time, the ability to share content is limited to small files. Regardless, you can still send content or file types such as web pages, map locations, and contacts with no trouble.

Beaming Content via NFC

Whatever content or data it is you want to share via NFC (e.g., photos/images, contact info, webpages, videos, apps, etc.) — and regardless of whether you’re beaming to a tablet or to a phone from a phone or from a tablet — the generic way to beam content remains the same:

1. Open the content to be shared.
2. Place both devices’ backs against each other.
3. Wait for sound and haptic confirmation that both devices have detected each other.
4. Notice the sender’s screen shrink into a thumbnail and display “Touch to beam” at the top.
5. Touch the sender’s screen to begin beaming. You’ll hear a sound when beaming starts.
6. When beaming completes, you’ll hear audio confirmation. You’ll also get either a notification that the beaming has completed, or the appropriate handler app will launch and open the beamed content.

Sharing Apps

Sharing apps via NFC does not share the app’s APK. Instead, the sender device just beams the app’s Play Store page, and the receiver device opens it, ready for downloading.

Sharing Web Content and Information

Sharing web pages via NFC does not send the web page itself. Rather, it merely sends the Web page URL and causes the other device to open it on the device’s default Web browser.

Sharing YouTube Videos

Technically, sharing YouTube videos does not share the video file. It does, however, direct the receiving phone’s YouTube app to the video.

Sharing Contact Information

When sharing a contact via NFC and the receiving device has several Google accounts set up, the receiving device prompts the user about which account to create the new contact in. Otherwise, the contact info will be automatically saved and the People app will display it.

Sharing photos/images

Not all NFC-capable devices can share photos to each other. Phones like the HTC One X and the Sony Xperia TX have a hard time beaming files to each other. In cases where photo beaming succeeds, the receiving device gets a notification that the beam is completed and when tapped, the beamed photo is displayed in the Gallery.

Sharing local videos

Not all NFC-capable devices can share videos to each other either. Just like its woes with photos, the HTC One X and the Sony Xperia TX have a hard time beaming local videos to each other. Also, in certain device pairings where video beaming succeeds, don’t be surprised if the beaming takes some significant amount of time. Just as in photo beaming, the receiving device gets a notification alert of the beam completion.

Using NFC Tags

Apart from sharing content with other NFC-capable devices, you can also use NFC to configure your phone’s or tablet’s settings with just a tap. You can do this by tapping an NFC-capable device against a programmed NFC tag.

An NFC tag is an unpowered NFC chip, small enough to be embedded in items such as posters, movie passes, business cards, medication bottles, stickers, wristbands, keyfobs, pens, hang tags, and more. The microchip can store small chunks of data, which can be read by an NFC-capable device. Different NFC tags have different memory capacities. You can store different data types on an NFC tag, such as a URL, contact info, or even commands and settings that the reading device could execute upon contact.

To read data from or write data to such NFC tags, you’ll need an NFC tag-reading or tag-writing app, such as the NFC Task Launcher app, available from the Google Play Store. Tags programmed using this app can only be read by devices that have this same app installed.

You can program an NFC tag to perform tasks such as open a web page, configure phone settings, or even send text just by tapping the device against the tag. So, for instance, you may want to program an NFC tag for use when you reach the office, where you’d need your phone set to vibra mode, Wi-Fi set to on, and Bluetooth inactive. Just tap your device’s back against the programmed tag, and the device will perform the tasks programmed onto the tag.

Using NFC Task Launcher, you can encode NFC tags and perform tasks or adjust settings, such as the following:

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings (including Airplane mode, auto-sync, GPS on/off, mobile data on/off)
• Sound and volume settings (sound profile, ringtone, ring/notification volume, notification tone, media volume, system volume, alarm volume, and vibrate when ringing)
• Display options (brightness, notification light, auto rotation, display timeout)
• Social media (tweeting, checking in via check-in services such as Foursquare, Facebook, Google Latitude, Google Places)
• Messages (autosync, sending email, composing SMS, send Glympse)
• Apps and shortcuts (open app, close app, open activity, pause, open URL/URI, speak text, navigation, dock, car dock)
• Multimedia (start/stop media playback, move to next media, play previous media)
• Alarms (set alarm, set timer)
• Events (create event, create calendar timestamp)
• Security (activate lockscreen)
• Make phone call
• Samsung-specific modes (blocking mode, driving mode, power saving mode)
• Create Tasker tasks

To save all your selected actions/tasks onto the NFC tag, just tap the Save & Write button. And, to execute the actions or tasks, just tap the device’s back against the tag.

Video Guide

For a quick overview on how to use NFC on Android, check our video guide on YouTube:

Conclusion

Most of the newest Android handsets already come with NFC functionality, although it may not yet be one of any device’s strongest selling points. For now, its application on Android tablets and phones is still limited to quick content sharing, wireless payment, and task launching. Yet, NFC’s future appears wide and bright.

Endings are usually accompanied by sadness, but there’s one kind of ending that provokes a smile — the weekend — not only because weekends signal the end of the work week but also because it’s time for our weekly roundup of the week’s newest Android apps.

Of the hundreds of newly published apps on the Google Play Store this week, we picked 7 that we thought might be of use or of great interest to you as they were to us. So, here are 7 freshly baked Android apps straight from the developers’ kitchens this week.

ParkMe

Find where to park faster with ParkMe’s self-named app, ParkMe. This smart app checks your current location and looks for nearby parking spaces with their corresponding parking rates, location, payment options, and lot availability. The app also comes with a parking timer which is pretty handy especially when you’re parking on a budget. ParkMe is a convenient app to have when you’re navigating through a big city like New York or Los Angeles. You can also check parking spaces ahead of time by using the app’s search function. Unfortunately, ParkMe’s location coverage is currently limited to some cities and countries; however, you can still retrieve an up-to-date map of your target location. Check out ParkMe for free on the Google Play Store.

Timewall Clock Wallpaper free

Wallpapers can easily become dull and boring to look at. On the other hand, switching to another wallpaper or installing a different app can be too much work. Timewall Clock Wallpaper free by Stetel srl breaks the monotony of your homescreen as easy as changing your wallpaper. Choose an image from your album and convert it into a an extended homescreen wallpaper. The app also displays the time, day, date, and current battery life; you can easily replace your clock widget with it. The app is ad-supported, but the ads only show up while you’re in the app. Timewall Clock Wallpaper free also has an affordable premium version which unlocks features like setting a custom font color for your time and date display, as well as selecting a background item to be displayed.

Didlr

Artists tend to weigh down their bags with various art materials and sketchbooks, just in case the inspiration strikes while they’re out and about. Developed by Didlr, the company’s self-named app Didlr lets you doodle on your phone wherever you are. You can draw with a variety of colors and a variety of pen points, as well as use up to three layers. When you’re done sketching your masterpiece, you can instantly share your drawing with other Didlr users. The app shows ads on the main gallery menu.

Easy Touch – Assistive Touch

The more powerful smartphones become, the more functions and features they have. Unfortunately, this means that if we want to access one function, we’ll have to do a lot of swiping and tapping to get there. Easy Touch – Assistive Touch by Cool apps, however, makes your life easier by putting all the shortcuts you need in one place. Launching the app will give you a greyed out ring that will persist across all your screens. Tap the ring to access 7 customizable shortcuts, such as switches, contacts, and applications.

Quickly

Here’s another app built around the concept of letting you access the apps that you need, well, quickly. Developed by Decad3nce, Quickly lets you put up to 12 app shortcuts on your notification menu. By default, Quickly remains as a notification in your notification menu but pinching out reveals all your set shortcuts. Pinching in hides them. However, Quickly only supports installed apps and cannot make shortcuts for functions and contacts. Get the app quickly from the Google Play Store for US$0.99.

Split Camera: Photo Stories

Capture precious memories in story form with Popup Studios’ Split Camera: Photo Stories. Whether you are just lounging around with your loved one or taking a stroll in the park, don’t miss to capture beautiful moments and make a photo story out of them. Split Camera: Photo Stories lets you create a photo story from up to five photos. Add texts and effects to individual photos to better convey what you are trying to let the viewer feel upon seeing your photo story. Your photo stories can also be shared to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social networking sites. Download Split Camera: Photo Stories for free and start making photo stories of your everyday experiences.

Sidebar Pro

If you frequently use a lot of apps and want them neatly placed on your home screen, maybe trying out Sidebar Pro by Mohammad Adib will be the greatest discovery you’ll ever have today. Have a sidebar placed on your home screen and populate it with your most favorite or most frequented apps. When you need to use one of the apps, you won’t need to visit your app drawer; just swipe from the edge of your home screen to access the sidebar. Tap on a shortcut to launch its app instantly. You can customize the sidebar, too. You can adjust its width, opacity, position, color, and a lot more. Own Sidebar Pro for US$1.99 only.

Now that you’ve had your fill of our weekly special, I’m sure you’re picking an app that’ll serve your weekend’s purpose. You can choose something that can refuel your creativity or something more useful. Android apps are indeed treasure pots of tricks at your disposal anytime, anywhere. With the right app and the right setting, your weekend is sure to turn out interesting. Who knows? You might learn something new about your phone or yourself.

Liked some of the apps we featured or have you found cool apps you’d like to share? Let us know by leaving your thoughts in a comment below. Now if only there was an app that could guess what people are thinking. Wouldn’t that be fun?

(with contributions from Dan Evans; banner image courtesy of Shutterstock.com)

Whether you love or you hate Valentine’s Day, you can’t deny that there’s just no escaping it. Thankfully, it’s over for this year and we can put away our sappiness for another twelve months. Now that the week has come to a close and we only have half a month more to go for February, it’s time to treat yourself (and your significant other) to 9 new irresistible games from the Google Play Store.

In this edition of our list of new Android games for the first half of February, get ready to:

• engage in a battle of shapes where you need to defeat waves of cubes with spheres;
• play as a powerful mage or a strong warrior in beautiful 3D graphics as you complete quests and tasks;
• indulge in a bit of nostalgia as you furiously shoot up armies of alien invaders;
• keep a sharp eye as you travel through territories and shoot down corrupt factions;
• keep orcs and goblins at bay as you defend your castle from being conquered;
• lead an army of warriors and expand your empire with constant help from the gods;
• run, vault, and climb your way to freedom with awesome parkour moves;
• save the world from a nuclear catastrophe as NYC’s bad ass cop, John McClane; and
• pull off wicked stunts and tricks and make your way up to the top as the world’s best pro skater.

So, go ahead.  Treat yourself to some post-Valentines weekend of Android games.

Cubes vs. Spheres

Versus games have become so popular that I’m seeing a lot of these games on the Google Play Store. There are games that lets you fight terrifying beasts or even use plants to fight horde of zombies. ShockPanda Games also develops a versus game which I find unique. Cubes vs. Spheres lets you battle waves of cubes by throwing spheres at them. This game is a battle of the shapes. You are surrounded by cubes and you have to defeat them before they reach your base. The game also lets you buy and use special spheres to help you defeat the cubes. There are spheres that freezes enemies, explode during impact, attract enemy cubes, and many more. Join the spheres in battling the cubes in Cubes vs. Sphere game for US$0.99.

Aralon: Sword and Shadow

Do you love role-playing games? Then you should try Crescent Moon Games’ Aralon: Sword and Shadow. This is an RPG game that lets you become a powerful mage, a strong warrior, a stealthy rogue, and more in a vast virtual world called Aralon. In this game, you can select from three races: humans, elves, and trolls. The game also has 5 character classes with unique skills. What I like in this game is that your character is customizable. You can select your gender, physical features, hero build, skills, and even the clothing. And, the high-definition graphics, night-day cycle effects, challenging quests, and hours of gameplay are a must-have for an RPG game. Escape reality and journey to a virtual world with Aralon: Sword and Shadow for US$4.99.

Syder Arcade HD

After travelling in a virtual world, let’s now warp to outer space. Ready your aircraft and blast foes with STUDIO EVIL’s Syder Arcade HD. This game reminds me of the classic game Galaga. In this game, you will control an aircraft, shoot foes, and evade incoming laser or missiles. The game includes three aircrafts and a special ability to blast your enemies. The game’s graphics and intense gameplay kept me playing for hours. I also like the retro-like background music and sound effect that brings a classical touch in this modern HD game. A dual-core powered device or more is required to play the game. Join the intergalactic shooting game with Syder Arcade HD for US$1.15.

Oddland

The apocalypse might have wiped out most of civilization but there’s still life left. Emerging from their hiding places, people sought to rebuild society, but strife and corruption arose. A cowboy named Bill and your nameless character want to fix things but fixing also requires having a steady aim and a sure trigger finger. In G4M3 Studios’ Oddland, you must travel through territories and take out other factions. Level up and earn money so you can better equip yourself. You’ll need to perfect your aim because your enemies definitely have sharp eyes and one stray bullet could mean killing hostages you’re supposed to save. Oddland is ad-supported, but ads appear infrequently between loading screens.

Castle Defense

Fight against orcs, orc warriors, goblins, and more in DroidHen Publisher’s Castle Defense. Keep enemies from reaching your base by setting up bunkers, labs, forts, and canons. If those measures don’t keep your enemies at bay, deploy warriors for some extra muscle. Cast some devastating spells if you need to buy some time. If the game is going too slow for you, call up new waves at the expense of lumber or speed the game up at the expense of making it harder. Keep an extra eye on your health because each beast that escapes you shaves off one point of your very small amount of HP. Castle Defense is available for free on the Google Play Store but it is ad-supported. Ads, however, only appear in the lower left corner of the screen when on menus and at the end of every level.

Spartan Wars: Empire of Honor

In Spartan Wars: Empire of Honor, you are the Chosen One who must lead your army to expand your empire and conquer the world. This game, developed by tap4fun, requires you to build your empire, provide the necessary resources to your people, and conquer wild lands filled with equally formidable warriors. You are not alone, however; the Greek gods are with you and with their blessings, you can devastate your opponents. These gods will also help your empire prosper and turn it into a prosperous economy.

Vector

Only a few mobile games can pull off having lesser color on their overall game aesthetic and Nekki’s Vector is one of them. The game’s charm lies in the absence of too much color and the combination of freerunning and Parkour. The game follows the story of a man who wants to break free from the totalitarian system he is currently enduring and who finally musters the courage to make his way towards freedom. Run, slide, climb, or vault as you go over obstacles. The game’s controls are intuitive and easy to maneuver and you’ll definitely love the pace of this adrenaline-pumping game. Get Vector for free from the Google Play Store.

DIE HARD

There is never a good day to die hard if you have DIE HARD by Fox Digital Entertainment installed on your Android device. Play as John McClane as you tear down the streets of Moscow on your way to Chernobyl to save humankind from disaster. If you love runner games and first person shooters, Die Hard will definitely be to your liking. The game is an endless runner game that you can keep on playing and playing until you surpass your high score. It has explosive gameplay and 3D graphics, and you can download it for free.

Boardtastic Skateboarding 2

Fans of the legendary Tony Hawk can pull off ollies and tricks in PerBlue’s Boardtastic Skateboarding 2. Even when you’re a frustrated skater, feel like a pro with Boardtastic Skateboarding 2 and garner points from executing tricks and stunts. You can upgrade your skateboard’s deck art, wheels, bearings, and more, and check how you’re doing on the global leaderboards. Feel the thrill as you skate up in the air with Boardtastic Skateboarding 2, downloadable for free from the Google Play Store.

Whether playing alone or with a partner, you will surely have a fun time with these new and irresistible games for the first half of February. Have you fallen in love with the games on our list? Which ones? Tell us by leaving a comment and voting in the polls below.

(with contributions from Alvin Ybañez and Dan Evans; banner image courtesy of Shutterstock.com)

Fly Day, Swing Day, Date Night, or Party Time — whatever you call Friday, we call it Sizzling Evening here in Android Authority with all these hot apps ready for you to take home. This week, our sizzling offerings gear up for your creative and adventurous side as we give you a quick review of our hot seven.

Don’t let me keep you folks waiting. Here are our hot picks.

LiveTrekker

Travel enthusiasts and bloggers will definitely love Trekea Mobile’s LiveTrekker, a live traveling blog that tracks your movement via GPS and outlines your journey on a map. The app lets you add a photo, video, comment, or voice recording to a particular spot you have stayed in. You can also add, save, track, and review the places you’ve visited using the app. The information on LiveTrekker is completely private, but you can opt to share your trip with your friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail. Best of all, this app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store for free.

Phone TV – Free Live Online TV

Even with all the files you can stream and download from the Internet, I still miss my good old telly. What can I say? It’s difficult to outgrow watching TV programs especially when you’re unsure about what to watch. That’s why I was particularly psyched when I found Paragon West’s Phone TV- Free Live Online TV. This app has some local channels available from different countries. The channels are unfortunately limited, but streaming is seamless. The app doesn’t have annoying ad pop-ups, but it will install a search icon, bookmark link, and browser homepage to your phone that you can easily delete. Sadly, some channels won’t play and you can’t set the screen to HD. Some frames are also pixelated, but the display is decent and viewable.

Swapps! All Apps, Everywhere

A while back, we couldn’t imagine what relying on a smartphone for everything would be like. Those were the days before multitasking and the ability to switch easily to the most recently used apps. Nowadays, however, long pressing on your Home button or tapping on the dedicated multitasking button can bring up that menu. Unfortunately, that means having to move your thumb away from the screen. Swapps! All Apps, Everywhere by SchizTech doesn’t require you to move your thumb at all. Simply swipe from the left side of your screen to bring up the Swapps! menu. The app is available for free from the Google Play Store.

Easy Paint

Though artists have a variety of art programs available for them to use, you just can’t go wrong with the simple ones. Easy Paint by GEM Studios is as easy as it gets. The app is perfect for people who want straightforward tools without complicated effects. Feel like doodling on a picture you took? No problem. Feel like scribbling notes and prettifying them? Easy Paint can let you do that too. You can use your fingertip or your device’s stylus to doodle, sketch, and scribble. If you’re picky about colors, you’ll be happy to know that Easy Paint lets you select colors that you need using the color picker.

NewsWhip

Thanks to the evolving nature of the Internet, it’s now easier to find news from our friends via our social networks. However, if you want to find news in a much more organized manner, there’s NewsWhip Media’s NewsWhip. Thanks to this application, you can see what news is hot in several countries, in various topics, and worldwide. NewsWhip makes sure that you can find news that’s relevant to you, and you won’t even need to register or log in to start using it. If you want to let others know what’s happening, NewsWhip also lets you easily share the article via Facebook and Twitter.

Pixel Artist

With the surge of many many photo editing and photo sharing apps in the Google Play Store, one may get confused as to what app to download and try. And, because one of our many jobs here at Android Authority is to scour for apps that are worth checking out, we recommend you check out Pixel Artist by Volar Development. Pixel Artist lets you edit your photos in another cool way. Play with your photos’ pixels as you turn them into comic-like and sketch-like images. Play with different filters and overlays to make your photos cooler or even play with different combinations. Pixel Artist can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.

MATERIAL (BETA)

If you easily get bored and want something interesting to occupy your time, Inq’s MATERIAL (BETA) will get you hooked for sure. MATERIAL is a content discovery service where you’ll get to know news, blogs, and articles tailored to your preferences and interests. You may even discover new content that you may never have come across. MATERIAL can be downloaded for free and with it, you can use either your Facebook or Twitter account to get started with discovering new interesting content.

Let’s end the week with these seven new sizzling hot apps that you can try out this coming weekend and probably keep for life. With the apps we’ve included on this list, you will be able to discover new apps that may help you in one of your many tasks or just keep you entertained on days when the time runs slow. Did you find any app you’re willing to try out? Let us know in the comments, or you can also show some love by voting for your favorite apps in the poll below.

(with contributions from Dan Evans; banner image courtesy of Shutterstock.com)

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and we can already feel the love in the air. If you’re planning to make things really special for your loved one on February 14, then you’re no doubt already combing magazines, books, TV shows, and maybe even movies for some ideas. We understand how important it is to impress the one you love, so we’ve put together a list of 15 of the best Android apps for Valentine’s Day.

Whether you have a partner, or you’re still looking for one, we’ve covered everything from funny and flirty pick-up lines, love quotes to set the romantic mood, and even some ideas on how to spend that special occasion. Make this Valentine’s Day a special one using these apps.

TripAdvisor Hotels Flights

Do you love traveling with your special someone? This Valentines day, use the TripAdvisor Hotels Flights by TripAdvisor to help you plan your trip without breaking a sweat. All your traveling needs are met by this app. When you arrive at your destination, you can use the app to search for hotels nearby and read reviews made by other users. After you have settled in, you can also use the app for finding a good restaurant. You can even find great attractions in your location to spend a romantic day in with your partner. Include the TripAdvisor Hotels Flights app in your travelling bag and have a romantic Valentine trip.

Love Messages

A love message a day, keeps the heart’s fire burning all day. This Valentine’s day, use your charming words of love to capture your heart’s desire. The Love Messages app, created by Explore In Android, has a variety of love messages. Messages like “Let’s commit the perfect crime, I’ll steal your heart, and you steal mine” or “From A to Z all that really matters is U and I” would certainly make your lover’s heart smile. Messages in the app can also be shared via SMS or email directly from the app. Or, you can write these messages on sticky notes and leave them in the car, office, or anywhere to surprise your lover. You can also use this app as inspiration to write your own love messages dedicated to your lover. Spread the love by using the ads-free Love Messages app for free from the Google Play Store.

OpenTable

Expect restaurants to be fully booked this coming Valentines day. So, for you to have a nice evening with your date, plan your dinner date ahead of time with the OpenTable app. This app will search for restaurants in your location and lets you reserve a seat. All you have to do is select a desired location, choose a date, set the party size, and let the app search for possible restaurant reservations. So, instead of waiting in line for a vacant table, use the OpenTable app and have a fantastic evening with your partner. This app can be downloaded for free and doesn’t have ads. The OpenTable app works only in partner establishments in select countries like the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Mexico..

Love by SMS

Looking for a quick way to reel in a date this coming Valentine’s Day? Love by SMS, created by Gustavo Carvalho, will probably be just your ticket to someone to take out to dinner this coming day of hearts. The app comes with a lot of catchy ready-made messages for you to send to your lover or lover-to-be. The messages are sorted in 5 levels: flirting, make out, relationship, engagement, and married. It also lets you create your own catchy lines, plus select the frequency or filter the messages being sent by you. All of these wonderful features are at your disposal for the small price of harmless ads sitting at the bottom of the app interface.

Lovely Photo Frames Pro

One great way to make an event more memorable is to make it more special than it already is. It’s not that hard to accomplish if you have just the right tools for the job. Lovely Photo Frames Pro by tndev is certainly one tool you’ll want to get and try out from the Google Play Store for just under a dollar. There is also an ad-supported free version which you can try out before buying the pro version, which has no ads and has more lovely frames for you to experiment with your pictures. The app has a simple user interface which allows you to either import pictures from your photo gallery or snap pictures right from your camera. Have fun mixing in those pictures and frames!

Avocado

Finding ways to get closer to your special someone is a matter of how you stay connected with your partner.  Avocado by Avocado Software was created exactly for that purpose and more! Avocado enables couples to share private data like messages, pictures, and even checklists. It also keeps an archive of your relationship for you and your partner to look back to and reminisce those precious memories. Although the app itself is already great you can still get more out of it if you opt to subscribe to an unlimited plan for twenty dollars a year, which lets you and your partner enjoy unlimited photos and lists, adding images from web search, early access to new features, and prioritized support. So, what are you waiting for? Get and download this app to send those mobile hugs and kisses now.

Love Poems

Who says that only well-known writers can churn out good poems? You could probably pen a great piece, but if you’re feeling a little nervous, you can read what other people are writing. Use Swiss Codemonkey’s Love Poems to give you an idea of what aspiring poets are writing about and even rate them and leave your feedback. Practice writing some poems of your own and let people tell you how it made them feel. Poems don’t need to be excessively long; they can be short, concise, or straight to the point, but they can also be emotive and cryptic. Use this app to help you warm up and produce the most romantic poem for your loved one.

Droid Sky View (Star Map)

While everyone is booked for dinner at restaurants, do something different with your partner — like stargazing. You can do it from a romantic spot or even from your own home’s balcony. Make it even more romantic by using Droid Sky View (Star Map) by GAME EVOLUTION so you can see the stars even without a powerful telescope. Droid Sky View (Star Map) lets you not only look at the positions of the stars in the present but also travel back in time by selecting your own date, such as your birthday or your partner’s. Using the app, you can see stars, constellations, messier objects, planets, and meteor showers, and even put names to them. The app is available for free from the Google Play Store but is supported by ads that don’t get in the way of your using the app.

Flirty Pickup Lines

Whether you’re making sure that you won’t be spending Valentine’s Day alone or you’re trying to rekindle the spark in your current relationship, you can’t deny the power of pick up lines. Developer piapps has put together a large collection of pick up lines in Flirty Pickup Lines to make sure that no matter what angle you’re for, you have a pick up line to cover you. Choose from categories such as “Anime,” “Biology and Chemistry,” “Computer Geek,” “Harry Potter,” and even “World of Warcraft,” so you can woo your future or current partner. The app is ad-supported but ads only appear at the bottom of the screen.

Love and Romance Quotes

Now that you’ve gone past the flirty stage, you might want to inject a little romance into your Valentine’s Day. XStudio Technologies’ Love and Romance Quotes may give you some idea on some perfect things to say. Shuffle through the quotes for some inspiration and star your favorite ones for easy access. When you can’t find a way to sneak it into your loved one’s present or letter, you can send the quote directly from the app via Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, and more. The app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store but displays ads at the bottom of the screen. The pro version, however, gets rid of these ads and lets you put a widget on your homescreen so you always know what romantic thing to say; unfortunately, the pro version has not been updated in two years.

Zoosk – friend, chat, dating

Looking for an app that can help you find a date this Valentine’s Day? Zoosk can help you with that. Similar in look and feel to the Facebook app, Zoosk offers an easy-to-use app for finding friends, chatmates, or dates. You can even integrate some portions of your Facebook profile with your Zoosk account, such as your profile photo. While Facebook lets you stay in touch with friends or chat with pals, Zoosk lets you look for potential dates. For instance, you can do a search for potential dating partners and apply filters on the search results. It’s an easy way to find your potential Valentine.

OkCupid Dating

From the app’s name itself, OkCupid Dating instantly gives you a clear idea of what it can offer. It actually provides more than just the basics. As expected, there are the usual fields for personal info/details and several slots for self-description. But, I find the Questions feature truly interesting. Answer several dating-related questions and specify whether to make your answers publicly visible. Each question has three components: your answer, your desired answer from prospects, and the relevance of the criterion to matchmaking for you. Search results for matches will be based on your personal details and your answers to Questions.

Between

Not all people will be with their loved ones on Valentine’s Day. Some may be oceans and mountains away from their loved ones and may find calling or text messaging too normal for such a special day. If you want to virtually “spend quality time” with your beloved, VCNC’s Between will be the best way for you to do so. Between is designed for couples to share events and memories with each other. It is also an exclusive medium for the couple to communicate with each other through chatting. Events and tasks can also be created so that the couple can be reminded of special events and important errands. Get the Between app for free from the Google Play Store.

Valentine’s Photo Heart Locket

Want to be constantly reminded of the love between you and your lover? Keeping a photo of the two of you will be of great help and with Valentine’s Photo Heart Locket by Ye Olde Cat, your photos will surely come to life. Set your photo as your device’s live wallpaper through this app. You can choose heart frame styles for your photo, as well as the types of moving hearts that fly across the wallpaper. You can customize the banners, too. Valentine’s Photo Heart Locket can be downloaded for less than a dollar. Get it today and dress up your Android device with a great picture.

Movies by Flixster

If you are having trouble as to what movie to watch with your date on Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to check out Movies by Flixster by Flixster Inc. because it may be the solution to your dilemma. The app shows you trailers of upcoming movies as well as the movies currently being shown on theaters. You can also buy tickets from participating theaters through the app and watch trailers to help you decide on which movie to pick. If trailers won’t do, read critic reviews from Rotten Tomatoes and see which are certified fresh and certified rotten. Get Flixster for free and plan out your movie date well.

Haven’t found a date for V-Day yet? Check our best Android apps for finding yourself a date, boyfriend, or girlfriend. Feel the love words welling up from deep within your soul yet needing a gentle nudge? You might find your muse in our best Android apps for poets and poetry lovers.

Whether you are spending Valentine’s Day alone or with a date, you don’t have any reason not to make that special day even more special. Don’t forget to read some tips and ideas that can help you woo the girl of your dreams or impress your lover with a well-planned dinner and movie date. With the apps we’ve gathered in this list, your V-Day will surely be a memorable day. So, which of these apps do you deem most useful for you? Let us know through commenting below or better yet, vote for your most favorite apps in the poll below.

(with contributions from Alvin Ybañez and Dan Evans; banner image courtesy of Shutterstock.com)

Whether you like your steak served well-done, medium well, or medium rare, we prefer serving the freshest Android apps hot and sizzling. Here at Android Authority, we believe that getting the hottest new apps is the best way to start the weekend.

This week, we feature apps that won’t only keep your hands on your phone but also help you discover new places to explore whether alone or with your friends. Because hey, A stands for “adventure,” and Android never skimps on giving you the grand adventure that you need.

Can’t wait to see what’s under the cloche? Get the dining ware ready because here 7 new Android apps, dressed and ready for your consumption.

Epic Citadel

Travel the magnificent virtual citadel, created by Epic Games, called the Epic Citadel. Looking at the app’s Google Play Store page, I really thought that this was a game. But, after using it, I found out that this was an interactive benchmark tool that measures your GPU’s performance. Powered by Unreal Technology, the state-of-art designs of the citadel look amazing. Its graphics actually remind me of Assassin’s Creed 2. Aside from using the app as a tool, you can also walk around and explore the breathtaking citadel.

Wotchapp

The weekend is approaching. Have you already chosen a place where you and your friends can hang out? I did and it was easy with CoreDigital’s Wotchapp app. This app scans your location and suggest popular places where you can hang out. Locations are grouped into three: Arts & Entertainment, Food, and Nightlife Spot. Nearby places will then be displayed on the screen. You can also read user reviews, comments, and even photos submitted by users to a hangout place. The ads-supported Wotchapp app can be downloaded for free. Ads will only appear at the bottom of the screen.

RetroArch Android

Sit back, relax, and enjoy early 90′s gaming with RetroArch Android, a free game emulator app by Libretro. Unlike most game emulator apps, RetroArch allows you to play several game platforms on your smartphone. RetroArch currently comes with 14 game emulators such as FCEUmm for Nintendo NES games, Snes9x-Next for Nintendo SNES games, and — my personal favorite — Nestopia for the Nintendo NES where I can play the classic Casltevania game. The app is simple, straightforward, and easy to use. It’s like carrying a portable gamebuddy everywhere you go.

LINE Brush

Art has always been my first love. Even when the latest technology offers state-of-the-art drawing tablets and digital art programs, I still end up going back to my traditional tools in painting. But, I discovered a nice alternative to my traditional approach: LINE Brush. NAVER has created a no-frills drawing platform that is not too heavy on any device. The interface is very responsive and easy to navigate around. I especially like the brush sets in the app, even if they’re currently limited. At the same time, you can draw on pictures or transform pictures into paintings using Photo Brushes. Best of all, you can be as artistic as you want to be without having to bring so much with you. I tried this on an Xperia TX, and painting on the Xperia TX has never been this fun!

iSense Music – 3D Music Player

SmoothApps’ iSense Music – 3D Music Player may look simple but this music player is quite feature rich and intuitive to use. You can browse your music collection by sorting through album art on a carousel and easily add songs to your playlist. If you need to do more, access the menu by swiping up from the bottom. You can tweak the equalizer by using presets or reverb, or you can customize your listening experience yourself. If you want the app to be even more attractive, you can change to any of the three free themes that come pre-installed or download more from the Google Play Store. You can purchase iSense Music – 3D Music Player from the Google Play Store for US$2.00.

TinyTunes

If you’re a creature that exists only for music, then you’ll love Exigo’s TinyTunes. This app lets you browse through top charts, what’s hot in certain genres, and even search for that obscure band you heard of from a friend of a friend, and to stream music tracks when you’re connected to the Internet. If you like what you hear and can’t live without it, you can select songs to download through TinyTunes. Now when you head out of the house, you can listen to your newly downloaded songs together with the existing songs in your library all from one app. TinyTunes is free to download from the Google Play Store but it is ad supported. Ads, however, only appear on the bottom part of the screen and shouldn’t get in the way of your music browsing, streaming, and downloading experience.

Scoopt

Do you ever have one of those days when you want to go out but have no idea where to go? Feel like exploring your city but don’t want to waste your time with terrible establishments? Designed and developed the company of the same name, Scoopt lets you explore great places around you through friends’ recommendations. The best part is that you don’t need to go through lengthy articles; instead, Scoopt works together with Instagram so that pictures are presented in a clean and gorgeous magazine format. If you don’t have a lot of friends on Scoopt, however, you can check out what other Scoopt users are saying about the places they’ve been to according to location or category, such as Eat, Drink, Shop, and more.

So what are you waiting for? Try these new apps while they are still sizzling hot! Which new and sizzling apps did you find satisfying? Share your thoughts by voting in the polls and leaving a comment below. And, always get your daily dose of new and fresh apps only here at Android Authority.

(with contributions from Alvin Ybañez and Dan Evans; banner image courtesy of Shutterstock.com)