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1. The battery optimizations
No matter which Android device you have, there are ways to improve the battery life from the get-go. Firstly, you must turn off 'ambient display' or 'adaptive brightness'. This is a setting which changes the display brightness based on the current lighting conditions, but it's not perfect.
The sensor used to determine the light levels is not as accurate as the human eye, you can set a better display brightness for the current circumstances, and as the display is a key area where battery life is lost, make sure you keep this at the lowest level possible.
Go to your display settings and make sure it's switched off.
2. Enable always listening, start using Google Now
Google Now acts as a virtual personal assistant which you can use to retrieve information quickly and easily. But it's also so much more than that: Google Now can interact with your apps, take notes, set reminders along with a whole bunch of other clever tricks.
The more you use Google Now the more you realize what an excellent service it is. To give a simple example, say you wish to take an afternoon nap, but are already in that sleepy state and about to nod off. You don't need to reach for your phone and open your clock app, calculate the time you want to wake and then set it. Just say "Okay Google, wake me up in two hours."
3. Set up Android Device Manager
How Android Device Manager is not pre-enabled on every single Android phone I simply don't know. Android Device Manager is a great tool that lets you track a lost or stolen phone, remotely lock it, ring it, or delete its contents and even display a lock screen message for anyone that finds it. It may not be the sexiest thing you do with your Android phone, but it should be the first thing you do.
4. Supercharge your Wi-Fi
Did you know in Google Chrome's settings you can tell your favorite browser to save you time and money by reducing your data usage? No? Most people don't. By using this setting, I've cut my data usage by 30 percent in the past month. How's that for easy savings? Go to Chrome > Settings > Data Saver and turn it on.
5. Pushbullet everything
There aren't too many apps that I think absolutely everyone should use, because everyone has different tastes, needs and habits. But Pushbullet is different. Everyone, and I mean everyone, should be using it.
6. Save time with NFC
Unless you're already an NFC fan, most people don't even realize what NFC is, how it works or what it can do for you. But NFC is brilliant. A single tap can pair your Bluetooth headphones to your phone, transfer all of the contents of your old phone to a new one, or even send a default message to a contact when you walk in the door at home.
7. Setup lock screen security
If your adventurous nature stops a little short of implanting an NFC chip in your person, the next best thing to do is setup your lock screen security. I am forever surprised by just how many of my friends don't have lock screen security set up.
No matter which Android device you have, there are ways to improve the battery life from the get-go. Firstly, you must turn off 'ambient display' or 'adaptive brightness'. This is a setting which changes the display brightness based on the current lighting conditions, but it's not perfect.
The sensor used to determine the light levels is not as accurate as the human eye, you can set a better display brightness for the current circumstances, and as the display is a key area where battery life is lost, make sure you keep this at the lowest level possible.
Go to your display settings and make sure it's switched off.
2. Enable always listening, start using Google Now
Google Now acts as a virtual personal assistant which you can use to retrieve information quickly and easily. But it's also so much more than that: Google Now can interact with your apps, take notes, set reminders along with a whole bunch of other clever tricks.
The more you use Google Now the more you realize what an excellent service it is. To give a simple example, say you wish to take an afternoon nap, but are already in that sleepy state and about to nod off. You don't need to reach for your phone and open your clock app, calculate the time you want to wake and then set it. Just say "Okay Google, wake me up in two hours."
3. Set up Android Device Manager
How Android Device Manager is not pre-enabled on every single Android phone I simply don't know. Android Device Manager is a great tool that lets you track a lost or stolen phone, remotely lock it, ring it, or delete its contents and even display a lock screen message for anyone that finds it. It may not be the sexiest thing you do with your Android phone, but it should be the first thing you do.
4. Supercharge your Wi-Fi
Did you know in Google Chrome's settings you can tell your favorite browser to save you time and money by reducing your data usage? No? Most people don't. By using this setting, I've cut my data usage by 30 percent in the past month. How's that for easy savings? Go to Chrome > Settings > Data Saver and turn it on.
5. Pushbullet everything
There aren't too many apps that I think absolutely everyone should use, because everyone has different tastes, needs and habits. But Pushbullet is different. Everyone, and I mean everyone, should be using it.
6. Save time with NFC
Unless you're already an NFC fan, most people don't even realize what NFC is, how it works or what it can do for you. But NFC is brilliant. A single tap can pair your Bluetooth headphones to your phone, transfer all of the contents of your old phone to a new one, or even send a default message to a contact when you walk in the door at home.
7. Setup lock screen security
If your adventurous nature stops a little short of implanting an NFC chip in your person, the next best thing to do is setup your lock screen security. I am forever surprised by just how many of my friends don't have lock screen security set up.