Top Ten Android Tips

One thing to note here, your screen may not look like the screens you see below.  Android comes in many different flavors, and while they all are pretty darn good, they do often look and act different.  But that's OK! Chances are the instruction that go along with the pictures will work just fine, and if you get stuck somewhere, someone has likely already figured it out for your specific model of phone, and you'll find it in the forums.  Besides being generally awesome, Android users are also a pretty crafty bunch of folks.

Tip 1. Use Adobe Flash "on demand"

 You've probably heard that Adobe Flash is available for Android devices.  Maybe that's even a big part of the reason you've chosen an Android phone / you want the full web experience on your smartphone.  While Flash on a mobile device isn't the big resource-eating monster some make it out to be, it does make web browsing a little bit slower.  And let's face it / a lot of Flash content is punching monkeys to win a prize-style ads, and often we aren't interested in seeing those.
That's an easy fix.  Open your web browser, and tap the menu key.  Look through the menu until you find the settings.  In the browser settings you'll find an entry titled "Enable plug-ins."  Tap it, and choose On demand.  This way once a web page is loaded, you'll be able to tap any Flash content to view it, and ignore any you don't want to view.

Tip 2. Set your Wifi sleep policy to never

This one sounds counter-productive, but trust us here.  If you have access to Wifi throughout the day, and use it often, this will help save your battery.  Use this tip with a Wifi toggle widget (see the homescreen section below) and it's easy.
On your phone, tap the menu button and choose settings.  From the list, choose Wireless & networks, then "Wi-Fi settings".  this is where you can choose what Wifi access point to connect to, but there's also some options hidden.  To see them just tap the menu button again and choose advanced.  What we're interested in is "Wi-Fi sleep policy".  Tap it, and set it to "Never".  What this does is keep your phone from switching to the 3G or 4G radio when the screen shuts off.  Those radios need more power than the Wifi radio does, so any time we can keep Wifi alive we're saving energy.  Remember to put a shortcut or widget on your homescreen to quickly turn Wifi on and off for those times when you're not around an access point.  This will keep your phone from scanning for available networks.

 

 3. Set up your Homescreens

 

 You've got several of them, and with Android you can really put them to good use.  Besides choosing a picture or a live wallpaper app for your background, there's all sorts of ways to put information and tools right at your fingertips with widgets, shortcuts, and folders.
Widgets are a favorite of many, including yours truly.  You can find one for just about anything, ranging from instant weather information to rolling dice.  While many are important tools, a lot of them are just plain fun, too.  A good number of them will come on your phone, and the Android Market is full of many, many more.
Some apps will add items to the Shortcuts menu, and give you a one-click way to perform the associated tasks.  Same goes for folders; included with your phone are a few live folders for contacts and files, but apps like Facebook can give you new ones.  Of course, you can also create a regular folder to store app shortcuts in.
To have a look at what's included with your phone as well as anything you've downloaded, just long press on a blank area of your home screen.  Choose the option from the list, and drop it somewhere it fits.  If you change your mind, Just press and hold on the widget, shortcut, or folder and in a second or two you'll be able to drag it down to the trash can.  This doesn't delete the app from your phone, it just removes the content from your home screen.

4. Move apps to your SD card

Since version Android 2.2 (Froyo), Android has included the ability to move apps from your device's internal application storage to the microSD card you've placed in your phone.  Not all apps can be moved / the developer has to code them properly and things like widgets, live wallpapers and anything else that needs to run as soon as the phone boots up shouldn't be moved to the SD card at all.  But things like games and other big apps will usually move right over, leaving only a small bit of information behind.
Moving them is easy as pie.  From your homescreen, press the menu button, then choose settings.  From the settings menu, choose applications, then Manage applications.  Find the app you want to move in the list, and tap it's list entry.  If it can be moved, you'll see a button that says "Move to USB storage".  Press it, and go!

 

 

5. Enable "sideloading"

Sideloading simply means the installation of apps without going through the official Android Market.  That in and of itself is by no means nefarious, as there are several other marketplaces and app stores for Android.  There's no need to root or jailbreak your new Android phone to do it, it's a simple affair.  Smell that?  It's called open :)
From your homescreen, press the menu button and choose Applications from the list.  At the top of the screen, you'll see an entry called Unknown sources.  Check the box, and read the warning.  The warning is real, so be mindful of what apps you download  -- there are some folks out there that get a kick out of hurting others.  But if you get your apps from somewhere reputable, you'll be just fine.
If you use an AT&T-branded Android phone, you won't have this option.  In their infinite wisdom they have decided that not allowing this somehow keeps you safe.  But that's easy to work around, just have a look at the Sideload Wonder Machine.

 

6. Uninstalling downloaded apps

With over 150,000 apps in the Android Market, and countless others from other app stores, you're bound to install something and decide you don't want it any longer.  You can uninstall an app tied to your Android Market account right from it's page in the Market, but for those sideloaded apps (and if you want to do it offline) there's an easier way.
From your homescreen, press the menu button and choose Applications from the list.  In the next screen, choose Manage applications.  Find the app you no longer want in the list and press it's list entry.  After that, uninstalling is an easy affair -- just press the button.

 

 

 

7. Copying ringtones to the right place, so they appear in the ringtone menu

Customizing your Android phone with your favorite sounds is easy!  Download a few in either .mp3 or .ogg format and save them on your computer.  Connect your phone to your computer as described right here and look for a folder named media.  If you don't have one, that's not a problem -- just create it.  Inside the media folder, you can place your sounds in one of three places; notifications, ringtones, or alarms.  Again, if those aren't there just create them.  Decide what your sound would be best suited as, and place it in the correct folder.  That's all there is to it.  Unplug your phone following the direction in the link above, and you'll find your custom sounds bundled in the menu with the built-in sounds, ready to use.

8. Change your screen brightness level

We throw words like AMOLED, or Super-LCD around like candy, because Android phones usually come with the latest technology.  But no matter what type of screen you may have, there will be times you need to adjust the brightness, and it's quite easy to do.
From your homescreen, press the menu button, and choose settings.  From the list that appears, choose Display.  Tap the Brightness entry, and from there you can either have the screen change the brightness depending on the surroundings (Automatic brightness setting), or uncheck it and use the slider to set it to a level that's most comfortable for you.
Like we mentioned in the Wifi sleep policy section, this is another great candidate for a widget.  One may have been included with your phone, but if not, there are plenty of options in the Android Market.  One thing to keep in mind here is that the brighter you keep the screen, the more battery it will use.  Choose wisely.

 

 

 

 

9. Setting individual volume levels for different types of alerts

 

While there's a handy volume rocker on the side of your Android phone, there's also a settings menu that lets you adjust things with a bit more control.  It's a great way to make sure you're going to hear your morning alarm, even if you have lowered the ringer volume for class or an important meeting.
From your homescreen, press the menu button and choose settings.  In the window that opens, choose Sound, and you'll see a whole slew of options for control of the noises your phone makes.  Check them all out, but be sure to tap the Volume entry and you'll get a set of sliders for individual levels for Ringtones, Alarms, Media, and if you like you can set Notifications to their own level separate from the phone ringer.
There are a few other settings that are hidden, including a master volume level.  If you need to get to these, you can download apps from the Market that show all the volume levels for the ultimate in control.

10. Password-protect your phone

If you're like any of us, you have your phone with you 24/7.  That means there will be plenty of chances to lose it, or even worse to have it be stolen.  While the cost of replacing the phone is a big concern, often the chance that someone can get into your stuff is the biggest nightmare.
With Android 2.2 and higher, you have plenty of options for locking your phone. There's the tried and true pattern unlock (which will be the only choice on phones running 2.1 or lower), and we also have the ability to lock via a personal identification number (PIN), or by alpha-numeric password.
To get to the security options, from your homescreen press the menu button, then choose Settings.  From there your phone may say Location and Security, or it may just say Security.  Security is what we're looking for so choose what's appropriate. Once there, choose Set up screen lock and follow the instructions for whichever method you choose.  Once you set your security option, you can set how quickly you want the phone to lock itself. Could be immediately, could be after five or 10 minutes.  If you use your phone in a corporate Exchange environment, you may have other options or even set rules to follow, but for most of us this is the best way to keep things safe.

Avivo is releasing some Galaxy S4 cases that are just plain

A unique three-piece design and countless color combinations offer both protection and great looks

Avivo has been selling their very stylish and unique cases for a while now, and the good news is that they are about to release a line specifically for the Samsung Galaxy S4. The phon
e is a thundering success, and with so many of them out there it's only natural for some of the "designer" premium case manufacturers to offer their top-of-the-line gear for the Galaxy S4. And that's exactly what Avivo did with the new RAIL Carbonate cases.
Jump past the break, and let's have a good look at what Avivo is bringing to the table.

They offer everything you want from a case covering your S4. They protect the corners, they lift the screen if you place them face-down, all the cut-outs for ports and mechanisms for the buttons are flawless, and it will provide you with protection from every day scratches and bumps that always happen. But the RAIL Carbonate cases do it with extra style and function.
The case is a three-piece design. You have what they call the Jacket, which is a full cover for the rear that snaps into place / they sent us both a black and white model with a very nicely detailed weave pattern. You can choose to use just the Jacket if you prefer a slim design that's easy to get on and off. You can add the RAIL / which is a soft-touch frame that encircles the phone and snaps onto the Jacket for superior protection on the sides and some room to keep the glass off the table when laying face-down. The RAIL is also precision cut and has gold highlights for the button mechanisms to match the accents on the Jacket. While this combo isn't something you would want to use out in the field or on the jobsite, it's plenty tough enough to withstand normal everyday use for those of us who don't need that extra (protection and bulk) that something like an OtterBox offers.
There's also a third option. Included with the packaging is what Avivo calls the Frame. It's a thin and light piece that snaps around the edges of your S4, and provides a point of attachment for the RAIL. When used together, you have a bumper-style case that looks great and is pretty tough.

As mentioned, we've tried the Jackets in both black and white, but Avivo also sent some samples of their colored RAILS. In our base kit the black RAIL was included, but we also had pink, baby blue and purple to have a look at. These RAILS not only attach to the Frame for the bumper-look, they also incorporate with the Jacket the same way the bundled piece does. This gave us a ton of different looks to try, and we think they all look really great. I'm especially fond of what I call the "Tuxedo Look" / the white Jacket and the black RAIL, as pictured below.

The Avivo cases are scheduled to be officially announced this week, so expect availability and pricing information them. In the meantime, take it from me — and I'm not a big case guy / these are some of the nicest cases I've used, and the look is spectacular. You can check out the current line-up for the iPhone at Avivostyle.com, and I've put together a massive gallery (you'll need to view the full desktop version of the site to see it, be warned it's huge!) below with some pictures of the details and color combinations.

Whos buying an iPhone today Fess up

Here at Android Central it's just another Friday. But elsewhere it's iPhone day, with Apple releasing two new smartphones simultaneously for the first time ever. And we're sure some of you will be tempted to pick up the new iPhone 5s, with its optional gold exterior and 64-bit CPU. Or maybe the plastic fantastic iPhone 5c is your thing, with its numerous color options.
We're not here to judge, so feel free to fess up down in the comments. And if you're staying loyal to the Android army let us know which Android phone you're using / or thinking of picking up / instead of Apple's latest.
You'll find more iPhone launch day coverage from our friends over on iMore.

Moving apps to the SD card on the Samsung Galaxy S4 (GTI9500)

Apps-to-SD support is coming to the Galaxy S4 in a new software update - here's how to use it.

Samsung's answer to the controversy over storage space on the Galaxy S4 has been to resurrect an old Android feature / the ability to move apps to your SD card. By offloading heavier apps to your expandable storage the S4 supports microSDXC cards up to 64GB you're able to save precious internal storage for other stuff, like the many apps that can't be moved to the SD card. That's right, just like in the Froyo Android 2.2 days, developers have to specifically allow you to move apps to the SD card, and some popular apps don't support the feature.
Nevertheless, if you're big on gaming, the latest mobile titles can take several hundred megabytes each, and the ability to move these apps to the SD card is a great way to save space. The update to allow apps to be moved to the SD card is rolling out now to unlocked German Galaxy S4s, and other regions and carriers should follow in the weeks ahead.
In the meantime, you can check past the break for our video walkthrough.

How to use the Google Play Wishlist feature

The Wishlist feature is a part of Google Play that doesn't get much exposure.

Added in the fall of 2012 during the first Play Store refresh, it's a handy tool to help you keep track of all the stuff you want from Google Play.

Apps, books, movies, TV shows, magazines and music can all be added to your Wishlist, and while there is no way to share your list with friends and family just yet, it does put everything into one easy to manage spot on your phone or tablet.

Adding and removing items is easy, you'll find the Wishlist icon at the top of every item in Google Play. It's like a toggle switch, so if an item isn't on your list tapping will put it there, and if it is on your list a tap will remove it.

To manage your list, the Google Play app menu has an entry for its page, and a tap takes you there. From your Wishlist page you can buy, rent, install or delete any item.
The Wishlist hasn't made its way to the web interface yet, so this is something you'll need to do from your phone or tablet.

We have a feeling that's going to change when Google releases the new Play Store website, but for now know that you need an Android device to take advantage.

We've got a short tutorial after the break that will help it all make sense if you're not following. Have a watch, then grab your phone and start making that list.

How to install Android apps from the Google Play site

Installing Android apps to your phone or tablet from any computer with a web browser

Google is one of the biggest web service companies around. Their cloud-based apps and services can do some pretty wild and wonderful things, and we're about to look at one of them / installing apps to your Android device remotely through the Google Play website.
All the complicated issues, like making sure apps are compatible and available for you, or keeping track of which device(s) you're currently using are done by Google behind-the-scenes, leaving us with just a few clicks needed to make some serious magic happen. All you need is an Android device registered with Google Play, and a computer with a modern web browser.
There's a complete video walkthrough of the process after the break, but we'll spend a few minutes and talk about it as well. This is the way I install almost all my apps, because I only have to find them once and can install them to any device I may have in service. It goes a little something like this.
Visit our Google Play mini-site for everything there is to know about Google Play

Point your browser at the Google Play website, and and choose Android apps from the "Shop" drop down in the upper left corner. You're whisked to the Android app store, where you'll find a slew of apps ready and waiting for you to install to your Android device. Finding the right app (the hardest part of the process sometimes) is up to you, but you'll notice plenty of blocks of featured apps, as well as a category list. Once you find the app you need to install, you're almost done!
On the apps page, near the left margin, click the Install button. You're presented with some information about the app you chose to install -- including those important app permissions / and a drop down to select which device to install it to. If you only have one Android device you're all set, but if you have more than one just choose the right one from the list. Once that's done, click the continue button. If it's a paid app you'll be presented with payment options, and it will walk you through the process.

Password protect Google Play app to prevent unwanted purchases

Money doesn't grow on trees. Take a few steps to password protect your Google Play purchases.

When it comes to things that cost real money, people tend to become a little more cautious. Nobody wants their child or kid brother accidentally buying a bunch of apps or in-app purchases from Google Play while they are supposed to be playing Angry Birds, and it's easy enough to do with just a few taps -- unless you've password protected your Google Play app.
With the password enabled, every time you try to spend money in Google Play, whether it be buying an app or book, renting a movie, or adding coins to your favorite game you'll need to enter your Google credentials to finalize the purchase. It's a great option, and one I suggest everyone enable. Luckily, it's easy to enable. Follow past the break to see how.
Visit our Google Play mini-site for everything there is to know about Google Play

 

Open the Google Play app on your phone or tablet, and go to the Settings menu by pressing the overflow button (those three dots in the upper right) or tapping the menu button if your phone has one. In the settings, scroll down about three-quarters of the page and you'll see a line item that says "Use password to restrict purchases",  with a check box to the right.
You can probably guess what to do next / check the box. You'll be presented with a pop up asking you to confirm your password. You Google account password goes in that field, the same one you use for Gmail and when you first set up your phone. Once you press the OK button, you'll have password protection enabled.
You'll use that same Google account password each time you try to buy something on Google Play, so there is no worry that pesky "accidental" purchases can happen. For security reasons, you'll also need to enter the password to change the setting / nobody can disable it unless they know your account login.
There is a lot of great content on Google Play, and plenty of it is well worth spending a dollar or two on. Do it the safe way and protect yourself.

Samsung Galaxy Note III on T-Mobile pre orders to start on September 18th

T-Mobile has announced they will start taking pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 beginning September 18th.

T-Mobile will offer the new device for $199.99 down and a monthly payment of $21 for 24 months, for a total cost of $704. T-Mobile indicates the devices will start shipping on or before October 2nd.

The Samsung Galaxy Gear and the Galaxy Note 3 are expected to be available in retail stores, select dealers, and online at the T-Mobile web site beginning October 2nd.

Buyers will have to sign up for a T-Mobile Simple Choice Plan and they can optionally sign up for the JUMP! program.

If you are interested in signing up to be notified when the ordering window opens, hit the source link, or wait until the 18th when per-ordering goes live.
source: T-Mobile

MiniSuit Keyboard Case for the Nexus 7

 

The idea of a physical keyboard on a 7-inch tablet is a questionable one, but this case makes us consider the proposition more seriously

The Nexus 7 are generally better suited for on-screen keyboard input than their 10-inch counterparts, but what if you want to push the capabilities of your tablet more towards a laptop? We've seen wireless keyboards of all shapes and styles for many different devices, but ones that are made to fit a 7-inch tablet walk a very fine line of staying compact without compromising usability.
MiniSuit has had a keyboard folio-style case for the Nexus 7 (2012) on the market for some time now, and has updated the line for the 2013 revision of the tablet. It's a relatively compact, nice-looking and well-made case that also pulls double duty as a full-featured — but hardly full-sized — keyboard accessory. Hang with us after the break where we take a closer look at the MiniSuit Keyboard Case for the Nexus 7 (2013).

Build quality and materials

For an accessory that retails for just $25 on Amazon, the MiniSuit Keyboard Case seems to be built surprisingly well with good material choices. The entire outside of the case is covered with a black stitched leather that gives it a more business-like folio look, which may not be the look everyone is going for but certainly looks and feels premium. The inside of the case is lined with a microfiber material, but the palm rest and holder for the tablet are the same leather material as the outside.

 

You fit the Nexus 7 into place by sliding it in from the center of the case, where a flap then wraps around it to hold it in position. The leather gives enough that the tablet fits snugly, but it will still move around a little bit in your bag when it gets bumped. The case has all the right cutouts for the buttons, front-facing camera, light sensor and LED notification light around front and the rear-facing camera and speaker on the back.

More: Google Nexus 7 (2013) review

Opposite the tablet you'll find the real reason anyone will buy this case — the keyboard itself. Contrary to many keyboards that try to go as thin as possible to cut down on bulk, this one has struck a balance of giving the keyboard enough thickness to have proper travel on the keys as well as a solid battery. The keyboard portion of the case is about as thick as the Nexus 7 with its leather holder, and we're completely fine with the thickness tradeoff here.

 

When you close and open the case, a magnet inside turns the Nexus 7's screen on and off, which is a nice touch. When you are planning to keep the case closed, a leather flap extends from the keyboard side of the case and into a strap on the opposite side. The flap can be tough to get into the strap at first but you quickly figure out how to manage it. The leather-on-leather contact keeps the case held together just fine.
If you want to get the keyboard out of the way, it flips all the way back to present you with just the tablet and can even still pop out the kickstand for some video watching if you would like. Don't get this case expecting to easily use the tablet alone though, you really lose the basic one-handed use and portability of the Nexus 7 with this keyboard attached to it.

Ergonomics and usability

MiniSuit has managed to fit a nearly fully-appointed keyboard into the case, while still keeping it just as wide as a landscape Nexus 7, but that doesn't mean that there aren't tradeoffs in using a keyboard this small. The key travel and feedback is actually much better than we would expect, with proper switches behind each key, but the keys themselves are borderline too small. While the case seems to have used the width of the case pretty efficiently, we think that the keyboard layout could have been improved.
For example you're getting dual shift keys, dedicated caps lock and tab keys and directional arrows on a keyboard that could really benefit from reclaiming some of these keys for the main QWERTY layout. It's hard to say just how much more comfortable the typing experience could be if the keyboard was another 1.5-inches wider, but it surely wouldn't hurt.

 

After spending a good amount of time typing on the keyboard, we actually became quite quick and accurate despite its size. We have large hands that are perfectly suited on a standard 13 or 11-inch laptop keyboard, and while there are definitely things to get used to when moving to a smaller keyboard you can do so in a short amount of time. The biggest things for us were getting used to using the function ("fn") key to access special characters like apostrophes and quotes, as well as accessing Android navigation like "back" and "home."
Ergonomically, the kickstand puts the Nexus 7 at just the right angle for us to be comfortable with viewing it — which is a good thing because it isn't adjustable. The tablet is positioned towards the "top" of the case as well, meaning you're not craning your neck down as much as you would expect. Unless you have smaller than average hands you won't actually be using the palm rest for much of your palms, but we had no problems getting into a generally comfortable position while typing.
In terms of battery life, the keyboard case seems to hold up quite well. We charged our case the suggested 3-4 hours before pairing it up and using it, and even with hours of active connection and typing we didn't have to charge it up. This seems to be about par for the course for Bluetooth keyboards, and we're glad its the case here as well.

Does a 7-inch tablet really need a keyboard?

After using the MiniSuit Keyboard Case and our own Nexus 7 (2013) to write this entire review, we're not entirely sold on the proposition of using a keyboard case on such a small device. It adds quite a bit of bulk and kills tablet-only use, all for a questionably-sized keyboard that pairs up with a small screen that isn't really suited to text input work in the first place. There's no doubt that a physical keyboard will always trump an on-screen one, but that doesn't always mean it's a good tradeoff.
If you see yourself needing to do lots of text input on your Nexus 7 (2013) and can deal with a generally cramped and quirky keyboard layout, the MiniSuit Keyboard Case might fit the bill for you. It adds a more thickness than your average folio case but gives you a nice build as well as keys with good travel and responsiveness — and for the price, it's hard to beat.

Android 101: Using copy and paste

A powerful yet completely hidden feature is easy to use once you find it.

Those of us who have been using Android for many months and years may take it for granted, but the ability to copy and paste text on our phones isn't the most discoverable feature in the OS. Android has steadily marched away from "hidden" features behind long-press actions since Ice Cream Sandwich was released, but copy & paste is one of the last big features holding on.
Adding to some of the confusion are different apps and manufacturer software customizations that handle copy & paste differently, which certainly isn't helping new users. Hang tight after the break where we quickly break down using one of the more useful features of your Android phone or tablet.

 

Although there are some small differences in implementation, the general process of using copy & paste is quite simple. Find the block of text that you'd like

o copy, and do a long press on it. A menu will pop down from the top of the screen and you'll see small tabs and a highlight on the selected text appear as well. Drag the tabs to select the desired text you wish to copy, and look up to that new menu.
In the top bar, from left to right are options to select all text, copy selected text, share the selected text and perform a Google search on the selected text. The buttons aren't the most intuitive, but once you're used to what they do this copy & paste menu becomes quite useful. When you want to paste the text you copied, simply do another long press in a text field and select the "paste" option that pops up.
As we noted before, many of us are already pros with copy & paste and other basic functions on Android, but remember that many of us are also new to the platform. Use this opportunity (and guide) to show someone you know how to better take advantage of the copy & paste functions on their own Android, and they'll be on their way to power user status in no time.

A Nexus fans take on the Moto X

It all started when Phil sent me the review unit

Motorola will ask for it back soon, but I've had it long enough to know a few things, and get a pretty good feel for this phone. And that's good, because as I've expressed before, I'm not buying one from a carrier and Motorola is taking their sweet time to offer an unlocked version. More on why that was a mistake a little later. Likely, my constant crying concern about the issue is what prompted Phil to send it here. I'm a pain in the ass when I'm whiny and cranky, and like a baby with a pacifier, the review unit shut me up. I'm able to admit this.
Anyway, like I said I've had the Moto X long enough to have a solid feel for the thing, and to make some pretty strong comparisons against what I think was the best Android phone in a long time - the Nexus 4. So let's do that.

Let me start by saying I really like most Android phones. I'm pretty vocal about their shortcomings, and I can be hard on the people who make them and the people who provide us the service we need to use them. I bitch about phones and bugs not because they aren't great out-of-the box, but because they could be so much better. I complain about the stupid things Google does, because those stupid things affect all of us. Most users do the same, I just happen to do it for a living. At heart, I'm an Android user and fan, just like you.
Having said this, I'll freely admit that I think Nexus phones are usually a better representation of Android than any others. No S-somethings, or G-somethings or silly nonsense to get in the way of the Android experience. You might read this as "Jerry hates features." You're partially right. I hate features that get in my way. But I love features that do something better than Google did it, like Samsung's Blocking Mode (Christ, why has Google not done this yet?) or LG's Knock-Knock feature. These make Android better. I have to head to Google Play and buy apps to do these simple things on my Nexus. You surely have things your phone does that you just love, and get what I'm trying to say here.
I do understand that if the folks building the phones stop trying all sorts of new things, those little jewels won't show up. But in the end, I've always found that I would rather dig through Google Play for a way to do the few really good things manufacturers come up with than sift through the mountain of bad things they cram in the software. When you increase the size of the operating system by about 700MB, there's an awful lot of crap in there that I just don't want to deal with.
And this is where Motorola finally got it right.
Motorola took the software from my Nexus 4, added just a few things (as far as the user-facing features, that is) to it and called it a day. There is no eye-tracking that won't work with my glasses. There is no insanely stupid system that shuts my Wifi off if the phone sits with the screen locked too long. There is no crap. Even digging through all the settings gives you just a few useful features to manage. But those few extras are pretty damn awesome.

Software

I just can't go back to a phone without active notifications.
Yes, I know the cool "OK, Google Now" voice stuff is flashy, and looks mighty impressive when you show it to your friends. But I'm just never going to talk to my phone, unless someone is on the other end talking back. I want voice-enabled actions to be there for those few times when someone wants or needs to use them, but Apple and Siri showed us that nobody really wants to talk to their phone like it's a friend or a lover or a butler. At first, it seemed pretty cool, but it grew old quickly. I'm actually pretty upset that voice commands seem to be the only real way to add a Google Now reminder. OK Google Now, remind me to never talk to my phone if I don't have to.
But those active notifications.
It's amazing. I get far too many emails for one man to answer in a day. That's because most of them are just random trash from some spammer who wants  to buy bolts and washers from their Chinese supplier, and they grabbed whatever email they could find to send it to. It's disruptive, and Phil, Alex and Andrew will agree with me. The amount of mail we get is nuts, and it takes very careful filtering and management to ferret out the ones that need to be read and replied to in the mess that the spam and junk creates. The Moto X lets me grab my phone and tap the screen to see exactly what every message is. It sounds lazy, but it works really well, and works every time. That's more than I can say for the apps that try to replicate it. They're ingenious, and a testament to the fact that Android has some of the craftiest developers on any platform, but they're not nearly as reliable and they kill my battery.
I think the trusted Bluetooth device setting is pretty cool, but for the way I use things it's not necessary because I don't have to unlock my phone to check my messages. The unlock with NFC (read as: the Motorola Skip) is neat, but Motorola only allows it to work with their special tags that cost you $20 a pop. Screw that.
But the active notifications on top of software that looks, feels and acts just like my Nexus 4 is pretty sweet. It has changed the way I use my phone, and I can't go back. I hope Google adds some sort of similar magic in the next Nexus with Android 4.4, because if they don't I have a really difficult decision to make.

Hardware

The Moto X feels as good while I'm holding it as the Nexus S did. It's got the perfect shape and size for me, and I'm a complete one-handed fool while using it. Above all, the way it lays in my hand feels natural. The same things can't be said about the Nexus 4. I love the glass and look of the Nexus 4, but after using the Moto X it just doesn't fit as well. The X is plastic, but it's not that nasty slippery plastic that feels like crap in your hand. Does the Nexus 4 feel like it's made better? Yes. But not enough for me to care.
The phone freaking flies, both on the home screen and while running apps. It's every bit as "fast" and lag-free as the Nexus 4, and I have the feeling a lot of time and effort went into optimizing the software to work with the hardware. Whatever it is, it's done well. One thing you won't see from users of the Moto X or the new Droids is anyone saying that they are laggy. The Moto X is in that upper echelon of Android phones that are fast and smooth enough that one isn't any better than the other — the Nexus 4, the HTC One and the GPe Galaxy S4.

It manages to do this without the CORES! CORES! CORES! that people like to chant and scream about. Everyone has a theory why, but in the end I don't really care. It's fast, it's smooth and it works great for everything I ask it to do. If you want to carry on about the specs and call it mid-range, more power to you. Call it whatever you like. I'll just use it because it's smooth as hell while you're telling me it can't be.
It also has really nice battery life. Feel free to cruise the internet for reviews and forum threads filled with screenshots and numbers, but the way I use my phone I only have to charge it every other day. I still plug it in every night, but it's nice to know that if I were camping or passed out in a parking lot overnight somewhere, it would still be going the next morning. This is important to me. If it's important to you, then you'll want to ask around and see what other folks have to say about the battery life, too. I have no complaints about the battery in my Nexus 4, but the Moto X does it better, and I can't deny that.
I will say that the screen isn't as crisp or clear as it is on the Nexus 4. Maybe that's a by-product of it being AMOLED, or maybe LG makes a better screen than whoever made them for Motorola, but it's not as sharp for reading text — which is something I do a lot of on my phone. Any other time, the screen doesn't bother me. This review unit has a squirrelly pink hue to the whites, and if I had paid for it I would have it replaced, but that's a gamble with all AMOLED phone displays. It's not bad enough to worry about on a review unit I don't get to keep, but I notice it from time to time. (And a later unit Phil got came without the extra pink, so there's that.)
The camera isn't as magical as Motorola and Guy Kawasaki want us to think it is, but it's good enough. Keep it in HDR mode and set it to tap and focus, and most of the pictures are plenty good enough for sharing on the Internet or getting small prints made up from a kiosk somewhere. If you want something "professional" looking to come out of your smartphone camera, you're not going to find it. Buy a damn camera.
I'm not sure why some folks have issues with the camera and I don't — I've seen sample pictures from this very unit that really, really sucked — but in the end it's as good or better than the camera in the Nexus 4. Here are a few examples. Click them and open them up bigger, then you decide. To me, these are good enough.

 

 

Calls sound great, but calls sound great on my Nexus 4 as well. I'm one of the lucky people who has good AT&T service, and usually have no issues with calls, texts, or data. The few times I've been somewhere with LTE the transition was seamless, and only the status bar indicated that anything was different. I'm not torrenting porn or Photoshop from my phone, so maybe that's why I'm not worried about the ZOMG LTE speeds. Again, good enough is good enough, and for a smartphone, the data speeds in the 4-7MB/sec range I get from AT&T 3G are good enough. Having said this, I do get faster speeds from my Nexus 4 — but I only notice them when I'm running a speed test. If you live in a place where AT&T has LTE, you'll get faster speeds from the Moto X. At this stage of the game, the phone itself has very little to do with the data speeds you see. It's the network technology and signal strength that matter.
Bluetooth, Wifi, GPS and all the various sensors seem to work as advertised. Navigation with Google Maps — the only time voice commands are worth a damn in my opinion — is fine and accurate. Wifi speeds are the same as every other phone here, and Bluetooth works the way it's supposed to work with a headset, sending files to a laptop, or with my Pebble. It won't sync with a Fitbit, but I think that's more a license thing with Samsung than it is a hardware or software issue — corporations are greedy.

Enough. Which one is better — the Nexus 4 or the Moto X? 

The question every one of us here hates to answer — "Which phone is better?" We try not to answer it, because "better" for one of us may not be "better" for you. I'm going to break that mold this one time and come out and say it:
The Moto X is a better phone than the Nexus 4.
I hate saying that. It goes against every feeling inside me about freedom and open and value and puppies and everything else that makes me who I am. Some OEM software-toting piece of plastic can't possibly be better than the freedom and HOLOYOLO you get from the Nexus 4, right? This time it is.
This doesn't mean the Nexus 4 still isn't a great phone. Don't worry my little precious, I still love you. The price can't be beat, and the phone is yours to do whatever the hell you want to do with it once you open the box. Google even gives you an easy way back when you screw things up. That's special, and something most companies will never do. Motorola doesn't do it with the Moto X. They may offer a boot loader unlock program for some models, but you're pissing away your warranty and any hope of customer service if you participate in it. Moto only did it because they want us to shut up, while Google does it because it's the right thing to do.
But in the end, when you need a smartphone that's a productive tool, the Moto X just does it better than any other I've tried. I purposefully put off writing this for about a month, just to make sure the new-phone feeling went away, and I still feel the same way.
I'm going to hold off on buying anything until I see what the next Nexus is like — and that's where Motorola lost a sale because they are too busy fellating the carriers to worry about the consumers, or I'd have a bright yellow one in my hands right now. But if the next Nexus — whether it be the Nexus 5 or the Nexus 4 (2013) or the Nexus PartyBarge — can't work for me the way the Moto X does, I'll not be using it as my daily driver.
I just can't go back.

Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Gear

The Samsung smart watch

Long rumored, and frequently leaked, today the Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watch is finally official, and we’ve had the chance to spend some time with Samsung’s new wearable device.
First things first, if you were concerned about an overabundance of glossy plastic or a cheap-feeling design , a common criticism of some Samsung phones , don’t be. The Galaxy Gear is an attractive, well-built piece of technology that looks like a premium sports watch. The front is furnished in metal and sapphire glass, while the matte plastic body blends seamlessly into the soft-touch, rubberized strap. It’s comfortable to use and comfortable to wear.
The Gear is, however, rather large , larger than the watch you’re wearing now, most likely, which could cause problems depending on the size of your wrists. The challenges involved in miniaturizing smart electronics into a package you can wear on your wrist mean that this is an issue we’ll probably see on future smart watches, too.
Regardless, with the relatively large design comes a large touchscreen, for a watch. The screen itself measures 1.63 inches diagonally, and is home to a 320x320 SuperA MOLED panel. There’s a single button on the right edge, which functions as a home button and the watch can be charged through pogo pins on the underside. (There’s a special charging housing for the Gear that doubles as a sort of display stand.)
There’ll be six flavors of Galaxy Gear available Jet Black, Mocha Gray, Wild Orange, Oatmeal Beige, Rose Gold, and Lime Green which is actually more of a yellow. The orange and yellow models in particular are extremely striking, while the greys and blacks cut a classier, more understated profile.

The Galaxy Gear’s UI fairly unobtrusive, with a bare minimum of visual clutter. The main way you’ll interact with the watch is by swiping in various directions usually left to right, to navigate between things like call logs, contacts, the clock face, notifications and favorite apps. Swiping down (to go up) will bring up the camera app.
That’s right, this is a watch with a camera a 1.9-megapixel unit, to be precise, loaded onto the front of the strap. It sounds impractical, but we found it relatively easy to able to get into the camera app with a quick swipe-down and then tap the screen to take a picture. Image quality is likely to be roughly comparable with the kind of front-facing camera you’d find on a smartphone. 720p video recording is supported too, and there’s also a miniature gallery app to let you view your photos directly on the watch. (Pictures, incidentally, are synced between watch and phone.)

 

As a companion device to Samsung’s Galaxy phones, integration is rooted deep into the OS. Based on which message notification you’re viewing on the watch, for example the paired smartphone will know what to show you when you power on the screen. Other features include a trimmed-down version of Samsung’s S Voice assistant application, which allows you to set reminders and make calls using voice controls.

The Gear also doubles as a hands-free accessory, and can be used to make calls thanks to its array of speakers and microphones though just like taking pictures with a tablet, you’ll look somewhat ridiculous talking into your wrist.
The device’s capabilities aren’t limited to first-party apps, however , Samsung’s also managed to bring in support from a strong line-up third-party devs including Evernote, eBay, MyFitnessPal, Pocket, Path, Run Keeper and Trip-it.
All of this is managed on the smartphone side through the Gear Manager app. This is your one-stop hub for controlling things on a larger screen, and from here you can swap in watch faces, manage your apps and even cause your phone to ring if it’s lost. Another optional security feature lets you long-press the home key to activate a “panic” mode, using the watch’s camera to take pictures and send, along with a message, to emergency contacts.

So there’s a lot going on with the Galaxy Gear, and so unsurprisingly the watch’s battery life isn’t going to match that of simpler smart watches like the Pebble, even though both use the Bluetooth Low Energy standard. Samsung tells us the Gear should last for around a 24 hours of heavy use, which potentially means you’ll have yet another thing to plug in at the end of the day.

For the moment, the Galaxy Gear is undoubtedly the most advanced smart watch out there, but that could be about to change in short order, as arch-rival Apple prepares to enter the wearable computing space. What’s more, the requirement to use a Samsung smartphone with the Gear could limit its appeal. For what it’s worth, Samsung’s billing the Gear as as “companion” to the Galaxy Note 3 at launch.
But it’s still way too early to say how successful the watch will be in the long-run the device is new and the competition unknown. But you can bet we’ll continue to bring you all the latest Galaxy Gear developments as the device approaches its Sept. 25 release date.