[Nexus New Year's Worldwide Ultimate Giveaway] Win One Of Ten (Yes, Ten) Galaxy Nexuses From AVAST And Android Police

ANDROID POLICE AND AVAST GALAXY NEXUS GIVEAWAY CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES

1. Eligibility

ANDROIDPOLICE.COM, A CALIFORNIA SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP (referred to herein as “Contest Provider”) IS THE PROVIDER OF THIS CONTEST. THIS CONTEST IS OPEN ONLY TO RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, MEXICO, CHILE, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, SINGAPORE, ISRAEL, INDIA, FRANCE, BELGIUM, THE UNITED KINGDOM, LUXEMBOURG, GERMANY, AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, SWEDEN, FINLAND, DENMARK, NORWAY, SPAIN, IRELAND, RUSSIA, THE NETHERLANDS, SOUTH KOREA, SOUTH AFRICA, TAIWAN, ITALY, PORTUGAL, SLOVENIA, ESTONIA, LATVIA, LITHUANIA, ROMANIA, SLOVAKIA, MALAYSIA, VIETNAM, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, CROATIA, THE UKRAINE, POLAND, BULGARIA, AND HUNGARY WHICH ARE OVER THE AGE OF MAJORITY IN THEIR COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE ON THE DATE REFERENCED BELOW AS THE START DATE FOR THE CONTEST ("ENTRANTS"). If you are under the legal age of majority in your country of residence, but are (i) over the age of 13 years of age and a resident of the United States of America, or a member country of the European Union other than Spain, or the United Kingdom; (ii) who is least 14 years of age and a resident of Spain, the United Kingdom, or Russia; or (iii) who is at least 15 years of age and is a resident of the Republic of Korea; one of your parents or legal guardians must submit a signed, written statement that they have read, understood and agree to these Contest rules with your entry, and that such agreement constitutes acceptance of these Contest rules on behalf of you and themselves.  All applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. There is no cost to enter or win. Offer void where prohibited.

2. Disclaimer

Contest Provider will not be responsible for: (a) any late, lost, or misrouted transmissions or entries; (b) any Contest disruptions, injuries, losses or damages caused by events beyond the control of Contest Provider; or (c) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Contest.

3. Contest Period

The Contest begins January 2nd, 2012 at 2:00PM Pacific Time and will continue until January 7th, 2012 at 11:59PM Pacific Time (the "Deadline"). All entries must be received before the Deadline to be eligible to win the Prize.

4. Prizes

Ten (10) eligible entrants will be chosen by the Contest Provider at random as “Winners,” and each will receive a “Prize,” one (1) Samsung "Galaxy Nexus" smartphone device, estimated retail value $740. Each winner will be allowed to choose to receive either a Verizon Wireless-compatible Galaxy Nexus, or a global GSM Galaxy Nexus.

The Prize will be provided “as is,” Contest Provider and Prize Provider provide no warranties of any kind, express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OR USE OF THE PRIZE ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNER.

Shipment of The Prize will be the sole responsibility of Contest Provider. Shipment method and carrier will be selected by Contest Provider. Contest Provider and Prize Provider assume no responsibility for loss of or damage to the prize prior to or during shipment. If the Prize, after shipment, is returned to the Prize Provider as undeliverable or for any other reason, Contest Provider and Prize Provider reserve the right to disqualify the Winner and to designate another Entrant as the Winner.

5. Collection of Information:

The Contest entry requires you to submit a first and last name, email address, and shipping address to meet the Contest’s Eligibility requirements.

If you are a citizen of France and/or any of the other countries whose citizens are eligible for this Contest, and pursuant to French law pertaining to data collection and processing, you are informed that the data collector is AndroidPolice.com, and the data collected will be transferred to the United States of America. Upon request, you will be provided with access to your personal data. To exercise this right, please contact giveaways@androidpolice.com.

The Winner consents to allowing Contest Provider to disclose the following information to Prize Provider for the purpose of awarding the Prize: (1) first and last name, (2) email address, and (3) shipping address. Shipping address must be located in one of the countries or regions listed in the Eligibility section. Failure to provide an address in one of the countries or regions listed in the Eligibility section will result in disqualification from the Contest.

6. General Release of Liability

By entering the Contest, you release the Contest Provider and Prize Provider from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Contest or delivery, misdelivery, acceptance, possession, use of or inability to use the Prize.

7. Affidavit and Release:

As a condition of being awarded the Prize, the Winner will be required to execute and deliver to Contest Provider a signed Affidavit of Eligibility, which includes an acceptance of these Official Rules and a release of liability. The Affidavit of Eligibility may be submitted by email.

8. Contest and Prize Providers:

Contest provided by Android Police. Prizing provided by AVAST Software. Any questions regarding the Contest should be directed via e-mail to Artem Russakovskii at giveaways@androidpolice.com.

9. Choice of Law:

The Contest and these Official Rules will be governed, construed and interpreted under the laws of the United States.

10. Miscellaneous:

Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of the Contest Provider, which are final and binding in all respects. Contest Provider reserves the right to change these Official Rules at any time, at its discretion, and to suspend or cancel the Contest or any entrant's participation in the Contest should any causes beyond Contest Provider’s control affect the administration, security or proper play of the Contest or Contest Provider otherwise becomes (as determined by its discretion) unable to run the Contest as planned.

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[Review] Avast! Mobile Security For Android

After getting a glimpse of Avast's new mobile security solution a few weeks ago, I just had to dive in and give the app a full review. Avast, the long-awaited marriage of Avast and IT Agents' Theft Aware (see our review), certainly doesn't disappoint. It has an insane number of features, all of which appear to work perfectly, and it sounds like things will only be improving with time.

And did I mention the full-featured, root-enhanced app is completely free with no paid version in sight? As in, even the previously paid (Theft-Aware used to cost 10EUR) features.

Check out this handy feature matrix:

And this video, which provides us with a quick overview of just a few of Avast's capabilities:

Avast Mobile Security is stunning not only in terms of functionality, but also in its design and usability. The app's interface is extremely polished, and handles Avast's myriad of features with ease, avoiding a cluttered feeling, and walking users through each feature gently, with full explanations of just what you're getting into. Apps with as long a list of features as Avast often feel too busy, and features sometimes aren't exactly practical. This is not the case with Avast. Each and every feature Avast offers is practical, sensible, and most importantly functional.

My only complaints with Avast are minor and really don't detract from its functionality at all.

If you haven't gotten the picture yet, Avast does just about everything you could ever need a security app to do. That being said, it will be easiest to discuss each feature separately, in order of their appearance.

First up is Avast's Virus Scanner. This feature is what you would expect, scanning apps and memory contents for viruses or other malware. For added convenience, users can schedule scans according to days of the week and specific time frames. The scanner looks through apps and SD card contents, to make sure you're safe from malware. Interestingly, users can schedule virus scans.

Of course, as a lot of us know, most new Android malware is only detected after it does some damage and oftentimes by the time virus definitions are updated, the malware is already long gone from the Market. Therefore, we won't put too much weight on the Virus Scanner - there are features in Avast that are way cooler and more useful.

 

Next is Avast's Privacy Advisor. This tool tells users which apps have access to which data, essentially organizing installed applications according to individual permissions. Avast includes a short description of each permission, making it easy for users to see exactly what each app can look at. As I'll discuss later, some of these permissions can be blocked using Avast's handy Firewall tool. Considering what a close eye users often keep on app permissions, this feature is extremely handy.

 

Avast's Application Management tool is a relatively simple task manager, but brings Avast's sleek UI and intuitive functionality to an otherwise run-of-the-mill feature. The App Management tool lists all running apps, and allows users to organize the list by size, memory, CPU usage, and a handful of other categories. When a user selects an app, Avast brings up a screen just like the one found in Android's native app management settings, with the added functionality of Avast's firewall options (more on that later). Adding subtle redundancies like these gives Avast a more cohesive feel, without making things feel cluttered or bogged down with unnecessary elements.

 

Web Shield is an excessively simple tool, controlled by just one check box, which actively protects users from online threats including phishing websites, malware, etc. This is a great idea, and  since it only works with the default Android browser, users of aftermarket browsers, such as Dolphin, Firefox, or Opera, probably won't need to bother with this tool at all.

Personally, I have never run into a malware issue while browsing the web, so I'm not exactly sure how often this feature comes into play, but I suppose it's comforting to know that the protection is there.

Avast also features call and SMS filters, meaning users can block incoming (and outgoing) calls and text messages according to contacts, groups, times, and days of the week, making it incredibly easy and intuitive to prevent unwanted messages or calls from being received or transmitted. This doesn't feel so much like a security option, as much as a feature thrown in for convenience. That being said, it's more sophisticated than many of the call/SMS blocker apps out there, functions perfectly, and is – in my opinion – a nice touch.

  

Remember the Firewall feature I mentioned earlier? Essentially, Avast's Firewall allows users to block certain apps from doing certain things, namely Wi-Fi access, 3G access, and roaming data access. This feature requires root, but can save a lot of data if you've got apps that like to eat up a lot of bandwidth.

Firewall features for root users aren't new to Android - in fact, we've been enjoying them ever since DroidWall came to the Market. However, DroidWall doesn't include roaming blocking features, and if you decide to go with Avast anyway for some of its other features, you might as well utilize the Firewall and consolidate several apps into one.

Avast's Anti-Theft functionality (the real meat of any security app, in my opinion) is almost as sophisticated as you'd expect after using the rest of Avast's features. If you're already familiar with Theft Aware, you'll recognize it immediately, albeit rebranded and much prettier.

The anti-theft protection is divided into two sections – basic settings and advanced settings.

    

Basic settings essentially allows users to enter their name, choose a password (for use when accessing the app itself), and remote control options (which is basically a list of "friend" numbers which can control your device via SMS in case of loss or theft). The more practical aspects of Avast's protection are in the advanced settings, however.

Avast has included many features in their anti-theft protection that I've been looking for in other apps for a while – namely, users can force a data connection (if rooted), and save Avast's settings in case of a data wipe.

First off, Avast offers a ton of options for when your device falls into the wrong hands. Users can set a variety of "protection behaviors" which will be triggered upon SIM card change, or when the device is marked as "lost." These include some fairly standard features like lock and siren, but Avast has added some new (and refreshing features) including forced data connection, and the ability to deny a thief access to USB debugging, program manager, and phone settings, which honestly seem a lot more practical than the basic protection behaviors found in other apps.

Anti-Theft's advanced settings menu includes an option to check for updates, which could be confusing. However, it's there because Anti-Theft, in fact, is a separate module (you can uninstall Avast and keep just Anti-Theft if you want), and updates to it are delivered independently of the main app. Theft Aware users will recognize this behavior from the good old days, as the TA Market app was just an installer. An extra handy feature, when installing updates, is the immediate option to install to root, essentially making Avast a system app and preventing it from being deleted or uninstalled. As you may remember from previous security reviews, this is a highly sought-after feature which certainly inspires confidence in an anti-theft solution.

The one (and only) complaint I have with Avast's anti-theft protection is that it relies solely on SMS commands, and has no online interface at the moment. That being said, Avast demoed the online interface to Artem privately in Prague, and assured us that it will be added in "early 2012," so the already sophisticated protection will soon be even closer to perfection.

Overall, Avast is an incredibly strong contender among mobile security apps. The fact that it's free is a huge plus, and serves as the icing on the cake. All of Avast's features seem to work perfectly, and are simply polished, intuitive, and well thought-out.

Besides the fact that we don't (yet) have an online interface to control Avast, I have just one other minor complaint, which is that Avast asks for my PIN way too often, even asking me to re-enter the pass code while navigating within the app. I suppose in the end this adds a marginal amount of security, but when using the app, it can be a pain.

The main settings menu also allows users to set options related to automatic software updates. At first, I was confused about them, but Avast clarified that they're actually not software updates but rather virus definition updates, and the wording will be refined in a future update.

Again, these are only very minor complaints. I honestly can't find much to complain about in terms of functionality or user experience, meaning this app is truly a winner. How does it stack up to other security apps? I think Avast is close to being beyond comparison, really. Avast is probably the most well-rounded security app I've used yet, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Considering it's completely free, I would definitely recommend clicking through the Market link below and start protecting your device with one of the most comprehensive, complete, and functional apps you'll ever see.

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[Update x2: Modern Combat 3 On Sale Today] Gameloft Bringing In The New Year With A Bang, All Games Will Be On Sale For $0.99 In The Android Market 12/29 - 1/5

If your new year's resolution is to kill more time playing games on your Android device (that's mine, anyway), then Gameloft is all ready to give you the hookup beginning on December 29th, when all of their games will be dropped down to mere $0.99 in the Market. The one exclusion to this deal is Modern Combat 3 - it will, however, go on sale for one day (though they didn't mention the price).

Gameloft has some pretty killer games, including titles like Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, N.O.V.A. 2 HD, 9MM HD, Order & Chaos Online, and more.

This deal will begin on Thursday, December 29th and run until January 5th, 2012.

Update 1/2: Modern Combat 3 is now $0.99, but there seems to be a glitch in the Market. If you search for Modern Combat 3, it shows the $0.99 price tag (and allows you to purchase it for that amount). However, once you click on the title, the price is $6.99. The aforementioned problem seems to be all good now. Hit the widget to buy! Thanks, Aki! Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation

Update 12/29: The deal is now live in the Market, hit the widgets below to buy!

Modern Warfare 2: Black Pegasus

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[Quick Look] Network Monitor Mini Is A Small, Unobtrusive App That Monitors Bandwidth In Real-Time

There are many reasons why you may need to keep an eye on what's going with your bandwidth at any given moment, especially while on a cell network. Perhaps you need to monitor a download that's going on in the background, or maybe you just need to make sure that no apps are hogging data without permission. Whatever the reason, if you've been searching for an easy to way to address this issue, we've found the solution: Network Monitor Mini.

Network Monitor Mini is one of the simplest, yet most useful apps we've ever used - it displays both upload and download speeds on the screen at all times. it sounds like it could be obtrusive, but it's so minimal, you barely notice it's there (unless you look directly at it, of course).

 

See it there? It's up in the top right corner - just a small, convenient little monitor. Of course, it doesn't have to be in the top right corner - you have the option of placing it in any of the four corners. It also has four color choices, including white, green, blue, and yellow; there is even an option to change the transparency of the background.

Like I said, it's just an extremely handy app to have installed. It's small, easy to use, provides a decent amount of customization, and, best of all, it's free. Hit the widget to grab it for yourself.

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Koush Does It Again: ClockworkMod Tether Alpha Circumvents Carrier Restrictions And Brings USB Tethering Without Root Access

At one point, tethering was a simple process - installing a program from the Android Market would enable the feature and you were good to go. Of course, carriers didn't like this, because instead of paying them an extra $30(ish) a month to use their hotspot service, you were gaining access to the feature for free. So they had many tethering apps pulled from the Market. Not only that, but many carriers put a block directly on devices that disallowed the use of common tethering apps.

Now, you can find "tethering" gracing many of the reasons to root your Android device articles across the net. But what about users who only want to tether and aren't confortable with rooting (or otherwise have no desire to gain root access)? Enter a new app from Koush, the mind behind some of the most important apps on Android, like ClockworkMod Recovery and ROM Manager. This new app, called ClockworkMod Tether, will allow users to bypass carrier tethering restrictions without root access.

 

This is a USB tethering solution and also requires a virtual network adapter to be installed on any computer (it's Mac, Windows, and Linux compatible) in which tethering will be used (also provided by Koush). At the current time, ClockworkMod Tether is still in its alpha stages, and as a result, Koush is asking for user feedback on the apps ease of setup and use, as well as how well it functioned during use.

If you're ready to give it a shot, head over to this Google+ posting to grab the download and give it a shot!

[Images via Addictive Tips]

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Can TiKL Work Between an Android & a BlackBerry Phone?

If your phone does not include push-to-talk functionality as a hardware feature, you can download free apps like TiKL to add this feature if you have a smartphone such as an iPhone or Android. While this service does work over carriers and phone types, it does not work between Android phones and BlackBerry devices because there is no BlackBerry version available.

TiKL is a free app available for smart devices such as Android phones that allows your phone to function like a walkie talkie with push-to-talk technology. The application adds a button to contacts in your phone list or Facebook friends which can initiate one-on-one or group voice sessions. You can also use TiKL for chat or text messaging sessions with your contacts.

While TiKL is compatible with a variety of Android devices and the iPhone, there is no version available for BlackBerry phones, despite the fact that BlackBerry devices are capable of using apps. Therefore, anyone in your network who uses a BlackBerry will be excluded from conversations using TiKL. However, if you're using Android or an iOS device, you can use TiKL across devices and carriers.

While TiKL does not work between Android and BlackBerry devices, you may consider the app Loudtalks. Loudtalks is compatible with the BlackBerry OS as well as Android and PCs with the Windows operating system. As of the time of publication, Loudtalks is the only cross-operating system compatible push-to-talk app. In the future, you may also be able to use the app TalkBox, which is currently only available for Android and iPhone, on your BlackBerry.

Push-to-talk solutions like TiKL that offer texting, voice and other communications that may not require minutes or text messaging units on your plan. However, they do use data, whether that is network data from your cellular provider or data from a local wireless area connection or WLAN. If you do not have unlimited data, you should track your usage with TiKL or other Internet-enabled apps.

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How to Know If Someone Hacks Into Your Android Phone

Android is the mobile platform hackers target the most, the cyber-security company McAfee reported in 2011. Google's smartphone offers hackers great opportunities because Google doesn't vet third-party apps for Android. Hackers can install malware inside an app, so that if you install it on your phone, it can send spam texts, hijack your personal data or siphon money out of your bank account. To protect yourself, only download apps from reputable sources, though even that doesn't guarantee safety. If a Trojan virus does sneak onto your phone, your phone's behavior may tip you off.

Difficulty:Moderate1

Watch what information your new apps request. The eSecurity Planet website reports that in 2011, 28 percent of Android apps wanted your phone's GPS location and 7.5 percent accessed stored contact information. Your apps have to request permission before accessing the data, so if you can't think of a reason a new app needs the information, don't authorize your Android to share.

2

Check your bill. Some viruses, rather than stealing data, play tricks, such as directing your Android to send masses of texts to expensive premium numbers. If you notice your texting minutes and costs suddenly spike upward for no good reason, that's a warning sign you've been hacked.

3

Install protective programs to sweep your phone and detect malware. There are several free programs on the market and more on the way, though because your Android has limited storage space, using the programs may slow down your device.

Some hackers have created malware that looks exactly like an Android antivirus program. Only download such security programs from a reliable source.

To protect against hackers, apply basic IT security principles when using your Android. Log off websites when you finish visiting them; be careful about visiting questionable websites or opening suspicious email; and require PINs or passwords to access sensitive data.

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Does the Android Phone Work Overseas?

American cell phone networks use frequencies and technologies not widely used internationally. Therefore, American Android phones do not work in other countries unless they are manufactured with the ability to do so. Phones with the capacity to operate in any country with a GSM network are referred to as quad-band phones, and those that can operate in any country with a CDMA or GSM network are referred to as world phones.

American cellular phone providers use two network types: GSM and CDMA. Phones designed for GSM networks do not work on CDMA networks and vice-versa. GSM and CDMA network are used internationally, but GSM networks in other countries use a different radio frequency than American GSM networks, therefore American GSM phones do not work on those systems. If you want to use an Android phone on a foreign GSM network, you must purchase a quad-band phone that works on the two American GSM frequencies and on the two international GSM frequencies.

Most of the world uses GSM networks, thus a quad-band GSM Android phone works almost anywhere in the world. Most European countries, South America, Asia and Oceania operate GSM networks. Roughly half of African countries use GSM networks. Other countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America and South America utilize CDMA networks in addition to or instead of GSM networks. Any CDMA Android phone will work in countries with a CDMA network if your service carrier has a roaming agreement in that country.

If you are on a GSM network, such as AT&T or T-Mobile, and you plan to travel to countries with GSM networks, you can purchase a quad-band Android phone. Be advised, however, that such phones will not work in countries that only have CDMA networks. If you are on a CDMA network, like Verizon, you should purchase an Android world phone if you intend to use it abroad. World phones can be used on CDMA networks and on any GSM network.

Major carriers have roaming agreements with other countries that allow you to use your Android phone's data and voice features on their networks. In general, these roaming costs are far more expensive than standard wireless phone service. If you will be spending a long time overseas and you are using a GSM phone or a world phone in a GSM country, you can save money by purchasing a subscriber identity module, or SIM card, from a cellular service provider at your destination. Replace the SIM card in your phone with the local SIM card that includes a cell phone number to make calls at local rates.

If your phone carrier does not provide service in your destination country, or if your Android phone is not compatible with the local cellular network, you can still use your phone when it is connected to a WiFi network. You cannot make or receive voice calls over WiFi, but you can make VOIP calls via voice calling apps like Skype.

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How to Run Ubuntu on an Android Phone

Running Ubuntu on an Android phone is not as difficult as it sounds. Android is one of the most popular mobile operating systems in the world. It features an applications framework that allows users to add or replace existing applications and comes with over 10 pre-installed applications that add to the functionality of the smart phone. Ubuntu is a free Linux-based operating system. There are thousands of free applications developed for this OS, many of which cannot run on Android. To run these applications, you must run Ubuntu on top of Android on your mobile device, which must be "rooted" in order to run Ubuntu. Rooting your Android phone is legal, but will void its warranty.

Difficulty:Moderately EasySuper One Click Root applicationAndroid phone with SD cardAndroid OS with support for loop devicesAndroid SDK installed1

Download the Super One Click Root archive and extract it anywhere on your hard disk drive. The "SuperOneClick.exe" executable file will appear.

2

Take the SD card out of the Android phone and connect the phone to your computer by using the USB cable.

3

Go to "Settings," select "Applications," tap "Development" and enable "USB Debugging."

4

Double-click the SuperOneClick.exe file to run it. Click the "Universal" tab in the SuperOneClick window and click the "Root" button. This will root your Android phone.

5

Select "Allow Non Market Apps" in case you want to install third party applications later.

1

Open the Web browser on your computer and download the "ubuntu.zip" archive. Save the archive anywhere on your hard disk drive.

2

Connect your Android phone to the computer by using a USB data transfer cable.

3

Extract the archive and copy the resulting "ubuntu" folder to the phone's SD card. Note that the folder must be in the root of the SD card, so do not put it in any other folder.

4

Go to "Settings" on your phone, select "Applications" and tap "Development." Turn on the "USB Debugging" feature.

5

Start the Windows Command Prompt and navigate to the SDK platform tools folder by running these commands:
cd /sdk
cd /platform-tools

6

Run the "adb shell" command to enter the Android shell. Connect in super user mode and enter the ubuntu folder on the SD card by running these commands:
su
cd /sdcard
cd ubuntu

7

Run the script that configures Ubuntu to run on your Android phone by running this command:
sh ubuntu.sh

8

Run this command to boot Ubuntu on top of the Android operating system:
bootubuntu

If you don't get any errors, it means that your Android OS supports loop devices and Ubuntu is successfully running on top of it. You can now install Ubuntu applications and run them on your Android phone.

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The Input Language for Android Phones

Android phones have built-in spell checking that can automatically correct or make recommendations on misspellings as you type. Android's default keyboard can also make recommendations on words that you have not even completed yet. In order for spell checking and auto-complete to work properly, set your Android phone to expect the correct input language.

The input language does not change your phone's keyboard to provide you with different characters or a different arrangement. It only changes the dictionary of words that the spell checking and auto-complete algorithms use. You can also set the input language for your Android phone's voice recognition feature. Like the keyboard language setting, the voice recognizer language setting defines what words the recognizer looks for.

Your phone's input language settings are located in the "Language and Keyboard" section of the "Settings" menu. Tap the name of the onscreen keyboard that you use in the language and keyboard menu to access that keyboard's settings. Tap "Input Languages," then tap any of the languages in the list that you want to use for language input. A check appears in the check box next to each selected language. Select "Voice Input & Output Setup" from your phone's main Settings menu, then select "Voice Recognizer" to change your phone's recognition language. Tap "Language" and select the language you use when speaking into your phone.

If your phone is running Android 2.3 or if you have installed the Gingerbread keyboard, you can quickly and easily swap input languages on your phone's onscreen keyboard. Drag your finger to the left or right on the onscreen keyboard's spacebar to scroll through the list of languages that you checked in the keyboard's Input Languages menu. You can also access the keyboard's Settings menu to select new languages by tapping and holding the microphone icon on the keyboard until the Settings icon appears above it. Tap the Settings icon to open the keyboard settings screen.

Android's default keyboard supports a variety of accented and alternate characters, but it can take significantly longer to type with them. To type in a language that uses characters that are not readily available on the Android keyboard, download and install a different keyboard for your phone from the Android Market. Some keyboards, such as MultiLing, immediately support multiple character layouts. Others, such as GO Keyboard and Smart KeyBoard PRO, support multiple character layouts once you have downloaded the correct character layout from the Android Market.

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How to Use an Android Phone as a Mic on Tinychat

HomeElectronicsCell PhonesAndroid PhonesHow to Use an Android Phone as a Mic on Tinychat

The Microphone app sends the audio stream from your Android device to your computer. Android is an operating system built around an application framework and designed to enhance the capabilities of modern smartphones and tablets. The Android Market contains thousands of applications developed specifically for the Android OS. Among these apps is one that allows Android users to use their device as a microphone. Tinychat is a popular video chat-room application that allows people to connect and interact via the Internet. If you have an Android-powered device, you don't need to buy a new mic to chat on Tinychat. You can just install the app that enables you to use your device's built-in mic.

Difficulty:Moderately Easy3.5mm male-to-male headphone plug1

Turn on your Android phone and tap the Market shortcut on your home screen to go to the Android Market.

2

Tap the Apps tab and you will see a menu containing categories of apps and a search box. Tap the search box, enter "Microphone" and tap "Search."

3

Tap the Microphone app to see a description of the tool. Tap the "Install" button at the bottom of the page to start installing the Microphone application. Tap "OK" and the app will be installed.

4

Turn on your computer and connect the Android phone to your computer with a 3.5mm male-to-male headphone plug. Plug one end into the phone's 3.5mm jack and the other end into the computer's line-in (microphone) jack. The microphone jack should have a small microphone icon above it.

5

Log into Tinychat using your user name and password. Create or join a chat room and click the "Start Broadcasting" button. Click "Allow" when you are asked for access to your camera and microphone. Skip the camera section if you don't have a camera.

6

Select the microphone from the Select Your Microphone window. Speak into the Android phone's microphone and you will see the green bars go up. This means your phone sends an audio signal. Go through the rest of the setup windows and leave all settings on their defaults.

7

Use your new microphone to chat with other people in the channel. If you want to uninstall the Microphone app, go back to the Android Market and navigate to the Microphone page again. You will see an option to uninstall it.

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How to Connect Pixma MP495 to Android Phone

Canon also offers an iPhone version of the Easy-Photo Print app. In addition to printing wirelessly from any PC in your home, the Canon PIXMA MP495 all-in-one printer allows you to print any personal photo stored on your Android phone. To print your mobile photos, use the Canon Easy-Photo Print app. The smartphone application allows you to print your favorite pictures in a variety of size formats, including 4 x 6, 5 x 7 or 8 x 10. As of time of publication, the app is free and is available in the Android Market.

Difficulty:Easy1

Tap the Android Market icon on your phone's main menu.

2

Download and install the Canon Easy-Photo Print app.

3

Launch Canon Easy-Photo Print. The app will locate your PIXMA MP495 printer automatically.

4

Tap “Images” to access the photo library on your phone. Scroll through your images and tap the photo you want to print.

5

Tap the “Print” button. The “Print Settings” screen will appear and your PIXMA MP495 will be displayed in the “Printer” drop-down menu.

6

Select your preferred paper size, paper type and margin settings, and then click the “Print” button. Your selected photo will print automatically.

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How to Access the Geovision GV-DVR System by the Android Phone Samsung Epic G4

With the Geovision GV-DVR System, you don't have to be on the premises of your home or business to monitor surveillance footage. Monitor footage directly from your Android-powered SmartPhone. This includes the Samsung Epic G4. For successful remote surveillance, you must configure your actual GV system to permit mobile footage. You also need special software installed on your Samsung device.

Difficulty:Easy1

Open the GV DVR program on your computer. If no GV-DVR icon is available on your computer's desktop, click your Windows “Start” button. Select “Programs” or “All Programs” to launch the software.

2

Click the “Network” button. Select “Webcam Server.”

3

Select the “JPG” tab. Click the option to “Create JPEG/GIF Files.”

4

Click the “Enable” radio box that is located underneath the “Mobile” tab. Click “OK” to save and apply your changes.

5

Press the “Menu” button on your Samsung Epic G4. This reveals a list of your phone's installed applications.

6

Touch “Android Market” from the applications list. Type “Geovision” in the Android Market search box.

7

Tap “GV-AView” from the list of search results. Tap “Download” to download and install the Geovision app onto your Samsung Epic.

8

Tap the newly installed application to open it. Tap the “NVR/DVR View” tab.

9

Type your DV System information into the designated fields. For instance, you must enter your GV-DVR's IP Address, port number, user name and password. To get this information, reference the user manual of your GV-DVR System.

10

Tap “My Favorite” to save your settings.

11

View footage from your GV-DVR System. To do this, tap the “Eye” icon to connect to your system. Your camera footage appears on the screen of your Samsung Epic 4G.

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How to Send SMS From a Web Server to an Android Phone Using Java

The Java "wireless.messaging" library provides Android developers with a method to send SMS messages using the Java language. An SMS message is a text-based message you send to another phone number. Text messaging is a basic service offered by wireless services. You must specify a phone number to send the message and the "sms://" protocol to trigger the right services on the Android device.

Difficulty:Moderate1

Open the Java Eclipse software development program on your desktop. Open the Android project in which you want to add an SMS module. Double-click the Java file you want to use to send the message.

2

Add the wireless messaging library to the top of the file. You need this library to call the necessary functions. Copy and paste the following import statement to the top of the file:

import javax.wireless.messaging.*;

3

Create a connection to the wireless phone number. The following code sets up a variable with the target phone number:

this.connection=(MessageConnection) Connector.open("sms://5555555555:2948");

The "2948" is the port number used to run the SMS service. Replace the "5555555555" with the mobile phone number you want as your recipient.

4

Set up the message content. The following code sets up a string variable with the content "Hello, Recipient" as the message:

String message ="Hello, Recipient";

5

Send the message. The following code packages the SMS message and sends it to your recipient phone number:

this.connection.send(message);

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How to Access a GeoVision GV-DVR System by Android Phone

GV-AView is a free application available from the Android Market that allows you to access a GeoVision GV-DVR system on your Android device. By connecting to your Geovision device, you can view live and recorded closed circuit streams on your Android device. The application also allows you to switch between cameras installed on your GeoVision system.

Difficulty:Easy1

Tap the "Android Market" icon on the home screen of your Android device.

2 3

Enter "GV-AView" in the search bar.

4

Select the "GV-AView" application.

5 6 7

Tap the "GV-AView" icon on the home screen of your Android device.

8

Tap the "Menu" button and then tap the "+" icon.

9

Enter a name for your GeoVision GV-DVR system, your device's port number and the username and password used to access your device. Geovision provides you with this information when you set up your closed circuit system.

10

Tap the "+" icon to add your device settings to the application.

11

Tap the Chain icon to connect the application to your GV-DVR System over a Wi-Fi or cellular data connection.

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How to Get a Phone Key Pad in the Edit Textbox on an Android

The onscreen keyboard is the same for every Android device. Whenever you edit text using an Android-powered device's onscreen keyboard, you are presented with a virtual QWERTY keyboard to perform the task. This keyboard does not contain any numbers, however, so in order to input numbers into the text field, you must switch the text input to a numeric key pad. You can switch to a numeric key pad any time you are editing or composing text on your Android device by simply tapping a special key.

Difficulty:Easy1

Launch the Android application you want to use to compose or edit text.

2

Tap the text field you want to edit to place your text cursor there.

3

Locate the numbers and symbols key on the onscreen keyboard. This key is labeled "?123" and is located in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard.

4

Tap the "?123" key to switch to numeric key pad mode. Now, you can enter numbers into the text edit field.

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How to Program an Android Phone

When you first buy an Android phone, you will be required to program it. When you first get your Android mobile phone, you must program the device to your settings. Among others, you are able to enter contacts into the phone, set the screen brightness, choose a theme, and customize the home screen. Program the phone as soon as you get it to become comfortable with using the Android operating system. After you program the phone, practice using the applications installed on the device. Applications expand the device's functionality.

Difficulty:Easy1

Remove the battery cover and battery from the back of the Android phone. Insert your old SIM card, which contacts your contacts. Android phones are able to import contacts from a SIM card.

2

Tap "Menu" and "Import/Export."

3

Tap ""Import from SIM Card" and "Phone." The contacts on the SIM card will be imported.

4

Power off the phone by holding the device's "Power" button and selecting "Power Off." Remove the battery cover, battery and SIM card from the rear of the phone. Reinstall the new SIM card. Power on the phone again by pressing the "Power" button.

1

Tap "Settings" from the phone's home screen.

2

Tap "Display," then "Brightness."

3

Adjust the brightness by tapping and dragging the slider to the left or the right. Tap "OK" when the desired brightness setting has been reached. Press the "Home" button to return to the home screen.

1

Tap "Settings" on the device's home screen.

2

Tap "Themes." Press the "left" or "right" buttons on the screen to view the available themes.

3

Tap on a desired theme to apply it. Press the "Home" button on the front of the phone to return to the home screen.

1

Press the "Home" button on the front of your phone.

2

Tap on the "Up" arrow, located at the bottom of the home screen. This tab displays the icons for your installed applications.

3

Tap and hold a desired application to "grab it." As soon as you "grab" the icon, the home screen will appear. Tap a blank area on your home screen to place the icon in that area. This feature enables you to place applications you use on the home screen for easy access.

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The Fastest Android Phone

Motorola’s Droid Bionic smartphone, with its combination of computing power and access to 4G long term evolution (LTE) data networking services from Verizon Wireless, is the fastest Android-based smartphone available as of November 2011, according to multiple reviews. Introduced at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, the Droid Bionic became available for sale through Verizon in September 2011. Other Android competitors, such as the Samsung Galaxy S II, offer similar technical specifications, but don’t offer the same mobile data speeds.

The Droid Bionic features a 1-gigahertz, dual-core processor and 1 gigabyte of random access memory (RAM). This is similar to Apple’s iPhone 4S. In addition, the Bionic runs the Android 2.3.4 operating system and offers 16GB of on-board memory in addition to a pre-installed 16GB microSD card. The Bionic uses Verizon’s high-speed data connectivity, along with Verizon’s evolution data optimized (EV-DO) 3G services, when 4G is not available. In addition, the Droid Bionic offers a touch-screen interface -- a 4.3-inch screen with a resolution of 960 by 540 pixels -- and Wi-Fi connectivity.

What gives the Droid Bionic an advantage over its Android competitors in the area of mobile data speeds is the fact that it runs on Verizon’s 4G LTE network, which is the fastest mobile data network as of November 2011, according to a report by RootMetrics, a company that compares voice and data ratings between carriers. Complex.com, in a September 2011 review, reported that the Droid Bionic was the fastest and most powerful Android device available. PC Mag, in a September 2011 review, reported that the Bionic was the most powerful Android phone you can buy.

The Droid Bionic outperformed Android competitors, the Samsung Droid Charge and the HTC Thunderbolt, in tests conducted by Complex.com. The Droid achieved data speeds between 18 megabits per second (Mbps) and 27.12 Mbps, which is about 10 Mbps faster than other phones. In tests performed in October 2011 by Digital Trends, the Galaxy S II achieved data speeds of between 0.8 and 1.2 Mbps, which is less than one-tenth of the speed of the Bionic. Despite the fact that the Galaxy S II has a more powerful processor than the Bionic at 1.2 GHz, it can’t load Web pages or complete downloads as fast. Digital Trends reported that this is mainly due to the fact that the Galaxy S II runs on AT&T’s HSPA+ network.

Cellular carriers including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint are each expanding and improving their 4G network coverage nationwide in 2011. However, in many areas, 4G network access is limited or nonexistent. In these areas, the Droid Bionic and other 4G-capable phones will switch to slower 3G data networks. This means that the Droid Bionic is the fastest Android phone in areas covered by 4G, but other Android phones may offer faster 3G speeds in certain areas.

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