Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
ID
E
NE
W
BU
YE
R
S
100% unofficial
www.littlegreenrobot.co.uk
ANDROID L
GET IT NOW!
POWER UP
CHROMECAST
35 apps to enhance your
DE-GOOGLE
YOUR DEVICE
streaming experience
Remove bloatware to
free up memory
EXPERT
PHON
BOOST YOUR
BATTERY
Kill apps instantly to
conserve power
RUN A
DUAL OS
Run both Android
and Linux
Supercharge your
Wi-Fi speeds
ANDROID
ONE
Googles masterplan for the
next billion users revealed
TOP APPS TO
AUTOMATE TASKS
Set your phone to perform jobs instantly
ALSO INSIDE
ISSUE 41
OnePlus One
Galaxy Note 10.1
HTC Desire 610
iPH
LG ON
G E
ULTRA-FAST
DOWNLOADS
3R K
EV IL
IEW LE
ED R?
Essential tricks to
make your phone
your own
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
ON
REVIEW
WorldMags.net
LG G3
The ace in the
pack for the LG G3
is its screen
p82
APPS
IN
Yahoo Sport
APPS
OUT
EverythingMe
p86
Slingshot
Udacity
This month
Ive been using:
LG G3
Leos Fortune
Smash Hit
HTC Desire
610
ticks a lot of the
boxes for todays midrange customers
p88
Welcome
MY HOME SCREEN
The phone is
unquestionably targeted
at enthusiasts
Welcome
To issue 41
GET IN TOUCH
facebook
email
twitter
/littlegreenrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
@lgrobot
Jack Parsons
Deputy Editor
WorldMags.net
Contents
Inside issue 40
www.littlegreenrobot.co.uk
WorldMags.net
CONTENTS
28 Exclusive subscription offer 54 Special offer for USA eaders
Launcher
Previews,
news and
speculation
from the
Android world
E
H
T
G W
NE D
06 Android One
Googles masterplan for the
next billion users revealed
!
W
O
N
09 Photo apps
xx
xxxxxxxtip
x
x
x
x
x
x
top s
d
n
a
k
o
First lor Android L
fo
10 The pocket-sized
projector
This Android-powered smart
projector is highly portable
TRANSFORM
YOUR PHONE
BOOST YOUR
BATTERY LIFE
Supercharge your
device with
Project Volta
UPGRADE
GOOGLE NOW
Your virtual assistant
is better than
ever
12 10 things to do
with your old phone
Instead of selling it, why not
hack it, give it to charity or even
use to make
you money
13 HTCs
Dot View
is now
smarter
than ever
The Dot View
app adds new
features to the
smart case
LOGIN WITH
ANDROID WEAR
06
Discover
your
Chromecast
24 Upgrade
how
Android
One is
going to
take over
the world
14
Messages
We delve into our virtual mailbag
to hear the latest reader rants
on all things Android
WorldMags.net
Hacker
Zone 55
WorldMags.net
for back issues and books
10 Expert
Hacks
Explore the limits of 70 Phone
Hacking tips
your Android phone
and tricks
Contents
Inside issue 40
Apps
Your complete
guide to
Google Play
Reviews
Tutorials
82 Reviews
81 Game reviews
82 LG G3
86 One Plus One
88 HTC Desire 610
94
80 Video-editing apps
90 Accessories
The denitive
list of the
best gadgets
72 App reviews
34 Tutorials
34 Use external plug-ins in Sunrise
Calendar
36 Stream Dropbox to your TV
37 Recalibrate your battery
without root
38 Create formulas in Google Sheets
40 Blacklist spam numbers
with Truecaller
45 Take notes during calls with
NOTEify
46 Use Hibernate to freeze
background processes
48 Track your app usage with
Frequency
49 Automatically store copied
data with EverClip
82
LG G3
50 Droid Support
90 Headphones head-to-head
WorldMags.net
Check
our website daily
for even more news
72
73
73
73
73
74
74
74
75
75
75
75
75
76
76
76
77
78
78
78
79
79
79
79
79
79
79
79
80
80
81
81
81
81
Sunrise Calendar
SwiftKey Keyboard
Copy Bubble
Ready Contact List
Vibify
Endless TV
Parallels Access
Owly
PhonoPaper
Gardens
Gardenate
iScape Lite
Garden Manager: Plant Alarm
Lumosity
Quip
Instagram
1Password
Selphee
The Guardian
Echo Lockscreen
Reddit ofine
Cluster
Snapkeys Zones
Cross DJ Mix your music
Audio Visualizer Live
Path
Hike messenger
BallTune
AndroVid Pro
VideoShow Pro
Angry Birds Epic
Soar
Hitman GO
Worms 3
www.littlegreenrobot.co.uk
WorldMags.net
All the latest from the world of Android devices
Android One:
Googles
masterplan
for the next
billion users
One platform to rule them all? How Google
plans to conquer the growing market
in Asia and beyond
THE
big
Key features
STORY
WorldMags.net
Stay up to date
twitter
WorldMags.net
Catch up with the latest
Android news and gossip
@lgrobot
Manufacturers can follow the framework laid down by Google to build phones more easily
technical specs
technical specs
technical specs
Price.....................$135/78
Processor........1.2GHz
Price.....................$100/58
Processor........1GHz
Price.....................$117/68
Processor........1.2GHz
Memory............1GB
Camera.............5-MP
Battery...............1800mAh
Display size....4.3-inch
Display resolution...
Memory............512GB
Camera.............3.2-MP
Battery...............1400mAh
Display size....3.5-inch
Display resolution...
Memory............512MB
Camera.............5-MP
Battery...............1900mAh
Display size....Five-inch
Display resolution...
Price..................... Under
$100/58
Processor........ 1.2GHz
dual-core*
Memory............ 512MB*
Camera............. 5-MP*
Battery............... TBC
Display size.... 4.5-inch
Display resolution ...
960 x 540 pixels*
VERDICT
dual-core
single-core
quad-core
With competing handsets offering similar specs, software may be the key for Android One. Well have to wait and see which
smartphone offers the best user experience the winner takes all in the new, emerging markets
WorldMags.net
www.littlegreenrobot.co.uk
WorldMags.net
Visit us daily for news and more
90
million
the number of
smartphones
users in India
as of the end of
2013
520
million
the estimated
number of
smartphone
users in India by
2050
The competition
As you might expect, other companies besides
Google have their eyes on the relatively untapped
markets of Asia. Though Microsoft hae
discontinued their line of Android-powered Nokia X
phones, their CEO Satya Nadella has already
conrmed they will be reusing the same designs to
produce a new range of low-cost Lumia Windows
Phones, most likely targetting the emerging
markets. Also worth considering are the handsets
running Mozillas Firefox OS from the likes of
Alcatel and LG, though these are mostly sold in
South America at the moment.
Comparing Android One to Nokia X and Firefox
OS platforms, its clear that more exible platforms
Who is Micromax?
A quick look at the little-known
giants of Indian telecommunications
Googles rst Android
One partner is not a
company that
European and American users will be familiar
with, but Micromax is one of the major players
in Indian telecommunications. Across the
world, its the 10th largest supplier of mobile
handsets, and it has eyes on a European
expansion after running sales trial in Russia at
the end of 2013.
9%
percentage of
Indian mobile
users who
access social
media, Twitter
WorldMags.net
69%
the expected
rise in mobile
broadband
subscribers in
India by 2020
These low
margin phones
could easily be
massively
unprotable
Map of India by
FreeVectorMaps.com
Stay up to date
twitter
WorldMags.net
Catch up with the latest
Android news and gossip
@lgrobot
GALLERY OF...
4
1
Carousel
2 Pixlr Express
3 VSCO Cam
4 Camera
Zoom FX
Premium
5 Instagram
6 Frontback
Frontback works
on a simple
concept: take a photo
with the front camera,
another with the back
and share them both in
a single image. With the
option to take the two
photos separately, its a
great way of including
the photographer.
Price: Free
Fine-tune your
images in this
mobile alternative to
Photoshop. It has all the
essential features plus
an automatic image
correction that xes
problems like red-eye.
However, its real selling
point is its interface,
which is highly intuitive.
If you nd
Instagram lters
are too heavy-handed,
try VSCO Cam. It still
relies on lters, but they
are much more
customisable, with a
range of tools to adjust
the effects strength.
Additional lter bundles
are available to buy.
While Instagram
is famous for its
photo lters, after three
years these are starting
to feel a bit dated.
Fortunately, Instagram
has recently been
upgraded with an
editing suite to adjust
brightness, contrast,
warmth and sharpness.
Price: Free
Price: Free
Price: Free
Price: 1.79/$2.99
Price: Free
WorldMags.net
ODIN
he possibility of watching
movies on a cinema-style
screen is something were all
keen to do, but projectors tend to
be too expensive and difcult to
set up. ODIN looks to tear down
these barriers by providing the rst
truly portable projector that runs
Android. As a product, the 4.3-inch
ODIN connects with a variety of
different platforms and services via
Bluetooth and USB to act as a
Get that
cinema-style
experience in
your home
At a glance
Product name ODIN
Available from www.dosowls.com
Price TBA/$845
ODIN is the rst Android smart
projector that enables users to
project their games, movies and les
onto any at surface.
ODINs Bluetooth
functionality works well
with your Android
smartphone to not
only stream media les,
but also to do a spot of
web browsing on a
bigger screen
Q&A
Alex Yoo
CEO, Dos Owls ODIN
10
WorldMags.net
We dont keep
secrets
WorldMags.net
TM
facebook.com/ImagineBookazines
WorldMags.net
twitter.com/Books_Imagine
www.littlegreenrobot.co.uk
WorldMags.net
Visit us daily for news and more
1Recycle it
2Sell it
3Hack it
10Mine Bitcoin
the
4Save
rainforest
9 Game on
it into a
5Turn
universal remote
Apps
like Easy
Miner make
it easy to
generate
so-called
cryptocurrencies on your device,
but the amount of power
required to run the necessary
algorithms will drain your
battery quickly, making this
an ideal task for an old phone
you can leave on charge.
12
WorldMags.net
6Donate it to science
WorldMags.net
Missed call
Wallpapers
Express yourself and create
personalised backgrounds
Call list
Swipe up for a list of your last
three calls for faster redial
WorldMags.net
The Dot View app includes 18 default themes and you can
also create your own based on photos in your gallery
13
WorldMags.net
Messages
Inside Android Magazines virtual mailbag
Elementary
App Store
Do you think that the fantastic
Elements app on the iPad/iPhone,
with its gorgeous interactive 3D
images, will be coming to Android
anytime soon? Since changing to
Android from iOS, thats one of the
very few apps that I am really
missing. Im sure Im not the only
one. Any news for me?
Stephen Harris
We say: The Elements: A Visual
Exploration is a critically acclaimed
14
Letter of the
month
Infographic
accident
The graphics in issue 40 are certainly
educational. I had no idea that Britain
is in Britanny and Korea is in Mongolia
(page 19) and 0.5 is about the same
as 1/10 (page 23, lower right). Please
dont stop your effort to educate us
readers! Jochen Konietzko
We say: Well spotted, Jochen. Given
that the misleading map in question
was the opener for our The Future is
Android feature, we could claim it is a
WorldMags.net
Get in touch!
Send us your thoughts
on all things Android
facebook twitter
email
WorldMags.net
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
Like us on Facebook to
send your comments
One to
beam up
I read your 10 things you need to
know about... Non-watch wearables
in issue 40 and thought some of the
wearables looked really cool,
especially the Nod Bluetooth Ring
and Narrative Clip wearable camera.
However, one item, a clip-on camera
listed under the heading Beam me
up, Scotty, didnt have a name on it.
What was it called and wear can I
buy it?
Sarah Matthews
Magazine team
Contributors
Steve Jenkins, Phil King, Adrian Mann, Shaun McGill, David Nield,
Paul OBrien, Jessica Thornsby, Sandra Vogel, Rob Zwetsloot
Advertising
Digital or printed media packs are available on request.
Head of Sales Hang Deretz
01202 586442
hang.deretz@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Advertising Manager Alex Carnegie
01202 586430
alex.carnegie@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Senior Account Manager Nick Marrow
01202 586419
nick.marrow@imagine-publishing.co.uk
International
Android Magazine is available for licensing.
Contact the International department to discuss
partnership opportunities.
Head of International Licensing Cathy Blackman
+44 (0) 1202 586401
licensing@imagine-publishing.co.uk
Subscriptions
For all subscriptions enquiries
0844 245 6963 (UK)
+44 (0) 1795 414 972 (Overseas)
Email: android@servicehelpline.co.uk
13 issue subscription (UK) 51.90 (CC)
13 issue subscription (Europe) 65
13 issue subscription (ROW) 75
Circulation
Head of Circulation Darren Pearce
01202 586200
Production
Production Director Jane Hawkins
01202 586200
Founders
Group Managing Director Damian Butt
Group Finance & Commercial Director Steven Boyd
Addicted to
Project Ara
I was really excited by the idea of
Project Ara, featured as a news story
in issue 38, and assembling my own
smartphone. To my mind this would
help solve the problem of OS
Distributed in the UK, Eire & the Rest of the World by:
Marketforce, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London,
SE1 0SU, 0203 148 3300, www.marketforce.co.uk
Distributed in Australia by: Network Services (a division of
Bauer Media Group) Level 21 Civic Tower, 66-68 Goulburn
Street, Sydney, New South Wales 2000, Australia
+61 2 8667 5288
Disclaimer
from the
Twittersphere
CROWDSOURCE Opinion
@lgrobot
Whats your favourite
Chromecast app?
@timelliston love my
Chromecast. I watch mostly
Netix, but use AllCast to
stream local movies. We need
more apps.
@Pidgpie = Localcast
t wit ter
Follow us @lgrobot to
join in the conversation
WorldMags.net
15
Feature
Get Android L now!
WorldMags.net
E
H
T
G W
NE ID
!
W
NO
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
xxxxxand top tips
k
First loroA
id L
o
r
d
n
fo
TRANSFORM
YOUR PHONE
BOOST YOUR
BATTERY LIFE
Supercharge your
device with
Project Volta
UPGRADE
GOOGLE NOW
Your virtual assistant
is better than
ever
16
LOGIN WITH
ANDROID WEAR
New sensors will
replace your
passwords
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
bit.ly/WA
mMRW
Feature
Get Android L now!
Focused on a
sleek look with
bold colours
UNIFIED WIDGETS
T
ETA Q1 2015
Galaxy
S5
How likely?
Flexible
Widgets will remain as
customisable as ever in Android
L, great for those who like to
personalise their device
Third-party
Unied
Galaxy
S5 Mini
How likely?
Very high
Very high
ETA Q4 2014
ETA Q4 2014
Galaxy S5
Active
How likely?
High
ETA Q1 2015
WorldMags.net
Galaxy
Note 3
How likely?
High
ETA Q1 2015
Galaxy
Tab
How likely?
Less likely
ETA: N/A
17
Feature
Get Android L now!
WorldMags.net
Android Beam
In previous versions of Android, the
sharing feature Beam had to be
initiated by tapping devices together,
with both users
then tapping their
screen to share a
le. The new
version of Android
Beam has been
altered so that it
now appears as an
option in the Share
menu for users to
select and send
les through.
Settings
1 Quick
One of the coolest additions to the library
a search
2 Start
Press on the gear icon while in the Quick
options
3 New
Select the correct result from the
drop-down menu and take a look at the setting.
Android L has included a wealth of new settings,
so you may nd what you were looking for has
been renamed, or in certain cases, removed.
18
HTC One
How likely?
High
ETA Q1 2015
ETA Q4 2014
Very high
Do Not
Disturb mode
Adaptive
brightness
inside
4 Look
Another thing to pay close attention to is
HTC One
Max
How likely?
High
ETA Q1 2015
GET IT
NOW!
bit.ly/1sJ
lkK0
HTC One
M8
How likely?
Very High
ETA Q4 2014
WorldMags.net
HTC One
Mini
How likely?
Less likely
ETA N/A
HTC
Desire 610
How likely?
Less likely
ETA N/A
Feature
WorldMags.net
GET
IT
NOW!
HEADS UP! NOTIFICATIONS
bit.ly/1za
oWq3
Gapps
Shortcuts
Most of the
rst-party apps by
Google work with
the oating
notications feature
and also follow the
Material Design
guidelines
Overview
Done
Getting rid of
notications you've
read or no longer
need is easy. Simply
swipe to the right to
close them, or press
on them to open
Set up
Your choice
Users need to
manually choose the
apps that have
access to your
homescreen
notications when
setting the feature up
LOCKSCREEN MODIFICATIONS
Overview
Security
Implement different
security features on
to your lock screen
to make sure your
phone is safe and
sound while not
using it
Camera
Testing
Ignore
Access
If you choose to
ignore the
notications and
instead swipe to
unlock your phone,
youll have access to
them through the
notications menu
By pressing on any of
your lockscreen
notications, youll be
taken to the app or
feature that it
specically
represents
Set up and
use the Heads
Up! app
1 Whitelist
apps
Choose the Whitelist
option from the app's
main screen and select
the apps you want Heads
Up! to work with.
them
2 Test
out
Back out of the app and
wait for notications to
come through. When they
appear, press on them to
be taken to the app.
3 Explore
further
If you arent happy with
how the notications
function, venture into the
apps settings and change
how notications appear.
Z1 Compact
How likely?
High
ETA
Q4 2015
Xperia
Z2
How likely?
Very high
ETA Q1 2014
Xperia Z2 Tab
How likely? High
ETA
Q4 2014
WorldMags.net
Xperia Z Tab
How likely? High
ETA
Q2 2015
Xperia
M2
How likely?
Less likely
ETA N/A
19
Feature
Get Android L now!
WorldMags.net
SUPERCHARGE WITH
PROJECT VOLTA
A NEW RANGE OF BATTERYBOOSTING FEATURES
GET IT
NOW!
bit.ly/IUO
PVh
Battery Stats
New Battery
Saver Mode
ETA Q1 2015
20
LG G3
How likely?
Very high
ETA Q1 2014
LG G Pad
8.3
How likely?
Less likely
ETA N/A
LG G Flex
How likely?
High
ETA Q2 2015
WorldMags.net
Huawei
P7
How likely?
Very high
ETA Q2 2015
Huawei G6
How likely?
Less likely
ETA N/A
WorldMags.net
Feature
Get Android L now!
GET IT
NOW!
GOOGLE NOW JUST GOT SMARTER
bit.ly/N3
Uuu9
Revamped to t
in with the new
Material Design
guidelines
area where you store your ight and
ticket details, with the system also
enabling users to get live updates on the
status on their ight [Fig2].
At the centre of Google Nows
redesign is the vastly improved voice
search function. Each search begins
with the user saying OK Google [Fig3]
and then saying other search terms.
What makes it different from previous
versions is that Google Now doesnt
need full sentences inputted into it to
provide results, and instead it will predict
what youre going to say. Its rather hit
and miss at times, but the general idea
is good. Similarly, Google has been
intent on providing deeper integration
with many of its apps. All directions you
search for will go through Google Maps
[Fig4] and Google Earth will provide you
with 3D images of holiday destinations.
Topics
Tickets
Sync
Variety
If you're planning
on going on
multiple
holidays, then
you can import
all the tickets for
several ights at
one time
If a certain topic
isn't of interest,
simply swipe it
away and Google
Now will offer
you an
alternative one
Maps
Voice
You'll nd the
Google Maps
integration to be
far more slick
than the app
itself. You can
get basic
directions for
cars or public
transport
Press on the
microphone icon
to start a voice
search. It can
take a few
seconds for the
app to realise
what you're
saying
Navigate
Result
The feature is a
little basic, but
it's also possible
to use the
navigation tools
within the
Google Now
service
Moto G
How likely?
Moto X
How likely?
Nexus 4
How likely?
Nexus 5
How likely?
Less likely
ETA N/A
High
ETA Q1 2015
Very high
ETA Q4 2014
Likely
ETA Launch of L
Very high
ETA Launch of L
WorldMags.net
Nexus 7
(2012)
How likely?
Very high
ETA Q4 2014
21
Feature
Get Android L now!
WorldMags.net
GET IT
!
W
O
N
6Q8jA
bit.ly/J
Activate the
Kill-Switch
Let's face it, security
on Android is one of the
problems many people
face when using their
smartphones and tablets.
To combat this, Google
has launched its very own
kill-switch across the
Android operating
system. In essence, the
kill-switch will act as a
gateway to remotely
wiping your phone if its
lost or you believe it to be
stolen. The kill-switch will
then factory reset itself
from scratch upon the
users request or, if
necessary, render the
device unusable.
Obviously the latter is an
extreme step, but could
Task Locker
Task Locker is aimed at
enterprise devices owned by
big businesses that want to
track how their employees are
using the devices supplied to
them. In essence, Task Locker
will allow a single app to take
control over the devices
interface, which will prevent the user from
accessing notications or apps.
Admin control
The second big inclusion for
business users will be being
able to implement admin
proles onto their employees
device. This will enable
businesses to gain control of
the device when necessary to
add enterprise apps or enable
certain settings. Any apps then downloaded by
the employee will be kept in a separate list.
How likely?
Very high
ETA Launch of L
22
ZTE
Grand X
How likely?
ZTE
Grand S
How likely?
ZTE
Grand S ll
How likely?
Oppo N1
How likely?
High
ETA Q1 2015
Less likely
ETA N/A
Very high
ETA Q1 2015
ETA Q4 2014
WorldMags.net
High
OnePlus
One
How likely?
Very high
ETA Q4 2014
Feature
WorldMags.net
Directory selection
Bluetooth broadcasting
Switching languages
GET IT
NOW!
bit.ly/IK
eIqs
1 Download
the les
Youll rst need to
download both the SDK
Manager and Android L
Developer SDK from the
XDA Forums.
and
2 Tools
platform
Open up the SDK Manager
on your desktop computer
and navigate to the Tools
section listed at the top of
the program alphabetically.
3 Install
packages
and
4 Accept
install
Alcatel One
Touch idol S
How likely?
Alcatel One
Touch idol X
How likely?
Less likely
ETA N/A
High
ETA Q2 2015
Very high
ETA Q1 2015
ETA N/A
WorldMags.net
Nokia X
How likely?
Less likely
ETA N/A
EE
Kestrel
How likely?
High
ETA Q2 2015
23
Feature
Upgrade your Chromecast
WorldMags.net
UPGRADE YOUR
CHROMECAST
Explore what your Chromecast can really do
with these essential apps
24
Pocket
Casts
Dogg
Catcher
Umano:
Price 2.49/$3.99
Listen in to podcasts hosted
by some of the biggest news
outlets locally and from
around the world.
Price 1.83/$2.99
DoggCatcher has a vast
category system that
enables users to track down
new podcasts.
Price Free
Umano brings the latest
headlines onto your TV and
reads the story out to you for
your enjoyment.
Listen to News
WorldMags.net
Player FM
Price Free
Instead of following individual
shows, Player FM gives users
the choice to discover news
podcasts based on certain
topics and interests.
WorldMags.net
Feature
Upgrade your Chromecast
AllCast
Price 3.00/$4.99
Developer ClockworkMod
If you do a bit of research, youll nd that one
app that everyone recommends time and
time again for the Chromecast is AllCast.
The praise is duly deserved,
asthe apphas a
ton of features that make it an essential
app
BubbleUPnP
Price 3.04/$4.69
Developer Bubblesoft
BubbleUPnP is one of the more
stable streaming apps available for
the Google Play store. It works well
with a variety of media formats.
Stevie for
Chromecast
Price Free
Developer Stevie TV LTD
The Stevie app brings together your
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube feeds
onto your television.
LocalCast
Price Free
Developer Stefan Pledl
LocalCast may offer plenty of the
same features as BubbleUPnP, but
it's much better suited for those
wanting to watch movies in HD.
Class6ix
News
Price Free
Class6ix is a personalised
newscaster that tracks
international and local news
that matters to you.
uPodPodcast
Player
Price 2.21/$3.79
Users can scan uPodPodcast
for shows based on their
interests, or through a keyword
search system.
NewsCaster
Price Free
NewsCaster uses a search
menu to nd news that
matters to you. Each news
story is formatted to t your
TV perfectly.
BeyondPod
Price 4.16/$6.99
BeyondPod has a background
download system so that you
can stream your current
selection of podcasts
without being disrupted.
WorldMags.net
Haystack TV
News
Price Free
Haystack covers news
outlets the world over and
picks the most trending
stories at that time.
25
Feature
WorldMags.net
MOBILE GAMING
ON THE BIG SCREEN
Enjoy these simple, but addictive
gaming gems on your TV
Chromecast isn't
just for streaming
TV and movies
Grail Cast
Price Free
Developer RTS AppDevelopment
Okay so it may not look like much, but Grail Cast is a
surprisingly addictive multiplayer game purposely built for
Chromecast. You and up to four friends are tasked with
trying to gather as many ancient treasures hidden within a
variety of labyrinths against the clock. You need an awful
amount of skill to avoid walking into walls and nding all the
treasures on certain levels, but some of the latter levels of
Grail Cast are unforgiving in their difculty.
Qcast
GamingCast
Price 0.85/$1.50
Developer Eli Sherer
Price Free
Developer musicalbigfoot
Draw It Up
Price 0.81/$0.99
Developer alx5962
26
vGet
Price Free
vGet detects embedded
video content on websites
and then automatically
downloads it onto your
device to stream.
Ghost Cast
Price Free
Developer Yusef Asjana
CameraCast
Price Free
If you want to view pictures on
your TV, then CameraCast is a
superb option. Images taken
by your devices camera can
be streamed on your TV.
Spilt Browser
Price 3.00/$3.99
Browsing the web on your TV is
great with Split Browser. You
can open up numerous tabs
and seamlessly switch
between them.
WorldMags.net
Zoomph Cast
Price Free
Zoomph is used to stream
events or stories to large
groups of people and turns
your TV into a virtual
storytelling system.
WorldMags.net
Copy
Polaris Ofce
Price Free
Developer SunnyDev
Price Free
Developer Infraware, Inc.
Put.io
AutoCast
Price Free
Developer Steven Schoen
Price Free
Developer joaomgcd
Feature
Upgrade your Chromecast
Price Free
Developer
Barracuda Networks
The reason we added Copy to our list of
essential Chromecast upgrades is that it
provides one of the few cloud storage
solutions that has been fully opened up
to stream across to your TV. Its entire
suite of features are Chromecast
compatible and although some users
will take advantage of its media
streaming functions, where it really
shines is with how you can stream
your encrypted and personal les
across to it. Once across, you can then
begin editing them onscreen with either your smartphone or
Bluetooth keyboard. Depending on the type of le, things like the
orientation and layout can be changed and there are individual
settings to explore that are Chromecast-specic and can help bring
even more features to the stick.
VBChromecast
Price Free
As an extension to the Vbukit
Share app, VBChromecast is
a security management
system that can help protect
your Wi-Fi network.
Stocks
ChromeCast
Price Free
Stocks ChromeCast provides
those with an interest in
stocks and shares a look at
the state of the economy.
Tool for
Picasa,
Google+ Photo
Price Free
Tool for Picasa, Google+
Photo merges two platforms
together to edit your pictures.
WorldMags.net
MyCast
Screen
Price 0.59/$0.99
MyCastScreen is an alternate
homescreen for Chromecast
that can be heavily
customised to suit you.
27
Subscription
voucher
WorldMags.net
First name
EASY WAYS
TO SUBSCRIBE
ONLINE
www.imaginesubs.co.uk/and
and enter code PAL143Q
Postcode
Telephone number
Mobile number
Email address
Country
Please complete your email address to receive news and special offers from us
Please fill in the form and send it to: Imagine Publishing Limited, 800 Guillat Avenue, Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne, ME9 8GU
Address
Reference Number
Postcode
TELEPHONE
Date
Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit instructions for some types of account
A6 instruction form
PAYMENT DETAILS
POST OR EMAIL
android@servicehelpline.co.uk
Credit/Debit Card
QVisa
Q Mastercard
Card number
Issue number
Q Amex
Q Maestro
Expiry date
QQ (if Maestro)
Signed
Date
Code: PAL143Q
Please tick if you do not wish to receive any promotional material from Imagine Publishing Ltd
by post Q by telephone Q via email Q
Please tick if you do not wish to receive any promotional material from other companies
by post Q by telephone Q Please tick if you DO wish to receive such information via email Q
*Terms & conditions: Pricing will revert to our standard offer of 21 every 6 issues on the third payment
made. Subscribers can cancel this subscription at any time. New subscriptions will start from the next
available issue. Offer code PAL143Q must be quoted to receive this special subscription price. Details
of the direct debit guarantee are available on request. Offer expires 31 January 2015. Imagine Publishing
reserves the right to limit this type of offer to one per household.
EXCLUSIVE
SUBSCRIBER
BENEFITS
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
IGITAL!
GITAL SUBSCRIPTION
OFFERS AVAILABLE AT:
IM
INESUBS.CO.UK
TutorialsWorldMags.net
masterclass
Automate your
phone
Make your phone
work as you want it to
by automating tasks
My phone
doesnt cope
well with
background
apps. Can I use
automation
apps to put a
stop to this?
To combat background
apps, download the
RFRSH app. This app
enables you to create
automated reboots of
your phone that happen
throughout the day
based on the times and
dates you input.
The best AutomateIt add-ons Use these add-ons to make AutomateIt a little better
30
Connect to
Facebook
Use both of
your cameras
Access your
phones shell
A great piece of
automation through
AutomateIt is to use
the camera plug-in to
control both your
devices front and
rear-facing cameras.
You can set your phone
to take a picture from
both sides at the same
time, for example.
WorldMags.net
4. Connect to wearables
Its still in its early stages, but some of
the newer automation apps are now
working with smartwatches. Users of
a smartwatch can program these apps
to manage messages, emails and more
on their wearable device.
5. Prioritise
Putting created tasks in a sequential
order lets you keep a close eye on the
tasks currently working and when the
next ones will be activated. Again,
having too many activated at the same
time will slow down your device.
s
as
Works with
cl
ter ate e
as om on
mAut ur ph
yo
WorldMags.net
Android 2.3 and up
Send everything
to the cloud
Use Atooma to send all your les, videos, music and more
automatically to the cloud
eeping backups of the various stored les on your device is important, but with cloud
integration playing a massive role in how we use our smartphones, why not transfer
all current and future les directly to the cloud? With the Atooma app, users can design
tasks that bring all sorts of les together and puts them in a designated folder in the cloud. Why
this app is the best for this sort of thing is because Atooma can be connected with a plethora of
cloud storage apps, including the likes of Google Drive, Dropbox and SugarSync. Its also really
easy to use, and if youre new to the Android ecosystem, then its an easy way to get started
with the automation process.
min
guide
Control how
and when Wi-Fi
and Bluetooth
are used on
your device
Streamline
Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth
New Atooma
1 Select
From the main page of Atooma, scroll right
or les
2 Apps
Youll now be presented with a wheel of
to the cloud
3 Connect
Now select the Connect to Cloud option.
You can also designate if you want to upload
singular les or automate everything. Use the next
wheel to select the cloud account you want to
connect with and log in to it using your device.
it public
4 Make
The nal screen will give you an overview of
the new task youve set up. Press on the pencil
icon to edit the task if some details are incorrect,
before pressing the power icon to make it public
and get your les to the cloud.
WorldMags.net
31
TutorialsWorldMags.net
Design triggers and
tasks with AutomateIt
Works with
Create intricate
and automated
tasks to save
time while using
your device
from scratch
1 Start
From the main page of the AutomateIt app,
AutomateIt is
a brilliant
automation app
for Android
32
a trigger
2 Add
Your rst task will be to add a trigger that
to apps
4 Link
A large portion of your created rules will
new rules
5 Activate
After creating a series of rules, youll now
WorldMags.net
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
s
as
Works with
facebook twitter
WorldMags.net
Automate
with NFC tags
NFC option
1 Find
Navigate to the + symbol at the top of the
app to create a new task from scratch. The
following screen will ask you to select a trigger that
will set off the task youre about to create. Select
the NFC option from the list.
min
guide
your task
2 Create
Now go through the various options
available to you through Trigger. Users can specify
times and dates for their new task to be
operational. Press on the Done button when
youve nished adding everything.
a NFC tag
3 Scan
Now take your NFC tag and place it directly
onto your phones screen. A notication will appear
letting you know the new task has been added to
the tag. Now leave the app and scan the tag to
make sure its working correctly.
cl
ter ate e
as om on
mAut ur ph
yo
Message us!
WorldMags.net
33
TutorialsWorldMags.net
Use external plug
Sunrise
Calendar
Works with
Maps integration
to sync?
1 AtWhat
the top of the app youll nd all the
calendars that can be imported into the app and
the available apps at the bottom. Scroll down the
list until you nd an app of interest and select it.
Its important to keep in mind that certain apps are
country specic.
34
Birthdays
Facebooks main connectivity in
Sunrise Calendar is in the form of
birthday reminders. Youll nd a
small icon representing one of your
friends, from which you can then go
directly to their prole by pressing
said icon
More information
Press on a reminder to get more
information about it. Youll nd
details regarding when the event
starts and nishes and also a
choice of notication sounds to
choose from if you want an alert to
the reminder
login
2 Account
Youll now need to log in to the app in
options
3 Import
If the app has several areas that can be
WorldMags.net
tips
1 TripIt
WorldMags.net
2 Evernote
3 GitHub
4 Asana
5 Songkick
Is it possible to get
my iCloud calendar
across to Sunrise?
to browse
4 Start
Scroll through your calendar across a
few weeks to see if all the apps you imported are
there and present. Each app will be represented
by a different icon and contain a small note
describing what the listing is about. Press on one
to take a closer look.
more detail
5 Add
Each listing will have a different amount of
detail attached with it. If you arent happy with
whats been included, press on the pencil icon
at the top of the app to edit the eld. You can
then add to or completely rewrite the description,
which doesnt have a word limit.
Will my connected
apps work with
the Sunrise
Calendar widget?
Yes and no. Although most apps
work with the widget fairly well,
on occasion you may nd that
some events are missing from
the widget feed. If you really
want a thorough widget, then
you may need to import the
apps once again to get an
updated version.
the day
6 Split
If youve got multiple apps displaying for
the same day, press on the date in question to get
a closer view. Doing this will split up the day into
different parts Morning, Afternoon, etc so you
can pinpoint the timing of exact events. Press on
the date again to revert back to normal.
organising
7 Start
After using the app for some time it may be
that youre nding some of the plug-ins to be a
hindrance. Go through the settings page of the
app to nd the remove app function. Here you
can remove the feeds from specic apps in just
a few seconds.
Need help?
Got a problem with your
Android phone or tablet?
Get in touch with us...
facebook
/littlegreenrobot
Get help from our
Facebook community
features
8 App
Some apps include extra details that users
should be checking out. Songkick, for example,
not only has Google Maps integration letting you
know the whereabouts of upcoming concerts, it
also has a direct link to the apps webpage for you
to nd out more.
view
9 Different
If youve got a rather packed calendar, or
simply want to try out an alternate view, press on
the three line symbol at the top of the interface.
This will switch to a stripped-back calendar view,
when tends to be a lot easier on the eye and
easier to comprehend.
WorldMags.net
twitter
@lgrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Send your questions for our team of
experts to tackle
35
TutorialsWorldMags.net
Stream Dropbox
to your TV
Works with
Use a Chromecast
and the AllCast
app to get your
photos, les
and more on
your television
36
photos on the
big screen. It
provides users
with a platform to
read and perform m nor edits
on their les, before sha ing them
through different platforms. This
tutorial will get you up and running with
AllCast and well als
make using Dropbox on your TV a whole lot easier.
bitrate
2 Change
Before looking to stream Dropbox, youll
side menu
3 Open
Back out of the Settings menu and open
Allow access
4 Youll
now be required to allow access to
Dropbox
5 Navigate
The beauty of this Dropbox integration is
to stream
6 Start
Select a le and press the cast button on
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Works with
Recalibrate
your batter
without roo
Charge battery
Your rst port of call is to fully charge the
battery with your smartphone turned on
and all apps and syncing processes closed
and off. Remove the charger from your
phone and then turn your smartphone off
after a few seconds
LED indication
With your device off youll want to
plug in your charger and wait for the
LED light to appear, notifying you
when its fully charged. Once this
happens remove the charger again
and turn on your phone
Drain to 0%
After being fully charged again,
unplug it and leave your phone
until it reaches 0 per cent battery
life and turns itself off. If you now
fully charge your phone while its
off, your phone should calibrate
itself and work at its optimal level
Battery Doctor
DU Battery Saver
JuiceDefender
Where DU excels as an
app is that it gives users
the choice to optimise
their phone batterys
performance with a
single press. It also
includes a choice of
pre-determined modes
that can help save your
battery draining too fast.
Set screen to
maximum
Finishing up
WorldMags.net
37
TutorialsWorldMags.net
Create formulas
in Google Sheets
Works with
Make quick
calculations
with Googles
alternative to
Microsoft Excel
Basic formulas
3 The
white bar is your hub for all formulas
troubleshooting
4 Instant
If the nished number doesnt look right
other formulas
5 Exploring
Multiplying the numbers in cells is also
38
further data
2 Enter
Go through subsequent cells and enter
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Get in touch
Were on Facebook and Twitter,
or just drop us an email
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Will my equations
go on to other
devices?
to divide
6 Learning
Many users tend to be a bit confused
when it comes to dividing cell values while in
Google Sheets, but without a designated divide
button, users will instead need to use a forward
slash for division. Again, press the enter button
once your equation has been entered.
formula entry
7 Alternate
If youre looking to total up a large number
of cells at one given time, then a great piece of
equation to use is the =sum function before the
rest of the equation is entered. Over a long period
of time, youll generally nd it quicker to use this
function when handling multiple cells.
with colours
8 Formatting
The top toolbar is where youll nd all the
cell styles
9 Selecting
Formatting also links closely with the cell
formula entry
10 Advanced
After testing out the basic equation
problems
11 Diagnosing
You may encounter several problems when
putting formulas together, so its important you
take care when entering them. A common problem
is not putting a correct cell value in, or simply
putting a cell that doesnt actually contain any
data to calculate.
others to help
12 Allow
All the formulas you create through
Google Sheets can be shared with anyone
you like. Find the Add People menu within the
Settings and designate people who can not
only look at the spreadsheet, but also change
and edit any formulas they see t.
WorldMags.net
general details
13 Add
Save and rename your le before
closing it. If you now open up the spreadsheet
again, you should still see each nished
equation entered, and by pressing on the cell
in question, youll also see the formula used
to reach the nished formula.
39
TutorialsWorldMags.net
Blacklist spam
numbers with
Truecaller
Works with
T
Ensure you
never get disturbed
by a nuisance call again
[FIG 4] Unwanted
callers are denitely a
nuisance. When you
nd one it can be
added to your My block
list by selecting Block
4. Search
The Search option lets users search for
individuals, businesses or sales. Enter a
name or number and tap Search. From the
search results tap an option. This will
enable you to call the number or Block &
Report. Tap Block & Report followed by Yes
to add to your block list.
5. Global block
40
1. Getting started
3. New messages
Truecaller will include a number of
messages on rst-time use. You can
choose to add images to contacts or tell
your friends that you are using Truecaller
via text message, Google+ or email.
Can I view a
full list of spam
and unknown
callers?
As well as viewing your
list of blocked callers
you can view the global
list. Tap the Truecaller
icon, select Block, tap
the three-dot icon and
hit View full list.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
NEW
From the
makers of
Factp
WIN
A years
subscription
on the next
page
a c ked
pages
burst
ing w
it
h
intere
sting
info
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
ere
w
big urs?
w
Ho
nosisasue one
i
d
the ut in
o
Find
WorldMags.net
TO
N
O
TI
IP
CR
BS
SU
IN
W
Whats
wrong with
this picture?
S
R
A
YE
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Each issue is
dedicated to
a different
fascinating
topic
Issue one
HISTORY
OF THE WORLD
Detailed,
colourful
cutaways and
illustrations
that explain
exactly how
things work
Dont
miss out on
this great
launch
offer
love
ing you
Everyth
in one
arning
about le
e
magazin
monthly
Subscribe
ER
RD
O
ed
at
tr
us
ill
as
IW UK rse
/H 4 ve
uk 64 o e
o. 0 69 od
s.c 56 2 8 r c
ub 8 59 ffe
o
es 44
in 8 95 te LU
ag all 0 ) 17 uo L H
q
.im C (0 se A
w
P
4
a
w
+4 Ple
w
or
W
O
N
Delivered in a collectable
travel-sized format
*This offer entitles new UK direct debit subscribers to pay just 21 every six issues saving 50% off the cover price. Offer code
PALHLU must be quoted to receive this special subscription price. New subscriptions will start from the next available issue.
Subscribers can cancel this subscription at any time. Details of the direct debit guarantee are available on request. This offer
expires 30th September 2014. Imagine Publishing reserves the right to limit this type of offer to one per household.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Works with
1. Import contacts
When you rst open the NOTEify app, youll
be required to sync your contacts to the
app. All synced contacts will then work
with the NOTEify feature when a call takes
place. Depending on the amount of
contacts stored on your phone, the
process can take a few minutes to fully
nish syncing. Once completed, youll be
taken directly to the main page of the
NOTEify app.
2. Change settings
Press on the menu icon within the NOTEify
app and select the Settings option from
the list provided. Scroll down the list and
enable the Activate Notes and Auto Save
Notes options. This means the notes
3. Taking notes
When a call is in progress, your keyboard
will appear. To make sure you dont
miss out on any details, try and use the
swipe feature that most keyboards now
include. If you back out of the note-taking
feature, youll be returned to the standard
phone screen.
4. Format notes
With the phone call now over, you can get
started formatting the notes to your
specication. As well as the font and
colours being changed, users can also
How do I
delete notes?
While on the
formatting screen,
press on the bin icon
on the far-left of
the screen to scrap
the note you are
currently editing.
WorldMags.net
45
TutorialsWorldMags.net
Use Hibernate to freeze
background processes
Works with
Improve the
speed and
overall
performance of
your device by
minimising
RAM usage
app details
1 Import
When you rst open up Hibernate, you may
Keep an eye on
background
processes to
boost performance
46
Freeze processes
3 Press
the Android symbol to freeze the
it working?
4 Is
After making your initial selections, its
WorldMags.net
to freeze?
2 What
Scroll through the apps and tick the box
next to each one you want to freeze. As you scroll,
you may notice some apps listed in yellow. This
represents a core service on your device and
should generally be avoided when hibernating as it
could lead to problems on your device.
Careful selection
5 Venture
back into the app and explore
some of the other apps you can hibernate. Each
app listing will have a numerical value of how much
RAM its currently using by just running in the
background, so ideally these are the apps youll
want to prioritise when making the selection.
tips
WorldMags.net
1 Disable animations
2 Stop syncing
4 Software updates
5 Factory reset
Track background
min processes
a closer look
6 Take
Instead of manually going through your
apps, simply long press on one of them to open up
an overview screen. In this menu you can select
the types of apps you want to highlight. Select the
Background option and back out of the menu to
see a newly formed list.
RAM usage
2 Monitor
With the Running menu still open,
or report?
3 Stop
Select an app to take a closer look at it.
word of warning
4 A
Although using the Stop button might
nal checks
8 The
Theres a multitude of ways to check if your
background processes have been frozen. The best
way is to go to the Show cached processes
screen in the Settings app and any app youve
frozen shouldnt be listed. If its listed, simply go
back to Hibernate and de-list it again.
WorldMags.net
47
TutorialsWorldMags.net
Track your app
usage with
Frequency
Works with
Time-sensitive info
The time period combines with the app
usage option to create a list. Select Today
before using the device and only the
Frequency app will appear. Select Past Week
and this will display the last seven days
usage. Select All Time to view usage since
Frequency has been installed
App watch
Apps are what make a device
and Frequency offers the option to
lter which apps are displayed in a
list. Used Apps displays apps that
have been used in a selected
period, while All Installed displays
all the apps installed on a device,
used or unused
Listed by time
Time is the key measurement in
the Frequency app. The listed apps
are displayed in order with the most
used app, by time, top of the list.
Each app in the list displays how
long each app has been used
during the selected time period
48
No Show
Go Pro
App accuracy
More options
Manual use
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Works with
Automatic
store all
copied dat
with EverCl
Clipboard
Monitor
Once youve downloaded
EverClip, any text copied to
clipboard will automatically
add to EverClip. It also
recognises URLs and
downloads the corresponding
data. Follow the steps in the
green box below to back up
URLs as web clippings for an
alternative to bookmarking
Back up to
Evernote
Search,
translate, share
a URL
1 Copy
To create a
webclip, copy the URL of
the webpage that you
want to back up. Then
open EverClip, either by
opening the app or just
selecting the Clipboard
Monitor from your
drop-down. Now, tap on
the last link you copied.
an
2 Select
area
If you want to save a
whole webpage, move
onto step 3. If you want
to select a specic area,
tap the oating square
outline button at the
bottom of the screen.
From here, you can then
select areas to backup.
in
3 Store
the cloud
When nished, tap Save
to Evernote to back up
your webclips. EverClip
Premium users can
qualify which Notebook
to save it to and add tags.
If you use a different
cloud service, tap Share
to see more options.
Organise notes
As well as URLs, any text you copy on
your handset whether from the
web, a message or an app will also
be stored in EverClip. Notes supports
Markdown syntax so you can add
formatting such as headers or
bullet points for added organisation
WorldMags.net
EverClip Premium
The free version of EverClip only supports ve
clipboard items at a time. You can either
regularly back them up to Evernote to ensure
you have space, or upgrade to EverClip
Premium for 2.49/$3.99. This includes
unlimited items, no advertising, and support
for Evernote notebooks and tags
49
DroidSupport
WorldMags.net
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Share your tips & tricks
Join us on Facebook and Twitter
to share and receive some
great tips and advice
facebook
/littlegreenrobot
twitter
@lgrobot
Why is OK Google
Now u
I love the idea of jus
saying OK Google Now
and for my Moto X to
respond, but I am
nding that it only
responds about half of
the time. It has never
been reliable for me.
Why is that happening?
Jamie Roach
Hi Jamie. The Moto X has
been almost universally
praised for its ability to
understand what you are saying
in the most noisy of
environments, but if you are
having problems there is
hopefully a very simple solution.
Chances are that when you rst
trained the system to recognise
50
your voice,
something went
wrong and it has
never covered,
hence the lack
of eliable
would suggest to
nd the quietest place
possible and to retrain
your input by going to Settings>
Touchless control>Train launch
phrase. You can say the phrase
again and will soon be able to
ascertain if things have
improved. Another option which
some say works is to drop the
now and simply say OK Google.
word can get mixed up with
many others, but that OK and
Google are unique enough to
pr ve to be more reliable.
However, in our tests we had
mixed results during the
retraining process and
sometimes the phone would fail
WorldMags.net
Retraining is a
simple solution to
recognition problems
/littlegreenrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
DroidSupport
Ask
your questions facebook email
WorldMags.net
hints&tips Get more from your Android device with these handy tips
WorldMags.net
51
DroidSupport
WorldMags.net
Can I track
app usage?
Is there a way to see what apps I
have been using the most and
have you any tips on letting me
dig deep into the way I use my
phone without rooting? I am
trying to maximise the battery
and performance.
Malcolm Riddet
Hi Malcolm. There is a
way to check everything
that has happened on
your Android device without
rooting, but you will need to
analyse the data yourself to see
what you can change in your
usage later. Go to the Developer
options in Settings, which are
not always available by default.
You may need to nd out how to
access them for your model, but
they should always be accessible.
Once there, open Process stats,
where you will see a list of apps.
Tapping any of these will display
the RAM usage, running time
and lots of other useful data. If
you tap the menu option at the
top, you can also show system
apps and choose which stat
types to see: backgr und,
foreground and cached. Its a
useful set of numbers to truly
analyse your device usage.
sing your
hone as a
SB drive
I am about to receive a new
Android phone and will need to
use it to move les between my
Mac and my work Windows
laptop. I realise that I can use
cloud services, but prefer to do
so on local devices and
wondered how easy it is to
manage moving les between
all of these devices?
Mick Bromley
I need
clearer
webpages
Is it possible to set up the
browser on my device so that it
can offer a simpler reading view
like Safari Reader on an iPhone?
So many pages are busy and
cluttered, and saving them to
services like Pocket or
Instapaper works, but are a bit of
a ddle and not immediate.
ary ames
52
In the Google Play app, you can specify how often a password is
required for purchases by going to Settings>Require password
for purchases. If you have a lock screen set up, you could
potenti lly set it to Never to speed up purchases in the future.
Hi Mick. It would be
useful to know which
Android device you are
about to receive so that we can
be more specic, but for your
particular question we should
still be able to help you. The
majority of the time, connecting
to a Windows PC, particularly a
new one running Windows 8
and above, should be easy, but it
is slightly trickier on a Mac. A
small amount of setup is
required, but once you have
done that, it should be quite easy
to use your Android device as a
hub to move photos, videos and
indeed any kind of le between
them. If your device has
expansion card support, this
makes the entire process much
easier, but there are ways
around this which we will
demonstrate for anyone else who
needs this type of functionality.
WorldMags.net
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter to
send us your tips & tricks
quicktips
top tips for...
DroidSupport
ROLONGING
ATTERY
to Windows
1 Connect
To connect to a Windows PC, simply attach
your Android device to the USB cable and connect
it. You will see a box appear and you will need to
leave the initial setup to complete, which can take
some time. Be patient and the process will
eventually nish and you should be ready to start.
an option
2 Choose
You will now see some options appear on
the screen and it is wise to select the correct one
as this will be used in the future when you connect
your device. Select Open device to view les and
you should see it appear as a drive in File Explorer.
The sync option is useful for dealing with media.
1Delete apps
to move les
3 Time
When you click the Android device drive in
File Transfer
4 Android
Setting up an Android device as a drive in
le sharing
6 Wireless
Dont forget that there are many apps
available in Google Play that will enable you to
transfer les wirelessly to your desktop PCs. Apps
such as WiFi File Transfer are free and very easy to
set up. In the right hands it can make the process
of sharing les quicker than the USB solution.
WorldMags.net
Check
our website daily
for even more tips & tricks
5Limit notications
www.littlegreenrobot.co.uk
53
WorldMags.net
EX
C
ENJOYING THE
MAGAZINE?
Subscribe today and get four free issues
ONLINE
TELEPHONE
www.imaginesubs.co.uk/and
WorldMags.net
Hacker Zne
CONTROL APP
PERMISSIONS
Limit what data your
apps can access
RUN A
DUAL OS
Run both Android
and Linux
DE-GOOGLE
YOUR DEVICE
SPEED UP
YOUR PHONE
Remove bloatware
to free up
memory
EXPERT
PHONE
ULTRA-FAST
DOWNLOADS
Supercharge your
Wi-Fi speeds
BOOST YOUR
AUDIO
Essential tricks to
make your phone
your own
This issue weve included ten top tutorials to
transform your phone, from removing all of
the Google apps to gain extra memory to
speeding up how long it takes to download
apps by combining the power of Wi-Fi with 3G.
All of these hacks require your Android
phone to have been rooted, but they are all
sufciently complicated that if you dont know
how to unlock the superuser mode, its
WorldMags.net
BOOST YOUR
BATTERY
Kill apps instantly to
conserve power
SET UP ONE-HANDED
GESTURES
Make navigating
menus easy
55
WorldMags.net
Get tips, tricks, help & advice
Send us your comments, tips and questions
through email and social networks
Remove
Google
featuresO
DE-GOOGLE
YOUR
DEVICE
56
WorldMags.net
Google
1 Replace
Hangouts
If youre not a Hangouts fan, you can
use an alternative app for your SMS
messaging, regardless of whether you
have root. Download a new messaging
app from the Play store (try Handcent
SMS or Chomp SMS), then open your
devices Settings, tap Default SMS
app and choose an alternative.
stock
6 Replace
boot animation
Depending on your device, you may
see the Google logo as a boot
animation. You can replace this using
a manager app, such as Boot
Animations Root, which can be
downloaded from Google Play. Open
the app, choose a new animation,
select Install and then reboot.
facebook twitter
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
Like us on Facebook to
join our online community
Comments or questions?
Follow us on Twitter
2 Remove
Google Now
Even if you dont have root, you can
disable Google Now by opening the
service (either by swiping upwards,
or swiping to the left homescreen).
Scroll to the bottom of Google Now,
tap the three-dotted menu icon,
select Settings and then push the
slider to the Off position.
GOOGLE
ALTERNATIVES
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
3 Disable
system apps
If uninstalling one of Googles
read-only apps sounds too
permanent, you can disable the app
instead, so you have the option of
re-enabling it at a later date. To
disable an app, open your devices
Settings, tap Apps, select the app in
question and then tap Disable.
Google
7 Remove
Search bar
8 Experiment
with launchers
App
4 System
Remover
To remove read-only apps,
download System App Remover
from Google Play. Launch the app
and open its menu by tapping the <
symbol. Choose System app to see
your read-only apps. Remover warns
against uninstalling certain ones,
but you can uninstall anything here.
a
9 Flash
custom ROM
One of the most dramatic, but
effective ways of de-Googling your
device, is to ash a custom ROM.
ROMs give your device a new look,
and usually avoid unnecessary
system apps. The best place to
check what ROMs are available for
you is the XDA Developers forum.
WorldMags.net
Hacker Zne
WorldMags.net
TOP TIP
5 Uninstall
system apps
In System App Remover, select the
app you want to remove, and then
tap Uninstall. To recover this app at
a later date, launch System App
Remover and tap its trash can icon,
which acts like your computers
recycle bin. Find the app you want to
restore, and then tap Restore.
10 Remove
unwanted APKs
If your chosen ROM still contains
Google apps, you can remove these
before ashing the ROM. Download
and unzip the ROM on your
computer, open the system/app
folder and delete the unwanted
.apks. Then, rezip the le and youre
ready to ash it to your device.
57
Supercharge your
download speeds
Make the most
use out of your
dual radio
connections to
download faster
Super Download
1 Get
On a rooted phone, download the Super
Download app from the Play store. Theres a
free version of the app as well but its limited to
50MB les this may be useful for those with
quite limited data plans and require a little more
control over its usage.
My Data Manager
4 Get
Get back on the Google Play store and
look for the My Data Manager (MDM) app this
is what well be using to get a better idea of the
amount of data were using with Super
Download. Unlike our bridge app, it does not
require root access.
58
GET ULTRA-FAST
DOWNLOADS
up the app
2 Set
Turning on Super Download is all you
download
3 First
To activate root permissions, youll need
up your plan
5 Set
On rst launch of MDM youll be asked to
your alarms
6 Create
MDM goes beyond typical Android data
WorldMags.net
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Like us on Facebook to
join our online community
Comments or questions?
Follow us on Twitter
Enhance audio
with ViPER4Android
BOOST YOUR
AUDIO
Hacker Zne
WorldMags.net
facebook twitter
email
ViPER4Android
has extensive
options for
tweaking and
tuning your
devices audio
and tuning every part of your
devices audio output, including
equalization, virtual surround
sound, reverberation and much more.
ViPER4Android is available in two
avours: FX, and XHiFi. This tutorial
uses ViPER4Android FX, since it has
the most settings and is still under
active development.
ViPER4Android requires a rooted
device, and relies on BusyBox, so
before you start, make sure you
download BusyBox from the Play
store. Youll also need an app that
can decompress zip les, such as ES
File Explorer, which is also free to
download from Google Play.
1 Download
ViPER4Android
Visit forum.xda-developers.com/
showthread.php?t=2191223,
and download ViPER4Android FX.
Open your notications drawer
and tap the Download complete
panel, then select ES Zip Viewer
when prompted. Youll see two
les: one for Android 2.3 and one
for the 4.0 series.
Categories and
4 settings
ViPER4Android is divided into
categories. Swipe to move
between the categories, and see
what settings are available. If
youre unsure what a particular
setting does, you can get more
info at: vipersaudio.com/blog/?
page_id=43, which also includes
some recommendations.
Super
2 Choose
Audio Quality
Tap the correct le for your version
of Android, followed by Install.
When prompted, tap Open. The
app asks whether you want to
update your V4A driver. Select Yes.
Youll then be given three
preferences; for the best audio
quality choose Super Audio
Quality. Reboot your device.
5 Experiment
with sounds
Every change you make in
ViPER4Android takes effect in real
time, so an easy way to perfect
your audio output is to play some
music in the background while you
tweak and tune your settings. For
the most accurate effect, use your
headphones while making these
ne adjustments.
WorldMags.net
as
3 Set
your default
Once your device has rebooted,
open your app drawer and tap
Settings, followed by Sounds.
Select Music Effects, and then
choose ViPER4Android FX in the
pop-up that appears. Youre now
ready to launch the ViPER4Android
app and start perfecting your
devices audio output.
custom
6 Create
presets
ViPER4Android comes with various
default equalizer presets, but if
none of these meet your needs,
you can create your own. Open
the category you want to create a
custom preset for, tap its blue
graph and then drag the white
dots until you have an effect
youre happy with.
59
Create your
own widget
CREATE YOUR
OWN WID ET
60
WorldMags.net
a
1 Create
blank canvas
Install UCCW from the Google Play
store, if you havent already done so.
Its a free download. Launch the app
and tap New. Set the homescreen
grid size to 4x4, and the widget size to
4x2. Give your skin a memorable
name, and then tap New skin. Tap
Add/remove objects.
your
6 Reposition
objects
Select each object in turn, tap
Position and then enter the following
values. Hour 477, 406. Minute
634, 406. hour/minute separator
595, 401. Day of the month 262,
261. Month 248, 355. Week Bar
19, 72. Battery circle 394, 144. Icon
forecast 788, 504.
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Like us on Facebook to
join our online community
Comments or questions?
Follow us on Twitter
your objects
2 Add
Select Hour, Minute, hour/
text
3 Resize
The rst objects to resize
a shape
7 Add
Divide your widgets content
by adding a vertical line. Tap Add/
remove objects and select Shape 1.
Open the Edit objects menu, tap
Shape 1, select Style and choose
Line. Still in the same menu,
change Position to 0, 96, Angle to
0, Width to 1370 and nally Line
thickness to 5.
background
8 Add
Depending on your device, at
this point you may need to make
some tweaks to the size and
position of your objects. Once
youre happy with the results, show
off your objects by turning the
widgets background transparent.
Tap Edit objects, select Background,
tap Alpha and drag the slider to 0.
your
4 Resize
objects
Carefully work your way through the
rest of the objects in the Edit
objects menu, simply by tapping
each object in turn, selecting Size
and then entering a new value.
Change Day of the Month to 75,
Month to 80 and change Week
bar to 80.
widget
9 Place
Tap UCCWs menu icon,
select Save>Save skin>Save. To
position the widget on your
homescreen, press on said
homescreen then select Widgets.
Swipe to the UCCW widgets, then
press down on UCCW 4x2 widget,
position the widget on your
homescreen and release.
WorldMags.net
Hacker Zne
WorldMags.net
facebook twitter
email
resizing
5 Finish
objects
There are a few objects that dont
have a Size setting, but still require
resizing. Return to the Edit objects
menu, tap Battery circle and set
both its Width and Height to 450.
Hit the Back button on your device,
then select Icon forecast, tap Scale
and change this to 155.
widget
10 Resize
Finally, in the UCCW widget
that appears, tap the widget you
want to add to your homescreen. To
resize this widget, press down on it
for a few seconds, then select
Resize and white handles will
appear around the widget. Drag
these handles to make the widget
larger or smaller.
61
Use XPrivacy to
control your apps
Pick and choose
exactly what
data your apps
have access to
62
CONTROL APP
PERMISSIONS
XPrivacy
1 Install
Before you start, made a full backup and
Framework
2 Xposed
Launch XPrivacy Installer, and tap Check
access
4 Restrict
Relaunch Xposed Installer, tap Modules
all permissions
5 Revoke
If you want to prevent an app from
WorldMags.net
XPrivacy
3 Install
Relaunch XPrivacy Installer, reselect
Check root, I have made. and Unknown
sources. Then, select I have enabled Xposed,
and tap Download/install XPrivacy. Once
complete, pull down the notication drawer, and
select the downloaded le. Tap Next and Install.
in-app advice
6 Get
On the main XPrivacy screen, youll
notice a pink checkbox this controls
permissions that you can restrict, but which
may cause the app to function incorrectly. Youll
also notice various other symbols; if you want to
learn more tap the question mark in the toolbar.
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Like us on Facebook to
join our online community
Comments or questions?
Follow us on Twitter
SET UP
ONE-HANDED
GESTURES
Create one-handed
gestures with GMD
Hacker Zne
WorldMags.net
facebook twitter
email
Be inspired by the
Amazon Fire Phone
for easy functionality
right
1 The
version
Make sure you grab the full
version of GMD GestureControl
from the Play store, as the Lite
version wont let you use custom
gestures. This wont help us as
the default gestures all require
multiple ngers and therefore
both hands to work.
tap
4 Create
gestures
Next to Record youll nd the Path
button press that to bring up a
different type of custom gesture
menu where you can program
gestures with swipes and taps.
Type T-T-T into the path: this
means tap-tap-tap, and well use it
to kill the current app.
rst
2 Your
gesture
Open up GMD and grant it root
before swiping over to User
Gestures. Clicking on Record will
let you create your custom
gestures; were starting with one
to open menus but you can use
whatever gesture you want as long
as it doesnt clash with any app.
to kill
5 Tap
Again click Action and
choose Action from the menu. Go
to Application Manager and nd
the Kill App option. You can also
add a Starting Zone for the
gesture while the one weve
chosen is hardly common, you can
put it in an obscure place so it
doesnt interfere.
3 Set function
a
6 Create
blacklist
After youve created your selection
of apps and tested them, you may
notice that they have undesired
effects in some apps such as
games. You can either tweak
gestures or blacklist these apps
where you wouldnt be bothered
about the gestures anyway.
WorldMags.net
63
Overclock your
phone on a
per-app basis
OVERCLOCK
YOUR
ANDROID
Overclocking can be a
treacherous hack, so be wise
with where you make changes
64
1 Overclockable
kernels
up
2 Back
and ash
clocks
6 Tweak
Grant root access and you
7 Create a prole
WorldMags.net
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Like us on Facebook to
join our online community
Comments or questions?
Follow us on Twitter
Grant root
access and you
can start
setting
maximum and
minimum clock
speeds
Hacker Zne
WorldMags.net
facebook twitter
email
It can be dangerous
By overclocking youre pushing the
CPU beyond its recommended
limits. This can increase the heat
the chip experiences, shorten its
life and damage components
around it. Test increases in clock
speed gradually to nd the breaking
point and then go below that.
your
3 Restore
device
Before we start playing with clock
speeds, restore your device and
get all the apps you need as well
this is important to make sure we
can set up correctly for your ideal
setup and to deal with any little
issues that might have cropped up.
the
4 Get
right app
5 First launch
9 Prioritise prole
more
10 Create
Create the rest of the
proles you want, whether its
more overclocking or adding
underclocking. Its important to use
the Stress Test function on the Info
tab at the speeds you plan to use
to make sure they wont do
anything funny to your device.
WorldMags.net
65
BOOST YOUR
BATTERY
DU Battery Saver
1 Get
The application were using for this
tutorial is the DU Battery Saver Pro app it will
cover just about all our needs for this tutorial.
Find it in the Play store and install it to your
device as you would any other app. Its a free
download too.
up your prole
4 Set
Click the pencil next to My mode to
begin the process of editing it. We suggest
turning off Bluetooth, vibrate and haptic
feedback when the battery starts to get low but
you can tweak the display brightness and Wi-Fi
activation as well.
66
setup
2 Initial
Go through the info screens to start
using the app. On the bottom of the user
interface youll nd a row of functions choose
Saver. Here youll nd the different proles you
can use to start limiting your phone straight
away if you need to.
your phone
5 Underclock
Weve already covered how you can over
and underclock your phone on a per-app basis,
but you dont need a custom kernel to
underclock your device so you can use part of
the tutorial to create a prole that underclocks
your phone when your battery gets low.
WorldMags.net
battery discharge
3 Set
Click on the pencil next to My mode to
begin creating a custom battery prole. Go over
to the Smart tab and activate the Schedule by
power feature. You can have this activate a
battery prole when the battery gets low. Set
this prole to be My mode for now.
Monitor
6 Battery
The nal selection on the bottom bar is
the Monitor, which gives you a better idea of
whats draining your battery. It also lets you
know which hardware features are draining the
battery, which can help plug a leak if you didnt
realise the GPU or Wi-Fi were leaching power.
/littlegreenrobot
@lgrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Like us on Facebook to
join our online community
Comments or questions?
Follow us on Twitter
SPEED UP
YOUR
PHONE
Hacker Zne
WorldMags.net
facebook twitter
email
1 Install XF
& Enable
2 Install
BootManager
Open the Play store and install
BootManager. Once its nished
downloading, open the Xposed
Installer app, tap Modules and
ensure BootManager is selected.
Reboot your device. Once your
Android device is up and running
again, open the app drawer and
launch BootManager.
apps
3 Prevent
from running
The BootManager app displays a
list of all the apps that begin
running when your device boots.
To prevent an app from starting
automatically, give it a tap so that
it turns red. If an app is missing
from the list, it may help to tap the
three-dotted menu icon and
select Reload.
TOP TIP
BLOCK NOTIFICATIONS
WITH RECEIVERSTOP
Some apps will automatically
launch when they receive certain
broadcasts. ReceiverStop is a
way of preventing apps
from receiving these
broadcasts.
its
4 Check
working
If you want to double check that
BootManager is successfully
preventing your apps from running,
reboot your device, and then open
your app drawer and select
Settings, followed by Apps. Open
the Running section, to see
which apps have launched
automatically on boot.
5 Experiment
with others
Although BootManager is one
solution for controlling which apps
start on boot, there are other
options to explore. Startup
Manager is a free application
available from the Play store,
which enables you to control
which system processes start
when the system boots.
WorldMags.net
System
6 Block
Processes
Download and launch Startup
Manager, and then tap the System
tab at the top of the app to see a
list of all the processes that start
when the system boots. To
disable a process, tap its - icon.
Tap the + symbol and this
process resumes as soon as you
reboot your device.
67
Dual boot
Android
with Ubun
Touch OS
RUN A
DUAL OS
Bored of
Android? Heres
your chance to
experiment
with another OS
68
WorldMags.net
a live disc
1 Create
Go to the Ubuntu website and
download the latest version of the
Ubuntu desktop operating system.
This comes in an ISO le, and can be
burned to a blank DVD or an empty
USB stick using a tool like UNetbootin
we suggest the USB stick as its a
little faster and very useful beyond the
scope this of this tutorial.
and open
6 Reboot
the app
As the terminal will emphatically tell
you, ignore anything about losing root
and just press the power button once
to reboot. Once youre back into
Android, open up the app menu and
look for the Ubuntu Dual Boot app that
we just installed. Open it up for the
next step.
/littlegreenrobot
Like us on Facebook to
join our online community
CURRENTLY UNDER
DEVELOPMENT
@lgrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Comments or questions?
Follow us on Twitter
into Ubuntu
2 Boot
Reboot your PC with the DVD
the les
3 Get
Find Firefox on the left row of
7 Download
the ISO
From within the app, press the
greyed out Choose which channel
to install to bring up the options.
Check bootstrap and scroll down to
utopic so you get the recommended
version of the OS. Press install and
wait as it installs the large, 3GB le.
Make sure youre on Wi-Fi!
into
8 Reboot
Ubuntu Touch
During the installation youll have to
grant SU but after a little while youll
be done! All you need to do now is
press Reboot to Ubuntu (again
greyed out for some reason) and
your device will boot into Ubuntu
Touch OS. Ignore any Android
identiers while booting.
the
4 Install
Android tools
We need the correct ADB and
downloading tools to get this to
work, and these are all handily
included in one piece of software.
Install them from the terminal by
using the following command and
type in y when prompted to do so:
$ sudo apt-get install phablet-tools.
to
9 Return
Android
Merely performing a hard reboot on
the device (using the power button
to turn it off and on again) will allow
you to always boot back into
Android, with the Reboot button on
the app used to get you back into
Ubuntu Touch. Your Android system
will not be wiped in the process.
WorldMags.net
Hacker Zne
TOP TIP
WorldMags.net
twitter email
the dual
5 Install
boot app
Connect your Android device to your
PC and make sure USB debugging is
on. In the terminal from before, type
the following command to install the
app it will reboot the device a
couple of times before its done but
thats normal and nothing to be
concerned about: $ ./dualboot.sh.
or
10 Updating
removing
To update Ubuntu Touch on your
device you need to uninstall it and
reinstall it. Its a bit long winded but
it just requires you to hit the menu
button on the Ubuntu Dual Boot and
select the Uninstall option before
going back a few steps to install
again if you want to update it.
69
Explore
the limits of your Android device
WorldMags.net
Hacker Zne
status update
Which devices are best for
the hacking scene?
LG G3
Rooted? Yes
Active Development:
QQQLow
Its still early days for
this new phone, so
while it has been
successfully rooted
were still waiting for
the ROMs to appear.
Moto E
Rooted? Yes
Active Development:
QQQMedium
The Moto E is easy to
root and cheap to buy,
making it an ideal
handset for any newbie
to try and hack without
fear of bricking it.
Samsung
Gear Live
Lock and
relock your
Nexus
bootloader
with Boot
Unlocker
Rooted? Yes
Active Development:
QQQMedium
Be aware: this smartwatch doesnt prompt
for conrmation when
unlocking bootloader
wiping all your data.
Nexus 5
Rooted? Yes
Active Development:
QQQ
QHigh
While there is no sign
of a new Nexus on the
horizon, the current
model has an
ever-growing number
of mods to try out.
One click and youre rooted with TowelRoot
hacks
Simulate
Knock Code
Securing your device is a
necessity to stop private data
falling into the wrong hands, but
the process is tedious. LGs Knock
Code enables you to unlock with a
simple onscreen knock pattern,
and now its possible to replicate
this on your non-LG device
70
Xposed
1 InInstall
order to use Knock Code on
your non-LG device, you need to be
rooted and have the Xposed
framework installed. To install,
download the latest APK from mdc.
gd/getxposed, install and run. Click
Framework>Install/Update to copy
to your system partition.
Download module
2 The
Xposed app includes the
ability to search for modules. Click
Download and search for Knock
Code. After selecting the module
from the list, scroll right and press
Download. The module will
automatically install you should
then activate it from the notication.
WorldMags.net
Use Pie
controls
without root
/littlegreenrobot
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
Like us on Facebook to
join our online community
Auto disable/
enable
locking near
Bluetooth
devices
OS
ROM
Stands for read-only memory. In the
context of Android, the ROM refers to
the les that make up the operating
system installed on your device.
Gaining root privileges allows for
replacement of the standard ROM
with a custom one.
Root
Rooting your phone gives apps access
to parts of the OS that are normally
hidden from consumers. This enables
you to run more powerful software and
install custom ROMs on your phone.
ROM Manager
An app available from the Android
Market that enables you to install
a whole new version of your OS with
a single click. It requires a rooted
phone to use and is ideal for those
new on the scene.
Titanium Backup
This app from the Market enables you
to back up everything on your phone
apps, data, settings and all. It means
that you can restore your phone to how
it was, even after youve updated or
changed the ROM.
Unrevoked
Available from www.unrevoked.com,
this is a one-click tool that can be
used for rooting many popular
HTC smartphones.
A tness tracker is perfect for auto-locking
Get great new features without getting your hands (too) dirty
L your
navigation bar
Add drawings
to Hangouts
Heads Up!
notications
From: http://mdc.
gd/xplnav
Need root? Yes
This Xposed module
gives you the nav bar
as seen in the preview
release of Android L. It
includes 19 icons with
support for all
resolutions of devices.
From: mdc.gd/
xphud
Need root? No
Android L will launch
with a new feature
called Heads Up!. With
this enabled,
notications pop up
over whichever app
youre using.
Free
Hacker Zne
Jargon
Buster
Free
Free
WorldMags.net
Check
our website daily
for even more tips & tricks
ADB
Stands for Android Debug Bridge. ADB
is mainly used for software
development, but it also has some
uses for hacking your phone. It can be
used to push les onto the system
folder, for instance.
Nandroid
You might come across the phrase
perform a Nandroid backup. This
means using a custom recovery tool
to make a back-up image of everything
currently on your phone: OS, apps,
data, etc. Its very useful should you
wish to restore your phone to its
previous state later.
Radio
Radio refers to the software on your
Android device that deals with making
phone calls and data connections.
Updating your radio version can bring
better battery life and signal strength
to your device. Some ROMs require the
latest radio.
Flash
The storage in your device comprises
ash memory, a type of solid-state
storage. The terms ash or ashing
mean installing new software onto your
devices storage.
www.littlegreenrobot.co.uk
71
Apps WorldMags.net
Sunrise Calendar
15min wonder
! 5
15 10
0-5 minutes
5-10 minutes
10-15 minutes
keep
refund
specification
Price Free
Designed for: Phone
Requires Android: 4.0
verdict
Performance
Design
Value
A one-stop shop for all your
business and social events
The agenda view displays three days at a
time with colour-coded event blocks
The default view lists
events below the calendar,
complete with relevant icons
72
like this?
try this!
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
SwiftKey Keyboard
The popular swipe-type keyboard gets even smarter
to link it to your Google and social
accounts, such as Facebook and
Twitter, it learns even faster. Your
personalised predictions are also
backed up to the cloud.
Another major plus point is the
phenomenal language support,
offering next-word prediction in over
60 tongues. Unlike most multilingual
keyboards, you dont even need to
switch manually between them:
simply type away and it works out
which of the (up to three) enabled
languages you want. We found this
particularly handy when using the
language-learning app Duolingo.
As well as choosing from a number
of free, colourful keyboard themes,
with extra ones available via the
in-app store, theres great scope for
customising the keyboard layout,
size and positioning (you can undock
and split it). An extended layout
squeezes in cursor keys, which we
Copy Bubble
A oating clipboard
for multiple items
Price Free
Designed for Phone and tablet
Requires Android 4.0
Tap the bubble to see all copied items, to
re-copy (for pasting), share and delete
like this?
try this!
EDITORS
CHOICE
specification
Price Free
Designed for: Phone and tablet
Requires Android: 2.2
verdict
The best keyboard around
adds new features and its
now free
Choose from a selection of free themes, or
buy more from the store
Ready
Contact List
Get ready for a stylish
new dialler
Vibify
Get a buzz when you pick
up your phone
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android 1.6
Price 0.80/$1.36
Designed for Phone
Requires Android Varies
WorldMags.net
73
Apps
WorldMags.net
EndlessTV:
Videos,
TV and
News
An alternative way to watch
TV on your Android device
Parallels Access
Get remote access of your desktop computer
with Parallels new app, built specically for Android
Gaining remote access
to your computer
sounds great in theory,
but in the past weve found it a
frustrating experience trying to
click on tiny icons and controls.
Parallels Access offers a unique
like this?
try this!
your day
Owly Relive
through audio snippets
Were used to logging our
life in photo form, but what
about audio? Activated at a
certain (and customisable) sound
volume threshold, Owly automatically
records ten-second soundbites
known as fragments to give you an
audio overview of your day laughing
with friends, listening to music etc. A
map shows where each geo-tagged
fragment was recorded, while a
strong social aspect gives you the
option to share them with friends so
they can be liked and commented
upon. Recordings are automatically
Price Free
Designed for Phone and tablet
Requires Android 3.0
Replay the geo-tagged sound snippets
from each day
74
like this?
try this!
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android 2.3
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
quickhits
top apps for...
ROWING
LANTS
specification
Price Free
Designed for: Phone and tablet
Requires Android: 4.0.3
verdict
Performance
Design
Value
EDITORS
CHOICE
Gardens Free
15min wonder
Want your money back?
Youve got 15 mins to decide!
! 5
15 10
! 5
15 10
! 5
15 10
0-5 minutes
5-10 minutes
10-15 minutes
Gardenate 0.99/$1.99
A comprehensive companion,
it shows you when to plant
and harvest various
vegetables and herbs. You
can also record your own plantings, make
detailed notes and add photos.
keep
refund
PhonoPaper
Print sounds on a piece of
paper in wave form
Now heres an intriguing
idea. Upon recording a
ten-second audio clip
(voice of music) via the microphone,
PhonoPaper transforms it into a
pattern of waves that you can print
out on a piece of paper. Using the
app, you can then scan this pattern
with the camera to hear the
recorded sound. In free mode, you
can scan by hand at whatever rate
you like. Results vary depending on
the camera, angle and print quality,
but since its encoded in analogue
form youll always hear at least a
silhouette of the sound an eery
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android 2.3
WorldMags.net
Check
our website daily
for even more app reviews
www.littlegreenrobot.co.uk
75
Apps
Lumosity
WorldMags.net
Popular brain-training
program hits Android
Price Free
Designed for Phone and tablet
Requires Android 4.0
In this simple game, you just have to swipe
the direction of the middle bird
like this?
try this!
Price Free
Designed for Phone and tablet
Requires Android 4.0.3
The chat screen looks more appealing
than before and offers extra options
like this?
try this!
76
Instagram
More control over your photos
Its pretty easy to spot an Instagram photo due to the limited
range of lter effects available to users. So its difcult to make
your picture stand out from the crowd. Fortunately, the latest app
update adds some new options that should help with that. While the range
of 20 lter effects is unchanged, you can now adjust their strength using a
slider and opt whether to add a frame or not. Nine editing tools are also
available to ne-tune your photo: straighten, brightness, contrast, warmth,
saturation, highlights, shadows, vignette, tilt shift (to alter depth of eld)
and sharpen. Most of these feature a slider control and you can apply as
many of them as you like. The enhanced options bring the Instagram app
into line with third-party image editors, so you shouldnt need the latter,
although youre still restricted to square-cropped shots. As before, you can
also shoot and upload videos.
specification
Price Free
Designed for: Phone
Requires Android: Varies
verdict
Flickr
Shoot and share your pictures on this
social network for serious photographers.
Compare original
Performance
Design
Value
like this?
try this!
Adjust lter
While the range of 20 lters is
unchanged, you can adjust their
strength. Tap the current one again to
bring up a slider control
Get to know
Use Instagrams new editing tools and effect strength
sliders to ne-tune the look of your picture
Filter strength
Tools menu
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
1Password
Upload it
When youve nished editing the
picture, tap the top-right arrow to upload
it. You can also share it to a range of
popular social networks
As well as
logins, you can
store sensitive
data for credit
cards and bank
accounts
specification
Price Free
Designed for: Phone and tablet
Requires Android: 4.0
verdict
Handy cloud sync and good
security, if you stay in-app
Editing tools
Tap the spanner icon to bring up a menu
of nine new tools with which to ne-tune
the look of your picture
Like this?
try this!
WorldMags.net
77
Apps
Playmarkers
WorldMags.net
can these QR codes for direct
inks to the Google Play Store
The Guardian
Selphee
Share a photo
that turns into
a video
People share lots of
photos and videos, so
why not combine the
two? Thats the idea behind
Selphee. You take a sele (or any
other photo, using either camera),
then shoot a short video. When
your friends view the photo, theyll
be surprised when it suddenly
plays video. Theres also an option
to use an existing photo from the
gallery, but ours kept coming up
blank. Some basic photo editing
options let you add funky frames
and speech bubbles. Then the
video section allows you to record
multiple clips, Vine-style, by
holding the button repeatedly. You
can then share your creation via a
weblink on Instagram, Facebook,
Twitter, Whatsapp or SMS. It
sounds innocuous enough, but
Vine
Record short videos to share
including via private Vine Message.
specification
Price Free
Designed for: Phone
Requires Android: 4.0
verdict
Performance
Design
Value
A fun idea that takes
liberties with your privacy
78
Price Free
Designed for Phone and tablet
Requires Android Varies
like this?
try this!
Echo Lockscreen
Gesture-based, prioritised notications system
If youre anything like us, your phone receives countless
notications. If only there were a way of sorting out the wheat from
the chaff to avoid notication overload. Echo could be the answer: it
learns from your behaviour to identify the notications that are important to you
and then only wakes the screen to show
a priority message. It also groups them
into categories such as work, social and
media. Particularly useful is the
Mailbox-style gesture system used to
manage individual notications on the
lockscreen: tap one to open it, swipe left
to dismiss, or right to set a reminder for
a certain time or place. Swiping fully to
the right lets you manually categorise the
message. A slight downside is that Echo
currently lacks music controls, plus
actionable items such as quick reply in
Gmail, but it still has good potential.
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android Varies
Swipe to dismiss a notication, set a
reminder or categorise it
like this?
try this!
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
quickhits
Reddit
offline
Read the front page of
the internet ofine
The clue is in the name:
this solid little app enables
you to download selected
subreddits to read later when you
have no internet connection. Its
rather basic interface comprises a
scrolling list of posts, but they
contain all the usual content,
including comments and images.
Tapping the
drop-down menu
at the top lets you
switch between
selected
subreddits,
while the top-right
icon lets you
add more.
Cluster
Share short videos and
photos with friends
This photo-sharing app
focuses on private groups,
called spaces, enabling you
to share your pics with selected
friends and family. To this end, it tells
you exactly who you are sharing your
photos with, along with who has
viewed the ones posted. The app
also enables you to share short
videos and post large text notes to a
group. The UI has been optimised for
tablets, with separate columns for
spaces and photos in landscape.
Snapkeys
Zones (BETA)
Get into the zone for typing
Cross DJ Mix
your music
Load SoundCloud tunes
onto your turntables
Price 5.99/$9.99
Designed for Phone and tablet
Requires Android 4.1
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android 2.2
Price Free
Designed for Phone and tablet
Requires Android 4.0
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android 4.0.3
Audio
Visualizer Live
Path
Hike
BallTune
your balls bounce
messenger Check
is in good working order
Sound-sensitive live
wallpapers for Android
India-based instant
messaging app Hike has
added a hidden mode. This
protects access to your private chats
with a pattern passcode. Ironically, it
took us a while to nd it, by tapping
the Hike logo at the top-left. The app
is now also more lightweight, to
suit low-end devices. Other
interesting
features include
colourful sticker
art, chat themes
that change for
both users, plus
the ability to send
messages to
ofine friends.
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android 4.0
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android Varies
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android 2.2
Price Free
Designed for Phone
Requires Android 4.0
WorldMags.net
79
WorldMags.net
head tohead
to head
Which one of these apps is best
for editing your videos?
ANDROVID
PRO
vs
While every phone shoots video as
standard, there are a surprising lack of
video-editing apps available on Android.
However, both VideoShow and AndroVid
are popular choices for making home
movies on the Google Play
store, but which
one comes out
on top in our
testing?
specification
Price 1.69/$1.99
Designed for: Phone
Requires Android: 2.3
And the
winner is...
ANDROVID PRO
80
specification
Price 1.78/$2.99
Designed for: Phone
Requires Android: 2.2
VideoShow Pro
EDITING TOOLS
SPECIAL EFFECTS
INTERFACE
SHARING OPTIONS
EXPORT OPTIONS
Although it ultimately depends what you are looking for in a videoediting app, AndroVid Pro proved itself the superior app. VideoShow
Pro had the upper hand in terms of adding lters and audio, but it
couldnt compete with AndroVids broader range of editing tools.
WorldMags.net
Games
WorldMags.net
what weve
been playing
Hitman GO
2.99/$4.99
Were slowly getting through
the vast Hitman GO and really
enjoying the strategic elements used
throughout. If you havent already, make
sure you download this!
Worms 3
2.99/$4.99
Although the premise of
Worms hasnt changed, the
gameplay still feels new and fresh in this
version. There are plenty of levels to
explore and crazy gadgets to use.
Recommend a game
twitter
@lgrobot
Soar
Price Free
Designed for Phone and tablet
Requires Android 2.3.3
Price Free
Designed for Phone and tablet
Requires Android 4.0
Enjoy Soars lush abstract graphics
WorldMags.net
Check
our website for
even more game reviews
www.littlegreenrobot.co.uk
81
WorldMags.net
Reviews
LG G3
T
Design
LG has put a lot of thought into the design of this handset and
worked hard to keep it as pocket-friendly as possible. The
5.5-inch screen is just a few millimetres away from the long
edges and very close to the short edges too, so that the overall
Infrared
Infrared is
becoming quite a
popular addition to
tablets and
handsets, and LG
couples it with an
app that lets you
remotely control
your range of
IR-supporting TVs
and other
equipment
Lightly
skinned
LG has skinned
Android 4.4, but
with a reasonably
light touch. There
are a few added
apps and these
are useful rather
than simply bloat
Stunning
screen
The quad HD
resolution screen is
super-sharp, bright
and clear. It is as
good for watching
movies as it is for
reading ebooks, and
its 5.5 inches is
packed into a
surprisingly slim
chassis
Multitasking
help
The ability to run
two apps
side-by-side, and
to pop up some
mini apps on top
of what you are
doing will be very
useful to anyone
who likes
multitasking
82
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
size of the phone is relatively small. Yes, it is still
difcult to reach across for one-handed use, but as
handsets with large screens go the overall size is
impressively svelte.
The Android buttons take up screen space
rather than being on the chassis, so that there is a
loss of screen area for apps, but a gain in terms of
keeping the chassis size small.
The power and volume buttons are on the back
of the chassis. We rst saw this arrangement in
the LG G2, and here the buttons seem better
designed. There is a sight indent on the volume
buttons and a slight raise to the power button that
sits between them, and this helps you nd all
three by touch alone. It does take a bit of getting
used to, but it is a neat idea that means the sides
of the phone can be largely clear. You can set the
volume up and down buttons to launch LGs
QuickMemo and Camera apps respectively when
the screen is off.
The LG G3 is available in black, gold and white
shades. It has to be said that for a agship
handset wed have liked a more premium quality
feel to the design. The backplate has a brushed
metal look but is made from plastic, and when
compared to the superbly built HTC One (M8), the
LG G3 seems second class. But then so does every
other handset.
Screen
The ace in the pack for the LG G3 is its screen. The
size we have already noted. It is sharp, bright and
clear, and immediately shines out at you as
something quite special. In fact it is a quad HD
screen that packs in 2560 x 1440 pixels. That gives
it a massive 534 pixels per inch, putting every other
handset currently available in the UK in the shade.
Performance tests
WorldMags.net
83
WorldMags.net
Reviews
LG G3
information
Price 492
More information
www.lg.com
Supplied by
www.clove.co.uk
Software
The LG G3 runs on Android 4.4 making it bang up to
date. Youd expect that from a agship phone. LG
has always been keen on skinning Android and that
remains the case here. The net result of all the
software additions is that the 16GB of installed
memory is reduced to 10.4GB.
While LG adds an awful lot to Android it feels
quite light. The skin design is pleasant to look at
and nothing feels over the top. There are plenty of
detail tweaks to be found through the settings
area. You can, for example, as weve seen before
from LG, ddle with the Android hotkeys so that
they are in your preferred order. And there are
facilities to change the position of the dialpad and
keyboard to make them hug the left or right of the
screen for easier one-handed use.
Gesture controls are plentiful with recognised
staples like answering an incoming call by lifting
the phone to your ear and turning the LG G3 face
down to silence incoming calls being accompanied
by using that same face-down motion to pause
video or stop an alarm.
There are several multitasking features. You can
open a number of apps from a QSlide menu so that
they sit in a window on top of what you are doing.
The range of apps supported includes a calculator,
internet browser, phone dialer and more. You get to
the QSlide menu from the notications area.
You can also split the screen and view two apps
at once. Not all apps are compatible, but the range
includes plenty that are useful such as maps,
YouTube, email and web browser. Looking at two
apps at once is a bit of a squeeze on the 5.5-inch
screen, but it might be useful at times.
And, of course, LG adds a few apps to the
Android standards. It is nice to see an FM radio
here as a basic addition. QuickMemo+ is the
note-taking app of choice and you can either type
or draw with a nger to make notes. Theres a
Plastic case
For a premium an set reta ing
at the cost it does, the G3 could,
in our eyes, e ui t wit
somet ing nicer t an p astic.
HTC has the right idea here
Battery life
The battery will
falter if you have
the screen on
maximum
brightness so
guard against that
technical specs
Button placement
Following the same design as the
G2, the G3 places its buttons on
the back and we like it
Camera
The LG G3s cameras are both very competent.
The back-facing 13-megapixel camera benets
from laser autofocus. A laser is used to measure
the distance between lens and object, to allow for
much faster focusing. This can help with taking
shots in gloomy locations. The dual LED ash also
helps in low-light situations. Optical image
stabilisation helps improve the clarity.
LG has taken a less is more approach to
working with both cameras, with the screen left
pretty much clear to act as an unobstructed
viewnder. The Dual mode is one of the few
camera options available, allowing you to take a
photo with front and back cameras simultaneously.
You can resize the smaller of the two images
which by default is that from the front camera
and invert the smaller image to be that from the
back camera by tapping the screen.
Verdict
The LG G3 is a lovely phone. Yes, it is expensive,
but it does have a very strong mix of features that
come toget er in a ti y package. The screen,
obviously, is a highlight, but the well thought out
and small set of software additions, good
overlay to Android, impressive cameras
and hassle-free performance are all
endearing too. If only the
chassis quality were better.
84
WorldMags.net
Memory.......................................16GB storage
Dimensions..............................146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9mm
Weight ..........................................149g
Display size...............................5.5-inch
Display resolution...............2560 x 1440 pixels
Expansion slot.......................micro SD
LG G3
Samsung
Galaxy S5
issue 038
better than
HTC One
(M8)
issue 01
issue 037
worse than
Performance
Some stuttering, and wed like the battery
to be amazing rather than just good
Design
Its a real achievement getting the stunning
screen into such a small chassis
Features
Lots of features, yet the feeling of bloat has
been avoided, which is a very clever trick
Verdict
FOR THE
GNU GENERATION
WorldMags.net
www.linuxuser.co.uk
Available
from all good
newsagents &
supermarkets
today
ON SALE NOW:
Linux Mint 17 Raspberry Pi video player Open source education
THE LATEST NEWS
ESSENTIAL GUIDES
DEFINITIVE REVIEWS
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
EXPERT OPINION
facebook.com/LinuxUserUK
WorldMags.net
twitter.com/LinuxUserMag
WorldMags.net
Reviews
EDITORS
CHOICE
OnePlus One
Can the sub-300 OnePlus One live up to the
companys Never Settle mantra, or is it pure hype?
Screen magic
The 5.5-inch 1080p screen (providing 401
pixels per inch) is excellent. The colour of the
display has been calibrated and tuned by
renowned community member (now
Cyanogen employee) @SuperCurio, and it
shows. Brightness is ample and outdoor
visibility is excellent
Button
placement
The OnePlus One has
capacitive buttons below
the screen, albeit in the
rather retro menu, home,
back layout. The good
news is that you can
disable these and they
disappear, allowing you to
use the onscreen buttons
Sharp shooter
A twin LED ash sits
below the 13-MP camera
with a six-element lens.
The sensor itself is a
Sony Exmor unit and
pictures in both bright
and low light are
surprisingly good. The
phone can record 4K
video too
Connectivity
Five LTE bands are supported on the
OnePlus One, but band 20 (800MHz) is
not. Three plan to use this band in the
future in its 4G rollout, although
currently only band 3 (1800MHz) is
used, which is supported
86
WorldMags.net
for...
Wireless connectivity
Every form of wireless connectivity you could
want for is supported.
WorldMags.net
Review
OnePlus One
Noise cancelling
Dual speakers can be found on the bottom of the device.
While the overall volume and quality cant match the
BoomSound speakers on HTC devices, the placement
means less compromise on size. Three microphones are
included for noise cancellation
Hacking
This phone is a hackers dream and
community support will be excellent.
information
Price 269.99
(64GB)
More information
http://oneplus.net
Supplied by
OnePlus
Battery life
The OnePlus Ones
3100mAh battery offers
fantastic stamina,
easily lasting through
the most strenuous of
working days
technical specs
Memory.......................................3GB RAM
Dimensions..............................152.9 x 75.9 x 8.9mm
Weight ..........................................162g
Display size...............................5.5-inch
Display resolution...............1920 x 1080 pixels
Expansion slot.......................No
Minimal design
The design is simple to the extreme, almost Nexus like, but
what design features there are on the device are well
executed. A silver recessed trim around the screen might go
unnoticed at rst, but its a neat detail
Quick charging
Movie watching
OnePlue One
Samsung
Galaxy
Note 3
N/A
issue 031
better than
worse than
Performance
The fastest CPU available with a huge
amount of RAM. Blisteringly fast
Design
The design of the One is inoffensive, but
it does have a certain utilitarian style
Features
If the One hasnt got it, you probably
dont need it! No micro SD expansion
Verdict
If you
can get one, and handle
its 5.5-inch size, the One is an
absolute must buy. Epic
WorldMags.net
87
WorldMags.net
Reviews
Connectivity
Unrivalled
sound
New design
language
The Desire 610 follows
HTCs new design
language for the Desire
series and as such looks
exactly like a reduced
size Desire 816. It has a
matte front and
matte sides, but the
extremely glossy back is
very susceptible
to ngerprints
Processing
power
The quad-core Snapdragon
400 processor can be
found in the majority of
low to mid-range devices at
the moment. The Desire
600 uses the 1.2GHz
version. This is exactly the
same CPU used in the HTC
One Mini 2
for...
88
WorldMags.net
High-denition fun
Can record 1080p video, even though the qHD
screen cant display HD content at full res!
WorldMags.net
Review
HTC Desire 610
companys bottom line, and for HTC, that means
the Desire range.
Here we have the Desire 610 that looks to tick
a lot of the boxes for todays potential
customers. Its reasonably priced (the 225
SIM-free price is not as important as where
operators pitch the phone on their contract and
prepay plans), it wears the Desire brand that still
carries a certain amount of gravitas among
consumers, it has a 4.7-inch screen to appeal to
those looking for bigger screens and it includes
4G LTE connectivity. Many of these features it
shares with the Desire 816, its 5.5-inch big
brother, but although the phablet form factor
does well in a lot of markets, the 610 is
expected to be more popular in the UK.
Choosing a processor for this type of device
seems particularly easy nowadays. Qualcomm
Snapdragon 400 quad-core. Job done. Thankfully,
thats a great choice its a very capable
processor, clearly cheap and very power efcient,
particularly when idle. Devices such as this one
are all about compromising in the right places.
The Desire 610 has 1GB RAM and 8GB storage,
expandable via micro SD. Connectivity is good
even though 5GHz Wi-Fi is omitted, NFC support
in particular is a pleasant surprise. The main
camera is a reasonably solid eight-megapixel unit
and the front-facing camera has 1.3 megapixels
rather than the ve megapixels we are more
used to seeing on HTC devices now (including
the Desire 816).
So far so good then, but there is one
compromise that might be a step too far and
that is the inclusion of a qHD screen. The
resolution itself is not uncommon, but the
problem is that the screen feels sub-par at
4.7-inch. Text can appear a little fuzzy, particularly
when compared to competitor devices such as
the Moto G, which has a 720p 4.5-inch screen.
In fairness to the Desire 610, the similarly priced
LG G2 Mini also has a 4.7-inch qHD screen.
Where the G2 Mini excels and the Desire 610
suffers is in overall dimensions. While the LG has
very slim bezels and an impressively compact
overall size, the Desire 610 is the polar opposite.
Wide bezels at the sides of the screen and a
very tall design overall thanks to the BoomSound
speakers means the phone feels large in the
hand at 9.6mm its not particularly thin either.
The smooth back and curved sides do make the
phone comfortable to hold and use, though
one-handed use is a stretch. Literally. The phone
is available in a number of colours, subtle in navy
blue or vibrant in white.
The Desire 610 runs HTCs respected Sense 6
atop Android 4.4.2, with a design language that
isnt too far removed from what well see later
this year in Android L. Performance is very good
Sturdy design
The plastic construction of the Desire 610
makes it surprisingly robust
information
Price 225
More information
http://www.htc.com/uk
Supplied by
HTC
Battery life
The Desire 610 sips the
2040mAh battery when
idle, but it can drain
quickly when worked
hard. A full day is no
problem though
technical specs
Memory.......................................1GB
Dimensions..............................143.1 x 70.5 x 9.6mm
Weight ..........................................143.5g
Display size...............................4.7-inch
Display resolution...............960 x 540 pixels
Expansion slot.......................micro SD
HTC Desire 610
HTC
Desire 500
issue 031
Ever-important skin
The Desire 610 runs Android 4.4.2 with Sense 6. Despite it
being a relatively low-end device, the Sense experience is
recreated faithfully, including the useful BlinkFeed
homescreen. HTCs take on Android genuinely improves on
the stock experience
Music
Storage expansion
better than
Motorola
Moto G
issue 033
worse than
Performance
The 1.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400
is a well proven processor by now
Design
HTC needed a mid-tier design language
and thats what it got
Features
All of the most important features are
present, but the qHD screen isnt great
Verdict
WorldMags.net
89
Accessories
WorldMags.net
Essent
io
Take your audio experience to new levels with these brilliant products
EDITORS
CHOICE
GROUP
TEST WINNER
90
Shure SE535
Bose Quiet
Comfort 15
Price 59.95/$TBC
More information www.nineaudio.co.uk
Price 389.00/$499.00
More information www.shure.co.uk
Price 259.95/$299.95
More information www.bose.co.uk
WorldMags.net
Accessories
WorldMags.net
EDITORS
CHOICE
Sennheiser
MOMENTUM
Sony XBA-H3
Jabra Revo
Wireless
Price 169.99/$199.95
More information en-uk.sennheiser.com
Price 249.00/$349.99
More information www.sony.co.uk
Price 199.99/$287.37
More information www.jabra.co.uk
WorldMags.net
91
AccessoriesWorldMags.net
Spaced360
Price 250/$TBA More information www.spaced360.com
The peculiar shape of the Spaced360 may initially put some people off,
but it actually does a good job at maximising its sound output. Sound
quality is really good and theres a nice balance no matter what music
youre playing. Connecting to the Spaced360 takes a matter of seconds
to connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or NFC. After every charge you can
expect to get a great amount of life out of it, and the unit even goes into
sleep mode when not in use. Its a touch on the heavy side, which can
impact on its portability, but its far and away one of the best Bluetooth
speakers weve had the pleasure of testing.
92
EDITORS
CHOICE
WorldMags.net
Accessories
WorldMags.net
Universal
Charging Station
Price 60.00/$102.99 More information www.mobilefun.co.uk
Enabling users to charge numerous devices at the same time is the
dening feature of the Universal Charging Station, and it works a treat.
There are a variety of connectors on offer for Android and iOS devices
and enough space on the rubberised pad for up to four devices to sit.
Underneath youll nd a port to connect the station to the mains, which
is needed to keep each charger working in sync. Ten-inch tablets seem
to be a little unsteady when charging, but this is just a tiny issue in what
is a very useful product for any tech lover to own.
WorldMags.net
93
WorldMags.net
BUYERS GUIDE
Discover the best smartphones, tablets and accessories
to buy in our top ten charts
94
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Buyers Guide
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
A combination of a completely chrome unibody and a big, bright screen make HTCs agship phone
the best-looking on the market. A pair of BoomSound speakers for crysta-clear audio, an FM radio,
infrared TV remote and quick media-casting options, make the HTC agship a powerful, portable
entertainment system. The BlinkFeed UI is also one of the best stock Android alternatives.
LG G3
Piping Samsung, HTC and Sony to the post to launch the rst next-gen device, the LG G3 has won us
over with its pin-sharp QHD screen, laser-focused 13-MP camera, and lightning-fast processor.
However, its plastic casing and benchmark scores arent enough to top the HTC One (M8).
Samsung Galaxy S5
A relatively modest update on the Galaxy S4, the S5 is nonetheless an impressive handset. Its range
of tness features and thumbprint scanner give it a unique selling point, while its specs, though high,
are no different from HTC or Sonys agships. A rubber back and metal edging add a premium nish.
Sony Xperia Z2
At 146.8mm x 73.3mm, the Xperia Z2 is a gigantic slab of a phone, but when you consider all the
features it has including a 5.2-inch screen, 20.7-MP camera, dual speakers and long-life battery
you forgive its size. Lightning-fast processing is a major selling point, while waterproong is a plus.
Google Nexus 5
As a Google product, the Nexus 5 is a long-term investment as it is guaranteed to have rst pick of
future updates to the Android OS. However, though it still performs well, in terms of specs in
particular the processor, camera and battery life its less competitive than it used to be.
One PlusOne
This Chinese device offers agship specs for a budget price. This includes a 2.5GHz quad-core
processor and 3GB RAM so that it can run multiple apps without lagging, a 13-MP camera, and a large
screen. The lack of an expandable memory and the CynogenMod 11S OS will put some off though.
Motorola Moto X
A compact handset, the Moto X is a bit basic, but runs a near stock Android with lots of clever gesture
controls. With the Moto Maker now available in Germany, the prospect of this customisation program
rolling out across Europe has pushed the Motorola back up the charts.
LG G2
While this is a last-generation phone, the LG G2 remains a low-cost alternative to the new breed of
agships. The specs may be slipping behind, but when youre using it in your hand youll still be struck
by how well it performs. The range of camera features are also a plus.
549.99
Issue 37
492
NEW ENTRY
See issue 41
466.80
GOING DOWN
See issue 38
439
GOING DOWN
See issue 38
From 299
GOING DOWN
See issue 32
From 269.99
NEW ENTRY
See issue 41
From 299.99
GOING UP
See issue 36
From 379.99
NEW ENTRY
See issue 39
340
GOING DOWN
See issue 32
From 448.99
GOING DOWN
See issue 31
Acer Liquid S1
Sony Xperia Z1
Price 239
Website www.acer.co.uk
A good basic phablet, but lacks the
power or the overall nesse to
compete with the very
best. However, the two
SIM slots makes it
perfect for business
users wanting to
balance SIMs.
Price 294
Website www.uaweidevice.com
The Ascend Mate crams a 6.1-inch
display into its boxy frame, making it
one of the largest
phablets going. In
terms of software, the
UI skin offers a major
break from the
traditional look.
Price 306
Website www.sony.com
Though not strictly a phablet, the
Xperia Z1 is virtually the same size as
the Note 3 and isnt
comfortable to use with
one hand. Its specs are
cutting-edge, with a
20-MP camera a
highlight of ours.
WorldMags.net
WINNER
95
BuyersWorldMags.net
Guide
TOP 10 BUDGET BUYS
Moto G
The Moto Xs budget cousin set new standards for the low-cost phone when it launched last year and
continues to dominate. While it is made of a cheap plastic and has limited memory, the Moto G has
not compromised on screen quality, which is 4.5 inches of sturdy Gorilla Glass 3 and offers 1280 x
720 pixels, perfect for most users. Running near stock Android, Motorola has conrmed Moto Gs next
upgrade will be Android L, ensuring future proong for some time.
From 120
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
EE Kestrel
100
Only available from the EE network, its own-brand Kestrel phone is offering 4G data speeds at a very
reasonable price. Produced by Huawei, the handset has a curved design, which gives it a unique air.
Good battery life ensures it can handle its quad-core engine and 4Gs inevitable drain.
Moto E
Available for under 100, SIM free, and no contract, the Moto E is the ultimate no-strings attached
smartphone. A sturdy, splashproof case, 1980mAh battery that will go the distance and micro SD to
expand the tiny 1GB memory, the Moto E is an impressive build that wont break the bank.
Acer Liquid Z5
A good-looking phone with tapered edges, the Acer Liquid Z5 offers a stylish alternative to most black
brick handsets. Its innovative Float Apps interface also makes it easy to multi-task apps. However,
humdrum specs, like a low-res screen, leave it ranking low in the competitive world of budget phones.
Nokia X
The announcement of a slimmer, faster Nokia X2 coming later this year has driven the Nokia X down,
but this original Microsoft-Android hybrid still deserves attention. A best-selling handset in India and
Pakistan, it has great build quality with a tough polycarbonate chassis available in a range of colours.
ZTE Blade V
The cheapest quad-core phone on the market, the ZTE Blade V has enough power to blast through
most tasks, including graphically demanding games. But beyond its bargain price there is little to get
excited about here, with questionable build quality, not enough RAM and a third-rate camera.
96
NEW ENTRY
See issue 33
NEW ENTRY
See issue 40
99
NEW ENTRY
See issue 40
174
GOING DOWN
See issue 34
174
GOING DOWN
See issue 36
95
NEW ENTRY
See issue 39
89
GOING DOWN
See issue 38
79.99
NEW ENTRY
See Issue 39
69.95
GOING DOWN
See issue 28
89.99
GOING DOWN
See issue 32
HoneyDru
MobileLite Wireless
TYLT Syncable
Price 14.99/$19.99
Website www.salomshop.com
This in-car charger has a full USB port
at the top of its head for easy
connection to your smartphone or
tablet. Despite the
novelty
appearance, the
build quality
is fantastic.
Price 55.19/$59.99
Website www.kingston.com
Despite the primary use of the
MobileLite being a superb SD and
USB reader, it also has a great
charging function. Its more
lightweight than
many other
portable
chargers.
Price 25/$29.99
Website www.tylt.com
The eye-catching at build of the
TYLT Syncable stops any
tangles and tears
from happening, with
the thin rubberised
coating being
tough and
durable.
WorldMags.net
WINNER
WorldMags.net
Buyers Guide
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Sleek minimalist design coupled with the latest Android OS (and promises that it will be rst in line for
upgrades), the Nexus 7 both looks and acts the part of a agship device but for half the price you
would expect. This slab might be getting on a bit, but it still handles like a dream and will be robust
enough to keep up with the next generation of devices for a few years yet. Though the Nexus 7 offers
16-32GB of storage, some will be disappointed that it lacks a micro SD port.
From 199
From 394.99
Arguably one of the most portable ten-inch tablets available, the Xperia Z2 Tablet is waterproof and
can support a SIM card for 4G use. It is also surprisingly thin and light to carry and includes
power-saving modes to ensure longer battery life. Reasonably high-spec, it has a whopping 3GB RAM.
Google Nexus 10
Though it has never had the impact the Nexus 7 had, the larger Nexus 10 still offers a high-standard
for 10-inch Android tablets. A super high-resolution screen and powerful processor ensure that it
regularly sells out on the Google Play store, even if it does lack a 3G/4G option or expandable storage.
LG G Pad 8.3
A well-rounded tablet, the LG G Pad 8.3 offers solid specs with a selection of impressive built-in apps.
This includes Polaris Ofce so you can write documents on the go and QPair, which shares your
smartphone notications to your tablet, so you never miss important updates.
NEW ENTRY
See issue 29
NEW ENTRY
See issue 39
From 319
GOING DOWN
See issue 20
199
NEW ENTRY
See issue 40
369
GOING DOWN
See issue 38
475
GOING DOWN
See issue 35
650
GOING DOWN
See issue 37
179.99
GOING DOWN
See issue 33
199.99
GOING DOWN
See issue 35
169.99
GOING DOWN
See issue 35
NEVER MISS AN
ISSUE OF ANDROID
MAGAZINE
For the latest reviews,
check out our great
subscription offer on
page 28
SAVE
50%
on first s
issues ix
WorldMags.net
97
WorldMags.net
NEXT
MONTH
ANDROID
WEAR
REVIEWED
Find out if smartwatches
are really worth the hype
Hot Shots
qa@littlegreenrobot.co.uk
BEST TV
STREAMING
STICKS
We put the Chromecast,
Roku 3, NEO G4 and EyeTV
W through their paces
HACKER
ZONE
THE BEST
NEW DEVICES
ON TEST
The hottest new Android
devices tested in full
TOP ANDROID
APP REVIEW
Featuring latest releases
Issue 42
goes on sale:
04 September
WorldMags.net
Minx is a trademark of Cambridge Audio. Other product and company names mentioned within this advert are trademarks of their respective owners. These are only used for reference purposes and are subject to the terms of their registration.
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
WIRELESS.
WATERPROOF.
POWERFUL.
WORLD-BEATING BRV-X & BRV-1 SPEAKERS
ARE READY FOR ANYTHING INDOORS OR OUT.
EXPERTS SPEAK!
PC MAGAZINE
The BRAVEN BRV-X is a fantastic
portable Bluetooth speaker that delivers
powerful audio in a rugged design
ANDROID MAGAZINE
The BRAVEN BRV-X is a speaker you
should be checking out
GEEKANOIDS
Very highly recommended BRAVEN
make some fantastic speakers
BRV-X
BRV-1
WorldMags.net