- Android bucket list: 10 functions you need to try today
- Huawei P8 available for pre-order in advance on June 11 release
1. Disable S Voice for faster navigation
The S Voice shortcut using a double-press of the Home button
actually slows down your Home button response. The first time you
press it TouchWiz pauses momentarily to await the second press. Go to
S Voice, press the menu soft key, select Settings and un-check the
box next to ''Open via the Home Key''.
Ditching the S Voice shortcut will speed up your navigation. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
2. Turn off annoying Samsung sounds
While you're at it, why not turn off some of those annoying
Samsung sounds? Even if you don't mind them I can assure you that
everyone on the train, at work and in the supermarket hates them. To
do the world a favor, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and
Notifications > Other Sounds and un-check the boxes for as many as
you can live without.
Do the world a favor and lose the annoying Samsung sounds. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
3. Use shortcuts to call or message contacts
Why use messy menu buttons when a gesture will suffice? In your
contacts list you can simply swipe a contact's name to the left or
write to instantly call or message them. Now you can stay in touch
more easily and save time while you're doing it.
Call or text your friends even faster with gestures. / © ANDROIDPIT
4. Access Galaxy S4 hidden settings
There's a great app called Note 2 Hidden Settings that also works
with a whole host of other Galaxy devices. Some carrier-branded
models don't work, but it's worth installing it and giving it a shot
because there's heaps of cool stuff in this app.
Hidden Settings aren't visible on all S4's but it's worth finding
out. / © ANDROIDPIT Note
2 Hidden Settings
5. Secure your lock screen notifications
Lollipop comes with lock screen notifications meaning you don't
have to completely unlock your phone just to read a text or email.
But perhaps you don't feel comfortable having the contents of your
notifications plastered all over your lock screen for anyone to look
at. If so, go to Settings > My Device > Sounds and
Notifications. You can select which apps will display content on the
lock screen in Application Notifications and your level of content in
While Locked.
Choose your lock screen notification apps and content settings. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
6. Use your phone to control the TV
Download the WatchOn app and use it to set up your TV guide,
favorite channels, control your TV, set-top box and plenty more. You
can even put it on your lock screen or the notifications shade to
make sure you're always the couch commando in charge.
Use your Galaxy S4 as a remote control too. / © ANDROIDPIT
7. Use your voice for hands-free control
Did you know your S4 has lots of voice control options? You can
use your voice to turn off alarms, take photos, play music and answer
or reject calls. Just go to Settings > My Device > Voice
Control and flip the switches for the commands you want to use.
There's also S Voice for everything else, like settings reminders or
checking the weather.
Use your voice and save your fingers from working too hard. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
8. Get a better launcher
If TouchWiz still feels a little slow for you, why not replace
with a faster launcher like Google Now Launcher or a more
customizable launcher like Nova Launcher or Action launcher? Give
them a try – they're free and you can always switch back if you
want to.
Mix things up with a custom launcher. / © ANDROIDPIT 9. Make your own Qi wireless charger
If you want to get a wireless charging experience like the Galaxy
S6 without forking out a fortune, why not make your own Qi Wireless
charger? All you need to do is buy a cheap wireless charging case
online, prize the wireless inductor off the back and carefully line
it up with the points on the back of the S4 and stick it in.
You can easily create a Qi wireless charger for your S4. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
10. Navigate faster with the scroll bar
If you're on the far left home screen and want to get to the far
right home screen, do you paw your way across all of them? Or do you
use the home screen scrubber bar to fly from one end of the home
screen spectrum to the other at faster-than-light speeds? Just swipe
on the little home screen indicators at the bottom of the screen.
The home screen slider is much faster than swiping. / © ANDROIDPIT
11. Customize your lock screen
Don't settle for a boring old lock screen, add a camera and dialer
shortcut, select a clock or private message and give it some pizzazz
with a custom wallpaper. Go to Settings > My Device > Lock
Screen and check the box for camera and then customize your lock
screen widgets.
Customize your lock screen for cool personalizations. / © ANDROIDPIT
12. Customize your Quick Settings
Why settle for the standard Quick Settings when you can curate a
custom batch of the most useful toggles and switches for the way you
use your phone? You can even arrange them exactly how you like. Swipe
down from the top of the screen, tap the little grid in the top right
corner and then the little pencil to edit and rearrange your Quick
Settings.
Customize your Quick Settings for your favorite shortcuts. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
13. Make the keyboard smarter
If you're using the stock Samsung keyboard, make sure you've got
predictive text and swipe typing enabled. If you don't you should try
it out – you'll be amazed at the time savings both deliver. Go to
the keyboard and long press the button to the left of the space bar.
Tap the Settings cog and make sure Predictive Text is ''On'' and
Keyboard Swipe is set to ''Continuous Input''. Or you could replace
the keyboard with SwiftKey.
If you're not swipe typing with predictive you're living in the early
2000s. / © ANDROIDPIT SwiftKey
Keyboard + Emoji
14. Use ''Do Not Disturb'' mode
Another great Lollipop feature is Priority Notifications, also
known as ''Do Not Disturb'' mode. It basically lets you set times
where you won't be interrupted by any but the most critical
notifications or alarms. You can keep calls from your family and boss
on the white list, set days and times of the week and choose between
calls, messages and calendar reminders. Go to Settings > My Device
> Sounds and Notifications > Interruptions and get busy.
Enjoy a little peace and quiet with Priority Notifications. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
15. Supercharge your camera
Install the Samsung Smart Camera app and connect your phone to
your camera with NFC for faster transferring of photos, using your
phone as a remote viewfinder (hello selfie sticks) and more. Best of
all, your camera will automatically connect to your phone when it's
on.
Pairing your phone to your camera is very worthwhile. / © ANDROIDPIT
16. Always get the best display
One of the best parts of Samsung displays is that they are
adaptive to different conditions, so depending on whether you're
reading, looking at photos or watching a movie, you always get the
best possible viewing experience. Just got to Settings > My Device
> Display > Screen Mode and choose Adapt Display or check out
the other options.
Make the galaxy S4 display work for you. / © ANDROIDPIT
17. Try the floating keyboard
Your keyboard isn't actually locked to the bottom of the screen
either. Depending on what you're doing, a smaller, floating keyboard
might be just what you need. Again, go to the keyboard, long press
the button to the left of the space bar and tap the tile with the two
little boxes overlapping. Your keyboard will shrink a little and be
moveable.
A mini floating keyboard can be really useful. / © ANDROIDPIT
18. Save battery with smarter Wi-Fi
If you have your Wi-Fi set to disconnect whenever the screen is
off you might think you're saving battery by doing so. Wrong.
Considering most of us turn our screen on 150 times a day, keeping
Wi-Fi connected the whole time is actually better than having it turn
off and on and search for connections all the time. Go to Settings >
Wi-Fi, tap the soft menu key and then Advanced and make sure Keep
Wi-Fi on During Sleep is set to ''Always''.
Keeping Wi-Fi always on is actually better for battery life. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
19. Fix bugs in Safe Mode
If your Galaxy S4 is acting strange or you think you've got some
serious problems, you might want to restart it in Safe mode until you
get things sorted out. Simply turn your S4 off and then back on
again. As soon as you see the Samsung screen press and hold the
volume down key and you will see that many apps have been disabled
when it boots up. To get out of Safe mode, just turn your phone off
and back on again.
Safe Mode lets you play around with most apps disabled. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
20. Make things simpler with Easy Mode
If you're a bit bamboozled by all the Samsung widgets and doodads
in TouchWiz you want to give Easy mode a shot. It'll clear things up
so you only see the most important stuff, enlarge icons and make
everything a little easier to manage and navigate. Go to Settings >
My Device > Easy Mode and switch. Do this in reverse to switch
back to Normal Mode.
Easy Mode is great for beginners, grandparents and those with vision
impairments. / © ANDROIDPIT
21. Get a custom sound profile
If you have very discerning ears, or simply like to have complete
control over what comes out of the device you use to speak to people
with, then why not get a custom sound profile? Go to Settings > My
Device > Sounds and Notifications > Adapt Sound. Put in some
headphones, tap Start and follow the prompts.
Getting a custom sound profile makes everything sound better. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
22. Always get the best photo
Let's face it, not all of us are Pulitzer Prize-winning
photographers. So when a moment really maters, why not shoot a burst
of pics and have your S4 choose the best one for you? Just open the
camera pp, tap Mode and Best Photo. Hold down the shutter to shoot a
bunch of pis and then enjoy the best one automatically.
Best Photo always knows which shot is best. / © ANDROIDPIT
23. Get better battery life
The galaxy S4 doesn't have the stock Android Lollipop Battery
Saver mode but it does have Samsung's Power Saver Mode. Go to
Settings > My Device > Power Saving Mode and flip the switch to
enable it. Just check the boxes for the settings you can live without
for a bit of a battery boost.
Power Saving Mode will get you even more battery life. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
24. Enjoy Silent Mode
The Galaxy S4 is one of the few devices to enjoy true Silent Mode
even on Lollipop. You can go to Settings > My Device > Sounds
and Notifications > Interruptions > Sound Mode > Mute or you
can use the toggle in the Quick Settings to switch from sound to
vibrate to mute.
The Galaxy S4 is one of the few Lollipop devices still with mute
mode. / © ANDROIDPIT
25. Make security smarter
Why would you want to unlock your phone with a PIN or pattern when
it's in your pocket or you're at home where (I hope) you can trust
everyone? Try out Lollipop's cool Smart Lock feature. You can add a
smartwatch so you don't have to unlock your S4 when your watch is
close by, avoid unlocking when you're at home or the office or even
set a trusted face or voice.
Smart Lock is one of the coolest Lollipop features. / © ANDROIDPIT
26. Make Chrome easier and better
Chrome on Lollipop is a little annoying. By default your Chrome
tabs will live individually in your recent apps list (accessed by
long pressing the Home button). Maybe you like this, but if you
prefer the old way – all in Chrome itself – then go to Chrome,
tap the three dots in the top right hand corner, select Settings and
turn of Merge Tabs and Apps.
Keep Chrome old-school and don't merge tabs and apps. / © ANDROIDPIT
27. Get lazy with Hands-Free Mode
If you're busy doing something else with your hands but don't want
to miss out on any incoming messages or notifications, why not use
the Galaxy S4's Hands-Free Mode? Incoming calls, messages and
notifications will be narrated to you so you always know what's going
on even without looking at your phone. Go to Settings> My Device >
Hands-Free Mode and flip the switch. Tapping the entry will let you
choose what is possible.
Samsung has even more hands-free options for the lazy amongst us. / ©
ANDROIDPIT
28. Disable pointless gimmicks
Samsung has always been known – at least until recently – for
packing its phones with some occasionally less-than-useful features.
Some of these features are enabled by default and are continuously
sucking battery and processor power to work, even if you never use
them. If you're not a gesture kind of guy, why not turn them off? Go
to Settings > Motions and Gestures and turn off the features you
don't want. The same goes for Smart Screen and Air View.
If you're not using it, disable it. / © ANDROIDPIT
Did you try any of these Galaxy S4 tips? Do you have any others?
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