The Difference Between Android and Windows Phone

The Difference Between Android and Windows Phone

Android Tech Post   00:03

Android and Windows phone are two great mobile operating systems that run on smartphones and tablets. They are both feature-filled and polished mobile operating systems at present.

If you are unsure about which one to choose between Android and Windows-phone smartphone, then this article will help you better understand the difference between Android and Windows Phone platform so that can help you to decide which one to go for.

Operating System (OS)

Android is an open source platform, meaning that the operating system is available for modification by manufacturers to suit their respective needs and phones.

In contrast, Microsoft Windows Phone is closed-sourced, meaning that it is owned and managed by Microsoft and developers do not have direct access to the operating system programming code.

User Interface (UI)

The another difference between android and windows phone is their user interface. While both rely on touchscreen interactions, Android Jelly Bean features an interface with multiple home-screens that can be fully customized with widgets and shortcuts, while Windows Phone 8 has a single home-screen populated with Live Tiles.

Live Tiles on Windows Phone operates in much the same way as widgets on Android, allowing you quickly access to an app.

Both interfaces are intuitive to use, although there is a bit of a learning curve if you are completely new to both of these mobile OS.

Handsets

In terms of handsets, Android is ahead than the windows phone. They are a huge number of Android phones offered by multiple device manufactures like Samsung, LG, Motorola, HTC, Huawei, etc. On other hand, windows phone has been offered by only a few manufactures with limited handsets.

However, it doesn’t mean that the Windows phone is not better. Manufactures like Nokia and HTC are known to make high quality mobile device for Windows phone.

They both are high-quality handsets but if you are looking for plenty of options then you will get them in Android.

Apps

As for apps, the Android clearly wins with over one million apps where as the Windows Phone have only about 160,000 apps with a few 25,000 being added every few weeks. But needless to say, Microsoft is trying everything it can to increase the app market.

Security

In terms of security, windows phone is more secure than android. The reason for this is that windows phone doesn’t allow installation of apps from unknown sources. You are only allowed to install applications which are available in its app stores. While in Android, you can install any apps from outside of Google play store. So people tend to add more cracked softwares which carry a lot of viruses or malware. However, you can prevent it by never installing any apps from unknown sources.

Conclusion

Both Android and Windows phone have their own strength and weakness. If you’re a person who likes to explore apps and customize a smartphone then go for Android phone as it will allow you to do a lot of customization which you can’t do on the other OS. For people who require more secure platform then go for Windows phone.

How to Boot into Safe Mode on Most Android Devices

How to Boot into Safe Mode on Most Android Devices

How To Tech Post   00:02

Like Windows OS, Android also has Safe Mode feature that lets you load Android OS without any third-party apps. If you’re experiencing crashes, freezes, or battery life issues on your phone or tablet, you can boot it into safe mode to check if the issues you are experiencing is caused by a third-party app.

If you see those issues even when the device is in Safe Mode, there might be some problem with the software installed on your device. And if, they just disappear, the culprit is some app installed from the Play Store. From safe mode, you can uninstall misbehaving third-party apps.

How to Boot Android Device into Safe Mode

Safe Mode is available on almost all Android devices but the method of accessing it is differs from one OS version to another and from one model to another. Here are several methods to boot Android phones or tablets into safe mode.

Booting into Safe Mode on older Android phones

If you have device with older versions of Android OS (older than Jellybean OS), follow these steps to boot your device into safe mode.

1. Long-press the power button and tap Power Off to turn off your device, then turn on the device.
2. When you see a logo appear during boot-up, hold down both the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons and keep them held until the device boots up.
3. Once the device boots up, you’ll see a Safe mode watermark at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Note: If this does not work, try holding down Menu button instead of volume up and down buttons while booting.

Booting into Safe Mode on Jelly bean phones

If you have device with Jelly bean OS, follow these steps to boot your device into safe mode.

1. Long-press the power button until the power options menu appears.
2. Long-press the Power Off option and you’ll be asked if you want to reboot your Android device into safe mode. Tap the OK button to process.

In safe mode, you’ll only have access to the apps that came with your device. Apps you’ve installed will be disabled and any widgets you’ve added to your home screens won’t be present.

While apps are disabled, you can uninstall them normally. If you’ve installed any apps recently, you should try uninstalling those apps first as they may be the culprit.

If the problem is still not resolved, you may want to restore your device to its factory default settings. However, doing so will wipe out all the data on your device so make sure you have everything backed up before you doing this. To do factory reset, go to Settings -> Backup & reset, and tap ‘Factory data reset’, then follow the instructions on your screen. (Learn How to do a Factory Reset on an Android Phone).

To exit safe mode, just restart your device as you normally would.

How To Disable or Turn Off Camera Shutter Sound on Any Android Device

How To Disable or Turn Off Camera Shutter Sound on Any Android Device

How To Tech Post   00:01

By default, the camera plays shutter sound whenever you take a snapshot on your Android device. The sound is convenient in most cases, but there are situations you may want to take picture without the shutter sound.

Most of the Android phones have come out with the feature of manually turning off or disabling the camera shutter sound. However, sometimes due to local privacy laws and the carrier contract this feature might not be present in your smartphone.

But you don’t need to worry because there are ways to mute the camera sound. Here I will show you how to disable or turn off the camera shutter sound on rooted and non-rooted Android devices.

How to Disable Camera Shutter Sound on Non-rooted Android Device

There are four methods that you can use to disable or turn off the camera shutter sound on non-rooted Android devices.

• Turning off Camera Shutter Sound from Camera Settings Menu
  If you are lucky, you can simply open your stock camera app, in the camera user interface, go to settings and you will find an option to disable the camera shutter sound. Once the shutter sound is turned off, it will not produce the ‘click’ shutter sound while you taking a picture.

• Disabling Camera Shutter Sound in Silent or Vibration Mode
  If you can not find the option of turning on/off the camera shutter sound in the camera settings, you can simple put the phone in silent or vibration mode by turning the incoming calls ring volume to zero. This is the easiest way by which you can turn off the shutter sound. But keep in mind that you will not be notified of any incoming calls or message that you receive.
  To get the phone sound silent quickly, just pull down the notification panel and toggle between sound, vibrate and mute.

• Take Pictures in Recording mode
  Some devices allow you take pictures while recording video. The best part is it does not produce any sound when you take a snapshot in this mode.
• Use Third-party Camera app
  You can also use third-party camera app that is available in the Google play store to do the trick. Applications like Silent Camera and Camera MX allow you to take pictures silently without the annoying shutter sounds.

How to Disable Camera Shutter Sound on Rooted Android Device

If you’ve rooted your Android phone or tablet, you can get rid of camera sound in more than one ways. Besides, using the methods discussed above, you can do the following things:

• Install a custom ROMs that has mute camera sound feature.
• Install a mod to disable camera sound. You can find an Xposed module to turn camera sound off.
• Use Root explorer app like ES file explorer to remove the camera click sound.
1. Open ES File Explorer
2. Navigate to System -> media -> audio -> ui
3. Tap on ‘Mount r/w’ at the top of the screen
4. Scroll down to Shutter.ogg (the name might differ on some devices) and rename it toShutter.ogg.bak
5. Now rename Shutter_multiple.ogg to Shutter_multiple.ogg.bak
6. That’s it!

How to Install a Custom ROM on your Android Phone using ROM Manager

How to Install a Custom ROM on your Android Phone using ROM Manager

How To Tech Post   23:59

Installing a custom ROM is a great way to get the most out of your Android phone, but you need to find the right custom ROM for your device. Once you’ve found a custom ROM that’s right for your needs. The next step is to install it on your Android device.

There are different ways to install a custom Rom on an Android phone, like flashing in recovery mode or using an app, but the easiest way is through an app called ‘ROM Manager’.

ROM Manager is a must have app for Android root users who regularly tinker with their device’s ROMs. The app lets you flash your recovery to the latest and greatest ClockworkMod recovery. Besides that, it will help you to manage and install your custom ROMs and backing-up your current ROM.

It has both free and premium versions. The paid premium version includes additional features like automatic backups, web connect and incremental ROM downloads.

How to Install a custom ROM using ROM Manager

1. First, download and install the ROM Manager app on your Android phone.
2. After installing, launch the app and from the main menu, tap on ‘Flash ClockworkMod Recovery’.

3. You’ll be asked to confirm your phone’s model. Select your phone’s model and your phone will reboot and flashing CWM.
4. Now, before you go installing any custom ROMs, I suggest you to back up your current ROM. To do that, tap on the ‘Backup Current ROM’.

5. Give the backup a name and then click OK.

6. You will be asked to allow ROM Manager superuser access, tap on ‘Allow’ to grant this. The backup process can take a little while, so make sure you aren’t expecting any important calls.
7. Once done, reopen ROM Manager and tap on ‘Install ROM from SD card’

8. Find the folder where you placed the .zip file in. A box should pop up with three options like the image shown below.

9. Tick the ‘Wipe Data and Cache’ and ‘Wipe Dalvik’ boxes, and then click OK. The phone will now reboot and start installing your custom ROM. This might take a little while, sometimes up to 15 minutes, so be patient and don’t panic if the device appears to have frozen.

Once the phone has booted up, you will be prompted to enter your Google account details. Congrats, you have successfully installed a new ROM and you now have a brand new ROM to explore!

How to Easily Install CM ROM with the Official CyanogenMod Installer

How to Easily Install CM ROM with the Official CyanogenMod Installer

How To Tech Post   23:59

Cyanogenmod is one of the best and most widely-used custom ROMs in the Android world. It supports the most devices out there and offers a variety of features & enhancements that are not found in the official Android based firmwares of vendors.

Normally, installation of a custom ROM involves various steps like downloading files, flashing a custom recovery, booting and more.

Fortunately, the team behind CyanogenMod have offers an easy solution for installing the ROM called CyanogenMod Installer. All you have to do is just install the app on both the Android device and Windows computer, and follow the easy instructions, and the installation process will be done for you automatically behind the scenes. The best thing of it is you don’t need to root your devices. Now, let’s see how to install CM ROM using Cyanogenmod Installer.

Requirements

• Supported Android device. Check the supported device list here.
• USB debugging enabled. (Learn how to enable USB debugging mode here).
• CyanogenMod Installer for Android and Windows.

Note:
Before get started, make sure to backup all your important data and current ROM. This because the installer will reset your device to its factory settings during the process, and that will result in a full wipe of all your device’s contents.

Installation Procedure

1. Connect your device to the PC with your USB cable, and then launch the CM installer on your Android device. You may be prompted to enable Camera (PTP) mode for your USB connection. Tap ‘Continue’ on the installer and the check the mode in the settings.

2. Now, run the installer in your Windows computer. It will automatically update the installer and then detecting your device.

3. If everything goes well, you will see a message stating that your device has been successfully detected on your device screen. The installer will now start downloading its goodies.
4. Once done, you’ll be prompted to install the ROM. Just double-check that you have everything backed up to an external SD card or your PC, and when you’re ready, click theInstall button.

5. During this installation process, your device will reboot several times. Just make sure the USB connection is stable and follow any instructions that may appear there. In a few minutes, the CyanogenMod will successfully installed on your device.

How to Connect Standard USB Devices to your Android Device

How to Connect Standard USB Devices to your Android Device

How To Tech Post   23:58

Many of the Android devices on the market today support USB OTG (On-The-Go). This allows users to connect standard USB devices such as keyboards, mice, or even extend storage using a regular USB flash drive.

However, you can’t plug the peripheral device directly into it as Android device does not have a standard USB port. In order for your Android phone or tablet to connect to the device, you’ll need a USB OTG cable.

A USB OTG cable is a small cable with a male micro-USB connector on one end and a female full size USB port on the other, so that you can plug it into the Micro-USB port on your device and allows you to connect standard USB 2.0 devices.

SANOXY Micro USB OTG to USB 2.0 Adapter

Note: Not all Android devices support USB OTG and no single USB OTG cable out there which is compatible with every phone so be sure to read the product description before purchasing one.

Once you have a USB OTG cable, just plug it into your device and connect the USB device directly to it, and your peripherals should work without any additional configuration.

I have paired the USB OTG cable with my Samsung Galaxy S3 and have found that the adapter works with most standard USB devices.

• USB Flash Drive
  When you plug a flash drive into the USB adapter, the device immediately displays the contents. You are then free to view or playback any media you have on the drive. You can also move data from the USB drive to your phone SD card by simply tapping and holding the file you want to move.
• USB Mouse
  When you plug a mouse into your phone or tablet, a pointer will show up on the phone screen. You can then use your mouse to swipe through pages, select apps and more.
• USB Keyboard
  If you find yourself doing a lot of typing on the go, you can connect a USB keyboard to your device. Once you plug it in using the OTG cable, simply open up a notepad app and you can start typing on the keyboard as usual. It’s also possible to use shortcuts such as Ctrl+C and Ctrl+Z.
• USB Gamepad Controller
  Its also possible to connect a gaming controller to your Android device and play a video game just like on the console. Just plug the controller into the USB adapter and launch a game such as GTA. Not every game works with this, so you’ll have to do some testing to find out if your favorite games will work.

These are just a few USB devices that have been found to work with OTG cable on Android device. My advice is to try other devices too, and see how the OTG cable can add a lot of new functions to your Android phone or tablet.

How To Add Recycle Bin Feature On an Android Device

How To Add Recycle Bin Feature On an Android Device

Android Tech Post   23:57

If you’ve ever used a windows computer, then you should be familiar with the concept of a Recycle Bin. It works by catching the deleted files and gives you an option to restore them back to its original location. This might not come useful in our day to day work cycle but when you accidentally delete your files or folder, the recycle bin will always come to your rescue.

On Android there is no such feature and whenever you delete something, it gets deleted permanently. So in case you accidentally delete a picture or a file on your Android phone or tablet, it will be gone forever.

Although Android devices don’t have this feature, but there are free third-party apps available on Play Store that allows you to add a recycle bin like feature on your Android device. One of the best among them is Dumpster. This app works just like the recycle bin on your computer. It gives you the ability to restore deleted pictures, music files, videos and other type of files. So with this app installed on your phone, you no longer have to worry about making the mistakes.

How to Get Recycle Bin Feature on Android with Dumpster

1. Download and Install Dumpster on your Android phone or tablet.
2. Once installed, open the app and accept the ‘Terms and Conditions’.

3. In the initial setup page, select all the files types that you want the app to save when they are deleted and tap on ‘Next’ button.

Note:If you have a rooted Android device, you can turn on the “Allow Root Access” option for better working of this app.

That’s it, Dumpster is now all configured to save all the items that are deleted from your device. Next time if you accidentally delete your files, just go the the Dumpster app and if you want to restore a deleted item, simply select it and tap the ‘Restore’ button to restore it.

How to Print Files From Android Device using Cloud Print app

How to Print Files From Android Device using Cloud Print app

Android Tech Post   23:55

you’re an Android phone or tablet user and want to print files such as pictures, email, or documents, on your Android device, then you can do it easily with the help of Cloud Print app.

Cloud Print is a free android app developed by Google that lets you print directly from your Android phone. It supports most printers but for the best experience, a Cloud Ready printer is recommended. These types of printers can directly connect to the Internet and don’t need a computer for it to work. A full list of cloud-ready printers can be found on the Google website.

If your printer doesn’t have cloud capabilities, you can still connect your classic printer to Google Cloud Print via your computer. For this to work, you will need to add your printer to Cloud Print.

Adding your Classic Printer to Google Cloud Print

1. Launch Google Chrome on your computer. If you don’t have one, you can download and install it from Google Chrome official page.
2. Click the ‘Menu button’ at the upper-right corner of the window and click ‘Settings’.
3. Click ‘Sign in to Chrome’ to enter your Google account. Make sure that you are logged on using the same Google account as you use on your Android device, because only then, the printer will be synced with your device.
   
4. Click ‘Show advanced settings’. Scroll down to the Google Cloud Print section and click ‘Manage’.
   
5. You will see an ‘Add Printers’ button under the Classic printers section. Click on it.
   
6. A confirmation message appears on the next screen. Select any printer that is connected to the computer. Click ‘Add Printer(s)’ to confirm. That’s it.
   

Now the printer is accessible via Google Cloud Print. To be able to print from your Android. smartphone, you will need Google’s official Cloud Print app for Android.

Most smartphones that come with Android 4.4 or above already include the Google Cloud Print functionality. To enable it, navigate to Settings -> Printing and then turn ON the ‘Cloud Print’ service.

If your Android smartphone don’t have the service pre-installed, just head to the Google Play Store and download Cloud Print app for free. You can check whether it’s installed by opening the Settings app and tapping Printing. If it says “No Service Installed” means you don’t have Google Cloud Print. Tap the ‘Options menu’ in the top right-hand side and press ‘Add Service’. The Play Store will then open, select and install ‘Cloud Print’. Make sure Cloud Print is also enabled from the Printing menu in Settings app. Once completed, you’re ready to print from your Android device.

Before start printing, make sure that your PC is connected to the Internet that you are logged in to your Google account in Google Chrome, and that your printer is on.

Printing from your Android Phone or Tablet

Open any picture or document you want to print on your Android device. Tap the ‘three dot’ button on the top right and select ‘Print’. The file will then be loaded in the Cloud Print app. Use the drop down menu from the top and choose the printer you want to print from. Tap the printer icon and your document or picture will be printed.

Printing Web pages is also possible through Cloud Print. Just open your Android browser’s menu, tap ‘Share’ button, and select ‘Cloud Print’. From here, you can then print the Web page to any of your printers registered on Cloud Print.

As for printing Gmail messages, Google’s Gmail app for Android doesn’t have an option that allows you to print your mails. But, if you access your Gmail account through a Web browser app, you can print your mails. Just open a Gmail message in your browser, tap the arrow to reveal additional buttons, and select ‘Print’.