One of the reasons why I switched to Android, because it was a do-geek like me loves the thrill of customization. My previous smartphone was just a fancy keyboard something that might call and text. I've rarely installed apps on it or even tinkering with it. Once I have a hold of an Android phone is, everything changed and I was eager for my new Google-powered device personalization.
Many people think that hacking involves much work and even greater risks. It is partly true: fiddling with the software of your phone, your warranty will be void and, in extreme cases, to turn it into a lifeless brick. The good news is that Android enthusiasts around the world have risen to the challenge and made it very easy to bring your phone to the next level. All you need are a few software tools, a good set of instructions and a pinch of that little green robot guts to serve your whims.
Android Hack; Create Your Own Ringtones
When Nokia still pockets of everyone, custom ringtones were all the rage. It was often the only thing you could personalize a cell phone that day. Fast forward a decade or so and you have Ringdroid Android, your go-to app for creating custom ringtones. It is not only do you split and dice tracks from your music collection, you can even create your own tracks. From there you can use it as your main ringtone, an alarm or an SMS message.
Android Hack; Show Off Flashy Live Wallpaper
A nice piece of eye candy that a while back Google introduced live wallpapers. This replaces the usual background static on most phones with a constantly changing background. It can be as simple as the colors change from soft to something complex and dynamic maps of your current location or backgrounds that change with the weather and time of day. She may be a little battery removes some phones, but if you want to try, you can start your hunt here for the live wallpaper.
Android Hack; Personalize Your Home Screen
The basic Android home screen is great but if you want to really bring it up a notch, there are several alternative launchers that give both a fresh new look to your phone and some nice added functionality. Some of these added features include folders for sorting apps, onscreen notifications and quick menu shortcuts. LauncherPro is the most recommended one and it gives you a scrollable app dock, custom icons, pop ups and more. Other highly-rated home screen launchers to try are ADW.Launcher, SlideScreen and GO Launcher EX.
Android Hack;Make your screen easy with Widgets
We have already discussed a number of widgets that are must-haves for a while back. It is one of the special functions of Android, with mini-applications that run on your home screen (or screens) you can access your calendar, music, Twitter feed and more. You can even create your own using a powerful application called Widgetsoid. Widgets are always a staple in my home screen and all I can say is that they really make my phone much easier to use.
Android Hack;Manage your files Android
People often forget that phones these days are PCs too. Do you want full control over the files in your phone memory and SD card, you get a file manager to help you do the job right. I personally swear by Astro, which acts like Windows Explorer (or Finder for Mac). It lets you search for files, install and backup apps, email files as attachments, create and extract ZIP files, and much more.
When moving files between devices is what you need, you can use AndFTP for FTP downloads and uploads. For local transfers, there is On Air, which your Android device turns into a drive via WiFi connection for no-plug, over-the-air transfer.
Android Hack;Tasks and Data Usage Monitor
In Mobile, the battery is gold, and almost no juice is never an option. In view of the uprising of rebellious, battery-hungry applications to suppress, you should use a task manager. Watchdog Task Manager is a beast. It will notify you when an app goes astray and uses too many CPU cycles. You can even give the thumbs down, Roman emperor-style, and kill the wayward app if it's not like you.
Another dog named app is very useful 3G Watchdog. It helps you to curb your 3G connection, so you do not go over your data plan and take a hit at your next bill.
Android Hack;Use a new keyboard
If the stock keyboard on your Android phone is not desired, you can too. Swype, an app known to Samsung owners, is one of the most innovative keyboard options. It allows you to complete your finger to words instead of picking on the small screen characters. It offers a different layout, but you get used to ONC, you will write messages and emails faster than ever. It is not for everybody, but there are other keyboards you can try, like SwiftKey, SlideIT and Better Keyboard.
Android Hack; Seek And Retrieve A Lost Phone
Losing a phone is stressful. It’s not just because you misplaced a device that cost you a significant chunk of change; you also lose all the personal data stored in it, a scary thought if you have bank account numbers, your home address or your kids’ phone numbers in there. Fortunately, finding your phone can be done easily with an Android App. Prey is a free app that does just that and it not only lets you track your phone, you can also let it belt out an alarm or lock your lost device for added security.
If you need more features, WaveSecure is the way to go. On top of the features above, it lets you backup data on the web, restore data, track SIM card changes and remotely wipe your lost phone’s memory.
Android Hack; Protect your passwords
With all the security holes are found in the apps and Android, it's probably high time you looked at the security settings on your phone. If you install an experimental app, make sure the access permissions for the installation of the reading.
You can also get both a password manager for your sensitive logins to protect and make it easier for you to your favorite sites. 1Password password manager like LastPass and not just lock down your passwords, but you get the passwords that you store on your computer and desktop versions.
Android Hack; Android hidden settings
There are a lot of behind the scenes magic going on in your Android device in which the powers-that-be have hidden some reason. If you want to play with that, grab the Spare Parts Market and tweak your window animation speed, Wi-Fi sleep policy and the screen font sizes with ease. A warning: some tweaks may not work so go at your own risk!
Android Hack;Gain superuser access by Rooting
Obtain root or superuser access to your phone opens a number of very cool features to regular Joe users like us. You can use your entire phone back up, take screenshots, use AdBlock and the processor speed of your phone among other fun tricks. It is also very easy to root Android phones these days (especially the earlier models) and there are many apps available that make this process as painless as possible. Note that rooting the warranty of the device, as fair warning. Please read our newbie guide for rooting if you need more information about how this deed.
Android Hack;Installing a Custom ROM
The pinnacle of Android hacking is to use a custom ROM. Essentially, you replace the OS at this point in your phone with a different version of Android. CyanogenMod is the most commonly used ROM and has a range of great features, such as OpenVPN, incognito browsing (similar to Google Chrome) and theme support, among others.
Other ROMs available, you can copy the interface of other phones (HTC Sense is often ported), upgrade to a later version of Android, such as gingerbread or a honeycomb or optimizing your phone for speed, battery life and stability. Although there is the danger of permanently bricking your phone as a ROM flash goes bad, those who follow the instructions to the tee no problems. Well, most of the time it is.
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