Since your phone is with you at all times, the likelihood of it getting left behind at a bar, restaurant, gym, or other location that you previously visited is probably pretty high. And since we live in a world that isn’t always filled with angels, the chances of that left-behind-phone getting stolen and fondled deeply without your approval is probably even higher. Your first line of defense against evil doers is your lock screen. 

In stock Android, you have six different options to choose from for your lock screen, all of which offer their levels of security. If you use a non-stock Android device like the Galaxy S3, you may see some differences in functionality between the types we’ll talk about in a minute, but for the most part they all act in a similar fashion.

First, to access your lock screen options, the universal location tends to be in Settings>Security. From there, you should see an option towards the top called “Screen lock,” which then takes you to your lock screen options once tapped.

As you can see in the screenshot below, stock Android offers options for None, Slide, Face Unlock, Pattern, PIN, and Password. Let’s talk briefly about each.

Slide to Unlock

Slide is probably the most commonly used lock screen of all – it’s basically the default. This lock screen is not secure by any means, and only asks that the user of the phone grab the circle with a lock inside and slide it outside of a larger circle to unlock the phone. There are no passwords or patterns, it’s simply a way to keep your phone from turning itself on and then accessing all sorts of info in your pocket or purse without your knowing.

The nice thing about using Slide, is that you can still access your notification pulldown without having to fully unlock your phone. None of the other lock screen options allow for this, as they are technically “secure.”

Face Unlock

Face Unlock was introduced back in Ice Cream Sandwich as a fun way to unlock your phone using your face. In order to set this option up, you have to place your face inside of a face-shaped ring of dots using your front facing camera until the device decides that it knows your face enough to be able to unlock with it. Once approved, you’ll also be asked to provide a backup option in case the device cannot recognize your face. The two backup options are PIN or pattern.

With Face Unlock setup, you wake your phone and then set point your front facing camera at your face. If it recognizes you, it will unlock almost immediately. If not, it will ask that you complete your backup PIN or Pattern unlock.

People have found ways to trick Face Unlock from time to time, so I’d say that while it’s more secure than Slide, it’s not as secure as the next three.

Pattern, PIN, and Password Unlock

Pattern, PIN and Password unlocks are exactly as they sound – you either create a pattern, a numeric PIN, or an alpha-numeric password that needs to be entered in order to unlock your phone. These are likely the most secure of them all. If you don’t know the pattern, PIN, or password, you are not allowed to access the phone.

So those are lock screen security options. Any questions?

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An Overview of Android Lock Screen Security Options [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

(Samsung alarm)

Does anyone actually own a physical alarm clock anymore? You know, one of those big boxes with glowing lights, the worst radio speaker in history, and that likely has a broken limb thanks to being knocked off your night stand a time or two? For many, you could put these in the same category as dinosaurs as most have switched over to their phone full time as an alarm replacement. After all, your phone is with you every step of the day, including during times of travel, so why not make it your bedside and morning companion?

In this quick guide, we’ll look at setting up an alarm in the simplest of ways. This isn’t rocket science, but it’s definitely something you should all know how to do. The only tricky part depends on the type of device you have. Motorola, stock Android and Samsung all do things slightly different, so we’ll take a look at each. 

(Stock Android alarm)

Instructions:

1.  For the most part, you aren’t going to find an app in your app drawer that actually says “Alarm.”
2.  Instead, you’ll want to look for “Clock,” as this has become mostly universal.

*In some instances, like stock Android or Motorola phones, you can tap on your main clock widget to enter alarm settings.

3.  Once you have entered the clock app, the setup is going to vary depending on the phone.
4.  In almost all instances, though, look for the + as it will almost always create a new alarm.
5.  Once you have started a new alarm, you can tell it to do a variety of things

• Time:  The most important part is obviously the time. Pretty self explanatory.
• Repeat:  Repeat allows you to select which days to have your alarm continue to go off on. You can also set one time alarms by not selecting any day at all. Also, if you want a different alarm time for weekends, just set up a new alarm and only check Saturday and Sunday.
• Ringtone:  You can specify a ringtone to have play during your alarm. These can be from the stock choices on your phone or you could setup a custom ringtone that you’ve found.
• Vibrate:  You can also have your phone vibrate while its alarming you to wake up. Keep in mind that phones tend to move around while vibrating, so make sure it doesn’t slide off your night stand.

6.  Once an alarm is set, your screen should tell you a quick countdown for when it will go off next.
7.  To turn off alarms, a simple box uncheck or alarm icon tap should toggle them.

(Motorola alarm)

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How to: Set an Alarm on Your Android Phone [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

One of the most important features to Android smartphone owners, especially for those who travel regularly or want to take full advantage of high-speed LTE networks, is mobile hotspot. It’s also called “tethering,” but carriers have done their best to move away from that word for the most part and onto “hotspot” which is much more marketing friendly. With a mobile hotspot, you can turn your phone into an on-the-go WiFi router for your other WiFi enabled devices to connect to. No longer are you stuck with fingers crossed, hoping that you next location has free WiFi or a password available. With your phone, and hotspot enabled, you can be connected from anywhere. 

There are a couple of things to keep in mind when it comes to mobile hotspot, though. Your carrier typically provides a hotspot service at an additional charge, but there are also free ways to get your phone to tether, however, it typically requires rooting your phone and voiding its warranty. This tutorial is for the built-in hotspot service that can be activated through your carrier.

Instructions:

1.  From your main home screen, head into Settings.
2.  In the first section, you may see an option for Hotspot under WiFi and Bluetooth. Tap on it.

*If you do not see Hotspot from the main Settings screen, tap on the “More” button. You should see an option on the next screen that says “Tethering and mobile hotspot” or something along those lines.

3.  From there, you’ll find shortcuts to change all sorts of settings.
4.  You’ll want to enter “Mobile Hotspot settings” to at least find out the name of the network you’ll be creating.
5.  From this menu you’ll also be able to enable a password, change the network type, etc.
6.  Once you have it setup, all you need to do is activate it.

*On most phones, there will be a check box at the main Mobile Hotspot settings screen.

7.  Once activated, your phone will add a running notification that shows hotspot status.

*If you have not yet activated the service through our carrier, you will likely be prompted to do so at this point.

8.  It’ll also notify you as connections are made to your hotspot network.
9.  Once it shows that it’s live, you can jump on your laptop or other WiFi device.
10.  You connect just like you would to your home WiFi network, in your WiFi device’s WiFi settings.
11.  Enjoy your mobile internet!

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How to: Setup and Use Mobile Hotspot [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

Whatever the circumstances may be, sometimes we need to wipe our phones of all of their content. Maybe you are getting ready to sell it through eBay or Craigslist, and whoever is buying your phone certainly doesn’t need to see all of your stuff on their new phone. So, how do you factory reset an Android device? This guide will serve as a brief look into how to rid your phone of all of your personal pictures, documents, contacts, and more with the help of the built in reset option that Android offers.

Let’s get to it.

Instructions:

1.  Open the Settings menu on your device.
2.  Under the Personal category, select “Backup & Reset.”
3.  At the bottom, you will see “Factory data reset.”

Note: If you select to factory wipe your device, all info will be wiped including contacts (unless they’re sync’d to your Google account), pictures, documents, and everything else. It returns the device to as it was when you just opened the box.

4.  After selecting Factory data reset, the device asks to make sure this is the task you want to perform. If yes, hit, “Reset phone.”

Once hit, the device boots into recovery and wipes it clean. After it is done, it will reboot and your device will act as if it is brand new with all of its content gone. At this point, you can go ahead and do what you will with the device with no worries of anyone seeing those pictures you took in Vegas.

It wouldn’t be Android if there wasn’t at least a few ways of doing things. For anyone running a manufacturer’s skin atop their Android OS, things sometimes look different. Also, depending on which version of Android you are running, the Reset option could be under a subcategory in the Settings menu. For example, for users on Gingerbread, the option to factory reset a device is under the “Privacy” settings menu. The above image is how you find this option using Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, which is almost identical to stock Android in terms of location.

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How to: Factory Reset Your Phone [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

When the Android team first unveiled Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), one of the flagship features shown off was a new way to quickly switch between recently used apps or remove those same apps from running. On stock Android devices, or devices that use on-screen navigation keys, the button to access this new app switcher menu looks like two rectangles on top of each other (see image above). On devices like the Galaxy S3 which utilize a physical home button, a simple long press on that button will bring up the same menu. 

In previous versions of Android, a long press on Home popped up a simple app switcher, however, it lacked much functionality or design flair. In the newest versions (Android 4.0+), you can see thumbnails of your recently used apps that show you a preview of where you last left off. A simple tap on the thumbnail then jumps you into the app, again, exactly where you last left it.

On the flip side, you can kill off apps just as easily as you would switch to them, thanks to a new swiping gesture. If you would no longer like to see an app appear in your recently used app list, touch your finger to it and swipe it off the screen to either the left or right. Not only does this remove the app from showing up in your list, it also kills the app from continuing to run in a position that you last left it. Should you need to open a killed app again, you’ll notice that it opens from a fresh spot.

Instructions (killing recent apps):

1.  From any screen tap the app switcher button (the double rectangles).
2.  A list of your recently used apps should appear.
3.  To remove one, touch and hold on the app while swiping it off the screen.
4.  You can also long-press on the app and tell it to “Remove from list.”
5.  You can also long-press and enter “App info” to uninstall an app or stop it completely.
6. If you continue to swipe apps away until they are gone, you’ll be left with the screen on the left.

On most Samsung devices, a long-press of the physical home button will bring you the same recently used apps menu. Swiping them off the screen will also kill them off, but you will likely see a trash can button in the bottom right corner as well. Should you press that, all of your recently apps will be removed.

On most HTC devices released in the last year, there is an app switcher button, however, the recently used app list looks much different. The apps tend to show up as 3D cards that can are viewed through a horizontal menu. If you would like to remove a single app from appearing, a swipe up on the card will do the trick.

Most Motorola devices released in the last year have the standard Android task switcher button.

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How to: Quickly Kill Off or Switch to Recently Used Apps [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

Beginner or not, we are always looking for ways to accomplish tasks faster on smartphones and tablets. One area in particular would be in app management. How often do you install a new app or game only to realize after a couple of minutes that it has no place on your device? As someone that installs multiple apps per day, I can tell you that it happens to me on a regular basis, so uninstalling quickly has become more important. And thanks to updates in Android, this task is now easier than ever to do. 

Instructions:

1.  From your app drawer, find the app that you want to uninstall.
2.  Grab it by long pressing on it for 2-seconds.
3.  With control of the app, depending on your device, you should see shortcut options in the notification bar.

*In the screenshot, you can see that I have “Uninstall” and “App info.” Some devices are different in this area.

For example, Motorola phones only show a “More Options” area. Once dropped there, you’ll get a menu with an option to uninstall.

Samsung phones running TouchWiz do not have either shortcut. To quickly uninstall, hit Menu>Uninstall while in the app drawer and then select the apps you want to remove.

HTC phones tend to show an “Uninstall” options.

4.  If your phone shows the “Uninstall” option, drop your app there and then hit “OK” to uninstall.
5.  If you only see “App Info” or “More Options,” drop your app there.
6.  You should then see a box which allows you to uninstall the app.

And that’s it, you are now on your way to removing apps in the fastest way possible.

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How to: Quickly Uninstall Android Apps [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

If you didn’t have a chance to lock into unlimited data back before most carriers killed it off, then you are likely on a tiered data plan that forces you to constantly monitor your usage. With limits as low as 1GB on some carriers, there may be times when you reach your limit and need to toggle data off to save yourself from overages and penalty fees. Thankfully, the Android operating system has made this easier than ever to do with just a few quick steps. Even better, though, they allow you to set data limits, so that your phone will warn you as you approach your monthly data allotment. 

Instructions (Turning Off Data):

1.  To turn off mobile data, pull down your notification bar and open up Settings.
2.  On many phones, your third option from the top is “Data Usage.”
3.  Tap on that.
4.  From this screen, you can monitor the amount of data usage you have used over the month.
5.  If you would like to turn off mobile data, simply flip the switch at the top to “Off.”

Instructions (Setting Data Limits):

1.  Setting a data limit should be done by anyone with a tiered data plan.
2.  From that same settings screen, you can drag the orange warning bar to a limit of your choosing.
3.  Your phone will warn you as you approach, with a notification shortcut to this screen.
4.  Be sure to set you Data Usage Cycle to match-up to your carrier’s billing cycle.

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How to: Disable Mobile Data Usage [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

With the introduction of Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), Google gave users the power to disable system-level apps on an Android device. At first, you may think, “Why would I ever need to do that?” But if you look at it from a control perspective, you’ll quickly realize that this move could be perceived as a slap in the face to carriers and their need to install bloatware, or apps that they have installed on your phone through partners which cannot be removed. It’s also a way to disable rogue system apps that may be gobbling up battery, are running too often in the background, or that you wish were unavailable to users of your phone or tablet. 

Bloatware, as we refer to these carrier-installed apps, typically cannot be removed by a simple “uninstall.” Many of them have been permanently placed at a system-level on your phone or tablet, which means you cannot manipulate them without having superuser power over your phone. So if you want to remove the trial of EA’s latest game or the suite of Amazon apps that you wouldn’t normally have installed, disabling them will at least hide them from your view. It’s not the optimal situation for control freaks, but it does at least get them out of your app drawer and keep them from running in the background.

Instructions:

1.  From your home screen, enter your phone’s settings menu.

*Most phones running Jelly Bean – pull down notification bar and tap the Settings button.

2.  In Settings, scroll down to “Apps” or “Manage Apps.”
3.  Scroll over to the “All” section to view all apps.
4.  Find the app you would like to disable and tap on it.
5.  You should now be at the App Info page of the app.

*Should see how big the app is, an option to stop it or clear its data, and of course, disable it.

6.  When you tap “Disable,” you’ll be warned that this move may affect other apps.

*Depending on the app, this warning could be true. However, most of the bloatware installed by a carrier, will not be tied into other apps and can safely be disabled.

7.  If you think it’s safe, go ahead and OK the disable. Your app should now be disabled.
8.  You can find the list of disabled apps at the bottom of the All column in “Apps.”
9.  To re-enable an app, simply head back to this App Info screen and hit “Enable.”

Quicker Instructions:

*This tip should work on almost all Jelly Bean devices.

1.  From your app drawer, long press on the app you would like to disable.
2.  When it takes you to your home screen, look at the top of the screen for an “App Info” option.
3.  If you drag and drop your app here, it will take you directly into the “App Info” screen.
4.  You can then choose to disable or uninstall the app.

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How to: Disable System Apps and Bloatware on Android [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

When you first turn on your smartphone and you are taken through the setup process, you will undoubtedly be asked if you want to turn on location services. As you read the screen that talks about these location services, one that mentions GPS tracking, locations, and the accessing of information you may not want the world to know on a minute-by-minute basis, you may skip right over it, hoping to reconsider activating them later. And you know what, there is nothing wrong with that. But in case you do that, we figured you should probably know how to turn them back on, as many of the applications you use will be crippled if location services are not turned on. 

While it’s always scary to see an application ask to use your current location, you have to remember that in most cases, they are doing it to improve your smartphone or app experience. With your location information, apps like Google Maps can correctly pin-point your location to then help you find traffic information, see nearby places, and most importantly, navigate you from one location to another. Beyond Maps, think about apps like Foursquare, Instagram, and Facebook, all of which use your location to tag photos or check you in at your favorite restaurant. Without location services enabled, it would be difficult if not impossible for them to do this.

Instructions:

1.  From your home screen, enter your Settings menu.

*If running Jelly Bean, swipe your notification bar down, and tap the Settings icon. On a Samsung device, from your home screen you can tap Menu>Settings.

2.  Scroll down to the “Personal” section.
3.  Tap on “Location services” or “Location access” – whichever your phone shows.
4.  From this screen, you can toggle on or off any of the location services your phone offers.
5.  On most phones, that includes your carrier’s and Google’s location services, plus standalone GPS services.

Basics of Each Service:

• Carrier location services:  When checked, it uses your carrier’s cell towers to help to pin-point your location. A number of people leave this option unchecked, though just as many if not more leave it checked.
• Google location services:  This mostly uses WiFi signals to help determine your location. No need to turn these off.
• Standalone GPS services:  This uses the GPS unit in your phone in order to determine your location.

Battery Drain

There has long been talk of location services draining the battery of phones. As they are, at times, constantly looking for your location, that is somewhat true. However, as times have changed and technology has evolved, leaving location services on does less and less to decrease the life of your battery. Toggling on or off your location services now has more to do with privacy than anything.

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How to: Enable GPS and Other Location Services [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

When Google introduced Android 4.2, they announced an old feature, but in a new way. Once you were running this new version of Android, you had the ability to add select widgets to the lockscreen of your phone. In the past, you had always been able to utilize the widget power of Bugdroid on home screens, but expanding to your lockscreen gave you a new world of possibilities. Funny thing is, that third party lockscreen replacements have allowed this for years, so some of us were already used to the idea. For those not, this guide is for you. 

One thing to understand before we dive into this, is the fact that Google has only touched on the initial possibilities here. You are only allowed to add one widget per page on the lockscreen, plus arranging and managing is somewhat of a nuisance at times.

Instructions:

1.  Upon unlocking your device, you should see white box outlines to the left and right (image top left).
2.  If you touch the left edge of your device, you can swipe over and see a blank page with a “+” on it.
3.  Tap the “+” to bring up the widget menu.
4.  Find the widget you were looking for and tap on it.
5.  That widget should now be added to one of your lockscreen pages.

Those are the simplest of instructions, but I still want to highlight some of the other tricks when it comes to Android 4.2 lockscreen widgets.

Getting the Most Out of Widgets

First, if you have a full page widget, like the Beautiful Widgets clock I have below, your lockscreen will hide most of the info on it until you decide to access it. As you can see in the image below, you can actually swipe down on the clock, pulling the white box with you, to unveil a full clock with weather and forecast. This also works with widgets like the Calendar and Gmail.

If you have multiple pages of widgets on your lockscreen, you can swipe to the left to access them, just as you would on a normal home screen. Again, remember that a swipe down to begin this process will help show all of your widget’s info.
Once you have swiped down, you will need to swipe the white box back up in order to get to your unlock mechanism. Also, a swipe to the right side from your main lock page is an easy way to jump directly into your camera app.

Removing/Rearranging Widgets

To remove a widget, you will first need to swipe down on the widget page to reveal the entire widget. After you have done that, you can simply long-press and hold on the page that you want to remove. Once held properly, your phone will zoom out to a card view, showing you with a grasp on the widget you want to delete, which then allows you to drag up to remove. This is also a great way to rearrange widgets.

Third Party Widgets

Stock Android only comes with a handful of widgets like Calendar, Sound Search, Gmail, Clock, etc. If you want even more options, you are likely to find them in some of your favorites apps. As I mentioned earlier, Beautiful Widgets has been built to take advantage of lockscreen widgets, as have other clock and weather applications. For example, I have a full page clock with weather on it along with another page that’s a shortcut to a flashlight app. If you have an app that has a widget currently, there is a good chance that the developer has built in lockscreen support. If not, suggest that they do.

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How to: Setup Lockscreen Widgets in Android 4.2 [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

Depending on who you talk to, Android as an operating system may or may not have an issue with malware, spyware and viruses. We typically operate under the idea that it in no way has a problem, but that there are plenty of security companies out there willing to tell you otherwise. To be fair, though, there have been cases of malware or viruses in Android apps, most simply aren’t found anywhere near the Google Play store. If they are found, it’s usually through alternative 3rd party markets or pirated apps. 

To keep you safe and to help ease your mind, just in case you are worried about potential threats, there is no harm in installing apps that are built to protect you. And trust me, there are plenty out there. In fact, all of your favorite security companies have Android apps that will scan the heck out of your phone, while trying to find something malicious.

Instructions:

1.  Once installed and you have walked through setup, scanning for viruses is incredibly simple.
2.  Tap the “Virus Scanner” button.
3.  Then decide if you want to scan apps only or your SD card too.
4.  At this point, you can also set up a schedule to have your phone scanned regularly.
5.  Press “Scan now” and off you go.
6.  If your phone finds anything wrong, it will notify you and also give you instructions to fix.

Scanning is a pretty easy task to complete that I’m sure most of you will have no problem with. What you’ll need to decide, is which app you like the most depending on its feature set. Almost all of the security apps listed below will help if your phone is lost or stolen, they’ll scan your phone for viruses,  they will monitor app permissions, scan apps before they install or open, and will even see which apps are using the most data.

If you are like us, and think that the anti-virus side of Android isn’t all that frightening, think about using these apps for the other reasons I just listed above. Feel free to check each out, read reviews about them all, run through their list of features, and then decide if one fits your needs.

Play Links:  Avast! | Zoner | Norton | Lookout | Kaspersky ($14.95)

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How to: Scan Your Device for Malware or Potential Threats [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

When you first buy a new smartphone or tablet, thinking about installing an app that backs up things like apps, photos, texts, and other information is recommended. Since many new users aren’t 100% familiar with the inner workings of a smartphone operating system and how it handles your phone’s data, 3rd party apps that automate processes like backing up are a great idea. In this mini-tutorial, we’ll tackle the benefits of backing up and some of the apps worth a look. 

App Backups

As a new user to Android, there may be times when you need to backup your apps, however, with the most recent versions of Android getting more advanced and a Google Play store that continues to evolve, it has become less and less important. For novice users, backing up can be good when you need to keep older versions of apps that are no longer available or because you think Google’s automated backup system from Google Play doesn’t work all that well. Thankfully, with apps being attached to your account for life, it’s not necessary to worry about always backing up apps unless you become an advanced user and root (gain system access) your phone. At that point, you can make full backups of apps that contain your user data and settings, something that can’t be done by normal non-root access.

Basically, what I’m saying is that for new users, app backups aren’t all that important. If you have to factory reset your phone or uninstall an app, you can simply load the Google Play store back up and re-install the app, if Google doesn’t do it automatically for you. The only problem here, is that you lose all of the data from the previously installed version. That’s when having root access can be beneficial, as you can backup user data and restore it. But you will rarely have to worry about not being able to install an app again.

I know this tutorial is about backing up apps, but again, it’s not something you really need to worry about unless you become a power user that is constantly factory resetting your phone.

Photos, Texts, and Other Info

On the flip side of backups, I would say that it is important to backup your photos, text messages, call logs, and other info. This information, if deleted during a factory reset or lost because you changed phones, might be missed. There are a number of apps that will store this info in the cloud so that it can be accessed from anywhere in the world, or on your phone’s microSD card for safe keeping.

Two of the most popular are apps called My Backup Pro and Ultimate Backup, both of which allow you to back up all of your personal data (photos, texts, etc.), store it on device or in the cloud (recommended), in a file that can be restored from any device. They are simple to use, can be automated to do it regularly, and only cost a couple of dollars. Free options like Dropbox are what I personally use for things like photos, however, they aren’t as automated and are more of a storage locker than anything. The best part, though, is the fact that Dropbox is easily accessed from PC browser to tablet to phone. There are also options for advanced users that are more of a file manager than anything, or if you decide to root your phone, you can have even more control.

Most of the apps I’ve laid out are super simple to use, and that’s on purpose. No one wants to have to worry about backups, so feel free to check out the couple of options we have included below and decide which you like the best. Most of them have free or trial options, giving you the time to find your favorite.

Cloud Backups

One thing that I definitely recommend, is using an option that can store your personal info in the cloud, so that if you lose your device, it’s stolen, or you change to something new, you can pull back your data with ease. Storing information on local drives has become a thing of the past, especially since many of us tend to carry around multiple devices that all need access to the same data.

Contacts

There is no need to backup your contacts with an app or 3rd party service (like Verizon’s Backup Assistant). Google automatically backs up, updates, and restores your contacts, calendar, and Gmail once you login to your phone with your Google account. Using 3rd party apps only makes the situation a mess, often times creating doubles of contacts.

Options:  Ultimate Backup| Astro File Manager | Titanium Backup (root) | My Backup Pro | Dropbox

Presented by Norton 360™ Multi-Device. Protect your new computers, smartphones, and tablets with Norton 360™  Multi-Device.

Backing Up Your Android Apps and Other Phone Info [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

When you first turn on your new phone, one of the last things you want to entertain is the idea that there may be a time when it becomes lost or stolen. As much as we cherish our smartphones and keep them by our sides at all times, there is always a chance that it gets left behind somewhere or that someone grabs it while you aren’t paying attention. Thanks to a number of Android applications, you can help reunite yourself with your phone in a matter of minutes.

If you head into the Google Play store and search for “find my phone,” you will be flooded with more options than you can probably digest. The good news is that most of them are simple, free, and work incredibly well. Let’s talk about the service and how it works. 

So how does a “find my phone” app work?

Most use GPS, your phone number, and an external website that allows you to track your phone at all times. “Find my phone” apps allow you to ping the location of your device and then display it, along with an address for you to find it at. Once installed, you usually need to activate the app, attach it to your phone number, create a login with a partnering tracking website, and then sit back and wait for someone to steal your phone or for you to misplace it. It takes minutes to set these apps up, but can save you hundreds of dollars in the end.

What happens once it’s lost or stolen?

Once stolen or lost, you can immediately head to that partnering website, login, and pin point your device’s location. From this website, you usually can lock the phone down from being used, remotely wipe all information from it, and also tell it to “scream” or make a loud noise to draw attention to the situation. Some services are also allowing you to remotely take photos with the camera on your phone, so that you can help identify the location or get a crystal clear picture of the thief.

Here are a few “find my phone” apps that you may want to check out:

• SeekDroid ($2.99):  This is one of the old standard “find my phone” apps. Besides all of the standard features we mentioned above, it allows you to remotely enable GPS, remotely wipe both internal storage and SD cards, and even keep thieves from uninstalling the app.
• Find My Phone:  A free app that’s great for families, especially parents that like to keep track of their kids. You can attach friends and family to it to track phone movement at all times. But maybe most importantly, you can track a lost or stolen phone from another phone if they are on your list of friends. So if you aren’t near a computer or tracking website, you can always grab your Mom’s phone and find yours.
• Norton Anti-Theft:  This is an add-on to Norton’s Mobile Security, which from what I can tell means you need a Norton license in order to use. But one of the cool features I noticed, was its ability to take photos and then upload them to a Norton site to help you find the device. No better “Gotcha!” than a mug shot of the guy that just jacked your phone.
• Lookout Plan B:  Lookout’s Plan B is one of the only apps that will let you find your phone after the fact, even if it hasn’t been pre-installed on your phone. If you lose your phone, you can remotely install Plan B to it, which will then cause it to automatically start and then send a location to you. After that, if you want to continue to track your phone, you can text “locate” to it from another phone. Pretty brilliant, if you ask me.

Beyond those four options, there are countless others to choose from. In fact, almost every anti-virus or security app for Android (Ex: AVG, Zoner, and McAfee) has a device tracking feature built in.

So as a final reminder, strongly consider installing a “find my phone” app on your new device – it may help you find your expensive toy and bust a criminal at the same time.

Presented by Norton 360™ Multi-Device. Protect your new computers, smartphones, and tablets with Norton 360™  Multi-Device.

How to: Track Your Phone If It’s Stolen or Lost [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

For owners of a device with hardware keys instead of onscreen buttons (Galaxy S3, Note 2, DNA, etc.), accessing Google Now with a simple swipe up from the “Home” button just isn’t possible. Some people either have to long press their Home button or access it from the up-top Search widget. This quick tip will help anyone using Nova Launcher or other third party launchers to assign a simple swipe gesture to their app drawer button for easy access to Google Now.

This can be performed by other custom launchers such as Apex, Go, and others. For this example, we are using Nova.

Instructions:

1.  From your homescreen, long press on the “App Drawer” button.
2.  Select the option for “Edit.”
3.  Next to Swipe Action, select the “None” text.
4.  A separate page will pop up. On the top, hit “Apps.”
5.  Scroll down until you find “Google.”
6.  Select it.
7.  Under the Edit Shortcut menu, hit “OK.”
8.  Test it. Swipe up on the App Drawer button and you will be taken to Google Now.

And that’s it! No more fuss.

*The rest of the Android Beginners’ Guide is a one-stop shop for all of those new to Android.

Quick Tip: Use Nova Launcher to Access Google Now [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life

With Google’s update of Gmail today, everyone running Ice Cream Sandwich and above can take advantage of the new pinch-to-zoom and swipe-to-delete features. The feature does not come automatically enabled and must be turned on manually in order to be used, which seemed to confuse a few people who were trying to pinch on every email in their inbox.

Don’t worry, it’s an easy process and we have detailed it below so even our new Android-using readers can take advantage of this. 

Enabling Pinch-to-Zoom:

1.  Open the Gmail application.
2.  Under the Settings menu, select “General settings.”
3.  Down the page, hit “Auto-fit messages.”
4.  Back out to your inbox and try it out on an any email.

And there you have it! Now go, pinch-to-zoom like a madman!

Editing Swipe-to-Delete Settings:

1.  Open the Gmail application.
2.  Under the Settings menu, select “General settings.”
3.  Hit “Swiping conversation list.”
4.  Select which action you want the app to take when swiping a message.
5.  Back out to your Inbox and try it out.

And there you have. No more accidentally deleted or archived emails.

*The rest of the Android Beginners’ Guide is a one-stop shop for all of those new to Android.

How to: Enable Pinch-to-Zoom in Gmail [Beginners' Guide] is a post from: Droid Life